OP Tactical is the exclusive U.S. distributor of Perroz Designs, with select products in stock now. The Ultra Slick Plate Carrier, geared toward concealability, features contoured Tweave stretch plate bags and low-profile Hypalon shoulder straps for a secure, body-conforming fit. Perroz helmet covers for both Team Wendy and Ops-Core helmets offer streamlined and easily accessible NVG mounting and retention solutions, available in multiple colors and patterns.
Metis, specialists in providing innovative technologies to detect a wide range of Radio Frequency (RF) threats across diverse sectors, has won a contract to supply a number of Skyperion drone detection systems to a NATO customer to provide the drone detect function as part of an integrated Counter Uncrewed Air Systems (C-UAS) capability. This purchase bolsters the customer’s current capabilities helping safeguard their airspace, key installations and critical infrastructure against the threats posed by rogue drones and is the fourth NATO ally to purchase Skyperion. Due to the sensitive nature of the capability, and to maintain operational advantage, it is not possible to disclose the customer or quantity purchased. However, there are now over 80 Skyperion systems in operation with NATO partners, or deployed supporting their national security interests, in current operations globally.
Metis has its roots in sophisticated signals intelligence gathering technology development and operational experience, which more recently has been increasingly focused on countering the rising asymmetric drone threat. For over 10 years, Metis has been at the forefront of C-UAS RF detection capability development, having originally received government backed research funding to help develop their innovative RF detection technologies, including Skyperion. The Skyperion product range captures RF emissions of varying strengths across the spectrum, filtering out background noise and known entities before rapidly analysing them to identify and locate potential threats.
Metis is an ideal choice for the RF drone detect component because not only do they produce technically superior RF detect products, but they also design and manufacture modular systems with an open architecture, enabling seamless integration with other electronic warfare capabilities and systems. This allows sovereign nations, large primes or systems integrators to easily incorporate Metis products with other best in class technologies, to deliver world leading detection, tracking, identification and defeat of rogue drones.
Unlike many systems, Metis has combined an Open ESM AI enhanced waveform analysis algorithm with a more traditional library database to deliver a self-learning comprehensive RF detect function across a vast array of frequencies. The system can detect a drone signature out to 2.5km and depending on the target, environment and other factors successfully identify a rogue drone out to 10km. The customer will be using these systems in a fixed site role, but the Metis Skyperion Rugged version can be easily transported in its military grade rugged cases, can operate in a mobile role if required and is designed and constructed to survive in the most austere of conditions.
Tony Burnell, CEO of Metis said: “I am extremely proud of the unique RF detect capabilities we field. The ability of our products to detect RF signatures beyond that of our competitors has been proven operationally and during various trials with reassuring regularity. We are very pleased to again have been selected by a major prime to deliver the drone detect function and are proud to be supporting a NATO partner nation with enhanced security. Looking to the future, our diverse capabilities have much greater utility beyond just drone detection and because we maintain an agnostic open architecture, seek to be the provider of choice for RF detection across defence and government organisations globally.“
Launch Day Scheduled for July 12 at multiple locations across Midwest.
San Antonio, TX — July 10, 2025 – Sons of Liberty Gun Works (SOLGW), makers of the World’s Finest Fighting Rifles, is proud to announce the appointment of Midwest Shooting Centers as its newest Platinum Dealer.
Located across multiple mid-western states, Midwest Shooting Centers have earned a reputation for its knowledgeable staff, exceptional service, and commitment to equipping responsible citizens, law enforcement, and professionals with mission-ready equipment. This new partnership solidifies Midwest Shooting Centers’ position as a flagship retail location for the full lineup of SOLGW rifles and components. To celebrate this new partnership, a brand launch will be held across multiple locations on July 12, 2025. Locations to stock SOLGW products include Beavercreek, OH; Cridersville, OH; Fort Wayne, IN; Liberty Township, OH; Pittsburg, PA; Sylvania, OH; and Taylor, MI. Reps from SOLGW will be on-hand at the Cridersville and Ft. Wayne stores.
“Midwest Shooting Centers are terrific stores with knowledgeable staff and shooting ranges that offer a premium customer experience, reflecting everything we look for in a Platinum Dealer,” said Sean Murphy, VP of Sales & Marketing of Sons of Liberty Gun Works. “We’re excited for this launch for our customers and fans across the mid-west.”
As a Platinum Dealer, Midwest Shooting Centers will have inventory of SOLGW rifles, parts, and accessories, as well as provide hands-on support for customers looking to build or upgrade their fighting rifles.
EAGLEVILLE, PA, July 10, 2025 – Streamlight® Inc., a leading provider of high-performance lighting, introduced the ProTac® 2.0 HP tactical flashlight, delivering 85,000 candela for powerful downrange illumination, nearly five times the distance output of its predecessor, the ProTac 2.0. This new rechargeable light produces 2,000 lumens for situations where exceptional brightness is needed.
The ProTac 2.0 HP offers the latest in LED technology and provides three operating modes – High, Medium and Low. On High, it delivers 2,000 lumens and 85,000 candela; on the Medium setting, it provides 550 lumens and 22,500 candela; on Low, it offers 100 lumens and 4,400 candela. Run times range from 31 hours on Low to 2.5 hours on High. The light’s strobe features a two-hour run time.
The light also features a TEN-TAP® programmable switch, which allows for user selection from among three programs: high/strobe/low (factory default); high only; or low/medium/high.
The ProTac 2.0 HP is powered by a Streamlight SL-B50®, a 4,900mAh protected Lithium-Ion USB rechargeable battery that is accessed by the light’s sliding sleeve. The battery is keyed to ensure proper alignment of the USB-C charging port, and features LED status lights to indicate charging status, including red for charging and green for fully charged. An integrated safety circuit protects the battery from accidental overcharge or discharge.
“This latest addition to the ProTac® series of tactical handheld lights provides first responders, security units, outdoor enthusiasts, and others a light that combines balanced brightness – both distance illumination and ultra-bright light – without sacrificing run times,” said Streamlight President, Michael F. Dineen. “Users will appreciate the convenience and ease of charging the battery pack either inside or outside of the light.”
Fabricated from 6000 series machined aircraft aluminum with an anodized finish, the ProTac 2.0 HP also features an anti-roll head and a gasket-sealed lens. Its multi-function, push-button tactical tail switch permits one-handed operation of the momentary, variable intensity or strobe modes. The light also comes with a sturdy, removable pocket clip, holster and USB-C charge cord.
The ProTac 2.0 HP is 6.10 inches in length and weighs 8.25 ounces with one included SL-B50 rechargeable battery. The light has an IP67-rated design for dust-tight and waterproof operation to one meter for 30 minutes and is impact resistance tested to two meters.
Available in black, the ProTac 2.0 HP has an MSRP of $218.40. It comes with Streamlight’s Limited Lifetime Warranty.
The FS SILKIES are built for performance, comfort, and unapologetic style. Featuring an elastic waistband with no drawstring, they deliver a secure, no-fuss fit ideal for athletic movement or everyday wear.
A built-in brief-style liner provides added support—especially for the guys—without sacrificing comfort. The 2.25-inch inseam keeps things short, fast, and distinctly American.
Crafted from 100% durable, moisture-wicking nylon, these shorts help regulate temperature and dry quickly whether you’re working out or just vibing around town. An inner waistband pocket offers just enough space to stash keys or similarly sized essentials. With a design that screams confidence, the FS Silkies pair perfectly with a deployment beard and your favorite shades.
From the gym to the grocery store, they’re versatile enough for any mission. Lightweight and built to move, these shorts are a throwback to classic military PT gear, with a modern FirstSpear edge. If you’re ready to embrace the short shorts life, these will get you there in style. Get them while you can—before they disappear faster than your weekend liberty.FirstSpear is the premier source for cutting edge-tactical gear for military, law enforcement and those who train. For more information visit First-Spear.com.
FORT BELVOIR, Va. (July 8, 2025) — Soldiers must quickly decipher an increasingly large amount of real-time battlefield data as they build and execute their mission plans. To enable better and faster battlefield decisions, U.S. Army researchers are developing a set of applications to analyze battlefield data to provide decision dominance and greater lethality.
These new applications, known collectively as Project Odin, monitor live data feeds, unit locations, sensor coverage, fuel, maintenance and ammunition status, weather, terrain, and more. They synthesize all this real-time information to understand and predict adversary actions, and enable commanders and staff to outpace their adversaries’ maneuvers and decisions.
The Army’s Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Cyber, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (C5ISR) Center leverages advances in artificial intelligence and real-time sensor data processing, according to Odin’s Project Lead Ben Rosen. C5ISR Center received feedback in July 2022 — the Army needed a Commanders decision tool to enable warfighting concepts and facilitate synchronization, lethality and flexibility.
“We developed a proof of concept within a year and immediately began an aggressive experimentation campaign to inform our development cycles from then on out. Being focused on capability gaps, the plan was to insert ourselves and live directly in the problem space,” Rosen said. “The burden on staffs to process all this battlefield data can slow down decisions. Project Odin speeds up the process to a fraction of the time.
“The program ingests battlefield information, analyzes it, and provides knowledge for Commanders to apply judgment, then decide and act faster than the adversary.”
Senior Army leaders are recognizing the benefits of emerging AI tech in expanding the possibilities of next-generation battlefield command and control tools. Gen. James Rainey, Army Futures Command commanding general, said during an AI summit last year: “The real potential for military application of artificial intelligence is to empower our commanders — the men and women who lead our formations. And how do we bring the power of AI to bear to let them do three things: make more decisions, make better decisions and make faster decisions?”
For the Army to accelerate Project Odin’s transition from R&D to a capability ready for Soldiers, C5ISR Center subject-matter experts are working directly with multiple units during experimentation events, such as Project Convergence and Transformation in Contact rotations.
“The Center’s S&T expertise is essential to delivering these tools to units. We combine technical experience, ability to interact with Soldiers in the field, partner with other Army R&D organizations, and quickly incorporate operational feedback for further improvements,” Rosen said.
Teaming the S&T community with units for persistent experimentation has been successful, as the Secretary of the Army wrote in the Army’s Posture Statement to Congress in May: “Feedback from TiC participants validated that our formations can evolve quickly when we pair the skill of developers with the warfighting ingenuity of soldiers. By adjusting how they organized and employed equipment, TiC units were able to more effectively see the battlespace, strike, and maneuver against opponent forces in training.”
Project Odin capabilities are hosted as applications on mission-command platforms such as the Android Tactical Assault Kit, commonly known as ATAK. By leveraging existing infrastructure and the Next Generation Command and Control data layer, the need for standalone single-use software across the force is eliminated.
“Odin is helping inform the Operational Modeling Tool annex to NGC2,” Rosen said. “We’re rapidly developing and experimenting to with NGC2 in mind, asking ourselves how we can leverage the NGC2 data layer to better understand the battlespace with a set of applications and services that work in concert with the overall NGC2 ecosystem.”
C5ISR Center has partnered with Army Research Laboratory and Army Corps of Engineers to take advantage of their areas of expertise in artificial intelligence, terrain data and digital modeling. The Army team has transitioned the capabilities from a concept to a fielded system in the hands of units in two years.
Experimentation with active-duty units continues to inform the program’s concepts and identify gaps.
“Project Odin quickens tactical decision cycles by removing the cognitive burden of monitoring highly synchronized plans and increasingly complex battlefields,” said Maj. Aaron Phillips, who used Odin during a recent Joint Readiness Training Center rotation. “This allows Commanders and their staffs to focus on selecting their next action, rather than tracking their current and past actions.”
Odin’s individual software components are at different levels of technical maturity, according to Steve Webster, the project’s technical lead at C5ISR Center. Some features are ready for Soldiers to use today during experimentation events like Project Convergence or Transformation in Contact rotations.
“We also have more advanced software under development earlier in the technology readiness pipeline that needs more development but is actively being informed by the experimentation we’re doing with the more mature services,” Webster said. “All of these efforts help us both in delivering capability and informing the needs for NGC2’s Operational Modeling Tools.”
One such capability in the R&D phase is Course of Action Generation, which continuously compares planned actions to real-time data — such as environmental conditions, available combat power and enemy position — to create new recommendations that guide staff to the best decisions. These Course of Action generation tools analyze information much faster than is possible for humans.
“Project Odin delivers on the Army’s need for a more data-centric command and control platform during a time of rapid technology advancements. Smarter, faster decision-making delivers lethality for Soldiers,” Webster said.
By Dan Lafontaine, C5ISR Center Public Affairs
Late this afternoon, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth signed a memorandum entitled, “Unleashing U.S. Military Drone Dominance” which is on the heals of last months’s Executive Order, 14307 “Unleashing American Drone Domination.”
Here it is in full:
When I became the Secretary of Defense, I committed to rebuild our military to match threats to capabilities. Drones are the biggest battlefield innovation in a generation, accounting for most of this year’s casualties in Ukraine. Our adversaries collectively produce millions of cheap drones each year. While global military drone production skyrocketed over the last three years, the previous administration deployed red tape. U.S. units are not outfitted with the lethal small drones the modern battlefield requires.
On June 6th, President Trump issued Executive Order 14307 to support the American drone industry and arm our warfighters. The Department of Defense is going above and beyond this order. I am rescinding restrictive policies that hindered production and limited access to these vital technologies, unleashing the combined potential of American manufacturing and warfighter ingenuity. I am delegating authorities to procure and operate drones from the bureaucracy to our warfighters.
Our mission is threefold. First, we will bolster the nascent U.S. drone manufacturing base by approving hundreds of American products for purchase by our military. Leveraging private capital flows that support this industry, our overt preference is to Buy American.
Second, we will power a technological leapfrog, arming our combat units with a variety of low-cost drones made by America’s world-leading engineers and Al experts. Drone dominance is a process race as much as a technological race. Modem battlefield innovation demands a new procurement strategy that fuses manufacturers with our frontline troops.
Finally, we’ll train as we expect to fight. To simulate the modern battlefield, senior officers must overcome the bureaucracy’s instinctive risk-aversion on everything from budgeting to weaponizing and training. Next year I expect to see this capability integrated into all relevant combat training, including force-on-force drone wars.
Emergent technologies require new funding lines. To address the urgent need for drones, investment methods outlined in Executive Order 14307 are being investigated.
The directives detailed in the attached memorandum support our industrial base, reform acquisition, and field new technology for the warfighter. Lethality will not be hindered by self-imposed restrictions, especially when it comes to harnessing technologies we invented but were slow to pursue. Drone technology is advancing so rapidly, our major risk is risk-avoidance. The Department’s bureaucratic gloves are coming off.
Signed
Peter Hegseth
Secretary of Defense
SECDEF also released this video:
It seems that all of my Drone wishes are coming true.
-Eric Graves
Founder
*emphasis added by editor
– A $9.7 million package of three standalone contracts for a defence end customer in a Latin American (LATAM) country
– Delivery and payment due Q3-Q4 2025
DroneShield (ASX:DRO) is pleased to announce it has received a package of three standalone contracts for its handheld and on-the-move counter-drone systems. The contract sum is $9.7 million, with DroneShield’s privately owned in-country reseller that is contractually required to distribute the products to a defence end customer in a LATAM country. DroneShield expects to deliver all equipment throughout Q3 and Q4 2025, with cash payment expected in Q3 and Q4 2025. No additional material conditions need to be satisfied.
DroneShield has previously received two standalone contracts from this reseller for this defence customer in December 2024 and January 2025 totalling approximately $10.8 million, with all imports, deliveries, and payments handled on-time and in a highly professional manner. There is no obligation for any additional contracts from this reseller or the customer.
Pictured: DroneShield DroneSentry-X Mk2 counter-drone system
Oleg Vornik, DroneShield CEO, commented: “In 2025, DroneShield has successfully delivered products, capability, and training into the Latin American market. With a substantial pipeline, diversified over multiple countries and customers, DroneShield is anticipating further developments in 2025 in this region.”
Learn more at droneshield.com.
