SOF - Special Operations
US SOF considers new water purifier
The Sustainment and Distribution Company of the US Army’s 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne) is trialling a new water purification system, the army announced on 10 August.
The Aspen 5500M is a small and portable water purification system designed for SOF elements that operate in independent small teams without access to larger, brigade-level water systems.
The fits in two storage boxes, making it much smaller and more portable than the large shipping container-sized Tactical Water Purification System (TWPS) which is used at the brigade level. It can be set up and ready to operate in about 15 minutes, with output of 1500-2000 gallons of water a day, which is enough to support a 12-man Operational Detachment-Alpha.
The Aspen uses no chemicals in its water purification process. Instead, it passes water through a series of filters before using ultra-violet light to sterilize the water.
This also makes it cheaper to run than the larger TWPS, which pumps out 1,500 gallons of clean water per hour, but relies on chemicals to purify the water.
The army is considering whether to make the Aspen 5500M an SOF standard when it comes to water treatment.
More from Special Operations
-
SOCOM explores M230 cannon enhancements
US Special Operations Command is exploring operational enhancements to its M230 30mm cannon systems, it has emerged. Under a $666,229 contract announced on 7 September, ...
-
DSEI 2017: USMC special ops look for new UAS
The US Marine Corps Special Operations Command (MARSOC) will be looking to trial a group two UAV in the near future, Shephard has learnt. MARSOC ...
-
DSEI 2017: New parachute safety system unveiled
Airborne Systems North America has unveiled a next-generation safety solution for airborne and special operations forces at DSEI 2017 in London. The company, which designs ...
-
Navy SEALs to use UAVs for training
The Navy Special Warfare Basic Training Command (NSWBTC) SEAL Qualification Training (SQT) Land Warfare Team has released plans to use vertical take-off/landing (VTOL) UAVs to ...
-
Georgian SF become NATO certified
The Georgian Special Operations Forces (GEO SOF) has successfully completed NATO certification to operate a Special Operations Task Group (SOTG), defence sources have confirmed to ...
-
Analysis: US SOF involvement in Philippines
The US closure of Joint Special Operations Task Force - Philippines (JSOTF-P) in Mindanao, southern Philippines in 2015 appears to have been premature, in light ...