Newsroom

Project Manager Close Combat Systems (PM CCS) provides the warfighter world-class, close combat, support and aerial denial munitions to enable force protection and assured mobility capabilities across full spectrum operations.

Newsroom

Article Archives

	Under Secretary of the Army visits Picatinny Full story
	PM CCS Supports ENFORCE 2010 Full story
	Commanding General of the Army Materiel Command briefed on CCS products Full story
	CCS equipment assists in Haitian relief efforts Full story
	XM1100 Scorpion Completes Successful Live Fire Full story
	SPARK Supports Effectiveness Against Command and Tripwire IEDs Full story
	New Deputy Project Manager for Close Combat Systems Announced Full story
	PM CCS' Improved Acoustic Hailing Device Nears Milestone C Full story
	Army Acquisition Secretary Briefed on PM CCS Products Full story
	PM CCS Supports the 2009 Infantry Warfighting Conference Full story
	PM CCS displays at the 2009 UXO/Countermine/Range Forum Full story
	PM IMS Gets New Leadership Full story
	Robotic systems that can save lives on the battlefield... Full story
	Picatinny 'rolls out' new version of SPARK IED defeat Product Full story
	Lieutenant General James H. Pillsbury, AMC’s Deputy Commanding General visits Picatinny Full story
	VOSS now deployed in Iraq and saving lives, one mission at a time Full story
	Robin Gullifer, Deputy Product Manager for PM IED Defeat/Protect Force recognized by NDIA Full story
	PM CCS honored for hand grenade safety Full story
	Non-lethal technology offers new capabilities Full story
	Deputy PM CCS selected for AUSA Award Full story
	Army AL&T Article on PM CCS’ SPARK and other PEO Products Full story
	PM CCS Supports the 2008 Infantry Warfighting Conference and Modern Day Marine Military Exposition Full story
	Army fields first Brigade Nonlethal Capability Set Full story
	Lieutenant General Thomas F. Metz U.S. Army Director, Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Organization (JIEDDO) visits Picatinny. Full story
	More SPARKs already approved ARMY PM SEEKS TO MAKE ANTI-IED MINE ROLLERS PERMANENT PROGRAM Full story
	Three PM CCS Products Named to Greatest U.S. Army Inventions of 2007 List PM CCS' Improvised Explosive Device (IED) Interrogation Arms, IED Mine Roller Program and Reconnaissance Vehicle Systems are recognized as the U.S. Army's "Top Ten Greatest Inventions of 2007. Full story
	Army AL & T Online Monthly spotlights Women's History Month Women in Acquisition This special issue is dedicated to women who have made great contributions to the Army Acquisition, Logistics and Technology workforce. PM CCS' Deputy Project Manager, Patti Felth is featured for her achievements and contributions to the United States Army. Full story
	Training Optimizes Shoulder Launched Munition (SLM) Effectiveness Full story
	Secretary of the Army visits Picatinny and receives a briefing on PM CCS' products Full story
	The Self-Protection Adaptive Roller Kit - Negating the IED Threat for Soldiers and Vehicles Full story
	Countermeasure Flares Team (CFT) Leverages Acquisition Process to Meet Warfighter Demands Full story
	Nonlethal Munitions (NLM) Expand Warfighter Capabilities Full story
	Counter-IED Training at NTC - Getting It Right From Day One Before going into the "box" at Fort Irwin, Soldiers spend a week at the National Training Center (NTC) preparing for their mission in a reception, staging, onward movement and integration (RSOI) period. During RSOI, Soldiers attend classroom and hands-on training on counter-IED equipment provided by the Army Center of Excellence (ACOE), including PM CCS' own Self-Protection Adaptive Roller Kit (SPARK) and non-lethal capabilities. Full story
	Bunker Busters SOTECH looks at some of the other options available to SOF when they need to knock hard. Usually ranging between 40mm and 84 mm, these mighty mites can do the job. Full story
	PM IED Defeat/Protect Force Assumption of Charter Ceremony The Project Manager for Close Combat Systems, part of the Joint Munitions and Lethality Life Cycle Management Command, chartered its third Product Management Office in the space of a year, the Product Manager for IED Defeat/Protect Force (IEDD/PF) in an assumption-of-charter ceremony held Sept. 14. More information
	PM CCS Supports the Infantry at Ft. Benning, GA PM CCS traveled to Ft. Benning, GA in September to show members of the U.S. Army Infantry School and Soldiers worldwide how our office is supporting the Warfighter. More information
	Picatinny Welcomes New Project Manager COL Raymond H. Nulk The Project Manager Close Combat Systems (PM CCS), part of the Joint Munition and Lethality Life Cycle Management Command (JM&L LCMC), welcomed its new Project Manager, COL Raymond H. Nulk, in a ceremony held on June 11, 2007. Full Story
	PM CCS Impresses Soldiers in St. Louis PM CCS recently hosted a display spotlighting our systems at the recent Engineer Regimental Conference, held May 20-24, 2007. Members of the Army Engineering School and Soldiers from across the nation were impressed by the breadth of what we have to offer the modern Warfighter. Full Story
	Heroes in the Global War on Terror Part of the Soldier's Creed is never to leave behind a fallen comrade. On the night of March 13, 2006, then-Sgt. Wilzcek, Sgt. Row, then-Pfc. Alvarez, then-Pfc. Pushkin, and the rest of their squad risked life and limb to live up to that promise. Full Story
	Product Manager for Intelligent Munitions System receives charter "The Project Manager for Close Combat Systems, part of the Joint Munition and Lethality Life Cycle Management Command, chartered its first Product Management Office, the Product Manager for Intelligent Munitions System in an assumption-of-charter ceremony here Dec. 8." Full Story
	AN/PSS-14 Mine Detection system Offers Improved Countermine Capability "AN/PSS-14 — also known as the Hand-held Standoff Mine Detection System (HSTAMIDS) — has expanded the range of mine types Soldiers can detect and increased hand-held mine detection efficiency." Full Story (PDF file)
	Intelligent Munitions System "The IMS attack mechanism is based on battle-proven [sensor fuzed weapons], first used in Iraq in 2003." Full Story (PDF file)
	Paintball in Baghdad "…there’s nothing fun about being on the receiving end of the FN 303 Less Lethal System. The semi-automatic launcher shoots a .68 caliber projectile at 300 feet per second using compressed air. It’s not designed to kill, but it packs a potent sting." Full Story
	PM CCS Countermeasure Flares Team receives David Packard Acquisition Award "The Packard Award is the highest honor the Department of Defense can bestow upon acquisition professionals. It is presented to civilian and military organizations that have significantly contributed or have demonstrated exemplary innovations and best practices in the Defense acquisition process." Full Story
	Cavalry Fires SMAW-D [Bunker Defeat Munition], Trains with Weapon Before Deployment "The intent of this training is to facilitate rapid fielding of SLM and provide operators the skills required to operate the system properly through training-the-trainer courses." Full Story
	"Picatinny Employees Recognized among Army's Top Ten Inventors for 2005" "Four Picatinny weapons-development teams have been acknowledged for their superb work by being recognized with spots in the 2005 Army Greatest Inventions of the Year Award, the commander of Army Materiel Command recently announced." Full Story
	Intelligent Munitions System - Helping Shape Tomorrow's Battlefield "IMS plays a key role in providing assured mobility by giving force commanders the freedom to move and maneuver where and when they want without regard to terrain, weather or other conditions." Full Story (PDF file)
	"Army sends riot-control kits to Iraq, Afghanistan" "The first shipment of 68 special sets of non-lethal riot and crowd control items should now be in the hands of U.S. troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, according to Kevin T. Wong, an official with the Office of Project Manager for Close Combat Systems here who oversees the program." Full Story
	"Army demonstrates Future Combat Systems" "The Army initiative to transition to a new modular force took a step forward last week with the first comprehensive public demonstration of several Future Combat Systems technologies at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md. " Full Story
	"Options 'between a bullhorn and a bullet' abound at Land Combat Expo" "Compared with the evolution of conventional weapons from sharp sticks to big bombs, a new generation of nonlethal weapons is rapidly approaching the gee-whiz factor of fantasy." Full Story
	"Force Protection Moves from Bases to Battlefields" "As casualties continue to mount in Iraq and Afghanistan, the Defense Department is seizing on technology to protect combat soldiers from snipers, mortars and roadside bombs." Full Story
	APOBS makes Quantico debut with a bang "The Marines of 1st Battalion 25th Marines were a part of history aboard Marine Corps Base Quantico Friday as they fired the Anti-Personnel Obstacle Breaching System on Murphy Demo Range." Full Story
	$20.3M Delivery Order for Aircraft Defense Flares "The M211 Advanced Infrared Countermeasure Munition (AIRCMM) is being developed for low flying, slow moving aircraft, and consists of using these three flares in a timing and sequence that has been optimized, through flight-testing and computer simulations, to decoy missile threats equipped with flare countermeasures." Full Story
	"Buffalo roams the battlefield to protect soldiers from mines" "I saw the Buffalo going down Iraq's Highway 1, which is normally where IEDs are planted," said Sgt. Kempke, who has been training soldiers for bomb-disposal work at Camp Dawson, W.Va., since returning from Iraq last year. "That giant armored beast is no doubt saving lives." Full Story
	"SUV On Steroids" "They call it 'the Buffalo.' It could just as easily be known as "the Rhino," "the Turtle" or "the Hippo," based on its size, protective covering and, uh, lack of zero-to-60 speed." Full Story
	CBS Evening News Features Force Protection, Inc.'s Buffalo Armored Vehicle; Mine Clearance Vehicle is "Humvee On Steroids" "Force Protection, Inc. and its Buffalo mine clearance vehicle were featured on CBS Evening News Wednesday night." Full Story
	U.S. pushing roadside, car-bomb awareness "The U.S.-led coalition in Iraq is kicking off a campaign Wednesday to raise troop awareness of tactics that could save their lives around improvised explosive devices." Full Story
	Insurgents find new ways to bedevil U.S. in Iraq "About as quickly as the U.S. military finds a way to thwart insurgents' roadside bombs and other methods of attack, the insurgents counter with a new move of their own." Full Story
	AN/PSS-14 Handheld Standoff Mine Detection System (HSTAMIDS) "Handheld Standoff Mine Detection System (HSTAMIDS) is a handheld mine detector capable of detecting all metallic and non-metallic anti-tank (AT) and anti-personnel (AP) mines." Full Story
	Soldiers Use Many Tools in Clearing Mines "As the young engineer unzips his bag and removes his mine detector, he surveys the sandy, wind-swept hills he is about to clear. Before him sit bunkers, trenches and piles of junk -- all potential spots to hide mines or improvised explosive devices." Full Story
	SA vehicles save lives in Iraq "US Army and Marine personnel in Iraq are increasingly staking their lives on South African-designed armoured vehicles, British defence publication Defence Systems Daily reports." Full Story
	Rumsfeld Inspects Mine Clearance Vehicle Built by Force Protection Industries, Inc.; Armor Vehicle Manufacturer's Buffalo Vehicle Used to Remove IEDs, Save Lives in Iraq "Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld met with the U.S. Army's 612th Engineer Battalion in Iraq Wednesday (4/12) to inspect the Buffalo mine clearance vehicle manufactured by Force Protection Industries, Inc." Full Story
	"Buffalo" Finds Explosive Devices, Saves Lives "The U.S. military doesn't have enough explosive ordnance disposal experts to be able to check every suspicious piece of debris here. That's where the 'Buffalo' comes in handy." Full Story
	"SUV on steroids" helps protect soldiers from danger in Iraq "In the hunt for roadside bombs, the best technology in the world doesn't stand up against four sets of eyeballs." Full Story
	A Constant Search For Weapons Caches "When Pfc. Jimmy Giron of Company B, 27th Engineer Battalion, found a weapons cache in the front of a house recently, his buddies said it seemed as if he'd witnessed the birth of his child." Full Story
	Coast Guardsmen endure chilly water off Bolling's waterfront "Search and rescue at sea is perhaps the best-known of the many missions the U.S. Coast Guard accomplishes in its daily quest to protect the public, the environment and U.S. interests in the nation's ports, waterways and international waters." Full Story
	The Army's Police "They maintain order, but try to forgo force. One day they're investigating a crime. The next they're providing area security in a combat zone." Full Story on Page 14
	Earning the EIB "It's just two-by-three inches of olive-drab-colored cloth that costs $1.50 at military clothing sales stores. But some infantry Soldiers are willing to shed blood, sweat and tears to get it." Full Story on Page 30
	VLAD the Impaler "The U.S. Army and Marines have successfully used the VLAD (Vehicle Lightweight Arresting Device) device to stop civilian vehicles that ignore warnings to halt when approaching a checkpoint or roadblock." Full Story
	Unconventional Weapons Can Help U.S. Troops Fight Insurgents in Iraq "Despite spending more than a decade developing non-lethal weapon technology, the Defense Department is struggling to catch up with soldiers' needs in Iraq." Full Story
	Ammunition Enterprise Support to Soldiers "During a 12-month period, ARDEC fielded 17 specialized weapons and ammo systems in record time. Among them was the XM 1060 40mm Thermobaric Grenade, which was developed and fielded in only 4 months." Full Story (PDF File)
	Continuous Improvements Ahead for the Army's Bunker Buster "To support continuous improvement of munitions, the Project Manager for Close Combat Systems (PM CCS) has applied some outside-the-box thinking. The result - a systems approach to procurement called ‘in-stride modernization.’" Full Story (PDF File)
	Government-Industry Collaboration — Developing the Army's Go-To-War Ammunition "The recently announced National Landmine Policy states the president's firm, unconditional commitment that U.S. forces will not use persistent landmines…The Project Manager Close Combat Systems (CCS) Office, at Picatinny Arsenal, is already developing these networked munitions." Full Story (PDF File)
	Insensitive Munitions Provide Enhanced Survivability "PEO Ammo developed an IM Strategic Plan to assess its munitions status, identify potential opportunities for and degree of IM improvement, prioritize improvement efforts and initiate actions to develop and execute detailed IM improvement plans." Full Story (PDF File)
	The Army SMCA Restructures for Success "The Army's Single Manager for Conventional Ammunition (SMCA) is charged with the acquisition and production management of more than 166 different ammunition types for all military services." Full Story (PDF File)
	The Industrial Base Challenge "While not common practice, this method provided a reasonable solution to enhance the vendor's capability in a sole-source environment. PM CCS was willing to make this commitment to ensure continued production of items urgently needed by warfighters." Full Story (PDF File)
	The Single Manager for Conventional Ammunition (SMCA) Industrial Base Assessment Tool "Instead of focusing on replenishment, efforts will now be directed toward capabilities-based planning and supporting current operations and the Ammunition Enterprise." Full Story (PDF File)
	Back Cover Image featured in Soldiers Magazine, July 2004, page 51 View Larger Image Download Full Issue (PDF File)
	Army names 'Greatest Inventions' of year "Ten teams will be recognized June 23 by the U.S. Army Research, Development and Engineering Command for the 'Greatest Army Inventions' of the past year." Full Story
	Non-lethal Land Mines "The U.S. Army has awarded a contract for the development of a non-lethal land mine that would stop, but not kill, intruders." Full Story
	Non-Lethal Vehicle Arresting Net a Success "Stopping vehicles is a top mission priority that becomes more critical every day. U.S. Service Members stationed around the globe in peace making and peace support operations have a new item in their tool kit." Full Story on page 1 of the linked document
	Vehicle Lightweight Arresting Device (VLAD) "The VLAD was developed and manufactured by QinetiQ, United Kingdom. It can be rapidly deployed to arrest a range of vehicles." Full Story on page 2 of the linked document
	USAF and USA Non-Lethal Capability Set (NLCS) Update "Beginning in FY04 and continuing through FY09, the USAF will procure 65 13-man Capability Sets consisting of approximately 20 items pre-packaged in Pelican Cases." Full Story on page 5 of the linked document
	Non-Lethals in Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) "U.S. Army units employing their Non-Lethal Capability Sets (NLCS) in Operation Iraqi Freedom have validated the Army's NLCS investment in the most demanding test center, the battlefield." Full Story on page 5 of the linked document
	Watch Your Step: Operating In An Improvised World "While there are inherent dangers involved in fighting any war, the Global War on Terrorism has brought today’s Soldiers face-to-face with an ever-changing and evolving enemy." Full Story
	New vehicles helping against IEDs "The U.S. Army has a few new weapons to use in its war against the threat of improvised explosive devices on Iraq's roadways." Full Story
	FNH USA's FN303 Less Lethal Launcher: Best Option In Less Lethal Response "Maintaining order in a changing world demands the latest technology and modern tactics. FNH USA, Inc. delivers the next generation of Less-Lethal Response with its FN 303 designed to be the premier system dedicated to reduced lethality and liability. " Full Story
	A Nonlethal Ambush—A Capabilities Approach to the Future "Throughout the history of war, a key component of success or failure often hinged on one nation's technological superiority over another." Full Story
	M1 Portable Vehicle-Arresting Barrier "Since 28 May 2002, the Department of Defense's (DOD's) first nonlethal (NL) vehicle-stopping system, the M1 Portable Vehicle-Arresting Barrier (PVAB), is available for fielding as part of the Army's Nonlethal Capability Set (NLCS). The Army's Program Manager for Close Combat Systems (PM CCS) manages this joint-service-developed item ..." Full Story
	New Mine Detector Aids Bagram Troops "A combat engineer's job is slow moving at times. When it comes to clearing minefields, like the many that litter the area surrounding Bagram Air Base, each action must be made with precision." Full Story
	Army Advanced Infrared Countermeasure Flares "The U.S. Army has recently Type Classified Standard two new Infrared (IR) Countermeasure Flares to enhance aircraft survivability against the most advanced IR guided missiles in the field." Full Story on page 22 of the linked document
	Bomb-Detection Technology Useful for Countermine Ops "An explosive-detection technology developed for aviation safety could improve the ability of U.S. forces to locate and clear landmines, said Army and Navy scientists." Full Story
	Good News Information on the AN/PSS-14 Hand Held Mine Detector "The Army recently introduced the AN/PSS-14 Mine Detector, which is an update from the previous AN/PSS-12 Mine Detector - the standard mine detector for the U.S. Army." Full Story (PDF File)