XC3 Weaponlight

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Kopin and THEON International Advance Alliance Following Regulatory Approval of $15M Agreement & Additional $8M Joint Development

Sunday, October 19th, 2025
  • Kopin gains significant access to the European and NATO defense market
  • Accelerates development of critical technologies
  • Further strengthens Kopin’s balance sheet
  • Fixed conversion price of $3.00 per share on $7 million convertible preferred stock issuance

WESTBOROUGH, Mass. – Kopin Corporation (NASDAQ: KOPN) a leading provider of application-specific optical systems and high-performance microdisplays for defense, training, enterprise, industrial, consumer and medical products, announces a $15.0 million strategic investment agreement by Theon International Plc (Euronext Amsterdam: THEON), a globally recognized developer and manufacturer of advanced thermal imaging and night vision systems for global defense and thermal imaging markets.

Upon closing the parties will enter into a licensing and development agreement and funding agreements. Theon will invest $8.0 million into Kopin’s subsidiary in Dalgety Bay, Scotland, supporting co-developed products for Europe, Southeast Asia, and NATO countries, enabling collaborative initiatives across key global regions. In exchange for the $8.0 million Theon will receive a 49% equity interest in Kopin Europe. The parties anticipate performing joint development and production activities at Kopin’s wholly owned subsidiary in Reston, Virginia USA.

In addition, Theon will purchase $7.0 million of preferred shares from Kopin convertible into common stock at a fixed conversion price of $3.00 per share. Kopin will have the ability to force the conversion to common stock, once Kopin’s stock trades at $4.50 or higher for a period of 10 trading days within a 30 consecutive trading day period as defined in the agreements. The preferred shares carry an annual dividend of 4% payable in cash and stock. The $15.0 million investment is subject to standard closing conditions including obtaining necessary regulatory approval and is expected to close in Kopin’s fiscal third quarter.

“We are glad to be partnering up with KOPIN to realize their strategy of supplying complete systems directly to end users using novel micro-displays,” said Christian Hadjiminas, THEON’s CEO. “THEON’s extended A.R.M.E.D. product line of Augmented Reality solutions for the dismounted solder will be a vehicle for co-developments between the two companies enabling and expanding resources on KOPIN’s facilities in Reston (VA) that becomes Theon USA ‘s new industrial location. KOPIN’s engineering, components, and market reach will increase THEON’s US market penetration, while THEON’s global footprint in the rest of the world, along with the European jointly owned company KOPIN Europe (Scotland, UK) will ensure KOPIN’s products as well as the new co-developed products by KOPIN and THEON will be globally promoted. A true U.S. and European alliance for the present and future in the digital man portable space.”

Michael Murray, Chairman and CEO of Kopin stated, “Theon’s investment reflects our confidence in the relationship and the value we see in working together. The investment is expected to accelerate revenue growth in new markets, scale existing operations and better leverage our manufacturing infrastructure. Partnering with a world class international organization like Theon – one that believes in our future and shares in our vision – comes at a pivotal time as global defense spending continues to rise and a transformative milestone in Kopin’s evolution.”

This strategic relationship is expected to elevate Kopin’s position as a global player in microdisplays and application specific optical solutions for defense applications, and drive innovation, expand market reach, and reinforce Kopin’s role in delivering mission-critical optical technologies to allied defense forces worldwide.

Advisors

Stifel is acting as exclusive financial advisor and placement agent to Kopin.

Industry Responds to Blast Over Pressure Effects from Weapons Firing

Saturday, October 18th, 2025

Last week I wrote about Service Member exposure to the effects of Blast Over Pressure (BOP) firing weapons during training and combat.

There has been a great deal of innovation in the suppressor industry over the past few years as government demands and manufacturing technology both increase. However, most of the improvements have been on four areas:

1. Sound suppression

2. Light suppression

3. Thermal dissipation

4. Particulate blowback

We’ll break those down one by one and look at ways industry has worked to improve performance in those areas.

Sound Suppression

Silencers as they were known at the time were initially created to deaden the sound of a firing weapon. It’s a very straightforward concept and different construction techniques and materials have been used over the years to facilitate the process. Manufacturers have become so good at this attribute that they are willing to sacrifice some performance for improvements in the other areas described here. Interestingly, the desire to suppress more and more weapons has increased. There is even discussion of suppressing the upcoming Precision Grenadier System, a semi-automatic, magazine-fed grenade launcher.

The advent of additive manufacturing, or as it is commonly known, 3-D printing, has given rise to very complicated designs, which can control the release of sound from firing as well as other advantages we’ll get into next.

Light Suppression

Early in the Global War On Terror, Special Operators who operated primarily at night began to realize that sound suppression was only of particular advantage during the first memory’s of contact with the enemy. After that, visual cues in the form of flames coming out the end of weapons identify the location of operators and they asked suppressor manufacturers to deal with the issue. Now, shooters observe only a first round pop visual signature as initial gasses in the suppressor are ignited while other manufacturers have eliminated even that.

Thermal Dissipation

As suppressors heat up under fire they often take on an orange glow in the visual spectrum and almost serve as a beacon when observed under thermal or Infrared sensors. Not to mention, they plain old get hot and can burn the operator. US Special Operations Command’s Suppressed Upper Receiver Group program attempted to acquire an integrally suppressed M4 upper receiver with the suppressor under the weapon’s handguard but ended up buying a URP with a suppressor featuring a cage to prevent burn injuries.

As opponents on the battelfield began to use sophisticated sensors, special operators began to be targeted for their hot weapons and several systems and techniques were investigated to mitigate the threat. This remains a requirement in new NATO weapon acquisition programs.

Particulate Blowback

Special operators have been using suppressors for decades and have taken for granted being gassed in the face, particularly during sustained fire or in confined spaces. The burning of the eyes and difficulty breathing became the cost of doing business but the advantages of using a suppressor far outweighed the discomfort.

But as the Army and Marines Corps began to experiment with suppressors, the troops who were unused to the blowback started to complain and the acquisition community began to take a look at the issue. Turns out, sucking down fumes created by the combustion of propellants is very bad for your health.

When a semiautomatic firearm is suppressed, the suppressor doesn’t allow all of the propellant gases from flowing forward and out the end of the barrel. Many are pulled rearward into the shooter’s face during cycling.

Getting the Balance Just Right

The US Army’s Next Generation Squad Weapon program is one of the first that demanded that this new capability would be suppressed and provide sound and light suppression as well as mitigation from propellant fumes.

As the requirement was added during the competition, all three of the companies involved had to hit the ground running and tweak their systems to lower the amount of particulate expelled into the face of the firer.

SIG already had some experience with this answering the SURG requirement when they reduced the amount of fumes that reach the operator by up to 80%, but as it turns out, the Army and SOCOM have different particulate standards and measure differently meaning they still had their work cut out for them. All three met the requirement after learning a few things and applying some changes and the firers of the current NGSW rifle are exposed to lower noxious fumes levels than Soldiers firing the M4.

Still more may be done to mitigate the exposure to noxious fumes as propellant manufacturers rise to the challenge.

Meanwhile, some companies like SureFire have taken to using super computers at the national laboratories to conduct exhaustive fluid dynamic simulations to try out different suppressor designs before they actually cut any metal.

Attacking Blast Over Pressure

Unfortunately, the government had not until recently identified the medical threat posed by BOP. Consequently, industry has just begun to attack this new problem. Multiple concepts have been proposed, and several have made it past the white paper stage into actual material solutions. It’s a new frontier that will affect design and how weapons are employed, particularly during training.

Once thought to be the Holy Grail, we are learning it is attainable. In our next installment we are going to look at how one company has balanced the already identified suppressor attributes with a new capability, to mitigate the effects of BOP on both man and material and on me of the most difficult weapons to suppress, the M2 heavy machine gun.

GA-ASI and Dutch Ministry of Defense Sign Agreement To Develop New Defense Capabilities

Friday, October 17th, 2025

WASHINGTON – 16 October 2025 – On October 16, General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) and the Dutch Ministry of Defence (MoD) signed an agreement to develop innovative defense capabilities starting with a small unmanned aircraft system (SUAS) designed to provide multi-role intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities. The new platform will be low cost and able to host a variety of operationally relevant payloads and capabilities.

The partnership envisions implementing a business model that will enable the platform to scale up to high-volume production to meet demand.

“This contract is the first step in a strategic partnership with the Dutch MoD that will ultimately contribute to the defense of Ukraine and NATO by creating a versatile European defense system,” said GA-ASI CEO Linden Blue.

GA-ASI is the world leader in UAS products and capabilities. The company is building on its established relationship with the Netherlands to create an urgently needed partnership to help defend Europe.

As part of the first phase of the contract, the Dutch MOD will collaborate with GA-ASI to establish UAS manufacturing capability.

Minister for Arms Procurement and Personnel Gijs Tuinman mentioned that this partnership is important: “Together with GA we will be increasing innovative SUAS capabilities and advancing technical knowhow in the Netherlands. This project is an example of strategic trans-Atlantic collaboration that supports our defense and technological base as we contribute to the defense of Ukraine and NATO by creating a versatile European defense system and working with a strong U.S. partner.”

VDL Defentec has been selected by GA-ASI to provide contract manufacturing of the new SUAS. VDL Defentec is based in the Netherlands and specializes in the development, engineering, subcontracting and production of military and special-purpose vehicles and other platforms. GA-ASI will work closely with VDL and provide detailed knowledge about the design, manufacture, logistics, and support of the new SUAS.

“We are excited having been selected by General Atomics and we are proud to support Dutch MOD to create, together with GA-ASI, this unique capability for the Netherlands making our country and our allies more resilient,” said Paul Malcontent, managing director of VDL Defentec.

The new aircraft is expected to fly before the end of this year with low-rate initial production expected to commence in 2026 in both the U.S. and the Netherlands.

Kopin Secures $3.2M in New Program Orders to DELIVER MicroLED Displays for Combat Aircraft HUD Upgrade

Thursday, October 16th, 2025

WESTBOROUGH, Mass. – Kopin Corporation (NASDAQ: KOPN) a leading provider of application-specific optical systems and high-performance microdisplays for defense, training, enterprise, industrial, consumer and medical products, announced it has secured approximately $3 million in orders from a tier one aerospace company for MicroLED displays, marking the first production order for this technology in combat aircraft, a new technology offering and a burgeoning market, for Kopin.

Scheduled for delivery in the second half of 2026, the displays will upgrade legacy Heads-Up Displays (HUDs) in fielded aircraft, providing pilots with high-resolution imagery projected onto a screen directly in their line of sight, enhancing situational awareness, safety and mission effectiveness.

Kopin’s MicroLED display is fully flight-qualified and offers both unparalleled brightness for high-glare daylight missions, and ultra-low dimming for nighttime missions. With up to 1 million foot lambert (fL) brightness-100 times brighter than organic light emitting diode (OLED) displays-the MicroLED display ensures superior performance in the brightest daylight/sunlight conditions. With a dimming range, exceeding 30,000:1, the display ensures seamless adaptability from bright daylight to low-light night missions. The advanced backplane architectureensures exceptional image uniformity and eliminates motion artifacts providing smooth, high-fidelity visuals for the pilot when it matters most.

The Kopin MicroLED’s extreme brightness and true black offer superior see-thru performance for HUDs and augmented reality systems, even in the most extreme conditions.

Kopin’s MicroLED also sets a new standard for energy-conscious performance, with up to five times greater power efficiency compared to competing microdisplay technologies. Each display offers 4-megapixel resolution and supports 120 frames per second, delivering ultra-sharp, real-time imagery for mission-critical applications.

“This order reflects the growing demand for advanced display solutions in aerospace applications and validates the readiness of our MicroLED technology for field deployment,” said Bill Maffucci, Senior Vice President of Business Development and Strategy at Kopin. “MicroLED represents a transformative leap in display performance, offering unmatched brightness, durability, and image clarity-capabilities that are essential for today’s high-performance aircraft. We’re proud to support our customers in modernizing the fielded aircraft, replacing legacy systems with cutting-edge HUD technology that enhances pilot situational awareness and safety, and mission effectiveness. This milestone underscores Kopin’s leadership in developing and delivering field-ready, military-grade MicroLED displays.”

Streamlight Appoints Antonio Sánchez González as International Regional Sales Manager for Europe

Thursday, October 16th, 2025

González to Drive Strategic Growth Across European Law Enforcement, Military, and Sporting Goods Markets

EAGLEVILLE, PA, October 15, 2025 – Streamlight®, Inc., a leading provider of high-performance lighting, is pleased to welcome Antonio Sánchez González asInternational Regional Sales Manager, Europe – Law Enforcement, Military, and Sporting Goods (LE/MIL/SG). Based in Madrid, Spain, Sánchez will report to Streamlight’s Director of International Business Development, Donato Sasso, and focus on Streamlight’s efforts to strengthen sales, distribution strategies, and customer relationships across Europe in the targeted markets.

A multilingual professional fluent in Spanish and English and proficient in German, Sánchez has a proven track record in sales and business development within tactical communications, personal protective equipment, and safety solutions. He most recently served as Sales Expert & Key Account Manager at 3M PELTOR, where he supported Military, Law Enforcement, Hunting & Shooting, and Industrial customers in Spain and Portugal. His professional background also includes roles at 3M in respiratory protection, confined space and rescue solutions, and fall protection, technical sales roles at Hoffmann Group, and process engineering at John Deere.

“Antonio’s technical expertise and market insight make him an ideal leader for our European LE/MIL/SG strategy,” said Michael F. Dineen, Streamlight President. “His experience in aligning customer needs with technical solutions directly supports our mission of delivering best-in-class lighting tools to professionals across diverse industries. We’re excited to see the impact he’ll make in this important region.”

“We are thrilled to welcome Antonio to the Streamlight team,” said Sasso. “His deep understanding of the LE/MIL/SG sectors, combined with his technical sales background and multilingual capabilities, makes him uniquely suited to accelerate our growth across Europe.”

Antonio holds a degree in Industrial Engineering from Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, studied Mechanical Engineering at Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences (formerly Fachhochschule Frankfurt am Main), and completed the Strategic Sales Management Program at Esade Business School. He is also an International Practical Shooting Confederation competitive shooter and a member of the Precision Pistol Shooting Division under the Royal Spanish Olympic Shooting Federation.

For more information, visit www.streamlight.com.

Global Military Products and Hanwha Defense USA Sign Teaming Agreement to Modernize the Army’s Domestic Advanced Ammunition and Energetics Production Capabilities

Thursday, October 16th, 2025

TAMPA, FL – (October 14, 2025) – Global Military Products (GMP), a wholly owned subsidiary of Global Ordnance Holdings, announced today the signing of a strategic teaming agreement with Hanwha Aerospace to jointly pursue future U.S. Department of Defense opportunities in ammunition and energetics production.

“This partnership represents a significant step toward strengthening the domestic defense industrial base,” said Jeff Brunozzi, President of Global Ordnance Holdings. “By aligning GMP’s U.S. program management and manufacturing expertise with Hanwha’s advanced energetics and munitions technologies, we are positioned to bring cutting-edge capabilities to the U.S. Army and allied forces.”

Under the agreement, GMP and Hanwha intend to pursue operating contracts and establish new energetics and munitions technologies. The collaboration will focus on developing next-generation energetics, propellants, and ammunition components to support Army modernization efforts and ensure resilient, scalable U.S. manufacturing for critical munitions.

“Hanwha is committed to expanding our presence in the U.S. defense market through meaningful industrial partnerships,” said Mike Smith, President & CEO of Hanwha Defense USA. “Together with GMP, we aim to strengthen supply chain resilience and deliver advanced munitions solutions that enhance the readiness and capability of U.S. and allied forces.”

This agreement underscores GMP’s continued growth as a trusted U.S. defense partner It reflects the company’s long-term commitment to revitalizing domestic ammunition and energetics production infrastructure in support of the Army’s modernization priorities.

www.global-ordnance.com

Carrington Textiles Strengthens Sales Team to Support Global Growth

Wednesday, October 15th, 2025

Adlington, United Kingdom: Global workwear textile manufacturer, Carrington Textiles, has announced the appointment of a new Sales Manager, reinforcing the company’s focus on growth across its global markets.

With over 13 years of experience in the textile industry, Kim Proctor brings expertise in project management, interior design and full turnkey fit-out projects, alongside a strong focus on specialist textiles. Her career includes working with flame-retardant bedlinen and filled products for the healthcare sector as well as high-performance ripstop fabrics for the prison service, giving her deep insight into the technical requirements of diverse industries.

At Carrington Textiles, Kim will focus on managing a portfolio of key accounts and driving strategic growth across flame-retardant, printed and workwear fabrics. A particular emphasis will be placed on expanding the company’s presence in the defence and military markets through the development and supply of camouflage printed fabrics.

Paul Farrell, Sales Director at Carrington Textiles, said: “Kim’s background in specialist textiles, combined with proven experience working with clients such as the UK MoD, makes her a strong addition to our team. Her insight and drive will help us strengthen relationships with customers and develop new opportunities, particularly in the defence market.”

Speaking on her new role, Kim Proctor said: “I’m very excited to join the Carrington Textiles team. With my background and passion for specialist fabrics, I knew this role would be the perfect fit. During my time at Vision Linens, I worked with a wide range of clients, and I believe that experience will be a real asset in this new role. Carrington Textile’s global reputation and the expertise of the team here are inspiring. I’m looking forward to learning and sharing the exciting developments we have to offer with our customers.”

Redwire And Red Cat Announce Strategic Drone Integration Concept To Meet Multiple US Army Echelon Needs

Wednesday, October 15th, 2025

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Redwire Corporation (NYSE: RDW), a global leader in space and defense technology solutions, today announced that its wholly owned subsidiary, Edge Autonomy, has partnered with Red Cat (Nasdaq: RCAT), a U.S.-based provider of advanced all-domain drone and robotic solutions for defense and national security. Together, the companies will integrate Red Cat’s Teal Drones Black Widow — a compact, small uncrewed aerial system (sUAS) quadcopter — with Edge Autonomy’s Stalker, a Group 2 fixed-wing VTOL UAS, to support U.S. Army echelon missions requiring advanced surveillance, reconnaissance, and situational awareness.

The Edge Autonomy Stalker is purpose built with a modular open systems approach (MOSA) to meet multiple mission needs. With flexible payload capacity, the Stalker can easily integrate compact drones to support the U.S. Army across multiple echelons including platoon, company, battalion, and brigade. The Black Widow can be mounted under the center wing of the Stalker as a deployable payload, extending mission range with the Stalker acting as a carrier, launch platform, and communications relay.

“Our Stalker is combat proven with exceptional long-range reconnaissance capabilities,” said Steve Adlich, President of Edge Autonomy. “When paired with the well-recognized short-range reconnaissance of Teal’s Black Widow, we provide frontline warfighters with greater mission reach and reliable data for efficient and effective decision making.”

The Black Widow, part of Red Cat’s Family of Systems, is a secure, NDAA-compliant ISR drone designed to deliver real-time intelligence at the tactical edge and is built to meet the mission-critical needs of U.S. and allied forces.

In November 2024, the Army selected the Black Widow for its SRR Tranche 2 program, which provides reliable and efficient intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance tools for soldiers in the field.

“This collaboration represents a major step forward in how tactical drones are deployed across multiple echelons,” said Jeff Thompson, CEO of Red Cat. “The integration of short and long range reconnaissance systems answers the Army’s requirements for a rapidly deployable, easily portable tactical situational awareness in even the harshest contested areas.”

Edge Autonomy, a wholly owned subsidiary of Redwire, specializes in delivering innovative uncrewed aerial systems, advanced optics, and resilient energy solutions that are being used by the DoD, U.S. Federal Civilian Agencies, and allied governments. With products deployed in nearly 80 countries, and with nearly three decades of technology heritage and manufacturing expertise, Edge Autonomy’s experienced team delivers proven solutions based on real-world mission needs.