“Modern Day Warfighter: Ready, Lethal, Adaptable”

“We’re going to go shopping; we’re going to put gear in the hands of Marines in order to figure out if we need it. That’s turning the world upside down … we need to get Marines—junior Marines—together with industry in a conversation way earlier than we have been comfortable with in the past.” 

—Lt. Gen. David Berger, Commanding General of the Marine Corps Combat Development Command (MCCDC)

Speaking at the opening ceremony for the 38th MDM Expo, three-star General Berger threw the door wide open for both close-range and leap-ahead technologies and ideas, recently enabled by significant budget increases after years of what many saw as intentional starvation under the previous presidential administration. And the Corps, with a deserved reputation as the most nimble and warfighting-focused of the U.S. Armed Forces, would shake up traditionally cumbersome acquisition processes by inviting and more seriously considering ideas from Marines of all ranks as well as businesses big and small.

Berger’s forceful commitment was energetically supported in all aspects of this annual Expeditionary Warfare extravaganza, where defense industry reps and Navy/Marine Corps program offices showed their wares and interacted with high value attendees—not just generals, Pentagon potentates and allied military shoppers, but multitudes of muddy boots Marines with plenty of combat experience.

Show, Tell, Listen

This year saw an expanded set of formal presentations, information panels, product demonstrations and “Booth Briefs” both scheduled and off-the-cuff for up-close interaction.

Perhaps most useful to potential vendors came on opening day in the form of info-packed Briefs to Industry by Marine Corps Systems Command and its components. In addition to stage-setting overviews, specific needs were identified in ground combat, logistics, support and training.

Ground Combat is our focus so we zeroed in on the presentation by Colonel Mike Manning, GCE Portfolio Manager, that led off with the very welcome news that funding has increased dramatically and is projected to move steadily upward by more than $133 million by fiscal year 2020.

On the weapons track, he’s looking for help from industry with a prioritized list including variable power day optics, binocular night vision goggles, multi-spectral imagers and rangefinders, medium machine gun modernization and a “next generation squad weapons/rifle,” a noble but seemingly endless quest.

Oh, and now that the Corps is buying 15,000 more of HK’s superlative M27 Infantry Automatic Rifles, the ongoing search for a rugged, reliable, higher capacity feed device intensifies. Maybe like MAGPUL’s compact, unstoppable 40-round PMAG M3 drum?

Now, having the new hardware is one thing, but making sure it’s used most effectively by grunts and others in the fight is daunting—particularly as everything on the battlefield gets more and more high-tech.

Colonel Lois Lara, Training Systems’ Program Manager, called for emerging technologies to enhance and improve head-mounted displays and moving past serious limitations in current laser systems being used for small arms in force-on-force training.

The follow-on Brief to Small Business was a lifeline to those offering worthy products to meet identified needs but a bit short in the “how do we let the Marine Corps know what we’ve got?”

[Author’s Note: The website for MDM Expos is among the most comprehensive and user-friendly we’ve encountered. There’s a wealth of info for exhibitors and attendees, as well as an invaluable portal for those unable to attend in person. Links are available to the actual content of the Briefs to Industry from MCSC’s Commander and Portfolio Managers. Links are also available at marcorsyscom.marines.mil. For specific solicitations and contract awards see FedBizOpps.gov or fbo.gov. Also, Defense Innovation Marketplace is a comprehensive resource: defenseinnovationmarketplace.mil.]

Some additional presentations over the expo’s three days featured the “Close Combat Lethality Task Force,” “Synthetic Training Environment” and informed speculation on the “Future Operating Environment.”

New this year were concurrent presentations in the Marine Corps University’s on-site Expeditionary Seminar Facility. Attendees sampled sessions on “Expeditionary Energy,” “Cybersecurity” and a hush-hush (closed session) explaining once and for all, “Why the North Won the Civil War ….”

Regularly scheduled “Booth Briefs” were offered by a number of exhibitors, and we hastened to observe Warfighting Laboratories’ show ‘n’ tell on the tough and versatile Marathon Robotics system. These somewhat eerie, man-sized, mobile targets move around realistically and flop over “dead” when hit. MCWFL also provided on-the-spot briefings from Center for Lessons Learned, the Technology Initiative Screening Branch and RCO’s rapid development and delivery of operational prototypes to forces in the fight.

More than 360 Exhibitors

For all three days of the expo while deadly serious information was being dispensed in the Briefing Center tent, the other giant tents and the outside displays were buzzing with activity as visitors ranging from youthful enlisted Marines to high-level military, DoD and industry potentates patrolled the aisles.

Discipline is needed to avoid being overwhelmed by the variety of offerings on display and the sheer size of many including hulking AFVs, artillery pieces, real aircraft and the like.

All are certainly compelling to others, but man-portable weaponry is our stock in trade. 2018’s lineup included weapons from prominent names like American Rheinmetall, FN, General Dynamics, Glock, HK and SIG SAUER. Some of their rivals in the firearms arena included Arbor Arms, Geissele and LaRue.

Short Bursts

Space limitations dictate just brief notes on some of the things we encountered, so follow-up info is encouraged by visiting vendor websites as noted.

SIG SAUER MHS and more. Flushed with victory, of course, in winning the multi-service Modular Handgun competition, they showcased the M17 and M18 versions, along with a full selection of other pistols and long arms. Most all, by the way, were going to be made available for handling and shooting at the concurrent Marksmanship Tech Demo. sigsauer.com

FN 509 Tactical. Heavily advertised these days in most gun- and defense-related magazines, the versatile 509 Tactical drew a lot of admiring attention at their sprawling display that was dramatically dominated by the fuselage of a “Little Bird” helo. fnamerica.com

Barrett MRAD. Touting “Modularity Without Compromise,” this bolt-action tack driver offers six distinct cartridge options. barrett.net

AimLock R-M1. Augmenting battle-proven stabilized, remotely operated weapons stations with innovative automatic targeting technology, it features ruggedized computing and display modules with a gamer-style controller. aim-lock.com

LaRue Tactical BET. When a glitch kept away the weapons they planned for display, these tough Texans rallied to release a herd of 500 distinctive armadillo-configured “Beverage Entry Tools” branded with MDM 18 and the classic USMC logo. larue.com

SAAB Carl Gustaf. One of the bigger weapons we were drawn to was the latest M3E1/M4, tapped by the Marines to eventually arm every infantry squad with one of these devastating tank and bunker-busters. saab.com

Taking Aim

Aimpoint FCS13RE. The Carl Gustaf and similar launch platforms get superior hit probability on static and moving targets with this Dynamic Universal Reflex Sighting super system from Sweden. aimpoint.com

Photonis Vyper 14. The AN/PVS-14, a SPECOPS favorite, now gets 40% greater range with the new 4G image intensifier tube. photonis.com

Leupold. Well-proven in combat and competition, Leupold’s Delta Point Pro is a tough, economical, high-performance red dot for pistols, shotguns and carbines. leupold.com

Excelitas Talon. Rugged and compact, this new clip-on image intensifier/uncooled thermal imaging weapon sight gives all-weather performance. excelitas.com

Optics 1 I-CUGR. The Integrated Compact Ultralight Gun-Mounted Rangefinder gives the operator the ability to range man-sized targets out to 1500 meters. optics1.com

Trijicon VCOG. This tank-tough 1-6×24 power Variable Combat Optical Gunsight boasts an LED illuminated, first focal plane BDC reticle. trijicon.com

Nice to Have

MAGPUL Bipod. Their ever-expanding line now includes a clever bipod with distinctively configured, quick-adjusting legs. magpul.com

KF Armory Defense MIB2S. Designed for easy assembly, disassembly and extreme durability, the Modular Interlocking Ballistic Barrier System’s giant super blocks defeat .50 BMG APIT projos. kfarmory.com

Meggitt Linkless Magazines. Metallic-linked 30mm ammo is too heavy and prone to feed problems, so their linkless magazines are winners for machine-cannon systems. meggitdefense.com

Quantico Tactical LRAD. Adding to their offerings by leaps and bounds, this mega gun seller has now partnered with LRAD Corp. to offer the Long Range Acoustic Devices, including the new 450XL. quanticotactical.com

American Rheinmetall. Among its many superior quality munitions, the company’s 40mm MK281 training grenade uses unique target marking technologies, giving USMC MK19 gunners realistic day and night training. americanrheinmetall.com

Arnold Defense. Long recognized for superior launch systems for area suppression with 2.75-in. rockets, the new FLETCHER uses advanced rocket guidance technology for land-based, vehicle-mounted applications. arnolddefense.com

Laser Shot. Who can resist the chance to fire machine guns and pistols right in the middle of the show floor? Countless Marines and others tried their skills on the MMTS and SimRange simulators. lasershot.com

Revision’s additions. Perhaps best known for excellent ballistic eye protection, the company’s offerings now include the Viper Helmet System, tactical power packs and communication components. revisionmilitary.com

Spyderco. This highly respected blademaker’s pro line features the new compact Para 3 folders that offer full-service cutting performance for professional end users who want versions optimized for tactical use. Available in a variety of handle colors and blade edges in stainless and matte black. spyderco.com

Small Business, Big Ideas

We always make it a point to visit the Small Business Pavilion and again found much to recommend. We needn’t say too much about Cheata Tactical’s quick entry tee shirt for nursing military moms (cheatatactical.com), but the RHTT (Robotic Human Type Target) under development by SimIS shows promise as a potential rival to Marathon’s near lock on the smart, tough, roll-around sniper target market. simisinc.com

The Corps’ Small Biz office was strategically located right there in the tent, busily dispensing advice to eager applicants. marcorsyscom.marines.mil

Honorable Mention

Battle Challenge. Gyrene gladiators flocked to the expo’s newest and most spectacular event, to strain, sweat and shoot in an exciting and fast moving “Fire and Maneuver” contest that incorporates highly relevant military skills and fitness challenges that include precision laser M4 carbine shooting, cargo net climb, rope descent, man-down rescue and more. Participants compete against each other and the clock to earn “Best of the Best!” battlechallenge.org

National Museum of the Marine Corps. It would be close to criminal negligence to come all the way to the expo yet fail to visit the Corps’ spectacular, state-of-the-art museum, just outside the main gate. usmcmuseum.com or marineheritage.org

The Navy claims ownership of the Marines, so cutting edge research and development at Office of Naval Research (ONR) deserves respect and attention in exhibits. While this super high tech command has lots of spooky projects in the works, we gun guys are most interested in things that facilitate hole-punching one way or another. Some examples are the continuing work on lightweight and caseless ammunition, leap-ahead improvements in integrated day–night optics and lots of directed energy initiatives.

Something for Everyone

Other firms and military entities offering innovative weapon sights, ammo, accessories, edged weapons, hydration, chow, extreme weather clothing, rugged gear, VR worlds, tactical tea and more, enjoy not only our attention but that of salty Marines of all ranks swarming the aisles. Word of particularly notable items and other things of interest gets around quickly, and reps are always kept busy with show-and-tell duties.

Oh, and thousands of free copies of Small Arms Review and Small Arms Defense Journal were handed out by the friendly and energetic Chipotle Publishing team. Best deal at the show.

A full listing of exhibitors, their websites and other information may be found at marinemilitaryexpos.com.

Marine Military Expos 2019

Next year’s Modern Day Marine Expo is scheduled for September 17-19, once again aboard MCB Quantico, Virginia. This is the largest of three related shows where exhibitors meet the Marines on their own turf.

Marine West Expo 2019 is slated for February 7-8 at Camp Pendleton, CA, and Marine South Expo 2019 for April 11-12 at Camp Lejeune, NC. Both are held at home installations for two of the Marine Corps’ expeditionary forces, which are continually training and dispatching fighting elements to a broad spectrum of missions around the world “in the air, on land and at sea.”

Exhibitors at the Marine Military Expos meet and exchange information, face-to-face, with not only the users of their equipment but also the men and women responsible for equipping the Corps, tasked with a broad range of existing and emerging demands.

In addition to displaying products before thousands of users, Marine Military Expo exhibitors also exchange information with their target audience, listen to their needs and gain valuable insight into what works best in a wide array of combat, combat support and combat service support situations. Marines who have recently returned from wartime missions not only provide feedback but also convey suggestions and ideas that are often considered and adopted in designing or improving equipment and systems.

The decision-makers and procurement experts who exhibitors want and need to meet attend the expos for up-close and personal exposure to the leading-edge equipment, systems and services—solutions their Marines need for the years ahead. At the Marine Military Expos, networking opportunities among the buyers, the users and defense industry professionals are unlimited. Take advantage of those opportunities for your company by exhibiting at the Marine Military Expos: marinemilitaryexpos.com

Honors and Awards 

With so many high-level Marine leaders and other VIPs converging on the expo, important ceremonial events are conveniently scheduled to coincide. Bad weather on Wednesday moved the customary Enlisted Awards parade inside the main Briefing Center tent. There, eight outstanding Marines and one Navy Hospital Corpsman were standing tall to be personally congratulated by Commandant Neller, along with the Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps and the Commandant of the Marine Corps League.

For us, the Gunnery Sergeant Carlos Hathcock II Award for outstanding contribution to marksmanship training is most prominent among these. 2018’s honoree was Sergeant Kailub S. Young for his exemplary performance while serving as the Line Staff NCO, Charlie Range, Range Company, Weapons and Field Training Battalion, Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego, California. His award citation notes some 4,589 recruits under his supervision and with his numerous innovations, achieved a record 98.71 percent Combat Marksmanship Initial Qualification, with 2,264 scoring “Expert.” This “undoubtedly enhanced the capabilities of the Marines obtained by Operational Forces.

The United States Marine Corps put their best foot forward once again for the 30th annual Modern Day Marine (MDM) show at Quantico, Virginia. This year’s show was very well attended by both vendors and USMC personnel, with many new vendors on display. Over 8,500 attendees, mostly USMC, kept the over 400 booths energized. The discussions at the show had most of the attendees and vendors very pleased and planning on returning the next year. MDM is always a highly rated show for interaction with not only the higher ranked and hopefully decision makers, but with the rank and file Marines. Most vendors are aware that this is what builds their brand as the young Marines move up in rank they remember the lessons learned not only on the battlefield, but on the display floors as well.

There were many booths for organizations supporting the USMC and veterans. One group in particular SAR would like to bring to our readers’ attention: The U.S. Paralympics Military Program. This group is working with the U.S. Paralympics to help sponsor more of the thousands of severely wounded veterans into the active sports programs they provide. www.usparalympics.org or www.semperfifund.org.

AAI LSAT (Lightweight Small Arms Technologies) is a technology based program managed through the Joint Service Small Arms Program Office (JSSAP), located at the Army’s Armament Research, Development and Engineering Center at Picatinny Arsenal in New Jersey. The focus of LSAT is:

• Reduce the weight of weapons carried by warfighters by 35 percent
• Lower the ammunition weight by more than 40 percent
• Maintain or improve lethality and reliability over current systems
• Improve ergonomics and logistics
• Reduce training and maintenance time

These promising technologies continue to be matured and tested. Current program objectives are to:

• Develop the cased telescoped ammunition and light machine gun to TRL 7 and conduct an operational demonstration
• Continue maturation and demonstrations of the caseless ammunition and light machine gun
• Develop and demonstrate a cased telescoped rifle to TRL 5 (www.aaicorp.com)

Beretta– The TRG Folding Stock can be retrofitted to all TRG precision sniper rifles without any modifications to the weapon itself. Front to rear: PX4 .45 ACP SOCOM trials pistol with Gemtech Blackside suppressor. TRG-42 PSR .338 Lapua Magnum rifle with standard sidefolder. Beretta owns Steiner so they are featuring the Military 4-16×50, and the suppressor is the Surefire LLC model FA338SS. The Harris Bipod was chosen for this. The TRG stock system accepts Remington 700 USMC Short action and the M24 long action. Scope is the Schmidt & Bender PMII. The Harris bipod is chosen for this. (www.berettale.com)

One of the busiest booths at the show was the FNH USA booth with its emphasis on small arms for the warfighter. The SCAR program was well received with a constant flow of Marines looking over the rifle system, and the sniper and M3M .50 displays were also busy. (www.fnhusa.com)

The General Dynamics MK47 Grenade Machine Gun is a lightweight new generation of launcher that has been well accepted by testers and users alike. The idea for making it squad portable was put to Eagle and they designed a 4 pack system for packing this out – one pack that is for the MK47 itself, the next for tripod and FCU, and the next (add as many as you want) to carry the soft box ammo carriers in either 32 or 48 rounds. The soft carriers reduce the bulk of the ammo containers, but once loaded, will fit inside the original ammo cans the 40x53mm linked grenades come in making for a quick fit in a Humvee or other vehicle. (www.gd-ots.com) or (www.eagleindustries.com)

C. Reed (Trey) Knight III holds the M110 Carbine, the newly adopted Knight’s Armament Company 7.62×51 mm sniper rifle in its shorter profile. The patented dimpled ‘Heavy’ barrel delivers expected HB accuracy and consistency results, while providing lighter weight and more rapid cooling. 7.62mm M110 Carbine (P/N: 25749) pictured with Leupold 1.1-8x CQBSS (optional P/N 25884)

Prolific parts and weapons supplier LaRue Firearms presented several caliber variations of their Optimized Battle Rifle. The 7.62x51mm carbine version (shown) provides semiautomatic long range capability in a smaller package. (www.laruetactical.com)

The LMO/VLTOR manufactured PKM 7.62x54R machine gun that LMO has been supplying to USG customers. LMO is the GSA contractor armorer trainer for U.S. and foreign small arms, as well as a long-time supplier of unusual munitions. (www.longmountain.com)

LWRC featured their M6-G series rifles with the reliable short stroke gas piston operation they are well known for in their M16 based platforms. The REPR in 7.62x51mm was quite popular with the USMC attendees and is a contender for consideration on sniper systems. (www.LWRCI.com)

ManroyUSA.The MK43 Mod 0 EBS (Electro-optical BoreSight assembly) is utilized for accurately aligning weapons with their sighting systems. The EBS employs a state of the art color video camera and permits a single user to accurately and remotely align the weapon to the sight from the safety of the gunner’s position. The EBS provides a safe, easy to use, accurate, fast and reliable tool for boresighting that yields high first round hit probability. The ease of use of the EBS minimizes the time required to perform boresighting and maximizes the convenience and the frequency of the procedure. The EBS retains its accuracy over a wide range of environmental conditions and permits the alignment process to be accomplished at up to 2,000+ meters. (www.manroy-usa.com)

McCurdy’s Armor Dynamic Defense Materials, LLC is supplying a portable armored wall system named in honor of fallen Marine Corporal Ryan McCurdy. This armor system is fast to set up and as a single wall is effective up to 7.62mm threats. An interior wall can be added as well as sand-fill to bring that protection up to 12.7mm. (www.ddmat.com)

The Metal Storm Multi-Shot Accessory Underbarrel Launcher (MAUL) is an ultra-lightweight 12 gauge gun system that attaches to the barrels of the M4 and M16 Modular Weapon Systems (MWS). With Metal Storm’s stacked round firing system, the war fighter can load and fire five shots simultaneously in a single chamber, maximizing mission effectiveness. (www.metalstorm.com)

Nammo-Talley and Raytheon The new 83mm SERPENT shoulder fired launcher is a reloadable tube using a variety of task chosen ammunition that may be fired from enclosure. The three current workhorse rounds are the Novel Explosive for Urban Use, the High Explosive Anti-Armor, and the High Explosive Dual Purpose. The SERPENT weighs 10 pounds (4.5 kg), has an overall length of 32.4 inches (82.2 cm) in the carry position, and has a range of 500 meters (1,640 feet). (www.nammotalley.com) and (www.raytheon.com)

MSG Military Systems Group started in 1984 and has been supplying mount and weapon related products ever since. They are a GSA provider and are online at the e-buy system. (www.milsysgroup.com)

US Ordnance- STS US Ordnance’s display featured a twin M2HB .50 caliber machine gun set up with right and left hand feeds. US Ordnance has numerous government contracts on the M2HB as well as the MK43 Mod O (M60E4) 7.62x51mm machine gun. The twins are set onto a naval mount that is one of the featured products of Special Tactical Services, LLC. STS is committed to providing the highest level of training possible to all of their clients and their main business line is providing GS approved training as well as contracted security in operations. (www.usord.com) and (www.spectacserv.com)

Rheinmettal and Vingtech provided a variety of solutions and enhancements for the 40x53mm platforms. Perhaps the most interesting was the Vingtech MK19 Capability Upgrade. This system was combat proven on the HK GMG and brings new accuracy to the MK19 system. Upgrade package includes the Vingmate Fire Control System, Vingtech Combi Softmount and the Vingtech Video Trainer. (www.vingtech.com)

RPG Stopper – The ShotScreen RPG Defeat System is an active protection system that can be mounted on new or retrofitted LAVs and a variety of other vehicles and stationary platforms. The system releases a wave of small diameter, low velocity non-lethal pellets from several non-slewing locations to defeat multiple anti-tank type RPG grenades. To defeat an incoming RPG, two adjacent warheads are fired to form an overlapping pattern of pellets. The cloud of pellets travel to the intercept plane at a low rate of speed. This pattern, or ‘shot screen,’ intercepts the RPG round at close range from the protected vehicle and neutralized the RPG to nullify its lethality. This is done by short-circuiting the electrical path in the dual cone nose as shown in the picture. In an alternate version, it pre-detonated PG7s at a significant stand-off distance. (www.gd-ots.com)

Magpul has been providing a prolific line of upgrade products as well as their in-house weapons designs, but the game-changing P-Mag 30 is still one of the hottest items at any show. (www.magpul.com)

Carl Zeiss presented some new products: Front: 4×30 fixed 4x ballistic prop compensated with 8 degree field of view; L-R NSV-1000 long range night vision, IRV-600 IR-Thermal Imager 1.2km range to detect a human, NSV-600 Intermediate range image intensifier, 6-24 x 72 Hensoldt military optic, Rear: Spotter 60 20-60x spotter optic. (www.zeiss.com)

Tippmann Ordnance Company, related to the longtime U.S. company that produced the Tippmann miniature fully functional one-half scale Browning machine guns and air rifles/paintball equipment, has produced a series of training gear that is pneumatically operated. Training suicide bomber vests, roadside IEDs, and the new M1A-M2 Mortar Launcher (shown). The M1A-M2 is a paint marker system resembling a military crew served mortar, similar in visual impact with a standard military 81mm mortar. The marker system is a 62mm, smoothbore, muzzle loading, gas/Co2 operated, manually fired, high angle-of-fire training device. The device propels a 20 oz. marker round (water soluble marker paint), with a 4 round per minute firing cycle rate, with an effective range of approximately 500 yards, providing a 70+ feet in diameter ‘kill zone’ while employing a maximum operating pressure of 200 psi. (www.tippmannordnance.com)

In keeping with their tradition of support at MDM, SureFire had a well-stocked booth. Of note were the mil-spec rifle suppressors. Top to bottom: FA762K for 7.62x51mm rifles weighing 19 oz (539gr) and has a length of 8.4 inches (19.1 cm); MICRO for the 5.56x45mm rifles weighing 12 oz (340gr) with a length of 4.0 inches (10.2cm); MINI for the 5.56×45 rifles weighs 14 oz (397gr) with a length of 5.0 inches (12.7cm). (www.surefire.com)

Marine Corps Warfighting Lab – The MCWL is an effective group whose mission is to “Conduct concept-based experimentation and wargaming to develop and evaluate tactics, techniques, procedures, and technologies in order to support the warfighter by enhancing current and future warfighting capabilities.” This is accomplished through the various divisions of the lab; Science & Technology Integration; Global War on Terrorism Operations; Experiment Division; Technology Division, as well as several other groups. (www.mcwl.quantico.usmc.mil)

(Editor’s note: An “Expo” by definition puts products on display. This one – billed as the world’s largest trade show for expeditionary warriors – featured nearly four hundred display booths offering everything a Marine could want from waterproof socks to robotic amphibious scout platforms. SAR dispatched Military Affairs Editor Robert Bruce to find and photograph what’s new and interesting. He came back with more than enough photos to fill a whole issue. We’ve carefully selected a number to bring our readers some highlights of this unique annual event.)

“The history of this exposition reflects one in which displayed items, themes, concepts, and ideas have been developed into fielded systems that ultimately enhanced the performance and warfighting effectiveness of our Corps. As Commandant, I am charged with the training and fielding of Marines, but we rely on industry to provide the technical muscle that makes Marines an effective fighting force. While our immediate focus is on combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan we must also look to our force for the future, keep our roots tied to the Navy and over-the-horizon warfare in ‘every clime and time zone.’” General James T. Conway

Strategically located less than an hour’s drive from the Nation’s Capitol, Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia, is an ideal venue for the world’s largest showcase of products and concepts for expeditionary warfare. This enormous, historic base is known as the “Crossroads of the Marine Corps,” home to many of the Corps’ most important components.

Notable among these is the Marine Corps Combat Development Command, which develops Marine warfighting concepts and determines the Corps’ capability requirements for doctrine, equipment, organization, training, education and support.

Additionally, the Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory, a part of the Development Command responsible for improving current and future naval expeditionary warfare capabilities, is also located aboard the base.

The Marine Corps Systems Command, the Corps’ principal agency for acquisition and sustainment of systems and equipment for the Marines’ warfighting mission, and a co-sponsor of the 2007 exposition, is located at Quantico.

Many of the personnel assigned to those organizations, along with Congressional leaders, personnel from all the US Armed Forces, high ranking foreign military officers from Washington’s many embassies, and of course rank-and-file Marines, visited the exhibit halls during the three day event in October. All of these present exhibitors the widest spectrum of opportunity for effective promotion of their products and services.

Co-sponsored by Marine Corps Systems Command and the Marine Corps League, the exposition occupied a cluster of enormous tents set up on the front lawn of the Marine Corps Base’s headquarters building, Lejeune Hall. Additionally, larger pieces of equipment – heavy artillery, hulking mine-resistant armored vehicles, high-technology exhibit trailers, and such – were parked outside in every available bit of lawn.

Evolving Threats

A special pavilion dedicated to equipment for countering improvised explosive devices (IEDs), inaugurated at the 2006 exposition, was once again a featured part of the exposition. With urgency and attention obviously driven by the increased sophistication of “roadside bombs” and escalation in frequency of use, the IED pavilion was a focal point for many attendees. Security for this was particularly tight with every individual subject to metal detector sweep.

Much of the equipment now being used by U.S. Marines and other U.S. and allied forces in Iraq, Afghanistan, and around the world in the war on terrorism, was first displayed before military leaders, operations planners and acquisition managers at the exposition in past years.

Visitors saw the latest in equipment and technology now in service as well as video presentations, models or prototypes of items soon to become available for use in combat and combat support operations. Defense contractors from around the world presented their companies’ products and services.

The exposition provides first-hand exposure of the latest in defense manufacturing, science and technology to the users – the men and women who employ, or will soon be employing, many of the products on display in training and combat operations. Just stand to one side at exhibit after exhibit and listen as obviously combat-experienced Marines talk with their buddies about the guns and gear they “wish they’d get” for the next deployment.

Gripes and Grins

The event also gives the users opportunities to convey personal input, including examples of their own combat experiences, and to extend both feedback and suggestions directly to the people who design and produce the world’s leading defense-related equipment, systems and services. This was particularly evident at Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory’s interactive exhibit where the actual program managers were on hand to talk with Marines about the new flashlights, body armor, hydration systems and more that are soon to be fielded.

While guns, sighting systems and ammunition were our first choice for examination, SAR also takes interest in other aspects of expeditionary warfare. As such, we have included in this photo report a few things that might seem a bit unusual. Keep in mind Napoleon’s sage observation that “An army travels on its stomach.” And it also needs to be warm in the winter, dry in the rain, alert after many hours, see in the dark, etc. Marines who aren’t terminally miserable will move, shoot and communicate far more effectively.

Inside Track

Several special activities are held in conjunction with the Modern Day Marine Exposition. One of the most important is a special by-invitation-only Report to Industry presented by senior Marine officers closely associated with all aspects of the Corps’ equipment and systems research, development, testing and acquisition programs and policies.

This was followed by Marine Corps Systems Command Program Group Director Briefings in which members of the defense industry were able to learn, directly, from the men and women who manage the programs through which Marines acquire and field weapons and equipment for the Corps’ expeditionary missions on the ground, in the air and at sea.

Marines on Parade

Another of the exposition’s special activities is the Enlisted Awards Parade, showcasing the incomparable Marine Corps Silent Drill Platoon against the dramatic background of historic Lejeune Hall. In that colorful event, the Commandant of the Marine Corps presented awards for superior service to Marines and Sailors serving with Marine Corps units from around the world.

Find Out More

Modern Day Marine Expo 2008 is scheduled for Sept. 30th – Oct. 2nd, 2008. Information available on the web at www.marinemilitaryexpos.com In addition to its largest annual event in October at Quantico, impressive Modern Day Marine Military Expositions are also held at Camp Pendleton, California, and Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. For more information, contact Modern Day Marine Expositions, 14685 Avion Parkway, Suite 400, Chantilly, VA 20151. Phone: (703) 488-2785; Fax: (703) 488-2725; e-mail: militaryexpo@nielsen.com.

“With the high percentage of Marines, both Regular and Reserve, male and female, deployed in harm’s way, it is a great credit to the Marine Corps League that much of the new equipment and technologies used by our Marines on today’s battlefield had their genesis through the Modern Day Marine Military Exposition.” General M. W. Hagee, Commandant of the Marine Corps

As GWOT – the Global War on Terror – continues, the US Marine Corps remains on the cutting edge of operations around the world, playing a key role in combat against terrorists and those who support and harbor them.

While much of the work they do is the same sort of grinding and gritty infantry combat that has characterized warfare for the last century, the Corps takes extraordinary measures to equip its fighters with the best available weapons and equipment. From sturdy desert boots to precise global positioning systems, US Marines shouldn’t have to settle for second best.

And it isn’t just the grunts on the ground who deserves to get the finest that money and technology can provide. Marine aviators, artillerymen, tankers, combat engineers, amphibious forces, and support elements need to keep up with the newest developments.

The never-ending search for the latest and most effective means of moving, shooting, communicating, and surviving on current and future battlefields is conducted in a variety of ways by USMC Headquarters at Quantico, Virginia. The roster of major activities at the “Crossroads of the Corps” includes such no-nonsense outfits as the Warfighting Lab, Systems Command and Combat Development Command.

At these and many others, new tactics, tools and techniques are closely examined by Marines with long and hard experience in real world operations. When appropriate, those that pass initial evaluation will then be subjected to the most demanding tests at locations around the world from arctic to desert and jungle. Only the strongest survive and make it “into the system” for issue to those doing the real fighting.

But how does the Corps efficiently find the most promising things among thousands of gimmicks, gadgets and guns that the defense industry so eagerly promotes each year? Indeed, how can inventors and manufacturers big and small catch the attention of those who make critical decisions on what will be chosen for a closer look?

The Commandant himself suggests that one excellent answer to these questions comes in the form of the annual Modern Day Marine Military Exposition, a unique trade show for some of the most demanding customers in the world. The 25th annual Expo was held over three days in September at Quantico’s historic Air Facility, home of the President’s Marine One helicopter.

Featuring nearly 300 industry and military exhibitors from AAI to Xenonics, the event showcased literally thousands of items needed for all aspects of modern war. Packed inside cavernous Hanger 3, along with two enormous tents and a wide expanse of outdoor space, were giant armored trucks, surveillance drones, artillery pieces, radars, computer-linked command centers, pistols, backpacks, night sights, and plenty of robots.

Co-sponsored by the Marine Corps League and MCB Quantico, it enjoys official support from the Commandant of the Corps on down the chain of command. It is a “must attend” for officers and enlisted at Quantico determined to find better tools and better ways to fight GWOT.

Located less than an hour’s drive from the Pentagon, the Expo always gets crowds of high level civilian and military visitors from all the US Armed Forces. Foreign defense personnel from Washington’s many embassies are also in attendance; some to buy and some to spy.

Machine Marines

While all the traditional categories were represented with small arms and ammo, body armor, trucks and helos, this year’s Expo was distinguished by an increasing number of robotic platforms. Defense industry giant General Dynamics in particular was enthusiastically presenting its vision of robots as co-combatants now and in the near future. The latest player from General Dynamics in this exciting drama is the “Tactical Autonomous Combat-Chassis,” or TAC-C, that will allow engineers to try out many different concepts for manned and unmanned operations. This fast and powerful new off-road platform is readily adaptable to a variety of configurations from cargo carrier to weaponized assault vehicle and, unlike previous robot rovers, has seating for human operators to take over at appropriate points in the mission.

Another robot on display should be familiar to our readers from recent features. The “Gladiator TUGV” (Tactical Unmanned Ground Vehicle) continues to develop in a partnership between military, industry and academia. Gladiator is on track for fielding as early as 2007 to provide dismounted Marine units with robotic recon, surveillance and target acquisition. Also, depending on what on-board weapons systems are mounted, to allow human operators to fire on the enemy from relative safety in rear areas.

Threat identification and neutralization using remotely operated small arms on vehicle mounts like Gladiator and ordinary tripod ground mounts is another battlefield capability that we have been closely following. The Marine Corps has been out front in experimentation and real-world operational evaluation of Precision Remotes’ TRAP system, mounting various weapons including M240 machine guns and Barrett .50 caliber sniper rifles. We were pleased to see that the system capabilities have been expanded with introduction of the Quad-X Controller, enabling remote operation of up to four surveillance and gun platforms.

The rapid development of Northrop Grumman’s “Fire Scout UAV” (Unmanned Air Vehicle) is also encouraging. This pilotless recon helo-from-hell has demonstrated increasing sophistication in its ability to carry out the full spectrum of airborne missions without direct human intervention. In addition to all-weather surveillance and target acquisition, on-board gun and missile systems make it a lethal threat for enemy forces.

The astonishing array of electronic contrivances for the “digital battlefield” continues to grow. This is as it must be, with America’s great technological edge aiding both the soldier on the ground and his command structure with real-time input on the whole spectrum of battle.

Office of Naval Research

We found an excellent example of the integration of highly mobile heavy weaponry and digital command links in the “Dragon II Automated Mortar,” a self-loading 120mm tube system that can detect incoming rounds in flight, instantly compute their point of origin and begin raining counterbattery fire and steel on the launch site in less than a half minute. This robo-mortar is a joint development of an interesting team including Marine Corps Warfighting Lab, Army ARDEC, General Dynamics, and the Office of Naval Research (ONR).

While on the subject of mortars it bears mentioning that ONR is also working with Warfighting Lab on a project to significantly lighten the Corps’ standard 81mm M252 pipe at no penalty in range and rate of fire. Edgy experimentation carried out by ONR is invaluable to the Navy and Marine Corps team as evidenced by displays with military and industry partners in several areas of the expo. Some items of particular interest to this correspondent include the afore-mentioned Gladiator as well as its little brother Dragon Runner, the Boomerang countershooter detection and location system, and the mother of all shotgun rounds. More on that in a moment….

Super Small Arms

One might think that most everything possible in the world of rifles, pistols and such had been thought of by now and in many cases this is true. Some of today’s hot new gadgets are easily tracked back to olden days in one form or another. We’re not making fun of anybody here – just pointing out that good ideas of the past have a way of resurfacing when needed. An example is ONR’s “Frag-12” shotgun shell, a high explosive projectile intended for standoff door breaching with standard GI shotguns. When buckshot, slugs or frangible loads won’t do the job, apply some super energetic persuasion and marvel at the results. This good new idea is actually more than 30 years old, dating back to the end of the Vietnam War when Carroll Childers worked with SEALs and Force Recon as a Naval Science Officer at Dahlgren. Been there, done that, anybody save some money by checking the engineering papers he left on file?

Another clever gizmo that caught our eye is the “Parascope Urban Combat Sight” from MTC Technologies. A side viewing port allows the weapon to be aimed and fired from around corners or over protective barriers while exposing only the hands and arms. No batteries needed and no distortion of the regular sight picture using holographic or iron sights. History buffs know that periscopic aiming devices have their origins in the trenches of WWI.

Other notable improvements and updates to more recently fielded firearms were to be found at the Expo. Among the big boys, FN continues work on its exciting SCAR system for Special Operations Command and HK has prudently formed an alliance with General Dynamics for military sales of its 416 line as well as the Modular Weapon System Family, the latest XM8 incarnation.

EO Tech has a new clamp-on 4x magnifier to increase versatility of close-quarters combat rigs. Insight Tech showed a hush-hush new integrated night sight that we got to photograph only after promising not to write anything about it.

Crimson Trace has a new saddle type laser grip module that can be easily installed by Glock enthusiasts and Britain’s UTM is pushing into the SIMUNITION-dominated training field. LaRue has a sturdy new scope base for Special Operations Command’s high-speed Mark 14 upgrades of Uncle Sam’s pre-Vietnam M14 rifles. C-MAG is nearing fielding of a new double drum in 7.62 NATO, probably available in stylish desert tan color.

An old Special Warrior is back in the fight thanks to Nevada based US Ordnance, licensed by Saco Defense as the exclusive manufacturer/distributor for the snake-mean M60E4. Well known by Navy SEALs as the MK 43 Commando, this chopped “pig” boasts significant internal improvements along with a new machined aluminum feed cover and integrated length of Picatinny rail, plus handguard area with quad rail interface.

Awards Parade

History and traditions are particularly important to the Marine Corps and a highly impressive Enlisted Awards Parade is always part of the Expo program at Quantico. Led by the incomparable USMC Drum and Bugle Corps, it also featured precision drill from the famous Marine Corps Silent Drill Platoon. For those who understand and appreciate how much discipline, training and pride are required, the show these men put on is truly awe inspiring.

This set the parade deck stage for General M. W. Hagee, Commandant of the Marine Corps, to personally recognize ten outstanding Marine enlisted personnel for exemplary performance. Particularly noteworthy to our readers should be the prestigious Gunnery Sergeant Carlos Hathcock Award, named for the famous Vietnam War sniper. This went to Gunnery Sergeant Lester L. Stone of Quantico’s Weapons Training Battalion.

2006

The 2006 Modern Day Marine Military Expo is scheduled for 12-14 September. Those who can’t make it to Quantico are encouraged to visit similar Expos at Camp Lejune, North Carolina or the West Coast version at Camp Pendleton, California. More information for attendees and exhibitors is available on their website at www.marinecorpsexpos.com.

Warfighting on the Web

The accompanying photos show only a few of the interesting products on display but much more can be found by visiting websites of exhibitors listed on the Expo program on the internet at www.marinecorpsexpos.com. Also see the USMC’s official website at www.usmc.mil, and the Marine Corps League at www.mcleague.org.