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SHIELD Sights Celebrates 40 Years of Innovation in Red Dot Optics

November 3rd, 2026

Four decades of British engineering, pioneering technology, and a legacy of performance

Crewkerne, England — November 3, 2026 — SHIELD Sights proudly celebrates its 40th anniversary, marking four decades of British engineering, innovation, and contributions to the evolution of modern red dot optics.

Founded on November 3, 1986, SHIELD Sights has grown from its roots in competitive shooting into an internationally recognized manufacturer of compact red dot optics. Many of the company’s early designs were marketed under familiar names, including the Firepoint, Tasco Optima, Trijicon RedDot, and JPoint, helping establish the foundation for today’s pistol-mounted optics.

Among SHIELD’s most significant contributions is the development of its compact optic RMSc mounting footprint, now widely adopted by leading handgun manufacturers and competing optics brands. This lasting influence on modern optics-ready handgun design reflects the company’s pioneering role in the industry.

“SHIELD has been part of my life for as long as I can remember. I’ve had the privilege of growing up alongside this company and watching it evolve into a brand recognized by shooters around the world,” said James White, CEO of SHIELD Sights. “What makes me most proud isn’t just the technology we’ve developed, but the people who made it possible. Forty years is an incredible milestone, and our commitment to innovation is just as strong today as it was when this journey began.”

Today, SHIELD Sights continues to design, manufacture, and assemble its optics in the United Kingdom from its modern facility in Crewkerne, England. As the company enters its fifth decade, it remains committed to British manufacturing, advancing compact optic technology, and supporting the shooters and industry partners who have been part of its journey.

40 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE. A LEGACY OF INNOVATION. A FUTURE BUILT ON PERFORMANCE.

For more information on SHIELD Sights and its full line of red dot optics, visit ShieldSights.com.

Check out our products at our retail partners listed at www.shieldsights.com/us-dealers.

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Posted in Industry, Optics, Press Release | No Comments »

Blue Force Gear MTKN! – NANO ES Trauma Kit In Demand

November 3rd, 2026

POOLER, Ga. – Law-enforcement agencies are adopting the Blue Force Gear® MTKN!® – NANO ES to place essential trauma supplies directly on officers rather than leaving medical equipment in a vehicle.

For an officer responding to a shooting, or a vehicle collision, access matters. The trauma kit that can be reached immediately is more useful than the larger kit left behindbecause it was too bulky.

The NANO ES Pro was built around that reality. Its compact footprint gives officers a practical way to carry trauma supplies on their everyday kit. Approximately 6 inches by 4 inches, it provides the capacity of the Micro Trauma Kit NOW!® in a smaller package designed to fit into an already crowded duty setup.

A pull of the BLIP® tab removes the organized medical insert and puts the contents in the officer’s hands. The kit can be deployed with one hand without searching through a conventional pouch.

Agencies can select either a dedicated belt-mounted model or a MOLLE model using Blue Force Gear’s patented Helium Whisper® attachment system. Both versions can be mounted vertically or horizontally, allowing departments to accommodate different duty belts, MOLLE belts, and external carriers without changing the core trauma-kit platform.

The NANO ES has emerged as the primary configuration for BFG’s law-enforcement agency programs. It provides trauma gloves, QuikClot® Combat Gauze LE, a mini compression dressing, flat-fold tape, and a HyFin® Vent Compact Chest Seal twin pack in a focused loadout suited to officers who need to provide immediate aid before emergency medical personnel reach the scene.

Essential and advanced medical configurations remain available for agencies with different protocols or levels of medical training.

BFG® works directly with departments to understand how officers carry medical equipment, identify gaps, and evaluate the NANO ES in duty setups. The company’s law-enforcement team supports all phases of agency acquisition — product demonstrations, agency evaluations, configuration decisions, purchasing requirements, and distributor coordination.

Our objective is not simply to sell another pouch. It is to help agencies put a usable trauma kit on the officers who may need it before emergency medical support arrives.

Every officer should know what is inside the kit and practice deploying it from the position where it will be carried. Equipment does not replace training, but the right equipment must be present when that training is needed.

Law-enforcement agencies interested in evaluating the NANO ES PRO Kit can contact the Blue Force Gear Law Enforcement Sales Team at LE@blueforcegear.com.

Product information and available configurations can be found on the Blue Force Gear MTKN – ES page.

Posted in Advertiser, LE, Medical, Press Release | No Comments »

Vanguard Over-Shell Jacket and Vanguard Over-Shell Trousers from Direct Action

November 3rd, 2026

WET WEATHER.

GEAR STAYS ON.

PROTECTION GOES OVER.

Direct Action’s new Vanguard Jacket and Trousers were designed as true outerwear, with ample room to be work over equipment.

Made from a 3 layer, waterproof breathable laminate, the systems is easy to don and doff. In fact, that was the scenario that drove development of Vanguard:

Increasing rain and wind ? don the protective layer ? operating with full kit ? adjusting ventilation ? quickly removing or packing away the system as conditions change.

The jacket is cut to fit over a plate carrier, while the hood accommodates a fully equipped helmet. The trousers can be pulled on over a uniform without removing footwear and taken off just as quickly in the field.

For full details visit directactiongear.com/en/vanguard-over-shell-rain-system.

Posted in Advertiser, Clothing | No Comments »

Space Force Activates SPACEFOR-SOC as Service Component Command to Special Operations Command

November 3rd, 2026

ARLINGTON, Va. (AFNS) —

U.S. Special Operations Command and the U.S. Space Force have activated the U.S. Space Forces Special Operations component command, with a formal activation ceremony scheduled to take place at MacDill Air Force Base, Florida, Nov. 2.

Effective Oct. 7, SPACEFOR-SOC was activated as a component field command of the U.S. Space Force. While space capabilities are already integrated into USSOCOM missions, this activation institutionalizes how the Space Force organizes, trains, equips and presents forces for the special operations enterprise, placing SPACEFOR-SOC alongside sister service SOF components: U.S. Army Special Operations Command, Naval Special Warfare Command, Air Force Special Operations Command and Marine Forces Special Operations Command.

This is the newest service component under USSOCOM, establishing a headquarters at MacDill AFB to be commanded by U.S. Space Force Col. Peter Norsky. The Space Force has previously established service components to U.S. Space Command, U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, U.S. Central Command, U.S. Forces Korea, U.S. European Command and U.S. Africa Command, U.S. Forces Japan, U.S. Northern Command and U.S. Southern Command.

SPACEFOR-SOC’s presence at MacDill AFB marks another milestone in the Department of War’s ongoing effort to establish Space Force service components within combatant commands, ensuring space effects are fully operationalized across every domain of modern warfighting.

Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs

Posted in Press Release, SOF, Space | No Comments »

Former US Government Contractor Arrested for Allegedly Leaking National Defense Information and Stealing Night Vision Goggles

November 3rd, 2026

James Thomas Ashbacher, 37, of Spring Lake, North Carolina, a former U.S. government contractor, was arrested by the FBI on Tuesday for allegedly leaking national defense information by posting the information on a popular social media site, unlawfully retaining other national defense information at his residence, and stealing night vision goggles from the U.S. Army’s Special Operations Command.

Ashbacher was charged by an indictment unsealed Tuesday with unlawfully transmitting and retaining national defense information and with theft of government property.

According to the indictment, beginning in or about 2021, the defendant worked as an employee of a private company that provided security and emergency management services at the U.S. Army Special Operations Command facility in Fort Bragg, North Carolina. To perform the required functions of his employment, Ashbacher held a Top Secret security clearance with Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI) access.

As further detailed in the indictment, Ashbacher photographed and removed without authorization videos and photographs containing images of classified military operations and transmitted the materials to a social media site. The classified materials were later re-posted by other users to a second social media site. Ashbacher asked a social media user in a private message to remove some materials and further stated that he was “trying to do some damage control.” A search of Ashbacher’s residence also revealed a classified award write-up that contained additional national defense information, along with a night vision goggle system specific to a military unit within Army Special Operations Command that had been reported missing.

The FBI Charlotte Field Office is investigating the case with substantial assistance from the U.S. Department of the Army’s Criminal Investigative Division.

Trial Attorney Leslie Esbrook of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Logan Liles for the Eastern District of North Carolina are prosecuting the case.

An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Via DOJ

Posted in Army, Press Release | No Comments »

Finnish Defence Forces and Varjo Announce Collaboration – New Technology for Counter-UAS Training

November 2nd, 2026

The Finnish Defence Forces Innovation Unit and VR/XR company Varjo are collaborating to test and develop virtual solutions for counter-UAS training.

Helsinki, Finland – October 29, 2026 – The partnership between the Defence Forces and Varjo reflects the growing need to prepare for drone threats. The war in Ukraine has shown that First Person View (FPV ) micro-drone systems and loitering munitions constitute a constant threat. Soldiers on the battlefield must understand the effects of drones and know how to operate under threat. Training solutions must be realistic, repeatable and readily available.

The Defence Forces and Varjo are piloting and developing virtual training solutions which aim at improving soldiers’ counter-UAS readiness. Varjo is cooperating with a Defence Forces brigade-level unit. The project deploys the Varjo XR-4 Series mixed reality headset, which provides visual clarity sufficient for training to counter even a five-inch FPV drone from realistic distances. Preparations for this partnership started in February 2026.

“The drone threat is one of the critical challenges of the modern battlefield, and training must keep up with the changes”, says Timo Toikkanen, CEO of Varjo. “Partnership with the Defence Forces makes it possible to improve training and make it match operational needs. We are proud to see Finnish technology at the forefront of this work.”

The battlefield is changing rapidly, and new technologies are becoming ever more important. The Defence Forces’ coordinated innovation activity is doing its share in responding to the changes, seeking, testing and working on new solutions together with its partners.

“We at our end are also proud of our partnership with Varjo. Virtual technology offers a possibility to train and prepare for drone threats in a realistic and repeated manner without consuming real resources. This partnership brings together a real operational need and Finnish technology. This pilot gives us valuable insights into how virtual training can be put into even better use in the Finnish military training”, said Major Ville Kuparinen, Head of the FDF Innovation Unit.

Posted in C-UAS, International, Press Release, Training | No Comments »

Darley Welcomes New Members to Defense Advisory Board: Paul J. LaCamera – General (Ret), Dan Covelli – USN (Ret), Michael Johnston – RADM, USCG (Ret), and Michael Derrios

November 2nd, 2026

ITASCA, IL – October 28, 2026 – Darley, a leading provider of defense, fire, and emergency services equipment, is pleased to announce the appointment of Dan Covelli, RADM (Ret) Mike Johnson, Mike Derrios, and General (Ret) Paul J. LaCamera to its Defense Advisory Board.

Paul J. LaCamera, General (Ret)

Retired U.S. Army General Paul LaCamera brings four decades of distinguished military leadership and national security experience. Most recently, he served as Commander of United Nations Command, ROK-U.S. Combined Forces Command, and U.S. Forces Korea, following senior commands that included U.S. Army Pacific, XVIII Airborne Corps, Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve, and the 75th Ranger Regiment. A combat veteran of operations in Panama, Afghanistan, and Iraq, LaCamera is a recipient of the Silver Star and numerous other military honors. He is a graduate of the U.S. Military Academy and holds a master’s degree in National Security and Strategic Studies.

Dan Covelli, USN (Ret)

Dan “Stuckey” Covelli is a senior defense executive with more than 30 years of leadership experience spanning military aviation, acquisition, program management, and the defense industry. Following a 29-year U.S. Navy career, retiring as a Captain, he held senior leadership roles with Lockheed Martin and KBR before founding Covelli & Associates, where he advises defense organizations on growth, operational performance, and acquisition strategy. A former Navy carrier aviator and test pilot, Covelli brings extensive expertise in aviation and weapon systems, training solutions, and defense acquisition, including leadership of major programs supporting U.S. and Allied forces. He holds degrees from SUNY Maritime College, the University of Tennessee, and the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School.

Michael Johnston, RADM, USCG (Ret)

Rear Admiral Michael Johnston is a seasoned senior executive with more than three decades of leadership experience spanning national security, operations, technology, higher education, and organizational transformation. His distinguished U.S. Coast Guard career includes serving as Superintendent of the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, Commander of Coast Guard District Nine, and Chief Acquisition Officer, where he oversaw a $2 billion annual portfolio and led major modernization initiatives. Johnston holds master’s degrees from MIT and Georgia Tech and has completed executive programs at Harvard and National Defense University. He brings extensive expertise in strategic planning, technology modernization, enterprise risk, workforce development, and governance to the Darley Defense Advisory Board.

Michael Derrios

Michael W. Derrios is a distinguished government acquisition executive with more than 30 years of leadership experience across federal service, the military, and private sector. A Senior Executive Service member since 2015, he has held senior procurement leadership roles with the U.S. Department of State, U.S. Coast Guard, and Transportation Security Administration, overseeing major acquisition and national security initiatives. He also served in the U.S. Air Force and Maryland Air National Guard. Derrios brings extensive expertise in government procurement, acquisition strategy, and national security to the Darley Defense Advisory Board.

Paul C. Darley, Chairman and CEO, commented, “We’re honored to welcome these exceptional leaders to our Defense Advisory Board. Their depth of experience and perspective will be invaluable as we continue to innovate and strengthen our support of the warfighter.”

The appointment of the new members reflects Darley’s ongoing commitment to building on the strength of its Defense Advisory Board with experienced leaders who provide strategic guidance and oversight in support of the company’s long-term direction supporting the military community.

Posted in Advertiser, Industry, Press Release | No Comments »

Adept Armor Launches BulletFoam Torso Pad, First Armor Made from Its New Ballistic Foam

November 2nd, 2026

231-gram panel stops 9mm and fragments, works alone or behind a rifle plate, and floats more than three times its own weight.

Denison, TX. (October 2026) – Adept Armor, pioneers in next-gen protective solutions, today announced the BulletFoam™ Torso Pad, a 231-gram (0.51-pound) ballistic panel that stops handgun rounds and fragments. The 10-by-12-inch panel is the first product made from BulletFoam, a molded ballistic fiber-foam composite that stops projectiles through depth rather than dense layers of fiber. The Torso Pad is built as one panel with several jobs. It can be worn alone as lightweight armor, worn as blunt-impact padding, placed behind a rifle plate instead of a trauma pad, used to stage a plate carrier, carried in a bag, or worn on and near water for added buoyancy.

“A soldier already wears knee pads, elbow pads and a helmet liner, and almost none of it stops anything,” said Jake Ganor, founder and CEO of Adept Armor. “BulletFoam is light enough to change that. The Torso Pad is the first step: armor that weighs what padding weighs. The next step is making the padding they already wear into armor.”

Element U.S. Space & Defense in Belcamp, Maryland, tested the Torso Pad on July 8, 2026. A single panel stopped a 9mm 124-grain full metal jacket round at 1,330 feet per second and again at 1,430 feet per second on the same panel. As a free-standing panel, it recorded a 17-grain fragment-simulating projectile V50 of 1,385 feet per second (422 meters per second) under MIL-STD-662F.

That protection comes in a panel 10 by 12 inches and half an inch thick that weighs less than Apple’s flagship iPhone: at 231 grams, the Torso Pad is lighter than an iPhone 18 Pro Max (249 grams). Its low density has to be felt to be believed.

The Torso Pad is not rifle-rated. For rifle threats, Adept Armor suggests a hard plate with the Torso Pad behind it. The panel has been independently tested but is not an NIJ-listed model.

Six Ways to Use It:

Standalone Armor – In a plate carrier or concealable carrier, the panel provides handgun and fragment protection light enough to wear all day for low-profile, light-duty, and long-duration work.

Blunt Trauma Protection – The semi-rigid panel spreads and absorbs blunt impacts from batons, thrown objects, kicks, and falls, for riot control, corrections, mounted and equestrian work, and other high-contact duty.

Behind a Rifle Plate – It replaces the non-ballistic trauma pad with a second layer of armor that manages backface loading, improves fit, and adds its own handgun and fragment protection.

Carrier Staging Insert – Panels keep the carrier shaped, seated on the body, and protective. Rifle plates drop in when the threat level rises, with no re-rigging.

On and Near Water – Each panel provides about 0.8 kilograms (1.8 pounds) of net positive buoyancy in fresh water to offset heavy kit. It complements a life jacket but does not replace one.

Outside the Carrier – As a backpack, laptop sleeve, jacket, or travel-kit insert, it carries protection where armor is normally left behind.

“Most armor does one job. This panel does six. Wear it alone, behind a rifle plate, or as padding on a riot line or in the saddle. Keep it in your carrier until you need plates, or slip it into a bag. And it floats. All at 231 grams,” said Ganor.

Conventional soft armor compresses fiber into dense laminated layers. BulletFoam holds aramid and UHMWPE fiber inside a proprietary closed-cell foam structure at roughly one-quarter the density of water. It slows a projectile through the thickness of the panel rather than stopping it at a single plane.

The semi-rigid material holds its shape, spreads impact over a wider area, tolerates repeated hits, and floats. Adept filed a patent application for BulletFoam in August 2026. Knee, elbow, and helmet pads made from the material are planned to follow the Torso Pad.

Adept BulletFoam Torso Pad Specifications:

For more information on Adept Armor, visit its website.

Posted in Armor, Press Release | No Comments »