#nato equipment

[tamilethnicity]

NATO soldiers so ill-protected they are 'suffocating and vomiting' while working

NATO troops stationed in Latvia are “suffocating and vomiting” due to carbon monoxide inhalation, it has been claimed. The alliance’s mission is to deter and defend against Russian aggression, involving a multinational brigade, military base and training area. Many of the 600 Spanish soldiers involved in this operation are mechanics tasked with maintaining and repairing any damage the tanks may…

[at-the-end-of-days]

Eagle S, the ship that cut undersea cables, was full of spy equipment to intercept NATO transmissions about NATO sea and air traffic.

Probably to isolate Estonia for preparation for a possible invasion… or to just scare Estonia that they may do such a thing.

1) https://www.lloydslist.com/LL1151955/Russia-linked-cable-cutting-tanker-seized-by-Finland-was-loaded-with-spying-equipment

2) https://www.yahoo.com/news/russian-linked-oil-tanker-suspected-212716319.html

3) https://maritime-executive.com/article/finnish-police-investigate-tanker-as-reports-say-spy-equipment-was-found

[jcmarchi]

Interesting mortar shells spotted in Ukraine - Technology Org

New Post has been published on https://thedigitalinsider.com/interesting-mortar-shells-spotted-in-ukraine-technology-org/

Interesting mortar shells spotted in Ukraine - Technology Org

Mortars shoot at a high trajectory, which means that they can deliver strikes deep into enemy trenches. In addition, they are highly mobile, fast, and sufficiently accurate. The only significant disadvantage is a fairly short range, but there are ways to improve it.

Polish 120mm OF-NMR mortar bombs with rocket range extenders spotted in Ukraine. (Screenshot)

Of course, there are mortars of a larger calibre that are capable of attacking fairly distant targets. FOr example, the Russian 240 mm self-propelled mortar Tyulpan can shoot at a distance of 10-18 km. However, this is a very large and unusual weapon.

Standard NATO 120 mm mortars have a range of about 8 km. This, by the way, is one of the reasons why the defenders of Ukraine make mortar decoys to fool the Russian invaders – the drones are very much looking for them because they know they can reach them. But there is also special ammunition that increases the effective range of mortar fire.

The defenders of Ukraine shared a video from the frontlines showing Polish 120mm OF-NMR mortar shells. They have additional rocket engines that allow them to fly a little further. The Ukraine Weapons Tracker page states that this is actually a “very rare Polish weapon” made for the 120-PM-43 mortar in service since 1943. This mortar is an old Soviet weapon from WWII. Its normal range is less than 6 km. That is why OF-NMR mortar shells were developed.

The OF-NMR projectile can hit targets up to 8 km away with the help of a rocket engine range extender – it goes more than 2 km further than standard rounds. This allows the mortar crew to stay slightly further from the contact line, avoiding the peeking eyes of the enemy drones and counter-battery fire.

Poland no longer needs these shells and can donate them to Ukraine without hurting its own military might. Poland had only 65 120-PM-43 mortars in 2022, but, of course, Poland is a NATO country and is not holding on to old Soviet mortars too strongly. It is likely that these mortars were also sent to Ukraine together with OF-NMR projectiles.

The 120-PM-43 was once considered to be one of the best mortars on the battlefield in Europe. A crew of 3 people prepares this mortar for work in just a couple of minutes. You can then fire 6 shots per minute with pauses for aiming and adjustments. Without those pauses, it is possible to achieve a rate of 15 shots per minute. But, of course, over time, the 120-PM-43 was simply technologically overtaken by more modern weapons. On the other hand, the 120-PM-43 is still used by a number of countries in Africa and Asia, as well as Russia.

People always say that Ukraine is getting a whole load of antique weapons. One needs to understand that weapon systems don’t age at the same rate as civilian equipment. Military equipment is built tougher, is simpler and doesn’t follow trends. If it shoots, it is probably still good enough to fight.

Written by Povilas M.

Source: Tech.wp.pl, 

[mynameisbillandimaheadcase]

.

[uraandri]

one of the funniest things my mom ever did was make bbq on the terrace because krušik was being bombed and she wanted to watch

[niveditaabaidya]

South Korea Pledges De Mining Equipment To Ukraine #korea #seoul #nato ...

[timesofocean]

Pentagon investigates 'classified' Ukraine war documents circulating on social media

New Post has been published on https://www.timesofocean.com/pentagon-investigates-classified-ukraine-war-documents-circulating-on-social-media/

Pentagon investigates 'classified' Ukraine war documents circulating on social media

Toronto (The Times Groupe) – Pentagon said on Friday it is investigating alleged screenshots of classified US and NATO documents concerning the war in Ukraine that are circulating on social media.

The documents, which carry US Joint Chiefs of Staff seals and allegedly belong to the US and NATO, were shared on Twitter and Telegram.

The U.S. Defense Department is “aware of the reports of social media posts, and the Department is reviewing the matter,” Deputy Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh told Anadolu.

Singh did not specify if the documents and their contents are authentic.

Documents include Ukrainian army’s training, aid calendars

The documents include details such as analyses about the course of the war, humanitarian aid provided by different countries and calendars for aid being transmitted on the ground.

They do not show specific times and places of war but contain factual information about the requirements of the Ukrainian army for the following weeks.

On documents marked “top secret,” there are details about the Ukrainian battalion locations and sizes, as well as total losses on both sides. UKRAINE

A document listing the Ukrainian military equipment and training process suggests that 12 battalions have been prepared, and nine were trained by NATO allies and the US.

The same document reveals that six of the nine battalions will be ready by March 31 and the rest by April 30. The nine will need up to 250 tanks and 350 mechanized vehicles.

[mesetacadre]

this might be a silly question, but. ive recently learned more about the devastating effects of sanctions on countries like cuba, dprk, or venezuela, and how much unnecessary suffering they cause among the population, especially when it comes to food or medicine shortages. but then bds also calls for sanctions against israel, and im wondering, is there any meaningful difference between that and the sanctions already imposed by the US on other countries? i feel a bit hypocritical when i argue against sanctions while at the same time supporting bds, i feel like they are very different situations with different outcomes but i lack the understanding to really grasp how they are different, if that makes any sense

Sanctions are the systematic blockade of all or certain sectors of trade under military or economic threat by the sanctioner (mostly just the USA in recent history) to any potential agents who might try to ignore the sanction. These sanctions typically include things like medical supplies, food if the country is dependent on imports (like most countries who get sanctioned), electricity, fuel, both light and heavy industry, agricultural products and machines, the global financial system, and other such key sectors. These sanctions, overwhelmingly, only serve to impoverish the country, create undue suffering and political strife. This political strife/instability is usually the main goal of sanctions, to destabilize the target government. However, this political instability more often than not does not result in a magical restoration of "democracy" or "human rights", it usually leads the country down a path of further isolationism and political violence that only worsens its general situation. It also makes it much easier for factions like ISIS to gain popularity and support, since people are desperate. Sanctions are inhumane measures which only makes a country suffer for no good reason. The sanctioners know this, they don't care, and I'd wager that suffering is often the actual point of these sanctions. What has the 60 year old blockade achieved in Cuba? It has only caused pointless poverty, and the stated goal of the sanctions, which is to ultimately remove the communist government, has failed, is failing, and Cuba is managing to make due with what they have.

BDS call for sanctions mostly in regards to military equipment and related products/services, for NATO to stop aiding the genocide, or the banning of Israel from international events such as the olympics. No Israeli will ever go hungry because they no longer get European-made ordinance or because they don't get to participate in Eurovision. This is what BDS says in their Sanctions and governments campaign (which is behind two menus, this is also not the main focus of BDS, by far):

The BDS movement calls for sanctions against Israel, similar to the sanctions that were imposed against apartheid South Africa. These sanctions could include a military embargo, an end to economic links and the cutting of diplomatic ties. In the meantime, the BDS movement is calling for states to take steps to meet their legal obligations not to be complicit in the commission of particular Israeli crimes and not to provide recognition, aid or assistance that help Israel maintain its regime of settler colonialism, apartheid.. This includes, for example, the obligation for states to immediately end to all trade that sustains illegal Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory and the suspension of free trade agreements and other bilateral agreements with Israel.

Notice the greater emphasis on military and diplomatic ties, and how economic/trade sanctions are only called for when it «sustains illegal Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory». Sure, this will (if it is ever adopted by Israel's significant trade partners) cause some suffering for the poor illegal settlers who had just moved into their shiny new apartment blocks built atop acres of land that sustained the surrounding Palestinian villages. The mere existence of these settlements cause more suffering than any sanction could ever cause.

Calling for these sanctions against Israel, which again, don't even come from comparable agents, are both less harmful towards the total population of Israel, and occur in a completely different context. I'm not going to pretend I care about the wellbeing of settlers whose houses didn't even exist 10 years ago. If these sanctions ever do occur in a significant enough scale (dubious), and those settlers don't want to find themselves in a food desert because Carrefour closed all their stores in the west bank, they shouldn't have moved into land stolen from a people facing genocide in the first place. We're also wagering hypothetical and non-global suffering against the now more than 100,000 dead Palestinians in Gaza in the past year, not even counting those who died ever since the first Nakba.

Like BDS points out, these types of grassroots and targeted boycotts/sanctions worked in South Africa, and the white South Africans didn't even suffer that much. Wager these short-lived and targeted sanctions against these other half-century long sanctions sustained by the US' strongarm policy that have prevented basically anything from getting into Cuba or the DPRK.

While those two things are both called sanctions, they have radically different objectives, methods, range, timescale, and character. I can't reiterate this enough, the North Korean collective farmer and the Israeli settler in the west bank have nothing in common when it comes to their position. Only one of them is complicit in genocide through their own actions, only one of them has any degree of blame, and only one of their governments is actually doing anything that warrants any kind of international action. And again, the BDS strategy focuses much more on military sanctions. Let's also be practical for a second, and acknowledge that the US is never going to withdraw their support for Israel, and especially will never sanction Israel. Israel is simply never going to face the same kind of sanctions that Venezuela or Cuba are facing, nor with the same severity, nor with the same restrictions on products essential for life.

[socialjusticeinamerica]

Europe is rearming and they have rebuffed Trump, Vance, Rubio, and Musk. Since Putin’s invasion of Ukraine Europe has undergone its largest re-armament and modernization program in History. Every country in Western Europe, not just the NATO states, has massively increased their military budgets and some by more than 5 times their pre-invasion spending. Poland has also constructed massive military fortifications along their border with Belarus and Russia that would make a Russian ground invasion collapse or at least grind to a halt indefinitely.

Putin’s military is shattered and has nearly run out of arms, ammunition, and supplies. They have lost nearly a million dead and wounded. The Russian army has proved to be disastrously incompetent and ill equipped. They are relying on conscripts, convicts, and mercenaries. They’ve been supplemented by North Koreans that are even less trained and motivated and are arriving without equipment and riddled with diseases.

Russia has proven it does not have the ability to defeat Ukraine or even a single NATO state, let alone the whole alliance. NATO states have a nuke sharing agreement and even if the US pulls out France and the UK each have enough to destroy Russia many times over. The Germans are furious with the way the Trump administration has been treating them and meddling in their domestic politics. Some months back French president Macron threatened to send his own troops into Ukraine after Putin interfered in the French elections. All the members of the European Union have individually stated they are prepared to go it alone without the US. They are likely meeting now to formalize that. The European Union does not need the US as their joint economy and militaries make them nearly are equal and likely soon to be our superior.

They are not going to be brow beaten into submission like so many states were by Hitler prior to the commencement of a shooting war. Canada has long had not so secret military discussions with both France and the UK regarding military aid should a rogue US administration try to invade them or engage in economic hostilities. It’s commonly known among educated Canadians and there have even been Canadians novels loosely based on this.

Now it may seem like our allies are well prepared and planning for the worst but there are flies in the ointment. The greatest variable is that Putin is a nut job who can only hold power by launching military operations to rally the base around him. He’s done this before every election but with his losses he’s on thinner ice than ever with his own people. He also has a stated policy of “nuclear de-escalation” which NATO officials have written about at length. What it means is he invades a territory then places tactical nukes there and then “de-escalates” by threatening to nuke anyone who tries to dislodge him. Russia hasn’t done this yet as it is a plan reserved for NATO states not his lesser neighbors.

The simple fact is that no matter how much of his power, and his nation’s power crumbles around him, he just doesn’t give a flying f—k. He knows he is a dead man the moment he loses offices so he is prepared to take the world down with him, because that’s what lunatics do.

The other variable is that Trump is an ignorant, drug-addled, madman with delusions of grandeur and dreams of being remembered as one of history’s greatest tyrants alongside Hitler, Mussolini, Tojo, Stalin, etc. Trump is currently attempting to blackmail Ukraine into giving him all of that country’s rare earth minerals that are desperately needed to produce computers, cell tech, and other advanced tech. Now since Trump is an aging idiot he was most likely informed of the need for them by Muskrat and the other tech bros. He’s also going to meet with Putin and MBS in Saudi Arabia to work on a settlement for the Ukraine war. Could you find three bigger villains? The only one missing is Xi of China who is making final preparations to invade Taiwan and seize 99% of the world’s semiconductor production. Xi knows he has Musk and Trump in his pocket and that the US will no longer defend that strategic island.

Likely Trump and Putin are planning to divide up Europe and the Americas like Hitler and Stalin divided Poland while China is given free rein in Asia like the Axis empower Japan to do in World War II. Many Americans, especially some older types, former veterans, and white supremacists have a fascination with Hitler and WWII. They saw Germany as an underdog and wondered (even wished to have seen) what would have happened had Germany won.

Something big is brewing and the European Union leaders know the time has come. Many of them are telling their press as we speak that Europe has relied on the U.S. for too long and that they wish they had increased their military budgets sooner and began their own war preparations without the U.S. as an ally or even a possible foe. The world’s biggest democracy and biggest non-aligned nation, India, also knows something is brewing and has cancelled their military contracts with Russia while placing arms orders with European countries. They are also planning to invest in creating a homegrown defense industry so they will no longer be reliant on others and better able to stand up to the endless border wars China keeps launching against them.

What we’re seeing now is extremely similar to what transpired immediately before both world wars.

In a past life I was a historian and defense analyst before a series of family tragedies forced me to step back and take a local position as an educator and part-time internet know it all. I’ve spent decades researching these things and how they are driven by politics. Nothing is carved in stone, especially when the primary bad actors are as unstable as sh-t house rats.

All the people who still do this for a living are certain that the next several months will see us devolve into a fascist dictatorship unless something dramatic happens. Dear leader passing away, losing his nerve and backing down, or grow tired of Musk upstaging him and removing the South African bastard. There’s also a slim chance he’ll be impeached if the Dems take back both houses of Congress in the mid-terms and even slimmer chance that he will be deposed by a popular uprising. He’s very erratic and not sleeping enough and switching back and forth between coke and Adderall doesn’t help, nor does his obvious cognitive decline.

Putin is more worrisome at this point as he’s slowly but steadily losing control. Xi like all his predecessors is extremely patient but he’d be blind not to see this will likely be his best chance to snatch Taiwan, albeit at a high cost when he would prefer to take it without the expense of a war. Israel, Iran, and Saudi Arabia remain total wildcards sitting in close proximity to a large part of the world’s oil. All are using proxies or are themselves client states. Israel has nukes. Iran secretly has or will shortly have them. Saudi Arabia is believed to have purchased the technology from Trump with that infamous $2 billion dollar gift to Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner. Empty folders of nuclear secrets at Mar-a-Lago point to this.

In summation few of the outcomes facing us are good. The world is again on the cusp of large regional wars, if not a world war. International lawlessness has already commenced and will certainly escalate. Fascism is imminent at home. The death of America as a super power and the world’s policeman is at hand. Trump’s insane tariffs, dismantling of government agencies, and removal of social safety nets will at the least cause a very large and long lasting recession if not a depression. If a depression takes root it will likely spread worldwide. A worldwide depression could lead to large scale wars as it did with WWII.

Putting lunatics in charge is going to end much worse than Trump’s first reign of terror. And remember a million Americans died that time from his incompetence. This time his people are prepared and are already wreaking havoc at an unprecedented level.

[sayruq]

Today was a big for the resistance. It seems people were right, they were waiting for Biden to leave so they can respond to the Ah Ahli Hospital massacre (the tweets below are arranged from the earliest reports I saw to the latest in order to show the coordination between different groups in different countries and the escalation)

Like I said, a big day for the resistance

And I see no signs of things slowing down

The Palestinian resistance has a list of objectives for this operation including damaging Israel's economy, forcing Israel citizens to flee the country, and slowing down immigration to Israel in the long term (because that leads to new settlements)

In other news, Biden's bloodlust was enough to disgust an arms dealer.

Several of his staff have also expressed discomfort with the administration's choices the past few weeks

Nonetheless, American troops have been told to prepare for deployment

The past few days I've been pointing out how Russia has gone from pro Israel to carefully neutral to increasingly critical of Israel and now we have this.

I'm so glad that Israel has continued to shoot itself on its foot by isolating itself from Russia and China

Russia is actively intervening to ensure that America and its allies can't use the Black Sea to counter the resistance in West Asia which is a big deal

So far, all signs are pointing to a regional conflict

This has to be a huge blow to Israel seeing so many countries, even a NATO nation, coming together to ensure that it can't annihilate Palestine.

More importantly, it shows that Palestine does not stand alone.

[notsosilenthowl]

As a start for this small blog I'd like to share a few pictures I've just made, because I'd like to show you what the naTo, the location of Rammstein's first show, looks like today and that it isn't just a club or small event location.

Whenever I pass this building and really look at it, it strikes me again how small it is. Like: Really SMOL. Imagine how much stage equipment the band could fit in there until the place would be bulging at the seams.^^

As it is sitting there rather inconspicuous at one end of a triangular square (oh English language ... this is an unfortunate ambiguity of the word square ...), this building has witnessed history. Not only Rammstein's first gig. In the GDR in this very building the alternative youth culture has met, but it has also been the official residence of the Stasi bureau for this specific part of the city. For those unfamiliar with this part of history: The combination is more than a little spicy, to say the least.

Today, and also back in 1994, it has been and is a free sociocultural venue. Independent and open-minded. A very nice vibe. You feel welcome instantly.

The words "Freedom of thought", "Safety", "Participation" and "dignity" are written on the wall. Below there are plaques with the human rights printed on them. Next to it there are graffiti complementing the different articles.

"We love democracy" it says on the banner. Below words like "theater", "to interfere", "to experiment", "self made" and many more tell you what this house stands for. It's so fitting that Rammstein's live shows started here.

Concerts, theater, movies, documentaries, exhibitions (a lot about the punk and left culture and history), a cozy bar. This place is so damn wonderful. :3

[jcmarchi]

Is There a Chance Ukraine Could Get S-400 Air Defence Systems? - Technology Org

New Post has been published on https://thedigitalinsider.com/is-there-a-chance-ukraine-could-get-s-400-air-defence-systems-technology-org/

Is There a Chance Ukraine Could Get S-400 Air Defence Systems? - Technology Org

The Russian S-400 is a reasonably effective air defence missile system. It may be somewhat inferior to the best Western systems, but it would certainly be useful for Ukraine.

S-400 in Russian service. Image credit: Mil.ru via Wikimedia (CC BY 4.0)

Türkiye has S-400 systems in its service and could potentially get rid of them in the near future. Türkiye, which is a member of NATO, should not rely on Russian weapon systems. Back in 2019, the US government announced that Türkiye could not purchase F-35 fighter jets because it uses Russian air defence systems. Türkiye really wants the F-35 and keeps raising the issue in the international arena. For example, this question was raised when it was time to ratify Sweden’s membership in NATO.

“There’s no change to our view that the F-35 program for Turkey is incompatible with their use of the S-300 and S-400 missiles.  So, we’re still having those discussions.  And should Turkey be able to resolve our concerns about that, then there could be a restoration of moving into the F-35 program,” said John Kirby, a spokesman for the US National Security Council.

Türkiye would certainly find something to replace the existing S-300 and S-400 systems. NATO allies would help. In the same breath, it can be mentioned that Türkiye sent a lot of military equipment to Ukraine and wants to contribute to the rise of the Ukrainian defence industry.

However, at the same time, Türkiye is trying to maintain good relations with both Ukraine and Russia. The transfer of S-400 systems to Ukraine would have to be legally approved by Russia, but other countries have transferred Soviet weapons and even Russian ammunition to Ukraine without any communication with Moscow. In any case, if Türkiye were to decide to take such a step, it would undoubtedly put a huge dent in its relations with Russia.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is one of the few politicians who still has the ability to negotiate with everyone – the West and the East, Ukraine and Russia. Also, replacing the S-400 would not be such a quick and simple step. The transfer of Russian arms to Ukraine would be a major blow to Putin, maybe even a stab in the back.

The question can also be raised here, whether the West wants Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to spoil his relations with Russia. Yes, Russia is a terrorist state that sees the security of Europe as a threat to its interests (because a secure Europe limits Putin’s ability to carry out invasions).

However, if you need to talk to Putin for whatever reason, it is good to have a channel like Türkiye. For example, if peace negotiations were to take place, Türkiye would be a good candidate to host them. But the US would like Türkiye not to use Russian systems, Türkiye wants the F-35, Ukraine wants the S-400, Russia wants to keep its foot in the door in the international arms market.

The S-400 air defence missile system was developed at the end of the last century and has more capabilities than the S-300 on which it is based. It is a surface-to-air missile system capable of destroying planes, helicopters, drones, cruise missiles and even ballistic missiles, if Russian reports are to be believed.

Written by Povilas M.

Sources: Tech.wp.pl, Wikipedia

[mynicosensesaretingling]

A change of mind

Jenson Button x fem!reader

summary: (Y/N) is Hertz Team Jota‘s physiotherapist at Le Mans. However, there seems to be a mutual sense of dislike between her and Jenson Button.

warnings: none.

note: I wrote this immediately after the race ended ( state of brain is error)

Hope you enjoy x

——

The sun had just settled over the Circuit de la Sarthe, casting a golden hue across the track and surrounding pits, as the air was buzzing with anticipation for the Le Mans 24 Hours race. Teams and drivers were running through their garages, making final preparations, striving for perfection in the gruelling endurance race.

Among the sea of mechanics and engineers belonging to the Hertz Team Jota, (Y/N) stood with a confident expression on her face as she oversaw the final checks on her equipment. (Y/N) was the lead physiotherapist within the team, renowned for her innovative approach to sports medicine. Her methods were a blend of traditional techniques and cutting-edge science, a combination that had earned her respect in the male-dominated field.

Noting down some tactics, the girl was determined to ensure her drivers were in peak physical condition and ready to tackle the gruelling demands of the race.

As she checked her equipment one last time, she noticed Jenson Button, the former Formula 1 champion, making his way towards her. He was surrounded by his entourage, exuding confidence and charisma. (Y/N) couldn't help but feel a twinge of irritation. During one of her physio sessions, a fellow teammate had offhandedly mentioned Jenson's scepticism towards her rather new methods – making her silently feel offended by the fact that the former F1 driver was so quick to judge her work, without ever scheduling a session himself.

"Morning, Button," (Y/N) greeted him with a professional nod. "Morning," Jenson replied, his tone polite but guarded. "I hear you're the chosen miracle worker who's supposed to keep us in one piece for the next 24 hours."(Y/N) raised an eyebrow. "There are certainly no miracles required. All it takes is me doing my best and you trying to follow my advice, and we should get through this without any major issues." She huffed, focus falling back to her notes. Jenson smirked. "Ah, well. We'll see about that. I've been doing this a long time, you know." "I'm aware," (Y/N) replied coolly, not bothering to spare him another glance. "But endurance racing is a different beast. You'll need all the help you can get."

Jenson chuckled, though there was a hint of tension in his eyes. "I guess we'll find out soon enough." With that, he walked away, leaving (Y/N) to her preparations. Despite the clash, (Y/N) couldn’t let his scepticism distract her. The race was about to begin, and she needed to be at the top of her game.

The engines roared to life as the starting signal was given, and the cars took off, speeding down the track. The energy was electric, with fans cheering and cameras flashing. (Y/N) watched the cars disappear around the first bend, her mind already focused on the next 24 hours. This race was a marathon, not a sprint, and she knew that her role was crucial for the entire team.

The physiotherapist’s first patient was Norman Nato, another driver for Hertz Team Jota. He came in for a quick massage and some muscle taping before his stint. “How are you feeling, Norman?” she asked, her hands expertly working on his tight muscles. “A bit nervous, but ready,” he replied, wincing slightly as she applied pressure to a particularly tight spot. “You’ll do great,” she reassured him with a gentle voice. “Just remember to stay hydrated and listen to your body. If you feel any discomfort, let me know immediately.”

Norman nodded, his confidence bolstered by her calm demeanour. He quickly thanked her before being ushered back to the front of the garage. As he left to take his position, (Y/N) couldn’t help but let her eyes wander through the garage, when suddenly her ears picked up the familiar tone of Jenson's voice. “You really think a massage and some tape will do wonders for you?” the blonde’s tone wasn’t mocking rather amused, yet still annoying enough to earn an eye-roll from (Y/N) as she overheard the two drivers conversing.

Stretching her arms above her head, the woman let herself fall back into her chair, propping her legs up on a crate, as her eyes wandered to the screens displaying the Hertz Jota drivers’ vitals. “I gotta admit,” oh no, there he was again “a good old massage and a roll of tape- you’re TRULY revolutionising your field.” the sarcastic voice which previously had been at a safe distance, now was too close to her for comfort. Sighing, (Y/N) glanced up, finding Jenson leaning against the wall beside where she was sitting in her chair. “Just because my methods are rather modern, doesn’t mean I completely abandon the fundamental basics of my occupation.”

“Mhm.” the former champion hummed, arms crossed above his chest as he turned his head to look down at her. “Then I really don’t get what the fuzz is about.” His lips moved into a nonchalant pout, as he shrugged and kicked off the wall. “ Now,I’m even more certain that I am completely fine to manage without your ancient magic.” His eyes held a mischievous glint, as he glanced back at her before leaving the medical area. “God, I hope you don’t drive as unserious as you behave!” (Y/N) called after him. The rather unprofessional outburst earning her a few glances and the occasional chuckle from her fellow team mates.

Hours passed, and the race took its toll. The drivers rotated in and out of the cars, each stint pushing their physical and mental limits. (Y/N) was constantly on her feet, treating cramps, managing hydration, and applying her blend of traditional and advanced physiotherapy techniques to keep the drivers in top shape. In between treating several members of the team, (Y/N) couldn’t help but glance towards the monitor showing Jenson’s car. He was performing well, his experience evident in his smooth handling and strategic maneuvers.

Jenson’s first break came after a particularly grueling stint. Squinting at the bright lights withing the garage, he walked into the medical bay, his body language a mix of exhaustion and frustration. “Y/N,” he said, dropping into a chair. “I hate to admit it, but I think I could use some of that magic of yours.”

The physiotherapist who had previously stretching her aching muscles, stopped in her tracks and put her hands on her hips. "Oh, so now the great Jenson Button suddenly believes in my 'ancient magic'?" she replied, a hint of annoyance and sarcasm in her voice. Jenson gave her a rather tired smile in return. "I appreciate the flattery. Let's just say I'm open to trying new things." With a sigh, (Y/N) approached him, her demeanor professional but her irritation still simmering underneath her skin. "Alright, sit tight and let's get you sorted."

Jenson settled into the chair, stretching out his legs as he tried to hide the full extent of his exhaustion. Rounding the chair, (Y/N) began working on his muscles, the tension between them was almost palpable.

"You don't have to look so annoyed," Jenson muttered, wincing as she applied pressure to a particularly sore spot. "I'm not annoyed," (Y/N) replied, her tone clipped. "I'm just focused." "Right," Jenson said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Because you're always this charming." (Y/N) paused for a moment, her hands still on his shoulders. "Look, Jenson, I don't know what your problem is with me, but I don't have time for this right now. It’s who knows how late at night and I have a job to do, as do you." The driver sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I don't have a problem with you. I just... I don't know. Maybe I underestimated you." "Maybe?" (Y/N) arched an eyebrow at the man’s words, resuming her work. "You're a real piece of work, Button." "Yeah, I've been told that before," he admitted, a hint of a smile playing on his lips.

As the minutes ticked by, the silence between the pair grew more comfortable. (Y/N)'s hands moved expertly over his muscles, and Jenson found himself closing his eyes in relaxation despite his initial irritation.

"You're good at this," he said quietly, almost as if it pained him to admit it.

(Y/N) didn't look up. "I know." Jenson chuckled softly. "Confidence is key, I guess." "Confidence and skill," she corrected, finally meeting his gaze. "Which, believe it or not, I have plenty of." Jenson stared at her for a moment, a flicker of something in his eyes that she couldn't quite place. "I believe it," he said finally, his voice softer than she'd heard it before. "I guess I've been too quick to judge."

(Y/N)'s hands paused for a moment before resuming their work. "Apology accepted, but you're going to have to do more than just talk to prove it." He nodded, eyes darting back to the front of the garage, a determined look crossing his face. "Fair enough."

The hours of the night ticked by, the demanding weather testing everyone’s endurance. (Y/N) was a whirlwind of efficiency, moving between drivers, ensuring they were in the best possible condition to tackle their next stint. She had little time to dwell on Jenson, though she couldn’t deny a newfound respect (or was it even fondness?) for him as she watched him on the track.

During one of his breaks, Jenson found himself sitting next to the female physiotherapist yet again. "How's it going?" he asked, his tone more genuine than before. The woman shrugged, exhaustion starting to creep into her voice. "Busy. But we’re holding up."

He gave her a once-over, noticing how she kept flexing her hands and rubbing her shoulders. "You should take a break too, you know." (Y/N) scoffed. "I’m afraid the only break I’ll take , is when the race is over." Jenson shook his head, a small smile tugging at his lips. "Stubborn." "Takes one to know one," she shot back, but there was no malice in her voice.

As the night wore on, the grueling nature of the race became evident. Drivers, engineers, mechanics and several other crew members came and went, each stint pushing their physical and mental limits. Leading (Y/N)’s hands to seemingly never stop their movement, her mind laser-focused on her job.

Jenson’s final break came as the morning faded into noon. He was exhausted, every muscle in his body screaming for relief. His mind was set on autopilot to the medical area. Upon seeing him making his way over to her, (Y/N) wordlessly guided him to the chair with a gentle touch.

"Alright, Button.” she almost clapped her hands, but refrained from doing so upon remembering that some of the crew members were napping in the garage. “Let’s see what we can do," she exclaimed, her tone almost teasing.

Jenson, who was by now slumped in the chair, let out a tired laugh. "Do your worst."

The girl chuckled amused , as she stood behind him, starting to work on his neck. The former Formula 1 champion closed his eyes and let out a low satisfied hum upon feeling some of the tension leave his muscles."You know," he said, voice low,as he tilted his head to give her better access. "I never really gave you a chance. And I regret that."

Keeping her eyes trained on the movement of her fingers, she hummed. "You’re not the first one to underestimate me. But you actually might be the first to apologize."

Jenson sighed, one of his hands dragging over his face as his voice took on a sincere tone. "I mean it, (Y/N)." She paused, her hands moving from his neck to his shoulders, giving them an appreciative squeeze. "I appreciate that, Jenson. And I’ll hold you to it." He nodded, craning his neck to look up at her, a small smile playing on his lips. "Deal."

The race continued, the track conditions continiously deteriorating as the final hours ticked away. Jenson’s last stint was slowly coming to an end and (Y/N) almost felt annoyed with herself, as she caught her eyes once again wandering to the monitors in order to watch over Jenson’s vitals, as he navigated the treacherous course.

When afternoon arrived and both Hertz cars came into the pit, after successfully finishing the race, (Y/N) joined the rest of the team in gratulating the drivers outside of the garage. Despide the crash during hyperpole, Hertz Team Jota had managed to secure points by making an incredible comeback. The celebrations were loud and joyous. The happiness of her teammates infectious. She found herself surrounded by the jubilant crowd, laughter and cheers filling the air, as the adrenaline slowly started to vanish from the grounds of Le Mans.

As she was making rounds congratulating the other drivers, she spotted Jenson making his way towards her, his eyes sparkling with a mix of exhaustion and triumph, lips pulled into a satisfied grin and his hair an absolute mess.

"You did it," she cheered, her voice carrying a mix of pride and relief.

"We did it," Jenson corrected, stopping in front of her. "You were right. I needed all the help I could get." (Y/N) felt a smirk forming on her lips,as her eyes met his. "I'm glad you finally realized that. All it took was a 24 hour race to humble you." Jenson chuckled, his right hand resting above his heart as he looked down at her. "I have to admit, your methods truly worked wonders. I still feel like I owe you an apology for doubting you."

Upon hearing his genuine words,(Y/N) just waved a hand dismissively. "Let's just call it a learning experience." He nodded, his expression turning serious as he softly took hold of her arm. "I mean it, though. You kept me in top shape, and I appreciate it more than I can say."

"You're welcome, Jenson," she replied, her tone softening. "I'm just doing my job."

"Still," he insisted, "you went above and beyond. How about I make it up to you? Dinner, maybe?"

(Y/N) blinked, surprised by the offer. "Dinner?" "Yeah," Jenson said, a hopeful, almost sheepish, smile on his lips. "A chance to start over and get to know each other without all the bickering."

"Alright. Dinner it is." she accepted his offer, excited to explore where that new understanding, which had formed between the two, would take them.

[allthecanadianpolitics]

Two years after being ordered on an urgent basis, a new defence policy for Canada was unveiled Monday that promises — among other things — to bolster the military's surveillance and combat capabilities in the Arctic.

The strategy commits to delivering new equipment, including airborne early warning aircraft (AWACs), long-range surface-to-surface missiles for the army and utility helicopters that may or may not be manned.

The plan also lists new equipment the Department of National Defence is considering acquiring, such as air defence systems to protect critical infrastructure and new submarines.

The new policy, entitled Our North, Strong and Free, includes an additional $8.1 billion in new defence spending over the next five years and commits to an additional $73 billion in defence spending over the next two decades.

The additional investments will not bring Canada all the way to meeting NATO's military spending target for member nations — two per cent of national gross domestic product. The Liberal government estimates that the new policy will see military spending rise to 1.76 per cent of GDP by 2029-30. [...]

Continue Reading.

Tagging: @newsfromstolenland, @vague-humanoid

Note from the poster @el-shab-hussein: So NATO's mad at Canada for not doing enough imperialism and military pollution? Remind me what the Paris accords were for again?

[beardedmrbean]

In a move to strengthen its national defense, Lithuania has announced plans to increase its defense spending to between 5 percent and 6 percent of its gross domestic product (GDP), starting in 2026.

Currently, Lithuania spends just over 3 percent of its GDP on defense, a figure that places it well below the new target.

Why It Matters

The decision, confirmed by Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda on Friday, reflects growing concerns about Russian military aggression in the region, particularly as tensions with Moscow remain high amid the war in Ukraine. The Baltic country shares a border with Russia's Kaliningrad Oblast.

With the pledge to reach 5 percent, Lithuania will become the first NATO member to meet a defense spending goal recently suggested by President-elect Donald Trump.

Why Is Lithuania Increasing Its Defense Budget?

The new policy will make Lithuania the highest spender on defense in NATO in percentage terms, surpassing Poland, which currently leads with over 4 percent of GDP allocated to defense.

Trump has called on NATO countries to significantly increase their defense budgets, warning that member states should meet a minimum threshold of 5 percent of GDP, up from the existing 2 percent target.

Trump has long been critical of NATO members who fail to meet defense spending targets. While Lithuania's new commitment aligns with the incoming president's calls for greater defense investments, the country's decision underscores a regional shift toward bolstering military strength in the face of Russian aggression.

Newsweek contacted the Lithuanian government by email on Friday for further comment.

What To Know

The move, described by Nausėda as a "historic decision," was endorsed by the State Defense Council, the country's top security body.

In addition to defending its borders, Lithuania aims to modernize its military capabilities with the additional funding.

Defense Minister Dovilė Šakalienė confirmed that the extra resources will be used to accelerate the purchase of advanced weaponry, including Leopard tanks, air defense systems, and other essential equipment.

How Will Lithuania Spend Its Increased Defense Budget?

The investment will enable Lithuania to make advance payments and expedite deliveries of critical military assets, which will significantly enhance its readiness and deterrence capabilities.

The announcement comes amid a broader debate over NATO's future and the role of the U.S. in ensuring the alliance's security.

What People Are Saying

President Gitanas Nausėda said during a press briefing in the Lithuanian capital, Vilnius: "The possibility of Russian military aggression is still real, but not imminent. We need to increase our efforts to strengthen defense and deterrence significantly, devoting more resources to this end."

What Happens Now

With Lithuania leading the way, other NATO members may follow suit, increasing their defense budgets as they respond to the growing uncertainty of European security in an era of resurgent Russian power.

[kremlin]

germany announced a new military aid package for ukraine, and it's weird, uh, don't get me wrong, it's great, stuffing euro notes/coins into mortar tubes wasn't working at all, and this new one is still better than what the west initially provided

i really don't know how we got those initial aid packages all f*cked up, we sent them scant handfuls of NATO tanks that were just new enough to be completely alien to ukraine's warsaw-trained soldiers and just old enough to not hold any overwhelming advantage to whatever russia shows up with. we also didn't give them very much ammunition either, not that twelve tanks will ever make difference, but it was bizarre considering ukraine was the soviet state that designed the actually-wortwhile soviet tank designs and built them as well. the f-16s would have been a nice idea, twelve jets will do a lot more than twelve tanks proportionally, if not for the fact that putting a frogfoot or ****** pilot into an f-16 would be like putting george washington into a cybertruck with zero instruction, except he doesn't speak english and the car moves in three dimensions. the kicker is that any relevant airspace has been pretty much closed to all parties except for the very peripheries where you can only launch weird british missiles, or (in the case of russia) literal dumb bombs with wings welded on to them. (sure, no problem, let me just stick weld this thin steel egg filled with a thousand pounds of TNT)

even stranger still is, some other things we gave them, things you'd expect by extension would also not work, they've turned out to love. they can't get enough bradleys (a convincingly tank-shaped object that does a completely different job). i don't know wtf they're doing with them, they don't even put TOWs in them, but hey, if it works.

anyways, this is what they got recently:

100+ MRAPs, ~50 "dingo" MRAPs very puzzling. these things are the result of an overcorrection fighting insurgents in the 00's, we learned that humvees with zero armor aren't the best idea against combatants indifferentiable from civilians, so the fix was to engineer a fuck-off huge stupid wheeled vehicle that can resist giant IEDs under it and i guess dudes firing AK-47s from the sides. if you've ever seen tiny-penis police departments roll out those things that look like the combine trucks from half-life 2 during riots, those are MRAPs. sure, you're doing logistics in a bus instead of a jeep, a bus that costs 20x as much, but you're alive. anyways. what use a vehicle designed to fight in desert climates in urban environments will do on a battlefield where fighting seasons are separated by harsh winters and "mud seasons" is questionable. where the hell did germany even get them from? where did they get several hundred of them??

~100 leopard 1's. a west german NATO tank from the late 70s using a third new type of ammunition that isn't the modern stuff nor the soviet-era stuff that's actually available and familiar. nato doesn't really tend to hold on to crap they've obviated, so where the hell the found a hundred leo1s is a mystery. even moreso is where the hell they got the 105mm ammunition for it, which has a shelf-life, insinuating new production of a long-obviated standard

a bunch of 120mm leo2 ammunition to service...eighteen leo2s. wtf. but at least they nutted up and gave them post a4 models (2 iterations from the currently-fielded model).

50 m113s. an m113 is an aluminum box on tracks. manufactured since the beginning of time in huge numbers. delivering twice as many leo1s as m113s?? one is like the odd alfra-romeo or citroen you see on the road once a year vs. toyota corollas

that is basically all the stuff that stuck out as weird to me. looking at the full list of equipment now, there's a lot of actually worthwhile crap getting shipped over (over 50 gepards, vehicles they love so much their only gripe is the time it takes them to reload), a crapload of patriot SAM missiles and several new launchers which is great, these are the things stopping cruise missiles to hit department stores at peak hours. a lot of arty as well, enough so to offset the fact its all NATO standard. i think it's a good package. in my opinion. as a guy with no military experience nor dodge charger purchased with enlistment bonus. and who knows, maybe they find some great use for whatever teh f*ck a "dingo" MRAP is.