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US Army Activates Capability Program Executive (CPE) Enterprise Software and Services (ES2)

March 1st, 2026

FORT BELVOIR, Va. – On Feb. 25, the Hon. Brent Ingraham, Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics and Technology, joined leaders from the former U.S. Army Program Executive Office (PEO) Enterprise in unveiling the acquisition organization’s new name, logo and colors at an activation ceremony. The organization is now officially known as Capability Program Executive (CPE) Enterprise Software and Services (ES2).

As one of the Army’s 13 newly designated capability program executives, CPE ES2 will continue its core mission of delivering software and services that drive operational readiness, providing seamless support for mission-critical systems and warfighting capabilities. CPE ES2 will report directly to Hon. Ingraham and continue to work closely with the Army Chief Information Officer on technology initiatives.

According to Miranda Coleman, CPE ES2’s acting Capability Program Executive, the organization will remain focused for the rest of fiscal year 2026 on operationalizing low-code/no-code, delivering at speed, maturing Agile practices, maintaining adaptability and flexibility, and managing talent.

“We have a lot of work ahead of us, but I’m confident we’re off to a fantastic start,” said Coleman, whose team highlighted several CPE ES2 software programs for Hon. Ingraham at a pre-ceremony capability demo.

As part of the organization’s transition to becoming a capability program executive, CPE ES2 has renamed its four portfolios to align with Army domains and better convey their areas of focus:

Project Manager (PM) Integrated Personnel and Pay System – Army is now PM Human Resources and Force Management (PM HR-FM).

PM Enterprise Business Systems and Convergence is now PM Logistics and Finance (PM LOG-FIN).

PM Defense Integrated Business Systems is now PM Acquisition, Training and Readiness (PM AT&R).

Project Director (PD) Enterprise Services is now PD Business Technology Solutions (PD BTS).

An updated organizational chart with all CPE ES2’s leaders, portfolios and product offices is available on the newly updated CPE ES2 website.

By Erika Christ

Posted in Acquisition, Army, Guest Post | No Comments »

Nixie Works Restocks Packing Cubes

March 1st, 2026

Nixie Works just restocked their 2WIDE and Micro Packing Cubes.

Packing cubes are a great way to keep your gear organized and accessing important items quicker without having to dig through packs/pouches. They also enable you to easily transfer the contents of a pouch to another kit, or to your ruck.

Made of Berry compliant 200D nylon packcloth, these cubes slide in and out of your pouches easily, and scrunch down to almost nothing, while still being durable and water resistant.

There’s 2 sizes: the 2WIDE and the Micro. 2WIDES obviously fit inside our 2WIDE GP Pouch. Our 3WIDE GP Pouch will hold a 2WIDE + a Micro, and our Mag Pouch will hold a Micro. You can mix and match these pouches and packing cubes to hold practically anything.

As always, made by real Americans in the USA.

www.nixieworks.com

Posted in Load Carrying | No Comments »

National Guardsmen Train to Use Small Drones

March 1st, 2026

FORT INDIANTOWN GAP, Pa. – National Guard Soldiers from various backgrounds, skillsets and military occupational specialties attending a 10-day small unmanned aircraft system operator course, or sUAS, are learning how to operate small drones.

The course, which began Feb. 19 and ends Feb. 28, is being conducted by the 166th Regiment – Regional Training Institute.

“It’s been a great course,” said Sgt. Stephen Scharf, a student from 1st Battalion, 111th Infantry Regiment. “It’s a very evolving world, so there are a lot of new ideas coming out. A lot of things are changing very rapidly.

The course is structured to encourage students to adopt a tactical mindset and understand how the things they learn can be integrated into a large-scale combat operation, said Sgt. 1st Class Brandon Wahl, the sUAS operator course manager.

“One of my main goals here is to make it as realistic as we can,” he said. “So, it’s important for everyone to know how to operate one, because at any point you could be tasked with operating it.”

Several members of the 111th Engineer Brigade, West Virginia National Guard, attended the course because their unit is deploying soon. They’ll be using these drones on their deployment, Spc. Simon Bertram said.

“For infantry, it’s very necessary for reconnaissance,” Bertram said. “Getting more drone operators will be very beneficial.”

Other attendees of the course came to learn a new skill. Scharf said the course has been very informative.

“It’s an evolving world, and a lot of things are changing very rapidly,” he said. “The instructors are doing their best to stay on top of it and disseminating that info.”

Scharf mentioned that this course and the information it provides have been beneficial not just for himself but for the Army as a whole.

“It’s something that as we develop this, more doctrine gets established,” he said. “It’s going to be something that you’re going to see more widespread throughout both the Guard and the Army.”

The course is open to National Guard members of all military occupational specialties.

“There are infantrymen here, some of them are engineers,” Wahl said. “One of the students is an intel guy. There’s all kinds of jobs that come through.”

“All of these different jobs in the Army will be affected by sUAS’s,” Scharf said. “Sometimes that might be that you have to figure out how, which is a great thing.”

By SGT Kayden Bedwell

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

Ruger Expands Upgraded 10/22 Line with 10 Versatile New Models

February 28th, 2026

Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. (NYSE: RGR) is excited to announce the introduction of 10 new models of its recently upgraded 10/22® rifle. Each new model builds on the proven performance of the 10/22, enhancing a platform celebrated for its rugged reliability, adaptability and iconic status in the rimfire world.

With this expansion, the upgraded features previously available only in select versions are now offered in a broader range of configurations. All new models include a BX-Trigger®, a match bolt release and – for non-takedown models – a receiver with an integrated rear cleaning port for simplified maintenance.

These new models offer versatility to match a wide range of shooter preferences to fit almost any need. Consumers can choose from threaded or non-threaded barrels of various lengths, takedown or traditional models and stock options ranging from Magpul® and Hogue® to Ruger polymer, modular and wood.

For more information about the iconic 10/22 rifle and these upgraded models, or to learn more about the extensive line of award-winning Ruger firearms, visit Ruger.com.

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

Platatac – Peacekeeper Mk 5

February 28th, 2026

Platatac’s Peacekeeper Mk 5 is their flagship chest rig after years of development and refinement.

Features:

Space for up to 6 x 30 Round AR/M4 style magazines or each pouch can accommodate 2 x AK magazines, or a single 20 Round 417/.308 magazine
2 x Accessories/Water bottle/GP/ANPRC 152 pouches with front zip admin pockets
1 x Large Velcro mesh pocket with included Velcro in zip
2 x Tweave 4 way stretch pockets at the flanks
1 x Horizontal zippered pocket with webbing loops to attach elastic loop inserts to carry a TQ, Plasti Cuffs or Cyalume
PALS areas between pouches and on the sides of the GP pouches to attach additional MOLLE-compatible pouches
Velcro sandwich for sub load pouches to boost carrying capacity
Colour matched velcro loop for IFF, C/S or Flag patch with embroidered Platatac logo
Sewn drainage holes in all pouches

Offered in an amazing 18 colors and patterns.

Get yours at platatac.com/products/platatac-peacekeeper-mk5-chest-rig.

Posted in Advertiser, Load Carrying | 1 Comment »

Soldiers Engage with Advanced Battlefield Sensor Prototypes

February 28th, 2026

From Feb. 2-6, 13 Soldiers from the 1st Armored Division, the Maneuver Center of Excellence (MCoE), and the Fires Center of Excellence, participated in a Soldier Touch Point (STP 0) at Fort Belvoir to engage with some of the Army’s latest technology under development—FALCONS.

FALCONS, which stands for Future Advanced Long-range Common Optical/Netted-fires Sensors, is set to replace the Long Range Advanced Scout Surveillance System (LRAS3). FALCONS integrates cutting-edge commercial technologies with advanced military sensors, including the Army’s third-generation Forward-Looking Infrared (3GEN FLIR) system.

Lt. Col. Ryan Welch, who leads Product Manager for Ground Sensors (PM GS) which manages the FALCONS program, said FALCONS will enhance Soldier performance where it matters most.

“FALCONS will improve the effectiveness of the Soldier on the battlefield by improving upon the legacy system, LRAS3/FS3, providing overmatch to our Scouts and Fire Supporters,” said Welch.

Designed for both mounted and dismounted operations, FALCONS pinpoints targets with precision to support a wide range of Army and joint munitions—whether precision-guided, near-precision, or conventional. Its networked architecture directly connects Scouts and Fire Supporters, accelerating coordination and shortening the kill chain.

One of the improvements with FALCONS includes the addition of artificial intelligence.

“FALCONS will integrate advancements in AI and machine learning into the most powerful IR [infrared] sensor on the battlefield to support Aided Target Detection and Recognition (AiTDR), which will reduce the cognitive load on operators,” Welch said.

The STP 0, led by Research and Technology Integration’s (RTI) Sensor Evaluation and Digital Prototyping Division (SEDP), focused on eliciting feedback on initial vendor designs including ergonomics, button layout, and Graphical User Interfaces (GUI).

STPs are testing and feedback events where Soldiers provide insights on how systems or equipment undergoing development will be used in the field. The touch points provide helpful input to vendors, testers, researchers and acquisition experts on the capabilities Soldiers will need.

During SPT 0, Sgt. 1st Class Daniel Agriesti with the MCoE provided soldiers with a familiarization session on LRAS3 – an integral step needed to understand FALCONS prototypes during feedback sessions. Additionally, he participated in the Soldier touch point as a subject matter expert to provide feedback from a user perspective.

The feedback included how the hands of Soldiers interact with prototype components.

“How do they feel, how do they work, are they getting in the way, are they too big,” said Agriesti. “Especially with the new generation of Soldier[s] coming along they are a lot more gaming oriented based on what studies have told us.”

Engineering psychologists facilitated discussion and evaluation in the STP focus groups, meticulously documenting Soldier interactions with the prototypes and their verbal feedback.

Colleen Gerrity, one of several engineering psychologists who evaluated feedback at STP 0, said it is crucial her team is involved early on

“I feel like this Soldier touch point is unique because we are involved at the beginning of the process,” said Gerrity. “This is great because we are able to apply the academic rigor of research, design, and evaluation to ensure that the feedback is robust.

The feedback gathered during the event will accelerate the design process by enabling the early identification and mitigation of potential design flaws

STP 0 also underscored the importance of having fire support specialists and calvary scouts at future touch points, as their feedback, particularly on the GUI and operation of FALCONS, is essential to ensure vendor designs translate into something both intuitive and operationally effective

“STP 0 will inform future vendor designs as they prepare to transition into the initial design phase of the FALCONS prototyping,” Welch said.

He added that feedback from the touchpoint included Soldier preferences on handgrip design and button layout, the benefits of biocular versus binocular display, and the formatting of basic GUIs.

“The information gleaned will result in a more ergonomic design optimized for usability and employment in the diverse battlefield conditions that our Soldiers fight in across the globe,” Welch said.

Story by Michael Bortot, Capability Program Executive – Intelligence, Electronic Warfare & Sensors

Posted in Army, Guest Post, ISR | Comments Off on Soldiers Engage with Advanced Battlefield Sensor Prototypes

Varjo Launches Ready-to-Deploy XR Systems for Secure and Air-Gapped Environments

February 27th, 2026

The new offering combines XR-4 Series headsets, certified workstations, and software into a single, deployable XR system suitable for air-gapped environments.

February 26, 2026 – Helsinki, Finland – Varjo, a global technology leader in mission-ready virtual and mixed reality, today expanded its 2026 product offering with the launch of Integrated XR Systems – complete, ready-to-run XR hardware solutions designed to simplify deployment and deliver assured performance from day one in air-gapped environments.

With Integrated XR Systems, Varjo expands its product portfolio beyond industry-leading headsets to deliver fully validated XR solutions, combining Varjo XR-4 Series headsets (2026 edition) with premium workstations, pre-installed software, bundled licenses, and expert support. The new offering is designed for defense programs, system integrators, and professional XR users who require reliability and fast deployment.

“As defense training requirements evolve, immersive simulation has become a core capability rather than an add-on,” said Bartek Panasewicz, VP Training Systems Land at Rheinmetall Electronics. “Varjo’s Integrated XR Systems allow us to deliver scalable, secure solutions that meet the growing demand for operational readiness across NATO and allied forces.”

“Our military customers need fully equipped systems they can trust, not just devices,” said Valentin Storz, Chief Revenue Officer at Varjo. “At a time when parts of the XR market are recalibrating, Varjo continues to invest with discipline and purpose and evolve our portfolio based on the real-world needs of our customers, doubling down on mission-critical use cases where XR delivers measurable impact. Our Integrated XR Systems represent the next step in that evolution, delivering complete, secure platforms designed to close the training readiness gap.”

Deploying high-end virtual and mixed reality has traditionally required sourcing hardware from multiple vendors, validating compatibility, installing software, and managing support across different suppliers. This integration phase often slows down real-world deployment and increases operational risk.

Integrated XR Systems remove that complexity by delivering a single, fully configured XR platform that is validated, tested, and ready for use in secure settings on arrival. Each system includes:

a Varjo XR-4, XR-4 Focal Edition, or XR-4 Secure Edition headset,
a Varjo-certified workstation (XR Station) manufactured by Varjo’s long-term partners SCHENKER or RAVE Computer,
pre-installed core XR software and tools, bundled licenses including offline support, extended warranty coverage,
and expert support from Varjo’s professional services team (in Europe).

The systems are built around a tested and validated hardware and software configuration optimized for demanding virtual and mixed reality training with the XR-4 Series. Core supporting software comes pre-installed, enabling deployment without internet connectivity or additional downloads, making the systems optimal for secure or restricted environments.

Integrated XR Systems are delivered as a complete package with an extended warranty, providing a single point of accountability across hardware, software, and support. This approach supports long-term planning and scalable XR deployment across organizations. The bundled XR software suite includes Microsoft Windows 11 Pro, Varjo Base Pro, Varjo Lab Tools, NVIDIA™ App, Steam™, and SteamVR™, as well as Varjo sample demos and setup tools.

Integrated XR Systems are part of Varjo’s broader professional XR portfolio, which also includes professional services. These expert services help organizations design, deploy, and scale XR solutions from system integration and customization to training, optimization, and ongoing operational support, enabling customers to move faster from deployment to real-world use.

Integrated XR Systems are now available as part of Varjo’s updated 2026 product offering, with pricing starting at:

Integrated XR System (XR-4): €24,990

Integrated XR System (XR-4 Focal Edition): €29,99

Posted in C5ISR, International, Press Release | No Comments »

DroneShield Secures $21.7M Western Military Contracts

February 27th, 2026

Sydney, Australia – 26 February 2026 – DroneShield (ASX:DRO), a global leader in counter-drone technology, is pleased to announce that it has received a package of six standalone contracts for $21.7 million from an in-country reseller for delivery to a western military end-customer.

The contracts are for the supply of dismounted counter-drone systems, spare kits, and software subscriptions. All items are readily available from existing inventories and it is expected delivery will be made in Q1 2026, with payment expected in Q2 2026. No additional material conditions need to be satisfied.

Image: DroneShield RfPatrol Mk2

The reseller is a wholly-owned subsidiary of a multi-billion dollar, global, publicly listed company that is required to distribute the products to the western military end-customer. Over the past seven years, prior to this contract, DroneShield has received 39 contracts from this reseller totalling over $17.8 million.

Posted in C-UAS, Contracts, International, Press Release | Comments Off on DroneShield Secures $21.7M Western Military Contracts