FENTON, Mo. (May 14, 2026) — FirstSpear®, the industry leader in innovation and standard-setting load-bearing technology and personal protective equipment, will exhibit at SOF Week 2026, taking place May 18–21, 2026, in Tampa, Florida. FirstSpear’s booth will be located in the Bayshore Ballroom at the Hilton Tampa Downtown as part of SOF Select, a focused industry exhibition running alongside the main SOF Week event. The booth will showcase FirstSpear’s full platform lineup alongside the newly integrated Recon K9® brand, with live demonstrations scheduled throughout the week.
SOF Week is the premier annual convention for the global special operations community, co-hosted by U.S. Special Operations Command and the Global SOF Foundation, drawing operators, acquisition leaders, government officials, and industry partners from around the world.
Recon K9 Live Demonstration
On Tuesday, May 19, FirstSpear will host a live Multi-Purpose Canine (MPC) demonstration in the courtyard of the Hilton Tampa Downtown, led by Jason Watson, founder of Recon K9.
The demonstration will feature a working K9 outfitted in Recon K9’s DT Alpha™ modular vest system, complete with an integrated camera rigging to showcase real-world operational capability, modular load carriage, and the equipment standard trusted by military, law enforcement, and federal agency K9 teams.
FirstSpear announced an exclusive, ten-year licensing and operations agreement with Recon K9, through which FirstSpearhas assumed full responsibility for the sales, marketing, manufacturing, distribution, and logistics of the Recon K9 brand, with Watson joining the FirstSpear team as part of the transition.
“In the SOF community, the K9 is not merely an asset; they are a fellow operator,” said Jon Laplume, FirstSpear co-founder and vice president of SOF Strategy and Product Development. “Our integration of Recon K9 applies FirstSpear’s material science and manufacturing precision to these products. We are making a strategic commitment to the safety and lethality of the entire team.
Featured Recon K9 products on display will include the DT Alpha Vest™ with Coverlet System™, OTB Ruck™, and Aviation Parachute Bag™.
Maritime Capabilities Demonstration with Prime Hall and Deep End Fitness
On Wednesday, May 20, FirstSpear will lead an off-site product demonstration at Bobby Hicks Pool (4120 W. Mango Ave., Tampa, FL 33616), running from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. The demonstration will be supported by Deep End Fitness and Prime Hall, FirstSpear’s lead maritime Vanguard.
Hall, a former U.S. Marine Raider and water survival instructor, was appointed to the FirstSpear Vanguard Program earlier this year. In that role, he serves as a subject matter expert in FirstSpear maritime platforms. The demonstration will highlight the AAC Frog™ Kit (Assaulter Armor Carrier Frog Kit), including the patented Cummerbund Tactical Aid to Flotation (CTAF)™, which has become the standard for maritime operations across USSOCOM, the U.S. Air Force, and the U.S. Coast Guard.
“When seconds count, our maritime operators need equipment that helps them remain undetected, agile, and mission-ready,” said Hall. “The AAC-FROG and CTAF systems were engineered to provide that advantage, combining patented, low-profile design with industry-leading buoyancy, giving operators more lift, more mobility, and more survivability when it matters most.”
Booth and Product Focus
FirstSpear’s SOF Select booth will feature its full maritime and aviation platform suite, including the AAC Frog™ Kit, ABAV™ (Aircrew Body Armor Vest), CTAF™, FirstSpear LVPC™ (Low Visibility Plate Carrier), and new SOF requirement-driven chest rig configurations, alongside the full Recon K9® product lineup.
For technical inquiries related to K9, flotation, CTAF™, AAC-FROG, or other FirstSpear products, visit the FirstSpear booth.To request a meeting during SOF Week, contact [email protected]
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