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HRT Tactical Gear Introduces the Quarter Belt: A Modular Quarter-Section Belt System Built for Real-World Versatility

Tuesday, June 30th, 2026

Most tactical belt systems force a binary choice: either you’re fully rigged or you’re not. HRT Tactical Gear’s new Quarter Belt — or “QTR” — throws that logic out the window.

The Quarter Belt is a modular belt system built around swappable “quarter sections” that attach directly to a standard 1.5″ inner or EDC-style belt via an included quick-clip system. Instead of rebuilding your entire loadout when your mission changes, you pre-configure sections for specific roles, medical, duty, range day, less-lethal and simply clip in what you need. No belt removal required. No reweaving MOLLE. Just swap and go.

The Setup

Each QTR section is available in 4-column or 6-column MOLLE configurations. Included 3″ HRT MMS attachment strips let you mount pouches securely, while the Velcro® loop-lined backside opens up a second layer of real estate for TQ pouches, Wing expansions, or any hook backed hangers without adding bulk to the top layer.

Sections can be used independently or combined to form a full belt system, giving users a genuinely scalable platform rather than a fixed-size commitment.

Who It’s For

The QTR was designed with flexibility as the core feature, not an afterthought. Law enforcement and military users can pre-stage mission-specific kits, less-lethal one day, a medical section the next. Range shooters can keep a loaded section in their bag and clip it on in seconds. Off-duty or plain-clothes carry gets a fast, low-profile way to add capability without going full overt. Hunters and outdoors users get a grab-and-go gear platform that travels light and adapts on the fly.

The Value Angle

Traditional belt systems require you to commit: buy the whole belt, build the whole setup, wear the whole thing. The QTR’s modular approach lets you build only what you need, stage multiple purpose-driven sections at a fraction of the cost of a fully outfitted dedicated rig, and scale up or strip down without starting over.

Made in the USA. Backed by a Lifetime Warranty.

The QTR Belt ships with the quick-clip hardware, mounting hardware, and 3″ MMS strips. Belt, pouches, and accessories are sold separately.

Available now at HRTTACTICALGEAR.COM.

Posted in Load Carrying, Press Release | No Comments »

Colt Optics Launches LP5X-P Laser Aiming Device

Tuesday, June 30th, 2026

Michigan (July 6, 2026) – Colt Electro Optics LLC (“Colt Optics”) today announced the launch of the LP5X-P Laser Aiming Device.

Modern weapon systems continue to demand more capability from every accessory mounted to the rail. Professional users need visible and infrared aiming capability, effective illumination, and reliable performance, but they also need to minimize weight, preserve rail space, and avoid unnecessary complexity.

The LP5X-P was developed around a simple objective: deliver maximum capability in the smallest package possible.

Offered by Colt Optics in partnership with Brolis Defense, the LP5X-P is based on a proven laser platform fielded by NATO and allied defense organizations. Colt Optics partnered with Brolis Defense to bring this proven capability to U.S. professional customers, delivering advanced aiming and illumination performance in a remarkably compact, lightweight package.

“At Colt Optics, we focus on products that solve real-world problems for professional users,” said Dennis Finnegan, Chief Operating Officer of Colt Optics. “The LP5X-P delivers an exceptional amount of capability without adding unnecessary size, weight, or complexity to the weapon system. Through our partnership with Brolis Defense, we are able to bring a proven solution to U.S. customers who demand performance, reliability, and versatility.”

LP5X-P High-Power Laser Aiming DeviceMeasuring just 3.7 inches in length and weighing only 5.9 ounces, the LP5X-P was engineered to require minimum rail mounting space and reduce overall weapon system weight without sacrificing capability.

At the heart of the LP5X-P are four independent emitters: a green visible aiming laser, an infrared aiming laser, a focusable infrared illuminator, and a speckle-free VCSEL infrared flood illuminator. Together, these systems provide users with the flexibility to adapt to a wide range of operational environments and lighting conditions.

The LP5X-P’s illumination system was designed to simplify operation in the field. As the illuminator is adjusted from a focused beam to a wider pattern, the system automatically transitions to the VCSEL flood illuminator at its widest setting, providing broad, speckle-free illumination optimized for close-range observation and situational awareness. As the illuminator is narrowed, the system automatically returns to the focusable infrared illuminator, ensuring the appropriate illumination solution is always available when needed.

The LP5X-P also features Training, Low, and High output modes, allowing users to tailor system performance to a variety of training and operational requirements.

One of the system’s most valuable features is its fully co-aligned laser architecture. Once the aiming laser is zeroed, all laser and illumination systems remain aligned, eliminating the need to independently zero multiple emitters and simplifying setup for the end user.

An integrated flip-up front sight is incorporated directly into the housing, providing additional capability without increasing overall system size or complexity.

Built around a rugged glass fiber-reinforced polymer housing, the LP5X-P is engineered to withstand demanding real-world environments while maintaining an exceptionally lightweight profile. It is waterproof, shock resistant, and designed to operate reliably in temperatures ranging from -32°F to 159°F.

The result is a laser aiming and illumination device that delivers exceptional capability, intelligent illumination management, and professional-grade performance in an incredibly compact package.

As a true high-power laser system, the LP5X-P is available through authorized channels in accordance with applicable regulations.

For more information, visit www.coltoptics.com.

Posted in Admin, Advertiser, Lasers, Press Release | No Comments »

Surge Capacity: How Anduril Delivered a Month of Production in a Week

Monday, June 29th, 2026

In under a week in March 2026, Anduril delivered more than a full month’s of Pulsar production output off the shelf and directly into active operations for two U.S. government customers. These systems were immediately installed for fixed-site EW protection and aircraft survivability. While the surge was underway, Anduril was already doubling its EW production capacity — a line that once delivered 500 Pulsars per year now delivers 1000.

Anduril built Pulsar to interrogate a wider range of the electromagnetic spectrum autonomously, deploy software updates in hours rather than months, and network multiple EW systems across distributed operations to optimize coverage, locate points of interest, and deliver coordinated effects. That architecture is a force multiplier. Conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East have validated the approach — drone-saturation tactics in both theaters have exposed how quickly EW countermeasures need to adapt, and how rapidly traditional systems fall behind when they cannot update in the field. Electronic warfare is increasingly key to either enabling their success on the offensive, or defeating them on the defensive. Since 2022, the Pulsar family has been deployed with operational users across multiple continents in fixed-site, mounted, and airborne configurations — all variants proven in combat and updated continuously based on user feedback.

Anduril built its manufacturing infrastructure with the assumption that demand would not announce itself in advance, and that when it arrived, achieving throughput in weeks, not quarters, would be necessary. A production line that can absorb a massive surge mid-scale-up while simultaneously doubling annual output is not the kind of capacity traditionally available within the defense industrial base.

Deterrence is ultimately a production problem. Anduril will solve it by focusing on the factory.

Posted in Industry, Manufacturing, Press Release | No Comments »

New DroneShield Report Reveals Serious Gaps in Airport, Critical Infrastructure Counter-Drone Security

Monday, June 29th, 2026

1 in 10 Have No Plan

New DroneShield Report Reveals Serious Gaps in Airport, Critical Infrastructure Counter-Drone Security29 June 2026 – New research released today finds that unauthorized drone activity has moved well beyond a theoretical threat, according to international airports, aviation authorities, correctional facilities, and port operators across North America, Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Middle East.

DroneShield, a global leader in advanced counter-drone technology, released the findings of Airspace Under Pressure: A Global Assessment of Counter-UAS Readiness Across Airports and Critical Infrastructure, a new industry report drawing on direct survey responses from more than twenty airport and critical infrastructure operators worldwide.

The report finds:

Detection gaps are systemic and severe: 70% of respondents identified detection capability gaps as a barrier to effective counter-UAS operations.

Regulatory, legal constraints also hamper counter-UAS: 6 in 10 (60%) of respondents also indicated that they lack the legal authority to take direct mitigation action against unauthorized drones, even when the threat to safety is clear and immediate. Other reasons cited as barriers to effective counter-UAS operations include integration complexity (at 48%) and training and preparedness (35%).

Respondents were also asked to describe their organization’s counter-UAS operational objectives:

Full combination (Awareness + Detection + Tracking + Response): 57%

Detection-focused (Partial): 13%

Awareness only: 13%

Undefined / No formal plan: 17%

The responses reveal a critical structural problem: the gap between what organizations intend and what they have built.

In particular, the 17% of respondents with no formalized counter-UAS plan represent a specific and acute risk: organizations that will be managing a drone incident for the first time during the incident itself, with no established procedures, no clear escalation pathway, and no baseline situational awareness from which to act.

New Report: Airspace Under Pressure: A Global Assessment of Counter-UAS Readiness

“The primary Counter-UAS challenge in 2025 is not awareness of the threat; it is the capacity to convert awareness into authorized, coordinated, real-time action,” said Tom Adams, Director of Public Safety at DroneShield. “Technology investment alone will not close this gap. Regulatory reform and operational integration must advance simultaneously.”

The Readiness Maturity Gap
The report introduces a readiness maturity framework mapping respondents across two dimensions: objective maturity and operational capability.

The majority of surveys operators cluster in two quadrants:

Prepared quadrant: 13 organizations had defined operational objectives and moderate counter-UAS capabilities.

These are typically larger airports and critical infrastructure operators who have invested in the problem and have structured frameworks in place. But even within this group, capability gaps remain. The Prepared quadrant describes a relative position, not an adequate one.

Partial quadrant: 5 organizations had operational objectives in place, but capability has not kept pace with the realities they face.

These operators face a specific risk: they have plans that they cannot execute with their current tools and authority.

Exposed quadrant: A meaningful minority (of 3 organizations) sit in the exposed quadrant: undefined objectives, minimal capability, and no formalized framework.

These organizations are at the greatest risk of managing a serious drone incident reactively, without established procedures, and with outcomes that are difficult to predict or control.

Overall, this report argues that the defining differentiator in the years ahead will be whether organizations address these gaps systematically, before an incident forces an unplanned response; or reactively, under pressure, with consequences that cannot be fully controlled.

Report Availability
Airspace Under Pressure is available for download here. The full report includes operator survey data, thematic analysis across five key capability dimensions, and a readiness maturity framework for self-assessment.

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

Colt Optics Launches New Family of Red Dot Sights and Magnifier

Monday, June 29th, 2026

Colt Michigan (June 29, 2026) – Colt Electro Optics LLC (“Colt Optics”) today announced the launch of its first family of red dot optics, including the MRS-1 enclosed-emitter pistol red dot, the CSQ-1 rifle red dot, and the C3X-1 3x magnifier.

Modern shooters demand speed, reliability, and confidence in their equipment. Whether mounted on a duty pistol, patrol rifle, or personal-defense firearm, an optic should help the shooter focus on the target, not fight the limitations of the sight itself.

The MRS-1, CSQ-1, and C3X-1 were developed around a common philosophy: help shooters acquire targets faster, maintain awareness, and perform with confidence in demanding real-world environments. These products also represent the first optics in the Colt Optics lineup to be Designed, Engineered, and Assembled in Michigan, USA.

“At Colt Optics, we believe professional users deserve equipment they can trust when performance matters most,” said Dennis Finnegan, Chief Operating Officer of Colt Optics. “Every design decision behind these products was driven by real-world shooter needs. For the MRS-1, CSQ-1, and C3X-1, we are proud to say they are Designed, Engineered, and Assembled in the USA by our team in Michigan. We didn’t set out to build products that simply check boxes on a specification sheet. We set out to build optics that help shooters perform better.”

MRS-1 Closed Emitter Pistol Red Dot

Designed, Engineered, and Assembled in Michigan, USA, the MRS-1 was developed to deliver the reliability advantages of a closed-emitter optic without compromising the size, weight, and handling characteristics shooters expect from a modern handgun.

Built around a rugged 7075-T6 aluminum housing, the MRS-1 protects critical optical components from environmental contamination while maintaining a compact footprint of just 1.85 inches and a weight of only 2 ounces. A generously sized viewing window provides an expansive sight picture, helping shooters quickly acquire the dot while maintaining awareness of the target and surrounding environment.

The optic utilizes the popular ACRO footprint, features motion-activated illumination, and incorporates a crisp 3 MOA aiming dot designed to balance speed and precision. The low-profile design also allows co-witnessing with many standard-height iron sights, providing an additional layer of confidence and redundancy.

CSQ-1 Full Size Square Red Dot

Designed, Engineered, and Assembled in Michigan, USA, the CSQ-1 was built around a simple question: how do we help shooters get on target faster?

The answer begins with the sight picture.

Featuring one of the largest square viewing windows available on the market, the CSQ-1 was designed to maximize field of view and situational awareness. The expansive sight picture helps shooters acquire and stay on targets more quickly while maintaining awareness of everything happening around them.

An advanced aspheric lens design minimizes distortion while a multi-coated optical system delivers exceptional clarity across a wide range of lighting conditions. The optic also features motion-activated illumination, dedicated night vision settings with a dedicated NV button, and a multi-reticle system designed to support both close-range and extended-distance engagements.

Built around a rugged 7075-T6 aluminum housing, the CSQ-1 was engineered to withstand demanding environments while delivering the performance professional users expect.

C3X-1 3x magnifier

The C3X-1 was developed to extend the capability of a red dot sight without sacrificing the speed and simplicity that make red dots so effective.

At just 2.72 inches in length, the C3X-1 is one of the shortest 3x magnifiers available on the market. Its compact footprint helps preserve valuable rail space while reducing overall system bulk. Despite its compact size, the C3X-1 provides an industry leading 85mm of eye relief that helps shooters get behind the optic quickly and maintain a comfortable, forgiving shooting position.

An ambidextrous flip-to-side mount allows rapid transitions between magnified and non-magnified viewing, while an adjustable diopter and included riser plate provide flexibility for a wide variety of rifle configurations and shooting applications.

When paired with the CSQ-1, the C3X-1 allows shooters to transition seamlessly between close-range speed and target identification at distance.

“Throughout development, we focused on how these products would actually be used in the real world,” said Jon Meyer, Vice President of Product Development for Colt Optics. “Every feature had to earn its place. Whether it improved speed, awareness, durability, or ease of use, the goal was to create optics that help shooters perform better under real-world conditions.”

The MRS-1, CSQ-1, and C3X-1 will be available through authorized retailers in the coming weeks.

For more information, visit www.coltoptics.com.

Posted in Advertiser, Optics, Press Release | 5 Comments »

Lackawanna Police Department Visits Gentex Corporation to Take Delivery of Ops-Core FAST Helmet Systems

Monday, June 29th, 2026

CARBONDALE, PA, June 29, 2026 — Gentex Corporation, a global leader in personal protection and situational awareness solutions for defense forces and emergency responders, recently welcomed the Lackawanna Police Department at its headquarters in Carbondale, Pennsylvania. During the visit,officers took delivery of Ops-Core® FAST® helmet systems and participated in product familiarization and feedback sessions with the Gentex team.

“The Lackawanna County SWAT Team is extremely grateful to Gentex Corporation for their generous support over the years,” said Guy Salerno, Blakely Borough Police Chief, President of Lackawanna County Chiefs of Police Association, Lackawanna County SWAT team member. “They directly support the safety and readiness of our team. We sincerely appreciate their investment in the protection of our operators and the community we serve.”

The visit marks another step in Gentex’s ongoing commitment to supporting law enforcement agencies through direct partnership, product innovation, and engagement with the officers who rely on their equipment on the job. It also highlighted the company’s connection to the local community, where many Gentex employees live and work alongside officers who serve the region every day.

“Supporting the officers who protect our communities is something we take great pride in at Gentex,” said Fred Grimm, VP of Commercial Sales Americas at Gentex Corporation. “Hosting the Lackawanna Police Department at our facility gave us the opportunity to not only deliver and train on their new helmet systems but also hear directly from the officers about the challenges they face in the field every day. Those conversations are critical to ensuring we continue developing solutions that meet the evolving needs of law enforcement.”

The Ops-Core FAST helmet systems being fielded are designed to provide advanced ballistic protection, comfort, and modularity for a wide range of law enforcement missions. Built on a legacy of proven performance, these systems integrate features that support extended wear, communications equipment, and mission-specific accessories, helping officers operate effectively in dynamic and high-risk environments.

Posted in Advertiser, Contracts, Helmets, LE, Press Release | 2 Comments »

Rheinmetall Battlesuite – The Digital Foundation for the Reconnaissance and Strike Network

Sunday, June 28th, 2026

Multidomain operations require advanced approaches to effectively coordinate and integrate each domain. As an all-domain system house, Rheinmetall offers platforms, systems, and services on land, in the air, in space, at sea, and in the cyber and information domains.

Furthermore, Rheinmetall acts as a digital systems integrator that orchestrates multidomain operations via a software-defined battlesuite.

With the combination of the FV-014 Loitering Munition System, the Containerized Missile Launcher (CML) being demonstrated for the first time, and the Battlesuite, along with additional sensors, effectors, and platforms, this system integrates reconnaissance, command, and engagement into a single architecture.

Rheinmetall’s reconnaissance and strike network is an innovative solution for maximum transparency in the operational area, minimizes response times, and thus ensures a decisive advantage in protecting friendly forces, from the first signal in space to the impact on the ground. The Rheinmetall Battlesuite serves as the digital foundation of this combat network. It provides the framework for the digitalization of platforms, sensors, and weapons systems and, through open and standardized interfaces, enables the seamless networking of existing and future systems. This allows information to be made available more quickly, reduces integration efforts, and enables the utilization of existing capabilities from different manufacturers within a common command and information environment.

For Rheinmetall, the sensor-effector chain begins in space and orchestrates a nearly seamless situational picture with scalable effectors. This comprehensive situational picture forms the basis for applying rapid command and control processes to any threat quickly and appropriately. Unmanned systems are playing an increasingly important role in this context. The diversity of systems, from satellites and drones to armored vehicles, poses a risk: complexity and fragmentation. If systems are not networked with one another and do not implement coordinated, effective data exchange, the time advantage is quickly lost. This is where the Rheinmetall Battlesuite comes in.

The Battlesuite is not a traditional standalone product, but a revolutionary software architecture concept. It is based on standardized middleware, the Tactical Core, enabling a wide variety of applications and hardware platforms to be securely and interoperably networked and operated.

The Battlesuite is defined by the following three pillars:

• Openness: Moving away from vendor-locked siloed solutions toward non-proprietary standards.

• Interoperability: Seamless communication between partners, military branches, nations, and different hardware generations.

• Future-proofing: New AI-enabled capabilities can be seamlessly integrated into the existing system without requiring the entire infrastructure to be recertified.

Information flows from the orbital sensor through the Tactical Core to the effectors on the ground, at sea, or in the air. In this way, the Battlesuite creates the infrastructural foundation for Software Defined Defense.

In a world where the threat landscape is becoming increasingly unpredictable, Rheinmetall provides the answer: an integrated ecosystem that combines reconnaissance, command, and effect into a single unit.

Posted in C5ISR, International, Press Release | No Comments »

ThayerMahan’s Outpost Acoustic Intelligence Payloads Selected for Large-Scale Deployment

Sunday, June 28th, 2026

GROTON, Conn., June 25, 2026 — ThayerMahan, Inc. has been awarded a contract to deliver dozens of Outpost® acoustic intelligence payloads, along with TransparenSea® processing software, to an international defense customer. The award represents one of the largest fielded deployments of unmanned acoustic sensing systems supporting persistent undersea surveillance and USW (Undersea Warfare) missions.

ThayerMahan to deliver dozens of Outpost acoustic intelligence payloads to international defense customer.

The selection followed a rigorous, multi-phase evaluation that included controlled validation, extended at-sea deployments, and head-to-head comparative trials against multiple payloads under representative mission conditions. Testing focused on detection performance, tracking reliability, system endurance, power efficiency, and integration with unmanned platforms.

During multi-month deployments, Outpost® and TransparenSea® demonstrated continuous wide-area acoustic surveillance, detecting, classifying, and tracking targets of interest at operationally relevant ranges, with near-real-time delivery of actionable acoustic intelligence to shore-based Maritime Operations Centers. The systems met or exceeded performance expectations for both surveillance and USW missions while operating within constrained power and size profiles typical of small, unmanned platforms.

Key factors supporting selection included:

Persistent coverage: Continuous operation over extended deployment periods
Detection and tracking performance: Reliable target hold and classification at range
Low power consumption: Enabling long-duration unmanned operations
Ease of integration: Minimal platform modification required
Near-real-time data delivery: Actionable data landed in shore-based Maritime Operations Centers for rapid decision making
Analyst usability: Intuitive interface reducing operator workload and training burden

“Persistent, wide area acoustic sensing requires consistent performance over time, which is why we spent the last decade perfecting our capability,” said Mike Varney, President Products & Engineering, ThayerMahan. “ThayerMahan sets the global benchmark for unmanned acoustic intelligence. Outpost and TransparenSea have been repeatedly validated under operational conditions, which was a key factor in this selection.”

The contract reflects increasing demand for scalable, unmanned acoustic sensing solutions that can rapidly be deployed to extend maritime domain awareness without reliance on traditional crewed assets.

“This award aligns with the need for operationally relevant, fielded capability that delivers consistent surveillance and USW performance,” said Mike Connor, Chairman and CEO. “The focus is on systems that work as deployed – reliably, at scale, and with immediate mission impact.”

The awarded systems are exportable and production-ready, supporting rapid fielding timelines and broader adoption of distributed, unmanned sensing architectures for undersea domain awareness.

Posted in Contracts, Maritime, Press Release, Sensors | No Comments »