Home > WHIZ-BANG GIZMOS
By BRAD HAMILTON
U.S. Special Forces and military disaster-response teams guarding New York during the Republican convention will be armed with the latest high-tech weaponry, including "ballistic" sunglasses, advanced machine guns and a flashlight that can blind attackers, The Post has learned.
As many as 25 sniper teams will ring Madison Square Garden, including black-clad Secret Service sharpshooters, sources said.
The units will go into heightened alert when President Bush arrives to accept the Republican nomination on Sept. 2. The convention runs Aug. 30 to Sept. 2.
"There will not be a place where [Bush] will not be covered by a weapon," said Terry Griswold, an anti-terror consultant and an ex-commander of Army Special Forces who’s familiar with convention preparations.
Among the military gizmos is an infrared-radar system that allows soldiers to see each other in pitch-black darkness, thanks to patches on their shoulders and helmets, while identifying would-be terrorists lurking on rooftops.
A 12-member joint military task force, consisting of members of Delta Force, Navy SEALs and Air Force specialists, will be armed with a variety of weapons - most of them different from the ones used by NYPD SWAT teams, sources said.
Some will strap on Heckler & Koch MP5s - lightweight 9 mm submachine guns that come with telescopic and laser sights and are favored by Delta Force commandos.
Others will employ the more powerful Colt M4, nicknamed "the baby M-16," a 5.56-caliber machine gun with three settings, from single shot to fully automatic.
Handguns range from the standard Colt .45 to the Austrian-made Sigsauer, a .45-caliber handgun popular among SEALs.
When it comes to clothing, Special Forces are protected all over - right down to their underwear, which is made of a moisture-wicking blend that reduces heat and sweat.
All-black coverall suits made of flame-retardant Nomex, a super-strong composite from DuPont, go with bulletproof Kevlar vests and helmets.
In their pockets, you’ll find a serrated field knife, first-aid kit, plastic handcuffs and a gas mask - an upgraded version of the $300 Millennium Masks that cops purchased last year.
Some will wear Wiley X shades, shatterproof "ballistic" polycarbonate sunglasses that can stand up to flying metal shards and other debris.
Many will tote pocket-sized SureFire flashlights, so bright that they can temporarily blind a suspect.