Welcome to SOF Week 2025, presented by Global SOF Foundation.
There have already been several new product announcements associated with the show and we’ve got even more to share with you.
2025 Special Operations Force Week
May 6th, 2025Test Drive an AttackPAK at SOF Week
May 6th, 2025We’ve improved everything about carrying heavy battle kit.
AttackPAK builds better kit for soldiers, focused on improving the ergonomics of carrying heavy equipment, enhancing human performance, and preventing injury. Too many dudes are living life in pain caused by carrying heavy equipment improperly with all of the weight of their kit on their shoulders and spine, resulting in crushed spinal discs and nerve damage. It doesn’t matter how much you work-out spinal discs and nerves don’t get stronger. One miss step can be a career ender.
The human body is better suited to carry heavy equipment on the stronger hips and legs like mountaineers have been doing for decades. Until the AttackPAK Integrated Load Carriage that hasn’t been possible. Gun belts, body armor, and backpacks are not compatible so soldiers don’t use the pack belt, and tie it out of the way. This design fixes that and improves everything that is flawed with legacy packs.
Improvements:
– Better ergonomics
– Lighter weight
– Less expensive
– Easier to balance
– Quick ditch, easy don
– Mission adaptable
– Upgrades legacy equipment
The system is built with a 2oz Gravity Pocket™ on the back of your gun belt, combined with a 6oz Spine™ that goes into your plate carrier to redistribute the weight of your plate carrier off your shoulders and onto your hips. A 16oz Spine™ goes into your ruck and also plugs into the Gravity Pocket™. Both Spines™ quick ditch and are easy to don by yourself.
Email for a meeting this week
Octasic Unleashes Wraith for Covert Tactical Uncrewed Missions
May 6th, 2025Wraith Mod Payload family of RF and wireless solutions to accelerate deployments of
new advanced covert mission capabilities across airborne and maritime UxS platforms
Montreal, Canada — May 6, 2025 — Octasic Inc. and Octasic US Inc. today announced its collaborative launch of Wraith, a portfolio of ‘Mod Payload’ ultra-compact, multi-mission solutions that bring specialized radio frequency and other wireless functions to the modern signals intelligence warfighter.
Purpose-built to meet the USSOCOM Modular Payload Standard, Wraith solves many tactical edge issues all at once, including reliability, interchangeability and maintainability, faster in-field replacements, and a reduction in life cycle costs for all relevant EW/EA, SIGINT, PSYOPS/CMAS, C5ISR, and Cyber systems.
“Wraith embodies our vision for the next generation of modular, mission-adaptable payloads,” said Sébastien Leblanc, CEO of Octasic. “It delivers the advanced wireless capabilities forces need to protect, deter, and respond with precision across today’s complex operational environments.”
“Spectrum dominance starts with the right payloads on the right platforms,” said Greg Gerou, President and General Manager of Octasic US. “Wraith is engineered to help our partners close capability gaps and maintain operational advantage in a fast-moving threat environment.”
Recognized globally by public and national security organizations, Octasic is seeking to expand its wireless signal processing and advanced 5G SA detection, localization, and geolocation capabilities to the defense market.
Wraith solutions address this by leveraging the deep Octasic expertise in highly integrated Software Defined Radio (SDR) technologies that offer best-in-class low size, weight, and power payload designs for Uncrewed Aerial Systems (UAS), Uncrewed Surface Vehicles (USVs), Uncrewed Underwater Vehicles (UUVs), and even larger crewed airborne craft.
The Wraith payload system roadmap includes a range of RF Front End options to meet mission altitude and performance requirements.
To reduce the time and complexity for crews to swap capabilities down range ‘modularity’ is the winning strategy. It enables incremental improvements of components, subsystems, software, and mixing-and-matching capabilities according to objectives. The arsenal of the future is a drone fleet that benefits from updatable software libraries and plug-and-play payloads.
Wraith will be showcased at Octasic Booth #1317 during SOF Week in Tampa, Florida, from May 6–8, 2025.
Availability: General availability of Wraith is expected by Q4, 2025.
Wilcox Announces Two New Additions to our Line of Weapon Mounts
May 6th, 2025NEWINGTON, NH, May 5th, 2025 –Wilcox Industries Corp. is pleased to announce two new additions to our line of weapon mounts.
The Flip-Pivot Mount allows for the integration of a thermal weapon sight [TWS] or night vision device [NVD] onto a Mounted Machine Gun Optic [MMO]. Additionally, the TWS or the NVD can be flipped up and rotated 180 degrees to be used separately as a 1x rear viewing standalone optic, providing a new option of flexibility and overall performance.
The FWS-I Side Flip Mount is designed to be interoperable with an array of weapon platforms that utilize a MIL-STD 1913 or NATO 4694 Rail. The FWS-I uses force-to-overcome to quickly flip your monocular away from your weapon optic during operation.
Both the Flip-Pivot Mount & FWS-I Side Flip Mount will be available for live demonstrations at Booth #1804 during SOF Week 2025 in Tampa, FL, from May 5th to May 8th. Wilcox Product Experts will be on hand to provide additional information throughout the show.
For More Information
For information on these or other Wilcox Products, please visit our website at www.wilcoxind.com or call 603-431-1331.
BFG Talks Tariff Impacts
May 6th, 2025
POOLER, GA. – Blue Force Gear, Inc., the world leader in load carriage equipment innovation, confirms that the tariff talks this year have had no operational or pricing impacts to their brand while reaffirming their longstanding commitment to Made In America manufacturing.
“Since our beginnings in 2004, Blue Force Gear hasproudly manufactured our products on American soil, using American materials, while employing American workers,” said Ashley Burnsed, CEO of Blue Force Gear. “Our commitment to serve the U.S. Armed Forces and U.S. law-abiding citizens with Berry Amendment Compliant goods has always been a central principle of our brand.”
The Berry Amendment requires that gear manufacturers supplying to the Department of Defense must use domestically produced textiles, materials, and components throughout their manufacturing process. Blue Force Gear has producedstate of the art Berry Compliant goods for over two decades, ensuring complete American production from raw materials to finished goods.
As international trade tensions build, and global supply chains and foreign-made equipment faces increased import tariffs, Blue Force Gear remains unaffected due to their “Always Made In America” business standard.
“While others now scramble to relocate production or face rising costs, our customers can continue to count on the same reliable, high-quality equipment with NO PRICE INCREASES related to tariffs,” said Ashley Burnsed. “By maintaining domestic control over our supply chain, we’ve built resilience against global disruptions like the current tariff situation. This allows us to maintain consistent quality, pricing, and delivery timelines for our military, law enforcement, and civilian customers.”
Located in Pooler, GA, Blue Force Gear currently employs over 100 American workers and supports jobs for hundreds more. Blue Force Gear’s vision statement to “Empower everyday heroes with superior mindset, knowledge, and equipment needed to prevail in critical circumstances” is carried out not only by their team of Americans but also by those who trust their lives to BFG.
For more information about Blue Force Gear or any of their product offerings, visit their website: www.blueforcegear.com.
US Army, Philippine Air Force Test Counter-Drone Systems at Balikatan 2025
May 6th, 2025
SAN ANTONIO, Zambales, Philippines — The 1st Multi-Domain Task Force recently conducted tests of their Integrated Fires Protection Capability High-Powered Microwave, or IFPC-HPM, and Fixed Site-Low, Slow, Small Unmanned Aerial System Integrated Defeat System, or FS-LIDS, in a combined joint integrated air and missile defense live-fire exercise at Naval Station Leovigildo Gantioqui, April 28, 2025.
The 1st MDTF Soldiers were joined by members of the Philippine Air Force, 960th Air and Missile Defense Group — who participated as part of the Subject Matter Expert Exchange program — and by U.S. Marines with the 3rd Littoral Anti-Air Battalion’s Ground-Based Air Defense Battery who employed the Marine Air Defense Integrated System during this multi-day live-fire event.
“This is a great opportunity for joint training alongside our short-range air defense counterparts from the U.S. Marines,” said U.S. Army Capt. Bray McCollum, battery commander of 1-51 ADA’s Integrated Fires Protection Capability battery.
This is the first time the Army’s IFPC-HPM has been employed in the Indo-Pacific and tested in a tropical environment. This advanced equipment supports the U.S.-Philippine alliance through enhancing combined military cooperation and advancing our shared commitment to a secure, stable, and free Indo-Pacific region for all.
The IFPC-HPM is a directed energy weapon system that emits a beam of microwave energy that can disrupt, disable or destroy unmanned aerial systems. The IFPC-HPM is the first material released directed energy weapon system specifically designed to counter groups and swarms of drones. The 1st MDTF was the first unit to field the HPMs in February 2024 and has since been conducting tests across a range of environments.
In another first for the Indo-Pacific region, the IFPC-HPM and FS-LIDS were used together in a complementary system. FS-LIDS is another counter-UAS capability that has been operationally deployed in the Middle East for the past decade. Together with the IFPC-HPM it can be used for the sensing, tracking, and disabling of UAS while allowing IFPC-HPM operators to gain positive identification of the UAS target using its electro-optical infrared camera. Both systems can be used to disable the targets. This creates a layered defense of non-kinetic effects to defeat small UAS.
“During this test, we were able to demonstrate that we can successfully defeat drone swarms in a tropical environment using layered effects,” said McCollum.
The results of the test will be analyzed by the Rapid Capabilities and Critical Technologies Office who manage the development, prototyping and testing of the Army’s Directed Energy weapons. The results will be used to improve the effectiveness in countering UAS swarms and help inform the Army’s future force requirements.
Members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines learned about the IFPC-HPM and FS-LIDS as part of the Subject Matter Expert Exchange program, strengthening their partnership with the U.S. and giving them the skills that could enhance their role in national defense.
“This is a great opportunity to show our Philippine allies the cutting-edge capabilities that the U.S. Army has in development,” said McCollum, “This training demonstrates our commitment to strengthening our ties with our Indo-Pacific allies and partners.”
As a theater-level unit and joint force enabler, assigned to the Indo-Pacific, the 1st MDTF plays a vital role in synchronizing long-range precision fires layered with long-range precision effects to create multiple dilemmas and neutralize adversary anti-access and area denial networks. The MDTF’s proven innovation, agility, and lethality have led the Army to direct five full MDTFs in strategically significant locations worldwide.
Balikatan is a longstanding annual exercise between the U.S. and Philippine armed forces designed to strengthen the alliance, showcase the capable combined force, and demonstrate the commitment to regional security and stability.
By MAJ Ian Sandall
Kraken Technology Group to Display K3 SCOUT at SOF Week 2025
May 5th, 2025Friday 02 May 2025, Hampshire, UK – Kraken Technology Group will make its US debut at SOF Week 2025 in Tampa, Florida, where it will showcase its signature uncrewed naval platform, the K3 SCOUT. With full production manufacturing already underway in two UK facilities, Kraken is now delivering batch production runs to NATO countries, spearheading a shift towards modular, rapidly scalable maritime capabilities built for today’s complex naval environments.
Kraken will be on display with AV at Level 3: Stand 621, showcasing a full-scale modular payload integrated with AV’s Titan C-UASTM and HaloNav GPS-denied navigation solution. The full K3 SCOUT capability will also be on display at the docks outside the Tampa Convention Centre, with high-performance demonstrations taking place each day, Tuesday, May 6 through Thursday, May 8, at Noon EDT. This demonstration will highlight the K3 SCOUT’s interchangeable payload bay, featuring both a manual pilot module for crewed missions and the integration of AV’s HaloSwarm AI-enabled swarm logic technology for uncrewed operations.
Since its establishment in 2020, Kraken has grown to over 100 employees and will launch four more international facilities in the next 12 months. The company’s rapid expansion is due to Kraken’s high-speed, autonomous systems offering an agile alternative capable of undertaking persistent missions at scale. By delivering affordable, versatile platforms that extend the reach and resilience of naval forces, Kraken is redefining what is possible in littoral and open-sea operations and establishing itself as a key solution in the next chapter of maritime defence.
NAVAIR IZLID Ultra Airborne Kit Initial Fielding Deliverables Complete
May 5th, 2025
MAY 1, 2025 (Redmond, WA) – B.E. Meyers & Co., Inc., a Defense Technology Manufacturer specializing in advanced photonic solutions and Laser Aiming Devices for military, law enforcement, consumer, and aerospace applications worldwide,has completed their contract with Naval Air Systems Command (PMA-242, NAVAIR). Under this contract, the company deliveredtheir IZLID® Ultra Airborne Kits (NSN: 5860-01-697-2989) as the new standard infrared laser aiming and illumination system for USN and USMC aviation fleet weapons platforms in support of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The congressionally funded $7 million contract for new aviation infrared laser aiming devices (AILAD) supports the GAU-17 (M134), GAU-21 (M3M), M240D, and other weapons across equipped rotary wing, tilt rotor,and other aircraft platforms. B.E. Meyers & Co., Inc. supported NAVAIR in partnership with ADS, Inc., a Tailored Logistics Support (TLS) provider in the fall of 2024.
NAVAIR, the managing logistics and support entity for the U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Navy aviation fleet, has determined that its currently fielded Infrared Laser Aiming Devices have exceeded their service life. These Infrared Laser Aiming Devices are critical tools that support Aerial Gunnery, Targeting, Obstacle/Hazard Identification, and help facilitate Air-to-Ground Integration missions.
The IZLID Ultra, Airborne Kit, (NSN: 5860-01-697-2989) is suited for greater visibility by ground elements as well as providing greater target identification at increased ranges. This allows USN and USMC aviation assets to identify and target battlefield threats across the full spectrum of operations and a range of environmental conditions. Additionally, the increased power allowed for improvements in laser aiming capability when paired with crew-served weapons that emit a high photonic barrier, allowing the operator to maintain visibility of their reference laser on target.
This agreement generated a significant impact to production and manufacturing capabilities of B.E. Meyers & Co., Inc. and 41 other suppliers across the nation. Providing hundreds of US job opportunities and technological advancements that support national security.
Features and Specifications
The IZLID® Ultra Airborne Kit is based on a the IZLID® Ultra high-power infrared laser device most notably used in air-to-ground integration roles, with up to 1-Watt of near infrared power for on target marking and for long-range communication while using night vision devices. Powered by (2) CR123 batteries, the IZLID Ultra Airborne Kit has low-power, high-power, and pulse settings and can be configured as either a pointer or narrow divergence illuminator dependent on end-user requirements. This system can be mounted to any MILSTD-1913 rail and comes with two remote activation options.
The IZLID® Ultra series of laser systems, like all B.E. Meyers & Co. products, are proudly Made in the USA. This system is currently in production available for sale to MIL/GOV entities in the US and internationally and is ITAR-controlled.
For more information on the IZLID® Ultra Airborne Kit (NSN: 5860-01-697-2989) and other innovative laser solutions from B.E. Meyers & Co., please visit bemeyers.com or email sales@bemeyers.com.
