Vortex Optics expands its vast and successful line of micro red dot sights with the launch of the Defender-ST Enclosed Solar and Defender-CCW Enclosed Solar models: two tough, solid red dot sights built to dub as either a primary sight for a concealed or open carry defensive or service pistol, for a competition handgun, a SMG or short-barrel rifle, or as an ancillary sight for a longer rifle or carbine.

The Vortex Optics Defender-CCW Enclosed Solar and Defender-ST Enclosed Solar are both built around a 7075-T6, hard-anodized black aluminum alloy chassis and, as their own name suggests, share an enclosed emitter layout for maximum protection against water, grime, dirt, shocks, and any other element that could damage the LED and make the sight inoperable.

While slightly different in terms of overall size and footprint – the Defender-CCW Enclosed solar red dot sight is based on a Shield RMSc footprint, while the Defender-ST Enclosed solar features a Leupold Deltapoint Pro compatible footprint – both models are packed with common features that make them very interesting in terms of both quality and performance on the range or whenever and wherever the situation is particularly demanding.

The new Vortex Optics Defender-CCW and Defender ST Enclosed Solar red dot sights feature a set of aspherical, multi-coated lenses for distortion-free sight picture, ture colors, and a wide field of view; both models also feature a Fast-Rack texture at the front allowing the sight to be used for emergency slide racking against any surface without scratching the objective lens.

Both models are powered by a single CR2032 battery, its seat located on the right side of the sight body. Depending on the selected brightness level, a single CR2032 battery can last for up to 35,000 hours, but the enclosed emitter design of the Vortex Optics Defender-CCW e Defender-ST Enclosed Solar red dot sights allows them to feature – you guessed it – a solar power source on top of the sight body.

By embedding Vortex Optics' patented D-TEC technology, which allows the sights to automatically and autonomously select between battery power and solar power depending on the environmental light conditions to optimize power management, a single battery can end up offering 150,000 hours of continuous runtime without performance degradation when shifting between battery operation and solar power operation.

Two rubberized buttons located on the left side allow the reticle to be manually turned on and off, set on twelve different brightness levels (two of which are compatible with night vision devices) and even shifted between two available alternatives – a 3 MOA dot or a 32 MOA donut – to better suit different types of firearms, fields of use, and range.