Author: Jack Bogart

It isn’t often that a National Guard Assault Helicopter Battalion has to rescue hikers and their pets, but when they do, they’re well-equipped for the job. On May 2, the Tennessee Army National Guard assisted the Nolichuckey Fire Department and local search and rescue (SAR) teams in extracting a lost hiker and his German shepherd from the Sampson Mountain Wilderness in the Cherokee National Forest. The hiker had gotten turned around and was stranded in a ravine overnight. The victim was discovered by rescue personnel in a hypothermic state, wearing just shorts and a T-shirt. He’d been missing for almost…

Farnborough, UK, 6th May 2026: Galvion, a leader in integrated soldier systems, has announced a strategic investment in Sentinel Photonics to accelerate the deployment of advanced laser detection and protection technologies to allied forces. The partnership combines Sentinel’s operationally proven laser threat detection and protection technology with Galvion’s expertise in soldier system integration and its global defence relationships.  The investment will support continued product development and the integration of laser defence capabilities into soldier systems and broader defence platforms. It is also expected to deepen North American engagement with laser defence as a critical capability for NATO and coalition forces operating in contested…

By Kevin Creighton Posted in #Skills Learn how to spot trouble long before it happens. If you walk into any defensive-oriented training class, there will be a good chance you will hear the “Cooper Color Code” being mentioned. Created in the 1970’s by legendary firearms trainer Col. Jeff Cooper, it’s a way of describing your ability to react to what’s going on at any given moment. The original version has four levels, each represented by a different color. White: Your mind is on vacation. You’re in your easy chair at home, reading a book and sipping a drink.…

Nothing can spoil a hunt like foot problems. But great, condition-appropriate hunting boots will keep feet happy and hunters moving through mountains, marshes, forests, or fields. Apart from being burly and weather-proof, the best hunting boots have focused qualities for specific environments. If you’re chasing elk across mountains, you’ll want very different footwear from duck hunters hunkering in a cold, wet blind. To build this list, I and a team of hunters tested more than 25 pairs of boots over eight years. For this round of testing, we collectively spent over three months trekking through steep elk country in Colorado,…

Want a Colonial Marine Corps M-41A Pulse Rifle at home? You can get pretty close with the Manticore Arms Ripley Rail.If you’re a fan of the Alien movie franchise, there’s a good chance you’ve thought about owning the iconic M-41A Pulse Rifle used by the Colonial Marine Corps in Aliens and Alien 3. Sure, replicas are available for purchase, and some enthusiasts have even gone the extra mile and built models capable of live fire using a Thompson as the base (like the original movie props did), but that’s difficult and expensive. If you want an easy shortcut lookalike, you…

XD Tyton™ helps agencies unlock the power of iOS and iPadOS inside classified networks — securely and compliantly.  COLUMBIA, MD. May 5, 2026: Owl Cyber Defense (Owl), the leader in cross domain network security, today announced the launch of XD Tyton™, a breakthrough solution that provides an approved secure gateway for iOS and iPadOS into air-gapped networks for the first time. XD Tyton helps agencies leverage the full performance and productivity of iPhone and iPad devices in critical enclave networks, redefining what is possible for secure mobility.  Built to work within the iOS and iPadOS secure update architecture, XD Tyton…

I recently bought a Texas Toothpick from Bulldog knives.  The handle is brown, gigged bone with a bar shield set in it.  The single blade is reversed etched with “Long Horn” and an image of the corresponding steer. The front tang stamp features two fighting bulldogs with “HAND MADE” underneath. The reverse tang has a bit more information. It’s stamped “BULLDOG BRAND HAMMER FORGED SOLINGEN-GERMANY. The bolsters are nickel silver, a tricky alloy containing no silver. I grew up calling it German Silver, and it’s a blend of 60% copper, 20% nickel, and 20% zinc. Amazing! German silver is valued…

Barboursville, VA — May 5, 2026 — 38 Sierra, a Virginia-based provider of specialized counter-UAS training, announces Drone Incident Response Training (DIRT), a specialized training program designed to prepare personnel to safely assess and manage grounded, crashed, suspicious, or potentially weaponized unmanned aircraft systems (UAS). Most counter-UAS training focuses on detection, airspace monitoring, and drone interdiction. DIRT focuses on what happens after the drone is on the ground. Whether a drone is abandoned, has crashed, is found near sensitive infrastructure, or is associated with suspicious activity, the operational challenge changes the moment it becomes a grounded aircraft. At that point,…

HOHENFELS, Germany — Soldiers assigned to the newly established Eerie Company, 1st Battalion, 4th Infantry Regiment, used first-person-view drone systems to enhance reconnaissance capabilities during Joint Multinational Readiness Center exercises in Hohenfels, Germany. Acting as the opposing force during the exercise, the company replicated a modern battlefield threat by combining emerging drone technology and electronic warfare with traditional infantry tactics, creating a realistic training environment for rotational units. Established in December, Eerie Company specializes in short-, mid- and long-range reconnaissance to provide timely, accurate battlefield intelligence. The unit was created to address the evolving demands of modern warfare and to…

Taking place on April 26-30, 2026, at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center in National Harbor, Maryland, visitors to Booth 703 will witness a powerful, integrated ecosystem of sensing solutions for government and security force projects. Visitors to SPIE Defense + Security 2026 will discover how a collective of Teledyne business units and subsidiaries is advancing defense applications through high-performance sensing and imaging technologies. Accelerating insight through advanced IR imaging Central to the showcase will be research and science cameras from Teledyne FLIR, developed to provide exceptional infrared (IR) imaging performance in demanding environments. Combining advanced detector technologies, high-speed…