Author: Tony Grist

Battelle Supports the Development and Test of the US Army’s New Hand Grenade COLUMBUS, Ohio (May 27, 2026) – Battelle recently partnered with the U.S. Army Close Combat Systems Program Office to support the Full Material Release (FMR) of the new M111 Offensive Hand Grenade (OHG), the first new offensive hand grenade since 1968. The M111 was developed over many years of close collaboration between the Army and Battelle to ensure a safe, high-quality, and repeatable manufacturing process. Battelle supported various stages of the development, starting with an initial concept, completing Process Verification Testing (PVT) and executing FMR by prototyping…

President Donald Trump signed an executive order Tuesday which establishes a voluntary federal testing program for artificial intelligence systems and directs agencies to strengthen cybersecurity defenses for critical infrastructure. Subscribe Today Get daily emails in your inbox The order calls for collaboration with leading AI companies to “ensure that the best and most secure technology is deployed rapidly to confront any and all threats to our country.” It explicitly prohibits the federal government from imposing mandatory licensing requirements on AI firms, establishing a cooperative rather than a regulatory model for AI safety. Participating companies would provide advanced models…

Blast From The Past – What Kind of Leader Are You? We’ve published this leadership model a few times. The first time was in 2012 and It’s still worthy of debate today. In the mid-1800s a Prussian Field Marshal named Helmuth Karl Bernhard Graf von Moltke developed a means to evaluate his officers. Smart & Lazy – I make them my Commanders because they make the right thing happen but find the easiest way to accomplish the mission.Smart & Energetic – I make them my General Staff Officers because they make intelligent plans that make the right things happen.Dumb &…

Watch full video on YouTube

Watch full video on YouTube

FORT DRUM, N.Y. — As unmanned aircraft systems reshape modern warfare, the 10th Mountain Division is positioning itself at the forefront of the Army’s effort to train Soldiers to fight, survive and adapt on a drone?saturated battlefield. The division’s Mountain Innovation Systems Lab is producing drone components on post, reducing reliance on external suppliers and accelerating experimentation. Using those systems, the newly established Counter?Unmanned Aerial Systems (C?UAS) Academy trained Soldiers at Fort Drum from May 11–15, 2026, marking a major step in preparing units for emerging threats. To meet challenges posed by near?peer adversaries, the Army is expanding training programs…

Rampart Range Day 26 – Hudson Supplies Hudson Supplies is well known for their distribution of the DownEast Inc FASTmag. Features: • Mounts to any MOLLE/P.A.L.S. 1″ web system, up or down [operators preference]• GhillieTEX™ IR Signature Reduction Technology• Reduces reload cycle time• High-Impact resistant polymer case with anti-fragmentation properties• Attachment slots for ‘double-stack’– Magazine stays secure without pouch flap, hook, cover, or bungee• Enhanced urethane tension strap can be moved up or down for additional tension Although they are well known to SSD readers, Hudson has FASTmags available for individual purchase as well as distribution to retailers. This and…

LONDON – 1 June 2026 – NATO’s Defence Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic (DIANA) has launched six new challenges aimed at finding game-changing solutions that help build a safer future for the Alliance. Innovators can submit their proposals for DIANA’s challenges until 12:00 UTC +1/BST on Friday 3 July 2026. Selected innovators will become part of DIANA’s 2027 cohort of innovators, participating in a six-month accelerator programme that will begin in January 2027. These innovators will help identify and adopt solutions that can deliver cutting-edge technologies to Allied armed forces faster – strengthening NATO’s operational edge Innovators can submit proposals for…

Rampart Range Day 26 – Pulsar Pulsar’s Symbion multi-spectral binoculars are a great value. In addition to EO (day and low light) and thermal cameras, the Symbion incorporates a laser range finder and video camera. Sensor Thermal 1280×1024/12µm | Digital 3840×2160 Objective lens Thermal F50/1.0 | Digital F50/1.8 Magnification, x Thermal 2 – 24x | Digital 6.5 – 26x FOV (HxV), degrees Thermal 17.5° | Digital 5.8° FOV (HxV), m@100m Thermal 30.7 m | Digital 10.2 m Diopter Adjustment, D -5 / +5 Detection range Thermal 2300 m This and other products shown at Rampart Range Day are available for…

Rampart Range Day 26 – Sordin Sordin exhibited their T2 comms headset built in their SordinFLEX Modular Design Platform. Additionally, you can choose between four audio profiles to adapt your sound image to the actual tactical situation. Switching is as simple as toggling between profiles using an ergonomic keypad. Profiles include: Tactical is the normal audio profile for general purposes. Gain and frequency are set to normal levels in order to mimic natural ambient sound and to balance situational awareness and comfort in the field. Comfort is a profile with reduced gain and a reduced frequency spectrum. Ideal in noisy…