To save time and ditch unneeded gear, the Army recently began a pilot program to expedite removing excess equipment from unit inventories. The new helmet gives added protection at the same weight of the current helmet. The company won the handgun, rifle and automatic rifle, 6.8mm rifle contracts and is competing for the medium machine gun replacement. Two companies showcase ways to power and transfer data to helmet-mounted devices, a key space-saving option for soldiers carrying more tech than ever. Soldiers with the 101st Airborne Division will be the first to field the new weapons and optics. Units with 101st Airborne Division and 75th Ranger Regiment are testing the weapons now. The unit will test how mobile they are with new weapons as compared to legacy firearms. Phase one concluded in June. Phase two begins in 2023. Marines have made two KC-130J Super Hercules flights to Maui to transport people and supplies in response to deadly wildfires on the island. Maj. Katie Lunning, Military Times' 2023 Airman of the Year, helped saved dozens of lives during the evacuation of Afghanistan as a critical care nurse. Load More