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Archive for the ‘Armor’ Category

NP Aerospace to Acquire ITEN Defense and Expand Into the US Market

Tuesday, June 23rd, 2026

Coventry, UK — 22 Jun 26 — NP Aerospace, a leading global armour technology manufacturer and vehicle integrator, today announced that it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Iten Defense, a U.S. based specialist provider of advanced defence protection solutions, from Edgewater Capital Partners and other minority shareholders.

The acquisition will strengthen NP Aerospace’s and Iten’s portfolio of survivability and protection technologies, enhancing its ability to support defence and security customers with mission-critical armour solutions across global markets.

“This is an important strategic step for NP Aerospace as we continue to invest in advanced protection technologies and expand our capabilities for customers worldwide,” said James Kempston, Chief Executive Officer of NP Aerospace. “Iten Defense brings strong technical expertise, manufacturing capacity, and complementary capabilities, and we look forward to working with the team following completion.”

“In close partnership with Iten’s management team, we’ve transformed the business over the past few years through a series of strategic initiatives and investments in expanded capabilities. We are confident that the combination with NP Aerospace will further accelerate Iten’s growth as a leader in advanced protection solutions,” said Pete Ostergard, Managing Partner of Edgewater Capital.

Iten Defense CEO, Damon Walsh, commented: “This is great news for Iten and, more importantly, for our customers. As a larger global enterprise with combined engineering and technical know-how, we will be well placed to respond to today’s increasingly complex defense requirements at a pace to best serve our customers’ needs.”

Until closing, NP Aerospace and Iten Defense will continue to operate as independent businesses.

Completion of the transaction remains subject to customary closing conditions, including certain government and regulatory approvals. The transaction will close promptly following satisfaction of these conditions. Further details of the transaction were not disclosed.

RTS Tactical Receives US Patent, Raising the Standard for Ballistic Shield Protection

Monday, June 22nd, 2026

U.S. Patent No. 12,624,927 Recognizes RTS Tactical’s Innovative Boltless Viewport Assembly for Ballistic Shields

RTS Tactical, a leading manufacturer of body armor and tactical gear solutions for our men and women in uniform, announced that it has been awarded another U.S. Patent for its Boltless Viewport for a Ballistic Shield.

Designed to address longstanding challenges associated with traditional Ballistic Shield Glass viewport construction, the patented system reflects RTS Tactical’s mission to Raise The Standard for modern body armor.

Traditional ballistic shield viewports typically rely on bolts or adhesive systems to secure transparent armor to the shield body. While widely used throughout the industry, these methods can introduce gaps, weak points, and can degrade under heat or repeated impact. RTS Tactical’s patented boltless viewport assembly was developed to create a more reliable solution, eliminating the need for traditional viewport bolts or boltless systems that rely on adhesives, while providing a secure mechanical connection of the viewport to the shield body.

The newly patented technology is currently featured in several RTS Tactical ballistic shield platforms, including the LEGION Ballistic Shield, Centurion Ballistic Shield, and Lead Entry Ballistic Shield, all designed to meet the evolving needs of law enforcement and tactical professionals operating in high-risk environments.

The issuance of U.S. Patent No. 12,624,927 represents more than intellectual property protection. It serves as recognition of RTS Tactical’s continued investment in research, development, and advanced engineering.

Ferro Concepts – 5AC Cobra Buckle Kit

Friday, June 19th, 2026

The new 5AC Cobra Buckle Kit converts the 5″ Assault Cummerbund front Velcro interface into a rugged, quick-release buckle connection that secures directly to the front plate pockets.

Features:

  • Compatible with the 5″ Assault Cummerbund only
  • Constructed with laser cut thermoplastic
  • Does not reflect under IR light/NOD
  • No modification required to 5″ Assault Cummerbund
  • No loss of MOLLE on 5″ Assault Cummerbund
  • Made in USA

ferroconcepts.com/products/5ac-cobra-kit

Qore Performance Enhances ICEPLATE EXO Gen 3 Plate Carrier with New Berry Compliant Trelleborg Brigade Laminate

Friday, June 12th, 2026

Knoxville, TN – June 11, 2026 – Qore Performance, Inc., the leaders in human performance architecture and thermoregulation technology, is proud to announce an immediate material update for ICEPLATE EXO® Gen 3 Ultralight Minimalist Plate Carrier. Starting this Thursday, ICEPLATE EXO® Gen 3 will feature an all-new, fully Berry Compliant Trelleborg Brigade laminate, offering procurement officers and end-users uncompromised compliance alongside elite structural performance.

Recognizing the diverse requirements of institutional purchasing organizations, Qore Performance now offers ICEPLATE EXO® Gen 3 in two distinct high-performance material configurations: the new Berry Compliant Trelleborg Brigade laminate option and the established USMCA Compliant Carolina Performance Fabrics Endurance Cordura® laminate option. This dual-material availability ensures that military, law enforcement, and federal agencies can easily meet specific domestic sourcing mandates without sacrificing the operational advantages of the platform.

Engineering the Unfair Advantage

ICEPLATE EXO® Gen 3 functions as a definitive human readiness infrastructure rather than a traditional plate carrier. By integrating patented ICEPLATE®, ICEFLASK®, and ICEVENTS® technologies, the platform transforms temperature from an environmental constraint into an advantage.

Key technical specifications and capabilities include:

Integrated Thermoregulation: Directly accepts ICEPLATE® Gen 3 (52.4 fl oz / 1.55 L) to deliver conductive cooling up to 70W or heating up to 52W per plate, optimizing operator core temperature while mitigating heat injuries and fatigue.

Ultralight Architecture: Features a dry chassis weight of approximately 15.2 oz (0.95 lb) without cummerbund, and approximately 23.2 oz (1.45 lb) when paired with an AXL Equinox cummerbund.

Premium Materials: Built with a Trelleborg Brigade laminate or Endurance Cordura® laminate chassis, premium Velcro®, shock cord, and 500D nylon.

NIR Compliance: Signature Management: Both Berry and USMCA options utilize a 500D Cordura® outer layer for native NIR compliance across all Mil / LEO colorways (excluding HiVis).

Armor Compatibility: Medium profile accommodates Medium ESAPI multi-curve plates (approximately 9.5″ x 12.5″ x 1.1″); Large profile fits Large ESAPI plates (approximately 10.25″ x 13.25″ x 1.1″).

Modular Integration: Equipped with laser-cut SwiftClip and G-Hook compatibility with SwiftClips included for seamless placard transitions.

“By introducing Trelleborg Brigade laminate, we are giving purchasing organizations the absolute best of both worlds: strict Berry Compliance and the unmatched thermoregulation dominance of the ICEPLATE EXO® platform. This update allows for seamless deployment across any federal, military, or agency procurement pipeline,” said Austin Pitsch, Marketing Manager of Qore Performance.

ICEPLATE EXO® Gen 3 is available with Berry Compliant options starting this Thursday, 11 June 2026. Professional end-users can view product details and place orders directly at www.qoreperformance.com/products/iceplate-exo.

For corporate, institutional, or government procurement inquiries requiring official agency quotes, please visit the Qore Performance Procurement Portal to ensure rapid routing to a sales specialist.

Cadre Holdings Subsidiary Safariland Selected as Ballistic Provider for FBI Armor Contract

Wednesday, June 3rd, 2026

Award Underscores Competitive Strength of Cadre’s Product Segment and Mission-Critical Market Position

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Cadre Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: CDRE), a global leader in the manufacturing and distribution of safety equipment and other related products for the law enforcement, first responder, military and nuclear markets, today announced that its subsidiary Safariland® has been selected as the ballistic panel provider integrated into Predictive Ballistics LLC’s Overt Armor Kit (OAK). Predictive Ballistics was recently awarded a five-year, $61 million Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The OAK system is also available to the United States Marshals Service, the Drug Enforcement Administration and other Department of Justice agencies.

The selection of Safariland’s SX™ HP ballistic panel, introduced in 2025, as the ballistic package for this contract demonstrates accelerating commercial adoption of the product and validates Cadre’s ongoing investment in next-generation protective equipment. The SX™ HP was chosen over 11 competing products following a rigorous evaluation process that assessed ballistic performance, construction quality and extensive end-user testing for function, fit and comfort, including some of the most demanding ballistic testing protocols in the industry.

“This award represents a major accomplishment for our team and underscores the constant commitment to innovation that remains at the heart of everything we do,” said Brad Williams, President of Cadre Holdings. “After introducing the Safariland SX™ HP ballistic panel in 2025, we are pleased to see broader adoption and enthusiastic feedback from customers that we have engineered one of the thinnest, lightest and most protective hybrid ballistic armor on the market. With best-in-class brands and a steadfast commitment to our life-saving mission, we believe Safariland is well positioned to drive growth over the long term.”

The contract adds to Cadre’s growing pipeline of federal law enforcement business and reflects the company’s strategy of developing highly engineered, mission-critical products that serve demanding end markets with rigorous performance standards and high barriers to entry. Federal agency contracts of this nature are typically characterized by multi-year terms, defined delivery schedules and strong recurring demand driven by equipment modernization cycles.

Battelle Supports the Development and Test of the US Army’s New Hand Grenade

Wednesday, June 3rd, 2026

COLUMBUS, Ohio (May 27, 2026) – Battelle recently partnered with the U.S. Army Close Combat Systems Program Office to support the Full Material Release (FMR) of the new M111 Offensive Hand Grenade (OHG), the first new offensive hand grenade since 1968.

The M111 was developed over many years of close collaboration between the Army and Battelle to ensure a safe, high-quality, and repeatable manufacturing process. Battelle supported various stages of the development, starting with an initial concept, completing Process Verification Testing (PVT) and executing FMR by prototyping nearly 7,000 grenades and conducting first article and lot acceptance tests.

Battelle and the Army worked closely together over multiple years to refine the technical processes required to improve the grenades’ safety and performance for the warfighter. This new system provides soldiers with a safer alternative to the M67 fragmenting grenade by utilizing a blast over pressure effect, removing fragmenting effects and providing an alternative to better achieve mission success with less risk for fratricide.

“Battelle’s support to the M111 program has enabled the Army to qualify and transition the M111 to full-rate production,” said Sam Knutson, Division Manager forAdvanced Materials and Energetics. “With our unique position as a trusted development partner, we were able to ensure the government is now positioned to meet current and future production needs.”

“Through our work with the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Armament Center (DEVCOM AC) and customers across the military, Battelle is focused on rapidly advancing innovative solutions that directly benefit the warfighter,” said Dan Pikora, General Manager of Battelle’s National Security Business. “We are excited to continue collaborating with DEVCOM AC to deliver technologies that support mission success.”

Rampart Range Day 26 – Talos Advanced Systems

Tuesday, June 2nd, 2026

The team at Talos Advanced Systems considered what would happen if Canada no longer had access to foreign materials for armor plates.

They came up with this, a a 100% Canadian plate backer to replace PE soft armor.

C2R USA LLC Vault Carrier Selected as Overt Armor Kit (OAK) by FBI, USMS, and DEA

Tuesday, June 2nd, 2026

Charlotte, North Carolina – 1 June, 2026 – C2R USA LLC has been awarded a contract to provide Overt Armor Kits (OAK) to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) United States Marshal Service (USMS) and Drug EnforcementAdministration (DEA) for their primary overt armor system.

C2R USA LLC are delighted to announce that in conjunction with our partners Predictive Ballistics and Safariland we have been awarded a five-year $61.0M Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) award to supply overt armor kits (OAK) to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and partner agencies. The successful submission combines the innovative, modular VAULT Armor carrier (designed specifically for this solicitation) with Safariland’s latestgeneration NIJ 0101.06 IIIA SXHP ballistic package, anddelivered by the exceptional customer service and logistics that are the hallmarks of winning prime awardee Predictive Ballistics LLC.

By truly understanding the requirement and creating a hyper-modular solution, C2R USA LLC’s OAK armor package fully captures the features specified in the requirement deemedessential for dynamic law enforcement operations. This package consists of the multi-functional VAULT™ armor carrier from C2R USA™, utilizing Safariland’s® new NIJ 0101.06 IIIA SXHP ballistic package – offering an areal density of only 0.65 lb/sqft.

Selected after a thorough vetting process, the offering was evaluated on factors such as design, ballistic performance, quality of construction and with significant emphasis placed on the end-user evaluations for function, fit, and overall comfort. This award, issued by the FBI, is also available to other Department of Justice agency components, including but not limited to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and United States Marshal Service (USMS).

“The Vault Armor carrier was developed specifically for this requirement. It is a testament to the hard work and dedication of the team over the last 2 years that we have been successfulin a field of other quality brands who submitted products for this opportunity. We are proud and honored to be able to add the FBI, USMS and DEA to the distinguished list of organizations wearing C2R products”, said Paul Tate, COO of C2R USA LLC. “We are grateful to both Safariland and Predictive Ballistics for their trust and look forward to ensuring that the delivery and fielding of the systems match the quality of our submission.”

“We spent a significant amount of time analyzing the requirement set forth by the FBI, USMS and DEA with the goal of truly understanding their unique operational needs.  We opted to build a completely bespoke solution to ensure that the system we proposed exceeded expectations. “Our experience creating bespoke carrier solutions for some of the world’s leading Law enforcement teams helped us to develop the Vault™ into the ideal system for US law enforcement. Developing and building systems in the United States is an honor for the team and this award is a testament to years of hard work.  We are delighted to have been successful and are grateful to the agencies for entrusting us with their armor solution.”

“This contract award is the validation of a multiyear team effort to pair a world-class carrier system, designed for law enforcement by C2R USA™ with a robust and incredibly lightweight ballistic package created by Safariland®.” said Scott Wyatt, President and COO of Predictive Ballistics. “Taking these two industry leaders and combining them into an adaptive, creative ballistic armor system, more lightweight and comfortable than anything on the market, is something that makes the team extremely proud.”

About C2R USA LLC
C2R USA delivers custom body armor and load carriage solutions for elite law enforcement agencies and specialist organizations across the globe. Our development process combines user input, operational experience and textile engineering to develop world leading products tailored to the users’ requirements. The VAULT armor systems encompass the latest features to deliver world class systems tailored specifically to the operational needs of federal law enforcement agencies. VAULT armor systems are built 100% in the USA.

About Predictive Ballistics
Predictive Ballistics combines best-in-class personal protective equipment with industry leading ballistic education to help public safety teams select the ideal product, for their unique mission. Working with hundreds of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, we sync the world’s best ballistic and tactical products with teams looking to excel and push their operational limits. Headquartered in California, Predictive Ballistics is a Certified Small Business with a GSA MAS contract.

About The Safariland® Group
The Safariland Group is a leading global provider of a broad range of safety and survivability products designed for the public safety, military, professional and outdoor markets. The Safariland Group offers a number of recognized brand names in these markets including Safariland® Armor, Duty Gear and Communications, Bianchi®, Break Free®, Hatch®, Med-Eng®, Identicator® and NIK®. The Safariland Group’s mission, “Together, We Save Lives®,” is inherent in the lifesaving and protective products it delivers. The Safariland Group is headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida. The Safariland Group is a trade name of Safariland, LLC.