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American Rheinmetall Showcases Transformational, Modernized Technologies for the US Army’s Future Fight at AUSA 2026

October 12th, 2026

The AUSA Annual Meeting & Exposition takes place in Washington, DC from 12-14 October, with this year’s motto set as “America’s Army: The Foundation of the Joint Force”. The American Rheinmetall family of companies along with key partners from Rheinmetall’s global enterprise will be on-site (booth #2825) showcasing some of their most recent activities, achievements, and innovative solutions aimed at providing the U.S. Army with the critical, next-generation technologies it needs and deserves.

With a domestic footprint spanning Arkansas, Maine, Michigan, Ohio, Texas, and Virginia, and a workforce of over 1,500 U.S. employees, American Rheinmetall is making substantial contributions to Army modernization while also supporting the revitalization of the U.S. defense industrial base. The company is accelerating the delivery of transformational capabilities designed to ensure overmatch, Soldier lethality, and readiness for the future fight.

“We are delivering the technologies that enable U.S. forces to dominate future battlefields through unmatched lethality, survivability, and agility,” said Matt Warnick, CEO at American Rheinmetall. “AUSA 2026 is a critical venue for engaging with the Army and defense community to demonstrate how our solutions deliver mission needs at the speed of relevance.”

Featured Technologies at AUSA 2026 – Booth #2825

American Rheinmetall will highlight an integrated suite of capabilities that support ground combat operations, tactical mobility, air defense, vehicle autonomy, long-range precision fires, and Soldier lethality:

Lynx XM30 Combat Vehicle – A Transformational Capability for the Air?Ground Littoral Fight (Visuals only)


Learn more about the Lynx XM30—our leap?ahead solution for the Army’s XM30 Combat Vehicle program. Designed for dominance in future conflict, the Lynx XM30 delivers unmatched connectivity, lethality, survivability, and a fully open, modular architecture built for rapid tech insertion and future mission growth. American Rheinmetall is currently delivering prototype vehicles to the Army for test and evaluation.

Listen in on two XM30 thought leadership panels at booth #2825 during AUSA:
•    Team Lynx: The Right Team Delivers — Monday 10/12, 1400–1445
•    Designed for the Soldier, Not the Spec Sheet — Tuesday 10/13, 1100–1130

HX Truck (CAML Solution): Proven. Autonomous. Ready.

The Army needs a highly mobile, air?transportable launcher that can operate autonomously or with a crew, and American Rheinmetall’s HX Truck delivers that capability today. With more than 20,000 vehicles already fielded globally and autonomy deployed on 24 chassis types in 19 countries, the system is proven, including a successful CAML mission demonstration at Redstone Arsenal in June 2026. The HX platform offers safe autonomous operation, convoy and waypoint navigation, teleoperation, autonomous load/unload, and open interfaces with full government?owned architecture.

Boxer with Skyranger 30: Agile, Layered Mobile Air Defense

Built on the survivable, mission?flexible Boxer platform, the Skyranger 30mm system provides lethal, short?range air defense optimized for maneuver forces. With a blended effector suite and autonomous engagement capabilities, it delivers scalable C?UAS and SHORAD performance that supports Integrated Air and Missile Defense modernization across all environments. Also on display will be a Remote Weapon Station with effectors that deliver highly mobile, lethal, and precise autonomous air?defense performance against today’s evolving aerial threats.

A Full Spectrum of Unmanned Ground Vehicles and Robotics for Modern Maneuver Forces
•    Ox: A modular, autonomy?ready platform built on 20 years of Rheinmetall UGV experience. The Ox enhances squad and platoon operations with quiet mobility, robust payload options, and mission?flexible performance from CASEVAC and resupply to EW and counter?UAS. Currently competing in the Army’s GOAT program.
•    MUSKOX: A next?generation medium UGV pairing a hybrid electric chassis with advanced autonomy and AI?driven controls. MUSKOX delivers scalable logistics, sustainment, and combat support capabilities and has been down?selected for the Army’s Project Sustainment Program.
•    Mission Master SP: Down?selected for the Army’s Last Tactical Mile program, the Mission Master Silent Partner offers full autonomy, high payload capacity, optional amphibious capability, and compatibility with major air?transport platforms. MMSP supports missions ranging from CASEVAC to resupply while advancing U.S.?based production.
•    Wild Goose: A fully fielded; rugged Infantry Modular Robotic System designed for dismounted forces. The Wild Goose provides adaptable mobility with a 330?lb payload capacity and terrain?dependent range up to 25 km, enabling rapid configuration for diverse mission needs.

Advanced Medium and Large Caliber Munitions & Lethality Solutions – Built for the Future Fight
Globally, Rheinmetall continues to lead in next-gen medium and large-caliber munitions design, development, and production with solutions that provide battlefield dominance across all domains. On display will be Rheinmetall’s proven, advanced 155mm Extended Range propellants and rocket assisted V-LAP rounds, advanced airburst munitions, and the Highly-Advanced Multi-Mission Rifle, a new and revolutionary automatic, magazine-loaded, shoulder-fired 40mm grenade launcher that brings scalable overmatch to the squad level.

Multiple Rocket Launch Rocket System (MLRS) Cab: American Rheinmetall is a Proven Tier 1 Partner in Advanced Defense Components
American Rheinmetall delivers critical, high-precision components, structures, and assemblies that power many of the nation’s leading defense systems from combat vehicles like the MLRS to advanced missile platforms and other essential defense articles. As a trusted Tier 1 supplier, the company’s U.S. manufacturing expertise provides the quality, reliability, and performance customers depend on for mission success.

American Rheinmetall welcomes visitors to AUSA booth #2825 to experience the Group’s offerings fitted for the Army’s future fighting force.

www.rheinmetall-us.com 

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Veteran Wellness Podcast: An Interview With Eric Graves

October 12th, 2026

If you’ve been wanted to know about my background or what it’s like to speak with me, the latest episode of the Veteran Wellness Podcast is a great opportunity.

I’d also like to encourage you to listen to the other episodes. My friend Erik Lawrence has lined up some amazing Veterans to talk about their service, life lessons and their health journeys.

Posted in Admin, Medical, Veterans | Comments Off on Veteran Wellness Podcast: An Interview With Eric Graves

Mountain Horse Solutions Receives Second G-TEAD Order for FD-1 Interceptor Under Army Other Transaction Agreement

October 12th, 2026

Army’s Global Tactical Edge Acquisition Directorate turns soldier feedback into fielded upgrades in weeks, not program cycles

SARASOTA, Fla. – (Oct. 12, 2026) – Mountain Horse Solutions, a Global Ordnance company focused on mission-critical support, unmanned systems and integrated defense solutions, is delivering additional FD-1 interceptors to the U.S. Army under a second contract awarded by the U.S. Army’s Global Tactical Edge Acquisition Directorate (G-TEAD). The award, issued under an Other Transaction Agreement (OTA), follows an initial G-TEAD OTA awarded this spring. This marks two awards and a fielded capability within a single year, reflecting G-TEAD’s emphasis on accelerating new systems to soldiers.

“G-TEAD changed what is possible, allowing us to combine soldier feedback with our ability to rapidly improve and deliver capability,” said Bill Allen, president of Mountain Horse Solutions. “Soldiers assessed the FD-1 and told us what needed improvement. We turned those updates around within weeks, and G-TEAD provided a way to buy the revised version without waiting on a requirements cycle. That sequence did not exist three years ago.”

The FD-1 is a compact, dual-use interceptor designed to defeat Group 1–3+ Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) as well as ground targets. It can be emplaced and airborne in under two minutes, is employed by a single operator rather than a crew and is designed to integrate behind an existing detection and tracking layer as the defeat capability, or to operate as a standalone system. The operator maintains positive control throughout the engagement, and a human authorizes every engagement.

The system was developed to address a cost problem that has strained conventional air defense: inexpensive, expendable drones fielded in volume against interceptors that cost far more than the threats they defeat. The FD-1 is intended to close that gap while remaining simple enough for one soldier to set up and employ in the field.

G-TEAD, the Army’s acquisition hub for the tactical edge and a core component of the Army Pathway for Innovation and Technology (PIT), was established to close the gap between how quickly threats evolve and how quickly the Army can field a response. It brings acquisition expertise and authorities closer to Army Service Component Commands while connecting them with research, development, test and evaluation resources.

Through Accelerated Capability Events (ACE), soldiers can assess operationally ready equipment and software, provide feedback and help shape systems before broader fielding. The process is designed to accelerate validated technologies toward acquisition and operational use.

Supporting the process, the 409th Contracting Support Brigade provides contracting expertise and execution for G-TEAD efforts, helping move validated capabilities into acquisition actions on accelerated timelines. The brigade played a key role in the FD-1 award, providing the contracting support needed to maintain momentum from evaluation and refinement into procurement.

The FD-1 has been evaluated by G-TEAD, the 52nd Air Defense Artillery and the Army Test and Evaluation Command (ATEC), with Mountain Horse Solutions incorporating feedback throughout development. Following the initial operational assessment, the company delivered a series of user-driven upgrades within five weeks, a cycle it repeated after each subsequent assessment.

“The value of these assessments is that they are extremely insightful,” said Richard Budniewski, director of UAS/C-UAS Programs at Mountain Horse Solutions. “Soldiers find things a test range never will. G-TEAD built the pathway that turns their feedback into fielded improvements within weeks instead of program cycles and then gave the Army a way to order it. That is the part industry has been waiting on.”

The system took first prize in the U.S. Army xTech Counter Strike competition in November 2025, and its technical review by ATEC is complete.

G-TEAD’s Accelerated Capability Events are designed to move technologies from event conception to capability transition within 180 days. The FD-1 effort has tracked within that timeline from operational assessment through this award.

Mountain Horse Solutions is currently producing the FD-1 and has capacity to scale to meet additional demand, including orders placed by allied and partner nations.

System quantities and contract value are not disclosed.

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

GM Defense Accelerates Growth and Global Mission-Ready Capability at AUSA

October 12th, 2026

Rapid technology transfer, 22-day manufacturing turnarounds and strategic global partnerships propel GM Defense’s record expansion
WASHINGTON, D.C. — October 12, 2026 — Today at the Association of the United States Army (AUSA) Annual Meeting and Exposition, GM Defense LLC, a subsidiary of General Motors, showcased the rapid acceleration of its global business model. Guided by a “customer-first, technology-transferred” approach, the company is bridging the gap between commercial innovation and tactical military deployment at unprecedented speeds.

“The modern defense landscape demands advanced capability, rapid fielding and sustainable scale,” said Steve duMont, president of GM Defense. “We do not begin with a blank sheet of paper. By transferring GM’s world-class engineering, supply chain and manufacturing scale directly to the service member, we are transforming customer needs into mission-ready capability faster than ever before.”

Business updates and growth pillars

Infantry Squad Vehicle expansion

The U.S. Army’s planned requirement has grown from an initial order of approximately 649 vehicles to nearly 12,000 units. Responding directly to feedback, GM Defense closely collaborated with the customer to identify a clear operational gap, then self-funded development of the Infantry Squad Vehicle Utility (ISV-U) prototype. By delivering seven early prototypes for unit-level military assessments at no cost to the Army, GM Defense successfully engineered a highly versatile five-soldier variant that is now expected to field across 39 active-duty and National Guard mobile brigades.

22-day turnaround with Lockheed Martin

Illustrating a revolutionary boost to the defense industrial base, GM Defense delivered its first batch of mission-critical PAC-3 Missile Segment Enhancement (MSE) housing components to Lockheed Martin just 22 days after signing the contract. The contract was signed on August 6, and the components were delivered August 28. This milestone demonstrates that GM’s advanced casting and precision-fabrication capabilities can immediately scale critical air and missile defense systems.

Next-generation autonomous and hybrid platformsGM Defense unveiled its Unmanned Ground Vehicle (UGV) concept, built on a rugged Chevrolet Silverado 3500HD dual-rear-wheel skateboard architecture to support silent logistics and casualty evacuation, with functional trials targeted for 2027. The company also showcased the EPIQ Hybrid prototype, a customer-inspired 60-kilowatt/100-kilowatt-hour expeditionary energy storage system paired with an onboard generator to lower thermal and noise signatures in austere environments.

Deepening allied commitments

Furthering its strategic expansion, GM Defence UK is advancing its Light Mobility Vehicle program proposal. Partnering through Team LionStrike with NP Aerospace and BAE Systems, the consortium delivers low-risk, high-quality, commercially based solutions at the speed and scale required by allied forces. With proven vehicles, global scale and an operating model built around rapid technology transfer, GM Defense is demonstrating that commercial manufacturing disciplines can successfully solve the military’s most complex and immediate challenges.

For more information, visit gmdefensellc.com.

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SIG SAUER to Showcase American-Made Defense Products at AUSA

October 12th, 2026

Leading small arms manufacturer to highlight combat-proven firearms, remote-control weapon stations, drones, and counter-UAS
NEWINGTON, N.H. (October 12, 2026) – SIG SAUER, an industry-leading manufacturer of cutting-edge firearms, electro-optics, ammunition, and advanced concepts, will showcase its next-gen military small arms at the Association of the United States Army (AUSA) trade show in Washington, D.C., October 12 – 1

“We always look forward to AUSA. It’s an opportunity to showcase our made-in-America technology developed in partnership with the United States Army, ranging from next-gen carbines and machine guns to ammunition,” said Robby Johnson, EVP and CMO, SIG SAUER. “We ramped up production of the SIG XM8 to successfully meet the Army’s schedule, and it’s set to begin fielding in December to support the Close Combat Force. We will have the XM8 and additional SIG products on display.

SIG SAUER Unmanned Capabilities & Training
In addition to premier firearms, SIG SAUER offers the most advanced small arms unmanned systems, including drones, counter-UAS, and remote-controlled weapon stations (RCWS) to support modern combat. Along with the product capabilities, SIG SAUER provides world-class training for customers and partners. The SIG unmanned training instructors’ experience extends across aerospace engineering, flight testing, readiness, and all operational environments to support first-time users to the most experienced technicians.  

“We’ve invested in a full offering of unmanned capabilities,” said Ryan Scott, Director of Advanced Concepts, SIG SAUER, who served 22 years in the Army, including over a decade with unmanned systems. “We’re doubling our square footage and workforce at our North Carolina facility with a multi-million-dollar expansion across R&D, engineering, manufacturing, and training. This investment continues our support for the U.S. Armed Forces and allies, which now also includes our battlefield-ready counter-UAS.”

The all-new SIG SAUER XRAY9-CUAS, a mounted electro-optic, uses advanced technologies to quickly target and engage drones using a proprietary laser rangefinder.  

SIG SAUER AUSA Location and Product Display
The SIG SAUER AUSA exhibit is located at booth #8015 Hall E at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center. A media kit with images, video, and additional information is available here. Included below is a selection of SIG SAUER products that will be on hand at AUSA: 

SIG SAUER M250: The U.S. Army’s Next Generation light machine gun, the M250 represents a major leap in squad-level firepower. It replaces legacy systems with a belt-fed, gas-operated, and reduced-recoil design that fires a powerful 6.8×51 mm hybrid cartridge to give infantry units greater range and lethality against advanced body armor. With a SIG optic and suppressor, the M250 is a complete weapon solution.  

SIG SAUER MMG: A belt-fed, lightweight, man-portable medium machine gun chambered .338NM, 6.8 hybrid, and 7.62 NATO hybrid. The SIG MMG provides heavy machine gun range in a highly controllable and maneuverable MMG package and, when paired with a SIG optic and suppressor, is a complete weapon solution.

SIG SAUER XM8: The U.S. Army’s next-generation carbine, the XM8 was developed with soldier feedback and SIG innovation, delivering enhanced lethality, greater range, and new features (e.g., full ambi safety and bolt release, heat shield, suppressor) when compared to the M4 it replaced. Against the SIG M7, it is 12 percent lighter.  

SIG SAUER Hybrid Ammunition: Engineered to meet the requirements of the U.S. Army’s Next Generation Squad Weapon program, SIG Hybrid ammo delivers revolutionary pressures that significantly increase velocity, range, and lethality.

SIG SAUER RCWS: An advanced lightweight system, the SIG RCWS bolsters operator safety and situational awareness by enabling point-and-shoot remote machine gun operation.  

SIG SAUER Advanced Concepts: Designed to dominate the future of unmanned capabilities, SIG drone technologies are built to meet the evolving demands of defense and security missions. The product lineup includes the fixed-wing SCYTHE aircraft, the SABER quad-copter, and the M-HORNET 22 LR payload attachment.

A select lineup of advanced SIG SAUER electro-optics and suppressors will also be on hand, including the XRAY9-CUAS.

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MATBOCK Monday: Next Gen Tarsier Eclipse

October 12th, 2026

For more than a decade, the Tarsier Eclipse has been MATBOCK’s number-one selling product. Today MATBOCK introduces its successor, the Tarsier Eclipse Pro.

The original Tarsier Eclipse was built on the streets of Sadr City around one problem we kept facing: the need to see near and far targets simultaneously. The answer was a lightweight, infinitely adjustable iris with a replaceable sacrificial lens. It went from a trade show booth to team rooms across the world.

The Eclipse Pro keeps what worked and adds what users asked for next:

Redesigned body. Soft rubber exterior for shock absorption and a hardened interior for smoother action.

Kill flash built in. A honeycomb kill flash sits on a Gorilla Glass sacrificial lens with an anti-reflective coating, cutting objective glint without a separate accessory.

Fully closing iris. The anti-reflective coated iris closes completely, so one unit handles light control, daytime protection, and lens cover.

Simplify Logistics. The Pro is a native 37mm unit and ships with a barrel gasket for 34mm OD objectives (this covers 98% of NVGs)

Retention. An optional 50 lb test lanyard is included.

Email sales@matbock.com today for a quote or check out www.matbock.com/collections/night-vision/products/tarsier-eclipse-pro

Posted in Advertiser, Guest Post, Optics | No Comments »

The Carbine Flow Drill: Revealing the Problems You Can’t See

October 12th, 2026

The range is quiet except for the sound of a sling shifting across nylon and metal. The rifle moves from one position to the next. Nothing dramatic happens. No missed targets. No timer. No visible failure.

Then the stock catches on a piece of gear.

The sling binds during a transition.

The muzzle drifts somewhere it shouldn’t.

A grip that felt secure a moment ago suddenly feels awkward.

Those small moments are easy to dismiss, but they are often the most valuable information a training session can provide.

Most shooters use training to measure performance. A timer records speed, a target records accuracy, and the results show whether the shooter met the standard. Those metrics matter, but some drills serve a different purpose. Instead of measuring performance, they expose inefficiencies in equipment setup, weapon handling, and movement mechanics that might otherwise go unnoticed until stress magnifies them.

The Carbine Flow Drill moves the shooter through six practical positions:

• Retention

• High Ready

• High Carry

• Low Ready

• Rear Sling

• Low Carry

The sequence is simple by design. Its value comes from what happens during the transitions.

In a real-world environment, controlling a carbine is critical. What was a safe direction one moment may no longer be safe the next. The established rules of firearm safety do not disappear when someone leaves the flat range. If anything, they become even more important.

Working through these positions forces shooters to evaluate how well they maintain positive control of the weapon as its orientation and relationship to the body change.

Each position also serves a practical purpose. Low Ready and Low Carry can be useful when people occupy upper floors or other elevated locations. Rear Sling moves the carbine out of the immediate workspace while keeping it attached to the body. This may be necessary when a law enforcement officer needs to climb a ladder, operate a breaching tool, or go hands-on with a subject.

Understanding when and why to use each position is important. Equally important is understanding how efficiently a shooter can move between them.

That is where the real value of the drill emerges.

A carbine sling that feels comfortable while standing still may suddenly feel too loose during movement. A pouch that never seemed problematic might interfere with a transition into Retention. A rifle that hangs correctly in one position may become an obstacle when moved into Rear Sling.

None of these issues represent a major equipment failure, but each creates friction. The drill brings that friction to the surface.

As the transitions accumulate, patterns begin to emerge. The shooter may notice unnecessary hand movement, inconsistent rifle placement, or equipment that shifts unpredictably. Maintaining muzzle awareness may require more attention than expected.

These observations are not setbacks. They are feedback.

The Carbine Flow Drill creates a controlled environment where those lessons can be learned early. Instead of discovering a problem during a qualification, competition, or operational task, shooters can identify and correct it beforehand. The flat range becomes a laboratory for experimentation, adjustment, and refinement.

This is why some of the most productive training sessions generate more questions than answers.

Why did that transition feel awkward?

Why did the sling bind?

Why did the rifle move differently than expected?

Each answer leads to a better understanding of the shooter, the equipment, and the interaction between the two.

Improvement is rarely about adding more complexity. More often, it comes from eliminating the small obstacles that create hesitation, inconsistency, and wasted motion. Once those obstacles are removed, the shooter can devote more attention to observation, decision-making, and the task at hand.

Not every range session needs to be measured by speed, score, or round count. Some of the most valuable sessions are the ones that expose problems before they become habits.

The objective is not simply to complete the sequence.

The objective is to discover what is not working.

The problems you discover today are the problems that will not surprise you tomorrow.

The best way to understand the Carbine Flow Drill is to run it yourself. Before your next range session, take a few minutes to watch the full walkthrough from Blue Force Gear, then put your rifle, sling, and equipment through the same sequence. What you discover may be the most valuable lesson of the day.

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DPAA Identifies Record Number of Missing Service Members

October 12th, 2026

The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency identified the remains of 250 service members missing from past conflicts in fiscal year 2026, surpassing its previous record of 231 set last year.  

The last identification was Army Capt. Albert P. Wilcox from California. He was a prisoner of war in the Philippines during World War II and was killed when the Japanese transport ship Enoura Maru was mistakenly sunk in 1945.

Wilcox’s remains were recovered after the war but couldn’t be identified. He was buried and marked as unknown at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu.  

In 2022, DPAA began the Enoura Maru Project to find unidentified remains associated with the ship and transfer them to its Hawaii laboratory for identification.  

Wilcox’s remains will be returned to his family, who will decide his final resting place.  

“The United States of America is resolved to never forget the warriors who answered the call to duty, made the supreme sacrifice and never came home,” said Secretary of War Pete Hegseth. “Through DPAA’s determined efforts, all 250 of these heroes will finally be home.” 

DPAA searches for, recovers and identifies Americans missing from past conflicts. These 250 accounted-for service members include 198 from World War II, 51 from the Korean War and one from the Vietnam War. Distributed among the branches of service, the identified service members are: 136 Army, 76 Army Air Forces, 20 Navy, 15 Marine Corps, one Air Force and two federal civilians. 

Every unaccounted-for service member or department civilian/contractor is entitled to one certainty: that he or she will not be forgotten. Operating in 54 countries around the world, the military and civilian professionals of DPAA are steadfastly committed to providing the fullest possible accounting of Americans missing from past conflicts to their families and the nation. 

“This is a deeply personal priority for me,” said Anthony J. Tata, undersecretary of war for personnel and readiness. “The Department of War will not rest in its efforts to bring home our unaccounted-for service members and provide the fullest possible accounting of all mission personnel.”

By Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency

Posted in Department of War, Forces Focus, Guest Post | Comments Off on DPAA Identifies Record Number of Missing Service Members

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