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101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) Conducts UAS Competition Tryouts, Showcasing Innovation and Readiness

February 17th, 2026

FORT CAMPBELL, KY – The 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) conducted competitive tryouts for its UAS team on Jan. 12, 2026, here, identifying Soldiers who will represent the division in an upcoming Army UAS competition while reinforcing the unit’s commitment to innovation, readiness and modernization across the force.

Held at Fort Campbell, the tryouts brought together Soldiers from across the formation who demonstrated technical skill, adaptability and problem-solving abilities while operating unmanned aerial systems.

“The Army has sent a very clear demand signal to identify and employ the best drone teams and best drone operators, ” said Chief Warrant Officer 2 Page Frazier, a member of the Robotics and Autonomous Integration Directorate. “And here at the 101st Airborne Division we are prepared to answer that call.”

Soldiers across the formation were evaluated on their physical endurance through the Air Assault obstacle course, techniques on how to employ a UAS, and how to navigate a drone system in a confined area. These attributes that were being evaluated reflected how emerging technologies are increasingly integrated into modern battlefield operations.

“The most challenging part about the tryouts so far is the air assault course, mixed with running to the nets, and then flying around, ” said Spc. Markus Sund, a participant in the drone tryouts.

This event directly supports the Army’s broader modernization strategy, and places emphasis on the importance of unmanned systems in future conflicts which is evolving the modern-day battlefield. Division leadership within the 101st Airborne Division hones in on the concept that innovation is a critical component of lethality and readiness.

As the Army continues to integrate advanced technologies into training and operations, the division sets forth to remain the trailblazers of that transformation. Through events like the UAS competition tryouts, the division is ensuring its Soldiers are equipped, empowered and prepared to meet tomorrow’s challenges head-on.

The selected team will continue training in preparation for the upcoming Army drone competition, representing the division’s commitment to excellence, adaptability and innovation across the force.

Story by SGT Parris Kersey

101st Airborne Division (Air Assault)

Posted in Army, Drone, Guest Post | No Comments »

Rheinmetall Framework Agreement with NATO Procurement Agency for 120mm Tank Ammunition – Initial Order Worth Around €200 Million

February 16th, 2026

Rheinmetall is further expanding its role as a leading manufacturer of 120mm tank ammunition. The NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA) has called off its first batch of ammunition, worth around €200 million, under a 2025 framework agreement for 120mm ammunition, a contract of substantial scope and value. The end customers are various NATO countries.

The ‘Basic Contractual Instrument’ (BCI) signed with NSPA in July 2025 defines the terms and conditions as well as all technical specifications for various types of 120mm tank ammunition. NATO and NATO-equivalent members can use the framework agreement to simplify the procurement of Rheinmetall ammunition. They can order the ammunition directly from the NSPA. This significantly simplifies the procurement of 120mm tank ammunition within the Atlantic Alliance. Rheinmetall can thus further expand its role as a leading supplier of 120 mm tank ammunition.

Used in the field by many nations since 1980, Rheinmetall’s 120mm smoothbore technology has become the established main battle tank armament within the armed forces of Germany, NATO and other allied nations worldwide. It is the standard system on the Leopard 2 and M1 Abrams main battle tanks. Due to their superior performance and still available power reserves, Rheinmetall can continue to offer innovative and threat-appropriate technical solutions in the caliber 120mm in the medium term.

Posted in Ammo, Contracts, International, NSPA, Press Release | No Comments »

Picatinny – How It Really Works!

February 16th, 2026

This was shared by Spuhr on Instagram.

When the Picatinny rail (MIL-STD-1913) was originally designed, it was intended to use only the 45-degree angled surfaces for clamping and reference (highlighted in green on the drawing). The tolerance to the top flat surface was deliberately made very large.

Advantages of the original design (green surfaces):

• A QD mount can be attached and detached on a huge variety of rails with extremely tight control — total width tolerance is only about 0.1 mm!

• This makes the system very forgiving of manufacturing variations between different rails.

Disadvantages:

• The mount will always sit slightly canted depending on the exact width of the rail.

• For most practical purposes, this doesn’t matter at all… but it drives people with OCD absolutely crazy…

NATO’s recommendation since 2009 (STANAG 4694): Use three surfaces instead (highlighted in red): the two 45-degree sides plus the top flat as the primary reference.

Advantages:

• The mount will always sit perfectly straight and level

Disadvantages:

• In addition to the ~0.1 mm width tolerance, you now also add 0.25 mm tolerance to the top flat.

• That adds up to a cumulative tolerance of up to ~0.6 mm (0.024”).

• This works fine for screw-fixed mounts, but it’s a disaster for QD mounts — they become much harder to get consistently straight and repeatable across different rails.

What we do at Spuhr:

• Fixed mounts: We follow the NATO/STANAG recommendation (red surfaces) for maximum straightness and repeatability.

• QD mounts: We stick to the original Picatinny design (green surfaces only) to keep tolerance stack as low as possible and ensure compatibility with as many rails as possible.

The last picture shows one of our custom inspection fixtures for QD mounts — we use it to verify that they sit reasonably straight despite rail variations.

NATO really missed an opportunity by not tightening up that loose 0.25 mm top-flat tolerance — it would have made QD systems so much better!

Posted in As Seen On Instagram, Guest Post, History, Weapon Accessories | No Comments »

Apparently, There Are Blue Skilcraft Pens as Well

February 16th, 2026

The ubiquitous government issue Skilcraft pen has been around since 1968. Even after switching over the Air Force, I always got the Black ones but apparently they came in Blue as well.

If you really miss them, they are available on Amazon. You can even buy the Blue ones there.

Posted in History | 3 Comments »

Dan Green Joins Tomahawk Performance to Lead Advanced R&D

February 16th, 2026

Nashville, TN – February 16, 2026 – Marking a major step forward in its product development strategy, Tomahawk Performance announced today that Dan Green, former Vice President of Design at Arc’teryx, has joined the company to lead Advanced Research & Development.

Green is widely respected within the performance apparel industry for his design leadership and innovative concepts. His impressive body of work includes 20 years spent at Arc’teryx, where he helped drive the development of outdoor and military apparel systems that set benchmarks across the industry.

At Tomahawk Performance, Green will lead Advanced R&D initiatives focused on development of next-generation technical apparel and layering systems. Working closely with Design Director Capri Philip, he will accelerate the innovation programs currently under way, including new material applications, evolved layering systems, and expanded design and product capabilities.

“I was part of Tomahawk’s early product concept push in 2023,” says Green. “It’s great to be back in the mix. I am really impressed that the original vision is sharper than ever and how incredibly far forward the brand has come. I am here to bring my practical hands-on approach to big projects that make a real difference.” Combining firsthand feedback from the military special operations and law enforcement community with Green’s deep expertise in technical apparel design strengthens Tomahawk’s ability to address complex, unresolved performance gaps in operational gear.

“I’ve had the privilege of working with Dan in the past, and I’m thrilled to have him join Tomahawk,” says Marc Elbaz, Tomahawk Performance CEO. “His ability to translate complex problems into innovative solutions is unparalleled. We have a lot of exciting work in front of us— expect to see transformative progress in the months ahead.”

Dan Green’s addition reinforces Tomahawk Performance’s position as a rapidly growing technical apparel company focused on purpose-driven solutions for demanding operational environments. Further announcements stemming from these advanced development programs are expected in the coming year.

For additional information, visit tomahawkperformance.com.

Posted in Advertiser, Industry, Press Release | 2 Comments »

ANR Design Introduces Breaching Tool Carriers

February 16th, 2026

So far, ANR Design has added two new breaching tool carriers to their website. Made from Kydex, they are available in a variety of colors.

SET Breaching P7 MultiPry Tool Sheath

Broco JIMMY Tactical Pry Bar Sheath

The carriers come with Blade Tech Molle Lok and DCC MOD 4 Belt Clip mounting hardware.

See the entire lineup at www.anrkydexholsters.com/product-category/soldier-systems/breaching.

Posted in Breaching, Load Carrying | No Comments »

Joint Interagency Task Force, FBI Deepen Drone Partnership to Bolster National Defense

February 16th, 2026

Army Brig. Gen. Matt Ross, Joint Interagency Task Force 401 director, visited the FBI’s National Training Center for counter-small unmanned aircraft systems in Huntsville, Alabama, yesterday to solidify a strategic alliance to protect the nation from unmanned aerial threats.

The visit centered on increasing collaboration between the War Department and the FBI to enhance homeland defense through joint training and the accelerated development of counter-UAS capabilities with federal interagency partners.

A primary focus of the discussion was enhancing efforts to coordinate security preparations for this summer’s FIFA World Cup. Ross and Mike Torphy, FBI acting assistant section chief for UAS and counter-UAS, spoke with expert instructors who are teaching a specialized course for local law enforcement in each of the tournament’s eleven host cities across the nation.

“The security of our homeland depends on a seamless, unified defense, and that is only possible through robust interagency collaboration,” Ross said. “The threats we face are shared, so our solutions must be as well. Our work with the FBI, to secure major events like the World Cup against the threat of drones, is a prime example of this strategy in action, but our goal is much broader: to build permanent, integrated [counter]-UAS capabilities across the federal government.”

This synergy is foundational to building a more resilient national counter-UAS capability and ensuring state and local partners are effectively trained and equipped for any threat.

Ross thanked Torphy for hosting the productive visit, which underscored the importance of combining JIATF 401’s lessons learned from the battlefield and expertise in joint training with the FBI’s critical law enforcement mission.

“This is one example of how JIATF 401 is working with partners to enhance our counter-drone efforts,” Ross said. “No single person or agency can take on this task alone. It requires a whole-of-government coordination, and I am grateful that Mr. Torphy and the training center staff are supporting our mission to build a layered defense against the full spectrum of small UAS threats to the homeland.”

The engagement in Huntsville signifies a deliberate move to formalize and expand the working relationship between the department and federal law enforcement. Future efforts will include the JIATF 401’s Joint Counter-Small UAS University in Fort Sill, Oklahoma, working closely with the FBI’s National Training Center to execute this shared mission.

This partnership model, focused on joint capability development and shared training, will enhance security for specific events and serve as a blueprint for a more integrated national approach to all counter-UAS threats, Ross added.

By Army LYC Adam Scher, Joint Interagency Task Force 401

Posted in Army, C-UAS, Guest Post | No Comments »

GA-ASI Achieves New Milestone With Semi-Autonomous CCA Flight

February 15th, 2026

YFQ-42A Uncrewed Fighter Jet Executes Mission Autonomy Test

SAN DIEGO – 12 February 2026 – General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) passed a new milestone this month, successfully integrating 3rd-party mission autonomy into the YFQ-42A Collaborative Combat Aircraft to conduct its first semi-autonomous airborne mission.

For this test, GA-ASI used mission autonomy software supplied by Collins Aerospace, an RTX business, to fly the new YFQ-42A CCA, designed and developed by GA-ASI for the U.S. Air Force. The Sidekick Collaborative Mission Autonomy software was seamlessly integrated with the YFQ-42A’s flight control system, utilizing the Autonomy Government Reference Architecture (A-GRA). The integration enabled robust and reliable data exchange between the autonomy software and the aircraft’s mission systems, ensuring precise execution of mission autonomy commands.

During the recent testing, autonomy mode was activated via the Ground Station Console (GSC). Once enabled, a human autonomy operator on the ground transmitted various commands directly to the YFQ-42A, which executed the instructions with high accuracy for more than four hours. This test highlights the effectiveness of Sidekick’s advanced mission autonomy capabilities and the flexibility of the A-GRA standard in supporting complex operational requirements.

“We are excited to collaborate with Collins to deliver enhanced autonomous mission solutions,” said David R. Alexander, president of GA-ASI. “The integration of Sidekick with our YFQ-42A demonstrates our commitment to innovation and operational excellence in unmanned aircraft technology.”

This achievement underscores GA-ASI’s dedication to advancing autonomous systems for defense applications. The combination of Sidekick autonomy software and YFQ-42A mission systems, connected through A-GRA, sets new benchmarks for combat autonomy, mission flexibility, operator control, and system reliability.

“The autonomy capabilities showcased in this flight highlight our dedicated investment to advance collaborative mission autonomy,” said Ryan Bunge, vice president and general manager for Strategic Defense Solutions, Collins Aerospace, an RTX business. “The rapid integration of Sidekick onto this General Atomics platform and its immediate ability to support a broad spectrum of combat-relevant behaviors underscores the strength and flexibility of our open systems approach.”

This first mission autonomy flight continues a robust YFQ-42A development schedule for GA-ASI that began in August 2025 with initial flights of YFQ-42A Tail One. In less than six months, GA-ASI has built and flown multiple YFQ-42A aircraft, including push-button autonomous takeoffs and landings.

GA-ASI has been building and flying uncrewed jets for nearly two decades, beginning with the company-funded, weaponized MQ-20Avenger® in 2008. Ongoing company investment in Avenger continues to yield results, as the aircraft routinely serves as a CCA surrogate for advanced autonomy development and testing in both government programs and company-funded research and development.

As a family-owned, privately held defense company for more than 30 years, GA-ASI is known as one of the original disruptors in the U.S defense industry, pioneering and inventing many of the technologies now considered ubiquitous in uncrewed aircraft operations around the world. The company re-invests more than 35 percent of annual revenue into internal research and design projects, building ahead of need and designing capabilities ahead of requirements.

In 2025, for example, an internally funded Avenger demo featured both GA-ASI’s TacACE autonomy software and Shield AI’s Hivemind software on the same flight, with the MQ-20seamlessly switching between AI pilots while still airborne. Later in the year, GA-ASI teamed with Lockheed Martin and L3 Harris for another Avenger flight demo, connecting the MQ-20 with an F-22 Raptor for an advanced manned-unmanned teaming mission that allowed the human fighter pilot to command the Avenger as an autonomous CCA surrogate via tablet control from the cockpit.

In 2024, GA-ASI first flew its XQ-67A Off-Board Sensing Station (OBSS) jet, developed in collaboration with Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL). This early CCA prototype validated the “genus/species” concept pioneered with AFRL as part of the Low-Cost Attritable Aircraft Platform Sharing (LCAAPS) program, focused on building several aircraft variants from a common core chassis.

GA-ASI’s Gambit Series envisions multiple missionized variants from this common core concept, with XQ-67A already showcasing airborne sensing and YFQ-42A illustrating air-to-air combat. Using this novel manufacturing approach to drive overall customer value, GA-ASI can quickly pivot to diverse missions with less time and cost investment than building a clean-sheet aircraft.

Posted in Air Force, Aviation, Press Release, UAS | No Comments »