Black Hawk Adventures : Military gear exhibit

Defense industry firms are showing off their latest in military equipment in a 2-day Marine West Military Exhibition in Camp Pendleton with thousands of troops in attendance.

There were hundreds of military gear and weaponry in exhibit inside the venue — items that can draw the line between life and death in a battle situation.

There seem to be no sign that the defense industry is slowing down for companies, either small or big, have participated in the exposition.

Knives manufactured by the Leatherman company are especially attracting attention — as there are not only buying military items available but also household items.

QinetiQ, one of the participating defense contractors, demonstrated their latest technology in robotic-controlled arms and robots that aid in detecting roadside bombs (a weapon that accounts for a large number of injuries and deaths in Afghanistan).

Military personnel can choose items that they think will be quite useful and this can eventually lead to a mass purchase by the whole department. This makes this exposition a yearly opportunity for defense companies to better their trade.

The contractor also has a 10-pound gadget that soldiers can use in operating small unarmed air vehicles, called Tactical Robotic Controller. The lightweight armored vest from Elite Defense is already under the review of officials from Marine Corps.

All the gears on display, plus the free trinkets being handed out by several of the vendors, was enough to attract an enthusiast’s interest. Moreover, fellow soldiers are highly likely to take advantage of the opportunity to replace heavy protective gears that they wear when outside of their bases or on patrol.

As a soldier, especially a combat engineer, you will basically walk around with lots of heavy gears beside the vest so something like this will be quite useful. You’ll always want to look for new concepts and technology that you can utilize in your field.

The exhibit is held near the base’s Main Gate and will be open until Thursday. The general public is allowed to participate in the show » Black Hawk Adventures : Military gear exhibit