NORTH BRANCH, NJ--(Marketwire - March 31, 2011) - Ultimate Training Munitions (UTM), a leading provider of weapon conversions and training ammunition for armed forces and law enforcement agencies around the world, today announced its support of the 2011 David E. Grange Jr. Best Ranger Competition (BRC).
UTM's training ammunition system is the key product for the urban assault event scheduled for the first day of the competition, taking place at Fort Benning, Georgia, from April 15-17. UTM's weapon conversion kits, part of the US Army Close Combat Mission Capability Kit (CCMCK) Program, will be utilized to help enhance the realistic nature of various BRC events.
"UTM's products afford the competing Ranger teams the opportunity for increased realism during the competition but with less risk of getting hurt since they'll be using non-lethal live fire ammunition," said Eric Seto, UTM master trainer and retired US Army First Sergeant.
All Ranger teams will have their weapons converted to UTM at some point during the competition. The UTM Blue Bolt weapon conversion adapts standard service weapons, including M16/M4 rifles and M249 machine guns, for use in various real-world training scenarios. By removing the live bolt and inserting the UTM Blue Bolt users can convert from lethal live fire to non-lethal in approximately 30 seconds. The UTM Blue Bolt offers an important fail-safe safety feature -- the 3mm offset firing pin. When the weapon is converted with the UTM Blue Bolt, the safety feature prevents denotation of live ammunition, M200 blanks or any other center-fired primer ammunition.
Competitors will also utilize UTM's Blue Magazine. Designed with safety in mind, the Blue Magazine is manufactured with internal components that will only accept UTM Non-Lethal Training Ammunition (NLTA): UTM's Man Marker Rounds, Reduced Velocity Rounds, Battlefield Blank Rounds and Silent Blank Rounds. Live, lethal ammunition is longer than UTM training ammunition and therefore can't be loaded into the magazine and then loaded into the weapon.
The three-day Best Ranger Competition, designed to push Rangers to their limits, was established in 1982 and has been compared to both Ironman and Eco-Challenge competitions. The BRC challenges two-man Ranger teams in events that test physical conditioning, Ranger skills and team strategies. The physically and mentally demanding three-day competition features back-to-back events, allowing little time for rest and meals.
About UTM
Ultimate Training Munitions (UTM) is a leading provider of weapon conversions and training ammunition for armed forces and law enforcement agencies around the world. With headquarters in the United Kingdom and manufacturing facilities in England and the U.S., the company's patented products are designed to simulate realistic training to better prepare soldiers and law enforcement officers for their missions. UTM provides a complete training system solution for use with 5.56mm, 9mm, .357cal and .40 cal weapons. UTM offers man marker rounds (MMR), target bullet rounds (TBR) and blanks (silent blank rounds & battlefield blank rounds) for use in pistols, rifles, submachine gun (SMG) and selected machine guns. In addition, the company supplies safety and personal protection equipment. Products are available on the GSA schedule, contract number, GS-07F-5749P. For more information visit: www.utmworldwide.com.