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US Army Contracts Elbit America for Rotorcraft Heads Up Displays

Tuesday, March 17th, 2026

Air Warrior HUDs improve aircrew situational awareness, safety, and survivability in flight

FORT WORTH, TEXAS – March 16, 2026 – Elbit Systems of America (Elbit America) was recently awarded a $49.9 million Firm-Fixed-Price, Indefinite-Delivery/Indefinite-Quantity contract from the Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama to produce Heads Up Displays (HUDs) as part of the United States Army’s Air Soldier System. Work for the contract will be done through December 2030, subject to receipt of purchase orders, and includes post-production support.

The colorized HUD is part of the Army’s Air Soldier System, an assemblage of gear and equipment used in rotorcraft that is lightweight, integrated, and designed to enhance situational awareness and survivability. The HUD’s role in this system is to present key information to aircrew, so users are always positioned head-up and eyes out.

The Air Warrior HUD is a critical flight display in operation on U.S. Army UH-60 Blackhawks and CH-47 Chinooks.

“Since our inception, Elbit America has been dedicated to improving situational awareness through sophisticated displays that enhance a user’s understanding of the conditions outside their aircraft or vehicle,” said Scott Tumpak, Senior Vice President of Electronic Systems at Elbit America. “The Air Warrior Heads Up Display allows aircrew to focus on the mission because it’s designed to ensure safety, efficiency, and comfort for aircrew.”

“In high-stakes environments, you don’t have time for uncertainty. Elbit America delivers combat-proven Heads Up Displays that provide aircrew the confidence to see first, act first, and win,” said Elbit America President & CEO Luke Savoie. “This contract is a testament to the faith the U.S. Army places in us to keep delivering key solutions to our soldiers and we’re proud of our continued partnership.”

Posted in Army, Aviation, Contracts, Optics, Press Release | No Comments »

ZeroTech Optics Launches Vengeance 1-4x24SFP LPVO

Tuesday, March 17th, 2026

NASHVILLE, TN – ZeroTech Optics is expanding its trusted Vengeance lineup with the launch of the Vengeance 1-4×24 SFP LPVO RAR Illuminated FDE and the Vengeance 1-4×24 SFP LPVO RAR MOA, versatile low power variable optics designed to deliver fast target acquisition at close range while maintaining the precision needed for mid-distance engagements.

Built for shooters who demand simplicity, durability, and performance, the Vengeance 1-4×24 SFP LPVO RAR Illuminated FDE and the Vengeance 1-4×24 SFP LPVO RAR MOA provide true 1x capability for rapid, both-eyes-open shooting similar to a red dot, while the 4x top-end magnification offers the added precision required for confident shots at extended distances.

Launching in both a classic black finish and a Flat Dark Earth (FDE) configuration, the Vengeance 1-4×24 SFP LPVO RAR Illuminated FDE allows shooters to match modern rifle builds and accessories while maintaining the rugged reliability expected from the ZeroTech Vengeance series.

At the center of the optic is the RAR MOA reticle, designed for rapid target acquisition and practical holdovers. The illuminated center aiming point and intuitive layout allow shooters to quickly engage targets while still providing useful reference points for more deliberate shots when using the Vengeance 1-4×24 SFP LPVO RAR Illuminated FDE or the Vengeance 1-4×24 SFP LPVO RAR MOA.

Constructed from durable 6061-T6 aircraft-grade aluminum and built around a robust 30mm tube, the Vengeance 1-4×24 SFP LPVO RAR Illuminated FDE and the Vengeance 1-4×24 SFP LPVO RAR MOA are designed to withstand hard field use. Fully multi-coated lenses provide a bright and crisp sight picture, while capped turrets, a locking diopter, and weather-resistant construction ensure consistent reliability in demanding conditions.

Whether used for defensive carbines, competition rifles, or general range use, the Vengeance 1-4×24 SFP LPVO RAR Illuminated FDE and the Vengeance 1-4×24 SFP LPVO RAR MOA deliver practical performance and dependable durability in a streamlined, user-friendly optic.

Key Features

True 1-4x Magnification Range – Provides rapid close-range engagement with the ability to dial up for greater precision at distance.
RAR MOA Illuminated reticle – Designed for fast target acquisition with practical holdover references.
30mm Tube Construction – Strong and lightweight platform for reliable performance.
Fully Multi-Coated Lenses – Enhances clarity, brightness, and contrast.
Locking Diopter – Maintains consistent focus once set.

For more information on ZeroTech optics and the full Vengeance lineup, visit www.zerotechoptics.com.

Posted in Optics, Press Release | No Comments »

FirstSpear and Recon K9 Enter Exclusive Licensing Agreement

Tuesday, March 17th, 2026

FENTON, Mo. (March 16, 2026) – FirstSpear®, the industry leader in load-bearing technology and personal protective equipment, has entered into an exclusive, ten-year license with Recon K9® LLC (“Recon K9”). Under this agreement, FirstSpear will assume responsibility for the sales, marketing, manufacturing, distribution, and logistics of the Recon K9 brand, effectively integrating Recon K9’s operations into FirstSpear’s infrastructure.

This strategic agreement grants FirstSpear exclusive use of all intellectual property owned or developed by Recon K9, including trademarks, product designs, internet domains, and social media accounts.

By leveraging FirstSpear’s market presence and established manufacturing and distribution capabilities, the partnership ensures that Recon K9 products will be manufactured and delivered with the quality and professionalism expected from FirstSpear. Additionally, FirstSpear will manage all warehousing, order fulfillment, and e-commerce operations, streamlining the customer experience.

“In the SOF community, the K9 is not merely an asset; they are a fellow operator,” said Jon Laplume, FirstSpear co-founder and vice president of SOF Strategy and Product Development. “Our integration of Recon K9 is forged in the spirit of Canes Belli, the Dogs of War. By applying FirstSpear’s material science and manufacturing precision to these products, we are making a strategic commitment to the safety and lethality of the entire team, ensuring that when the dogs of war are let slip, they are equipped to win.”

As part of the transition, Recon K9 founder Jason Watson will join the FirstSpear team. Watson will continue to drive the brand’s vision, including participating in product research and development, attending trade shows, and conducting customer visits.

The transition of functional responsibility, including the website, marketing, and inventory management, is scheduled to take place within 30 to 60 days.

About FirstSpear

Founded in 2010, FirstSpear® equips elite military and law enforcement professionals with uncompromising equipment for those bound for “The X.” Guided by its “Built for The X™” ethos, FirstSpear produces lightweight, mission-focused equipment engineered for the most demanding operational environments.

About Recon K9

Recon K9 is the premier global provider of mission-specific tactical gear for military, law enforcement, and federal agency working dogs. Born from the direct requirements of U.S. Army Special Operations Command (USASOC), Recon K9 delivers “excuse-free” equipment designed to enhance the lethality and survivability of the K9 team.

Posted in Advertiser, Industry, K9, Press Release | No Comments »

Orqa Signs Teaming Agreement with Red River Army Depot to Boost UAS Manufacturing

Monday, March 16th, 2026

OSIJEK, Croatia, March 16, 2026 — Orqa has entered into a groundbreaking teaming agreement with Red River Army Depot in Texarkana, Texas, representing a significant step in advancing the U.S. Army’s rapidly expanding organic small Unmanned Aircraft System (sUAS) manufacturing capacity.

The agreement also strengthens Orqa’s recently announced Global Manufacturing Program.

This agreement builds on Orqa’s longstanding engagement with the Department of War and reflects a shared commitment to supporting the Army’s broader modernization efforts.

The recently signed National Defense Authorization Act represents a national effort to expand unmanned systems production capacity within existing Army depots. Orqa’s role in this initiative builds on the company’s established record of delivering advanced sUAS technologies and supporting operational requirements across multiple theaters.

The teaming agreement marks a significant step in Orqa’s continued partnership with the U.S. military. It reinforces Orqa’s position as a trusted provider of unmanned systems and components, including recent authorizations that enable the company to support Army programs in Europe.

Through this collaboration, Orqa plans to contribute to strengthening domestic production of unmanned systems. As Orqa expands its role in U.S. manufacturing, the increased production activity may also support growth within the company’s operations. “Made in America” Orqa platforms will be available to U.S. military customers and may also support allied nations through established security cooperation channels.

Srdjan Kovacevic, co-founder and CEO of Orqa, said, “We’re thankful for the opportunity to contribute to the increase of U.S. drone manufacturing capability. The resulting boost in capacity will add to the production we can already achieve at our headquarters, a figure that will grow significantly as our Global Manufacturing Partnership Program comes online throughout the year. This agreement is a clear vote of confidence in Orqa, our capabilities, and our products.”

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

GameStrat Exhibiting at ILEETA conference in St Louis, March 16-18

Monday, March 16th, 2026

GameStrat is excited to announce that it will be exhibiting at the upcoming ILEETA conference in St Louis, MO March 16-18.

Founded in 2016, GameStrat initially focused on developing video capture and instant replay systems for sports team coaching staffs. Following a successful market launch and adoption by over 1,500 sports teams in US and Canadian football, hockey, and lacrosse leagues, a US SOCOM element approached them in 2020 with a problem statement: Their shoot house facility had a CCTV system configured for video capture, but students and instructors had to leave the training area to go to a control room and manually replay the video feed for review after each training cycle. This significantly delayed the training cycle and instructors frequently expressed frustration with the user interface’s technical aspects. Consequently, the shoot house’s video capture capability was never used during training evolutions because its disadvantages greatly outweighed its benefits. They wanted a tactical training version of the GameStrat system because it offered users an intuitive, user-friendly format which allowed live-streaming and replay of the video feed to a handheld tablet for instant review during after-action review debrief sessions.

Following development for USSOCOM, GameStrat’s AAR video capture and replay system has been adopted by several SOF and law enforcement SWAT teams. GameStrat’s AAR system enhances after-action review debrief processes by allowing instructors and students to quickly review decisions, communication, and movement during training scenarios. It provides benefit for military organizations, tactical teams, and frontline law enforcement training environments where rapid visual feedback can improve learning outcomes.

GameStrat’s AAR system enables instructors to capture multiple video feeds during live training and immediately identify and replay key moments for debriefing and analysis. The system is designed for simple deployment and operation in training facilities, shoot houses, etc. serving as either a permanent or temporary setup. It can also integrate with existing IP camera infrastructure when required. For more information visit: www.gamestrat.com/tactical-instant-replay

Posted in LE, Press Release, Tradeshow, Training | No Comments »

Three Polaris Vehicles Participate in U.S. Army’s xTech|Edge Strike: Ground Competition

Monday, March 16th, 2026

Minneapolis – March 13, 2026 – Three different autonomy companies selected off-road vehicles from Polaris Government and Defense as they participated in the U.S. Army’s xTech|Edge Strike: Ground competition in Vilseck, Germany March 3-13. Autonomy partners Dataspeed, Inc, Forterra and Overland AI competed in the Uncrewed, Automated, Modular Ground Platforms category with off-road commercial and military vehicles from Polaris: the MRZR D4 ultralight tactical vehicle, RANGER XD 1500 utility side-by-side and RZR XP 1000 Sport side-by-side.

“Polaris vehicles have become force multipliers for expeditionary warfighters worldwide, and the integration of autonomy can expand the roles and capabilities of the vehicles even further. As a commercial company with high volume production capacity, we are uniquely suited to provide affordable commercial unmanned ground vehicles at scale,” said Nick Francis, vice president, Polaris Government and Defense. “For 25 years, we have provided vehicles, service, training and support around the world leveraging our European and Australia-based Government and Defense teams for direct support. We also have unique contract mechanisms like the NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA) for the MRZR D available to NATO member and partner nations to streamline the vehicle acquisition process.”

MRZR D4 – Dataspeed, Inc. – Kinetic360™: Agentic Uncrewed Vehicle for Sustainment, Reconnaissance and CASEVAC. More than 50 military and security forces worldwide have fielded MRZR D tactical off-road vehicles from Polaris to support expeditionary, rapid response and special operations missions. The MRZR D’s modular payload design, diesel powertrain, air and sea transportability make it a trusted platform for tactical mobility in complex terrain and contested zones. The MRZR D is also available through an NSPA contract, enabling NATO members and partner nations to acquire the MRZR D to enhance mobility, interoperability and mission readiness.

RANGER XD1500 – Forterra – LANCER Autonomous Ground Vehicle. The RANGER XD 1500 is an extreme duty utility side-by-side with a ProStar 1500cc 3-cylinder gas engine that offers an industry-leading 110 horsepower and STEELDRIVE automatic transmission for greater durability and precise control.

RZR XP 1000 – Overland AI – ULTRA Autonomous Ground Vehicle. The RZR XP 1000 is engineered for off-road durability and power. Its nimble handling and agility pair with Overland AI’s autonomy software, OverDrive, to execute aggressive tactical maneuvers, providing efficiency and stability across demanding and technical terrain.

Through the xTech|Edge Strike: Ground competition, the U.S. Army sought out innovative autonomous ground systems, offering participants the opportunity to engage with the government, earn prize money and potentially receive a contract award or agreement.

Polaris vehicles are designed for austere environments, allowing military forces to travel through harsher off-road conditions at full payload at a faster pace than any other vehicles in this class. Polaris designs and manufactures the most capable light tactical military vehicles available today with technology development and insertion for the battlefield of tomorrow. Polaris light tactical vehicles – the MV850, MRZR D, MRZR Alpha and DAGOR – provide unmatched off-road capability while also being intuitive to operate, simple to maintain, highly transportable and easy to globally support. Polaris commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) platforms, like the RANGER, RZR and Sportsman are also well-suited for autonomous applications, providing affordable off-road mobility and high-volume production capacity, making Polaris vehicles the off-road platforms of choice for autonomy integration.

Posted in AI / ML, Mobility, Press Release | No Comments »

FirstSpear Introduces Vanguard Program with Prime Hall

Monday, March 16th, 2026

FENTON, Mo. (March 13, 2026) – FirstSpear®, the industry leader in load-bearing technology and personal protective equipment, announced the launch of its Vanguard Program, a strategic initiative designed to formalize the feedback loop between the engineering lab and the operational field. Coinciding with this launch, FirstSpear has named former Marine Raider and water survival expert Prime Hall as its lead maritime Vanguard.

The Vanguard Program represents a distinct departure from the “influencer” models common in the industry. Instead, FirstSpear Vanguards are selected strictly for their operational pedigree, subject matter expertise, and ability to validate equipment in non-permissive environments.

“The Vanguard Program is our commitment to the end user: we prioritize lethality and safety over likes,” said Lynn Twiss, vice president of marketing for FS Holdings and FirstSpear. “We aren’t interested in ‘influencers’; we are partnering with first-line subject matter experts who understand the gravity of the environments our end users operate in. Prime Hall is the embodiment of a Vanguard. He knows that when you are in the water, gear is survival. His role is to articulate why systems like the AAC Frog Kit have been the quiet professionals’ choice, not because it’s trendy, but because it works when nothing else will.”

Prime Hall: Lead Maritime Vanguard

As the inaugural lead maritime Vanguard, Prime Hall brings extensive special operations experience to the FirstSpear team. A former U.S. Marine Raider and water survival instructor, Hall is a recognized authority on aquatic safety and high-performance mindset training.

In this role, Hall will focus on operational validation and education. He will demonstrate the critical capabilities of the AAC Frog Kit (Assaulter Armor Carrier Frog Kit), and the Adaptive Cummerbund featuring CTAF bladders that FirstSpear-pioneered. Hall will highlight how these specific technologies have quietly set the benchmark for safety and performance in USSOCOM, the U.S. Air Force, and the U.S. Coast Guard.

“To perform at the highest level, you have to access a flow state, that mental zone where everything slows down and execution is automatic. But the water is a chaos agent; it introduces massive physical and mental ‘drag’ that kicks you out of flow,” said Prime Hall. “You can’t maintain high processing power if you’re fighting your equipment. That’s why FirstSpear is the standard for the elite. The AAC Frog Kit and Adaptive Cummerbund don’t just float you, they eliminate the drag. They allow you to ‘close the tabs’ on the environment and stay locked in the flow. I’m here to validate why this kit is the cheat code for maritime operations.”

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Tiberius Aerospace Welcomes Rob Murray to Advisory Board

Saturday, March 14th, 2026

Tiberius Aerospace, a modern defence technology company built to empower the UK, US and their global allies with next-generation weapon systems and AI-powered solutions, today announced the appointment of Rob Murray, Chief Executive Officer of the Defence, Security and Resilience Bank (DSRB) Development Group and a leading architect of NATO’s defence innovation ecosystem, to its Advisory Board.

Murray brings more than two decades of experience at the intersection of defence, finance and emerging technologies. He is widely recognized for shaping how allied nations mobilise capital and innovation to strengthen national security and industrial resilience. As NATO’s inaugural Head of Innovation, Murray led the creation of the Defence Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic (DIANA) and the NATO Innovation Fund, a $1 billion multi-sovereign venture capital fund designed to accelerate investment in dual-use technologies across the Alliance. These initiatives were created to connect governments, industry, investors and technology innovators to accelerate the development and adoption of emerging capabilities for defence and security.

Murray is currently CEO of the Defence, Security and Resilience Bank Development Group, which is working to establish a new international financial institution designed to mobilise large-scale capital for defence and security investment among allied nations. He previously served as Chief Innovation Officer at Saab and spent nearly a decade at NATO Headquarters in Brussels working on defence investment, intelligence, and emerging technologies. At Tiberius Aerospace, Murray will advise the company on strategic partnerships, defence innovation ecosystem and the financing structures required to scale next-generation defence technologies and strengthen allied industrial capacity.

Chad Steelberg, Co-Founder and CEO of Tiberius Aerospace said: “Rob has been at the centre of the effort to rethink how the West funds and accelerates defence innovation. His work connecting governments, capital and technology builders has fundamentally reshaped the ecosystem around emerging defence capabilities. As we expand our Grail platform and bring new technologies to market, Rob’s experience in building allied innovation networks and mobilising investment will be invaluable.”

Rob Murray said “We’re entering a period where the speed at which allies can innovate, finance and field new capabilities will shape the strategic balance. What excites me about Tiberius is its willingness to rethink how defence technology is built, funded and delivered. I’m humbled and honoured to be asked to join the Advisory Board.”

Murray also serves as a nonresident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council’s Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security and teaches innovation and strategy at Johns Hopkins University. A former British Army officer, he has spent his career advancing collaboration between governments, industry and capital markets to accelerate the development of emerging defence and security technologies. His appointment further strengthens Tiberius Aerospace’s Advisory Board as the company expands its work to deliver new technologies and platforms that enable faster procurement, stronger domestic supply chains and better value for allied defence spending.

For more information, please visit www.tiberius.com.

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