Justin Melnick’s K9 companion Dita passed away last year. Take a moment to raise a glass in her honor in the Persistent Systems booth #44155, on Tuesday, Jan 20th at 2PM.
Archive for the ‘Industry’ Category
Raise a Toast In Honor of Dita with Justin Melnick at SHOT Show
Thursday, January 15th, 2026Edgar Brothers Invests £12 Million in New Headquarters and National Defence Manufacturing & Innovation Centre (NDMC)
Thursday, January 15th, 2026Edgar Brothers, a key UK Defence supplier and leading wholesaler of firearms and ammunition to the shooting sports market since 1947, is proud to announce a £12 million investment in a new, purpose-built 70,000 sq ft facility that will serve as both our new Headquarters and the National Defence Manufacturing & Innovation Centre (NDMC).
Located just 8 miles from our current site, the move will allow Edgar Brothers to maintain current operations with 100% staff retention while expanding into new areas of manufacture. This aligns with the Government’s Defence Strategic Review emphasis on increasing UK-based manufacturing and sovereign capability.
Mike Newman, Director, Edgar Brothers, said:
“With the growing demand for UK sovereign capability and the adoption of advanced manufacturing methods such as additive manufacturing, now is the ideal time for Edgar Brothers to lead this transformation. This investment demonstrates our commitment to supporting the UK MOD and establishing the North West as a hub for innovation and manufacturing. We plan to work closely with our existing suppliers to ensure that years of innovation and expertise are preserved, and that the quality of the final product remains market-leading. The move will also open up export markets we are currently not utilising and will create many skilled jobs in the region.”
The NDMC will feature a state-of-the-art testing and range facility, as well as dedicated education and training spaces, and is expected to be completed by October 2026.
For further information, please contact:
Edgar Brothers Press Office
Ferro Concepts and Spiritus Systems Propose Open Standard for Plate Carrier Modularity
Wednesday, January 14th, 2026Aberdeen, NC – Jan. 14, 2025 – Ferro Concepts and Spiritus Systems®, two of the leading manufacturers of nylon and tactical equipment designed for military and law enforcement professionals, have announced the proposal of an established universal standardized zipper and layout specification for both back panel and front flap attachment points for plater carriers. This standardization, the Universal Carrier Attachment Standard (UCAS), will enable universal compatibility between vendors and support efficient modernization efforts for the warfighter.
Currently, a universal standard for front flap and back panel attachment systems on plate carriers does not exist. This gap in product synchronicities leads to significant compatibility issues between brands, creating challenges for both end-users and procurement logistics.
Due to these frequent inconsistencies, end-users are beholden to specific brand ecosystems or more often, resort to a less cost-effective workaround to build the necessary carrier system their unique job requires. The end-result restricts operational flexibility, increases sustainment stresses, and impedes the adoption of innovative gear from the broader marketplace – a marketplace, that while competitive, is focused on providing solutions to ensure the warfighter has the best products available to them.
The primary focus of inconsistencies in the proposal include:
· Zipper Spacing & Length Variations: Inconsistent zipper spacing, which is the measurement between the two zippers when mounted to the rear plate bag, and lengths, which is the measured length of the zipper itself.
· Incompatible Zipper Teeth: Different zipper tooth sizes (e.g., T8 vs T10) used by various brands prevent zippers from mating together and make cross-brand integration impossible, even with similar zipper placement.
· Front Flap/Placard Attachment Methodologies: Much like the back panel, inconsistent attachment methods are used across the marketplace. Varying mounting heights, widths and techniques exist that achieve essentially the same end state but are not compatible with one another.
Plate carriers, and more specifically the methods in which warfighters attach mission-specific equipment to them, have evolved into a fragmented provision of methodologies over the last two decades. While the basic principles of attachments have remained the same, the varied degree of designs have created incompatible, brand-specific solutions, that do not allow for the adaptability and modularity that modern soldiers require. This inconsistency further complicates supply chains, limiting the end-user to specific manufacturer standards and adaptations. The proposed Universal Carrier Attachment Standard addresses this by establishing a set of clear, open-source guidelines that manufacturers can utilize to create solutions compatible across the board.
Adopting the UCAS will deliver the following advantages:
· Interoperability: Seamless interfacing of back panels and front flaps from one manufacturer with carriers from another.
· Operational Flexibility: Enables units to adopt best-in-class equipment without overhauling entire vest systems.
· Cost Efficiency: Simplifies acquisition and replacemen logistics, reducing overall spending.
Working together, both Spiritus Systems and Ferro Concepts look to enable universal compatibility to support efficient modernization efforts for the modern warfighter
Once adopted, the UCAS will be publicly published to both the Ferro Concepts and Spiritus Systems’ websites, to fully equip manufacturers for seamless universal adaptation.
“Every day, the rules of war are being rewritten – and rapidly changing threats require adaptability,” states Spiritus Systems Co-Owner, Adam Holroyd. “We, in collaboration with Ferro Concepts, want to continue to develop and deliver solutions to those working tirelessly, both foreign and domestically, to uncover and eliminate threats.”
“Ferro Concepts is happy to be partnering with another highly respected company in the industry to create a universal standard that benefits everyone. Creating cross compatibility further helps end users curate a kit exactly for their needs, making them more effective in their jobs. This collaboration furthers our mission, which has always been to take care of the end user.” — Chris Evans, Co-Owner and President of Ferro Concepts
About Ferro Concepts:
The mission of Ferro Concepts is to provide the Armed Forces and Law Enforcement community with equipment that earns its place in the field. We believe the best tactical gear isn’t designed in a vacuum; it is forged through the honest feedback of those in the line of duty. Our goal is to listen, build, and refine. By treating our customers’ insights as our primary blueprint, we ensure every stitch serves a purpose.
We are dedicated to purposeful design and minimalist utility. For us, a clean silhouette isn’t a design choice, but a result of stripping away everything that doesn’t help a professional get the job done. We focus on the details, so the end user can focus on the mission.
About Spiritus Systems®:
Spiritus Systems® strives every day to design and manufacture equipment that exceeds the users’ expectations and pushes past the industry status quo. All of our equipment is designed with an end state in mind. We spend time with users of various walks of life to form an educated and accurate picture of their needs. Our design philosophy calls on our own military service, user feedback and experience, as well as our advanced United States based manufacturing techniques to bring quality equipment to the marketplace.
Lockheed Martin appoints Jeremy King as Chief Executive Australia and New Zealand
Tuesday, January 13th, 2026
CANBERRA, Australia, 12 January 2025 –Lockheed Martin today announced that Jeremy King, former head of Joint Aviation Systems for Defence Capability Acquisition and Sustainment Group, will assume the role of chief executive for Australia and New Zealand.
Following a formal transition period, Mr King will take full responsibility on 23 February 2026, succeeding Warren “Macca” McDonald, who is retiring after a distinguished tenure with the company. Mr King reports to Jay Pitman, president, Lockheed Martin International.
“Jeremy’s exceptional depth of experience in large-scale defence acquisitions, combined with his long-standing commitment to customer-centric leadership, make him the ideal candidate to drive Lockheed Martin’s growth in Australia and New Zealand,” said Mr Pitman. “His operational background – from command of the 7th Combat Service Support Battalion to managing the acquisition and sustainment of helicopters and tactical uncrewed aerial systems – gives him a unique perspective on the complex security challenges our customers face. I am confident that Jeremy will continue to strengthen our partnerships and deliver the world-class solutions that underpin our customers’ success.”
Mr King, who was commissioned into the Royal Australian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers Corps in 1989, said he was honoured to join Lockheed Martin. “I have served the Australian Defence Force for more than 30 years, leading major capability programs such as the MRH-90 and Chinook projects and, most recently, heading Joint Aviation Systems,” he added. “I am eager to leverage my extensive program leadership experience and commitment to customer success in leading Lockheed Martin’s efforts in Australia and New Zealand. I look forward to strengthening our partnerships and delivering the advanced solutions our customers rely on. My focus will be on working closely with our customers, industry partners and stakeholders to ensure we deliver, sustain, and evolve the capabilities required to navigate the region’s evolving security landscape.”
About Jeremy King
Major General (Retd) Jeremy King was born in Hobart and enlisted in the Australian Army in 1989, later commissioning into the Royal Australian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers Corps. Over more than 30 years of service he has held a range of leadership appointments, including troop commander in Operation BEL ISI II (Bougainville) and Operation TANAGER (East Timor), Officer Commanding the maintenance element for Chinook operations in Afghanistan, and Chief Logistics Officer for the United Nations Mission in South Sudan. He commanded the 7th Combat Service Support Battalion (2012-2014) and has served as Design Engineer, Program Manager, Project Director, Director General and Divisional Head within Capability Acquisition and Sustainment Group (CASG). King’s recent key appointments include Director General Army Aviation Systems Branch in CASG (2022) and Head Joint Aviation Systems (February 2023). He holds a Bachelor of Electrical Engineering (University of Tasmania, 1993), a Master of Business Administration (Deakin University) and a Master of Engineering Science (Electrical – University of New South Wales). He is a Fellow of the Institute of Engineers Australia (2015), a Chartered Engineer (2004) and a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
About Lockheed Martin Australia & New Zealand
Headquartered in Canberra, Lockheed Martin Australia and New Zealand is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Lockheed Martin Corporation. The company employs more than 2100 people across Australia and New Zealand working on research, design, development, logistics, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services spanning the aerospace, defence and civil sectors.
Magnet Defense Enters into Definitive Agreement to Acquire ATG to Accelerate Integration of AI-Enabled Autonomy Solutions for National Security
Monday, January 12th, 2026MIAMI, Jan. 9, 2026 — Today, Magnet Defense LLC, a developer of fully autonomous national security maritime platforms for fleet operations and missile defense missions, announces that it has officially entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Advanced Technology Group (ATG), subject to customary closing conditions. This acquisition further enhances Magnet Defense’s autonomy solutions by incorporating ATG’s open-architecture AI solutions into its DefendAI battlespace management suite. These are the brains and backbone behind Magnet Defense’s end-to-end AI-enabled autonomous maritime defense solutions.
ATG delivers end-to-end development and integration of advanced Command and Control and Artificial Intelligence capabilities for air, space, maritime, and surface platforms. With an elite group of mission architects, AI integrators, and software engineers, ATG is solving some of the U.S. Department of War’s most difficult challenges across all domains. ATG’s capabilities will accelerate Magnet Defense’s seamless integration of its platforms into theater and operational battlespace management systems.
Magnet Defense intends to begin aligning and integrating ATG’s Autonomy Exchange for Interoperable Modularity (AXIOM) AI-enabled autonomy stack with its own proven autonomy capabilities. AXIOM’s set of proven mission modules will streamline Magnet Defense’s integration into the native command and control systems found in military services, operations centers, and combatant commands across the sea, land, air, space, and cyber domains. ATG’s leadership and employees will continue to support existing customers while contributing to expanded programs across the combined organization.
About Magnet Defense
Magnet Defense is a developer of fully autonomous national security maritime platforms for fleet operations and missile defense missions. We integrate AI-driven software solutions, advanced manufacturing systems, and mission architecture expertise to deliver the most advanced purpose-built USVs for the U.S. and allied militaries. Learn more at www.magnetdefense.com
Range USA Promotes Jimmy McManus to Chief Operating Officer
Monday, January 12th, 2026CINCINNATI, Ohio – January 9, 2026 – Range USA, the nation’s premier indoor gun range and firearm retailer, announced the promotion of Jimmy McManus to Chief Operating Officer, effective immediately. The promotion is part of a strategic organizational realignment designed to accelerate growth and enhance operational excellence across the company’s 50 locations in 14 states, with more coming in 2026.
In his new role, McManus will be responsible for day-to-day operations spanning store operations, accounting, marketing, merchandising, membership, customer experience, training and ecommerce, with a major focus on revenue generation, profitability and scaling the business. McManus will own P&L performance and EBITDA delivery while leading strategic initiatives to maximize sales growth and operational efficiency.
“Jimmy has demonstrated exceptional leadership and strategic vision during his tenure as vice president of merchandising,” said Thomas Willingham, Founder and CEO of Range USA. “His proven ability to drive sales performance, identify growth opportunities and build high-performing teams while expanding his responsibilities makes him the ideal leader to guide our sales organization as we continue to grow.”
Since joining Range USA in 2019 as vice president of merchandising, McManus has transformed the company’s merchandising, marketing and ecommerce strategy and significantly enhanced the customer experience across all locations. Under his leadership, Range USA has implemented data-driven approaches, expanded sales, margin and overall company performance, while cementing its position as the premier destination for firearms, ammunition and accessories.
“I’m excited to take on this expanded role at such a pivotal time for Range USA as we lay the foundation for the future,” said McManus. “This will allow us to remove any barriers we have in store and allow us to align the entire team with a focus on taking care of our great customers by fulfilling every part of their firearms journey.”
Range USA is the nation’s largest indoor shooting range operator and firearms retailer, serving over 10 million range customers since 2012. In 2024 alone, the company welcomed 350,000 first-time shooters to the sport, demonstrating its commitment to expanding participation in the shooting sports and promoting responsible gun ownership.
For more information about Range USA, visit RangeUSA.com. Follow along on Facebook and Instagram.
Colt CZ Group SE Announces the Launch of Colt Electro Optics, LLC
Monday, January 12th, 2026
For over 185 years, Colt has defined reliability, precision, and battlefield-proven performance. Now, that legacy advances into a new frontier. For the first time in history, Colt Optics is combining that heritage of craftsmanship with cutting-edge optical technology. Built for the professionals who stand on the front line, our optics areengineered to answer a growing demand for mission-ready clarity and uncompromising performance. Every optic reflects the same standard that built the Colt name—durability, precision, and reliability. Colt Optics will create precision sighting and targeting products built to meet the real-world demands of professional users.
”We have assembled a talented team of industry professionals that are honored to be a part of the exceptional legacy of the Colt and CZ brands. We are hard at work preparing to release a series of products in the coming months that are defined by the rigorous performance and quality standards we’ve set for ourselves“ said Matt Van Haaren, President of Colt Optics.
Dennis Finnegan, COO of Colt Optics, commented, ”We are proudly headquartered in Michigan, an epicenter of precision, weapon-based electro-optics engineering and manufacturing in the United States. We’ve brought a great group of professionals together with years of experience in developing products for our industry that we’re confident will compliment and grow with the ever evolving needs of the modern warfighter and all firearms users, alike.“
Visit www.coltoptics.com for more information.
ISI Selected to Build the National Backbone for Israel’s Space Ecosystem
Sunday, January 11th, 2026
January 06,2026, Israel, ImageSat International (TASE: ISI), a global leader in space-based intelligence solutions, announces that the Access to Space consortium, in which ISI is a member, has been selected by the Israel Space Agency at the Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology and the Israel Innovation Authority to establish and operate Israel’s national R&D space laboratory for the accelerated development of space technologies.
The consortium, led by Israeli space company Creation Space and joined by leading national academic institutions, including the Technion (Israel Institute of Technology) and Ben-Gurion University, will receive approximately 16million USD in governmental participation, including around 10.5 million USD in grants, for the establishment and operation of the laboratory.
The laboratory will enable Israeli start-ups and academic institutions to conduct technological demonstrations in space, including the launch of dedicated experimental payloads on board satellites that will be supplied, integrated, launched and operated by ISI. In addition, the laboratory will provide test infrastructures, as well as professional and engineering services and regulatory support, to make advanced space experimentation accessible to a broad range of Israeli developers.
“We are proud to be a significant part of the consortium selected to enable Israel’s space capabilities to grow and to further develop Israeli technological leadership in space,” said Noam Segal, CEO of ImageSat International. “With extensive experience in delivering end-to-end satellite solutions- from design and development to integration, launch, and mission operations , ISI is uniquely positioned to provide the professional infrastructure required for such a national space laboratory, enabling Israel and additional nations to remain at the forefront of space technology.”
