#Weapon Mounts Industry

[amrutmnm]

Top Trends Shaping the Weapon Mounts Market

The Global Weapon Mounts Market is set for significant growth, with projections indicating an increase from $1.1 Billion in 2019 to $1.8 Billion by 2025. This represents a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 7.7% during the forecast period. This comprehensive market research analysis explores the key factors driving this growth, market statistics, market size, and emerging trends within the industry.

Market Overview

Weapon Mounts are essential components in military and defense applications, providing the necessary support and stability for various types of weaponry. These mounts are critical in ensuring the effective deployment of weapons on various platforms, including land, naval, and airborne systems. The market for weapon mounts is influenced by several factors, including military modernization programs, the procurement of advanced weapon systems, and geopolitical tensions that drive defense spending.

Market Size and Growth

Current Market Size

As of 2019, the weapon mounts market was valued at $1.1 billion. This market size reflects the substantial investment in defense infrastructure and the continuous need for advanced military equipment. The increasing demand for remote weapon stations, turrets for armored vehicles, and naval ships is a key driver of this market's growth.

Projected Market Size

The weapon mounts market is expected to grow to $1.8 billion by 2025, showcasing a robust CAGR of 7.7%. This growth is fueled by various factors, including the ongoing modernization of military forces, the procurement of new defense systems, and the technological advancements in weaponry.

Market Drivers

Military Modernization Programs

One of the primary drivers of the weapon mounts market is the increased procurement and modernization programs by militaries globally. Governments are investing heavily in upgrading their defense capabilities to address modern threats and enhance their military readiness. This includes the acquisition of advanced weapon systems and the integration of modern weapon mounts.

Demand for Remote Weapon Stations and Turrets

The demand for remote weapon stations (RWS) and turrets for armored vehicles and naval ships is another significant factor propelling market growth. RWS allows for the remote operation of weapon systems, providing enhanced safety and operational efficiency. The integration of RWS in military vehicles and naval ships is becoming increasingly common, driving the demand for advanced weapon mounts.

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Market Segmentation

This Research Report Categorizes the Weapon Mounts Market Based on Mount Type, Platform, Mode of Operation, Weapon Compatibility, and Region:

Based on Mount Type:

Static Mounts

Non-Static Mounts

Based on Mode of Operation:

Manned

Remotely Operated

Based on Platform:

Ground

Naval

Airborne

Based on Weapon Compatibility:

Machine guns

Automatic canons

Automatic rifles

Gatling guns

Sniper rifles

Based on Region:

North America

Europe

Asia Pacific

Middle East

South America

By Platform

Naval Segment

The naval segment of the weapon mounts market is projected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period. Countries worldwide are modernizing their naval fleets, incorporating advanced weapon stations, close-in weapon systems, and other armaments. The procurement of new naval ships such as destroyers, aircraft carriers, and corvettes by countries like the US, Canada, India, China, and Japan is significantly driving the demand for naval weapon mounts.

By Weapon Compatibility

Automatic Cannons

Based on weapon compatibility, the automatic cannons segment is expected to lead the market from 2019 to 2025. The increasing procurement of armored vehicles globally and modernization programs to install advanced weapon systems are major factors driving the demand for automatic cannons. These cannons offer high firepower and versatility, making them a preferred choice for modern military operations.

By Mount Type

Static Mounts

The static mounts segment is projected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period. Static mounts, such as turrets and coaxial mounts, provide stability and support for various weapon systems. The growing demand for remote weapon stations for armored vehicles and naval ships is expected to drive the market for static weapon mounts. These mounts offer reliable performance and are essential for effective weapon deployment in diverse combat scenarios.

Regional Analysis

Asia Pacific

The weapon mounts market in the Asia Pacific region is projected to account for the largest share of the market from 2019 to 2025. The region's growth is driven by increased defense spending and the demand for weapon mounts across ground, naval, and airborne platforms. Countries in the Asia Pacific, such as China and India, are investing heavily in modernizing their military forces and acquiring advanced weapon systems, contributing to the market's expansion.

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Key Market Trends

Technological Advancements

Technological advancements in weapon systems and mounts are a significant trend in the market. Innovations in remote weapon stations, automated turrets, and advanced targeting systems are enhancing the capabilities of weapon mounts. These advancements improve accuracy, operational efficiency, and the overall effectiveness of military operations.

Geopolitical Tensions

Rising geopolitical tensions and regional conflicts are driving defense spending across various countries. Governments are prioritizing the modernization of their military forces to ensure national security and maintain a strategic advantage. This increased defense spending is directly contributing to the growth of the weapon mounts market.

Strategic Collaborations and Partnerships

Key players in the weapon mounts market are adopting various growth strategies, including contracts, new product launches, acquisitions, partnerships, and collaborations. These strategic initiatives help companies expand their market presence, enhance their product offerings, and meet the evolving demands of military and defense customers.

Competitive Landscape

The Weapon Mounts Market is dominated by several globally established players, including:

Kongsberg Gruppen (Norway)

Raytheon Company (US)

Elbit Systems (Israel)

Saab AB (Sweden)

BAE Systems (UK)

Dillion Aero (US)

AEI Systems Ltd. (UK)

FN Herstal (Belgium)

Capco LLC. (US)

ISTEC Services Ltd. (UK)

These companies are at the forefront of innovation, leveraging advanced technologies to develop cutting-edge weapon mounts. They focus on enhancing their product portfolios, expanding their global footprint, and meeting the diverse needs of military customers.

The weapon mounts market is set for substantial growth, driven by the increased procurement and modernization programs by militaries globally. The market's projected growth from $1.1 billion in 2019 to $1.8 billion by 2025, at a CAGR of 7.7%, highlights the significant opportunities in this industry. Key drivers include the demand for remote weapon stations, the modernization of naval fleets, and the integration of advanced weapon systems.

Technological advancements, rising geopolitical tensions, and strategic collaborations are key trends shaping the market. As countries continue to invest in their defense capabilities, the demand for advanced weapon mounts will remain strong, driving market growth and innovation in the coming years.

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[aerospace-and-defence]

The Weapon Mounts Market is expected to grow from $ 1.1 Billion in 2019 to $ 1.8 Billion by 2025, at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 7.7% during the forecast period. Some factors that are expected to fuel the demand for Weapon Mounts Industry are the increased procurement and modernization programs by militaries globally and the demand for remote weapon stations and turrets for armored vehicles and naval ships, among others.

[zvaigzdelasas]

Israeli tanks, jets and bulldozers bombarding Gaza and razing homes in the occupied West Bank are being fueled by a growing number of countries signed up to the genocide and Geneva conventions, new research suggests, which legal experts warn could make them complicit in serious crimes against the Palestinian people.

Four tankers of American jet fuel primarily used for military aircraft have been shipped to Israel since the start of its aerial bombardment of Gaza in October.

Three shipments departed from Texas after the landmark international court of justice (ICJ) ruling on 26 January ordered Israel to prevent genocidal acts in Gaza. The ruling reminded states that under the genocide convention they have a “common interest to ensure the prevention, suppression and punishment of genocide”.

Overall, almost 80% of the jet fuel, diesel and other refined petroleum products supplied to Israel by the US over the past nine months was shipped after the January ruling, according to the new research commissioned by the non-profit Oil Change International and shared exclusively with the Guardian.

Researchers analyzed shipping logs, satellite images and other open-source industry data to track 65 oil and fuel shipments to Israel between 21 October last year and 12 July.

It suggests a handful of countries – Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Gabon, Nigeria, Brazil and most recently the Republic of the Congo and Italy – have supplied 4.1m tons of crude oil to Israel, with almost half shipped since the ICJ ruling. An estimated two-thirds of crude came from investor-owned and private oil companies, according to the research, which is refined by Israel for domestic, industrial and military use.

Israel relies heavily on crude oil and refined petroleum imports to run its large fleet of fighter jets, tanks and other military vehicles and operations, as well as the bulldozers implicated in clearing Palestinian homes and olive groves to make way for unlawful Israeli settlements.

In response to the new findings, UN and other international law experts called for an energy embargo to prevent further human rights violations against the Palestinian people – and an investigation into any oil and fuels shipped to Israel that have been used to aid acts of alleged genocide and other serious international crimes.

“After the 26 January ICJ ruling, states cannot claim they did not know what they were risking to partake in,” said Francesca Albanese, the UN special rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian territory, adding that under international law, states have obligations to prevent genocide and respect and ensure respect for the Geneva conventions.[...]

“In the case of the US jet-fuel shipments, there are serious grounds to believe that there is a breach of the genocide convention for failure to prevent and disavowal of the ICJ January ruling and provisional measures,” said Albanese. “Other countries supplying oil and other fuels absolutely also warrant further investigation.”

In early August, a tanker delivered an estimated 300,000 barrels of US jet fuel to Israel after being unable to dock in Spain or Gibraltar amid mounting protests and warnings from international legal experts. Days later, more than 50 groups wrote to the Greek government calling for a war-crimes investigation after satellite images showed the vessel in Greek waters.

Last week, the US released $3.5bn to Israel to spend on US-made weapons and military equipment, despite reports from UN human rights experts and other independent investigations that Israeli forces are violating international law in Gaza and the occupied West Bank. A day later, the US approved a further $20bn in weapons sales, including 50 fighter jets, tank ammunition and tactical vehicles.

The sale and transfer of jet fuel – and arms – “increase the ability of Israel, the occupying power, to commit serious violations”, according to the UN human rights council resolution in March.

The US is the biggest supplier of fuel and weapons to Israel. Its policy was unchanged by the ICJ ruling, according to the White House.

“The case for the US’s complicity in genocide is very strong,” aid Dr Shahd Hammouri, lecturer in international law at the University of Kent and the author of Shipments of Death. “It’s providing material support, without which the genocide and other illegalities are not possible. The question of complicity for the other countries will rely on assessment of how substantial their material support has been.”[...]

A spokesperson for the Brazilian president’s office said oil and fuel trades were carried out directly by the private sector according to market rules: “Although the government’s stance on Israel’s current military action in Gaza is well known, Brazil’s traditional position on sanctions is to not apply or support them unilaterally.

Azerbaijan, the largest supplier of crude to Israel since October, will host the 29th UN climate summit in November, followed by Brazil in 2025.[...]

The Biden administration did not respond to requests for comment, nor did Vice-President Kamala Harris’s presidential election campaign team.

Israel is a small country with a relatively large army and air force. It has no operational cross-border fossil fuel pipelines, and relies heavily on maritime imports.[...]

The new data suggests:

•Half the crude oil in this period came from Azerbaijan (28%) and Kazakhstan (22%). Azeri crude is delivered via the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) pipeline, majority-owned and operated by BP. The crude oil is loaded on to tankers at the Turkish port of Ceyhan for delivery to Israel. Turkey recently submitted a formal bid to join South Africa’s genocide case against Israel at the ICJ.

•African countries supplied 37% of the total crude, with 22% coming from Gabon, 9% from Nigeria and 6% from the Republic of the Congo.

•In Europe, companies in Italy, Greece and Albania appear to have supplied refined petroleum products to Israel since the ICJ ruling. Last month, Israel also received crude from Italy – a major oil importer. A spokesperson said the Italian government had “no information” about the recent shipments.

•Cyprus provided transshipment services to tankers supplying crude oil from Gabon, Nigeria, and Kazakhstan.[...]

Just six major international fossil-fuel companies – BP, Chevron, Eni, ExxonMobil, Shell and TotalEnergies – could be linked to 35% of the crude oil supplied to Israel since October, the OCI analysis suggests. This is based on direct stakes in oilfields supplying Israeli and/or the companies’ shares in production nationally.[...]

Last week, Colombia suspended coal exports to Israel “to prevent and stop acts of genocide against the Palestinian people”, according to the decree signed by President Gustavo Petro. Petro wrote on X: “With Colombian coal they make bombs to kill the children of Palestine.”

20 Aug 24

[sebastianswallows]

Feyd-Rautha — sad headcanons

— WARNINGS: angst, mentions of kidnapping, child molestation, mentions of Feyd's child by Margot (Marie Fenring), it's just dark and depressing I'm sorry

— A/N: @localravenclaw asked for headcanons yesterday, here you go girly, no returns. This is a hybrid of book and movie Feyd.

His first memories are of ice floes on the black waters of Lankiveil, fitting together like the blocks inside his puzzle box. The wailing of sea creatures underneath the waves. Enormous weapons mounted on ships leaving harbour. The deep bell chimes that floated on the air, colouring it golden, splitting time in measured pieces like a great grandfather clock, from the temple of Ohashi.

He remembers playing in the sea foam. Duelling his playmates with driftwood they picked up in abandoned ships. Filling the nests of rock turtles with the pearls that rolled up on the shore. There were so many that they spilt between his fingers.

He remembers gathering stiff crystalline flowers which grew on the rock their castle sat on, but not what they were called...

And he remembers making his mother a necklace of blue spiral shells, with the help of her handmaids. He wonders now and then what became of it, and then he stops himself.

Childhood memories are too tainted with what came afterwards. With what cut it in two halves.

With the grim understanding, in hindsight, of what his uncle’s touches meant during his first days on Giedi Prime. Skinny little Feyd. Did your father never feed you? How pretty you are, just as he was as a boy. Did you fall and hurt yourself here? No? Are you sure? I can feel a little dent where one shouldn’t be, yes, yes, right between your bones.

They seemed like comforting caresses at the time.

It was always surface touches on the thin and tender canvas of his skin, dry kisses, fondlings with an almost anatomical curiosity to them, and always with rough laughter resounding in the halls.

Many years passed before he realised, through hints gathered here and there, that his uncle was diseased. Longer still to find out that it was a Bene Gesserit who did it. Sexually transmitted, requiring constant treatment, and the cause of his enormous bloat.

Many pieces fell into place in the puzzle box at the back of his mind then. Why his uncle never showed to him the same sort of close attention he showed to the slave boys. Why it was always those large fingers heavy with rings that traversed his body, and traitorously gentle kisses, and long lingering glances once he let Feyd go.

How strange he felt, after being brought up to hate the Bene Gesserits and fear them, when he became conscious of a sort of gratitude he owed the witch for protecting him, beyond the grave, from the worst of his uncle’s attentions.

He remembers the first time he fell sick on Giedi Prime. It was during his first month there, when his body couldn’t take the toxic fumes and the industrial meat. His body revolted, flushing with an allergic reaction.

And he remembers his uncle’s visits, a few of them. How he slipped his fat hand between his thighs to feel them shivering, sweaty with fever, and laughed. The doctors around his bed laughed too, not daring to do anything else. Even at the age of 11, Feyd thought there was something wrong about it, but he had nobody to turn to, nobody to ask. How stupid he feels now.

And then there was a time, a broad swath of his adolescence, when he was planning quite seriously to kill the Baron.

He had devised a naïve scheme involving one of those awful oil baths and a stone lid, and he allowed himself to fantasize that if some day, for some reason, a Bene Gesserit would come, she could help him gain control of all the slaves through mind tricks, like the witches were rumoured to do. And he could escape with her, hidden in the soft folds of her dress while, in his imagination, the palace was boiling with fear and revolution upon the Baron’s death.

He grew out of these childish fantasies at around age 15. Nobody was coming to help him.

It was then that he started taking the arena more seriously. Killing slaves felt good. Feeling warm blood on his hands felt good. And it felt good to be so close to a human body while someone else suffered. It filled something in him he never knew needed filling.

His first taste of spice was around this time too. His uncle deemed him ready. It tasted like cinnamon, but never the same after that. And the dreams…

The dreams that came true scared him. Fate predetermined, fate out of his reach. His hands around a dozen throats could not make him feel in control after that.

But the other dreams, the ones that never came to be, those took him beyond fear, beyond anger, to a pit inside his soul. Demons swirled around him, teasing, tormenting him with the way his life could never be.

Dreams of impossible futures are the ones he hates the most. Dreams where he is wed to an Atrides bride, where his son sits on the Imperial Throne, where their enemies are humbled, and absolute power brings peace.

Feyd wakes up still on Giedi Prime, still under his uncle’s fat thumb, still with his concubines to pacify him while his true destiny is nowhere in sight. And when he does dream of a Bene Gesserit, she is not there to kill his uncle or to help him escape. She’s there to use him.

And sometimes, Feyd dreams of a little girl with a sweet and simple name, with her hair in dark ringlets, and sullen eyes like his. She runs through blue and silver halls, she plays in a field of flowers, she breathes the salty sea air of a distant planet and meditates upon the cliffs. He dreams of never meeting her, and wakes up wondering why that troubles him so much.

[seat-safety-switch]

Words have their own power. When you go over to someone else's house and they have an oil painting of a queen getting beheaded, that's cool decor. If, on the other hand, they have a poster telling you not to bother the cook because it's Mama Bear's den, you're going to want to live, laugh, love yourself right out of that place before you get turned into a Pinterest post about how to make people soup.

When a phrase sticks itself into your head and burrows directly into the deepest parts of your basal ganglia, it has become part of you. Images, too, but nobody has ever constantly repeated a kitten they saw under their breath to themselves during a late night at the office.

The automotive industry is full of these little thinkin'-bombs: "installation is the reverse of removal," "driver returns on foot," "drops right in." Most of them are lies, bitterly repeated by yourself at 3 in the morning when the lofty promise of those words has come crashing down to earth. If we're being real with one another, though, basically everything anyone has ever said to you was a lie of some sort. Still, the kind of lies that your parents told you usually do not end in angrily banging a wrench against the bottom of an air-conditioning compressor bracket whose mounting hole should be two millimetres off on the other side. Just put a self-tapper in it, it'll probably hold tension.

What do I want you to do with this newfound fear of language? Certainly not burn down a library. Most of their books are stored up in the cloud now (glory be heaped upon the cloud,) where an infinite supply of words can be summoned against the unwary on demand. No, I want you to weaponize the words yourself. Go come up with some awful catchphrases they'll be putting on t-shirts in a hundred years from now. It's the only real chance any of us have at immortality, unless that people soup is real good.

[boinkingbattlemechs]

Urbanmech

The UrbanMech was designed for just what its name suggests: urban combat and defense, and may be classed as an ambusher. This was achieved by starting with a cheap, easily produced chassis, giving it six tons of Durallex armor to rival the protection found on many medium BattleMechs, and mounting a pair of Pitban 6000 jump jets for a jumping distance of 60 meters. The tradeoff was that it could only mount the miserable Leenex 60 engine, making the UrbanMech the slowest light 'Mech in existence with a cruising speed of 21.6 km/h and top speed of only 32.4 km/h. This was a severe disadvantage if the 'Mech attempted to fight in open country—something for only the foolish or desperate—but offset by the fact that fighting in the close confines of a Star League city left little room to maneuver anyways and the UrbanMech's low profile made it difficult to target. Thus the 'Mech was primarily used for fighting guerrillas and other light 'Mechs in an urban environment, an arena where it also achieved some success fighting medium and even heavy 'Mechs. Standard tactics for an UrbanMech lance was to split up into its constituent parts and occupy various buildings in order to snipe the enemy before falling back to the next defensive line.

Large numbers of UrbanMechs were produced by Orguss Industries from 2675 until the destruction of their assembly lines. The UrbanMech reentered production at the Betelgeuse facility of Hellespont Industrials during the Jihad, and continued to be manufactured up through 3149. As such, UrbanMechs could be found in all of the armies of the Successor States, however most military leaders saw the slow little 'Mech as a liability, confining their stockpiles to garrison duty or stripping them of parts. This dismissive attitude towards the UrbanMech saved it from the ravages of the Succession Wars and ensured its continued use into the thirty-first century. The Capellan Confederation remained the largest and only user of UrbanMechs to actually deploy them for front-line duty, a result of the devastation of the Fourth Succession War and their desperation for any 'Mech to replenish their losses. The Confederation Reserve Cavalry and Capellan Defense Force had the lion's share of UrbanMechs, followed by the Tikonov Republican Guard and St. Ives Armored Cavalry; outside the Confederation the Federated Suns' Capellan March Militia fielded the largest number of UrbanMechs due to the fact it was composed of large amounts of captured Capellan equipment. Its prominence within the Confederation meant the UrbanMech was among those 'Mechs within the CCAF to receive upgrades following the recovery of lostech; the other States followed suit with much less priority over improving other 'Mechs. Despite this the sheer cost necessary to replace the UrbanMech's engine and increase its top speed meant even the Confederation limited their refit packages to improving the weapons and armor only. At some point, the common 'Mech earned a cocktail in its name.

A testament to the desperation of the Word of Blake Jihad, Hellespont Industrials would reactivate a shuttered production facility on Betelgeuse to produce the UrbanMech alongside primitive "retrotech" designs for material starved Capellan garrison forces. This plant would maintain production of the UrbanMech in a steadily increasing volume of configurations throughout the Dark Age era as the CCAF secretly expanded before it waged war against the Republic of the Sphere. Rather than dramatic and expensive enhancements, Hellespont's new variants retain the venerable design's low ground speed urban combat focus and can be applied as refits as readily as new production.

The UrbanMech packs a powerful punch for its size. The standard version carries an Imperator-B AC/10 in its right arm and a Harmon Light small laser in the left arm for suppressing infantry as well as a backup weapon. With these two weapons the UrbanMech can constantly harass, or if piloted by an experienced enough MechWarrior, down 'Mechs up to twice its own size. A single ton of ammo for the autocannon, located in the right torso, leaves little endurance for a prolonged fight, though it fits in perfectly with the hit-and-run nature of the 'Mech; one way or another most observers agree the UrbanMech is good for about two minutes of combat.

[covid-safer-hotties]

Also preserved on our archive

By Jessica Wildfire

Yet another city is proposing to ban masks. They’re doing it at the worst possible time, as we face mounting threats that range from airborne diseases to pollution, wildfires, and industrial accidents.

It’s irresponsible and unethical.

In the wake of yet another shooting, Louisville mayor Craig Greenberg has announced plans to bring back an obsolete mask ban in a superficial, misguided effort to curb gun violence. Greenberg claims it will keep residents safe, but this ban will only put them in greater danger. Written decades ago, the ordinance does nothing to address a new range of threats that ordinary citizens face in this century. Those threats include industrial accidents like the one that recently happened in Atlanta, putting hundreds of thousands at risk of lethal gases. Winds are now spreading that massive chemical cloud all over the metro region, prompting shelter-in-place warnings throughout the city and surrounding suburbs.

This time, it’s a massive plume of chlorine gas. For perspective, chlorine gas was a weapon used in WWI. So it’s not an exaggeration to say that residents of the Atlanta area, where I grew up, are now essentially under a chemical attack, thanks to corporate deregulation and mismanagement.

The Atlanta disaster marks the fifth time in a single month that an industrial accident has put an entire city at risk. Even when there’s not an emergency, air pollution now directly kills 8.1 million people a year, including 2,000 children every single day. New studies have also found that wildfire smoke contains carbon monoxide, benzene, cyanide, and other chemicals that cause direct heart and lung damage, leading to chronic health problems for survivors. As the last few years have shown, everyone everywhere now faces that threat, not just one coast.

There has never been a better time to wear a mask, and there has never been a worse time to revive obsolete, outdated laws that only pretend to provide safety while making everyone more vulnerable.

Our supposed political allies have remained silent on these mask bans, and they continue to express a disturbing level of anti-mask rhetoric. For example, NIAID director Jeanne Marrazzo recently complained about being accused of a “microaggression” during a meeting:

We recently had a long Covid [research] meeting where we had about 200 people, in person. And we can’t mandate mask-wearing, because it’s federal property. But there was a fair amount of disturbance that we couldn’t, and people weren’t wearing masks, and one person accused us of committing a microaggression by not wearing masks. And I take that very seriously. But I thought to myself, it’s more that people just want to live a normal life. We really don’t want to go back. It was so painful. We’re still all traumatized. Let’s be honest about that. None of us are over that. So there’s not a lot of appetite for raising an alarm, especially if it could be perceived subsequently as a false alarm.

This view sounds out of touch, to say the least. There’s no false alarm when it comes to these threats, only false sentiment.

As Jeanne Marrazzo complains about being “traumatized” by wearing a mask, ordinary people around the world are traumatized daily by threats to their health, including anti-maskers who have already started abusing mask bans to intimidate, threaten, and actively harm us. We’ve already seen reports of people being assaulted and denied service because of their masks. At a hospital in D.C., an ER nurse even threatened to call security on an immunocompromised woman because she declined to remove her mask during treatment.

These mask bans are emboldening anti-mask aggression everywhere, not just in the cities and counties where they pass.

Science has shown that it only takes 5 seconds to infect someone with an airborne disease. Any mask ban that allows a police officer or private citizen to demand someone take off their mask threatens their lives. Meanwhile, these bans will do nothing to stop crime. Studies have shown that sunglasses do a better job of concealing your identity than a medical respirator, and that these masks don’t interfere with facial recognition software.

These laws accomplish nothing, except to make life unbearable for people trying to protect their health. Earlier this year, a survey with more than a thousand respondents found that nearly half of people who wear masks are facing daily harassment, discrimination, and persecution.

The reasons for everyone to wear a good mask are piling up by the day. Covid continues to spread around the world, with multiple waves a year. An avalanche of studies have shown, without a doubt, that mild Covid infections pose a serious risk to everyone’s long-term health, not just the vulnerable.

Meanwhile, suspected cases of H5N1 bird flu are multiplying, especially in Missouri, while public health agencies drag their feet. Like Covid, flu does long-term damage to multiple organ systems, including the brain. Despite this knowledge, public health agencies have refused to expand testing.

Recent studies and reports have found a range of diseases returning 10-30 times worse than prepandemic norms, likely due to a mass disabling of our immune systems caused by Covid itself. A number of viruses threaten another pandemic, which climate scientists have predicted will occur more frequently as animals compete with each other and humans for dwindling habitable space.

A recent outbreak of Marburg virus has begun spreading outside of Africa, with suspected cases in Belgium and Germany, where police stormed a train station and closed off two tracks, evacuating hundreds of passengers. To quell mass panic, mainstream news has assured the public that Marburg isn’t airborne. However, Marburg can spread through respiratory droplets, including coughing and sneezing. That means an N95 mask or better offers protection.

As a 2020 article in the International Journal of Infectious Diseases states, “Although frank airborne transmission has not been demonstrated in human outbreaks, droplet spread to mucous membranes presumably occurs” and “infection by direct application of aerosol to the airways has been demonstrated in animal models.”

Another article in Viruses on this family of pathogens, including Marburg and Ebola, found that up to 17 percent of transmission did not happen through direct physical contact, suggesting “human to human respiratory tract infection through droplets and aerosols.” The authors also say that because we have such limited data on Marburg outbreaks, we can’t make assumptions about transmission.

Finally, a 2023 report from Homeland Security states that Marburg virus “may also transmit via aerosol and fomites.”

Given what we’ve learned about the aerosolized spread of disease, there is absolutely no reason to take chances with a virus like Marburg, which exists in the same family as Ebola, causes similar symptoms, and carries a mortality rate between 50 and 90 percent, depending on your access to care. According to a report by Boston University, “transmission via droplets is suspected” for both Ebola and Marburg. Given that agencies like the CDC and the WHO have spent years denying or downplaying the airborne nature of other viruses, it’s reasonable and proactive to consider Marburg as potentially respiratory, and therefore to count it as one more reason to wear a good-fitting respirator.

It might feel dystopian to say this, but it’s true: We live in a world where it’s becoming dangerous just to breathe. That means wearing a good medical mask but also adopting different masks for different emergencies. Many professionals recommend a half-face or full-face respirator with appropriate cartridges to protect yourself from organic and acid gases. Some of these cartridges also filter out particulates. A thread by Erin Sanders provides a good overview.

Five years ago, I never thought I’d be shopping for gas masks for my family to protect us from industrial accidents and wildfires.

And yet, here we are.

A CDC study found that the most common gases you’ll face during an industrial accident include carbon monoxide, ammonia, chlorine, hydrochloric acid, and sulfuric acid. We recently bought 3M’s 6502QL half-face respirator with a set of P100 60926 cartridges. Each cartridge should last about 48 hours, long enough to get to safety. The masks themselves come in three different sizes. The small provides a decent fit for our six-year-old. Many companies like Draeger also make respirators. I wouldn’t get them from just any prepper site. This is yet another expense the cautious will take on, assuming they can even afford it.

We can only speculate about the motivations behind the growing anti-mask stance adopted by our institutions, who associate masks with anxiety, trauma, mental illness, crime, and hate. A government that sends out expired Covid tests while spending hundreds of billions on weapons clearly doesn’t want to feel any pressure to pay for us to protect ourselves from airborne threats. Even if it’s not conscious malice, they clearly benefit from the public viewing masks as a liability and not an essential survival tool to protect themselves.

It’s hard to describe how demoralizing and infuriating it is to watch a majority of our own political party adopt ignorance as their platform.

It’s an absolute betrayal.

Campaign strategists and political advisors are making a deep mistake if they think these poor decisions won’t have political consequences. For every public health advocate who wills themselves up to vote, two or three will find little reason to support a party that has abandoned them. Imagine talking about political freedom and bodily autonomy as liberal governors and mayors join conservatives to engage in egregious violations of personal choice. Imagine them staying silent as anti-maskers gleefully celebrate the death and injury of the vulnerable and immunocompromised as some kind of divine justice for the inconvenience of mask mandates that were never strictly enforced, even on public transportation.

We cannot stand back and watch these mask bans spread across the country as leaders look for convenient excuses and scapegoats.

Aren’t we better than that?

I used to think so.

[captain-ultimat-doggo]

MORE SHIPRATS

More specifically about the suits. I'm picturing cyberpunk type stuff but lets be honest, Humans are humans. There's going to be helmets covered in fauxhawks and stickers, someone's going to opt out of everything practical in preference of a prehensile tail, we're going to express ourselves in thousands of ways. But functionality/general aesthetic I'm picturing for Katie, at least, is starting to form in my mind so you're going to get that. I mentioned a back mounted drone thing and I'll be honest, it's pretty inspired by Stray. One shoulder has a little thing like that, but probably in grey or black to blend in with the average guts of a ship. Maybe the drone itself is clear so that it's even harder for the giants to notice. The other shoulder has a speaker that can pop out that amplifies her voice to communicate if need be. I picture the grappling system to launch from the wrist but the line is actually attached to the waist and the suit works and supports like a rock climbing harness. Backpack is full of all sorts of tools, and Human-Grade adhesives and anchors. Cable management is hella important and superglue and duct tape have evolved to have built in pest repellent.

The Helmet itself is pretty cliche cyberpunk, but it's definitely got gills for aqua or other liquid adventures. There's a mic and earpiece in it of course, often synced to the little drone so she can scout rooms without exposing herself. It's got a little projector as well, mostly used to throw schematics up in place while you work on a problem. (think Ironman).

People have mentioned Magnet boots in the tags and replies, and there's definitely something there. I joked about rollerskates because I LOVE the idea of a little human zooming around underfoot across the smooth floors of a ship. Katie probably has some highly grippy-yet-silent shoes that are closer to those a rock climber would wear; form fitting but not restraining, flexible but still supportive. You need to be able to FEEL your foot placement running across wires and climbing up cables. There's also some ship-rats who insist on running around barefoot. there always have been and there always will be.

I like the idea of the suit having instead of typical oxygen tanks, algae tanks of some kind? like the oxygen is coming from plants that are growing symbiotically from the wearer's waste. They would be small. I Don't like putting too much on the back of this kind of thing because humans need to roll to absorb impact, and even with lower gravity there's a lot of fall risk in this industry. That's one of the reasons as much as possible is on the toolbelt and only bulkier tools would be in the back pack. in emergency you can attach it to the drone and have that hover in a safe spot until you call retrieval. So maybe the plants would be in a living space and the air just circulates through the suit, then you hook up to the plant take to refresh overnight? We know that For sure there's lots of plants and algae tanks in the homes of humans living in space, but Brownies like Katie don't exactly settle well. She's got the wanderlust in her that her parents realized they couldn't conquer, so instead they bought the best gear they could.

That is why short of getting crushed she's not going to be very seriously injured; she could survive in the void for a short period of time in that thing, it's puncture and slash proof, basically anything but blunt force trauma is going to bounce right off. The suit is armor, and it's all about safety. grapples and ziplines and tools are all well and good, but they mean nothing if you get cut in half by a cord snapping or a pissed off space-bug.

Obviously phasers and blasters and all sorts of weapons exist. We love making every kind of science into weapons. Katie relies on what the galactic committee classifies as a "Laser cutter and defabricator" and what humans call "Laser Rifles." She's also got a bunch of tools for cutting through metal that would work on pretty much anything if she needed it too. One of the most important tools, though, would be the spray can- (What did you think i was going to say?) A little can nozzle that can be dipped in anything you use to write, and then sprays it on a surface. Humans communicate through ten foot tall letters out of necessity when talking to Giants, and Graffiti artists figured that shit out forever ago. Katie's model is fancy and can dye the ink different colors if needed. Spray color coding wires and parts is always helpful, especially working in unfamiliar systems.

[judasrpc]

TIPS FOR WRITING COMBAT, TACTICS, AND / OR FIELD MEDICINE SCENARIOS PT. 2

Hello again! Coming out of the woodwork with my niche interests and hoping to pass along some information about writing things such as combat, tactical operations, and / or field medicine!

Disclaimer: I am not a medical professional, nor am I someone who has served in the military or law enforcement in any capacity. Any information in this post is gained from personal research in mostly internet circles. Some topics may be unsettling/disturbing, so please take care in reading.

You can view part one of this post [HERE].

Note: This part will be written more in-depth, as the sources I've pulled from are either no longer accessible, or from narrators I would not feel comfortable platforming due to their motives for sharing this information (e.g., anti-human rights individuals with qualified backgrounds). Knowledge is power, but we don't have to platform fascists in order to share it (* ^ ω ^)

To start this post off, I'll share some archives I've found since part one! This way, if you're just looking for resources and don't want to read something super lengthy, this post is still (hopefully) useful to my fellow writers.

Safety Data Sheets [Archive] - A collection of safety data sheets for what looks like various types of compounds, mostly based around industrial work (e.g., concrete mixes, roof coatings, etc.). While arguably not relevant to this sort of topic focus, I think it could be in the right scenarios, especially as sheets provide first-aid instructions, hazard classification, and details about specific compounds.

War Medicine [Archive] - Definitely a more historical reference (dated 1918), but published by the American Red Cross Society in France covering… war medicine. Includes various diagrams and topics.

Field Manuals and Technical Manuals [Archive] - A collection of field and technical manuals from various military services spanning across various decades. I believe most of these are U.S.-based.

Now, for the in-depth written information, placed behind the "keep reading" button.

CLOSE-QUARTERS BATTLE (CQB) / MILITARY OPERATIONS IN URBAN TERRAIN (MOUT)

CQB is typically defined as a short duration, high intensity conflict characterized by sudden violence at close range. MOUT is an example of a scenario where CQB may be applicable.

When in these environments, it's important for your character(s) to know how to navigate them. The presence of closer-knit buildings, various entryways, and populated environments means there's a lot of risk for both them and those around them.

As such, one of the founding concepts is entry and clearance.

There are many different ways to enter and clear rooms within a building, but the three primary types are as follows:

Conventional (aka: Strong Walling) - The leading individual "commits" to the room by stepping in with their full body, pressing their back to the wall opposite to the door's attachment, and using their upper torso to sweep the room with their light/weapon.

Lateral - The leading individual enters the room at either a 90-degree angle to the door (straight toward back wall of room) or a 45-degree angle (toward the corner opposite to the door).

Framing - Rather than step into the room, the leading individual peeks around the door frame and conducts their sweep from within it (think of them as using the door frame as a "mount" for their weapon, if they have one).

These can be conducted solo, or with a wingman.

A wingman is usually one other individual who stacks beside the leading individual, and uses an over-the-shoulder vantage to provide a secondary set of eyes for cover, while also being able to cover tasks such as opening doors.

Then, there's navigating environments as teams. With teams, there comes a need to develop tactics. With CQB in particular, there are two primary types of strategies:

Dynamic - Rapid movement and clearance; Your character(s) are likely in a high-intensity/time-sensitive scenario where speed is more important than safety. In these scenarios, your character(s) is/are more likely to clear rooms by committing with their entry and flooding in if in a team.

Deliberate - Slower movement and clearance; Your character(s) are likely still in dire circumstance, but they're able to take the time and prioritize safety over speed. In these scenarios, your character(s) is/are more likely to clear rooms by framing and entering one at a time to ensure all angles are covered.

But not every room is a perfect rectangle with wider-open spaces. Regardless of the structure, dead space is an important factor to consider for characters both outside and within these environments.

Dead space simply refers to the space that has not been cleared by the individual(s) entering the space. There are a few different types, including:

Anchored - The object creating the dead space is anchored to a wall, and thus prevents flanking. This could be a dividing wall, and certain types of cabinetry or other furniture.

Unanchored - The object creating the dead space is not anchored to a wall, and thus allows for flanking. This can be… any piece of furniture, crates/boxes/shelves, even certain installation pieces such as a 360-fireplace or showcase tank/terrarium.

Low - The object creating the dead space cannot fully conceal an individual/individuals who are standing, but could if they were crouched or laying prone. This could be things such as couches, tables with cloth over them, etc.

High - The object creating the dead space is elevated above the entry point. This usually, and pretty much only, includes things like stairwells, but it could include higher cabinetry if your character(s) is/are creative enough or able to navigate that.

Moving away from specific scenarios, there is something I've seen written a lot in fanfic and in rp spaces that I think would be important to clarify:

Do. not. attempt. to. catch. a. falling. gun.

I'm serious! In active combat, this isn't as applicable because your character's goal is (ultimately) to neutralize whatever threat is in front of them. Beyond that, though, your character(s) should never attempt to catch.

"But why? Wouldn't you want to stop it from discharging?"

That is why.

Yes, the firearm may discharge when hitting the ground… but in catching it, your character(s) may also discharge it. Unless they know for a fact they will not grab the area around or within the trigger guard, it's highly likely that a finger/fingers will slip into the guard and, due to the force of the catch, end up pulling.

The best practice, especially for a character/characters who are skilled with firearms and versed in safety practices, is to put the hands up and let it fall. Step back, find cover if possible, and retrieve the firearm after it has landed.

And again, I am not responsible for what y'all do with this info. Read responsibly, and stay frosty!

[xxdemonicheartxx]

The flights and their major exports

Ice: furs, fish, culinary or food grade ice, unique and seasonal herbs, spices and flora that only grow there in the spring, super rich culinary culture has formed here and it attracts tourism and foodies, cooking oils and fats, seeds and nuts for consumption

Nature: lumber, meats, spices, fertile soil, insect cuisine, perfumes, freshwater fish, houseplants, seeds and shoots for farming, decorative plant or wood working, plant based oils for cooking or fuel

Light: wheat, plant based fibers and fabrics, paper and or papyrus, chalk and marble, huge bread and baked goods industry, baskets, porcelain, exotic percivore cuisine, pigments, seasonal fruits

Earth: cactus fruits, minerals and stones, gemstones, terracotta creations or construction pieces, ceramic work, glass tile work, roots and tubers, fossils, pigments,

Wind: rice, grains, construction grade bamboo, paper, rice paper, fabrics, plants and small birds for consumption, instruments (specifically wood-wind), silks, ribbon, sonorous sculptures

Shadow: fungal harvests, wire craft, tactical suits and mantles to conceal the body, iron weaponry with decorative detailing, insect and plant exports, huge root farming industry, lantern exports, candles, woodturned tools/utensils/decor/etc

Water: shells and abalone, fish, seaweed and kelp cuisine, boats and boat blueprints, crustacean cuisine, huge huge huge provider for the pescatarians, opal

Lightning: machinery parts, batteries, cactus harvests, insulation for both heat and electricity, exotic insect cuisine, dried and aged foods, electricity is produced in excess enough to provide immediately to the surrounding territories

Arcane: stained glass, lumber from the starwood strand (has unique properties and could be used for construction or artistic works), magical batteries made from the crystals, tomes and books, lenses, exotic herbivore cuisine, luminous pigments, tapestry work

Plague: immunizers/immunizations, craft and construction grade bones, leather, ale/mead/wine/whiskey/etc because they have the most intricate and detailed brewing and fermenting processes due to the understanding they have surrounding bacteria, pickled foods and pickling kits, surgical grade tools, cheeses, dry aged meats, medical practices unlike any other

Fire: weapons and armor, exotic carnivore cuisine, glasswork and glass blowing, obsidian and basalt export, geothermic energy(they can provide power enough to the surrounding territories) intricate mosaic and tile work, mineral exports, ceramic exports, blackened foods, metal shells and armor for vessels and vehicles and mounts

These are just what I can think of by examining the map and element at face value, there are millions of things these places can produce and export but I think these are the big ones or what they are known for, maybe even just the best quality versions of the export! If you want to use these ideas or add your own feel free!

[super-ultra-mega-deluxe]

i made a bit of a joking reference of it awhile ago but it is very much the case that the dissolution of liberal democratic states, of capitalist states, of the dictatorship of the bourgeoisie, is a world historical necessity. this is perhaps even more true than previous transitions of economic and governmental modalities; when the western portion of the Roman empire failed to adapt to emergent feudal relations and dissolved- this is a bit of a simplification, bear with me- it was certainly disruptive and terrible for some of the peoples that inhabited that now former empire, but generally not existentially so. the presently dominant capitalist nations' mounting contradictions and inability to contend with them is, in contrast, detrimental to the ability of people to inhabit large swaths of the planet.

reliance on fossil fuels- among other structural reliances and logics of production- is causing climate change, is resulting in rapid and destructive shifts in weather, is actively killing people the world over. the US cannot meaningfully adapt to this: oil fuels its war industry and its weapons; oil secures the value of the US dollar; oil is the means and ends of the US experiment as it presently exists, even if it somehow managed to divest of fossil fuels domestically. there is a reason that the PRC can build extensive solar farms in a year that outstrip the whole of the US's while the most promising US presidential candidate and present vice president is announcing her undying support of fracking.

every historical transition from one economic modality to another- from slave economy to feudal economy to capitalist economy- has been historically progressive and effectively inevitable. resistance to those transitions didn't prevent them. resistance to the transition of capitalism to communism is unique in the sense that should capital be allowed to persist much longer, it could very well destroy human society per se, destroy the whole of administrative and logistic and other technological advancements and infrastructure that allow for humanity to exist on scale. this is something that in no uncertain terms needs to be avoided. only the transition to communism, only the administrative and economic formulations of a scientific politic can contend with the contradictions that threaten to kill us. socialism, or death.

[usafphantom2]

America’s Mach 3+ fighter, Bill Sweetman investigates

Hush KitFebruary 23, 2017

August 2, 2024

HOLY KEDLOCK by Bill Sweetman

If speed and range are your goals for an interceptor, you can’t beat the Lockheed YF-12. It’s hard to beat as a confusing story either. Technology demonstrator? Stalking horse for something quite different? Opportunistic effort to save a program in trouble? Possibly, all of the above.

North American’s F-108 Rapier Mach 3 interceptor was cancelled in September 1959. The F-108 was only eight months past mock-up review, following an on-again, off-again initial development. But the Rapier’s ASG-18 radar and GAR-9 missile combo, developed by Hughes, had started earlier than the F-108 itself and enjoyed more consistent support, and was not canceled along with the aircraft.

A few months later, in January 1960, the CIA awarded Lockheed a contract to build 12 A-12s. They would be purely photo birds, with a single pilot and one camera bay, and the goal was to operate them out of Area 51, thereby evading the British and German anoraks who had rumbled the U-2.

On May 1, 1960, Frank Powers’ U-2 was shot down near Sverdlovsk. No parades or hot hors d’oeuvres for him. Eisenhower approved a cover story that Khrushchev shot to smaller pieces than the airplane. The furious President banned any further overflights.

This left OXCART without a mission, barely six months into an expensive program, without a mission, and competing for money with the politically favored CORONA. Skunk Works boss Kelly Johnson proposed armed versions of the OXCART to the Air Force. It was risky because Air Force Chief of Staff Curtis LeMay was mounting a stalwart defense the XB-70 Valkyrie, but the interceptor version did not threaten the bomber. A contract was issued in October 1960 under which three A-12s would be completed as AF-12 interceptors with the F-108’s Hughes radar and missile system.

The AF-12, codenamed KEDLOCK, would feature some important differences from the CIA jets. Heavier and carrying more fuel, it would have a second cockpit replacing the camera bay, the massive ASG-18 radar in the nose, and four large weapon bays built into all-metal chines. (On the A-12, the chines were purely there to reduce the radar cross-section and were partly made of plastic material.) The GAR-9 was a 900-pound chonky boi and could carry either a high-explosive or blast-fragmentation warhead, with a range at launch up to 100 nm.

KEDLOCK benefited from the A-12 OXCART, which ran a year earlier and wrestled with the many basic problems of titanium use and propulsion development, and from the early start on ASG-18 and GAR-9. Wind tunnel tests showed that the huge ogival radome loused up the directional stability, so KEDLOCK acquired strakes under each engine nacelle and a large folding ventral fin.

Launching a weapon from a bay at Mach 3.2 was a challenge. Johnson’s deputy, Ben Rich, later said that the initial GAR-9 ejection system resulted in the missile passing between the front and rear cockpits, which would have been bad.

Flown in August 1963, the interceptor required little further work. Six out of seven missile shots were successful, the final shot from Mach 3.2 and 74,000 feet hitting a low-flying QB-47 drone—the first look-down, shoot-down interception and a trailblazer for the Navy’s AWG-9 and AIM-54 Phoenix programs.

KEDLOCK did a lot of the heavy lifting for the next version of the Blackbird, a reconnaissance-strike aircraft. First called RS-12, the project ran about a year behind KEDLOCK and emerged as the SR-71, with weapon bays converted to accommodate cameras and SIGINT gear.

The AF-12 had one more mission: deception. During 1963, as the pace of testing increased, observers started to notice the fast-moving A-12s and AF-12s, and the usual CIA/USAF tactic of confusing their reports with UFO sightings wore thin. Also, the project was far larger than the U-2 and involved more people and subcontractors, and many people in industry began to connect the dots. Bob Hotz’s staff at Aviation Week went to the Air Force with the news. Hotz would hold the story but not if anyone else got near it.

McNamara decided that the interceptor could be unveiled without compromising the A-12, and his view prevailed over the CIA’s caution. On February 24, 1964, two side-view photos were released of what was falsely described as the Lockheed A-11, and Johnson announced that a number of A-11s were being tested at Edwards Air Force Base. To keep the facts consistent with the President’s statement, two AF-12s were rushed from Area 51 to Edwards and quickly rolled into a hangar, where the heat from their airframes set the sprinklers off.

Had there been anything for it to shoot down, the YF-12 (as it was retrospectively designated, sometime before August 1964) might have been the ultimate interceptor. But the Soviet intercontinental strike force, even into the 1980s, amounted to a small and dwindling number of early Tu-95s, which Air Defense Command’s F-106s could cope with, and the YF-12s lived out their days as NASA test assets.

@Hushkit.net

[aerospace-and-defence]

The Weapon Mounts Market is expected to grow from $ 1.1 Billion in 2019 to $ 1.8 Billion by 2025, at a CAGR of 7.7% during the forecast period.

[good-old-gossip]

U.S. Government PROUDLY ARMS & SPONSORS TERRORISTS

On Tuesday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken approved a new batch of arms sales to Israel, totalling over $20bn in military equipment, according to the Pentagon.

In a statement, the Pentagon said, "The United States is committed to the security of Israel, and it is vital to US national interests to assist Israel in developing and maintaining a strong and ready self-defense capability. This proposed sale is consistent with those objectives."

The Pentagon confirmed that Blinken approved the potential sale of F-15 jets and related equipment worth nearly $19 billion.

Additionally, he approved the possible sale of tank cartridges valued at approximately $774m and army vehicles worth $583m.

The tank rounds would be almost immediately available for delivery.

This multibillion-dollar package is the latest in a series of arms deals that Israel is set to receive from the US, adding to the $14bn in additional military aid approved earlier this year.

The sale comes amid mounting criticism of the Biden administration for continuing to authorise arms transfers to Israel despite the death toll in Gaza approaching more than 40,000 Palestinians, most of them women and children.

Since Israel's war on Gaza began last October, Israeli forces have destroyed much of Gaza's civilian infrastructure, including schools, hospitals, mosques, and UN shelters.

Over the past ten months, the Biden administration has transferred hundreds of millions of dollars worth of arms and munitions to Israel.

Weapons sales as ICC warrants loom The weapons sales to Israel come despite the International Criminal Court (ICC) seeking arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Yoav Gallant on the grounds of war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Gallant and Netanyahu face war crimes and crimes against humanity charges over the starvation of civilians as a method of warfare; wilfully causing great suffering; wilful killing; intentional attacks on a civilian population and extermination, alongside several other charges.

Even as the US continues to pump billions worth of weapons to Israel, the country increasingly boasts record sales from its weapons industry internationally. Israel's defence ministry said in June that its arms exports for 2023 hit a record in sales.

The report by the defence ministry said that the total exports of Israeli arms reached $13.1bn in 2022, an increase of $500m from the previous year and double the amount of exports from five years ago.

More than a third of the sales comprised missiles, rockets and air-defence systems, with one of the biggest contracts of 2023 being with Germany, which signed a deal to purchase the Arrow 3 long-range air defence system for around $4bn.

"While our industries are primarily focused on providing the defence establishment with the capabilities to support our troops and defend our citizens, they are also continuing to pursue areas of cooperation and exports to international partners," Israeli Defence Minister Gallant said in a statement.

Roughly half, 48 percent, of all sales, went to the Asia and Pacific region, while Europe accounted for 35 percent of sales, and North America accounted for nine percent.

[margaretoakgrove]

HEISENBERG'S METAL ARMY

● HAULER

Mutant corpses revived by the Cadou parasite, the Haulers were modified by the vengeful engineer Karl Heisenberg, using electrodes from attached headgear of his own creation to stabilize their neural activity. Despite the 1.01s having combat capabilities that's virtually non-existent, the Haulers were repurposed as slaves that serve as workers and low-level guards under Heisenberg's control.

Humanoid appearance

Surgically mounted headgear

Capable of wielding handheld weapons with accuracy

Ashen complexion

Limited mobility, slow moving

Moderate intelligence

Heightened aggression

Moderate physical strength, durability and endurance

Crystallization of cellular structure after death

● SOLDAT EINS

Empowered by the mutagenic Cadou and industrial technology, the Soldat Eins were the basic grade of soldier from Lord Heisenberg's army of mechanized corpses. A more proficient machine of murder thanks to its Cadou Control Reactor and weaponized prosthetic, the Eins series would be the first of many variants to utilize the dead for the Village Lord's vendetta.

Humanoid appearance

Surgically mounted headgear

Exposed reactor replacing heart

Singular arm replaced with mechanized industrial drill implant

Ashen complexion

Limited mobility, slow moving

Moderate intelligence

Heightened aggression

Heightened physical strength, durability and endurance

Crystallization of cellular structure after death

Detonation of reactor core after sustaining significant damage

● SOLDAT ZWEI

An upgrade to the Soldat Eins bioweapon, the Zwei series were augmented with dual industrial-grade drills to remove the weakness of their necrotic flesh. With their Cadou Control Reactor relocated to a less conspicuous spot on their patchwork body, a single Soldat Zwei is capable of annihilating multiple targets endowed with the mutant parasite in a singular minute.

Humanoid appearance

Surgically mounted breathing apparatus

Exposed reactor replacing heart relocated to upper back

Both arms replaced with mechanized industrial drill implants

Ashen complexion

Limited mobility, slow moving

Moderate intelligence

Heightened aggression

Heightened physical strength, durability and endurance

Crystallization of cellular structure after death

Detonation of reactor core after sustaining significant damage

● SOLDAT JET

A flight-based variant of the Soldat Enhancement Development Project, the Jet series were developed for more mobile soldier amongst Lord Heisenberg's mechanized army of the undead. Equipped with rocket engines and head stabilizing wings, the Soldat Jet's three-dimensional maneuverability can get across even the most rugged terrain in combat deployment.

Humanoid appearance

Equipped with crude armor-like scrap metal encasing upper body

Equipped with rocket engines and head stabilizing wings for flight

Exposed reactor replacing heart

Both arms replaced with mechanized industrial drill implants

Capable of short distanced aerial attacks

Moderate intelligence

Heightened aggression

Heightened physical strength, durability and endurance

Crystallization of cellular structure after death

Detonation of reactor core after sustaining significant damage

● SOLDAT PANZER

An armored mutant from Lord Heisenberg's Soldat Enhancement Development Project, the Panzer series were engineered as soldiers with absolute protection against conventional firearms. Encased in full-body aluminum alloy armor, the Soldat Panzer are formidable bioweapons amongst Heisenberg's arsenal with their unyielding defense and overwhelming destructive power.

Humanoid appearance

Exposed reactor replacing heart

Overall body encased in crude armor-like aluminum alloy

Both arms replaced with mechanized industrial drill(s) implants

Ashen complexion

Limited mobility, slow moving

Moderate intelligence

Heightened aggression

Heightened physical strength, durability and endurance

Crystallization of cellular structure after death

Detonation of reactor core after sustaining significant damage

● STURM

A prototype Soldat-based bioweapon developed by Lord Heisenberg, the Sturm's turbo-prop aircraft engine in place of its torso makes it an unbeatable force through head-on confrontations. Deemed a failure due to its uncontrollable nature and self-destructive capabilities, the Sturm was instead utilized as a subterranean executioner for Heisenberg's factory.

Humanoid appearance

Surgically mounted turbo-prop engine to upper body

Exposed reactor replacing heart

Loss of hands and forearms due to oversized propeller

Low intelligence

Heightened aggression

Superhuman physical strength, durability and endurance

Crystallization of cellular structure after death

Detonation of reactor core after sustaining significant damage

[dontmeantobepoliticalbut]

The U.S. surgeon general on Tuesday declared gun violence a public health crisis, driven by the fast-growing number of injuries and deaths involving firearms in the country.

The advisory issued by Dr. Vivek Murthy, the nation's top doctor, came as the U.S. grappled with another summer weekend marked by mass shootings that left dozens of people dead or wounded.

"People are scared in many communities I visit around the country to do normal things like go to school or the grocery store or work and they're worried about the risk to their life," Murthy said in an interview with "CBS Mornings" on Tuesday.

To drive down gun deaths, Murthy calls on the U.S. to ban automatic rifles, introduce universal background checks for purchasing guns, regulate the industry, pass laws that would restrict their use in public spaces and penalize people who fail to safely store their weapons.

None of those suggestions can be implemented nationwide without legislation passed by Congress, which typically recoils at gun control measures. Some state legislatures, however, have enacted or may consider some of the surgeon general's proposals.

Murthy said there is "broad agreement" that gun violence is a problem, citing a poll last year that found most Americans worry at least sometimes that a loved one might be injured by a firearm. More than 48,000 Americans died from gun injuries in 2022.

"People want to be able to walk through their neighborhoods and be safe," Murthy told The Associated Press in a phone interview.

Murthy's advisory promises to be controversial and will certainly incense Republican lawmakers, most of whom opposed Murthy's confirmation — twice — to the job over his statements on gun violence.

Murthy has published warnings about troubling health trends in American life, including social media use and loneliness. He's stayed away from issuing a similar advisory about gun violence since his 2014 confirmation as surgeon general was stalled and nearly derailed by the firearm lobby and Republicans who opposed his past statements about firearms.

Murthy ended up promising the Senate that he did "not intend to use my office as surgeon general as a bully pulpit on gun control."

Then-President Donald Trump dismissed Murthy in 2017, but President Joe Biden nominated Murthy again to the position in 2021. At his second confirmation hearing, he told senators that declaring guns a public health crisis would not be his focus during a new term.

But he has faced mounting pressure from some doctors and Democratic advocacy groups to speak out more. A group of four former surgeon generals asked the Biden administration to produce a report on the problem in 2022.

"TAKE THIS ISSUE OUT OF THE REALM OF POLITICS"

"It is now time for us to take this issue out of the realm of politics and put it in the realm of public health, the way we did with smoking more than a half century ago," Murthy told the AP.

A 1964 report from the surgeon general that raised awareness about the dangers of smoking is largely credited with snubbing out tobacco use and precipitating regulations on the industry.

Children and younger Americans, in particular, are suffering from gun violence, Murthy notes in his advisory called "Firearm Violence: A Public Health Crisis in America." Suicide by gun rates have increased significantly in recent years for Americans under the age of 35. Children in the U.S. are far more likely to die from gun wounds than children in other countries, the research he gathered shows.

"My hope is that if we understand this as a kid's issue that we will raise it on the priority list, that we will see it not as a political issue but as a public health issue that should concern all of us," Murthy said.

In addition to new regulations, Murthy calls for an increase on gun violence research and for the health system — which is likely to be more amenable to his advisory — to promote gun safety education during doctor visits.

"The good news is there's a lot we can do," he said on "CBS Mornings." "There are, for example, community violence intervention programs that we can invest in. There are safe storage education programs that we can expand. There are firearm risk reduction strategies like background checks and other measures that would seek to create time and space between firearms and individuals who would seek to harm themselves and others."

Last week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported rates of gun injuries last year remained above levels seen before the COVID-19 pandemic for a fourth straight year. Preliminary CDC data on gun deaths also show rates last year remained worse than in 2019 nationwide, despite a slowdown off of peak levels in 2020 and 2021.

A new FBI report released Monday showed that active shooters violently targeted members of the public across the U.S. at a rate that was 89% higher from 2019 to 2023 than in the previous five-year period. Last year, 105 individuals were killed during those active shooting incidents, the highest level in recent years.

The public safety numbers released Monday by federal investigators showed a mix of slight year-over-year improvements in some areas of concern across the country — including a 4% decrease in active shootings in 2023 compared to 2022 — and small drops in other metrics, like total casualties and "mass killing" events.

Throughout the U.S., 244 victims were shot by active shooters last year; 139 were injured and 105 were killed. Compared to the previous year, total casualty rates — injuries and deaths combined — were down from 313 in 2022, but five more people were killed in 2023 than in 2022.

Those incidents represent just a fraction of the overall toll of gun violence. On average, gun homicides killed more than 53 people per day in the U.S. in 2022, according to CDC data.