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AeroVironment Celebrates Historic First Powered Flight on another World by Mars Ingenuity Helicopter

April 21st, 2021

AeroVironment Mars Ingenuity Helicopter Program team members Sara Langberg, Peter Zwaan, Joey Beckman, Ben Pipenberg, Jeremy Tyler and Matt Keennon celebrate Ingenuity’s successful first flight. (Photo: AeroVironment, Inc.)

SIMI VALLEY, Calif., April 20, 2021 – AeroVironment, Inc. (NASDAQ: AVAV), a global leader in unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), celebrated with its colleagues at NASA/JPL when data confirming the Ingenuity Helicopter’s successful first flight on Mars arrived at approximately 3:50 a.m. PT on April 19.

“AeroVironment is proud to have played a key role in developing the Mars Ingenuity Helicopter and achieving today’s historic first powered flight on another planet,” said Wahid Nawabi, AeroVironment president and chief executive officer. “We congratulate JPL and NASA on today’s achievement and salute their leadership and vision for deploying unmanned technology to further our understanding of other worlds.”

Since 2013, the AeroVironment team has worked closely with NASA rotorcraft experts and with JPL electrical, mechanical, materials, vehicle flight controls, and systems engineers on the Mars Ingenuity Helicopter project. AeroVironment’s contributions to Ingenuity include the design and development of the helicopter’s airframe and major subsystems, including its rotor, rotor blades, hub and control mechanism hardware. AeroVironment also developed and built high-efficiency, lightweight propulsion motors, power electronics, landing gear, load-bearing structures, and the thermal enclosure for NASA/JPL’s avionics, sensors, and software systems.

“AeroVironment’s deep, rich and diverse history of designing reliable and effective unmanned solutions that deliver mission success in extreme environments, combined with our experience with near-space aircraft, make us uniquely suited to collaborate with NASA and JPL,” Nawabi said. “We also incorporated the ultra-lightweight and ultra-high-precision methods integral to Nano projects that have been developed in our MacCready Works Advance Solutions laboratory, where we’ve assembled a dedicated team of the industry’s brightest and most experienced engineers to solve some of today’s greatest technological challenges.

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Matt Ridenour Joins Ascendant As Partner – To Lead Mergers And Acquisitions Practice

April 21st, 2021

Ascendant Release

Whitefish, MT (April 21, 2021) Ascendant Advisory Group announced that Matt Ridenour, former Chairman and CEO of ZEV Technologies, is joining Ascendant as a Partner leading their mergers and acquisitions practice.

Dev Warren, CEO of Ascendant, commented “We are thrilled to have Matt join Ascendant. Having built one of the best teams in the industry and leading the growth and development of ZEV, he is an industry icon. Matt brings 25 years of experience in private equity, mergers and acquisitions, raising capital, and as a CEO of high growth companies. With the current challenges and significant growth opportunities occurring in the industry, I can’t think of a more qualified advisor to help our clients find success and navigate the future”.

Ridenour commented, “I have worked with Ascendant several times over the past several years and have been impressed by their high integrity, their track record of success, and their focus on building long term relationships and success with their clients. I am very excited to join the team and help great companies grow and prosper.”

About Ridenour: Previous to joining ZEV Technologies, Ridenour served as a principal in private equity and venture capital firms, and was as a consultant with Bain & Company’s Private Equity Advisory practice. He holds MBA from Harvard Business School, with high honors, and a degree in economics from Dartmouth College.

About Ascendant: Ascendant Advisory Group works with Boards and CEOs to develop corporate strategy, to raise capital and on buy and sell side M&A. Ascendant has been one of the leading M and A and consulting firm in the Firearms and Outdoor Industry for the past 7 years. Having led some of the largest and most strategically significant transactions and growth initiatives, including Zev Technologies acquisition of Mega, KLV Capital’s acquisition of Christensen Arms, and High Speed Gear’s acquisition of Comp Tac.

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ZEV Technologies Announces Departure of Matt Ridenour as CEO and Appoints Mike Hefner to President; Ridenour Will Remain on ZEV Technologies Board of Directors

April 21st, 2021

Centralia, WA: ZEV Technologies today announced its Chief Executive Officer Matt Ridenour will be leaving the company to become a partner in the investment banking firm, Ascendant Advisory Group. He will maintain his seat on the Board of Directors and remain involved in advising the company. The Board has appointed Chief Operating Officer Mike Hefner to the role of President, where he will continue to lead the ZEV team and oversee operations while adding responsibility for ZEV’s strategy and direction.

“We are grateful for Matt’s leadership over the past six years and feel that he has put us on a strong path for continued future growth,” said Alec Wolf, ZEV’s founder and Chief Technology Officer.

Ridenour commented, “ZEV has put in place an amazing leadership team that is firing on all cylinders. The timing felt right for me to transition the daily leadership of the company. As a continuing shareholder of ZEV, I have great confidence in the team’s ability to continue ZEV’s trajectory.”

“We appreciate Matt’s leadership through this transition, and his ongoing guidance will be an asset to the Board of Directors. We have been very impressed with how effective Mike Hefner has been within the organization thus far and are confident in his abilities and excited to have him continue to drive the business forward,” said Board member Steve Reich.

Since joining ZEV in 2014, Hefner has been instrumental in all aspects of the business and spearheaded the integration of MEGA Arms and relocation of ZEV’s headquarters from Oxnard, CA, to Centralia, WA. Before ZEV, Hefner spent 24 years with the United States Army Special Operations Command, retiring as a Sergeant Major. Most of his career was as an Operator in a TIER 1 unit; his last five years of service were in weapons RDT&E and Acquisitions.

www.zevtech.com

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Velocity Tactical’s HEAT Reconnaissance Class – 20-23 May at the Velocity Training Center in Romney, WV

April 21st, 2021

Romney, WV, (April 15, 2021) – Max Velocity Tactical’s HEAT Reconnaissance Class will be held 20-23 May at the Velocity Training Center in Romney, WV. There are still spaces available for this class, so don’t delay reserving your spot if you’re interested in learning about reconnaissance and planning.

HEAT Reconnaissance is a four-day class focusing in detail on the planning and conduct of the reconnaissance patrol. This class is heavily influenced by the Long Range Surveillance (LRS) background of the Chief Instructor, Scott.

This is a Force-on-Force class (no live fire) and there is no training prerequisite. Patrols will face the real possibility of enemy contact and subsequent Immediate Action (IA) drills.

Cost: $800, Optional AirSim Rental (bring your own gas blowback rifle if you have it): $100.

Max Velocity Tactical specializes in teaching combat-proven, light infantry tactics, techniques and procedures adapted for the responsible, law-abiding citizen. The training curriculum is informed by a background and experience in SOF / elite forces and close protection / paramilitary contracting work. MVT classes are the real deal, and the tactics, techniques and procedures are familiar to any graduate of Ranger School or SFQC. Tactical classes are not simply a regurgitation of basic military manuals or training but are based on real world operational experience in hostile / combat environments.

Please check the Training Calendar here to see all currently scheduled Max Velocity Tactical classes.

Posted in Press Release, Training | 3 Comments »

Comp-Tac Releases Holster Fits for the Ruger MAX-9

April 21st, 2021

HOUSTON – April 15, 2021 – Comp-Tac® recently added new Ruger® MAX-9™ fits for the Sport-TAC™, Infidel Max™ and Warrior™ holsters.

These holsters give Comp-Tac customers choices in both inside-the-waistband (IWB) wear, hybrid holster (foam backing and Kydex® shell) or all-Kydex wear, and outside-the-waistband (OWB) wear.

“As new weapons come out, Comp-Tac strives to expand their holster selection to match,” said Gordon Carrell, Comp-Tac general manager. “The Ruger MAX-9 is the latest weapon released that is built to accommodate a micro red-dot sight. As we design and release new holsters, we make sure to accommodate the newest features. All the holsters for the MAX-9 come with optics compatibility. For concealed carry, range use or even competition, we want our holsters to work with the most popular gear that is available.”

The Sport-TAC Holster is a hybrid, inside-the-waistband holster designed to comfortably carry a 4” handgun at the 4-5 o’clock position. The Sport-TAC features a 600D interlock padded backing that provides cushion and flexibility for extreme comfort, while the Kydex shell holds your handgun securely with adjustable retention.

The Infidel Max Holster is an all-Kydex IWB holster designed to be worn behind the hip at the 4 o’clock or 5 o’clock positions. With an easy-on, easy-off single clip, this holster is a favorite for users who want the ability to put on their gun or take it off as their environment changes.

The Warrior Holster is an outside-the-waistband holster that was recently tested and recommended by the National Training Officers Association (NTOA). The all-Kydex, pancake design is excellent for concealed carry or general range use.

All holsters can be seen at www.comp-tac.com. To see all holsters available for each make and model, use the “shop by gun” feature at the top of the website.

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USAF Approves XGO FR Base Layer systems as Safe to Fly

April 21st, 2021

Southern Pines, NC – April 7, 2021. The program office for the US Air Force recently announced the Approved Safe to Fly items for the specific fabrics and garments identified for the updated USAF No Melt No Drip and FR Underlayer Product List. Selected products on this list have a 3-year certification period.

The fabrics and garments manufactured by your XGO, have been certified as Flame Resistant (FR) products which meet the FR test including No Melt No Drip (NMND) requirements. These certified fabrics and garments are for use as under layers to wear with AF FR Uniforms.

Approved Items list to include:

These certifications constitutes XGO’s guarantee to USAF customers that our quality process will ensure the product will repeatedly pass ASTM D 6413 Vertical flame Test with NMND requirement, meet Berry Amendment compliance, and other program specific requirements.

Products can be purchased either directly from XGO at www.proxgo.com/collections/airforce-air-national-guard-profession or through one of our dealer or distribution partners. Additionally, the products are found at Equipment Base Supply Centers supply shops, AAFES, and through DLA.

A list of our entire product line can be found at online.pubhtml5.com/pnpm/wcnv

Please contact our customer service at info@proxgo.com or John.faherty@proxgo.com to find the best supplier for your needs.

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SureFire Behind the Scenes Pt. 1: Suppressors

April 21st, 2021

SureFire Behind the Scenes Pt. 1: Illumination takes you behind the scenes of manufacturing illumination tools.

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SIG SAUER Electro-Optics Spotlight – ROMEO4 Series

April 21st, 2021

The SIG SAUER Electro-Optics ROMEO4 Series currently consists of three models with the ROMEO4T as most feature rich variant.

ROMEO4H
ROMEO4S
ROMEO4T

The ROMEO4 is a 1×20 closed red dot sight designed for fast, accurate target acquisition regardless of lighting conditions, weather or terrain. It is available with 1 or 2 MOA dots and the various reticle patterns can be seen in the graphic above (Dot, Circle-Dot, Dot with Holds, Circle-Dot with Holds). The ROMEO4H is a bit different with a 2 MOA Green Horseshoe reticle.

Additionally, the ROMEO4 is the FBI general issue optic for patrol carbines and they also serve various other government and law enforcement agencies around the world. In fact, it was quite a shocker in 2019 to see an SAS operator responding to a terrorist attack in Nairobi, Kenya outfitted with a ROMEO4. However, SIG has not acknowledged any military sales of the ROMEO4 series.

Battery life is an impressive 100,000+ hours for the ROMEO4S & T thanks to the CR2032 battery combined with a solar panel. The ROMEO4H offers 50,000 hours, but there is no solar panel.

There are 12 illumination settings for the ROMEO4T (10 daytime/2 NV). Additionally, the ROMEO4 series incorporates MOTAC (Motion Activated Illumination) which powers the sight up when it senses motion and powers down when it does not, providing operational safety and enhanced battery life.

The main housing is 7075 aluminum with a 1.41″ riser mount and additional lower 1/3 co-witness spacer. Adjustments are 0.5 MOA with 100 MOA windage and elevation travel.

The sight weighs just 7.6 oz and offers IPX8 environmental proofing meaning it can be submerged to more than 1 meter. In fact, SIG goes even further, conducting Mil-Spec 810G testing and submersing the sight up to 20 meters. On the other hand, the ROMEO4S & H variants is subjected to IPX7 testing which only certifies the sight to submersion of up to 1 meter for 30 minutes.

The ROMEO4 series of optics are assembled in the USA using some foreign sourced parts. I visited SIG SAUER Electro Optics in Oregon last Fall and watched the team assemble these optics.

SIG continues to optimize their supply chain, working with multiple vendors for those components they don’t manufacture in-house.

Likewise, they continue to improve the performance of their existing line, while simultaneously introducing new models. Stay tuned to SSD as we continue our coverage of additional SIG SAUER Electro Optics offerings.

Posted in Advertiser, Optics | 8 Comments »