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Forging the Future of Combat: Inside CALFEX with the Next Generation Squad Weapon

April 24th, 2025

FORT CAMPBELL, Ky. — In Fort Campbell, Soldiers from 1st Mobile Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), recently conducted a Combined Arms Live-Fire Exercise, utilizing the M7 rifle and M250 automatic rifle — marking a critical step in validating the Next Generation Squad Weapon platform.

Designed to replace the long-serving M4 and M249, NGSW brings new assurance to reshape small-unit tactics with enhanced range, improved lethality and advanced optics. The CALFEX set a high-tempo environment to assess the system’s performance under realistic conditions with combined arms elements, including dismounted infantry, aviation and indirect fire support.

“My first impression was how reliable the M7 was — we didn’t experience any malfunctions throughout the entire CALFEX,” said Staff Sgt. Caleb Harris, serving as a Platoon Sergeant from 2nd Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment.

“That level of performance gave us the confidence to push the weapon to its limits,” he added.

This reliability allowed teams to maintain tempo throughout training, adjusting fire and maneuver without the disruptions commonly associated with older platforms. Additionally, fire teams explored new bounding techniques and sectors of fire, ensuring the improved stopping power of the M7 and M250 was effectively applied in both offense and defense. These tactical evolutions highlight the importance of early and continuous integration of emerging capabilities into mission planning at the lowest echelons.

The enhanced range and improved ergonomics of the M7 allowed for greater flexibility in small-unit leadership and fire team control. “As team leader, I was able to direct my guys to engage targets at extended distances while taking a brief tactical pause myself — not off the line completely, but just enough to reposition and get more accurate shots from better cover,” said Spc. Brandon Horvath, 1st Battalion 506th Infantry Regiment.

He emphasized the rifle’s design contributed directly to improved combat flow, especially in high-pressure scenarios. “I really like the side-charging handle. Internally, with the buffer system, it’s a lot easier for me to charge the weapon from the side when repositioning — it just makes transitions smoother,” said Horvath.

The NGSW’s integration into team-level tactics reinforced the need for adaptable employment strategies, particularly in open terrain or against fortified positions by giving Soldiers the ability to shape the battlefield from a distance.

Spc. Tristan Mann, 2nd Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment, observed the practical benefits of increased range during tactical movements. “Being able to engage from farther out gave us more control over the fight. It changed how we moved, when we closed in, and how we set our fields of fire,” he said.

Cpt. Evan Myers from 1st Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment, highlighted a new level of control and effectiveness with the M250 during the exercise. “The 250 has semi, which makes it easier to control a single shot or two rounds instead of doing 6-8 rounds,” he noted. “The suppressor reduces the muzzle flash, which is a huge advantage for maintaining concealment in low-light engagements.” His observations further emphasize how the system enhances both precision and survivability on the modern battlefield.

While the NGSW’s firepower and ergonomics were widely praised, Soldiers also noted the importance of evaluating how the system integrates with current loadouts and sustainment practices.

The M7’s slightly increased weight compared to the M4 — particularly when paired with the larger 6.8mm magazines. “It definitely feels a bit heavier on the kit, especially once you’re carrying a full combat load,” said Mann. “But the extra weight didn’t slow us down — if anything, it made every shot count more.”

Despite the strong initial impressions, leaders recognize time and sustained training are essential to fully validate the weapon system’s long-term value. “The more time we get to train with it, the more we will get to see how it really works,” said 1st Sgt. William Melko from 1st Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment.

His comments reflect a balanced perspective shared by many senior leaders: while the NGSW shows great promise, true validation will only come with sustained exposure, data and experience across formations.

The integration of the NGSW into the CALFEX marked a significant milestone in the Army’s ongoing modernization efforts. Across planning, employment, execution, and sustainment, the M7 and M250 proved to be reliable, lethal and tactically transformative. Looking ahead, 1MBCT is preparing for its upcoming rotation at the Joint Readiness Training Center, where the NGSW will be further implemented and evaluated in a simulated operational environment. This continued use will provide valuable forward feedback. Exercises like this ensure the system is not only technologically sound but also operationally effective under realistic combat conditions

By SGT Marisol Romo Franco

See The Latest From Gentex/Ops-Core In The MillBrook Tactical Booth at CANSEC

April 23rd, 2025

Savage Arms Debuts AC30 B.O.B. AccuCan Suppressor

April 23rd, 2025

WESTFIELD, Massachusetts – April 22, 2025 – Savage Arms®, an iconic firearm manufacturer, is debuting a new addition to its popular line of AccuCan suppressors. The AC30 B.O.B. (Back Over Barrel) suppressor is the perfect option for shooters looking to enhance balance and reduce overall firearm length while shooting suppressed.

The B.O.B. design partially encloses the barrel, allowing for more internal volume and minimizing the increase of overall rifle length. These modifications improve sound suppression and reduce point-of-impact shift, leading to better accuracy.

“The AC30 B.O.B. is a great addition to our suppressor line that gives hunters and shooters performance advantages and options,” said Beth Shimanski, Director of Marketing at Savage Arms. “This design and option is attractive to a wide variety of hunters as it provides a significant reduction in noise, is more compact, rated for all .30 caliber options and also reduces felt recoil. Competitive shooters will enjoy similar benefits of reduced noise and recoil, without sacrificing maneuverability.”

At a weight of only 13.7 ounces and fully serviceable in the field, the new AccuCan is perfect for backcountry hunting or all-day shooting excursions. Capable of shooting any .30 caliber cartridge up to .300 Winchester Magnum, it is compatible with a wide variety of firearms including most Savage firearms with factory installed Proof Research barrels.

A standout feature of the AC30 B.O.B. is the revolutionary MonoKore design. This approach leads the suppressor to reduce both flash and recoil, giving shooters a more enjoyable and accurate experience at the range or in the field.

Product No. / Description / MSRP

11704 / AC30 B.O.B. (Back Over Barrel) AccuCan Suppressor / $999

As suppressors continue to become the new standard in shooting, Savage continues to commit itself to leading a new age of innovation. For more information about Savage Arms and its extensive line of leading suppressors and firearms, visit savagearms.com.

Achilles Heel Tactical Launches “Field Notes” – A No-BS Resource for Sharpening Skills, Tactics, and Mindset

April 23rd, 2025

Achilles Heel Tactical, founded by Rick Crawley, is proud to announce the launch of Field Notes, a new section of the AHT website dedicated to delivering hard-earned knowledge, straight from the front lines of the firearms training industry.

This isn’t your average blog. Field Notes is a raw, insightful, and skill-driven content hub created for shooters who take their craft seriously—whether you’re a law enforcement professional, an armed civilian, or a responsibly armed American who refuses to be a victim.

Drawing from his experience as a Marine Corps Infantry veteran, law enforcement officer, and founder of one of the most respected training companies in the industry, Rick Crawley breaks down skills, tactics, and gear in a way that actually makes you better.

The mission is simple: give people the tools and mindset to be more lethal, more capable, and more prepared,” says Crawley. “Firearms training isn’t just about punching holes in paper—it’s about decision-making, discipline, and being dangerous for the right reasons.”

Field Notes covers everything from:

– Proven shooting drills that build real-world performance

– Deep dives on red dot optics, rifle setups, and EDC gear

– Tactics that translate from the range to the street

– Mental frameworks that separate good shooters from great ones

Every post is designed to cut through the fluff and deliver actionable insights that shooters can immediately apply.

If you carry a gun for a living—or carry one to protect what matters—this is for you.

Start reading now at: www.achillesheeltactical.com/field-notes

Stay sharp. Stay dangerous. And stay ahead of the threat.

Maris-Tech Unveils Diamond Ultra: A Fully Integrated AI-Powered 360° 3D Situational Awareness System for AFVs

April 23rd, 2025

Revolutionary real-time threat detection and airborne protection solution enhances battlefield survivability with advanced AI edge computing and multi-camera integration

Rehovot, Israel, April 22, 2025 – Maris-Tech Ltd. (Nasdaq: MTEK), a global leader in video and AI-based edge computing technology, announces the launch of Diamond Ultra, a fully integrated hardware-software system designed to enhance situational awareness and airborne threat protection for Armored Fighting Vehicles (AFVs) and critical defense applications.

The full-system solution combines a ruggedized processing box with an AI-powered analytics card in one cohesive platform. This integration eliminates compatibility challenges found in separate systems while simplifying deployment and enhancing operational performance in harsh environments.

The Diamond Ultra platform provides comprehensive 360° 3D situational awareness, addressing critical challenges such as blind spots, slow threat detection, and integration complexities in modern combat environments. It integrates up to 11 camera inputs (IP, analog, and HD/SDI) and leverages dual AI accelerators (~60 TOPS) for high-speed processing of multiple video streams simultaneously. This ensures instant threat identification and actionable intelligence for defense teams operating in mission-critical scenarios.

Designed for rapid installation and low maintenance, the Diamond Ultra system supports LTE/5G connectivity, enabling real-time video transmission and remote monitoring from command centers or other off-site locations. This capability enhances operational flexibility by allowing defense teams to maintain oversight even in dynamic or geographically dispersed combat scenarios. Additionally, its continuous recording functionality supports post-event debriefing and training while also enabling the refinement of AI models through raw video data analysis. This ensures long-term operational improvement and adaptability to evolving threats.

Israel Bar, CEO & Founder of Maris-Tech Ltd., emphasized the system’s groundbreaking capabilities:“Diamond Ultra is a transformative milestone for Maris-Tech, an integrated solution that unites advanced AI-powered software with ruggedized hardware into one seamless platform. This innovation eliminates the delays and complexities often caused by separate systems, enabling faster deployment and ensuring consistent performance in mission-critical environments. By integrating situational awareness and threat detection into a single system, we enhance force safety while providingdefense teams with a reliable, future-ready solution that adapts effortlessly to evolving operational demands”.

www.maris-tech.com

B5 Systems Launch Compact AR Furniture

April 23rd, 2025

Xenia, OH – [April 23, 2025]

B5 Systems, a leading provider of professional-grade firearm accessories, proudly announces the launch of its new Compact Furniture Line for the AR platform. Designed with modularity, durability, and performance in mind, this collection delivers modern solutions for operators and enthusiasts seeking lightweight, concealable gear without compromising reliability.

B5 Systems Compact Furniture Line

P-Grip 22K: Featuring a 13° grip angle for improved ergonomics and proper trigger index, the P-Grip 22K includes aggressive texturing for superior retention. Its reduced height makes it ideal for PDW and compact weapon systems.

Sierra K Stock: Purpose-built for compact platforms, the Sierra K Stock features a slim cheek profile, snag-free adjustment lever, limited-rotation QD and integral fixed sling mounts, internal tensioners, and an anti-slip buttpad. It mounts via a shortened compact Mil-Spec receiver extension.

Sierra K Receiver Extension Kit: This proprietary mounting system includes a reduced-length, mil-spec diameter, 7075 aluminum 5-position receiver extension, a short heavy buffer (3.5 oz), extra power spring, castle nut, and QD end plate. All components are constructed from Mil-Spec materials and finishes.

All products in the compact line are available in B5 Systems’ standard five colorways: Black, Flat Dark Earth (FDE), Coyote Brown, OD Green, and Wolf Grey.

About B5 Systems

About B5 Systems: B5 Systems is a trusted provider of professional-grade firearm accessories, with a legacy dating back to 2008. Committed to excellence and proudly made in the USA, B5 Systems continues to be a preferred choice for the U.S. Military, manufactures, and civilians.

For more information about these and other products visit us at www.B5Systems.com

www.facebook.com/B5Systems

www.instagram.com/b5systems

Forgeline Solutions Launches Comprehensive Brand Website

April 23rd, 2025

You’ve asked for it for years, and it’s finally here and does not disappoint. Forgeline Solutions, manufacturers of the Program of Record US Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) clothing system, has launched a new website and it is one of the most comprehensive I have seen.

It engages from the moment you first open the link with a combination of great videos and background information.

As I’ve mentioned, the content is extensive, it includes a section Berry Compliance, some company history, and delves into the materials and what they do. I’d like to point out that this stuff is Berry Compliant to the letter and not “Made In America” which can include non-US sourced materials.

What I think Forgeline has done better than anyone else, right out of the gate, they attacked air permeability, or airflow control, with their choices of fabrics and design. They also acknowledged it from the first discussions we had regarding the Military Alpine Recce System some five years ago.

I’m also quite pleased that they have shared some of my early stories on the Lost Arrow Project and MARS as well as their production partner Peckham industries. If you’re unfamiliar with the company or the program, you should delve into them for some deep background.

The website also includes information on upcoming trade shows as well as the various veteran nonprofits for line supports.

This is not an ecomm website but rather a means for Forgeline Solutions to educate consumers and keep them abreast of what they are up to.  While those with a gov email address can download a catalog, you don’t need to because all of the data is right there on the website.

The site hosts all of their clothing. And allows you to drill down to the category and then individual garment.

The website is very informative and easy to navigate. Check it out and make sure you watch the videos. They are great!

forgelinesolutions.com

And be sure to visit with Forgeline Solutions during Modern Day Marine, next week in Washington, DC, and the following week at SOF Week in the SOF Select Pavilion, May 6-8.

We make the gear,
You make it matter.™

JFK’s Legacy Endures with Induction as Distinguished Member of the Special Forces Regiment

April 23rd, 2025

In an honorable and dignified ceremony marked by historical significance, former President John F. Kennedy was officially inducted as a Distinguished Member of the Special Forces Regiment in Pinehurst, North Carolina, April 11.

The U.S. Army Regimental Honors program recognizes individuals who have significantly contributed to the welfare, strength, and legacy of a regiment. The ceremony honored Kennedy posthumously, recognizing his visionary support for Special Forces and his enduring influence on modern warfare.

Jack B. Kennedy Schlossberg, Kennedy’s grandson, accepted the official acknowledgement of Kennedy’s induction into the regiment from Maj. Gen. Jason C. Slider, commanding general of the U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School, the Special Operations Center of Excellence (SOCoE).

“Today, I’ll never forget it,” Schlossberg said, who accepted the distinction on his family’s behalf. “I can’t think of a better way to honor President Kennedy by teaching new generation to live by the values that he did and to hold them to the same high standard that history holds them to. The Special Warfare School is a living tribute to all that my grandfather stood for.”

In addition to Kennedy’s contribution to Special Forces history stood the former schoolhouse commander at the time, Lt. Gen. William P. Yarborough, whose determination parallelled the vision in establishing what would become the next generation of lethal warfighters, the Special Forces Soldier.

“Yarborough was a warfighter,” Slider said. “He fought and commanded in World War II with the 82nd Airborne Division. He was a leader of men, and he cared for them. He created the silver wings many of us are wearing tonight. He also designed the paratrooper jump boots. He was an infantryman, but his legacy is “the father of the modern Green Berets.”

Michael Yarborough, Lt. Gen. Yarborough’s grandson, attended the ceremony on his family’s behalf.

“This letter marked the milestone in the transformation to the Army as it responded to a wide variety of new and emerging threats that included unconventional warfare in faraway places like Vietnam,” said Yarborough, during his remarks at the induction ceremony. “Six months before he penned that letter, Kennedy visited Fort Bragg and my grandfather at the Special Warfare School […] I’m confident that President Kennedy, if he visited Bragg today, would look to Special Forces to bring any capabilities and moral character the Army needs as it continues to defend our country.”

The significance of the ceremony reflected a milestone in Special Forces history, the 63rd anniversary of Kennedy signing the memo that authorized the wearing of the Green Beret on April 11, 1962.

Because of Kennedy and Yarborough’s deep-rooted legacy in paving the path for Army special operations forces, the U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School stands as a living legacy of their contributions and a pillar of excellence in the world of special operations military training and force generation.

Kennedy’s military history traces back during his time as a lieutenant in the U.S. Navy during World War II. Kennedy’s actions spoke to his character when he commanded a PT boat in the Pacific. In 1943, his boat, PT-109, was rammed and sunk by a Japanese destroyer. Despite his own injuries, Kennedy led his crew to safety. After World War II, Kennedy would go on to be elected as a democratic congressman for Massachusetts, serving three terms, and eventually becoming the 35th President of the United States of America in 1960.

During his presidency, in October 1961, after watching a demonstration of Special Forces capabilities at McKellar’s Lodge, Kennedy approved the Green Beret as the official headgear of Army Special Forces during his visit to Fort Bragg.

Following his visit on April 11, 1962, Kennedy penned an official White House Memorandum stating, “The Green Beret is again becoming a symbol of excellence, a badge of courage, a mark of distinction in the fight for freedom.”

Shortly after Kennedy’s assassination, as a tribute to his support, Yarborough added Kennedy’s name to the U.S. Army Center for Special Warfare, the previous name of the SOCoE. Named in his honor, the institution reflects Kennedy’s unwavering belief and executive sponsorship of unconventional warfare. His contribution to the fabric of Special Forces history was filled with many accomplishments and honorable service in the military, leading to his induction into the regiment.

While the induction falls on the anniversary of the signing of the memo, the induction references an action taken when Kennedy was first interred into Arlington.

At that time, moments after the assassinated president’s casket descended into the ground, boughs of pines were laid on the mound, and his 47-man Special Forces contingent that supported his internment was leaving, former Command Sgt. Maj. Francis Ruddy, the U.S. Army Center for Special Warfare command sergeant major, overcome by emotion, laid his beret down on the grave site.

“It was pretty much a reflex,” Ruddy said 14 months later with a New York Times reporter. “I stood there with a feeling of complete helplessness. I felt we lost a truly great person.”

When Robert F. Kennedy and Jackie returned to Arlington at midnight, they found Ruddy’s beret among the pine boughs that laid on top of the piled dirt. Ruddy explained to the Associated Press days after the funeral that “we considered it appropriate that it be given back to him.”

“President Kennedy’s confidence in our formation, his investment in our force, and his understanding of unconventional warfare leads us to stand as ready to respond to our nation today as we did 60 years ag,” said Lt. Gen. Jonathan P. Braga, commanding general of the U.S. Army Special Operations Command, during the induction ceremony. “As past Green Berets were able to stand guard over President Kennedy and honor his leadership in his family’s time of need; today, we Green Berets codify his legacy as one strongly intertwined with our own.”

During the ceremony, Schlossberg presented Gen. Bryan P. Fenton, commanding general of the U.S. Special Operations Command, with a page of Kennedy’s famous West Point speech in 1962 that included President Kennedy’s notes and edits from over six decades ago.

“On behalf of all of us, we formally welcome you to the Special Forces family,” Fenton said, during closing remarks.

Kennedy remains the only American president officially inducted into the Special Forces Regimental Hall of Fame as a Distinguished Member of the Regiment. His image, depicted in Special Forces halls and classrooms, continues to inspire generations of warriors. The ceremony not only honored his past contributions but also reaffirmed that his ideals remain firmly embedded in the heart of special operations.

To read President John F. Kennedy’s biography from the ceremony, visit www.swcs.mil/Portals/111/DMOR_2025_SF_JFK

By Elvia Kelly, U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School