Once again, our friends at Tactical Distributors are sponsoring our Black Friday/Cyber Monday master list. To see it, updated regularly with the latest sales info, click here.

TH-1.4 Turtle Head Specs:

• Weight: 15.8 oz
• Load Rating: 35 lbs recoil instrument
• Ball Joint Angle: 32°
• Ball Diameter: 1.4 in.
• Base Diameter: 2.13 in.
• Height: 3.6 in.
• Tripod mount: 3/8-16
• J-Clamp: Picatinny & Arca Swiss
• TAA Compliant, Made in USA

This compact and lightweight ball head incorporates the newly patented J-Clamp system.

J-clamp system

This is a self-adjusting clamp system that can mount to Picatinny or Arca Swiss rail systems. The self-adjusting feature allows for compatibility across many different tripod brands. 

The J-Clamp system is also user adjustable. Simply tighten or loosen the internal adjustment screw to add or lessen clamp tension to your specific brand of plates/rails.

stores.hogsaddle.com/th-1-4-turtle-head

The DOG Leg is a modular system that allows the user to take their helmet mounted night vision goggles and position them behind a spotting scope system for magnified IR observation.

Dual Optic Grabbing Leg Mount Specs:

• Folded Length: 8 in.
• Weight: 17.2 oz
• Load Rating: 16 oz
• WNVM Clamp: Wilcox Dovetail 
• J-Clamp: Adjustable Picatinny & Arca Swiss
• TAA Compliant, Made in USA

Features:

·      Positive attachment of NV device to spotting scope

·      Ability to see to the maximum magnification power of spotting scope (IR flood may be needed past 20x)

·      Zero pixelation of image due to ocular lens positioning

·      Ability to manipulate focus and magnification rings without disrupting optic

·      Universally mounts to various brands of spotting scopes and ocular lens sizes

·      The J-clamp mounts to both Picatinny and Arca Swiss rails

·      Two stage leg locking system for ease of operation

stores.hogsaddle.com/dog-leg-nv-mount

Hog Saddle Products are Made in Kansas City: Machined in-house using American raw materials. The springs are even made in KC. Keeping jobs in the heart of the Midwest. TAA Compliant.

Conceal your gear with the low-profile, ultra-light Long Walks Collection by Vertx. Made for every outdoor adventure, these packs feature an ultra-lightweight yet incredibly durable mini-rip fabric. Each bag weighs less than 2 lbs, with the waist pack at just half a pound!

They’re incredibly versatile, with VELCRO® Brand loop lining and plenty of room for CCW storage and customization, allowing you to seamlessly transition from backcountry treks to corporate headquarters. Experience unmatched modularity to keep your gear organized – on and off the trail.

Shop the Long Walks Collection for lightweight, tough, and infinitely versatile bags at vertx.com.

WASHINGTON (AFNS) —  

Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Allvin said the Air Force must continue evolving into a highly integrated and lethal “one Air Force” if it is to successfully compete, deter, and win in today’s strategic environment.  

Allvin’s assessment came during remarks on Aug. 16 at the Hudson Institute, a Washington, D.C.-based think tank, that offered additional detail on the service’s efforts to reoptimize itself to meet a new era of Great Power Competition head-on. 

“As long as I am in this seat, I’m looking to evolve our Air Force,” said Allvin. “I’m very pleased with the progress thus far.”  

To do this, he stated the force must emphasize mission over function to become one Air Force. He highlighted the importance of prioritizing mission effectiveness rather than functional competence as a foundation for the Air Force to develop new capabilities, rapidly project power, and execute missions effectively and efficiently. 

“One Air Force [means bringing the force] back together and integrating to meet the threat and the environment,” said Allvin. “We need one Air Force that’s one fighting force with one force design.”  

During his remarks, Allvin discussed how the Air Force must deliver combat-effective, agile, and adaptive airpower at scale, especially as it relates to the growing challenge in the Pacific posed by China.  

“We have to make sure we have the Air Force we need so if competition turns to potential conflict, we can either deter that conflict or decisively win it if called upon,” said Allvin. 

The ideas and priorities Allvin emphasized are part of an ambitious retooling of the Department of the Air Force unveiled in February dubbed “Reoptimizing for Great Power Competition.” That effort is designed as a forceful mechanism to move the Air Force from being primarily focused – and configured – to fighting the Global War on Terror to a much different force ready to confront a well-equipped and capable adversary, such as China.  

“If we don’t do it now, we’re going to pay for it later,” Allvin explained while addressing the need to adapt. “Whatever we do or don’t do today will impact how well the future fight goes … The environment is here – we have to adapt to it.”  

Allvin stressed repeatedly in his opening remarks at Hudson and later during a Q&A session that the Air Force cannot be a “diffuse” service. The Total Force, he said, must be forged into an aligned and unified one in which Airmen are mission-ready and wings deploy as units of action in a way that is seamless and dominant. 

Allvin added how, over time, the Air Force has become fragmented as it adapted to previous security environments.   

“Since the last time we were in Great Power Competition, our Air Force has become more diffused, and maybe more stovepipes have been created, and we really haven’t realigned ourselves because we haven’t had a sort of existential threat against which we should align ourselves,” said Allvin. 

Allvin highlighted the Air Force remains the best and most capable in the world but stressed that status is not guaranteed in the future; the decisions the service makes now carry greater weight for future outcomes. 

In total, the service’s reoptimization effort marks the largest retooling of the Air Force in over a generation. In response to a question about how the service is coping with putting in place such substantial change, Allvin offered encouragement. 

“I’m a bit surprised at how fast we’re going,” he said, noting that the assessment measures only the first six months of a much longer journey. At the same time, he said the success to date is rooted in the way “our Airmen get it,” meaning that they understand “the why” and the urgency surrounding reoptimization.

By TSgt Nick Z. Erwin, Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs

Soldier Systems Digest is our weekly newsletter. It comes out each Monday morning and contains information we don’t share on the website like our weekly DoD contract round up.

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Don’t miss out, sign up now.

Whether you’re an American or an ally who is inspired by our Independence Day, set aside a little time today to reflect on what led our founders to take matters to hand and declare independence. Their sacrifices were enormous.

Of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, 56 men who pledged “to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor,”  nearly all of them were poorer at the end of the war than at the beginning. Fortunately, none of them died at the hands of the British, despite one-third serving as militia officers during the war. Unfortunately, four of the men were taken captive during the war. It could have gone a lot worse, and they knew it. But if they hadn’t accepted the risk, the world would be without the torch of freedom that is the United States of America.

I’d like to address the recent issue of the comments feature turned off on posts. It’s not by design.

WordPress recently updated their app and new posts automatically default to no comments allowed and there’s nowhere to address the issue via the app, which I use most of the time, unless I’m having issues talking to the server which is a recent hassle due to my new Webhost. I’ve been so used to comments being automatically turned on, I sometimes forget to go back to the desktop version of WordPress to turn them back on.

I apologize for any confusion. Feel free to comment, just please keep it civil.

Tactical communications expert INVISIO announces plans to add wireless comms capability to its intercom system, providing unlimited mobility in the field whilst maintaining unrivalled situational awareness.

 The wireless capability, INVISIO Link™, is expected to be released first half of 2025, and augments the INVISIO Intercom system by bridging the gap between dismounted and mounted users through seamless wireless communications. It follows the recent release of the INVISIO Control™ app, which provides the ability to tailor and adjust the intercom system pre-mission or on the go.

The solution adds a dongle to the existing INVISIO body worn kit along with a base station to the INVISIO Intercom System. Both products are lightweight and small, ensuring portability, ease of use and installation.

INVISIO Link™ offers the following key attributes:

Tailored connectivity: INVISIO Link™ means users are wirelessly connected to tailored user and group communication.

•Unlimited mobility: No tangled cords give users free mobility in platforms and their proximity.

•Seamless comms: INVISIO Link™ provides seamless transitions between mounted and dismounted scenarios as well as wired and wireless. It also allows auto-connect for easy use in the field.

•Uncompromised wireless quality: INVISIO Link™ provides uncompromised speech intelligibility along with strong connectivity, also in challenging environments.

•Secure & lightweight: The new wireless solution is unparalleled in size and weight, with a body-worn INVISIO Link™ dongle weighing just 70g. AES 256 encryption ensures the system remains secure, and detectability can be adjusted thanks to adjustable transmitting power.

•Mount anywhere: INVISIO Link™ can be installed anywhere, either as a fixed installation, on molle webbing or in a bag. Weighing just 270g and measuring 78 x 100 x 30mm, the INVISIO Link™ station has a small footprint that ensures ease of use, with the option for an external antenna for specially challenging RF installations.

Jacob Tranegaard, Director Intercom Product Management at INVISIO, says: “INVISIO Link™ gives users more freedom and mobility than ever and provides hassle-free transitions between mounted and dismounted scenarios.”

“Wireless often comes with concerns around audio quality, but INVISIO Link™ provides uncompromised speech intelligibility that is as clear as wired systems.”

“We know wireless communication is the next step forward in our industry and are delighted to add this to our offering.”

INVISIO Link™ is announced at EUROSATORY and is expected to be available first half of 2025. Visit INVISIO at Hall 5A – stand C126 or for more information, contact us at info@invisio.com or get in touch with your local INVISIO representative.