A version of this article first appeared a few weeks ago in Issue 38 of our weekly Soldier Systems Digest newsletter. It was prompted by a vendor demonstrating their candidate carbine leading many to believe the program had already selected a carbine. That is not true. The article has been slightly modified from the original to clarify some points. This is a link to the article we posted after the program was announced in June. It details the requirements. We’ve learned a lot since then. What HICAR is… A USSOCOM effort to field a new Stoner-pattern carbine capable of firing the high pressure, 5.56mm cartridge known as M855A1+. The cartridge has been under development with Federal on behalf of Picatonny Arsenal for several years and referred to as “5.56 Max.” The cartridge uses Federal’s Peak alloy case technology to deliver chamber pressures in excess of 80,000 psi. This was originally developed for the 7mm Backcountry cartridge. What HICAR is NOT… It is not an Army program. It is not going to replace the 900,000+ M4 carbines currently in Army service. The Army currently has no plans to adopt M855A1+ ammunition. However, they have paid for its development and are monitoring…
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MoreThe Supreme Court of Virginia ruled Tuesday that the procedure state Democrats used to hold a referendum allowing the state government to draw a new congressional map was unconstitutional. The new map could have added as many as four seats to the Democratic delegation in the upcoming midterm elections. …
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U.S. President Donald Trump and Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva met at the White House Thursday afternoon for a meeting that lasted more than two hours. Although the conversation between the U.S. and Brazilian presidents was scheduled as a joint appearance before reporters, Trump and Lula met in…
A ceasefire to the Iran War entered its 31st day Friday under severe strain as the Pentagon said it targeted oil tankers at an Iranian port. The U.S. attack comes one day after the U.S. conducted strikes on Iran, with Iran saying its military retaliated against U.S. naval vessels in…
Gilbert, AZ April 28, 2026 XTech® Tactical is excited to announce the release of the LDR2000 B1, the ultimate Bodyguard 2.0 magazine speed loader. Key points are: 100% Made in the USA, lifetime warranty and a great value! Bodyguard 2.0 magazine loader, and Bodyguard 2.0 mag loader designed specifically for…
Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Pope Leo at the Vatican Thursday, where they held a 45 minute closed-door conversation. In a post on X, Rubio said that the purpose of the meeting was to “underscore our shared commitment to promoting peace and human dignity.” The Vatican released a…
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Partnership brings AI/ML-enabled autonomous capabilities to defense platforms, optimized for the Qualcomm® QCS8550 and scalable across Qualcomm’s IoT processor portfolio LOS ANGELES — OKSI and Qualcomm Government Technologies, Inc. (QGOV), a division of Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., today announced a collaboration to deploy OKSI’s OMNISCIENCETM autonomy software portfolio on Qualcomm technologies.…
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MoreNIOA Welcomes Sovereign Defence Ambition 7 OCTOBER 2026 NIOA Group Managing Director and CEO Rob Nioa has welcomed NIOA’s selection as a prospective anchor tenant for Western Australia’s proposed defence and advanced-manufacturing hub. Western Australia Premier and Defence Industries Minister Roger Cook and Minister Assisting the Minister for Defence Industries Amber-Jade Sanderson today…
The Washington Post reported Tuesday that the U.S. withdrew its bombers from the British Fairford air base over the weekend because of concerns about a potential Iranian drone attack. The withdrawal of about a dozen B-1 planes, which was first reported Sunday, followed British authorities announcing that several men had…
DEFCON Advance Development Projects Presents a Capsule Event with Salomon Forces Division DEFCON Advance Development Projects has announced a collaboration with Salomon Forces. We got a preview at this week’s SHOP Show near Fort Bragg. The XA PRO MID GTX DEFCON features MultiCam Black and several DEFCON design cues. We…
Rheinmetall, as a global integrated technology group with specialist air defence capabilities, has partnered with Australian company Praetorian Aeronautics to deliver AERIE; Autonomous-Engagement-Rapid-Interceptor-Effector – a containerised Counter-Uncrewed Aircraft System (C-UAS). The Australian collaborative research and development partnership has delivered a prototype from concept within 12 months and signals Rheinmetall’s and…
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Galvion, a global leader in the design and manufacture of intelligent power and data management solutions, innovative head systems and integrated soldier systems, today announced the launch of its new Nerv Centr® SoloPack™ Arctic, an extreme-cold rechargeable battery designed to deliver reliable soldier power in Arctic operating environments. SoloPack Arctic…
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Colt Delivers M4A1 Rifles to Guatemala Through Foreign Military Sales Program West Hartford, CT — October 6, 2026 — Colt is proud to support the Government of Guatemala’s Foreign Military Sales(FMS) program with the historic acquisition of more than 2,000 M4A1 rifles. In announcing the initial delivery, the Guatemalan Army…
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