This is a fine showing from my friend Alpendrms.
You Never Know Where They’ll Show Up
March 9th, 2025Royal Navy Procures New Rifle for Specialist Commando Operations
March 8th, 2025
Royal Marines from the UK Commando Force have been issued a new rifle for specialist operations, including counter-terrorism.
More than 1,500 Sig Sauer MCX rifles have been purchased by the Navy, enabled by Edgar Brothers, as part of continued investment in the Commando Force.
The rifle is well-suited for the specialist counter-UK terrorism roles of the Commando Force, replacing rifles produced by Colt Canada as part of £6m Navy investment.
It is designed to complement the Commandos’ new general use weapon, the Knights Armament Stoner 1 (KS-1), that was announced in September 2023.
The addition of the MCX is another milestone in the UK Commando Force transformation – giving the UK Commando Force the operational edge for Special Operations around the globe.
Lieutenant Colonel Olly Osborne, of the Commando Force Programme team, said: “These rifles reinforce the commitment of the Navy and Defence to our transformation, and the value the Commando Force provides to our national and international security.
“This is an excellent period of investment in the force and provides great confidence through exceptional task specific modern weaponry.”
The Sig MCX brings a level of versatility well-suited to the unique requirements of the Commando Force, which is tasked with operating in a wide range of extreme environments around the globe ahead of the main allied forces.
The Commandos have put the system through strenuous testing during force-on-force exercises and live firing drills – allowing the future users to train under realistic conditions.
The MCX will be used by Commando Forces operating with the Royal Navy’s Littoral Response Groups – which bring together amphibious ships, aircraft, vehicles and Commandos under one potent force designed to provide a global Crisis Response and Special Operations capability.
The rifle was procured under the auspices of Project Hay – named in tribute to Ronnie Hay, a legendary fighter pilot and Royal Marine of World War 2 who epitomised the daring of the Commandos during raids on Nazi-occupied territory.
As the only Royal Marines fighter ace, Hay flew combat sorties in the Fleet Air Arm, earning multiple decorations for his aerial victories and ground-attack missions.
His distinguished service included pivotal roles in the Dunkirk evacuation, the Battle of Britain, the Mediterranean campaign during Operation Torch, and the Far East, where he led one of the Fleet Air Arm’s largest operations and supported the assault on Okinawa.
Hay’s remarkable legacy inspired the cutting-edge capabilities delivered through Project Hay, as the Royal Marines continue to redefine their role as an advanced raiding force.
Under the project, Commandos were able to thoroughly field-test systems and provide feedback on their performance. This was instrumental in shaping the final configurations of the fielded MCX. This user feedback was inspired by Project Hunter – which led the procurement of the KS-1 rifle.
This is a press release from the Royal Navy.
General Atomics Awarded Contract From General Dynamics Electric Boat for Virginia-Class Payload Tube Manufacturing
March 8th, 2025SAN DIEGO, February 24, 2025 – General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems (GA-EMS) announced today that it has been awarded a contract from General Dynamics Electric Boat to fabricate and deliver three shipsets of Virginia Payload Tubes (VPT) to be utilized on Block VI Virginia-class submarines. Each shipset includes two payload tubes. Under the terms of the contract, GA-EMS will complete delivery of the VPTs by the end of 2030.
“This contract follows a 2023 contract award for a single VPT shipset that qualified GA-EMS as a viable supplier with proven manufacturing capability to fabricate and deliver complex, safety-critical components for use on Navy submarines,” stated Scott Forney, president of GA-EMS. “We are excited to continue working with Electric Boat to apply our world-class fabrication and precision machining capabilities, experienced program management, and engineering and quality assurance expertise to help ensure the VPTs are available on time to support an aggressive Virginia-class build schedule.”
“As the submarine industrial base continues to expand amid supply chain and workforce retention challenges, we look forward to providing the critical capacity necessary to support multi-year procurement and sustainment programs such as this,” stated Rolf Ziesing, vice president of GA-EMS Maritime Programs. “Under multiple contract awards and over several decades, we’ve been recognized for our expertise in developing and delivering components and systems for the Navy’s surface warships, including the first of kind Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch and Advanced Arresting Gear systems for Ford-class carriers. We have undertaken continuous expansion of our manufacturing capabilities and footprint, while developing a highly skilled workforce at our Tupelo and Iuka, Mississippi manufacturing facilities. GA-EMS is well positioned to be a valued, stable resource for the development and production of complex components like the VPTs in support of the Navy’s subsurface and surface shipbuilding enterprise.”
Blue Force Gear Presents: Between 2 Targets – Jared Reston
March 8th, 2025In this video Chris Sizelove and Jared Reston sit down for a conversation about gunfighting, mindset, and winning. Jared is a seasoned law enforcement veteran with over 20 years of service at Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. Since retiring in 2020, he now travels the nation teaching firearms and tactics to prepared citizens, military personnel, and law enforcement agencies.
Jared’s perspective was forever altered in 2008 during what began as a routine shoplifter pursuit at Jacksonville’s Regency Square Mall. The confrontation turned deadly when the suspect produced a Glock 21 and shot Jared seven times. Despite taking rounds to his jaw, body armor, thigh, and other areas, Jared maintained his composure and returned fire effectively, neutralizing the threat. This watershed moment has radically impacted Jared’s life and inspired him to share training techniques with others through his training company, Reston Group Training.
Since this event, Jared has been an advocate for mindset. His training philosophy is clear: the goal in a lethal confrontation isn’t merely to survive—it’s to win. “I hate the term surviving,” he explains. “To me, survival is what you do if you crash your car in the woods and drink your pee and eat berries… a gunfight is a high-stakes game, and games have to have a winner.”
The conversation delves into the importance of shot placement and the resilience of the human body during traumatic injuries. Jared notes that while the human body is a large target, the areas that will immediately stop a threat are surprisingly small. Disrupting brain or heart function is about the only way to neutralize a threat.
Chris and Jared agree that proper mindset, weapon manipulation skills, and marksmanship are critical components in prevailing in armed confrontations. The function of training is to make fundamental skills so automatic that your mental bandwidth can be dedicated entirely to solving the immediate problem rather than worrying about manipulating your weapon.
Reston Group Training offers numerous open enrollment classes for civilians and professionals. Jared can also be found in New Hampshire at Ridgeline Defense, which he describes as “the Disney World of the shooting realm.” Even though Ridgeline is known for precision long-range shooting they now offer a wide variety of training including CQB.
For more information on Jared, visit his website.
Presidio of Monterey Soldiers Exchange AMC Shoulder Sleeve Insignia for ICoE SSI
March 8th, 2025PRESIDIO OF MONTEREY, Calif. (Mar. 4, 2025) – Soldiers assigned to the Presidio of Monterey recently marked the transition from the U.S. Army Materiel Command to the U.S. Army Intelligence Center of Excellence during a traditional patching ceremony in the PoM headquarters building. The five soldiers exchanged their AMC shoulder sleeve insignia patches for the ICoE patch, signifying their integration into the ICoE command.
The re-patching was prompted by the January 2025 EXORD 123-25 by the Secretary of the Army, “Update to U.S. Army Installation Management Structure.” This alignment reduces bureaucracy, clarifies responsibilities, and unifies efforts under a single command.
Maj. Gen. Richard Appelhans, commanding general of ICoE and Fort Huachuca, addressed soldiers at both locations via video teleconference from Arizona. “More than just symbolic, this patching is about creating unity of command and unity of effort,” Appelhans said. “Despite the many challenges, you accomplish the mission daily, delivering first-class service and support to your communities.”
Col. Dan Artino, Presidio of Monterey garrison commander, said the ceremony marks a significant milestone. “This transition reaffirms our commitment to the warfighters, families, and civilians who train, work, and live on our installation,” Artino said.
The alignment, Artino said, will integrate ICoE’s mission priorities with PoM’s service integration. “This move strengthens our relationship with our senior commander, Maj. Gen. Appelhans, and allows for even greater collaboration and support,” he said.
With the transition complete, the Presidio of Monterey stands ready to support the broader transformation, modernization and readiness of the U.S. Army.
By Jennifer Leggett
SIG SAUER – The Truth About the P320
March 7th, 2025
NEWINGTON, N.H., (March 7, 2025) – The P320 CANNOT, under any circumstances, dischargewithout a trigger pull – that is a fact. The allegations against the P320 are nothing more than individuals seeking to profit or avoid personal responsibility.
Recently, anti-gun groups, members of the mainstream media, trial attorneys, and other uninformed and agenda-driven parties have launched attacks on one of SIG SAUER’s most trusted, most tested, and most popular products – the P320 pistol. In all cases, these individuals have an ulterior motive behind their baseless allegations that the P320 can fire without a trigger pull; they have no evidence, no data and no empirical testing to support any of their claims. They instead choose to misrepresent clear, negligent discharges as a “design problem.”
In the decade since its introduction, the P320 has undergone the most rigorous testing and evaluation of any firearm, by military and law enforcement agencies around the world. It consistently delivers a proven record of performance and reliability through state-of-the-art engineering, and documented quality control at every stage of its production. Claims that unintended discharges are anything more than negligent handling and/or manufactured lies to support an anti-gun, anti-SIG agenda are false. Furthermore, lawsuits claiming that the P320 is capable of firing without the trigger being pulled have been dismissed in courtrooms around the country. In addition, multiple plaintiffs’ so-called experts have conceded, it is not possible for the P320 to discharge unless the trigger is fully actuated.
The rhetoric is high, and we can no longer stay silent while lawsuits run their course, and clickbait farming, engagement hacking grifters continue their campaign to highjack the truth for profit. Enough is enough. From the courts of law to the court of public opinion we will combat the lies and misinformation with the truth. SIG SAUER stands behind the quality, safety, and design of all our products – especially the P320.
Industry, take notice; what’s happening today to SIG SAUER with the anti-gun mob and their lawfare tactics will happen tomorrow at another firearms manufacturer, and then another.
Today, for SIG SAUER – it ends.
Orbit Launches the MPT30Ka Deployable SATCOM System: A Rapid-Deployment Multi-Purpose Satellite Communication Terminal for Military Forces
March 7th, 2025
Satellite DC, March 11-13 2025, Walter E Washington Convention Center, Booth #1713
March 05, 2025 – Orbit Communication Systems Ltd. (TASE: ORBI), a leading global provider of ground, airborne and maritime SATCOM terminals, tracking ground station solutions, and mission-critical communication management systems, is launching the MPT30Ka Deployable SATCOM System, a cutting-edge Multi-Porpuse satellite communication terminal (MPT) designed for rapid deployment in the field. Based on the battle-proven MPT30 platform, this innovative system ensures uninterrupted and secure connectivity for military forces operating in dynamic and complex environments.
The MPT30Ka Deployable system is designed as man-portable for an easy field deployment of a SATCOM terminal featuring a roll-on/roll-off capability. This capability provides military forces with the flexibility to establish a high-performance SATCOM link in minutes, ensuring real-time data transmission, secure voice communications, and live video streaming even in GPS-denied environments.
The MPT30Ka Deployable delivers seamless connectivity across diverse terrains, supporting GEO, MEO, LEO, and HEO satellites for global coverage. With high EIRP and G/T values, it enables efficient broadband communication even at low elevation angles. Its high EIRP Spectral Density (EIRPsd) characteristics allows for reduced bandwidth allocation and makes it a perfect choice for military customers with large fleet of SATCOM systems. Optimized for military operations, the system meets MIL-STD compliance and is ruggedized to operate in extreme conditions. Itsplug-and-play functionality ensures rapid activation with a single-button setup, allowing forces to establish a stable SATCOM link within minutes. Designed for mission-critical reliability, the terminal operates even under GPS jamming and spoofing conditions. Additionally, its compact, lightweight, and power-efficient design enhances availability while reducing operational costs and satellite resources.
The MPT30Ka system variants can be mounted on mobile platforms such as vehicles or and vessels making it an ideal solution for modern mobile defense forces.
Daniel Eshchar, Orbit’s CEO commented: “In today’s battlefield, satellite communication is not just an advantage—it is a necessity. Forces require resilient, high-performance connectivity to ensure mission success. The MPT30Ka Deployable SATCOM system delivers precisely that: a robust, continuous, and high-quality communication link that keeps troops connected under any conditions. This system plays a critical role in modern warfare, providing the reliability and flexibility essential for operational superiority”.
New Online Emergency Trauma Care Training from CTOMS Academy
March 7th, 2025CTOMS™ is please to announce the release of three new online training bundles for civilians. These course bundles are designed to help prepare citizens to respond to trauma casualties in emergency or crisis situations. They include detailed courses on scene safety, the assessment and treatment of major trauma casualties, emergency bleeding control, airway and respiratory management, and hypothermia management.
Like all CTOMS™ Academy e-training, these bundles make use of video demonstrations, lab footage, and 3-D animations for enhanced student engagement and understanding.
The Wilderness Responder, Industrial Responder, and Prepared Citizen Responder bundles are available now from CTOMS™ Academy.
Use code SSD25 for 25% off al CTOMS Academy online training.
Visit CTOMS™ for more information.
