Weapons and Kit of Direct Action

For those reading Direct Action and are interested in some of the kit and weapons used by the characters, I thought I would highlight a few items!

Wingsuit

In one of the more cavalier moments in Direct Action, the Liquid Sky team infiltrates to their objective via wingsuit.  This particular model is the S-Bird wingsuit made by Tony Suits.  The S-Bird suit is designed for the maximum amount of forward travel, not just to stay in the air longer but to cover the most distance.  This is a capability that Liquid Sky makes good use of while flying over the city of Manila…

40mm GPS round

Rounds with Global Positioning Systems embedded inside them are all ready being used by police officers to safely end what would other wise be high speed pursuits.  Firing the round from a specialized cannon on the front of their squad car, it uses a special adhesive to stick to the criminal’s vehicle.  The police can then break off their chase and simply follow up and arrest the perp wherever he stops.  In Direct Action, I speculate that it would not be hard to make 40mm grenade rounds with this same capability and a Samruk International mercenary uses it to Tag, Track, and Locate a very sensitive item.

AK-103

The AK-103 again makes an appearance or ten in Direct Action as Samruk International’s standard issue weapon.  Many other authors would opt for something sexier and more high tech but the reality of unconventional warfare is that you need a solid, durable, reliable weapon.  You also need a rifle that shoots ammunition commonly found on battlefields around the world.  You can forget about that cool-guy 300 blackout ammo because if you go winchester on ammo out in Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan, Somalia, the Philippines, or anywhere else that is not a gun show in the US, you won’t be able to found more ammo for it.

Ingram MAC-10

HERF device

Sadly, no pictures are available for government made high-energy radio frequency (HERF) guns but you can scope out some home brewed versions.  Technopedia describes a HERF guns as, “A high-energy radio frequency weapon (HERF) is a directed-energy weapon used to disrupt digital equipment, such as computers. HERF works by blasting high-intensity radio waves at electronics, disrupting their operation.”  By disrupting digital equipment, the HERF gun could reset system and create an opportunity for hackers to insinuate themselves into electronic networks.  In Direct Action, a black then black program uses just such a technique to stir up the Arab spring in a certain country.

Combat hatchet

Grayman Dua folder

The Dua folder from Grayman Knives is folder I most often carry.  In Target Deck, the Sub-Saharan got a front line appearance on the cover but in Direct Action, its baby brother sees some action.  In one scene, Deckard uses the Dua to sabotage some enemy vehicles.

Emerson karambit

A Filipino-American 1st Special Forces Group veterans carries the fixed-blade karambit from Emerson knives as his preferred edged weapon.  This knife ends up playing a pivotal role in Direct Action, especially in the final scenes of the book.

Mk48

The most memorable remark about the Mk48 that I ever heard was, “That is the lightest heavy machine gun I’ve ever seen!” As a Corporal, I was a Gun Team Leader in Ranger Battalion where my team made great use of the Mk48 in training as well as combat. The Mk48 is the size of a SAW but packs the 7.62 punch of a M240B. It’s small size makes it perfect for immediate support by fire in dismounted, urban environments.

Carl Gustav

Admittedly, the M3 Carl Gustaf isn’t the sexiest of weapons among the 75th Ranger Regiment’s rather extensive arsenal.  This is especially true when you have to pack this giant metal tube into an AT4 jump pack with cardboard honeycomb and exit a C-17 during a Mass-Tactical airborne jump at night.  Getting hung up in a MH-60 with the Goose slung over your back while fast roping and dangling 50ft in the air ain’t sexy either.  Don’t ask me how I know that…  I’ve written about being Tank Sniper and elaborated on the training and tactical issues surrounding the Gustaf in the past, so take a look!

“Jack Murphy takes readers on a ride of reality mixed with fiction. The question is, how much fiction really unfolds within his latest Deckard novel “Direct Action?” Filled with current affairs and blending real world incidents that few really know anything about, Murphy entangles an incredibly ferocious web of issues many have not the heart to address let alone write.” -Kerry Patton, author of Contracted I and II.

Get the book today for your Kindle or get the paperback at Amazon.com