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Galvion Introduces CORTEX EVO as Next Step in Integrated Head Systems at SOF Week 2026

May 14th, 2026

Galvion, a world leader in the design and manufacture of innovative head systems, power and data management solutions, and integrated soldier systems, will showcase the continued evolution of its CORTEX™ architecture at SOF Week 2026 (Booth #1739, May 18–21), featuring the introduction of its CORTEX EVO™ system.

First introduced at SOF Week 2025 as a new category of intelligent, headborne systems, CORTEX established a framework for integrating power, data and processing at the operator level. At SOF Week 2026, Galvion is extending that foundation with a more deeply integrated approach, bringing together multiple capability pathways within a single headborne architecture.

CORTEX EVO embeds power distribution, data connectivity and processing directly within the helmet structure. This approach reduces reliance on externally mounted components and enables more seamless interaction between sensing, visual and communication systems. The system architecture combines a ballistic core, embedded power and data pathways, and a lightweight composite shell structure—reflecting a deliberate approach to integration. It rethinks component design and system architecture to preserve the size, weight and performance characteristics expected of a ballistic helmet, while establishing a compact, scalable foundation for future configurations across platforms.

At the core of the system is Galvion’s AlertCentr™ software, which enables mission-relevant data to be delivered and managed at the headborne level. Integrated within TAK-based environments, AlertCentr™ supports configurable visual and audio cueing, allowing operators to access and act on critical information without diverting attention to secondary devices.

The system presented at SOF Week integrates multiple capability elements within the CORTEX architecture, including:

• Visual augmentation: TAK video, sensor feeds and navigation integrations

• Sensing and awareness: Detection and identification capabilities supporting enhanced threat awareness

• Audio and communication: Digital headset integration enabling configurable alerts and system- level interaction

• Power and data infrastructure: A unified architecture enabling scalable subsystem integration

These capabilities are enabled through an open architecture approach, allowing both Galvion-developed and third-party technologies to operate within a single system environment.

As part of this expanding ecosystem, Galvion continues to collaborate with selected industry partners aligned to the CORTEX architecture. Sentinel Photonics contributes advanced laser threat detection capabilities; Adventure Lights provides identification friend-or-foe signaling and intermediary laser detection; Thermoteknix supports optical and fused imaging integration; and Distance Technologies contributes to advanced visual augmentation pathways that support the evolution of headborne display and visualization capabilities. These collaborations reflect Galvion’s approach to building interoperable, system-level solutions that evolve with user requirements.

Jonathan Blanshay, Founder & Executive Chairman at Galvion, said: “Protection of the Warfighter drives everything that we do, but how we define protection has shifted significantly over the past 20 years. We’ve pushed far beyond passive protection—expanding capability, integrating systems, and reducing the burden on the operator to increase survivability and lethality. CORTEX EVO is the strongest expression of that thinking to date. It reimagines what a helmet can be, uniting protection, power, data and compute as a purpose-built platform.” Blanshay added: “Designing for the digitized soldier demands modularity, scalability, and upgradability, and the EVO delivers on all three. It benefits from years of advanced design, research, development programs, and millions of helmets fielded. All of the insights gained from engaging with our end-users across the globe have influenced CORTEX EVO, and we’re incredibly excited to be showcasing the system at SOF Week.”

Posted in Helmets, Press Release, SOF Week | No Comments »

Wing Group Showcases Integrated Maritime and Survival Systems at SOF Week 2026

May 14th, 2026

The Wing Group is out in force at SOF Week in Tampa, with the Mustang Survival trailer located in the outdoor pavilion at booth 4313, Wing Inflatables on the pier at docks 26/27, and additional presence inside the convention hall alongside SOAL Marine and Kraka at booth 2500. Wing partner brands and products can also be found throughout the event across multiple exhibitor locations.

The portfolio spans combatant craft from Wing Inflatables—currently fielded by U.S. Army and Naval Special Warfare units—alongside aviation-grade life rafts from Patten, and flotation and technical apparel from Mustang Survival. Notably, elements of these platforms supported NASA’s Artemis II recovery operations.

Also on display is Kokatat’s AP-PPE chemical and biological protective garment system, built with GORE® CHEMPAK® fabrics, expanding the group’s capabilities into CBRN protective apparel.

Together, the brands highlight Wing’s role as an integrated provider of mission-critical equipment for operations on and around the water. The Wing Groupwill host a joint happy hour with PROJECT R3CON at the trailer on Tuesday, May 19 at 16:00 in support of the SOF community.

Posted in Industry, Maritime, Press Release, SOF Week | No Comments »

Beyond Clothing Chosin Collection: L8 Extreme Cold Weather System

May 14th, 2026

Beyond Clothing has introduced the Chosin Collection, a fourpiece L8 Extreme Cold Weather (ECW) system designed for operations in extreme cold environments where prolonged, stationary exposure makes heat retention crucial for survival. While the ECWCS 1-7 Layering System provides scalable protection across a broad range of conditions, it is not appropriate for sustained static exposure in the Arctic or High North Environments. The Chosin Collection was developed to fill that capability gap with additional insulation and protection for extended cold weather operations.

Above: By Photo by Corporal Peter McDonald, USMC – [1] (originally uploaded to en.wiki by Raul654), Public Domain, commons.wikimedia.org/w/index

The name Chosin refers the Korean War’s Battle of Chosin Reservoir, the coldest battle fought by U.S. forces, where temperatures fell as low as ?36°F and environmental exposure caused thousands of nonbattle casualties. The Chosin system is designed with that tragic lesson in mind: eliminate the environmental enemy so the warfighter can focus on the mission.

Integrated System Design and Testing

The Chosin Collection is a fully integrated system, with each component precisely engineered to complement the others. All features—like the ergonomic zipper pulls, pocket geometry on the bibs, and mapped insulation patterns in the mitts—were intentionally designed to work together when layered over a complete ECWCS configuration.

The system has undergone extensive testing and evaluation by Beyond Clothing personnel and end users across a wide range of coldweather environments, including ANWR, Alaska; Warroad, Minnesota; Bemidji, Minnesota; the Swiss Alps; and other global coldweather locations. Testing emphasized longduration static exposure, sustainment tasks, packability, and thermal retention overhighoutput movement.

Above: Beyond Clothing team testing multiple prototype variations of the Chosin ECW Mitt and Overboot.

Chosin Collection system highlights include:

• Laboratory stress tested to validate insulation and material performance

• Built to maximize warfighter lethality by minimizing environmental degradation

• Maximum packability for warmth-to-weight ratio

• Optimized for full mechanical mobility during static and lowoutput operations

• Rigorously tested by endusers in realworld cold environments

Above: Beyond Clothing team testing prototypes of the L8 Chosin ECW Parka and Bib.

Integrated L8 Polar Insulation

The Chosin Collection is a true ECWCS Level 8 (Polar Insulation) system for use when movement is limited, and maximum thermal retention is required. Unlike active insulation layers designed for movement, Chosin prioritizes wind blockage, full coverage, and heat retention during static and lowoutput operations.

The system consists of four components:

• Chosin ECW Parka

• Chosin ECW Bib

• Chosin ECW Mitt

• Chosin ECW Overboot

All components are Made in the USA, Berry Amendment compliant, and designed to layer over standard ECWCS ensembles.

Chosin ECW Parka

The Chosin ECW Parka is the system anchor and provides full upperbody protection from extreme cold exposure. It features a WINDSTOPPER® by GORETEX LABS shell combined with 10oz of Climashield® Apex insulation to prevent wind penetration and reduce convective heat loss.

An adjustable hood with a removable fur ruff provides facial protection from the elements, while insulated draft flaps minimize cold intrusion around zippers and cuffs. Bodymapped insulation balances warmth and mobility during extended static use.

Chosin ECW Bib

Designed to pair directly with the Chosin ECW Parka, the Chosin ECW Bib insulates and protects the lowerbody for prolonged cold exposure. Built with a WINDSTOPPER shell and Climashield Apex insulation, the bib can be worn over existing layers without restricting movement.

Fulllength, twoway side zippers allow rapid donning and doffing without removing boots and provide ventilation. Cordura® reinforced highwear areas improve durability during seated or kneeling observation, specifically for protection against use with crampons, snowshoes, or skies.

Chosin ECW Mitt

The Chosin ECW Mitt is a lightweight, highly packable solution for extreme cold hand protection. Insulated with Climashield Apex and lined with NATIVA™ Regen merino wool, the mitt emphasizes warmthtoweight efficiency for polar environments.

An extended gauntlet seals over outerwear sleeves, while grip zones and windblocking panels concentrate insulation in high heatloss areas. The design supports dexterity for tasks using ice axes, ski poles and during the use of snow machines, while prioritizing heat retention during static operations.

Chosin ECW Overboot

The Chosin ECW Overboot was developed to address one of the longstanding limitations of legacy extreme cold footwear: excessive weight and bulk that degrade mobility and endurance.

Traditional overboots designed for arctic use often prioritize insulation at the expense of mass, resulting in footwear that is cumbersome to move in, fatigues over time, and is impractical for extended dismounted operations.

In contrast, the Chosin ECW Overboot delivers significant cold-weather insulation at a fraction of the weight typically associated with legacy systems. Designed to fit over issued boots, it combines EVA foam insulation with compressible high-loft materials to retain warmth while remaining exceptionally lightweight and low profile.

The result is an overboot that improves thermal protection without immobilizing the warfighter.

A flexible, durable sole allows natural foot movement and supports normal gait, helping maintain mobility during prolonged cold exposure. Reinforced toe and heel areas increase durability for ground contact and uneven terrain, while the pack-flat design reduces rucksack volume when not in use.

The overboot is compatible with NATO 120 cable bindings and snowshoes, supporting arctic mobility platforms without requiring dedicated cold-weather boots or permanent integration. By reducing weight and preserving movement, the Chosin ECW Overboot enables operators to remain mobile and functional in extreme cold environments where traditional overboots can quickly become a liability.

Built for Extreme Cold Survival

Rather than prioritizing speed or aerobic output, the ChosinCollection is built for survival in the world’s coldest environments. When worn as a complete system, it provides neartotal wind blockage and full thermal coverage, allowing operators to remain effective in conditions where exposure alone can be missionending.

Availability

The Chosin Collection is available directly from Beyond Clothing in Multicam Alpine and OCP with support for government and unit purchasing programs.

• L8 Chosin ECW Parka: $1,455.99

• L8 Chosin ECW Bib: $1,059.99

• Chosin ECW Mitt: $374.99

• Chosin ECW Overboot: $434.99

More information is available at beyondclothing.com.

Posted in Advertiser, Clothing, Guest Post | No Comments »

UNIT Solutions Launches UNIT9 Non-Lethal Pneumatic Training Pistol

May 14th, 2026

TWINSBURG, Ohio — UNIT Solutions, the developer, manufacturer and distributor of the UNIT4 Training Rifle and UNIT9 Training Pistol, today announced the launch of the UNIT9 Compact non-lethal pneumatic pistol, a precision-engineered training system built to the exact weight, trigger feel and manual of arms of a duty-size pistol. Available beginning May 1, 2026, the UNIT9 ships directly to buyers without an FFL transfer, having been classified by the ATF as a non-firearm.

Designed for military, law enforcement and civilian shooters who demand training fidelity without the logistical overhead of live fire, the UNIT9 fires 8mm marking, non-marking or blank rounds powered by an 8g threaded CO2 cartridge. The system holds 15 rounds, operates at 550 psi and delivers an average velocity of 325 fps across a recommended operational temperature range of 38 to 110 degrees Fahrenheit. MSRP is $749.

The UNIT9 is manufactured using the same materials and processes used in actual firearms. The nitride-coated slide is weighted for realistic recoil impulse and battery of arms. Trigger weight and break are engineered to live-fire specification, with critical internal components finished in DLC coating for durability. Magazines are built and tested to withstand repeated drops onto concrete without loss of function, and the system is capable of firing thousands of cycles without a jam. Slide lock engages on empty magazine, reinforcing proper shooting habits.

The UNIT9 is compatible with standard holsters, weapon lights and optics with no modifications required. The system supports RMR, ACRO and DPP optic mounting footprints, allowing shooters to train on the same platform, with the same accessories, at the same standard they carry to.

Both marking and non-marking rounds are approved for force-on-force training in any environment, including in the backyard, garage or shoot house settings, without range scheduling or live-fire restrictions.

UNIT Solutions products are trusted by the U.S. Army, U.S. Air Force, SOCOM and hundreds of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. The company is also the manufacturer of the UNIT4 Training Rifle, a 1:1 scale non-lethal AR-platform training system.

“The UNIT9 represents the standard serious shooters have been waiting for,” said Cody Snider, founder and co-president of UNIT Solutions. “We built this system to remove every barrier between the shooter and quality repetitions. Same holster, same trigger, same platform. No red tape, no range required. That is what honest training looks like.”

The UNIT9 is available beginning May 1, 2026, at www.unitsolutions.com. The system carries a two-year limited warranty and is manufactured in the United States.

Posted in Firearms, Press Release, Training | No Comments »

Army Paratroopers Integrate Drones, Night Operations in Historic Company Live Fire

May 14th, 2026

More than 700 paratroopers assigned to the 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 11th Airborne Division, executed a historic company live-fire exercise at the Infantry Squad Battle Course at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, April 27-May 8.

The event marked the brigade’s first exercise incorporating friendly kinetic and strike small unmanned aerial systems with paratroopers employing first-person-view drones to strike simulated enemy positions and defend against live adversaries in the form of drones.

“This was the first time our companies had organic FPV drone pilots executing live-fire strikes on critical targets,” said Army Capt. Ian McKibbin, lead range safety officer and member of the brigade operations staff. “The drones, built with components from [the] 11th Airborne [Division] Innovations [Team] and the [2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 11th Airborne Division], Multifunctional Reconnaissance Company, were entirely controlled by the units on the ground. No live munitions were used, but the effect and accuracy were tremendous.”

The exercise challenged paratroopers to clear a six-room shoot house, breach wired obstacles, clear trench systems and engage reinforced bunkers, all while reacting to contact from enemy drones. The small UAS attacked with simulated munitions, forcing commanders to rapidly employ counter-small UAS and adapt their tactics in real time.

“Company live fires are designed to be complex and demanding,” McKibbin said. “This event was especially difficult due to the presence of hostile drones, which observed friendly movement and actively attacked with simulated munitions. It’s the first time we’ve had a live, thinking enemy in the form of these drones for this type of training exercise.”

Day and night lanes were executed with both blank and live ammunition. Parachute flares illuminated targets during night engagements, enabling soldiers to protect maneuvering squads and provide signaling or degrade enemy night vision capabilities.

The entire company maneuvered on the lane, with commanders assigning platoons and squads to objectives. The event validated company commanders’ ability to integrate direct and indirect fires and demonstrate proficiency in complex, live-fire operations.

The event included participation from three battalions and extensive support from brigade headquarters. The small UAS also captured video of critical points for maneuvering elements, enabling near-real-time after-action reviews for companies.

“This exercise represents a significant step forward in integrating new technology and realistic threats into our training,” McKibbin said. “Our paratroopers demonstrated adaptability, teamwork and the ability to fight and win in a complex environment.”

By Army MAJ Ian Roth, 11th Airborne Division

Posted in Army, Drone, Guest Post | 1 Comment »

Team LionStrike Introduces the Chevrolet Silverado Heavy Duty (HD) to the UK Defence Market

May 13th, 2026

LONDON, U.K. – Team LionStrike—the strategic collaboration between GM Defence, BAE Systems, and NP Aerospace formed to strengthen the operational readiness of the British Armed Forces with safer, more capable, and cost-effective light utility and tactical vehicles—announced today that its proposal to the U.K.

Ministry of Defence for the Land Mobility Programme will now include the Chevrolet Silverado HD – one of the most high-performing vehicles ever built by General Motors. The Silverado HD will be shown today at Team LionStrike’s “From Proven Heritage to Present Power” event at the prestigious Royal Hospital Chelsea.

Equipped with a 6.6-litre Duramax turbodiesel V8 that produces 1,322 Nm of torque, the Silverado HD is built for serious work. In the 2500HD version, that translates to up to 9,997 kg of towing and 1,860 kg of payload, while the 3500HD (single rear wheel variant) pushes capability even further with almost 10,000 kg of towing and over 2 metric tonnes of payload.

Critically, the spacious internal capacity offers sufficient room to both transport and concurrently operate inside the vehicle with the kit and equipment required by modern-day warfighters. The logistic load space is also significant (up to 2.1m x 1.9m) enabling NATO pallet transportation.

Team LionStrike’s proposal also includes:

– The Infantry Squad Vehicle (ISV), a light, agile, and air-transportable troop carrier derived from the Chevrolet Colorado pickup truck that is designed to give infantry combat teams rapid mobility across complex terrain. The ISV has been selected by the armed forces of Canada and the United States as they have modernised their equipment, bringing capability, scalability, and affordability relative to bespoke military platforms.

– The Chevrolet Silverado LD pickup equipped with the 3.0-litre Duramax turbodiesel for strong low-end torque with proven capability. It delivers 671 Nm of torque and up to 6804 kg of towing and 1000 kg payload for demanding work across long distances.

“Team LionStrike’s approach — leveraging the depth, experience and highly-skilled U.K.-based workforce of BAE Systems and NP Aerospace to modify, integrate, homologate, and support vehicles built in North America by GM — is the fastest, lowest-cost path to put modern vehicles into the hands of British soldiers,” said Gilbert Nelson, Vice President, International Sales and Marketing, GM Defence. “Our foundation is commercial, off-the-shelf technology with a proven track record of quality, durability, and capability that can be OEM-adapted to meet emerging requirements. That’s how we will rapidly enhance the operational readiness of the British Armed Forces and reduce the cost and complexity of equipping, training, and deploying troops.”

The success of the Chevrolet Silverado family, together with its sister brand GMC, has made General Motors’ full-size pickups the U.S. industry leader, with more than 5 million trucks delivered over the last five years.

The Silverados and ISVs will not be the first GM trucks to support British troops. For more than a century, the designers, engineers, and manufacturing team at General Motors have delivered vehicles that have proven their quality, durability, and capability in military theatres all over the world.

1GM was the largest supplier to the U.S. armed forces during World War II, and Chevrolet and GMC trucks were the backbone of critical operations like the Red Ball Express, the massive logistic operation that supported Allied forces as they pursued the enemy forces after D-Day. In addition, the British Army’s Long Range Desert Group, an elite reconnaissance and raiding unit, relied on the Chevrolet 30 CWT to operate deep behind enemy lines in North Africa from 1940–1943. One of the Long Range Desert Group’s trucks was recovered from the Egyptian desert in 1980 and is now in the collection of the Imperial War Museum, and there have been replicas built of the Chevrolet 30 CWT to celebrate and preserve the heritage of the unit – one of which was on display at the event.

Posted in Armoured Vehicles, International, Mobility, Press Release | No Comments »

Steadicopter Unveils Golden Eagle Mothership Architecture for Stand-Off ISR and Aerial Force Projection

May 13th, 2026

New operational concept transforms rotary RUAS into an airborne deployment hub for distributed ISR, strike support and long-range mission flexibility

May 12, 2026 – Steadicopter Ltd., a developer and manufacturer of rotary unmanned aerial systems, introduced an advanced operational architecture for its Golden Eagle RUAS, unveiling a “Mothership” concept specifically designed for sustained operations in contested and denied environments. The concept transforms the rotary unmanned platform into a long-range aerial deployment carrier capable of transporting and releasing ISR drones and precision effectors deep into operational theaters while maintaining stand-off survivability.

Modern conflict environments are characterized by layered air defenses, electronic warfare pressure, and the growing vulnerability of high-value aerial assets. Within these threat landscapes, survivability is no longer defined solely by endurance and range, but by the ability to generate close-range intelligence and precision strike effects without exposing the primary platform. The Golden Eagle Mothership concept addresses this requirement by combining long-distance projection with deployable, low-signature systems that operate directly over target areas.

What differentiates this architecture is the inherent advantage of rotary unmanned systems. Unlike fixed-wing UAVs, the GoldenEagle can conduct stable, persistent hovering for pinpoint deployment of drones at precisely controlled coordinates. This capability enables covert insertion behind terrain features, urban structures, or maritime obstacles with exceptional accuracy. The platform’s ability to operate at very low altitudes further enhances survivability, allowing terrain-masked approaches that minimize detection during insertion phases.

At the same time, the Golden Eagle can transition to higher altitudes to function as a communications relay node, extending datalink reach and ensuring secure real-time transmission from deployed micro-systems back to command centers. This vertical flexibility, low-altitude penetration, stationary hover for deployment, and high-altitude data relay, creates a multi-layered operational envelope uniquely suited for contested environments.

Under the Mothership concept of operations, the Golden Eaglelaunches from naval vessels or remote land bases and conducts long-range transit outside hostile air defense coverage. Once positioned at stand-off range beyond short-range air defense and MANPADS envelopes, the system deploys compact ISR drones capable of penetrating closer to objectives at low altitude and reduced acoustic and radar signatures. These micro-UAS assets deliver high-resolution electro-optical and infrared intelligence directly over the area of interest, generating an additional operational layer of close-proximity awareness.

This proximity layer significantly enhances decision cycles by providing immediate visual confirmation, pattern-of-life analysis, and dynamic target tracking from positions that would otherwise require ground teams or manned aircraft exposure. In high-risk environments, such close-range intelligence can determine the difference between strategic restraint and decisive action.

When required, the architecture also enables precision kinetic operations at extended distances. Loitering munitions or armed micro-systems can be deployed from the mothership configuration, delivering precision strike capability while the primary RUAS remains outside the threat envelope. The rotary platform’s hover stability ensures controlled release conditions, optimizing trajectory and target acquisition from the outset.

The concept is particularly suited for cross-border ISR missions, counter–A2/AD probing, maritime and littoral security operations, special forces overwatch, and strategic infrastructure monitoring. In naval scenarios, the Golden Eagle can launch from offshore platforms, approach at low altitude to avoid coastal radar detection, deploy ISR drones over shoreline targets, and reposition at altitude to maintain communications continuity.

By integrating rotary-wing maneuverability with distributed unmanned deployment, Steadicopter’s Golden Eagle Mothership concept introduces a scalable model for operating deep inside contested environments without increasing exposure of high-value assets. It combines endurance, hover precision, altitude adaptability, and modular payload integration into a single survivable architecture.

With this development, Steadicopter continues to advance rotary unmanned capabilities for modern threat landscapes—where operational reach, survivability, close-range intelligence, and precision strike must coexist within one integrated and flexible system.

The Golden Eagle Mothership architecture is designed to operate as part of a broader, interoperable ISR environment, including participation in the multidomain ISR ecosystem being developed by World View, an Ondas company. Through this ecosystem, Steadicopter is aligning its rotary unmanned systems with stratospheric, aerial, and datacentric ISR layers to support distributed sensing, taskoncue operations, and rapid decisionmaking across domains. The approach reflects a shared commitment to collaborative CONOPS, systemtosystem interoperability, and scalable mission integration in support of complex operations.

Posted in Drone, International, ISR, Press Release | No Comments »

Saab Reveals Barracuda Poncho – Camouflage Protection for Soldiers

May 13th, 2026

Saab has introduced its latest iteration of camouflage solutions, a poncho to protect individual soldiers from being detected by sensors operated by opposing forces across a variety of environments.

Barracuda Poncho is Saab’s latest addition to complement its existing Barracuda range of advanced camouflage solutions. The purpose of Barracuda Poncho is to hide the user from thermal and, in the arctic version, UV sensors while providing the freedom of movement to act swiftly and quietly. Its light weight of just above 1 kg makes Barracuda Poncho easy to deploy, wear and adjust.

Barracuda Poncho provides visual and thermal protection across varied environments, including woodland, stony desert, and arctic conditions. Its reversible design enables a night and day configuration on each side, with enhanced thermal protection for night.

“Barracuda Poncho is our answer to the recent rise in UAV-based surveillance on the battlefield, where a mission can be compromised if the soldier even briefly leaves a camouflaged vehicle or position. Building on the positive response from our Soldier System, the new Barracuda Poncho solution provides an alternative camouflage solution, focusing on wearability while retaining the exceptional multispectral protection,” says Henning Robach, head of Saab’s business unit Barracuda.

The poncho will be on display at Saab’s stand G180, Hall 6 at Eurosatory 2026.

Posted in Camo, International, Press Release | No Comments »