25 Oct 10. Jeep Government and Military Sales announced on October 25, 2010 the development of innovative hot formed armor technology to protect its Jeep® J8 4×4 utility vehicles. JGMS displayed an armored section of a live-fire tested Jeep J8 at AUSA. Jeep Government and Military Sales (JGMS) announced on the opening day of the Association of the United States Army (AUSA) Exhibition held in Washington DC the development of an innovative technology for the ballistic and blast protection of vehicles. This hot formed steel protection solution will be applied for the first time to Jeep J8 4×4 utility vehicles. A live-fire tested side panel was displayed at the JGMS stand at AUSA. While conventional armored protection welds a patchwork of hundreds of armored steel pieces beneath the original vehicle “skin,” the J8 will replace the vehicle body with a new body of hot-formed ballistic steel mirroring the original body. This method presses semi-molten ballistic steel to the precise contours of the vehicle, cooling the body panels under carefully controlled conditions before laser cutting the panels to create a new external and non-parasitic shell. The advantages of hot-formed steel technology include:
Lower Curb Weight: Removing the original body shell and doors reduces armored vehicle weight by approximately 300 kg (660 lbs.).
Improved Protection: Significantly reducing the number of armored plates diminishes penetration risk at welds and joints. The vehicle’s structural integrity is improved by steel box construction reinforced by armored steel pillars. Lower Acquisition and Life Cycle Cost: Thanks to the reduced build complexity of hot formed armor, labor cost and production time decline by approximately 25%. In addition, doors mounted directly to reinforced pillars avoid expensive door sag, and armored exterior panels minimize body damage. Improved Appearance: Jeep J8’s armored vehicles avoid large black obscuration bands in the ballistic glass and telltale thicker door frames typical of conventional armoring. Jeep J8 also offers more interior room than conventionally armored treatment because hot formed armor replaces the standard vehicle body. Jeep J8’s hot formed armor was certified in September 2010 by Germany’s Beschussamt at the BRV2009 VR7 ballistic protection level, with underbody, roof and side blast certification at the ERV2010 protection level. The J8 exterior hot-formed armor technology was conceived and provided by JGMS’s parent company, Jankel Armouring Ltd. With offices in the U.S., U.K. and Jordan, Jankel Armouring Ltd. has been in business since 1955. Jankel is the largest supplier of armored passenger vehicles to the UN, U.K. Ministry of Defense and many other discerning customers.

25 Oct 10. During the 2010 AUSA Annual Convention in Washington DC, FLIR Systems, Inc. introduced the world’s first true thermal binoculars. The Recon® BN6 and Recon® BN10 provide an authentic binocular viewing experience and a true depth of field capability. Two thermal cameras, one for each eye, provide the same parallax effect achieved by the human visual system, allowing the viewer to experience a three-dimensional view. This technology enhances the ability to judge distances and relative distance of objects in the scene, making the Recon BN series a far more useful tool for reconnaissance, surveillance, and similar tasks.
“Largely due to cost reasons, a true thermal binocular has not been available until now,” explained Bill Sundermeier, president, FLIR Government Systems. “The concept is not new, but the expense of putting two thermal cameras in one product made the technology cost prohibitive. The widely available alternative has been a ‘bi-ocular’ where both eyes view the same camera. This has worked reasonably well, except that you can’t distinguish distance, prohibiting depth perception. With FLIR’s vast production volumes and low costs, we are able to offer a true binocular for less than the price of