TYR Tactical

Rheinmetall Nordic Mortar Day: Rheinmetall Presents the Capabilities of the Next Generation of European Mortars

March 18th, 2026

Rheinmetall has once again demonstrated its expertise in the future of indirect fire weapon systems. In winter 2026, its subsidiary Rheinmetall Nordic hosted the Rheinmetall Nordic Mortar Day. In front of high-ranking representatives of armed forces, authorities and industry partners from Norway, Sweden, Finland, the Netherlands and Germany, the company presented the latest generation of high-performance European mortar systems in a live demonstration. The focus was on the 120 mm Ragnarok mortar system and the newly developed Mortar Mission Module. This is a European, scalable solution designed to have a decisive impact on the battlefield through its speed, precision, reliability and affordability.

The Ragnarok Mortar Mission Module will provide users with true shoot/scoot capability allowing users to leave the firing position immediately after the last round is fire. The system is designed for high flexibility through its platform and barrel independence.

The live fire demonstration took place in Rena, Norway. Weather conditions were adverse, with double-digit sub-zero temperatures and high humidity. During the demonstration, the Mortar Mission Module integrated in a HX truck demonstrated its high accuracy and rapid response capability. Designed for speed and simplicity, the system can be seamlessly integrated into existing and future platforms, enabling European armed forces to enhance their capabilities easily and without significant logistical effort.

The demonstration underscored the growing importance of European cooperation in strengthening collective defence. In light of increasing geopolitical pressure and growing demand for robust capabilities on the battlefield, Rheinmetall Nordic emphasised the urgency of delivering effective, user-oriented systems that enable nations to act quickly and decisively.

‘Today’s security environment requires us to act in a targeted manner,’ said Morten Kjorum, CEO of Rheinmetall Nordic. ‘Europe’s strategic autonomy depends on providing solutions that maximise operational impact while being practical, cost-effective and rapidly deployable. The Mortar Mission Module is the result of close collaboration between Rheinmetall and European industry partners and users, based on transparency, shared goals and technological excellence.’

‘Together we are stronger,’ added Kjorum. ‘Our goal is clear: we want to deliver systems that meet the operational requirements of European soldiers at the speed that the current situation demands.’

With its scalable production presence worldwide, Rheinmetall is ready to meet the growing demand for advanced infirect fire capabilities while ensuring a resilient, sovereign supply chain. 

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

High Speed Gear Awarded United States Army Contract to Manufacture Advanced Drone Pouches

March 18th, 2026

SWANSBORO, NC – March 17, 2026, High Speed Gear, a leader in American-made tactical load-carrying solutions, proudly announces it has been awarded a contract by the United States Army to produce specialized drone pouches designed to support modern unmanned aerial system (UAS) operations.

This contract comes as the Army accelerates the transition of frontline-inspired innovations into operational capability. Modular drone case systems, first developed by Soldiers through the XVIII Airborne Corps’ Dragon’s Lair innovation pipeline, are moving rapidly from experimentation to fielding under the Army’s streamlined procurement model.

Initial development was supported by the Airborne Innovation Lab, a collaboration between the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities DevelopmentCommand Army Research Laboratory and the Civil-Military Innovation Institute, which enables tactical experimentation and rapid prototyping with operational units to help turn Soldier-driven ideas into deployable solutions.

High Speed Gear’s drone pouches will serve as a trusted platform for securingand protecting small UAS assets across Army units, providing rugged, durable, and adaptable carrying solutions optimized for airborne and dismounted missions. Built with the same performance-driven philosophy that defines the HSGI brand, these pouches will enhance operational readiness and soldier efficiency on today’s dynamic battlefield.

Kip Guyon, CEO of High Speed Gear and former U.S. Army Officer, commented: “Supporting and equipping the United States Army is an honor, a privilege, and a responsibility we take seriously. Our team is dedicated to delivering rugged, dependable solutions that enhance readiness and protect the warfighters who protect all of us.

High Speed Gear looks forward to working closely with Army acquisition partners and innovation programs to deliver these critical drone pouch systems on schedule and at scale. This award builds on HSGI’s legacy of equipping U.S. and allied forces with battle-proven pouches and modular gear that support lethality, versatility, and mission success.

Over the past several years, High Speed Gear has intentionally expanded its manufacturing capacity, strengthened its supply chain, and invested in both people and technology to meet the growing demands of modern defense requirements. The company stands ready to support additional mission needs with the same discipline and precision that earned this award. As requirements evolve, the HSG team is prepared to scale, adapt, and deliver, not just as a manufacturer, but as a committed partner.

For inquiries, contact: Adam Garrison, Director of Gov Business Development: Adam.Garrison@highspeedgear.com

Posted in Advertiser, Drone, Load Carrying, Manufacturing, Press Release | No Comments »

US Marine Corps Seeks Multispectral Camouflage Overgarments

March 18th, 2026

In a recent Sources Sought Notice, Marine Corps Systems Command (MCSC), Program Manager Combat Support Systems (PM CSS), Product Manager Combat Service Support Equipment (PdM CSSE) reached out to industry to identify potential vendors capable of developing a Multispectral Camouflage Overgarment (MCO).

This photo of the Noble booth was taken during last year’s AUSA Annual Meeting and depicts multispectral cloaks from Amaterine, FibroTex, Ghosthood, and Stealth Products Group.

According to the notice, “The MCO is intended to provide individual signature management for Marines by mitigating detection across the visual (VIS), near infrared (NIR), and short-wave infrared (SWIR) spectrums as well as suppress thermal signatures in the mid-wave infrared (MWIR) and long wave infrared (LWIR) to reduce the likelihood of detection by thermal sensors.“

There are very specific performance parameters for various wavelengths and while they are not classified, I have chosen not to share them here.

The Overgarment will essentially be a cloak. The Marines are looking for a single-piece, generously-sized, draped design constructed to provide full-body coverage, including individual gear and equipment. They want to be able to quickly don and doff the cloak within 15 seconds. They also want them to be connectable with one another to make larger covers for fighting positions, shelters, and vehicles. Additionally, the Marines want a garment weighing no more than 3.5 pounds but would prefer something less than 2.0 pounds.

It will need to last for at least 90 days in operational use and have a shelf life of at least three years. It also has to be launderable and survive 25 wash cycles at a minimum.

Understandably, the MCO is not intended for routine garrison wear.

Ultimately, they plan to buy 61,222 MCOs but will buy them over several years.

Interested parties have until 22 April, 2026 to respond. For full details visit Sam.gov.

Posted in Camo, USMC | No Comments »

US Army Seeking COTS Direct View Optics, Aiming Lasers, and Mounting Hardware for NGSW

March 18th, 2026

“The US Army Contracting Command – New Jersey (ACC-NJ), on behalf of Project Manager Soldier Lethality (PM SL), located at Picatinny Arsenal, NJ, is conducting a market survey for direct view optics and aiming lasers for use on shoulder fired weapon systems (i.e. rifles, carbines and automatic rifles) within the Close Combat Force.”

That’s how the recent US Army RFI to industry for commercial off the shelf weapon enablers starts out. I’m going to dissect it a little bit. It’s for “rifles, carbines and automatic rifles within the Close Combat Force.” Considering the Army is currently replacing the M4 Carbines and M249 Squad Automatic Weapons with the M7 Rifle, XM8 Carbine (basis of issue still undetermined), and M250 Automatic Rifle, this is obviously for the Next Generation Squad Weapon System.

Photo by Mr. Thomas Mort, Audio Visual Specialist

They want to hear from companies manufacturing direct view optics, aiming lasers, and scope rings/mounting hardware for optics that are at a technology readiness level 9, currently in production, and may be commercially available.

Here are the specifics:

Direct view optics and mounting hardware must be mountable on a MIL-STD-1913 Picatinny Rail. Direct view optics may include but are not limited to red dot sights with flip-in magnifiers, low-power variable optics, discrete variable magnified optics, or fixed magnified direct view optics with magnification contained in the range of 1x to 10x. The direct view optics should aid Rifleman and Automatic Rifleman to effectively engage targets at distances up to 600m. Optics must survive weapon pyro-shock, be rugged for Soldier use and conform to MIL-STD-810 Environmental conditions for Small Arm Weapons.  Optics should allow for the use of protective eyewear and provide an interface for attaching laser protection filters and anti-reflective devices.

Aiming lasers must be mountable on MIL-STD-1913 Picatinny Rail or using Modular Lock (M-LOK) and provide a visual aiming laser, infrared aiming laser, and an illuminator flood light that aids Rifleman and Automatic Rifleman to effectively engage targets at distances up to 600m. The IR pointer and illuminator must be compatible with I2 night vision devices and offer eye safe settings for general use and high-power settings (no greater than 3B) for long range use. Aiming lasers may have laser range finder and/or remotes but not required. Aiming lasers must survive weapon pyro-shock, be rugged for Soldier use, and conform to MIL-STD-810 Environmental conditions for Small Arm Weapons.

XM157 Next Generation Squad Weapon Fire Control

NGSW was procured to be fielded along with the XM157 Next Generation Squad Weapon Fire Control, manufactured by Vortex Optics. This sustem was actually selected before the weapons it was intended to be attached to and offers an integrated laser ranger finder as well as ballistic software to present a disturbed reticle for the shooter to increase first round hits. Additionally, it is a 1-8x magnified optic and includes visible and IR aiming lasers.

Early NGSW fieldings included the XM157. However, more recently we’ve seen M7 Rifles being used with various optics to include LVPOs and Red Dots.

Take for example this Army Marksmanship Unit photo by SFC Timothy Hamlin. It depicts a Soldier with M7 outfitted with a B.E. Meyers MAWL X-1 aiming laser and a Vortex Optics “Eleanor” AMG 1-10x optic.

Although the Army has not commented on the disparity in Fire Control systems to NGSW weapons it may well come down to how quickly they are manufactured. Weapon manufacturer SIG SAUER is ahead of schedule, allowing the Army to speed up fielding of the M250 to select Infantry Brigades. Considering the complexity of electro-optics in the XM157, Vortex may be proceeding more slowly.

To be sure, there have been critiques of the NGSW program, generally from those who have not yet had any experience with the guns. The M7 is indeed heavier than the M4 it replaces, especially when equipped with the XM157. In fact, it is said to be three pounds heavier than an M4A1 with Close Combat Optic when equipped with the XM157 NGSW Fire Control System and suppressor. But in that scenario the M4 doesn’t have a suppressor or lasers (aiming and range finding).

On the other hand, the M250 is lighter than the SAW, 2.7 pounds to be exact. Regardless, the 6.8x51mm composite case round has a longer range and a larger projectile which travels at a higher velocity than the 5.56mm NATO round. This makes it difficult to offer a direct comparison between legacy and NGSW.

One of the answers to this feedback from the field is to develop the Product Improvement Effort versions of the M7 and M250 which has succeeded in lowering the weight. This project also resulted in the XM8 carbine variant.

Granted, the XM157 offers the Soldier capabilities on an individual weapon that few others enjoy, but it comes at a price. Aside from the weight of the XM157 still others are concerned about the cost and complexity. While a per unit cost has not been disclosed, the Army was talking at one time at under $10,000 per unit. Since all of the fire control unit’s capabilities are integrated into a single chassis, the only feasible way to upgrade the system is via software. This single component architecture also means that if one of the features malfunctions the entire system has to be taken out of service for maintenance.

Does this move to procure COTS solutions mean the demise of the XM157? There’s been no direct evidence of that. However, it does signify that the Army is using acquisition authorities to quickly close lethality capability gaps through use of readily available technologies.

While NGSW is definitely the US Army’s major small arms focus, there are a lot of legacy M4s and M249s out there and these COTS solutions can be proliferated across the force if they prove valuable.

Any company who wants to get in on this has until April 3rd, 2026. Visit Sam.gov for details.

Posted in Advertiser, Contracts, Lasers, Optics, weapons | No Comments »

Soldiers Assist Air Force Squadron With Drone Warfare Training

March 18th, 2026

More than 200 airmen training with the Air Force’s 368th Training Squadron spent Feb. 27 at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, learning about unmanned aerial systems during an exercise designed to cultivate Air Force airmindedness and the warrior ethos.

The training squadron, based at Fort Leonard Wood, provides initial skills and advanced level training in the areas of ground transportation, engineering, emergency management and pavements and construction equipment.

According to Air Force Tech. Sgt. Christopher Moss, a specialty code instructor assigned to the training squadron, airmen at various specialty schools on base usually train separately, but this day was unique because it brought them all together.

“It allows them to integrate with our other schoolhouses, bringing them together as one force instead of each person learning just their craft,” Moss said. “Producing more well-rounded airmen for the force.”

Air Force Capt. Nathan Elking, 368th Training Squadron director of operations, said the unique training event is called Bracer Forge and is an operational readiness exercise.

“It is a continuation of the training airmen receive at basic training,” Elking said. “Both exercise initiatives are designed to instill airmindedness and warrior ethos in our airmen.”

The squadron’s exercise topics vary, but the current unmanned aerial system focus was driven by the unit’s specialty codes, which according to Elking play a key role in airfield damage assessment and rapid airfield damage recovery.

“Before each iteration of Bracer Forge, we provide the participating airmen with an operation order for the day and reporting instructions with a training scenario to recover a damaged airfield,” he said.

Squadron instructors prepared four stations for the airmen to rotate through.

At the airfield damage assessment challenge, Elking said teams conducted an assessment on a simulated airfield and relayed the information to their teammates in an emergency operations center.

“The airmen in the EOC were tasked with creating a map of the airfield using the details their counterparts called in over the radio,” he said.

While at the UAS reporting challenge, teams established defensive fighting positions and reported UAS activity to their teammates in the EOC by consolidating the information into a report to send up.

The other two stations were a high intensity physical fitness event and a UAS capabilities overview. Soldiers assigned to the Maneuver Support Center of Excellence Combat Training Company gave the UAS portion of the training.

“We are not subject matter experts on counter-UAS and UAS employment. Being able to leverage our Army partners at [center of excellence] played a significant role in the exercise’s success,” Elking said.

According to Army Sgt. 1st Class Austin Priebe, Combat Training Company UAS chief, his mission was to introduce small UAS threats, and teach the basics of identifying, reacting to and reporting small UAS threats.

Priebe said most trainees he instructs have watched or controlled a simulated UAS in video games, but being able to experience a UAS in person, see and hear a drone up close, is “essential to prepare service members for what they will see in current and future conflicts.”

“We conducted practical exercises on scanning for [small] UAS, completing a report and showed the airmen what they look like from an elevated viewpoint,” Priebe said.

This was the training company’s first time facilitating interservice UAS training.

“I’ve largely been focused on enabling training and instruction to the Army units here on Fort Leonard Wood since the inception of our UAS program this past fall,” Priebe said.

As the battlefield changes rapidly, so does our training requirements. If our organization can provide more realistic and in-depth training to our brothers and sisters in other branches, we only stand to benefit as a military.”

Priebe said his team is looking forward to conducting more interservice training events in the future.

At the end of the day, the exercise was a catalyst for innovation, Elking said.

“By exposing airmen to the dual nature of UASs — both as a threat to counter and a tool to master — we challenge them to rethink their mission sets and pioneer new solutions for the modern battlefield,” he said.

By Melissa Buckley, Fort Leonard Wood Public Affairs

Posted in Air Force, Army, Drone, Guest Post, Training | No Comments »

SpiderOak Selected by the Program Office for US Army Unmanned Aircraft Systems (PMO UAS) to Support Drone Dominance Program

March 17th, 2026

Blue UAS Recognized Assessor to deliver supply chain and cybersecurity evaluations for participating UAS vendors

RESTON, VA, March 3, 2026 – SpiderOak, a leader in zero-trust cybersecurity solutions and services for space, aerospace, and defense, announced today that it has been awarded a contract by the Program Office for U.S. Army Unmanned Aircraft Systems (PMO UAS) to perform supply chain analysis and cybersecurity assessments for multiple vendors participating in the U.S. Army’s Drone Dominance Program (DDP).

SpiderOak, a Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) Blue UAS Recognized Assessor, will apply its Advanced Cyber Threat & Resilience Assessments (ACTRA) methodology to evaluate participating platforms for supply chain integrity, cyber resilience, and compliance with U.S. Government security requirements. The effort supports the Army’s push to rapidly field secure, low-cost, unmanned aerial systems at scale.

The Drone Dominance Program, launched in February 2026, is a multi-phase initiative designed to accelerate the evaluation, selection, and production of next-generation small UAS capabilities. The program’s initial “Gauntlet” event at Fort Benning, Georgia, brought together 25 vendors for live operational testing, with the goal of selecting up to 12 performers to produce tens of thousands of systems in the near term and scale to hundreds of thousands of units by 2028.

“As unmanned systems scale across modern operations, the integrity of their cyber and supply chain foundations becomes mission critical,” said Kip Gering, CEO of SpiderOak. “We are honored to support PMO UAS and the Drone Dominance Program by delivering independent, technically rigorous assessments that help ensure these platforms can be trusted in contested environments.”

Through this contract, SpiderOak will conduct deep technical evaluations across hardware, firmware, software, and component provenance. The assessments are designed to identify vulnerabilities, validate compliance with NDAA and NIST requirements, and help program stakeholders make informed risk decisions before systems are fielded.

Advanced Cyber Threat & Resilience Assessments

SpiderOak’s Advanced Cyber Threat & Resilience Assessments (ACTRA) delivers comprehensive, threat-informed platform vulnerability assessments for tactical systems and components. For UAS initiatives, SpiderOak provides independent, technically rigorous evaluations across hardware, firmware, software, supply chain provenance, and ownership structures. These assessments support compliance with standards such as NIST 800-171, NIST 800-53, and Executive Order 14028, enabling defense stakeholders to deploy cyber-secure autonomous systems with confidence.

Posted in Army, Contracts, Press Release | No Comments »

US Army Contracts Elbit America for Rotorcraft Heads Up Displays

March 17th, 2026

Air Warrior HUDs improve aircrew situational awareness, safety, and survivability in flight

FORT WORTH, TEXAS – March 16, 2026 – Elbit Systems of America (Elbit America) was recently awarded a $49.9 million Firm-Fixed-Price, Indefinite-Delivery/Indefinite-Quantity contract from the Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama to produce Heads Up Displays (HUDs) as part of the United States Army’s Air Soldier System. Work for the contract will be done through December 2030, subject to receipt of purchase orders, and includes post-production support.

The colorized HUD is part of the Army’s Air Soldier System, an assemblage of gear and equipment used in rotorcraft that is lightweight, integrated, and designed to enhance situational awareness and survivability. The HUD’s role in this system is to present key information to aircrew, so users are always positioned head-up and eyes out.

The Air Warrior HUD is a critical flight display in operation on U.S. Army UH-60 Blackhawks and CH-47 Chinooks.

“Since our inception, Elbit America has been dedicated to improving situational awareness through sophisticated displays that enhance a user’s understanding of the conditions outside their aircraft or vehicle,” said Scott Tumpak, Senior Vice President of Electronic Systems at Elbit America. “The Air Warrior Heads Up Display allows aircrew to focus on the mission because it’s designed to ensure safety, efficiency, and comfort for aircrew.”

“In high-stakes environments, you don’t have time for uncertainty. Elbit America delivers combat-proven Heads Up Displays that provide aircrew the confidence to see first, act first, and win,” said Elbit America President & CEO Luke Savoie. “This contract is a testament to the faith the U.S. Army places in us to keep delivering key solutions to our soldiers and we’re proud of our continued partnership.”

Posted in Army, Aviation, Contracts, Optics, Press Release | No Comments »

Army Forges Partnership with Pennsylvania Companies to Create Next Generation Small Arms Gun Barrel

March 17th, 2026

PICATINNY ARSENAL, N.J. – Army armament engineers here partnered with a pair of Pennsylvania companies, one with alloy expertise and the other with forging metals, to deliver a capable barrel for the Army’s next generation of small arms.

Carpenter Technology developed the alloy and Geissele Automatics (also known as GWYNEDD) developed the production techniques for the barrels, while the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command (DEVCOM) Armaments Center provided the expertise in gun technology to deliver an innovation that is key to meeting the required capability.

This novel barrel design, created as part of two separate CRADAs (Cooperative Research and Development Agreements) between the Armaments Center, Geissele and Carpenter, relies on the alloy, GNB 200, which provides Army small caliber next generation weapons with higher tensile strength and, with it, better wear resistance.

This advancement came after several projects focusing specifically on barrel technology over the past decade.

According to general engineer Daniel Cler, the design’s principal investigator, DEVCOM had tested several “high alloy barrel materials” over the decade, seeking to help alleviate pressure buildup, corrosion and mechanical wear as next-generation weapons maintain significantly higher-pressure than their legacy counterparts, this could in turn worsen barrel wear.

In the past several years, the U.S. Army has attempted to shift away from using hazardous heavy metals such as hexavalent chromium coatings, which is still renowned for its longevity, but is known to cause significant health problems in production when hexavalent chromium is in solution.

Seeking to replace hexavelant chrome coatings with barrel materials that provide good wear and corrosion performance without coatings, the Army has performed research into a plethora of different metals. However, many of these materials were too hard to cold hammer forge, a method that is the current manufacturing technology for most military small arms. Because of this, the Armaments Center was refocusing on hammer forging and materials that were compatible with the process when it signed both CRADAs in 2022.

GNB 200 is, per Carpenter Technology’s website, a “premium remelted alloy steel specially formulated for high temperature wear resistance.” According to Cler, GNB 200 is near the upper limit of what can reliably be cold-hammer forged.

Carpenter Technology was already highly familiar with GNB 200, and as such provided samples for testing, along with several other materials. The Armaments Center gave guidance, processed information, provided support for analysis and result documentation and carried out accelerated wear testing for proposed alloys.

Work with Geissele focused on manufacturability and feasibility. Geissele cold hammer forged the barrels themselves, provided input and direction for coating alternatives and specifications, performed testing on barrels, and processed parameters on manufacturability. In this stage, the Armaments Center gave its expertise on barrel technologies, provided ammunition for testing and performed project oversight.

The parties involved tested the barrels in an M240L machine guns over the project’s third and final year, which ended in spring 2025. The material showed much better performance than the standard M240L barrel and now informs future Army next generation weapons.

GNB 200 continues to inform the next generation of Army small caliber weapons.Though the CRADA with Carpenter Technology has expired, DEVCOM renewed its CRADA with Geissele for another three years to continue development of barrel coatings.

A CRADA is a written agreement between one or more federal laboratories and one or more non-federal parties to work together on research or development.

The GNB 200 hammer forged barrel is not the only project made in collaboration with Geissele. The pair also collaborated on developing a new rifle profile which has been shown to further reduce wear and improve dispersion. This profile received United States Patent 12,203,716 B2 on Jan. 21, 2025.

Cler said he was most proud of seeing a project he worked on informed next generation systems. He also noted how important it is to have some influence upon the industry in the correct direction, though he lamented not being able to get involved earlier.

“CRADA’s are a good way to influence industry so that as systems are developed to meet Army requirements, industry is ready to jump in with better solutions that are more aligned with the Army,” he said.

By Tyler Barth

Posted in Army, Guest Post, Manufacturing, Materials, Weapon Accessories | 1 Comment »

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