With all this excitement and anxiety surrounding UK’s EU Referendum, we almost forgot that we didn’t have a feature story ready for today.  Good thing that I have been watching the latest installment in the “Airsoft Versus Reality” series as produced by BirnyX/Johny Deadline Picture Production.

BirnyX came bright into the radar screens of many airsoft players when they released “Airsoft Versus Reality” almost 3 years ago.  The video shows the contrast between playing airsoft and the reality of war. Whilst war is no joke, “Airsoft Versus Reality” was such a hilarious production that it has already garnered over a million views since it was posted online. The next videos in the series such as 2 and 3 were almost at the same level as the original one though the humour started to falter in the videos after these.

So they decided to take a different track for “Airsoft versus Reality 6” by contrasting a World War II reenactment and an actual airsoft game:

Airsoft vs Reality 6 is our new type of “airsoft versus" video, where we compare particular funny situations in airsoft with reality. But this time, we shot historical WWII event - Liberation of Žilina city in Slovakia; mixed with classical airsoft battle in marvelous site with CQB and open air details. It results in the not too funny, but epic short film with airsoft and WWII elements.

Nothing funny in the video this time though watching both footages show a better contrast between airsoft and reality which airsoft players will need to take seriously. When BirnyX stripped the humour from this video, the reality and brutality of war come out clearly that should strike any airsoft player and be somber about it.

Watch it for yourself to find out if you agree:

Last Tuesday, the the 21st of June 2016, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), unveiled its new rules regarding commercial operation of small consumer drones. 624 pages long, the rules require operators to have a “remote pilot certificate”, must be a least 16 years old (or accompanied by an adult with a remote pilot certificate if below 16), ban of night flights, and should remain below 400 feet or within 400 feet of any structure.

Rules for hobbyist or personal drones will still remain the same.

To take effect in August 2016, here is a part of a press release from the FAA about getting a remote pilot certificate:

Under the final rule, the person actually flying a drone must be at least 16 years old and have a remote pilot certificate with a small UAS rating, or be directly supervised by someone with such a certificate. To qualify for a remote pilot certificate, an individual must either pass an initial aeronautical knowledge test at an FAA-approved knowledge testing center or have an existing non-student Part 61 pilot certificate. If qualifying under the latter provision, a pilot must have completed a flight review in the previous 24 months and must take a UAS online training course provided by the FAA. The TSA will conduct a security background check of all remote pilot applications prior to issuance of a certificate.

A summary of the rules can be viewed and downloaded here.

As for small commercial drone operations, here are some of the salient points in their operations:

• The flight must take place during daylight. It is acceptable if flying 30 minutes before sunset and after sunrise as long as the drone is equipped with appropriate lighting.
• Drones are allowed to carry cargo as long as the drone, attachments, payload, and cargo do not go beyond 55lbs.
• The drones can fly up to a maximum of 400 feet and if on a structure such as a building, can go higher than as long as the drone stays within 400 feet of that building.
• The drone must be within visual line of sight of the pilot or an observer working with the pilot.
• If any operation results in serious injury, loss of consciousness, or damage to property of at least US$500 (other than the drone), it should be reported to the FAA within 10 days.

For commercial delivery drone operations, there is still a problem regards to the rule of visual line of sight for the pilot or observer. Companies like Amazon.com are experimenting with the possibilities of using drones to deliver online orders but with the requirement of visual line of sight for the operation of small commercial drones, this will be a tough thing to do unless there is a compromise somewhere. This means door-to-door drone delivery services will not happen soon.

Will this affect those who use drones when covering airsoft events in the U.S.? Yes, since there are companies and individuals who are providing camera drone services to cover events, which may not necessarily mean airsoft. For airsoft event organizers, they will to check that whoever they will allow to user drones to take video footages of the event will be complying with the new FAA rules.

Lots of things happening now in video --- Virtual Reality, 360 Degree video, Augmented Reality, and 3D, which can be in cheaper ways these days as compared to 20 years ago. Almost everyone with the proper equipment these days can do such with ease, and tools are getting cheaper and cheaper that even your mobile phone camera can do at least one of these, I think.

And now, you can do 3D video without investing in two cameras that you rig together to come up with the 3D effect to impress your mates. All you need is to get the Vitrima 3D GoPro Lens which does not need two GoPro action cams, you just need one.

How does it work? Vitrima with its mirrors will create two different images for the left and right eyes which, when combined together will give you the 3D effect.  But in order to view the 3D footage, you will need a VR headset and of course a smartphone with a good HD resolution that can be dropped into the VR headset to view the footage. For those who are using VR headsets such as the Google Cardboard, they can view the 3D video, and these headsets can range from very cheap to very expensive.

If you look at it, the Vitrima looks like a bigger version of the waterproof case for the GoPro Hero, and I can’t agree more. But the good thing is that it just made making 3D videos, including that airsoft milsim event that you’re going to, more affordable as it costs US$79.00 or if you want it with their own VR headset/viewer, you can pay a total of US$110.00 if you are going for the early bird rate.

Now, if you are interested in getting one, you will have to have faith on the project owners as this is on Indiegogo trying to raise funding for production. It has actually reached it funding goal of US$20,000 and has already more than double the amount in pledges.

If it meets its projected schedule of releases, the first batch will be delivered to the initial backers in July with mass product that most probably for the rest of interested customers in September.

It may look a bit weird on you wearing something on your helmet a GoPro action camera with a bigger housing, but then if it produces a cool 3D video to make your airsoft fans happy on YouTube, it might be worth the small investment.

Not exactly an airsoft related story, but it is something for those who do DIY projects at home, which many in airsoft do. While we like to watch people tinker in some projects for airsoft use or something that are just plain cool to make, there are sometimes DIY projects that would just make us cringe and wonder if the maker is either brave or stupid.

In this case, our example is the DIY Cyclops Visor made by someone named Allen who owns the Sufficiently Advanced YouTube Channel. It’s name obviously takes inspiration from the X-Men’s Cyclops who has the power to emit powerful beams through his eyes while the DIY Cyclops Visor actually shoots flames!

So why is it dangerous and we caution anyone who may want to do the same to take note of how the contraption is done which Bryan Menegus of Gizmodo enumerates as the following:

• Flaming propellant lands on the person wearing it
• Lack of peripheral vision leads to accidentally testing the flamethrower’s efficacy on people/pets that happen to be nearby
• Fuel tank (located also on your head) catches fire/explodes

In short, the the DIY Cyclops Visor is a danger to the owner, to other people/pets, and to property that might. Though what makes us cringe is the location of the fuel tank that is also put in the helmet itself, just imagine yourself in that helmet and then it suddenly catches fire. All the flaming fuel streaming down your face will insure a lot of trips to the cosmetic surgeon after recovering at the hospital. That is, if you survive.

We do love tinkerers as some of the best inventions in the world are made in the garage and had made them into some the most admired and richest people in the world (like the HP founders and the two Steves who founded Apple). And it sometimes it takes courage or hardheadedness to be great. As long as you know what you are doing, then you can proceed and make sure that you have put precautions in place.

But this one? Just hope it is a short trip to the hospital.

Before you read further, let me tell you that there is a Game of Thrones spoiler in this story if you haven’t watched the Finale of Season 6. It is said that it has finally confirmed the R+L=J theory. Bran Stark looks back again into the past where Eddard Stark finds his sister Lyanna who has just given birth to a boy and the scene cuts to the Jon Snow, played by Kit Harington in the massively popular TV series. Lyanna was abducted by Rhaegar Targaryen one year before Jon Snow was born. If that scene means that Jon Snow is a Targaryen, that means he is the true heir of the Iron Throne and meant to rule the Seven Kingdoms.

With Season 6 concluded, we look into Kit Harington’s next project, which is being the main antagonist in the upcoming Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare. Already confirmed early this month, when a video was shown that Harington was doing motion capture scenes for the video game. Now, Activision released official photos showing Harrington busy at work for the production in the game wearing a motion-capture suit.

Whilst in Game of Thrones Kit Harington plays Jon Snow plays a well-liked and admired, (some say he is rather dumb) hero who has established himself as the King of the North in Season 6; in Infinite Warfare, his actual role is being Admiral Salen Kotch of the Olympus Mons and the leader of the Self Defense Front that is bent on destroying planet Earth.

In an interview by Game Informer with Infinite Warfare narrative director Taylor Kurosaki, he explains how they were able to nab Harington for the role of Kotch:

We identify actors that we think would fit into our narrative. In the end, it was about winning him over with the material. I assume Kit gets a lot of offers. He saw it as an opportunity to be part of this compelling narrative, which is what excited him, and the chance to play a villain. We reached out and sent him a comprehensive bio of his character, some of it is on the screen and some of it is implied. Our process at Infinity Ward helps each actor bring a believable representation, but only if there’s a believable backstory, which we meticulously develop.

Kit really liked the character we were developing for him; he liked the text on the page, and the vision for his character in the Infinite Warfare story. Once that foundation was established, it simply came down to where and how could we do it, and does the entire PCAP process work for everyone’s schedule?

He took time with us to meet, discuss the role, what the character represents and ensure it was right for him. It’s important to note that we are inventing an enemy in Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare. That said, inventing an enemy is an incredibly difficult process. To what lengths should the actor go in playing this role, but also in communicating to the player who this enemy is? Creating an enemy from scratch is a very difficult thing to do, there are no gimmes. The player only knows what they know about this enemy force from the presentation of the game.

In the same interview, Kurosaki reveals that Harrington was exposed to Call of Duty through his brother who is a big fan of the game.

Harington is the second big name actor to play as the main protagonist in the Call Of Duty franchise. Kevin Spacey appeared in Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare in 2014 with the role of Jonathan Irons, the CEO of ATLAS, a private military company.

Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare is set to be released for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One on November 4 this year.

There will be a new type of weapon that will be coming out of Switzerland. Photos, whether leaked on social media or found on other websites show the Brügger & Thomet Universal Service Weapon (B&T USW) designed for law enforcement personnel responding to terrorist attacks.  Also revealed in this photo is the said to be the new Aimpoint Nano Micro Red Dot Sight (MRDS).

Following the links posted online, the B&T USW photos were first announced by the Polish website, Broń i Amunicja on their Facebook Page, which eventually led to us finding a bit more information on the gun French defense company, TR Equipment, with a very rough translation using online translators, here is the description of the weapon:

Following the attacks of Paris, the Swiss manufacturer B & T has just introduced a new weapon, which is not a gun or a rifle or a PDW. Designed to equip units intervening early, the USW is a police weapon that is exclusively semiautomatic, barely more cumbersome than a service pistol but likely to be shouldered. Thus, agents retain the ability to respond quickly, while having the ability to neutralize a terrorist up to 70 m with the folding stock and the new Aimpoint sight ultra compact Nano.

Available from November 2016, the USW A1 is characterized by its aluminum housing type CZ 75 (1160 g) and the DA/SA platinum. But polymer version (980 g) is also expected to appear early next year. Retaining identical dimensions (253/468 x 164 x 43 mm), 2 models will have a Picatinny rail, magazines for 17/19/30 shots, a threaded barrel for adapting a silencer, or yet an additional recessed side rail for guiding into the holster.

Specifically designed, it incorporates MOLLE attachment and has a hinged protection for optronic aiming. It can hold the pistol with the butt folded or unfolded, this level 3 retention holster also proves compatible with tactical flashlight B&T PLA. Likely to interest marksmen, the weapon will be delivered in complete package with folding stock, Aimpoint sight Nano, lamp APL, holster, cleaning kit and 3 magazines for 17 shots... etc.

I actually dig this pistol especially that is well thought out with the folding stock, design for an MRDS, holster, and magazine options. If a reputable airsoft company can build a version for airsoft, including the same options, then this makes it a very ideal and capable primary for CQB games.

For purposes of being able to respond quickly in the event of a terrorist attack, the USW can be a useful weapon for quick reaction or quick defence against terrorists with assault rifles before specialist counter-terrorist units arrive.

As for the Aimpoint Nano MRDS, it has been specifically developed for the USW according to The Firearm Blog and that there are no plans to offer it separately from the USW.  For now, those who are looking for a good Nano or Micro RDS for pistols and even rifles, the Trijicon RMR is still the best option and there is replica for airsoft players.

It’s a week of awfully dangerous homemade creations as far as I am concerned. Last Tuesday, I wrote about the DIY Cyclops Visor that shoots out flames from a helmet that it poses a danger to the user, to those around him/her, and to properties. Today, it’s about a homemade 200-watt Laser Bazooka that can really burn through materials and even make some items burst into flames.

But first, I warn you that if you are not sure of what you are doing, much more, if you lack the skills to do such, please do not do this at home as you will cause damage to yourself and to property.

YouTuber Styropro (Drake Anthony), already known for his DIY light saber and laser shotgun, probably has the most powerful homemade laser in the world. Usually, powerful lasers are made for industrial, research and military applications, but Stryopro also proves that it can also be built at home as long as one has the know-how and knows where to look for the off-the-shelf-parts to put such a powerful laser together.

He put together a bunch of DLP projectors that he bought off eBay and all the parts, such as the focusing element, and housing are mainly recycled parts. The 4 DLP projectors are 50-watts each and their power are fused together by the focusing lens, thus creating the 200-watt laser bazooka.

To understand the power of this contraption, a laser pointer that is used in presentations is 0.05 watts with non-medical lasers are regulated to a maximum of 0.5 watts. Staring at laser beams below 5 milliwatts will cause some blind spots, but if an eye is hit around 10 to 20 milliwatts of continuous wave lasers at close range, it could cause some retinal damage. Well, I guess you know how it works as the power increases, and of course a 200-watt laser bazooka can really ruin someone’s day.

As you have seen in the video, the laser bazooka can burn through material such as a computer case and easily pop balloons. Drake Anthony needed to wear a welder’s helmet just to protect this eyes when handling the laser bazooka.

The U.S. military is changing, in terms of giving more roles to other genders, women, and recently transgenders. Since opening combat roles to women, they are making sure that when they start filling in the positions made available to them, they can feel comfortable and ready to take the responsibilities, all in the name of making the services gender neutral.

For the U.S. Marine Corps, it is also about changing the titles of job positions. According to the Marine Corps Times, 19 job titles from military occupational specialities (MOS) will have “man” scrubbed off from them. This is a result of a study made by Navy Secretary Ray Mabus.

So in changing these job titles, the “man” is simply replaced by “Marine” and here are some of the titles reflecting the change:

• Basic infantry Marine
• Riverine assault craft Marine
• Light-armor vehicle Marine
• Reconnaissance Marine (to include three other recon-related jobs that include the word "man")
• Infantry assault Marine
• Basic field artillery Marine
• Field artillery fire control Marine
• Field artillery sensor support Marine
• Fire support Marine
• Basic engineer, construction and equipment Marine
• Basic tank and assault amphibious vehicle Marine
• Armor Marine
• Amphibious assault vehicle Marine
• Amphibious combat vehicle Marine

The only job title that is said not to carry “Marine” is the anti-tank missile man, in this case “man is replaced as “gunner.” There will still be other job titles that will retain the word “man” because the word does not describe a marine doing the job.

As for “rifleman”and “infantry man”, these roles will still retain “man” as these “are steeped in Marine Corps history and ethos.”

Mother Jones have asked other branches in the military if they are planning to do the same and so far the Army and Air Force do not have plans yet to make changes to their job titles.

You might think of that as a weird suggestion? But if you are Colin Furze, nothing is weird for him to do, especially when he is inside his shed where he is always up to something outrageous and fun. So using an airsoft gun for a doorbell is just another ordinary day in his YouTube life.

If you are not familiar with him, Colin Furze owns one of the biggest YouTube Channels, having over 3 million subscribers who follow him and get update on his projects. We already featured a project of his on Popular Airsoft, which was about his homemade Thermite Launcher which he demonstrated over 3 months ago.

Other projects he did were a Mad Max-style flame throwing guitar, and many of those contraptions and weapons that you see in video games and comic books.

For his latest project, it is about doorbells and he created three doorbells that he can use inside his house: one for the house itself; another for his shed; and the last one for his bunker where he bangs away with his drum set.

The first one is simple and is not exactly a scandalous doorbell as since it is an electric motor that turns a pointer around hitting springs when the button for the house gets pressed. The second one will surely get into his nerves in no time as it uses lorry horn which when used inside his shed whilst doing a project, will make him jumpy. A bit dangerous if he is handling some dangerous materials as he might commit an epic mistake when the horn blows.

Now, the third part is the interesting part for airsoft players wanting to use a spare and unused AEG. In this case, the contraption he did was use an airsoft UZI AEG (most probably a WELL model as Tokyo Marui models are hard to come by and more expensive). When the button to his bunker is pressed, the UZI fires into a pipe with the BBs going down the pipe and into metal bowl (they actually bounce out it) with an alarm bell and light also going loco.

Not really a hard thing to do, all you need is put the pieces to the wood board and wire them to the bell button at the front door. Just make sure you load the magazine with BBs.

A crazy story to read on a Monday? Perhaps, but least this wakes you up and cures you of that Monday sickness. So off to work or wherever that is you need to go to at the start of the week.

With the summer heat on, soldiers might want to roll up their sleeves to keep themselves cool though regulations are preventing them from doing so. They don’t have to worry any further. As of the 28th of June 2016, a memorandum signed by Lt. Gen. James C. McConville, deputy chief of staff, G-1, commanders may authorize their troops to roll up their sleeves.

In news report published by the U.S. Army, this new policy covers the universal camouflage pattern, operational camouflage pattern and Operation Enduring Freedom camouflage-pattern ACUs. The sleeves can be rolled up according to the following instructions:

The sleeves will be rolled above the elbow, right-side out with the camouflage pattern showing. They should be rolled no more than three inches above the elbow, according to the memo, and this method will be used primarily in garrison.

Apart from that, sleeves may be opened and cuffed inward above the wrist on the forearm during field training exercises and is called the “Delta or SF Roll.” There will be no time restrictions in the policy and commanders are given the leeway on the duration of how sleeves can remain rolled up. Commanders based in tropical areas may allow sleeves to be rolled up year-round.

The U.S. Army have ordered soldiers to keep their sleeves down when the BDU (Battle Dress Uniform) was replaced by the ACU (Army Combat Uniform) in 2006, to the consternation of those who have been used to rolling up their sleeves with the BDU before. The U.S. Marine Corps allow their troops to roll up their sleeves.

For airsoft players doing U.S. Army impressions for their loadout might want to learn how the sleeves are rolled. Here is a video how it is done:

The new policy was welcomed throughout the branch with only a minority not agreeing to it.

A purported leak of Battlefield 1 details was released online and what was revealed are a 20 level single player campaign, 10 multiplayer maps, and a behemoth mode. Other gaming news sites also mention that there is a “Pigeon” mode? Now that is something interesting.

Pigeons did play an important role in World War 1 (as well as World War 2) as they carried messages from the frontlines back to their home coop which is usually the main HQ. Whilst their task may sound easy, it is actually dangerous for the pigeons as enemy soldiers shot at them when they get spotted flying over enemy territory.

So what is the “Pigeon” mode in Battlefield 1 if the reports are true? According to VG24/7, YouTube user AlmightyDaq posted some insider information back in March March about this mode. According to him, this is like a “Capture the Flag” mode wherein the pigeon is the “flag” that needs to be held for a certain period of time before it can be released to carry its message:

That sounds found, but will the pigeon need to be captured in the open or will it be captured whilst in a coop or a cage in certain locations of the multiplayer map? It will be tougher if they need to capture it as it flies around whilst you are shooting back at those trying to get it for themselves to defend and release.

As for the leaked details, also revealed were 42 weapons including 8 melee weapons, and 20 gadgets that include gas masks and syringes. In the single player campaign mode one of the final missions is the disaster at Galipoli so for those not familiar with such missions, they better brush up on their World War I knowledge.

The Behemoth mode is something that many will be curious about and it is speculated is that this will involve the Zepelins and armored trains.

Battlefield 1 is set for release on the 21st of October 2016 for PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.

One of the worries for camera drone owners is that they might inadvertently fly into no-fly/no-go zones for their drones. These zones are restricted areas such as airports, stadiums, government facilities, power plants, and spaces where there usually crowds below. These also include temporary events such as sporting events, concerts, and emergencies such as forest fires. Unless authorized to assist such as part of commercial film crews or to help in rescue, the drone owner is allowed to fly his/her drone where it might cause more trouble rather than help.

Now, for owners of DJI drones, relief is coming. DJI announced that they are introducing the GEO to their DJI Go App. The GEO is a Geofencing feature that already allows DJI drone owners to avoid facilities which are in permanent lockdown from drones such as certain government and military facilities. But with the new update to their GO App, even temporary restrictions for events and emergencies are now included so that they can plan on avoiding areas for the time being until the event has passed.

"Safety is DJI's top priority, which is why we first introduced geofencing technology three years ago and have been steadily refining the industry's best technology to enhance aviation safety," said Brendan Schulman, DJI Vice President of Policy and Legal Affairs, who led the development of the new system. "Drone pilots want to fly safely, and our GEO system helps DJI customers fly responsibly while also enabling the full capabilities of remotely piloted aircraft."

The update also includes flexibility in using the GEO future that allows DJI drone pilots with verified accounts to be able to unlock restrictions as long as they have permission to operate in the restricted area.  This benefits those who do commercial work when asked to do some filming or inspection in restricted areas, or for hobbyists who are given permission to participate in an event that is located inside the restricted area. However, those that are deemed to be areas important for national security are permanently locked.

How will this be relevant for airsoft players who cover milsim events with camera drones? A good number of milsim events happen in military facilities and other areas where there are isolated facilities such as power plants. The GEO feature makes it easier for them to comply and fly their camera drones safely, provided that the drones are in the list of the DJI models that can use the feature.

The GEO system update is now available for iOS and Android devices using the DJI GO app. This can be used for all DJI Inspire models as well as the Phantom 4, Phantom 3 Professional and Phantom 3 Advanced models. DJI recommends that DJI drone pilots should update their app as well as the firmware for their controller and aircraft in order to take advantage of the system. This feature covers 17 countries with a population of 860 million people, including almost all of North America and Western Europe, and DJI intends to continue to expand to other regions around the globe.

Photos are from DJI's Facebook Page.

The danger of having your real steel gun used without your knowledge, especially at home with children is what every gun-owning parent usually has to worry about. This is not exactly a problem for airsoft players in general, but for airsoft players who are real steel gun owners themselves, having a secure way to lock your gun with the knowledge that it will be hard to be tampered with even if left on a table, is always welcome.

Now, having a gun-storage solution that is so 21st Century is now here and it will be available to gun owners soon as it has already achieved its funding goals on Indiegogo. ZORE-X is a storage solution that includes a patented bullet that prevents others from using your gun, and even alerting you when it gets tampered with.

ZORE-X was developed by the Israel-based company ZORE. Founded by IDF veterans from elite combat and technology units, ZORE took 2 years to develop the solution. However, it’s not a one-size-fits-all solution for semi-automatic firearms as it is calibre specific: 9 x 19, .40 S&W, .45 ACP, and 5.56 ACP. The company will contact those who have ordered on Indiegogo their preferred calibre after the funding campaign has ended.

Since it acts like a bullet by pushing a button it locks the gun securely and when it is unlocked, the ZORE-X can be ejected like a bullet by simply charging your gun. This way, owners can unlock their guns quickly when needed. Other solutions to locking firearms even if they are secure, can be cumbersome like locks and gun safes. Biometric approaches, such as those used in smart guns, where the owner’s fingerprint is required, are still unreliable.

The way the ZORE-X is unlocked is due to what they call their revolutionary dial ---- the RAPIDial and it is as safe as traditional lock but the speed at which is unlocked makes it unique. Using codes of the owner’s choosing, whether simple or complicated, he/she can turn the dial rapidly to unlock without looking at it, even in the dark by simply feeling the number of clicks at each turn. According to the company, the turning direction and the starting point of the dial do not matter – no matter where the owner starts the code, the code will work.

With ZORE Bridge, which is a Bluetooth-to-Wifi router, the owner can connect to the gun via smartphone wherever you are in the world, even if the gun is not with him/her. This way, the owner gets notified when somebody attempts to use your gun. When the owner is beside the gun, the ZORE-X will connect to the smartphone via Bluetooth.

Speaking of using ZORE-X with a smartphone, ZORE has the optional ZORE App, which notifies the owner if there is movement with the gun or the dial. It also allows one to unlock the gun but to lock the gun again it has to be done with the mechanical lock button. Another mobile application feature is the ZORE Trainer which will help you train in unlocking your gun, measuring how long it takes one to reach for the gun and unlock it.

ZORE-X has already achieved its funding goals on Indiegogo with a month to go before the campaign ends. If everything goes according to plans, then owners will soon be receiving their ZORE-X estimated to start in February 2017.

These days, the doors in the military are open wider to women. We have been seeing more and more armed forces around the world allowing women to more responsibilities with foremost being combat roles. This means that women will be at the frontlines together with the men and doing what men have been doing for thousands of years ever since somebody found a use for a piece of wood or a rock --- killing each other.

With combat roles mainly open to women, eventually some highly specialized roles will be created to fully use their capabilities. For Norway, which has opened combat roles to women in 1985, it is about creating a unit comprised of women for more unique missions. Called the Jegertroppen or the “Hunter Troop” ,the Norwegians have established the first all-female special operations unit.

In an article in Foreign Affairs, one of the problems that the Norwegian units encounter was that they cannot speak to women.  Even in urban combat, there will always be contact with women in the general population and thus having women alongside, or preferable an all-female unit to take this responsibility has become important. Here is what the Forsvarets (FSK) website says:

Ulikhetene mellom kjønnene og de styrkene som kvinnene representerer har høy egenverdi under gjennomføring av operasjoner. Dette ønsker vi å utnytte ved å etablere en egen kapasitet bestående av vernepliktige kvinnelige spesialsoldater.

Rough translation:

The differences between the sexes and the need to have forces are made up of women represent a high intrinsic value during execution of operations. We want to use to establish a capacity consisting of female special troop conscripts.

But it’s not only about interacting with women that’s required for members of the Jegertroppen. Since they are as special operations unit, they will have to go intensive training designed for special operations troops which of course will be challenging. In 2014, 13 trainees out of the initial 317 candidates were able to finish the tough year-long course of the Jegertroppen. In 2015, 14 of the 196 applicants were able to continue to join the unit. The graduates are expected to conduct special reconnaissance missions and will be trained on parachute operations, winter operations, close quarters combat, urban warfare, weapons, survival, and patrol skills. The only difference between the women and men is the load that they carry, 60 lbs. for the women while it is 88 lbs. for the men.

According to the NATO Association of Canada, other special operations forces are interested in knowing more about the Jegertroppen with the U.S. Special Operations Command taking a special interest in their program. This most probably to study on allowing women to do special operations missions as more roles are opened to them in the U.S. military.

Will there be more all-female special forces units in the future? It looks like it and the Norwegians will be leading that way as they have been always a pioneering county especially in empowering women in all spheres of their society, and that also includes the armed forces.

Editor's note: With the British people having voted to leave the European Union in the referendum held last month, airsoft players based in the UK are wondering how Brexit will affect their hobby in terms of being able to purchase airsoft guns and gear, participating in airsoft events in the EU, and if rules that the EU will enact that govern airsoft will still affect them.

The United Kingdom Airsoft Players Union (UKAPU) have issued an advisory on the possible effects of Brexit to airsoft in the UK:

As you may have heard(!), the UK has voted to leave the EU. What will this mean for airsoft?

First of all, let us look at the EU firearms directive and proposal to amend the directive 2015/0269.

The first draft of proposal 2015/0269 seeks the reclassification of all replicas as firearms, which would result in a nigh on a blanket ban of airsoft in the EU. Due to this unprecedented Brexit situation, we don't know if EU directives enacted during our succession from the EU will legally have to be enacted into UK law, and it’s certain that the amended firearms directive will come into force before we become independent. We've consulted with the Home Office and UK MEPs and even they don't know for sure. Depending on what arrangements Westminster comes to with Brussels, we could even be subject to the EU firearms directive post-Brexit like Switzerland is. I hope not, for the sake of our comrades in the live shooting, but who knows. Live shooters and de-act owners are facing some devastating restrictions unless the proposal is changed drastically. Thanks to the protests and lobbying done by the administration and members of the EAA (including UKAPU), not to mention the airsoft industry and many thousands of players Europe-wide (with the support of superb MEPs such as Daniel Dalton and Vicky Ford), the status quo is set to be retained, airsoft replicas are on course to remain outside the scope of the directive. UK players should be proud of the part that they have played so far in reversing this situation. We really halted the airsoft apocalypse, which I've no doubt would have bled over to other continents before long.

So anyway, UKAPU and anyone involved in UK airsoft can't suddenly just ignore what's going on with the changes to the EU firearms directive, but assuming that next months’ vote goes well and our amendments are approved, airsoft will carry on as normal even if the new directive is applied in the UK.

Policing and Crime Bill 2015/16.

Not much change here, except that with the apparent implosion of both the UK's main political parties it may become more tricky to bring attention to our, comparatively, fringe issues. No additional changes to airsoft laws in Scotland or Northern Ireland either.

Travelling Abroad for Games

As airsoft and replicas are regulated by national laws, and most of those laws are different in each state, there won’t be any change to the way you transport replicas in and out of European countries. It seems likely that we will reach a reciprocal arrangement with Brussels and UK citizens will not require a visa to visit the EU.

Importing Airsoft Goods (updated based on advice from UKARA)

Within the EU, if you order goods from airsoft shops in other EU countries,you simply pay local VAT of the country you ordered from (which may be less or more than UK VAT).

If the UK is outside of the EU with no trade agreement, if you order from an EU country you will not pay the local VAT but UK customs will add (currently) 20% UK VAT and approximately 3.5% duty.

Potentially if the UK is outside of the EU with a trade agreement, if you order from an EU country you will likely not pay the local VAT but UK customs will add (currently) 20% UK VAT and possibly you won't need to pay 3.5% duty.

Another effect of the leave vote is the weakening of the Pound, so goods sold in foreign currency will cost more in GBP than the did pre referendum. Fingers crossed, this is a short term effect.

Buying from UK Airsoft Retailers (updated)

UK retailers barely sell any UK manufactured airsoft items, nearly everything they sell is imported, so the weak pound has increased the cost of wholesale goods coming to the UK. Almost certainly the retailers will need to pass those increased costs on to the customer, but again, hopefully the weak pound is a short term problem.

European Airsoft Association

The UKAPU committee has decided that UKAPU is 100% committed to remaining as members of the EAA. The primary reason we created the EAA was to counteract anti-airsoft EU legislation, which might not be a problem for the UK in the future. However, there're many other good reasons to work closely with our cousins in other European associations, so this relationship is something we want to maintain. EAA membership is in fact available to all countries geographically in Europe, not just EU countries. After all, even though we've decided to leave the EU political block, us Brits are still Europeans culturally and geographically. Airsoft players are airsoft players, it's a condition which transcends politics and borders.

Please share this post so we can inform as many players as possible.

Matt Furey-King,
Chair UK Airsoft Players Union- UKAPU

This will get updated as new information comes in. To keep yourself on Brexit and effects on airsoft in the UK, you can follow UKAPU at their Facebook Page.

The march to the future of warfare continues. Many armed forces are conducting programs to upgrade their warfighter systems to reflect 21st Century warfare ---- information and network-centric and that means having equipment and gear that can support the soldier’s need for information in order to gain strategic and tactical advantages over the battlefield.

The Bundeswehr are in the thick of such upgrade with their “Infantryman of the Future” system (Infanterist der Zukunft). Earlier this month they released a video showing more details of this program. The video emphasizes on the networked unit with an “electronic back” or a backpack that contains networking equipment that will receive, process, and share information to support the soldiers in battle. This allows the members of a unit to be aware of their comrades without even seeing them, especially in the dark.

The system is comprised of different components that the German soldier will need to meet their mission objectives. Apart from the “electronic back” the core of this system is comprised of communications, navigation, helmet display, and night vision-IR devices. The other components are the Weapons, Recce Equipment, Weapon Accessory Equipment, Clothing-Protection-Carrying System, Commander Equipment, and links to BMS or vehicles they deploy to the field.

Indeed, it is a wholistic system, and will be heavily be dependent on electronics and batteries. With all the equipment that will be part of this soldiers’ high-tech system, it is also imperative that they conduct weight reduction and miniaturization.

The whole system will allow the German soldiers to meet roles required in the theatres of operation, whether peacekeeping, humanitarian, or actual combat. The G36 rifle, which the Bundeswehr might replace in the near future, given the issues they say they found raising questions to its reliability and accuracy, still is the main assault rifle in the system.

The system will be continuously refined, updated, and adapted so that it will evolve into the future as soldier experience with it builds up. If everything is according to plan, and the equipment delivering the functionality as promised, the Bundeswehr will be one of the most high tech armies in the world.

The mercenaries, errrr… the Private Military Contractors, will be going into action again to battle it out for control of resources on the 27th of August 2016. Four groups of PMCs, all with battle hardened people, will be at Tantalum Contract that will take place at EMR Paintball in Pennsylvania. And as Moondog of Moondog Industries, the organizer of the event, says, “Everybody has a price.”

As to what PMC group you will be in: G.R.D.e, K.A.S.H., or A.S.S., the choice is yours. As Moondog says further, “The Tantalum Contract is a MilSim game set in the shadowy world of Private Military Contractors in Africa. This game is for players who can role-play and that can handle more realistic wounding and kill rules––players who understand mission objectives go beyond simply getting 'moar kills'.

Each Faction will be playing on behalf of one of three charities. Registered players will receive a complimentary raffle ticket with prizes provided by Evike.com.”

So ready to become a soldier of fortune? Choose your group and learn the details below:

PRICE

• $40/pp
• All tickets must be pre-purchased at Evike.com. No walk-on ticket purchase at the field. Deadline for refund August 20.

CAMPING

• Cabins and Camping Sites available. Contact EMR for details and reservations. http://emrpaintball.com/.

PLAYER REQUIREMENTS

• 500fps w/.25g Limit for bolt-action sniper rifles (100ft safety distance)
• 400fps w/.25g Limit for all other guns
• ROF limit 30rps
• MidCap magazines recommended
• HiCap magazines may be used following Phridum's HiCap Rule
• Elastic retention ANSI rated goggles (no shooting glasses or mesh)
• Face Protection recommended for adults
• Under 18, Lower Face Protection required (mesh mask, paintball mask, etc.)
• Red Rag
• Hydration
• Food/Rations
• FRS/GMRS Radio

SPECIAL EQUIPMENT

• Strongly recommended that you bring: Digital camera, videocam, or camera equipped cell-phone

TEAMS

Go to the company websites (below) to learn about each team. Uniform requirements will be strictly enforced. Each team has its own secure planning group on Facebook. After you have received your wrist tag, please PM your team CO or Embed with the number to get access.

Angle Sino Security

• Company website: http://anglosinosecurity.blogspot.com/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/tantalum.ass/
• Uniform: Black tops with any pants any color vest
• Charity: Intrepid Fallen Heros Fund

G.R.D. Enterprises

• Company website: http://globalresourcedefense.blogspot.com/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/tantalum.grd/
• Uniform: Brown/desert camo including UCP/ACU, ABU, and MultiCam. No black vests.
• Charity: Team Rubicon

K.A.S.H.

• Company website: http://kievafrikaner.blogspot.com/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/tantalum.kash/
• Uniform: Green or Sky (blue) camo. No black vests.
• Charity: Wildwood School for autism

The tickets will be available later in the week at the Evike.com website, and to follow updates on this event, you can visit the Tantalum Contact 6 Facebook Event Page.

A really big dog will be joining the U.S. Marines to the RIMPAC 2016 Exercise that is taking place right in Hawaii and Southern California (June 30 to August 4, 2016), and it is also going to be bringing a big gun. Mounted on it is .50 Caliber machine gun and this means that besides having a really loud bark, it also has the biggest bite amongst the dogs in the battlefield.

The Marines of 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment will be testing the Multi-Utility Tactical Transport (MUTT) which is provided by the Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory on Camp Pendleton, California for the RIMPAC 2016.  This 750lb. dog was built by General Dynamics Land Systems and it is amphibious so it is ready to join the Marines when they hit the beaches. It can be equipped with track wheels or low pressure wheels to it will be able to traverse through sand, swamps, and surf.

Having a MUTT around to support a Marine unit means more firepower is immediately available with the .50 caliber gun and cover a bigger area with the fewer men. Apart from being amphibious, it can also join the Marines when they board the MV-22 OSPREY Tilt Rotor Aircraft when they need to be quickly deployed to any hotspot

Apart from using a heavy machine gun to support the Marines, the MUTT can also perform the role of a robotic mule, able to carry up to 600-lbs of gear and equipment for the squad. Either the Marines will have their big loads carried by the MUTT or they can stuff it with more essential gear so they can have more stuff such as ammo apart from what they carry in their packs and webbing. The MUTT can also be used to carry casualties to a Medevac zone, counter-IED components, and communications gear.

The MUTT is not an autonomous vehicle yet. It is tethered to a Marine operator who uses a high-strength fishing line and the controls are done by pull actions. This is almost like controlling a dog on a leash.  As for power source, it runs on lithium-ion batteries. With a full charge and a full load of 600lbs. a MUTT can accompany its operator to up 15 miles.

During the RIMPAC 2016 exercises, the new ideas will be conducted with the MUTT to determine how to work effectively with it especially under a simulated hostile environment and how its strengths can be put to good tactical use.

In what is said to be the most advanced prothestic arm in the world, the Luke Arm, designed by Dean Kamen of DEKA Research and Development Corp. (DEKA) and inventor of the Segway, will be available later this year. Supported by funding from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and was under development for almost a decade, the Luke Arm will be having its commercial production after getting approval from the FDA in 2014.

With that announcement, SoldierStrong and Mobius Bionics have teamed up to provide the Luke Arm to veterans who have lost their upper limbs and are looking for corporate donations to enable them to distribute the prosthetic.

The project is something worthwhile to support as veterans who need prosthetics will have the best in the market. This allows them to do things that other prosthetics in the market are unable to provide.

Taking inspiration from the cybernetic hand that was installed on Luke Skywalker’s hand after losing his hand in a lightsaber duel with Darth Vader in the Empire Strikes Back, the Luke Hand enables a higher independence for people with forearm through shoulder-level amputations. It is a very flexible prosthetic that has the dexterity to do a lot of functions closer to a real hand.

Here are some of the features of the Luke Arm:

• A powered shoulder with the capability to reach overhead or behind the back
• A powered elbow with the strength to lift a bag of groceries from floor to tabletop
• A powered, multi-movement wrist with the precision, range of motion, and dexterity to hold a glass of water overhead or at waist level without spilling
• A hand with four independent motors and a conforming grip to hold everything from delicate items such as a phone or an egg to heavy items such as a gallon of milk without worrying that the item will slip or break
• An innovative grip-force sensor that senses how firmly something is being grasped and communicates that information to the user
• A variety of ways to control the arm, including electromyographic (EMG) electrodes and foot-mounted inertial measurement sensors
• Protection against water and dust – offering peace of mind when used inside and outside the home.

SoldierStrong will be depending on individual and corporate donations to be able to purchase Luke Arms, which I assume will be at a special price as agreed with Mobius Bionics. SoldierStrong is a not-for-profit organization established with the aim of providing advanced medical technologies to veterans.

“We developed the LUKE arm to change the game for amputees – creating an innovative, integrated system that offers greater functionality and independence to our wounded warriors and other amputees. We are excited to support SoldierStrong’s efforts to help provide the LUKE arm to veterans,” explained Dean Kamen, President of DEKA.

SoldierStrong’s co-founder and Chairman, Chris Meek, stated, "SoldierStrong is adding the LUKE arm to our expanding range of medical devices that we’re delivering to veterans. We are excited to support our veterans with upper-limb amputations by providing them with LUKE arms so that they can function more independently and have an improved quality of life.”

The efforts of SoldierStrong is highly commended and we encourage those who are concerned with veteran welfare to help support this project. One of the difficult situations for veterans when going back to civilian life is when they have disabilities caused by battle injury, affecting their productivity. To help them integrate again can be done by providing tools to enhance their usefulness, such as advanced prosthetics like the Luke Arm. It will really go a long way for the veterans who have served the country.

Movies that have massive numbers of devoted fans usually get their remastered version nowadays, and now video games are getting into this method of squeezing more revenues from old titles. In this case, Activision will soon be releasing the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered and this got fans, including those who have soured on the recent Call of Duty titles and have moved on, excited again.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare is the 4th installment in the Call of Duty franchise but it is the first person shooter game that got hauled many into FPS gaming. Modern Warfare puts the gamer in more contemporary settings. In 2007, Coalition forces were still heavily involved in Iraq and the ISAF battling out against the Taliban in Afghanistan, though Modern Warfare puts the gamer in the year 2011 but is closer to the gear and tactics of those involved in the War on Terror. The gameplay is intense and really gets the adrenalin going that once you sat down and started playing, it was hard to let go and you go from mission to mission and from one location to another, forgetting to eat or take a shower.

The Remastered version shows the video game in better clarity and with 4K televisions and 4K monitors, the quality of the game will be noticed in upgraded graphics and dynamic lighting effects and will make you love this game just like the first time your played it in 2007. A decade hence, we’re back to playing Soap and getting mentored by Captain Price as they take one mission after another.

Watch this video of the first mission in the game, called “Crew Expendable”, to see for yoourself the improvement in graphics quality:

I can’t wait to play this game, and very much keen on seeing how the Pripyat, Ukraine mission in "All Ghillied Up" turns out in the remastered version. It will have the full single player campaign and multiplayer mode with ten maps.

The remaster is done by Raven Software and will be available as part of the of your purchase of either the Legacy, Digital Deluxe or Legacy Pro edition of Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare. This means that you cannot purchase the game separately. Infinite Warfare was heavily criticized with the release of its first trailer and with the inclusion of the remastered Modern Warfare, this can be carrot to entice the players to snap up Infinite Warfare.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare will be released on 4 November 2016 and will be available for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.