FirstSpear

Tesseract Ventures Selected by Defense Innovation Unit for Containerized Autonomous Drone Delivery System (CADDS) Prototype Project

July 18th, 2026

TAMPA, Fla., July 14, 2026 — Tesseract Ventures announced today its selection by the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) to advance in the Containerized Autonomous Drone Delivery System (CADDS) prototype project. This highly competitive initiative aims to accelerate next-generation autonomous capabilities for rapidly deploying, sustaining, and managing unmanned aerial systems (UAS) in contested and austere environments.

The CADDS project addresses a critical Department of War challenge: transitioning from a one-operator-per-aircraft model to scalable autonomous systems that deploy and sustain large drone fleets with minimal human intervention. The project prioritizes modular, open-architecture solutions that support distributed military operations and allow rapid technology integration.

Tesseract Ventures will demonstrate its modular autonomous platform, which simplifies the deployment, launch, recovery, and management of multiple drones from containerized systems. Leveraging open systems architecture, advanced autonomy software, resilient command and control, and scalable mission management, Tesseract’s solution increases operational flexibility while reducing operator cognitive workload.

“This selection is an important milestone for Tesseract Ventures and validates our vision of delivering scalable autonomous systems and drones that meet the evolving needs of the U.S. military,” said John Boucard, CEO and founder of Tesseract Ventures. “We are honored to support DIU’s mission of rapidly fielding commercial technology to the warfighter.”

The CADDS project requires solutions capable of transporting, storing, launching, recovering, refitting, and managing diverse autonomous aircraft across land and maritime environments with minimal personnel. The solicitation prioritizes the Modular Open Systems Approach (MOSA) to maximize interoperability, future upgrades, and rapid technology insertion.

Unlike traditional drone operations requiring heavy operator involvement, Tesseract’s approach uses intelligent automation to increase the operator-to-aircraft ratio, enabling persistent autonomous operations while reducing risks to personnel.

As part of this prototype effort, Tesseract Ventures will participate in demonstrations to validate operational performance. Under the Commercial Solutions Opening (CSO) process, successful prototypes may become eligible for follow-on production opportunities without further competition.

About Tesseract Ventures 

Tesseract is an American invention company building advanced hardware, software, and AI-driven systems for construction, defense, infrastructure, and agriculture. The company develops integrated platforms combining real-time sensing, digital twins, robotics, and automation to provide organizations a complete operational picture. Tesseract works with field teams, military partners, and enterprise clients to create practical, reliable technologies that improve safety, clarity, and productivity.

For more information, visit www.tesseractventures.io

Posted in C-UAS, Contracts, Press Release | No Comments »

Mack Defense Receives Additional Order for 115 Heavy Dump Trucks Under US Army’s M917A3 Program

July 18th, 2026

ALLENTOWN, PA (July 14, 2026) – Mack Defense today announced that the U.S. Army has placed an additional order for 115 Heavy Dump Trucks (HDTs) as part of its M917A3 HDT program for the National Guard.

This latest order, combined with the 91 trucks ordered last month from the U.S. Army funded with the $47 million secured in the 2026 National Defense Appropriations Act, brings the total to 208 trucks with a combined value of more than $84 million. These recent orders are part of the new five-year contract awarded in June 2025 to Mack Defense for up to 450 trucks, with a total contract value of up to $221.8 million.

Based on the commercially available Mack®Granite® model, the M917A3 HDTs are manufactured at Mack Defense’s dedicated production line at the Mack Experience Center (MEC) in Allentown, Pennsylvania.

“We are deeply appreciative of the U.S. Army and Army National Guard’s continued trust in Mack Defense and the M917A3 Heavy Dump Truck program,” said Derik Beck, senior director of sales and marketing for Mack Defense. “This latest order reinforces the critical value and importance of our long-standing partnership with the U.S. Army. These rugged, mission-ready Granite-based HDTs directly support the warfighter by enabling essential construction, infrastructure maintenance and disaster relief operations worldwide. We are truly thankful for this vote of confidence and remain fully committed to delivering the highest-performing heavy dump trucks that our soldiers and guardsmen rely upon.”

The order enables continued production of the vitally important M917A3 HDTs that support the U.S. military’s construction and infrastructure maintenance capabilities. The HDTs are essential to building and maintaining airfields, roadways, landing strips, supply facilities and motor pools, and they provide critical support during disaster?relief efforts in areas impacted by severe weather.

Spec’d with heavier-duty rear axles, all-wheel drive, increased suspension ride height and other ruggedized features to meet the unique requirements of the U.S. military, the M917A3 HDTs also feature advanced technology including ABS, modern control interfaces and active safety systems.

Mack Defense’s production facility at the Mack Experience Center has been in operation since 2021 following a $6.5 million investment to create a dedicated HDT production line, which leverages the capabilities and production work force of Mack’s main Lehigh Valley Operations (LVO), Macungie, Pennsylvania.

Mack Defense, a wholly owned subsidiary of Mack Trucks, is responsible for the sale of heavy-duty trucks to federal- and ministerial-level customers globally. For more information, please visit www.mackdefense.com.

Posted in Army, Contracts, Mobility, Press Release | No Comments »

Cyber Soldiers Collaborate on Drone Dominance

July 18th, 2026

FORT GORDON, Ga. – Developers from the Hardware Section of Cyber Solutions Development-Maryland, 780th Military Intelligence Brigade (Cyber), recently collaborated with developers from the 11th Cyber Warfare Battalion’s CSD-Tactical on a project to increase the Army’s drone warfare capabilities.

The project, which spanned more than a year, aligns with the Army’s “Transforming in Contact” initiative, which aims to modernize the battlefield by rapidly delivering new technology into the hands of Soldiers. Drone warfare has become one of the most significant battlefield innovations in recent years, with several countries scrambling to develop increasingly advanced drone technology following the outbreak of the war in Ukraine.

This project required developers to work across several technical domains, including embedded systems, radio-frequency engineering, 3D printing, networking systems and more. Developers from CSD-Maryland collaborated with CSD-Tactical through shared code repositories, hundreds of remote meetings and numerous TDY trips.

The project culminated with a visit to U.S. Army Cyber Command by the Secretary of the Army, Honorable Daniel P. Driscoll, on March 26. CSD-Maryland’s Hardware Section traveled to Fort Gordon, Georgia, to demonstrate the numerous capabilities developed over the previous year.

The drone demonstration was conducted alongside the 11th CWB’s Expeditionary Cyber and Electromagnetic Activities Teams which showcased their ability to provide battlefield lethality through cyberspace operations. Developers from CSD-Maryland demonstrated to the Secretary Driscoll; ARYCYBER Commanding General Lt. Gen. Christopher L. Eubank and other senior leaders their ability to simultaneously deploy three autonomous 3D printed vertical take-off and landing drone systems and corresponding software solutions developed entirely in-house.

This project, which originated at CSD-Maryland, was fully transitioned to the 11th CWB shortly after the demonstration, enabling the battalion to continue developing and employing the capability. The impact of this effort extends beyond cyber units. The project was designed not only for use by electromagnetic activities teams within the 11th CWB, but also for potential employment by Army brigade combat teams. This demonstrates how the gap between cyber operations and more traditional combat roles continues to narrow as battlefield technology becomes increasingly advanced.

This evolving battlefield environment makes the task of building combat-ready formations more important than ever, whether through the development of new battlefield capabilities by organizations such as CSD-Maryland and CSD-Tactical or through training in cyber warfare tactics by electromagnetic activities teams. By remaining at the forefront of emerging wartime strategies, including drone warfare and expeditionary cyber operations, the Army’s cyber forces are helping ensure that Soldiers remain prepared to face any adversary in an increasingly complex and dynamic operational environment.

By SPC William Perez, 780th Military Intelligence Brigade (Cyber)

Posted in Army, Cyber, Guest Post | No Comments »

Federal Court of Appeals Orders Dismissal of P320 Class Action Lawsuit in Unanimous Decision

July 17th, 2026

NEWINGTON, N.H., (July 17, 2026) – SIG SAUER, an industry-leading manufacturer of cutting-edge firearms, electro-optics, ammunition, and advanced concepts, issued a statement today after the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit on July 16, 2026, ordered the dismissal of a SIG SAUER P320 class action lawsuit in its entirety.

The Eighth Circuit Court ruled in Glasscock v. SIG SAUER, Inc. that a plaintiff must experience an actual defect on a product claim, rather than suggesting a theoretical defect could occur in the future and claiming damages. In its written decision, the court shows the plaintiff “admitted that he has had no issues (including inadvertent discharge) with his P320.”

The unanimous ruling by a panel of three federal judges determined that a hypothetical defect is insufficient for the lawsuit, clearly stating that mere ownership of a product is not satisfactory in the case. The outcome in Glasscock v. SIG SAUER, Inc. is significant because of the strong and unambiguous language by the Eighth Circuit Court highlighting the “wholly speculative” nature of the plaintiff’s claim.

“The Eighth Circuit’s ruling adds to our approximately 20 case dismissals involving the P320, including a previous class action lawsuit,” said Keith Gibson, an attorney at Littleton Joyce and counsel for SIG SAUER. “The P320 is among the most tested and proven handguns in the world, which is why we will continue to defend SIG SAUER’s products and the technology behind them.”

Similarly, a separate federal court denied class action certification in Ortiz v. SIG SAUER, Inc. in 2022. Multiple courts dismissed P320 cases after SIG SAUER demonstrated through repeated company and independent testing the firearm cannot discharge without a trigger pull. In addition, several plaintiffs decided to withdraw their P320 lawsuits after the evidence and independent investigations were presented.

In May 2026, two separate lawsuits were dismissed with prejudice in Massachusetts federal court and Colorado federal court. Nobody, including multiple experts retained by plaintiffs, has ever replicated a P320 pistol firing without a trigger pull.

In Massachusetts, the plaintiff voluntarily withdrew the case which claimed his issued P320 discharged in his hand without a trigger pull. His employer, the Cambridge Police Department, determined the plaintiff’s handling of the weapon violated numerous departmental rules and caused the gun to discharge in an enclosed van with other officers. In Colorado federal court, the plaintiff similarly withdrew the case after SIG SAUER showed again the P320 cannot discharge without a trigger pull.

The P320 is an innovative striker-fired pistol which has been selected as the handgun of choice following rigorous testing by the U.S. military and a number of other countries, including Canada, Switzerland, and Australia, as well as by elite law enforcement and federal agencies. It cannot under any circumstance discharge without a trigger pull – a fact which has repeatedly been verified through testing by SIG SAUER, handgun experts, and independent labs.

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

GA-ASI Celebrates 10 Years of Flight Test and Training in North Dakota

July 17th, 2026

Several Historic UAS Events Originated From the FTTC

GRAND FORKS – 16 July 2026 – General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) began operations of its Flight Test and Training Center (FTTC) at the GrandSKY UAS Business Park near Grand Forks, North Dakota, on July 18, 2016. Over the past 10 years, the FTTC has been the site of a number of historic “firsts” for Uncrewed Aircraft Systems (UAS) and has delivered training to more than 4,000 pilots and sensor operators that fly UAS produced by GA-ASI.

“It’s been an eventful decade for the FTTC,” said GA-ASI CEO Linden Blue. “We opened this facility with the idea of expanding our flight test and training capability in a location with a lot of open sky, and we found that in North Dakota.”

The FTTC quickly became an important piece in the emergence of GA-ASI’s next-generation MQ-9B Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA), which has been ordered by 10 countries.

Several important MQ-9B test flights originated from the FTTC, which is also a prime location for international customer flight crews to receive training for their pilots, sensor operators, and mission intelligence coordinators.

“Starting with the first nonstop transatlantic flight of a medium-altitude, long-endurance RPA (MQ-9B) in 2018, GA-ASI has used the FTTC as a launch pad for a number of historic flights, including flying an MQ-9A inside the Arctic Circle, and just this year when we completed Flight Into Known Icing tests using MQ-9B,” said Mr. Blue.

U.S. Senator John Hoeven (R-ND) added: “We’ve built North Dakota into the premier location for unmanned aviation. As one of GrandSKY’s anchor tenants, General Atomics has been a tremendous partner in this effort, and we appreciate the company’s continued investment in our UAS ecosystem over these past 10 years. When we first began working to establish our unmanned industry more than 20 years ago, GrandSKY was just an idea. Through years of collaboration and effort, we secured a lease to establish the technology and business park at the air base, and we got to work finding the right tenants to make this first-of-its-kind initiative a success. As we worked with General Atomics’ leadership, including CEO Linden Blue, it was clear the company would be a natural fit. Today, we look back on how far our efforts have taken us and celebrate a decade of successful partnership.”

Milestones and highlights from the first 10 years of the FTTC:

July 2016

First flight of Predator® RPA

August 2017

First permanent hangar opens

July 2018

MQ-9B SkyGuardian® takes off on first trans-Atlantic to RAF Fairford

August 2018

FTTC expands from 5.5 to more than 11+ acres

August 2019

No-Chase Certificate of Waiver or Authorization received from the FAA

March 2020

New Predator Mission Trainer installed

September 2021

MQ-9A takes off to fly north through Canadian airspace past the 78th parallel

July 2022

First SkyGuardian Mission Trainer installed

February 2023

MQ-9B completes Cold Weather Validation flight test

May 2023

First international customer arrives for MQ-9B flight training

August 2023

Second permanent hangar opens

August 2024

Air Systems Training team established to expand training for global MQ?9 users

April 2026

MQ-9B completes Flight Into Known Icing tests

See video and article about the FTTC.

Posted in Press Release, UAS | No Comments »

Final Call for Tigerstripe Gear from Wilde Custom Gear

July 17th, 2026

The fabric is gone. The gear is next.

Our Limited Edition Vietnam Tiger Stripe run is coming to an end. The fabric has been depleted, and what remains is the final inventory of this legendary camouflage pattern.

No restock.

No second run.

No backorder.

Once a configuration sells out, it will not be made again in Vietnam Tiger Stripe.

If you’ve been waiting to grab a plate carrier, chest rig, belt system, holster, or magazine pouch in this pattern, this is your last shot.

Built in small batches.

Made in the USA.

Designed for real-world use.

Shop final inventory now at WildeCustomGear.com

Posted in Advertiser, Tigerstripe | No Comments »

Eastman Tiger Stripe Short Brim Boonie

July 17th, 2026

A new addition to the Eastman Combat Collection, our Vietnam era boonie is an exacting reproduction of an incountry made original, this piece is entirely made in Japan and in stock now in the ELC webstore.

Few other pieces of gear are as iconic of the US involvement in South East Asia as the boonie hat. It was both functional in the climate and a custom expression of personality. While being the most practical headwear for jungle insurgency, Tiger Stripe boonie hats were often worn by Special Forces and recon troops to show their elite status. With tailor shops readily available, it was possible to buy or have made a hat to whatever specifications one desired. Brim length, height, camo pattern, fabric weight and unit insignia or airborne wings were all considered when choosing the proper head gear.

The JWD (John Wayne Dense) tiger stripe is an iconic, four colour camo pattern synonymous with the US Special Forces in Vietnam. It features bold black strokes, dark green, and muted brown, all outlined in tan, and is characterised by a tightly packed, heavy-contrast design that was famously worn by John Wayne in the 1968 film The Green Berets. Originally so named and classified by Sgt Richard Dennis Johnson in his book Tiger Patterns, collectors often refer to it as the “Classic” or “Okinawan” pattern, as it was originally manufactured in Japan during the early 1960s for South Vietnamese forces.

www.eastmanleather.com/the-combat-collection/1347-tiger-stripe-short-brim-boonie

Posted in Clothing, Tigerstripe | No Comments »

FirstSpear Friday Focus: Low Visibility Plate Carrier (LVPC)

July 17th, 2026

Protection doesn’t have to announce itself. The FirstSpear LOW VISIBILITY PLATE CARRIER is engineered for the modern operator who demands maximum performance with minimal presence. Designed for plainclothes operations, undercover roles, and urban environments where stealth is non-negotiable, the LVPC combines a discreet profile with advanced functionality that full-duty carriers are built around. Front-integrated shoulder straps reduce obstruction and keep your silhouette clean, while a compression fit on the user side keeps plates locked in place and out of the way.

Features:

  • Low-Profile Design for Plainclothes Operations
  • Placard-Ready with Full Loop Surfaces
  • Integrated Left/Right Radio Pockets
  • Infinitely Adjustable Fast Cummerbund

At its core, the LOW VISIBILITY PLATE CARRIER is built around modularity and mission adaptability. Available in SAPI and Swimmer cut configurations to fit a range of body types and operational requirements, and offered in Black and Manatee Grey, the LVPC kit includes your choice of front and back panels along with a FAST Cummerbund that adjusts from S to 3XL. Whether you are running an undercover detail or a plainclothes protection assignment, the LVPC keeps you protected without compromising your cover.

Built for military personnel, law enforcement officers, and prepared professionals who demand reliable equipment, the LOW VISIBILITY PLATE CARRIER delivers full-spectrum protection without sacrificing discretion or mobility. Where reliability meets low profile. FirstSpear is the premier source for cutting-edge tactical gear for military, law enforcement, and those who train. For more information visit First-Spear.com.

Posted in Advertiser, Armor, FS Friday Focus, Guest Post | No Comments »

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