On 13 March, 2026, the Department Of War’s Director, Operational Test and Evaluation Office (DOT&E) released their 2025 annual report to Congress. DOT&E provides oversight for acquisition related testing of new capabilities and releases an annual report. The report covers acquisition programs from each of the services and United States Special Operations Command, as well as missile systems. You can check it out here. This article concentrates on the Next Generation Squad Weapons (NGSW) and Ammunition (W&A) and NGSW – Fire Control (FC) section. As a reminder, the NGSW system includes the M7 Rifle, M250 Automatic Rifle, 6.8mm ammunition common to both weapons, and XM157 Fire Control mounted on each weapon. Recently added to the NGSW program is the XM8 Carbine. The M7, XM8, and the M250 are replacements for the 5.56mm M4/M4A1 carbine and M249 Squad Automatic Weapon currently used in the close combat force (CCF). I’d like to note that the report refers to the XM157 FC without the eXperimental designation prefix it continues to carry. Over the years I have noted such instances of small details slipping through the cracks on their reports which remain at a very generic, high level for executive use. NGSW is being…
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As a fan of the double action auto, you may think that I am against single action guns. Since one of the benefits of the DA auto is how safe it is to live with, day in and day out, you might assume that the single action auto is just…
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I am very excited to report that Jeff Gonzalez and I are collaborating on a class this summer in AZ. I’m sure everyone who reads this blog is familiar with Jeff, but in case you came in late, he runs Trident Concepts, a long standing training company known for its…
In this age of high capacity micro guns, why would anyone waste time with a single shot weapon? I have always been drawn to them, though I don’t often use them for anything serious. In this case, I’m talking about rifles and shotguns, but there are single shot pistols that…
If you have not read Jeff Cooper’s work, Principles of Personal Defense, it is now available free online. It one of those works that every armed and unarmed person should read and know. A tip of the hat to Claude Werner for bringing to my attention the free online version…
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MorePresident Donald Trump said Wednesday he will travel to Beijing May 14–15 for talks with China’s President Xi Jinping, postponing a long-planned China visit as the White House remains consumed by the expanding war with Iran. Subscribe Today Get daily emails in your inbox In the announcement on…
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A Los Angeles jury delivered a landmark verdict against Meta and YouTube, finding that the companies knowingly designed addictive platforms that harmed a young woman’s mental health after she began using them as a child. Kaley (her last name has been withheld from public filings for privacy), now 20, was…
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MoreJoint Interagency Task Force 401 has successfully executed additional contract awards as part of Domestic Shield to procure counter-unmanned aerial systems capability in support of U.S. Northern Command and U.S. Strategic Command. The combined contract, valued at $6.1 million, includes the purchase of 210 SmartShooter Smash 2000LE systems and one…
Sydney, Australia – 24 March 2026 – DroneShield (ASX:DRO) today announced interoperability between DroneSentry-C2 command-and-control (C2) software, and optical sensing technologies from OpenWorks Engineering. The partnership strengthens DroneShield’s ability to unify multi-domain sensor inputs within a single operational C2 environment, delivering enhanced detection, tracking, and decision superiority for end users. OpenWorks Engineering…
HUNTSVILLE, AL. – Oshkosh Defense LLC, an Oshkosh Corporation [NYSE: OSK] business, is exhibiting at the Association of the U.S. Army Global Force Symposium, March 24–26, highlighting how commercial manufacturing strength, rapid integration, and lifecycle sustainment accelerate the fielding of integrated fires and multi-domain capability. Oshkosh Defense is showcasing integration-enabled…
The Iran War entered its 25th day on Tuesday as Israeli strikes hit energy and water infrastructure across Iran overnight. The strikes come less than a week after President Donald Trump told the Israelis not to repeat strikes on Iran’s energy infrastructure. That followed Israeli strikes on the South Pars…
Dan Wesson Firearms today announced the launch of its newly redesigned website, marking a renewed commitment to the principles that have long defined the brand: Heritage, Craftsmanship, Precision, and Innovation. “Dan Wesson has always stood for quality above all else,” said Chris Sprangers, Director of Marketing for CZ and Dan…
Israeli settlers carried out more than 20 attacks across the West Bank overnight Saturday into Sunday morning, setting fire to Palestinian homes, buildings, and vehicles. Eleven Palestinians were reported wounded, according to Israeli and Palestinian sources. Subscribe Today Get daily emails in your inbox In the village of…
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Nashville, TN — March 9, 2026, ZeroTech Optics is proud to introduce the newest addition to the Vengeance lineup—the Vengeance HD 1–10×28 FFP LPVO. Designed for shooters who demand rapid close-range capability and confident precision at distance, this versatile optic is now available in both classic Black and Flat Dark…
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Sneak Peek Tracer Tactical – Lunger Harness Named after the infamous gunfighter, Doc Holiday, the Lunger is a new low-profile, minimalist chest rig from Tracer Tactical. These photos of are V2 Prototypes and are about 90% there. It’s combined with the Bino Placard which answers many complaints about other binoculars…
FORT CAMPBELL, Ky. — The 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) tested their ability to integrate unmanned aircraft systems to support ground forces during a live-fire exercise on March 12. “We are no strangers to innovation here on Fort Campbell,” said Brig. Gen. Travis McIntosh, deputy commanding general of operations for…
Rheinmetall AG will be participating in the specialised trade fair XPONENTIAL Europe 2026 in Düsseldorf from 24 to 26 March 2026. The event is one of the most recognized European trade fairs for autonomous systems, robotics and unmanned technologies. This year, for the first time, special attention is being paid…
