Industry Leader Brings Former Snipers, Special Operators Together to Drive Innovation for “Next Gen” Rail System
Ashburn, VA—Today, T-WORX, a global leader in the development of firearms technology, announced the formation of a Tactical Advisory Group (TAG) which will bring together veterans from the Naval Special Warfare, Army Special Operations and Marine Scout/Sniper communities to provide hands-on expertise in the deployment of its Intelligent Rail® (I-Rail®) platform. The I-Rail® is a patented platform technology that powers, connects, and communicates data from rifles and accessories to command centers on and off the battlefield. To view the bios of the members of the TAG click here.
“We are thrilled to bring together such an impressive group of experts from across our military’s special operations and sniper communities to assist us in putting our groundbreaking I-Rail® platform in the hands of military and recreational shooters around the world,” said Don McLaughlin, Vice-President of T-Worx. “The three men who make up our original group bring over 70 years of applied shooting and combat experience—I am confident that their feedback in using the I-Rail® platform will be invaluable as we make final preparations to bring it to the marketplace.”
The discrete data broadcast from the I-Rail® platform feeds analytics on ground troop movement, their actions and events, and enables high-resolution video streamed in real time. Now a NATO standard, the I-Rail® represents the next frontier for rifle platforms in both military and recreational settings.
“The game changing aspects of the I-Rail® platform are compelling, particularly for those who may be deployed at the tactical edge and for enhancing combat development training,” said 25 year Special Operations Combat veteran and former federal agent, Dave Powers. “The platform offers a dynamic package of power, lethality and connectivity to a wide range of data-driven assets that can win the fight—I look forward to shooting it and working with the team to maximize its impact.”
The Intelligent Rail® technology, also known as the Powered Rail®, has been developed over the last 9 years under the US Army SBIR program and with private equity funding. The core technology is a sealed, ruggedized Printed Circuit Board (PCB) that is inserted in the center of each Mil-Std-1913 Picatinny Rail. The Intelligent Rail® (I-Rail®) PCB is designed to withstand the rigors of combat, rough use, and extreme barrel temperatures, and is submersible to 20 meters. Originally designed to provide a central power source for all weapon-mounted accessories, the I-Rail® also provides the user with accessory command and control from a rail-mounted control module containing 3 user-assignable control buttons. This control module eliminates any tape-switches or cables and allows the user to control all weapon-mounted devices with his off-hand. The I-Rail® provides secure device integration through the data and communications capability embedded within the I-Rail® PCB and accessory connection, providing enhanced Situational Awareness (SA) through its secure on-weapon network, bringing real-time imagery and information into the battlefield common operating picture from the individual and squad level.