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Rheinmetall Receives Order to Modernise the German Army Combat Training Centre

November 20th, 2025

Rheinmetall has been awarded a contract by the Bundeswehr to modernise its Army Combat Training Centre (Gefechtsübungszentrum Heer, GÜZ) in Saxony-Anhalt. The main objective is to integrate the ‘Digitalisation of Land-based Operations’ (D-LBO) project into the central training facility of the land forces. The contract was booked in October 2025 and is worth around €61 million gross. The first services will also be provided in 2025, with the full integration scheduled for early 2028.

The project will have a particular focus on integrating the new digital radio system into the combat training centre. Additionally, all data provided via the battle management system will be displayed in the centre’s command and control centre. Hence, the existing radio infrastructure will be upgraded and expanded extensively. Other components of the contract include establishing a new broadband radio infrastructure using 5G technology, and integrating the Tactical Core software from Rheinmetall subsidiary Blackned into the existing communications infrastructure.

Modernisation will enhance and institutionalize training and leadership capabilities of the Bundeswehr and its NATO allies for the future. A unique multinational interoperability in the training context is being created in the Altmark region.

Once the project is complete, the standard of training at the Combat Training Centre will be elevated to a new hight. The central evaluation software of the centre already offers the option of displaying language and position. Additionally, all digital command processes of the ‘Sitaware Frontline’ and ‘HQ’ systems introduced in the Bundeswehr will now also be processed in the central training software. This allows exercises to be evaluated more comprehensively for all participants.

By the end of 2024, Rheinmetall had won several major digitalisation contracts for the Bundeswehr. Notably, these include the contract to integrate all land forces’ vehicle and platform IT systems as part of D-LBO and the contract to establish and operate the Tactical Wide Area Network for Land Based Operations (TaWAN LBO). In addition, Rheinmetall has been commissioned to supply soldier systems for the digitalisation of infantry forces. The current contract is another important step forward in this context, as it makes the German Army’s unique European training facility ‘D-LBO-ready’.

Posted in Contracts, Digitization, International, Press Release, Training | No Comments »

Milipol 25 – MKU Ltd Armored Outboard Motor Cover

November 20th, 2025

India’s MKU Limited exhibited their Armored Outboard Motor Cover for small boats.

Posted in Armor, Maritime, Milipol | No Comments »

Milipol 25 – Due Emme Spider Buckle

November 20th, 2025

Italy’s Due Emme gave us a sneak peek of their new quick release fastener for armor systems called the Spider. It can be used for both left and right handed applications.

Offered in both 40mm and 25mm versions, the Spider is IRR complaint and can be made from FR materials.

Posted in Materials, Milipol | 1 Comment »

Milipol 25 – Victorinox Special Forces Working Knife

November 20th, 2025

Victorinox displayed a prototype of a fixed blade working knife.

Featuring a 105mm blade made from 14C28N steel with a 58 HRC, the handle is polymer and offers a sticky feel for a sure grip. The knife features jumping on the spine of the blade as well as a window breaker on the protruding tang. The polymer sheath is ambidextrous.

Posted in Knives, Milipol | 1 Comment »

Milipol 25 – Heathcoat Graphene+

November 20th, 2025

Heathcoat is a fabric producer in the UK. Their Graphene+ is manufactured by an additive process which impregnates a Graphene grid to the back of the fabric. This facilitates the dissipation of heat over 50% faster than fabric which is not treated.

As you can imagine, there is interest in adding this process for clothing worn by air and ground crews as Graphese is inherently FR and the process adds no additional vulnerability to flame. Seen here is MTP printed fabric with a weight of 180g. The process only adds another 40 g per square meter.

Posted in Materials, Milipol | No Comments »

Milipol 25 – MP-SEC & Ghost Robotics

November 20th, 2025

Ghost Robotics has a tight relationship with MP-SEC in France. Not only does MP-SEC represent the Vision 60 Quadraped Unmanned Ground System and accessories, they also work with clients to outfit the Vision 60 to fill their requirements.

Often referred to colloquially as a “Robot Dog” the Vision 60 is well known to SSD readers for its ability to integrate a wide variety of lethal and sensor packages.

For example, seen above is Ghost Robotics’ new Manipulator Arm. Extendable up to 1 meter, the arm offers seamless integration with 6 Degrees of Freedom. The Vision 60 to the rear is outfitted with a sensor appliqué manufactured in-house at MP-SEC. Customizable for each user need, this version incorporates stereo thermal cameras and illuminator along with a LIDAR package. Manufactured from 6961 T6 aluminum, the sensor package is IP67 rated like the Vision 60 it is mounted to.

They’ve also integrated a system which allows the Vision 60 to carry and deploy two ReconRobotics Throwbots to get a look into tighter spaces.

Posted in Milipol, Robotics, Sensors | No Comments »

Sons of Liberty Gun Works Awarded USSOCOM Contract for MK1 Rifle

November 20th, 2025

San Antonio, TX – Sons of Liberty Gun Works (SOLGW) is proud to announce it has been awarded a contract by U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM) for the Combat Assault Rifle (CAR) program. Following a rigorous competitive evaluation, a select-fire variant of the SOLGW MK1 rifle with an 11.5-inch barrel was chosen to equip America’s most elite warfighters.

SOCOM’s evaluation demanded the highest standards of small arms performance, including extensive trials for durability, precision, reliability, and environmental resilience. The SOLGW rifle endured extreme conditions—heat, cold, dust, mud, and salt exposure—while maintaining consistent function and accuracy.

The MK1 selected by SOCOM is the result of a multi-year development effort, building upon SOLGW’s extensive experience producing ultra-reliable rifles trusted by law enforcement and civilian shooters. Every component was analyzed and refined to maximize reliability, shootability, and durability, ensuring the platform can perform anywhere in the world.

“This is an incredible honor for Sons of Liberty Gun Works and something I dreamed about when I was building my first rifles in my garage,” said Mike Mihalski, Founder of SOLGW. “Our mission has always been to build the world’s finest fighting rifles for those who go into harm’s way. To have SOCOM select our rifle after such demanding trials is the ultimate validation of that mission.”

CEO Nate Horvath added: “I am incredibly proud of our team for their effort on this project, and excited to officially share the news. The MK1 has already seen strong adoption in the commercial and law enforcement markets, where its performance advantages are immediately clear. While this milestone is significant, our team remains focused on delivering reliable, high-quality, performance-driven fighting rifles to all ofour customers. The future of the MK1 family is bright, and there is more to come.”

See why agencies like San Antonio PD, Utah Highway Patrol, Alabama Department of Law Enforcement, St. John’s Parish Sheriff’s Office and USMS Fugitive Task Forces are picking SOLGW by visiting www.sonsoflibertygw.com

Posted in Advertiser, Black Rifle, Contracts, Press Release, SOF | 19 Comments »

xTechOverwatch Competition Showcases Autonomous Capabilities

November 20th, 2025

BRYAN, Texas — U.S. Army Transformation and Training Command hosted xTechOverwatch for Unmanned Systems Oct. 27-29, 2025, at the Bush Combat Development Center – Innovation Proving Ground in Bryan, Texas, which provided industry partners and academia the ability to compete for opportunities to continue development integrated within the Army.

This invitation-only competition showcased cutting-edge autonomous unmanned system technologies from 40 selected industry teams, evaluated alongside private capital partners, as they integrate their solutions with the Army’s most lethal squads. Twenty teams were chosen to continue development with the Army.

These teams will work directly with Transformation in Contact formations from January 2026 to July 2027, providing the chance to influence the Army’s modernization strategy by accelerating autonomous capabilities.

This competitive assessment, facilitated by T2COM and key stakeholders, aimed to accelerate the adoption of autonomous systems in line with the Chief of Staff of the Army’s directive. Competitors demonstrated their air, ground, payload, and collaborative autonomy technologies on situational training lanes, providing a real-world assessment of their capabilities.

“xTechOverwatch was incredibly successful for the Army,” Lt. Col. Nick Rinaldi, competition lead, Army Applications Laboratory, said. “Having the entire ‘materiel kill chain’ as evaluators invested in the outcome was critical to the speed of decisions on which technologies were most suited to move into a TiC formation.”

Rinaldi continued, “this was a microcosm of how we have to do business. We have to engage industry on real problems we’re trying to solve, get their capabilities in a place where Soldier formations can actually use the equipment in context and in concert with other capabilities, and then make decision quickly.”

A critical component of this approach is the rapid fielding of experimental technologies to active-duty units. The competitors selected will be under contract within 60 days to work directly with the formations training cycle. This allows Soldiers to experiment with prototypes and provide crucial feedback, driving iterative improvements.

By exposing warfighters to cutting-edge advancements, the Army empowers them to adapt, anticipate challenges, and maintain relevance in the modern battlespace. Delaying this process risks forcing Soldiers to learn how to use these capabilities under the pressure of combat.

– US Army T2COM Public Affairs

Posted in AI / ML, Army, Guest Post, Robotics | No Comments »