Several Historic UAS Events Originated From the FTTC GRAND FORKS – 16 July 2026 – General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) began operations of its Flight Test and Training Center (FTTC) at the GrandSKY UAS Business Park near Grand Forks, North Dakota, on July 18, 2016. Over the past 10 years, the FTTC has been the site of a number of historic “firsts” for Uncrewed Aircraft Systems (UAS) and has delivered training to more than 4,000 pilots and sensor operators that fly UAS produced by GA-ASI. “It’s been an eventful decade for the FTTC,” said GA-ASI CEO Linden Blue. “We opened this facility with the idea of expanding our flight test and training capability in a location with a lot of open sky, and we found that in North Dakota.” The FTTC quickly became an important piece in the emergence of GA-ASI’s next-generation MQ-9B Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA), which has been ordered by 10 countries. Several important MQ-9B test flights originated from the FTTC, which is also a prime location for international customer flight crews to receive training for their pilots, sensor operators, and mission intelligence coordinators. “Starting with the first nonstop transatlantic flight of a medium-altitude, long-endurance RPA (MQ-9B)…
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MoreThe U.S. bombed Iran for the sixth consecutive night and Iran retaliated with strikes on U.S. bases and energy targets in the region, as the Iran War entered its 140th day on Friday. CENTCOM claimed it struck military targets and that its strikes were aimed at “degrading Iranian military capabilities…
Final Call for Tigerstripe Gear from Wilde Custom Gear The fabric is gone. The gear is next. Our Limited Edition Vietnam Tiger Stripe run is coming to an end. The fabric has been depleted, and what remains is the final inventory of this legendary camouflage pattern. No restock. No second…
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Eastman Tiger Stripe Short Brim Boonie A new addition to the Eastman Combat Collection, our Vietnam era boonie is an exacting reproduction of an incountry made original, this piece is entirely made in Japan and in stock now in the ELC webstore. Few other pieces of gear are as iconic…
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FirstSpear Friday Focus: Low Visibility Plate Carrier (LVPC) Protection doesn’t have to announce itself. The FirstSpear LOW VISIBILITY PLATE CARRIER is engineered for the modern operator who demands maximum performance with minimal presence. Designed for plainclothes operations, undercover roles, and urban environments where stealth is non-negotiable, the LVPC combines a…
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MoreIn a late night speech from the White House on Thursday, President Donald Trump alleged that the Chinese government interfered in the U.S. elections in 2018 and 2020. Trump cited CIA reports to claim that China attempted to manufacture illegal ballots for Joe Biden and acquired 220 million U.S. voter…
Julius Caesar Announced as Latest Installment of SK Guns’ Conquerors Series ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. – July 13, 2026 – SK Guns®, the Nation’s only series-driven, limited-edition manufacturer of custom firearms, is proud to announce the third production in its popular Conquerors Series: Julius Caesar. As a limited-production release, only 200 Colt 1911…
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The Trump administration on Wednesday announced that it would impose a new Section 301 tariff of 25 percent on Brazil for alleged unfair trade practices. Subscribe Today Get daily emails in your inbox The tariff would impose new import charges on a wide range of goods from the…
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MoreKILGORE, Texas – July 13, 2026 – Evolution Outdoor, a leading provider of high-quality fishing gear, is proud to unveil new tackle storage solutions at ICAST 2026. Among multiple product launches, Evolution Fishing will debut its Ballistix 3.5 Terminal Tackle Tray, Ballistix Jig Lockr 3.6 and Ballistix Jig Lockr 3.7. The trade…
The Producer Price Index (PPI), per Wednesday’s Bureau of Labor Statistics report, slowed in June to 5.5 percent year over year and down from May’s four-year high of 6.2 percent. The decline in producer price inflation came as the Straits of Hormuz reopened in mid-June, allowing energy prices to come…
The U.S. bombed Iran on Tuesday evening and Wednesday morning, and Iran retaliated against U.S. bases, as the Iran War entered its 138th day on Wednesday. U.S. Central Command announced Wednesday morning that it had completed airstrikes against what it claimed were “coastal defense systems and cruise missile storage and…
UK MoD Publishes Guide for Servicewomen Preparing for Special Forces Selection The United Kingdom Ministry of Defence recently published “Science of Human Performance: A guide for servicewomen preparing for arduous courses” a handbook for females training for selection for that nation’s Special Forces units. However, while it’s obvious this is…
Quantum Systems selected for Japan’s Counter-UAS Proof-of-Concept Program Quantum Systems has been selected by Japan’s Acquisition, Technology & Logistics Agency (ATLA) to participate in Japan’s Counter-UAS Proof-of-Concept Program, supporting the evaluation of next-generation interceptor drone capabilities. Tokyo/Japan, 15 July 2026 – Quantum Systems has been selected by Japan’s Acquisition, Technology…
Don’t learn travel the hard way. Read “International Travel: A How-To Guide for Beginners and Seasoned Travelers.” From pre-trip planning to money, tech, transportation, and the problems most travelers don’t see coming, a practical guide for first-time and seasoned travelers alike, business or pleasure. Get your copy here. Read the…
Ultra-compact chip delivers trusted positioning, navigation, and timing resilience amid rising spoofing and jamming threatsMCLEAN, Va., July 14, 2026 – Iridium Communications Inc. (Nasdaq: IRDM), a leading provider of global voice, data, and positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT) satellite services, today announced the commercial availability of the Iridium PNT ASIC,…
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Developed with General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. and Mercury Marine, MRLN enables Ghostworks’ M-Hull and powercat vessels to perform multiple missions from a single platform, without trading off speed, range, or payload. CARLISLE, PA — July 14, 2026 — At the 2026 Pennsylvania Defense and Innovation Summit, hosted by U.S.…
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FORT BENNING, Ga. — Joint Interagency Task Force 401 and the 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, completed a comprehensive five-day operational training exercise July 6-10, 2026, at Fort Benning to evaluate and employ the Bumblebee V2 counter-drone system in defense of military installations and domestic critical infrastructure. This training represents…
