I'm really actually quite bad about running to the internet whenever we have something new.



The RAID-XE (Black / Red VIS Laser) has entered production, and Wilcox is finishing up a Government Rated contract and should be shipping commercial orders shortly.

We have had and used various samples for quite some time now, as well as the original RAID and RAID-X, and assisted with the development process, including the Low Power / Eye Safe variant.

Like many laser manufacturers, Wilcox has been affected by a general shortage and increase in pricing of appropriate laser diodes for use in these systems.

I do not currently have an ETA on availability of the Low Power variant that I would be confident in sharing. Others may be willing to offer other predictions, but lead times on the whole XE family have tended to be a little... "fluid."

Wilcox also released an addendum in August explicitly prohibiting individual sales of Class IIIB lasers ahead of the release of the XE family, though I know some dealers had already taken orders.

Beyond that, at least per our last discussions with Wilcox, the Low Power variant will have a VCSEL illuminator (and the prototype we tested had one)--however, I will say this: the size and form factor of the MAWL and the performance of the illuminator(s) are related factors. Take that for what you will.

~Augee

That spec sheet was never more than provisional and not finalized (those cut sheets are from January at SHOT Show).

~Augee

Individual sales have always been prohibited according to every FDA variance I've ever read for manufacturing of IR aiming lasers.

However not only have sales reps sometimes given out contradictory information over the years (not just from Wilcox, but other manufacturers as well), but various vendors / dealers have at various times and many still do try to "go around" this, sometimes knowingly, sometimes unknowingly. One of the more popular ones is "agency letterhead" where a buyer claims that they are purchasing for their agency, but then their agency "issues" it to them with no expectation of ever getting it back or ever maintaining any accountability for it, as it was never more than a shell game to begin with.

"Lake Arthur" was the most blatant and well publicized example of this kind of thing, but far from the only one--frankly it's a lot more risky than I would probably be comfortable with as a supervisor, however it's doubtful that most realize or care about the fact if something weird happens with a laser purchased under such terms liability could potentially fall back on the department, of course, I doubt most of the time these implications are being discussed or considered, it's more a matter of "hey boss, can you sign this letter for me so I can buy this piece of gear?"

The upside is that at the end of the day, IR aiming lasers are not high on the FDA's priority list, so Class IIIB laser sales and regulations and compliance are very rarely enforced and usually so small scale and low impact that it usually goes unnoticed, and I'm not, off top of my head, aware of anyone that has actually been prosecuted for non-compliant IR laser sales (stolen government property being a different matter), however there have been numerous instances of folks receiving not just C&Ds, but also fines, which can be fairly hefty depending on the magnitude of the non-compliance. Unsurprisingly, few folks really publicize when they're hit with a regulatory fine, especially if they're not in a strong enough position to try to challenge it in court.

Not to imply or insinuate anything that I have no inside knowledge of, but my guess is that they saw things getting out of hand, with many dealers flat out advertising unrestricted commercial sales, and so many Class IIIB units showing up in individuals' hands without even the pretext of legitimate channels, that they decided they needed to make a clear statement that at least partially absolved them of liability and having done their "due diligence" of informing dealers, a "CYA," and they made sure to push it out before inventory units hit dealers, some of whom had made significant investments in Class IIIB devices for "inventory." When you have several thousands of dollars of unsold product sitting around, the temptation to use whatever means to get it out the door can get pretty strong.

Beyond that, many people like to dog on Matt Meyers and the MAWL, but B. E. Meyers has probably done the most so far (though thusfar unsuccessful) to try to lobby to remove restrictions on IR aiming lasers--no one really likes having to make "nerfed" lasers for the commercial market, and pretty much every manufacturer I've spoken to shares the feeling, that I do as well: "I'd love to sell Class III lasers to everyone."

~Augee

You know, not that long ago ALL IR LASERS were restricted no matter what the power level was. Just saying...

Basically this, thanks Ryan.

Understood and thank you.

We continue to always put the commerical users on the forefront of getting restricted gear UNrestricted. So far we accomplished the following...
- First ever IR laser varience with Laser Devices Inc. (Now Steiner)
- First commercial ÀTPIAL-C release through L3 Harris/Insight
- First commercial release of the GPNVG through L3/Harris
- First  commerical release of the ECOTI through Optics 1 (Safran Optics)
- First full commerical release of the L3/Harris family of products, PVS-31's, 1531's and the M914's.

I might have missed a few more BUT WE'RE NOT DONE!