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NIOA Onboards Hydrix in Counter-Drone Partnership

May 15th, 2026

NIOA has partnered with Hydrix to deliver critical counter-drone capabilities to the Australian Defence Force.

The agreement teams Australian-owned NIOA with Hydrix for support on the design and development of electronic fuzing and kinetic effector payload sub-components for integration on small Uncrewed Aerial Systems (sUAS).

Under the agreement, Hydrix will provide electronic design and development support to NIOA for its telemetry capable Inert Proximity?Fuze?and Kinetic Effector sUAS payload?package.

This collaboration will include?electronic design integration of the payload and sUAS host platform utilising a standardised interface plus the integration of payload proximity sensors and Electronic,?Safe?Arm?& Function?(ESAF) device.

The all-Australian partnership combines?NIOA’s?expertise?in?Explosive Ordnance (EO) design, manufacturing and qualification with?Hydrix’s role as?the electronic designer and integrator of the payload subsystems.

NIOA Australia-New Zealand CEO Ben James said: “The onboarding of Australian SME partners to support development of critical technologies is an important step towards establishment of sovereign capabilities to accelerate our asymmetric deterrence.

“NIOA is delighted to be partnering with Hydrix to bring our collective experience, capacity and industry knowledge on electronic fuzing and warhead technologies to bear in order to provide the men and women of the ADF with sovereign, battle-ready counter UAS capabilities.”

Hydrix Executive Chairman Gavin Coote said: “NIOA’s selection of Hydrix demonstrates that our strategy to expand our presence in Australia’s sovereign defence technologies capability is on track.

“The NIOA project builds on our experience in the design, development and integration of critical sub-systems in counter-UAS applications to expand domestic capability.”

With the war in Ukraine and conflicts in the Middle East showing how uncrewed aerial systems are increasingly being employed in conflict, the development of sovereign counter-drone solutions and accompanying kinetic effector payloads supporting these solutions are essential to ensure the ADF can deter these threats.

From left – NIOA’s Deputy Chief Engineer David Nink and General Manager Engineering Rudi Bekker with Hydrix’s Director of Engineering Andrew Beal and Director Business Development Peter Riddell at Hydrix’s headquarters in Melbourne. The two companies are teaming up to develop key components for counter-drone systems.

Posted in C-UAS, Industry, International, Press Release | Comments Off on NIOA Onboards Hydrix in Counter-Drone Partnership

Ranger Class First to Take on Modern Bayonet Assault Course

May 15th, 2026

FORT BENNING, Ga. — The Army’s toughest course just got tougher. On April 21, 2026, the first class of U.S. Army Ranger students tackled Fort Benning’s new Bayonet Assault Course, a rugged addition to the Malvesti obstacle course. Integrated into the grueling Ranger Assessment Phase, the high-stress, obstacle-packed site provides a new way to assess a Soldier’s physical and tactical readiness at the very start of the course.

“The Bayonet Assault Course allows us to introduce a level of grit, a level of violence of action, very rapidly into Ranger school,” said Command Sgt. Maj. Patrick Hartung, command sergeant major of the Airborne and Ranger Training Brigade. “These are qualities they will carry with them as they go into the phases of the course.”

The course officially debuted during the Best Ranger Competition in April this year. The layout features modernized elements, including high-durability silicone targets, immersive smoke machines, walls, trenches and tunnels. Students must navigate the terrain and obstacles, closing with and attacking enemy bayonet targets before transitioning into the original Malvesti track.

U.S. Army Command Sgt. Maj. Patrick Hartung, Airborne and Ranger Training Brigade command sergeant major, and William Walker, Training Support Center contract lead, discuss the development of the Bayonet Assault Course in interviews recorded at Fort Benning, Georgia, April 21 and Feb. 17, 2026, respectively. The quarter-mile course is a recent addition to the U.S. Army Ranger Course and was designed to rapidly instill grit and violence of action, preparing Rangers to close with and destroy the enemy in contested environments where modern technology may fail.

Delivering this newly developed training site in time for the competition required support from across the entire installation. The Airborne and Ranger Training Brigade, Fort Benning Directorate of Public Works, Training Support Center and supporting agencies joined forces to move the project from concept to completion in under a year, ensuring the site was fully mission-capable for the first day of the competition.

“From the time the project was awarded to completion was just two and a half months,” said Geoffrey Ray, DPW operations and maintenance division chief. “Considering we were working on undeveloped ground — doing all that clearing, lane marking, and digging — it was all hands on-deck.”

ARTB and DPW pooled resources, labor, and expertise to sustain the rapid construction pace and deliver the site ahead of schedule.

“We are here 100 percent to support the mission and the warfighter,” Ray said. “This enhancement just makes the Soldiers we’re training more lethal, more effective.”

While DPW crews shaped the terrain and built the structural obstacles, Fort Benning’s TSC fabrication shop manufactured the modernized bayonet targets. Adapting early-2000s blueprints, the TSC team engineered resilient silicone bodies capable of withstanding repeated impacts and weather. They also pioneered a completely new design for prone targets, constructing a specialized frame that enables highly realistic engagement.

“Originally, the prone targets were just the silicone body laid on the ground,” said William Walker, the TSC contract lead. “The fabrication shop was asked to devise a way to have it in place with a rifle attached, so we developed a frame that elevates the target, simulating a Soldier in a prone position.”

Walker noted that the facility’s ability to turn ideas into physical training aids isn’t limited to Fort Benning; it serves as an Army-wide asset available to any unit across the force.

“Our mission at the Training Support Center is to provide all the support and training items to the units,” Walker added. “Anything a unit requests that can be built by the TSC is what we are here to do.”

While the rapid installation of the Bayonet Assault Course highlighted Fort Benning’s collaborative approach to mission support, the site itself serves a much larger purpose: forging a warfighting mindset in future combat leaders.

“If all technology fails, [Ranger students] will have the fundamentals,” Hartung said. “This is why we have them navigate terrain, close with and destroy the enemy with a bayonet — so they’re capable of accomplishing their mission with the people to their left and right.”

By Maddy Gonzalez

Posted in Army, Press Release, Training | No Comments »

Dear Industry – Cut The Slop

May 15th, 2026

Dear Industry,

For the past several years we have been VERY generous here at SSD in publishing your press releases free of charge, regardless of whether you are an advertiser or not.

What’s more, despite being very clear that we don’t accept them in Adobe Acrobat format (PDF) we’ve republished entirely too many, even though they take a great deal of time to correct the multiple issues you introduce by sharing them in such a ridiculous format.

But now things have gone too far. Many of you have begun to use AI to create craptastic press releases. Referred to as “slop” for good reason, they sound awful when read aloud and are replete with artifacts on the back end.

No more…

As of today, we are no longer accepting narrative slop. It hurts our website’s reputation to publish this junk, both to our readership and to the AI looking for AI content to suppress in search engines.

Go and pay and human to create press releases, or write them yourselves. If however, you use tasteful images that have been created using AI such as the one above, we will accept those, but not that other junk.

Feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

Sincerely,

Eric G

Founder

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Hotspur Launches SOLDIER Line with Coin

May 14th, 2026

To mark the launch of the new SOLDIER brand at the recent British Army RSM conference, Hotspur commissioned an exclusive coin and pin badge set for the occasion.

Each coin case was wrapped in a black outer card with silver hot foiling for the SOLDIER brand. We are tired of plain white card wraps that offer no branding or presence.

The case inside was covered in a camouflage pattern to match the event. We believe this is yet another design first from Hotspur. The SOLDIER brand is hot foiled into the lid for a touch of quality. The inside of the lid is also hot foiled with a quote to add to the overall impact. This can be an image, logo or writing.

The limited edition coin and pin badge were presented inside the box along with a mini catalogue designed specifically for the event. The feedback from the RSM’s present was very positive!

If you are considering a coin and/or pin badge project of any type, please contact us for a quote. There are no minimum numbers required and turn around is approx three weeks. We can look after all design and modelling for you with no extra / hidden charges.

Please contact us directly to discuss options:

Tel / Whapp: 07354 589764

Email: info@hotspur.co

Web: www.hotspur.co

Posted in Guest Post, International, Morale | No Comments »

US Air Force Expands X10D EOD Program With Multi-Million Dollar Follow-On Award

May 14th, 2026

Skydio, the largest U.S. drone manufacturer and world leader in flying robots, today announced a follow-on multi-million dollar contract expansion with the U.S. Air Force (USAF) to further equip Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) units with Skydio X10D systems.

The award was issued through the Defense Logistics Agency’s Tailored Logistics Support Special Operational Equipment program in partnership with ADS, a provider of products, technology, and logistics solutions for the U.S. military.

The contract more than doubles the scope of the initial USAF order announced in November 2025.

The expanded order builds on the USAF’s effort to integrate autonomous systems into every Airman’s toolkit. While Skydio systems are already widely deployed across the Air Force for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) and base security, this expansion specifically supports EOD missions where rapid deployment, standoff distance, and immediate situational awareness are critical to keeping American Airmen safe.

The contract expansion further reinforces Skydio X10D’s position as the most widely deployed Group 1 UAS across USAF mission sets. In addition to supporting EOD units, Skydio X10D is the system of choice for Air Combat Command (ACC) Tactical Air Control Party Specialists (TACP) and PACAF Security Forces (A4S).

A1C Luke Bellows / USAF

Posted in Air Force, Contracts, Drone, EOD, Press Release | No Comments »

Shell Shock Technologies Launches .338 Lapua NAS3 Cartridge Cases

May 14th, 2026

New lightweight .338 Lapua two-piece case delivers increased internal capacity and higher velocities for civilian, military, and law enforcement marksmen.

Eubank, Ky. (May 2026) – Shell Shock Technologies, LLC. (SST), a leading innovator in the ammunition industry, today announced the commercial release of its .338 Lapua NAS3™ cartridge cases, now available online in quantities from 250 to 5,000. The launch extends SST’s revolutionary NAS3 two-piece technology – a corrosion-resistant nickel-alloy body locked to an ultra-durable stainless-steel head – into one of the most demanding long-range calibers used by precision rifle competitors, military sniper teams, and law enforcement tactical units.

The .338 Lapua NAS3 unloaded case delivers unmatched durability, reduced weight, and repeatable precision that outperforms traditional brass in every critical category. The cases are approximately 30 percent lighter than traditional brass and offer roughly 11 percent more internal volume, allowing more efficient energy use when powder is ignited. The result is the ability to achieve higher velocities at standard SAAMI pressures, with customers reporting standard-bullet velocities up to approximately 3,125 feet per second.

“The .338 Lapua has been the benchmark for long-range performance for decades, and our NAS3platform takes it into a new performance class,” Peter Foss, Managing Partner and CEO of Shell Shock Technologies. “By increasing internal case capacity by roughly 11 percent and reducing case weight by about 30 percent, we’re giving shooters meaningful velocity gains and tighter shot dispersion. For military and law enforcement teams, that translates to extended effective range without compromising safety or reliability. For civilian precision shooters and competitive marksmen, it means a more consistent, longer-lasting case at a better cost per round.”

Manufactured to exacting tolerances, each .338 Lapua NAS3 case delivers consistent internal volume, concentricity, and neck tension, the foundation of the tight velocity spreads required for sub-MOA accuracy at extended distances. The two-piece case construction is engineered to be lightweight, corrosion-resistant, and gentle on extractors, supporting flawless extraction and smooth ejection through repeated firing cycles.

Key features of the .338 Lapua NAS3 cartridge cases include:

Two-piece construction: corrosion-resistant nickel alloy body locked to an ultra-durable stainless-steel head.
Approximately 30 percent lighter than traditional brass for reduced carry weight in the field without sacrificing strength.
Roughly 11 percent more internal capacity, enabling higher velocities at standard SAAMI pressures.
Match-grade dimensional consistency for repeatable ignition and tighter group sizes.
Designed for easy loading and extended service life, the unloaded cases reduce waste and lower total cost per round.
Compatible with standard .338 Lapua Magnum load data and the full range of commercial, match, and tactical projectiles.

From open-country big-game hunting and long-range competition to military special operations and law enforcement counter-sniper deployments, the .338 Lapua NAS3 case is designed for the demands of high-pressure, high-volume shooting environments. Reduced case weight supports faster movement for dismounted operators, while extended service life supports cost-conscious civilian handloaders and high-round-count training programs.

Shell Shock .338 Lapua NAS3 unloaded cartridge cases are available now in quantities of 250, 500, 1,000, 2,500, and 5,000 directly from Shell Shock Technologies. For all larger orders, please email SST@shellshocktech.com.

?Keep up with Shell Tech’s advanced ammunition on the website and social media platforms: Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.

Posted in Ammo, Press Release | No Comments »

Darley Recognized as a US Best Managed Company

May 14th, 2026

ITASCA, IL, May 13th, 2026 — Darley is proud to announce it has been selected as a 2026 US Best Managed Company. Sponsored by Deloitte Private* and The Wall Street Journal, the program recognizes outstanding U.S. private companies.

The 2026 designees are U.S. private companies that have demonstrated excellence in strategic planning and execution, a commitment to their people, as well as maintaining financial performance and governance. This year’s class is making bold investments in digital transformation, including AI capabilities, and demonstrates the ability to drive sustainable growth and maintain resilience during times of volatility. Best Managed Companies are built on a foundation of trust and reflect a sense of purpose that fosters connections with their employees, customers and communities.

Ashley Everson, Chief Human Resources Officer, comments: “This recognition belongs to our people. Earning the U.S. Best Managed Companies award for a second year highlights the strength of our team, our culture of collaboration, and our shared commitment to operational excellence and disciplined growth.”

Applicants are evaluated and selected by a panel of external judges focused on assessing hallmarks of excellence in four key areas: strategy, ability to execute, corporate culture, and governance/financial performance. They join a global ecosystem of honorees from more than 44 countries recognized by the Best Managed Companies program.

About the Best Managed Companies Program

The Best Managed Companies program is a mark of excellence for private companies. U.S. designees have revenues of at least $250 million. Hundreds of private companies around the world have competed for this designation in their respective countries through a rigorous and independent process that evaluates four key criteria in their management skills and practices — strategy, execution, culture, and governance/financials. U.S. program sponsors are Deloitte Private and The Wall Street Journal. For more information, visit www.usbestmanagedcompanies.com.

Posted in Advertiser, Industry, Press Release | No Comments »

Galvion Introduces CORTEX EVO as Next Step in Integrated Head Systems at SOF Week 2026

May 14th, 2026

Galvion, a world leader in the design and manufacture of innovative head systems, power and data management solutions, and integrated soldier systems, will showcase the continued evolution of its CORTEX™ architecture at SOF Week 2026 (Booth #1739, May 18–21), featuring the introduction of its CORTEX EVO™ system.

First introduced at SOF Week 2025 as a new category of intelligent, headborne systems, CORTEX established a framework for integrating power, data and processing at the operator level. At SOF Week 2026, Galvion is extending that foundation with a more deeply integrated approach, bringing together multiple capability pathways within a single headborne architecture.

CORTEX EVO embeds power distribution, data connectivity and processing directly within the helmet structure. This approach reduces reliance on externally mounted components and enables more seamless interaction between sensing, visual and communication systems. The system architecture combines a ballistic core, embedded power and data pathways, and a lightweight composite shell structure—reflecting a deliberate approach to integration. It rethinks component design and system architecture to preserve the size, weight and performance characteristics expected of a ballistic helmet, while establishing a compact, scalable foundation for future configurations across platforms.

At the core of the system is Galvion’s AlertCentr™ software, which enables mission-relevant data to be delivered and managed at the headborne level. Integrated within TAK-based environments, AlertCentr™ supports configurable visual and audio cueing, allowing operators to access and act on critical information without diverting attention to secondary devices.

The system presented at SOF Week integrates multiple capability elements within the CORTEX architecture, including:

• Visual augmentation: TAK video, sensor feeds and navigation integrations

• Sensing and awareness: Detection and identification capabilities supporting enhanced threat awareness

• Audio and communication: Digital headset integration enabling configurable alerts and system- level interaction

• Power and data infrastructure: A unified architecture enabling scalable subsystem integration

These capabilities are enabled through an open architecture approach, allowing both Galvion-developed and third-party technologies to operate within a single system environment.

As part of this expanding ecosystem, Galvion continues to collaborate with selected industry partners aligned to the CORTEX architecture. Sentinel Photonics contributes advanced laser threat detection capabilities; Adventure Lights provides identification friend-or-foe signaling and intermediary laser detection; Thermoteknix supports optical and fused imaging integration; and Distance Technologies contributes to advanced visual augmentation pathways that support the evolution of headborne display and visualization capabilities. These collaborations reflect Galvion’s approach to building interoperable, system-level solutions that evolve with user requirements.

Jonathan Blanshay, Founder & Executive Chairman at Galvion, said: “Protection of the Warfighter drives everything that we do, but how we define protection has shifted significantly over the past 20 years. We’ve pushed far beyond passive protection—expanding capability, integrating systems, and reducing the burden on the operator to increase survivability and lethality. CORTEX EVO is the strongest expression of that thinking to date. It reimagines what a helmet can be, uniting protection, power, data and compute as a purpose-built platform.” Blanshay added: “Designing for the digitized soldier demands modularity, scalability, and upgradability, and the EVO delivers on all three. It benefits from years of advanced design, research, development programs, and millions of helmets fielded. All of the insights gained from engaging with our end-users across the globe have influenced CORTEX EVO, and we’re incredibly excited to be showcasing the system at SOF Week.”

Posted in Helmets, Press Release, SOF Week | No Comments »