#the U.S. Navy implemented

[freetheshit-outofyou]

Biography of Grace Murray Hopper

Grace Brewster Murray Hopper (1906-1992) was a computer pioneer and naval officer. She earned a master’s degree (1930) and a Ph.D. (1934) in mathematics from Yale. Hopper is best known for her trailblazing contributions to computer programming, software development, and the design and implementation of programming languages. A maverick and an innovator, she enjoyed long and influential careers in the U.S. Navy and the computer industry.   Source

[darkmaga-returns]

On March 18, another D.C. Circuit judge seized executive branch powers, enjoining the commander-in-chief from disqualifying military recruits with gender dysphoria. District Court Judge Ana Reyes, who identifies as some variety of LGBT, is a longtime Democrat Party donor and, as a lawyer, litigated against the first Trump administration. We knew she’d rule this way, not only because of her bio, but also because in oral arguments she insisted forcing soldiers to lie about reality couldn’t possibly affect military readiness.

In a memorandum accompanying her injunction, the so-called judge writes an opinion screed citing recent court opinions, the Broadway hip-hop play Hamilton, the Supreme Court legislation Bostock v. Clayton County, and corporate news articles. It would be impossible for this theater kid in robes to write a constitutional legal analysis instead, for the Constitution expressly provides in Article II, Section 2, that “The President shall be Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy of the United States.”

Commanders in chief get to set the criteria, expectations, goals, and just about everything else for soldiers. Accordingly, Trump implemented this same policy in his first term. It was 100 percent constitutional then, and it’s 100 percent constitutional now. If Presidents Clinton, Obama, and Biden get to allow queer soldiers, and all the presidents before to discharge them, clearly it is fully within the president’s power to make this decision.

Ignoring this basic aspect of U.S. law and jurisprudence takes Reyes 79 pages, in Cluster B, valley-girl prose. That’s because Reyes is not a judge, she’s an activist who doesn’t deserve a place on any judicial bench — or in any courtroom at all (except as a defendant). That much is obvious from her opinion, as well as from her background.

[justinspoliticalcorner]

Larry Diamond at The UnPopulist:

Since my last essay on the crisis of democracy, the assaults on democratic checks and balances have escalated. Without agreement from Congress, Trump’s DOGE shut down the U.S. Agency for International Development with stunning speed. Although a federal court blocked further implementation, ruling that the action “likely violated the Constitution,” by then the agency had already been gutted and largely dismantled along with many other agencies. Then, in an alarming politicization of the military high command, Trump fired the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Chief of Naval Operations, the Air Force Vice Chief of Staff, and the judge advocates general (the highest-ranking legal authorities) for the Army, Navy, and Air Force. Pressing his claim to imperial power, Trump has moved to assert absolute control over all federal regulatory bodies, including the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Federal Trade Commission, and the Federal Communications Commission. This not only hobbles their capacity to act independently in the public interest but opens the door to massive corruption. As DOGE seizes control of more and more of the government’s most sensitive and highly centralized stores of data, the conflicts of interest proliferate for its chief “overseer,” Elon Musk, who over the years has received “at least $38 billion in government contracts, loans, subsidies and tax credits.” And Just Security has documented an “alarming” pattern of “politicization and weaponization of the Department of Justice” since Trump has retaken office.

Democracy in Danger

The United States now faces the grave and imminent danger of its democracy decaying into a “competitive authoritarianism” in which multiparty elections still hold but are no longer free and fair. Under such a system, here’s what we can expect to follow:

The opposition wins seats in Congress and some city and state governments—but at the national level, a domineering leader and ruling party assert monolithic control over government, in a grip that cannot be broken by any normal means.

Regulatory agencies are stripped of their independence.

The legislative branch becomes a rubber stamp.

The courts are pressured, defied, and eventually brought to heel.

The civil service and the military are purged of non-loyalists and converted into instruments of the “elected” leader and his party.

The media are pressured and sued into passivity and subservience.

Business is lured into backing the authoritarian project with the promise of huge financial windfalls (and crippling punishment for defection).

Universities are threatened with financial ruin if they resist or protest.

Think tanks and philanthropies are threatened with loss of their tax-exempt status and even prosecution if they speak up.

Prominent critics and opposition voices, including former officeholders, fall silent for fear of retribution.

Democracy dies, to use T.S. Eliot’s famous phrase from The Hollow Men, “not with a bang but with a whimper.” This is the pathway by which democracy has died, at varying speeds, in Venezuela, Turkey, Hungary, Serbia, and several other countries. It is the trajectory that India has been on under Narendra Modi, Slovakia under Robert Fico, and Poland under the Law and Justice Party, until it was defeated in national elections in October 2023. If this slide away from democracy is to be averted, we must learn the lessons of other countries.

The first lesson, as a prominent Ukrainian democrat said to me, is, “The path from democracy is much shorter than the path to it.” Assaults on democracy often gain momentum more rapidly than supporters of democracy can imagine in their glib self-confidence that “it can’t happen here.” Thus, early action is crucial. The earlier that countervailing pressure is mobilized, the more likely it is to succeed. Second, principled resistance must be mounted within the executive branch to defend constitutional norms and the rule of law. Third, checks and balances must be activated early on by Congress, the judiciary, and regulatory institutions to counter creeping authoritarianism and defend constitutional guardrails. Fourth, a smart political strategy, with effective messaging and a broad coalition, is needed to oppose authoritarian drift and ultimately to effect the surest means of halting authoritarian creep—defeating it at the polls. Finally, ordinary citizens must push back through mass mobilization and courageous individual action.

Resisting Rising Authoritarianism

An effective resistance agenda is necessarily selective—if democracy defenders scream at equal volume over every harmful presidential move, without distinguishing between their varying levels of illegality, unconstitutionality, irrationality, and cruelty, people will stop listening. We need a strategy to prioritize the most serious assaults on democracy, presidential accountability, and our laws and norms. However, there is no room for passivity or patience in the face of creeping authoritarianism. Early action is critical to frustrating authoritarian ambitions, and it must match escalating assaults with escalating mobilization. Every actor inside and outside of government has a role to play in the defense of democracy. Let’s begin inside the belly of the beast: the executive branch. The career civil service is a crucial actor in serving the American public interest while observing merit-based principles of excellence, professionalism, and political neutrality. Career civil servants should be encouraged to hang on in the service of these principles as long as possible and to decline to comply with orders that violate laws or regulations. Trump derisively refers to this workforce as “the deep state,” but societies prosper when they have states with the depth of expertise, training, commitment, and autonomy to guard public health, provide veterans benefits, ensure water quality, develop rural communities, maintain national parks, and expose corruption and fraud. These essential functions of government are now under assault as the DOGE chainsaw hacks away indiscriminately at the federal workforce. Fortunately, most federal workers declined Elon Musk’s legally dubious order to report their work to him or resign. But the Trump White House wants to purge the career civil service of anyone who hints at independence. No federal worker should go quietly. Every act of principled resistance, even if it comes at the price of termination for following the law, puts an obstacle on the authoritarian pathway. Recently, a former federal prosecutor, Brendan Ballou, described how Trump’s Muslim travel ban early in his first term was slowed and narrowed by low- and mid-level Justice Department officials who forthrightly “explained to those far above them why the ban was legally and operationally disastrous.”

[...]

The Collapse of Congress

In a presidential democracy, it falls heavily to the Congress to check presidential excess. But with the bulk of Republicans—who hold narrow majorities in the House and Senate—enthusiastically backing Trump’s agenda, and with the MAGA machine vowing to punish congressional defections with massively funded primary challenges, Congress has been missing in action. The Trump White House is rapidly tilting the balance of power more and more radically from Congress to an imperial presidency. Carl Hulse and Catie Edmonson recently reported, “The Republican-led Congress isn’t just watching the Trump administration gobble up its constitutional powers. It is enthusiastically turning them over to the White House.” (Trump’s insane tariffs have caused some turbulence among Republicans who want to take back some of the president’s sweeping taxation powers but not yet enough to revolt.) A crucial step along this path was the House Republicans’ adoption of a White House bill to keep the government funded for six months, averting a shutdown that would have come on March 15. Even though Congress has passed many temporary stopgap measures to avert a government shutdown, this one was more radical and gave the president unprecedented discretion over the disbursement of federal funds. In a searing speech on the Senate floor, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Budget Committee, Patty Murray, condemned the Republicans’ surrender to a bill that “fails to include the typical, detailed spending directives—basic guardrails that Congress provides each year in our funding bills,” and that “turns many of our accounts into slush funds, [giving] the final say over what gets funding to two billionaires who don’t know the first thing about the needs of our working families.” [...] Could that happen before the next midterm elections on Nov. 3, 2026? Last election, Republicans won narrow majorities—220-213 (with two Democratic seats vacant) in the House, and 53-47 in the Senate. It would only take a few Republicans in either body dissenting to change the political dynamic. And in most committees, it would take only a single Republican defection to block a bill or a confirmation or issue a subpoena to someone like Elon Musk.

The presumption is that any House or Senate Republican marching out of lockstep would be committing political suicide, with Musk and other rich MAGA loyalists ready to pour tens of millions of dollars into a campaign to defeat them in a Republican primary. But what if a congressman or senator who saw the country approaching an authoritarian precipice refused to play that game and instead declared their willingness to run as an independent? Many of them come from red states or districts that Democrats have little chance of winning. In a straight contest between a Republican independent, conservative but principled, and a MAGA extremist, the principled conservative could well win by fashioning a coalition of concerned Republicans, independents, and Democrats. Such a strategy would test the Democrats’ capacity for strategic sophistication and discipline. That capacity might be bolstered by close study of other national experiences in reversing authoritarian drift, such as Poland, where the ability of parties to rise above narrow self-interest and form broad coalitions proved crucial to the defense and renewal of democracy.

A Time For Action

In the end, there is no substitute for electoral victory. Authoritarian projects are halted most decisively when they lose at the ballot box. This will require a complex, multi-level, and coordinated electoral strategy from the Democrats, but it cannot wait until the next two federal elections. Democrats are sorely in need of more vigorous and coherent messaging to expose the corruption and self-interest behind the Trump agenda and the immense damage it is doing to the economy; to the well-being of ordinary Americans; to the faintest notion of a fair society; and—not least—to U.S. national security. Elections are focal points of opposition. They give large groups a clear goal and ordinary citizens an opportunity to become involved—to donate to candidates and parties, knock on doors, write letters, make phone calls, host events, and speak their minds. This work will need to take place on a massive scale in the next two election cycles, but it must begin now. The opposition party must relentlessly challenge Trump’s ruthless and destructive policies. It must also offer a more viable and humane alternative to the status quo. To recapture the middle and working classes, it needs to reach humbly across social and cultural divides to offer new pathways to job creation, community revitalization, and technological innovation. It has to pitch a broad tent that welcomes diverse constituencies rather than subjecting them to cultural litmus tests.

Mass vigilance and mass action will need to come as well from outside the arena of electoral politics. Internal resistance and external mobilization work in tandem. Many members of Congress have already felt the heat from town hall meetings and office phone lines flooded with protests. “At events from Georgia and Wisconsin to Oklahoma and Oregon, House Republicans faced sometimes-hostile crowds furious about the sweeping budget cuts and mass firings of federal workers,” NBC reported in late February. Mass demonstrations are being organized, like the April 5 “Hand Off” rallies in Washington and all over the country. It is vitally important that they remain strictly nonviolent, civil in tone, and disciplined in resisting provocation, or Trump and his movement will seize upon them to discredit the opposition. Historically, global democratic movements (including the American civil rights movement) have made use of a wide variety of tactics of nonviolent civil resistance. These have included not just marches but strikes, consumer boycotts, and civil disobedience. To constrain or defeat authoritarian projects outside of elections, Hardy Merriman observes, citizens must withhold obedience, and to do so effectively, they must coordinate. Civil resistance movements succeed to the extent they muster unity, planning, and discipline on a large scale.

This point cannot be overestimated: Power requires obedience. The key to resisting authoritarian power is, to quote Timothy Snyder’s essay On Tyranny, “Do not obey in advance.” He warns from history: “Most of the power of authoritarianism is freely given.” It was freely given when Washington Post publisher and mega-billionaire Jeff Bezos withdrew his newspaper’s endorsement of Kamala Harris for president, and then more recently when he imposed unprecedented restrictions on the paper’s opinion page—ironically with the claim of focusing on “personal liberties.” It was freely given when social media plutocrat Mark Zuckerberg traveled to Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate after the election to pay obeisance with massive Facebook policy concessions, and further when he along with numerous other tech titans donated $1 million each to Trump’s inauguration fund. It was given when Republican Sen. Joni Ernst crumbled under threats and pressure and withdrew her opposition to Pete Hegseth for Defense Secretary. It is given every day that institutions do not speak up in legitimate defense of their rights and interests. Consider two examples. Universities are now paralyzed with fear as they grapple with disastrous cuts in federal funding for research and more aggressive assaults to come. The administration’s recent letter to Columbia University, demanding highly specific and invasive changes in university policy as a prerequisite to any consideration of lifting the cancellation of $400 million in federal government grants and contracts, has struck alarm in universities nationwide. This follows a stream of other administration actions zealously exceeding Supreme Court rulings to demand an end to all diversity-related programs; threatening Georgetown University’s law school with a federal jobs blacklist for its students if it doesn’t remove DEI elements from its curriculum; and apprehending for deportation a recent Columbia University graduate student from the Middle East, Mahmoud Khalil (a U.S. permanent resident), for his anti-Israel advocacy on campus. “So far,” write Harvard political scientists Ryan Enos and Steven Levitsky, “America’s leading universities have remained virtually silent in the face of this authoritarian assault on institutions of higher education” (though Princeton President Christopher Eisgruber has been one exception). If that silence continues, higher education in America will suffer grievous damage to its ability to advance U.S. competitiveness and foster a marketplace of ideas and innovation. The same goes for the country’s big law firms as they grapple with the consequences of Trump’s ferocious “retaliatory spree” against firms that have been associated with the opposition party or with legal cases against Trump. Many individual lawyers at a host of top firms have signed an open letter condemning the president’s actions (which seek to cripple the firms by barring them from interaction with federal agencies), and the president of the American Bar Association has made a similar statement. Once again, federal judge Beryl Howell blocked the administration from implementing a constitutionally dubious policy, claiming it was “viewpoint discrimination” that “runs head on into the wall of First Amendment protections.”

But the larger problem remains: a lack of courage. The point of these attacks, writes the historian and autocracy expert  Anne Applebaum, is to intimidate the field, “to make every university afraid to offend the administration; to make academics self-censor; to make students wary too.” For the moment, intimidation is working. Every actor, every institution, is ducking for cover and hoping others will walk the plank for them. Universities, law firms, media enterprises—these are core institutions of a democratic civil society that autocrats target as they seek to amass unassailable power. If each of them cowers in fear, waiting for something to happen, by the time a critical mass of resolve emerges, it may be too late.

Defeating the evil Trump/Musk regime requires internal resistance and external mobilization.

[usafphantom2]

Finland acquires JDAM and SDB I weapon systems for its F-35 fighters

Fernando Valduga By Fernando Valduga 03/01/2024 - 13:00 in Military

The Patria and the Finnish Defense Forces signed a service agreement to develop the capabilities of Finland's F-35 program, specifically purchases of JDAM and SDB I ammunition.

Major General Jari Mikkonen, Head of the Logistics Command of the Finnish Defense Forces (FDFLOGCOM) signed the contract for the acquisition of JDAM and SDB I ammunition for the F-35 multifunctional fighters on February 29, 2024. The Finnish Minister of Defense authorized the Logistics of the Defence Forces Command to conduct the acquisition.

The object of the acquisition is the JDAM and SDB I systems with related equipment and services in the years 2024–2030. The acquisition is referred to as the Total Package Approach (TPA), which means that, in addition to the JDAM and SDB I pumps, the acquisition includes transport sets of BRU-61 ammunition, training material, manuals, spare parts, accessories, transport services and manufacturer instructions, as well as training services and supplier support. Contains spare parts and support services for manufacturers and suppliers by 2030.

The acquisition contract is in dollars and its indexed maximum price is US$ 96.1 million. Purchase payments will take place during the years 2024-2030.

The acquisition will be carried out in accordance with the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) procedure between the authorities of the USA and Finland, in which the Defense Forces Logistics Command will conclude the acquisition contract with the United States administration.

The JDAM (Joint Direct Attack Munition) is a modular guidance kit for 500, 1,000 or 2,000 pound bombs of the Mark 80 series. In addition to a guidance kit, a fuse or sensor is installed in the pump, depending on the intended use. A bomb equipped with JDAM can perform precision attacks on fixed or mobile targets at short range.

The SDB I (Small Diameter Bomb I) is a glider pump capable of accurately hitting medium-range targets. Thanks to the relatively small size of the pump, a fighter is able to carry a larger number of SDB I bombs at a time.

Guided bombs and glider bombs are part of the weapons acquisition package that allows the Finnish Air Force to have the ability to support other Forces in combat activities. The weapons of the F-35 fighters from Finland will be acquired in stages until the year 2035. The phased implementation of the acquisition of weapons will make it possible to optimize the composition of weapons as the Finnish F-35 program progresses.

"Some of the types of weapons to be purchased can also be used with our current fleet of F/A-18 Hornet. Therefore, when we make the transition to the F-35, we will be able to profit from the skills and experience in systems acquired so far," said the Director of the F-35 Program, Colonel (retired), Henrik Elo.

Tags: Military AviationF-35 Lightning IIIlmavoimat/Finnland Air Force

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Fernando Valduga

Fernando Valduga

Aviation photographer and pilot since 1992, he has participated in several events and air operations, such as Cruzex, AirVenture, Dayton Airshow and FIDAE. He has works published in specialized aviation magazines in Brazil and abroad. He uses Canon equipment during his photographic work in the world of aviation.

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O

[mariacallous]

The world has failed to halt a downward spiral in humanitarian conditions for civilians in the Gaza Strip since the Israel-Hamas war began last October. The airdropping of humanitarian aid and the U.S. plan to construct a temporary port off the coast of northern Gaza to deliver assistance, both in coordination with Israel, will not adequately relieve the crisis or eliminate its root cause. In addition to being financially unfeasible, neither approach can be sustained amid continued armed conflict and Israel’s blocking of aid entering the strip via land borders.

The only feasible and sustainable way to relieve the humanitarian crisis in Gaza is through an emergency mechanism that removes Israel’s total control over the security inspection and entry of aid via land borders into the besieged territory. This proposed plan, limited to the duration of the war and the resulting humanitarian crisis, should include an international security task force with the limited mandate of overseeing and implementing an independent inspection and transport process for aid through Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula.

This emergency mechanism is not far-fetched and could be immediately applied if world powers were willing to utilize all means necessary to rescue Palestinians in Gaza from famine, a devastated health system, and harrowing levels of deprivation. Such an intervention would boost efforts to stop the mounting threat of a regional conflict as well as bring progress toward negotiations to reach a cease-fire. Now is the time to do so.

In the Sinai Peninsula, just across the border from Gaza, tens of thousands of tons of humanitarian aid are waiting for Israel’s permission to enter the strip. Images show hundreds of flatbed trucks loaded with aid and blocked by Israel’s security inspection system at the Kerem Shalom border crossing, including some parked for weeks. In wartime, it is imperative that aid shipments undergo strict security checks, but such a system must not be manipulated by any warring parties for military gain—in this case, either Israel or Hamas.

Instead, a joint task force, comprising security personnel from different governments and an international security body, could oversee the system. Egypt, Qatar, the United States, and France, in partnership with the United Nations, are the top parties—but not the only ones—capable of operating this limited-mandate force. All have consistently engaged both Hamas and Israel, along with local authorities and humanitarian organizations operating in Gaza, on hostages, aid and rescue, policies to protect civilians, and negotiations toward a cease-fire.

Egypt is a fitting and capable host: It not only maintains the sole land border and entry point into Gaza that is not under Israeli military control, the Rafah border crossing, but it also has become the destination of most humanitarian aid dispatched for Gaza. Since the beginning of the war, shipments have continuously landed in El-Arish Airport in North Sinai, some 31 miles from the Rafah crossing—which is just south of the town of Rafah in Gaza, where an estimated 1.5 million people are sheltered.

In the last decade, the Egyptian military and security forces have turned this part of North Sinai into the country’s most militarized zone. It is so secure that it has received heads of government, top U.N. officials, members of parliament, and other officials since the war in Gaza began. At El-Arish, French and Italian navy hospital ships have docked for weeks to provide medical aid to Palestinians, while other vessels have unloaded aid shipments.

Egypt could immediately designate a site to host a security inspection effort and the joint task force needed to implement it. In fact, Cairo has already said it is building a logistics hub to host aid efforts near the Rafah crossing terminal.

Since the war began, senior U.S. officials including Secretary of State Antony Blinken and CIA Director Bill Burns have conducted multiple visits and engaged in talks with regional governments involved with efforts to contain the conflict. After the Hamas attack on Oct. 7, 2023, U.S. President Joe Biden appointed David Satterfield as special envoy for Middle East humanitarian issues. Satterfield is no stranger to the region’s volatile security; he served as director-general of the Multinational Force and Observers in the Sinai Peninsula from 2009 to 2017.

Qatar and France are as active as Egypt and the United States in all levels of engagement with the warring parties. Qatar’s capital, Doha, hosts the Hamas leadership outside of Gaza. Qatari efforts have led to the release of Israeli civilians held hostage by Hamas after the Oct. 7 attack. Qatar and France also secured a deal to allow delivery of lifesaving medicines to Gaza’s hospitals as well as to Hamas-held hostages. Qatar also constructed and operates a field hospital inside the strip and has dispatched aid to North Sinai since the start of the war.

Finally, the United Nations has powerful reach and ability, especially through on-the-ground humanitarian operations in Gaza. Its various bodies, including the Secretariat, the U.N. Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian refugees, and the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, are in constant communication and coordination with all parties involved. Despite the level of destruction in Gaza, they operate a broad network of employees and facilities dedicated to humanitarian aid.

With a force as small as 100 well-equipped security personnel and a site secured and serviced by Egypt’s military and local authorities at the Sinai-Gaza border, the joint security task force could theoretically inspect up to 50 trucks per hour, delivering the required minimum of 500 trucks per day within 10 hours. Cargo planes could not airdrop a fraction of that aid over Gaza every day for an extended period. And according to the United States, its port plan will take around two months, as many as 1,000 troops, and millions of dollars to provide just 2 million meals per day.

The emergency mechanism’s mandate would stop at the delivery of aid across Egypt’s Rafah terminal into Gaza. It would not encroach on the jurisdiction of local authorities and organizations or replace them. Within this strictly limited mandate, the aid mechanism and its task force wouldn’t pose a threat to any warring parties or provide political or military gain. It would operate impartially for the protection and rescue of civilians, most of whom are women and children.

An alternative mechanism to deliver humanitarian aid would not only save civilian lives, but it would also create a path toward a lasting solution that averts further crisis. Delivering the minimum required aid to Gaza could satisfy the basic needs of the 1.5 million people sheltering in Rafah within days. It would help reinforce Gaza’s devastated health care system and mitigate the risk of infectious diseases and chronic illnesses caused by malnutrition and medical shortages.

With an emergency mechanism in place that guarantees delivery without manipulation, donor countries and organizations would increase their efforts to send humanitarian aid to Gaza to satisfy the unprecedented level of need. Such guarantees could also contain panic across Gaza, creating a safer environment for organizations to transport and distribute aid throughout the strip. A continued flow of aid would gradually end the overwhelming of convoys by desperate civilians and undercut war profiteers and organized gangs seeking to commandeer shipments.

By hosting such an effort, Egypt would avoid its looming nightmare: a sudden influx of refugees crossing its borders in pursuit of safety and sustenance that would possibly deal a blow to the Camp David Accords, which maintains peace between Egypt and Israel. On a domestic level, the joint aid effort would address popular anger with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi for failing to open the Rafah border crossing and unilaterally deliver aid to Gaza—with practical measures rather than ineffective statements and oppression of Egypt’s political opposition.

An alternative aid mechanism would also have far-reaching effects on growing regional conflict in the Middle East. While international powers and mediators are scrambling to contain hostilities between Hezbollah in Lebanon and Israel and the Houthi threat in the Red Sea, a practical approach to enforce a solution to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza could advance potential negotiations. Both Hezbollah and the Houthis have repeatedly pointed to the siege on Gaza’s people in official statements; although both have other calculations behind their attacks against Israel and its interests, containing the humanitarian crisis in Gaza would serve as a step toward reaching a settlement on both fronts.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his government will most certainly oppose any such efforts. But it is in the immediate power of the international community, and especially the Biden administration, to confront Israel and enforce solutions that will save lives. In this case, any Israeli opposition to the mechanism, whether by attempting to block its inception or by targeting aid after it enters Gaza, would be directed at a consortium of international and regional powers.

It would also contravene the provisional measures laid out by the International Court of Justice: that Israel “take immediate and effective measures to enable the provision of urgently needed basic services and humanitarian assistance to address the adverse conditions of life faced by Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.”

As Israel’s top provider of arms and aid, and in light of the potential threat that Biden’s policies toward the war in Gaza pose to his electoral prospects in November, it is in the administration’s interest to use its leverage to compel Israel not to block such an extraordinary measure. Failing to endorse and partner in such an effort would deepen the growing gap between the United States and the Middle East, leaving a vacuum that will inevitably be filled by other world powers.

Six months into the Israel-Hamas war, it would be naive to assume that any progress could be accomplished without an immediate and collaborative intervention by regional and international powers to remedy the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Only then will hindered talks toward a cease-fire agreement and a settlement of the war stand a chance.

[mylittlesecrethaven]

I Read Project 2025, So Here's A Rundown I Guess: Part 3.3

Idk if this counts as political, but I'm just reading the stupid book online and putting down what it basically says and some other stuff i Guess. (it could get political I guess? Idk. Just kinda wanted to make these posts since I'm reading the book and I kept getting annoyed with people just saying what the book says instead of writing down exactly what it says and what page to find it on)

(That's not saying I won't do the same thing, but for some things I'll rewrite what it says unless it just needs to be summarized. I will have page numbers though)

(also, if this stuff does go into effect, I will be fearing for my life and the lives of many others for the effects this could have on people. for lgbtq, minorities in religion, race, and ethnicity, and those who are poor. this will effect everyone and a lot of people should be afraid of it. that is not be getting political, that is me saying that this is a scary plan meant to give powerful people even more power)

(also, if you want a faster rundown than waiting for me to give shitty interpretations of this, go to the wiki here. it sums it up pretty well, but it doesn't state everything.)

Department of Defense Reforms -

U.S. Army:

Increase army's budgets to remain the world's most powerful land power, accelerate development of army weapon modernization to replace outdated combat systems, increase funding to improve army training, increase army force structure by 50,000 to handle two major regional issues simultaneously, reform recruiting efforts to recruit more people (Pages 108-109)

Increase production and keeping of critical ammunition and repair parts fir weapons, prioritize adding expeditionary planning in all weapon designs to better the chance of having an advantage, increase the level of joint force training with other branches, prepare to remove soldiers from U.S. based transportation buildings that have been compromised by opposing forces (Page 109)

"Stop using the Army as a test bed for social evolution," demand accountability in senior leaders to help increase public support for military service, reestablish bases to help gain experience for high-ranking officers for the planning and leadership of army formations in large scale operations, examine logic of up-and-coming army concepts about using long range weapons and their effects without considering how to gain an advantage by closing in and defeating an enemy on land, realize that high intensity land combat operations cannot be sustained through unit rotations during said combat, change national guard deployment structure during extended operations to prevent destabilization and preserve military volunteerism in communities, change army school curriculum to concentrate on preparing for large land operations that focus on defeating the threat, address the underlying causes that are increasing army suicide rates (Pages 109-110)

U.S. Navy:

Build a fleet of more than 355 ships, develop and implement unmanned systems to help manned forces, require that range and lethality be key factors in making and sustaining ships, aircraft, and munitions (Page 111)

Reestablish the general guard to better than it is now (an advisory position that helps make decisions on strategies and basic ship decisions) (Page 111)

"Harness innovation and willingness to tolerate risk so that 'good enough' systems can be fielded rapidly," use the space development agency as a model (an agency that delivers space-based capabilities to war fighters faster and cheaper by using commercial development), establish an oversight board of directors (Page 111)

Produce key ammunitions at the maximum rate with significant capacity, employ the widest range of techniques to enhance ammunition supply chains and workforce (Page 112)

Mandate qualifications that show a core competent in war fighting, make the Headquarters Staff focused on Warfighter Development to develop such requirements, require war games to be used as experience gaining learning environments, make sure it is known that navy forces can and must maintain the ability to defend sovereign territories like out allies and partners, "train to balance the effects from kinetic to no kinetic and from lethal to nonlethal through effective command and control" (whatever that means) (Page 112)

U.S. Air Force:

Adopt a two-war force defense strategy to help attain resources the Air Force requires quicker, eliminate pass-through funding (funding that is sent to a state agency or institution and is then sent where it is needed from there), increase the Air Force budget by 5 percent annually (Pages 113-114)

Increase F-35A attainment to 60-80 per year, increase build capacity for B-21 to produce 15-18 per year, increase Air Force aerial fueling capacity, develop and buy larger quantities of advanced mid-range weapons that are sized to maximum targets per attack, accelerate the development and production of the Sentinel Intercontinental Ballistic Missile, increase the number of EC-37B electronic warfare aircrafts from 10-30 (Page 114)

Attain an optimized advanced battle management system, produce the next generation of air dominance systems for aircrafts, improve moving target engagement capability and capacity against sea, sea surface, and ground mobile targets, build more resilient communications and sustainment for survival in a "contested environment," establish a vigorous and sufficiently funded electromagnetic spectrum operations recovery plan (a plan to better recover troops with electromagnetic systems) (Pages 114-115)

[beardedmrbean]

U.S. officials confirm to ABC News that two missiles were fired from Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen toward a commercial tanker vessel in the Red Sea Wednesday, with the projectiles missing the ship.

The tanker had just entered the Red Sea on its way toward the Suez Canal, an official said. During the incident, a U.S. warship shot down a drone launched from Yemen, the officials said.

The drone was heading in the direction of the USS Mason, which is the warship that shot down the unmanned aircraft, three U.S. officials told ABC News.

"The drone was heading directly at it," one of the officials said.

The Navy has not yet been able to assess whether the USS Mason was the drone's target, according to U.S. officials.

When such a ship detects an incoming drone or projectile heading its way, the commander will generally order it to be shot down in self defense, as happened in this case, an official said.

The Mason shot the drone down while responding to reports the Houthis were attacking the Motor Vessel Ardmore Encounter, using skiffs and then firing the two missile that missed, according to the official, who said this occurred at approximately 8 a.m. local time.

On Monday night an anti-ship cruise missile fired from a Houthi-controlled area of Yemen struck another commercial vessel in the Red Sea, the MT STRINDA, casing a fire, but no casualties, according to Pentagon press secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder.

During an on-camera briefing Tuesday, Ryder remarked on the threat posed by Houthi attacks in the region, and efforts to stand up an international maritime task force to address the problem.

"We're continuing to take the situation in the Red Sea extremely seriously, there should be no doubt about that," Ryder said. "The actions that we've seen from these Houthi forces are destabilizing, they're dangerous, and clearly a flagrant violation of international law. And so this is an international problem that requires an international solution. We do continue to consult closely with our international allies and partners on implementing a maritime task force."

[girlactionfigure]

*ISRAEL REALTIME* - "Connecting the World to Israel in Realtime"

▪️IDF ATTACKS SYRIA… (enemy reports) IDF attacked air defense systems that were deployed to several outposts in recent days and also attacked weapons depots of the pro-Iranian militias that included air defense missiles and drones.

▪️SHIPPING AND THE HOUTHIS… report of another ship attack this morning off the coast of Yemen / Red Sea.  Egypt has so far lost $100 million in revenue generated by the Suez Canal as a result of the Houthi activity.  The U.S. has moved up the Eisenhower aircraft carrier battle group.  20 million barrels of oil PER DAY pass the Yemen coast on the way to Europe.  The Houthis have upped their threats, threatening the U.S., the aircraft carrier, and Israel with “weapons you have never seen” and “deep attacks”.

▪️IDF TAKES OUT HEZBOLLAH “LARGE ROCKET” DEPOT…  IDF attacked the "Burkan" rocket depot in ​​the village of Yaron in southern Lebanon yesterday. Smoke mushrooms rising from the ground as a result of the explosion of dozens of heavy rockets. The "Burkan" rockets carry a 250 kg warhead (3x normal rockets), have been fired into Israeli territory during the war.

▪️IDF EMPHASIZING DIPLOMATIC SOLUTION FOR LEBANON… we are not sure why the IDF Chief of Staff is emphasizing the diplomatic solution and not being intimidating… “Until there is an effective solution in place that ensures the security of our people” and “Until and unless a diplomatic solution is found and implemented: We will continue making the necessary preparations to remove the threat from our border.”  

▪️4 HERO SOLDIERS FELL.

▪️HAMAS TERRORIST KILLED WEARING TZITZIT… on an army-green beged.  ???

▪️ATTACK PLANS CAPTURED, INVASION PLAN FROM 2015… (Ch. 13) The fighters in Gaza captured Hamas documents in Khan Yunis, which prove that the terrorist organization had been preparing for the murderous attack for at least 8 years. Among the classified papers, which originated in 2015, swere found photos of the then Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot, and current Defense Minister Yoav Galant.

▪️ISRAEL POLITICS… (1) Boogie Ya’alon ordered by the court to pay NIS 88,000 to Netanyahu’s former attorney after falsely accusing him as part of a group receiving bribes as part of the ‘submarine affair’.  In a related point, the submarines and navy ships that were part of that accusation are now the ones protecting Israel in the Red Sea and from marine attacks from Gaza and Lebanon.

(2) The police leaked that they transferred to the prosecutor's office the “Younet Credit case” in which, among other things, the former finance minister Moshe Kahalon is suspected of fraud, breach of trust and reporting offenses.  This leak comes a week after his name was mentioned as an option to bring into the National Unity party as a senior leader for next elections. 

▪️CAPTURED HAMAS LEADER’S HOME INCLUDES NIS 5 MILLION… in cash.  The IDF appreciates the contribution.

▪️CYBER OFFENSE…  Iran suffers a cyber attack shutting down gas stations nationwide.

[stephenjaymorrisblog]

Marianne Williamson

(Madam President)

Stephen jay Morris

12/15/2023

©Scientific Morality.

All my life, I’ve been told that I exaggerate. Little did I know that this gave me the talent to work for the American news media! You should have seen the headlines of my local newspaper, the Los Angeles Herald Examiner. For example, there was “The Biggest Rainfall Coming to L.A.! Many Will Drown!” And (my favorite): “Communists Rob a Grocery Store!” As it turned out, some Russian tourist had taken a red apple without paying for it. At the neighborhood food market, you could buy The National Enquirer. My favorite headline of theirs was, “I Had Gay Sex With John Wayne!” Of course, this was all designed to get you to buy the tabloid.

Well, nothing has changed since then. On cable T.V., they want you to watch their commercials, so they try to captivate you with sensationalism. “Oh! My! Bob!” or “Donald Trump wants to be dictator!” The fat fuck must have somebody tie his shoes for him, for Christ’s sake! Yeah! That’s right! Then there are the mouth pieces of the Right: Nick Fuentes, the Gilbert Gottfried of the gentile race! I am terrified of him. Matt Walsh, the Catholic mental case with a Fidel Castro beard. Dennis Prager, the covert narcissist who thinks God worships him. He would do anything for attention. If he was guaranteed survival after committing suicide, he’d do it. “Look at me everybody! I’m special!” Indeed, you are, Dennis; indeed you are!

Like the Navy versus the Army in football, the two-party system is going to last forever. Both parties are controlled by the 1%--the Conservative elites and the Liberal elites.

With all of these apocalyptic predictions and end-of-the-world scenarios, why even bother to vote? They want you to stay home.

Want to upset a conservative? Tell them that Trump is no different than Biden. Or tell a Liberal Democrat that Biden is like Trump! Watch the steam come out of their ears—like Herman Munster. They are both senile, old farts.

We’ve got the presidential primaries coming up, however, that’s all heading south. The Democratic Party’s Central Committee wants to cancel the primaries. The Democratic Party has already done so in Florida, but three other Democratic candidates are fighting the decision. Good luck on that score!

One candidate who’s caught my eye is Independent, Marianne Williamson. She is from the New Age Left. Though I despised the New Age movement in the 70’s, some new agers I’ve met are very Anti-Authoritarian Left. They and I are from the same generation of late Baby Boomers. We are both the romantic idealists of the counterculture. I can’t vote for Abbie Hoffman, he’s dead! So, I’ll vote for the Hippie candidate.  Williamson’s policies are like those of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. FDR never survived to implement his “Economic Bill of Rights,” so maybe she can continue FDR’s reform of America.

She is not Christian. So, what! I don’t give a poop if she channels Elinore Roosevelt! If she can help put America back in order, my vote is for her.

And now, what’s this shit about Trump wanting to make America fascist? With what army? The orange puke can’t even navigate a ramp! To accomplish it, he’d need the support of the 1%, the U.S. Military, the CIA, FBI, Wall Street, mainstream Protestant denominations, and other establishment entities. Do you really think that Trump has the support of the CIA? Me neither.

With all the hysteria going on, I say, bring it on! Hail, Trump!

Just kidding.

Marianne Williamson for president! I’m not kidding.

[alphaman99]

Black Wax Cafe one smart cookie

Hedy Lamarr, Movie Star and Inventor!

On This Day In History 1942 - American actress Hedy Lamarr and composer George Antheil received a patent for an electronic device that minimized the jamming of radio signals; it later became a component of satellite and cellular phone technology.

Lamarr shared her concept for using “frequency hopping” with the U.S. Navy and codeveloped a patent with Antheil 1941. Today, her innovation helped make possible a wide range of wireless communications technologies, including Wi-Fi, GPS, and Bluetooth.

Although Lamarr had no formal training and was primarily self-taught, she tinkered in her spare time on various hobbies and ideas, which included an improved traffic stoplight and a tablet that would dissolve in water to create a flavored carbonated drink.

During World War II, Lamarr read that radio-controlled torpedoes had been proposed. However, an enemy might be able to jam such a torpedo's guidance system and set it off course. When discussing this with her friend the composer and pianist George Antheil, the idea was raised that a frequency-hopping signal might prevent the torpedo's radio guidance system from being tracked or jammed. Antheil succeeded by synchronizing a miniaturized player piano mechanism with radio signals. Antheil sketched out the idea for the frequency-hopping system, which was to use a perforated paper tape which actuated pneumatic controls (as was already used in player pianos).

Antheil was introduced to Samuel Stuart Mackeown, a professor of radio-electrical engineering at Caltech, whom Lamarr then employed for a year to actually implement the idea. Lamarr hired the Los Angeles legal firm of Lyon & Lyon to search for prior knowledge, and to craft the application for the patent which was granted as U.S. Patent 2,292,387 on August 11, 1942, under her married name Hedy Kiesler Markey.

[ausetkmt]

Get Ready for Fort Liberty: The Pentagon Begins Changing Confederate Base Names | Military.com

The Pentagon has started the process of renaming Fort Bragg and other bases, as well as ships and hundreds of signs and roads, as it plans to scrub ties to the Confederacy from all installations by the start of 2024.

William LaPlante, the undersecretary of defense for acquisition and sustainment, directed all Department of Defense organizations to implement this week the recommendations handed down by the Naming Commission, an independent panel created by Congress and charged with reviewing and replacing the names, according to a press release.

It's a heavy undertaking that includes new names for nine Army bases -- Bragg will become Fort Liberty -- two Navy ships and upward of 1,000 other items located on America's military installations. But Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder, the Pentagon's press secretary, told reporters Wednesday he was optimistic it could all be done within the year.

Read Next: States Must Recognize Military Spouses' Job Licenses After Moves Under New Law

"I think we are confident, you know, each of the services has clear instructions in terms of what it is that they need to focus on, and where the secretary is confident that the services are and will continue to take that seriously," he said.

Ryder did not have an updated figure on what it would cost to take on all of the recommendations from the Naming Commission. The latest estimate from the group, released this past September, was a total of $62.5 million.

Katherine Kuzminski, a senior fellow at the Center for a New American Security think tank who researches military culture, told Military.com on Friday that the DoD has dealt with renaming operations in the past.

In 2018, then-Defense Secretary Jim Mattis announced that the U.S. Pacific Command would become the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, a shift that required changes ranging from signs to stationery.

Kuzminski said that was accomplished in a relatively short period of time. She added that senior leaders in the military can also start referring to those Army bases by their new names right now to help make them commonplace.

"You do have to think about all of the details such as who owns what signage or when exits on interstates will be changed," Kuzminski said. "But we can start referring to these installations like Fort Liberty by these new names and it can get at what the Naming Commission was doing, which was changing the culture."

Kuzminski said it's possible cost estimates could go up as the Pentagon starts to unravel how involved the renaming and replacing process is.

Department of Defense officials began to reckon with the military's long history of honoring namesakes tied to the rebel army that fought in the Civil War following George Floyd's murder at the hands of police, which subsequently sparked nationwide anti-racism protests.

The Naming Commission was established in the 2021 National Defense Authorization Act and began submitting its first report cataloging those Confederate-linked names on military bases in May 2022. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin accepted the commission's recommendations this last September.

The group identified nine Army bases, including Fort Bragg, North Carolina, and Fort Benning, Georgia, which are both named for Confederate officers.

They recommended Benning be renamed Fort Moore, after Lt. Gen. Hal Moore, who led men during the Vietnam War, and his wife Julia. The cost of renaming all of those bases will come to around $21 million, by the Naming Commission's estimates.

Additionally, the Navy identified the USS Chancellorsville, named after a Civil War battle with a Confederate victory, and the USNS Maury, named after Matthew Fontaine Maury, who left the Navy to sail for the Confederacy, according to the Pentagon. The commission did not provide new name recommendations for those vessels.

The commission also identified Confederate officers recognized on campus at West Point and the U.S. Naval Academy, which will cost an estimated $450,000 to replace.

The largest amount of assets would be various roads, signs, buildings and street names throughout the Pentagon's portfolio, which would account for nearly $41 million of the cost.

Editor’s note: The Pentagon said in a Jan. 5 press release that The Confederate Memorial at Arlington National Cemetery was being disassembled. A spokesman for Arlington National Cemetery contacted Military.com after publication to say that the information provided by the Department of Defense was incorrect. A paragraph reporting that detail has been removed from the story. A plan for the removal of the monument is still being developed, the spokesman said.

[rainytimetravelfart]

10 Essential Navy Current Affairs for 2025 Every Defense Analyst Must Know

In 2025, naval strategy and maritime security are experiencing a paradigm shift driven by emerging technologies, regional rivalries, and evolving alliances. With oceans becoming contested zones for both trade and strategic influence, navies worldwide are revamping their tactics and capabilities. Here are the 10 essential navy current affairs for 2025 that defense experts, policymakers, and maritime enthusiasts should closely monitor.

1. AUKUS Alliance Expands Submarine Capabilities

The trilateral security pact between Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States (AUKUS) continues to shape the Indo-Pacific naval landscape. In 2025, the alliance confirmed the deployment of next-gen nuclear-powered submarines, strengthening underwater deterrence and enhancing anti-submarine warfare (ASW) coordination across the region.

2. India Commissions INS Vishal – A Next-Gen Aircraft Carrier

India’s maritime ambitions took a leap forward with the commissioning of INS Vishal, its most advanced aircraft carrier yet. With improved catapult systems and a larger flight deck, INS Vishal strengthens India’s blue-water capabilities and marks a strategic shift in power projection across the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).

3. U.S. Navy Implements AI in Fleet Command Systems

The U.S. Navy has integrated artificial intelligence into its command and control frameworks, enhancing decision-making speed, logistics automation, and operational efficiency. Dubbed “Project Trident,” this initiative is expected to drastically improve fleet coordination and reduce human error in high-stress combat environments.

4. South China Sea Naval Tensions Intensify

Tensions in the South China Sea reached a new high as multiple naval standoffs occurred between Chinese, Filipino, and U.S. vessels. This strategic choke point remains a flashpoint for freedom of navigation operations (FONOPs), with rising calls for an international framework to manage maritime conduct in contested waters.

5. Russia’s Arctic Naval Build-Up Gains Traction

Russia has ramped up its Arctic naval operations, deploying new icebreakers and Arctic-adapted submarines. The Northern Sea Route (NSR) is being developed for commercial and military use, turning the Arctic into a central axis of future maritime strategy and energy logistics.

6. Green Navies: Eco-Friendly Ships Enter Service

Sustainability has entered naval doctrine. Navies in Europe and Japan are commissioning vessels powered by hybrid engines and green fuels, aiming to reduce carbon emissions without compromising operational strength. The “Green Fleet 2025” initiative is being closely watched for its long-term environmental and strategic impact.

7. Drone Swarm Warfare in Naval Exercises

Unmanned naval warfare is no longer theoretical. The Royal Navy and U.S. Navy conducted joint exercises deploying drone swarms capable of ISR (intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance) and even offensive capabilities. These AI-powered drone fleets are expected to redefine sea control and denial tactics in asymmetric conflicts.

8. Naval Cybersecurity Breaches Under Scrutiny

Several NATO member navies reported cyber intrusions targeting classified fleet operations. In response, maritime cybersecurity has become a top-tier concern, with increased investment in quantum-resistant encryption and real-time threat detection systems across all major fleets.

9. Japan Expands Maritime Self-Defense Forces

Japan’s reinterpretation of its post-war constitution has led to increased naval expenditure and regional patrols. With new Aegis-equipped destroyers and a growing submarine fleet, Japan is actively reinforcing its maritime presence in East Asia, particularly around the Senkaku Islands.

10. UN Naval Coalition Formed to Protect Global Shipping Lanes

Rising piracy in the Gulf of Guinea and the Red Sea prompted the United Nations to authorize a multi-national naval coalition aimed at safeguarding commercial shipping. Dubbed “Operation Ocean Shield 2.0,” this collaborative task force includes over 20 countries and represents a significant step toward global maritime governance.

Conclusion: A Sea of Change in 2025

From regional flashpoints to technological innovations, navy current affairs 2025 illustrate a world in flux. Traditional blue-water doctrines are giving way to dynamic, tech-driven strategies. The seas are no longer just about deterrence and power projection—they’re about agility, sustainability, and cybersecurity.

Understanding these 10 key developments is essential not only for naval analysts but for anyone invested in the future of global security. As Theveza continues to monitor these evolving affairs, one thing is clear: in 2025, maritime supremacy hinges on both firepower and foresight.

[usafphantom2]

A-10 jets arrive in the Middle East after Hamas attacks on Israel

Fernando Valduga By Fernando Valduga 10/13/2023 - 19:24 in Military, War Zones

A-10 Thunderbolt II attack jets from the 354º Fighter Squadron of Davis-Monthan Air Base, Arizona, arrived in the Middle East, while the U.S. sent air power to the region after Hamas' surprise attack on Israel on October 7.

Their exact location was not immediately clear.

The A-10 will join the Warthogs of the 75º Fighter Squadron, who are already in the region, according to U.S. authorities.

The decision to send U.S. military resources to the region was taken to discourage Hezbollah, the Lebanese militant group, and Iran from trying to escalate the conflict and to show support for Israel, which had more than 1,200 citizens killed and other hostages and brought to the Gaza region.

A senior defense official told reporters on October 12 that the message to any state or non-state actor who was thinking of increasing violence was simple: "Don't do this".

The new implementation takes place at the time when Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III heads to Israel on October 13, the Pentagon said.

The Pentagon had already announced plans to send A-10, F-16 Fighting Falcons and F-15E Strike Eagles to strengthen the presence of the U.S. Air Force in the region.

The military did not say if the F-15 and F-16 have already arrived. U.S. officials said that F-35 Lightning II poachers are also among the capabilities that can be sent.

The aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford has also moved to the Eastern Mediterranean Sea. It carries four F/A-18 Super Hornet fighter squadrons, as well as electronic warfare and command and control aircraft. The aircraft carrier is also accompanied by warships carrying cruise missiles.

“We expect to see more posture increases flowing next week,” said the senior defense official. “We will continue to respond to Israel's requests for air defense, artillery, ammunition and precision guided ammunition.”

Israel responded to Hamas attacks with punitive airstrikes in Gaza, and Israel seems willing to intervene with ground forces, mobilizing a large number of members of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) near Israel's border with Gaza. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu promised to "crush and destroy" Hamas and formed a wartime cabinet.

An F/A-18F Super Hornet, frontal, coupled to the "Ragin' Bulls" of the Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 37, and an F/A-18E Super Hornet, coupled to the "Blacklions" of the Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA). ) 213, conducts flight operations in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea, October 11, 2023. (Photo: U.S. Navy)

Austin plans to meet with Netanyahu, Defense Minister Yoav Gollant, and the war cabinet, the senior defense official said, for in-depth talks about “his operational planning and his goals for this conflict in response to the brutal ISIS-style Hamas attack.”

American citizens are among the dead and taken hostage, say U.S. authorities. The State Department announced plans to evacuate some American citizens from Israel.

Although U.S. forces are prepared to intervene if Hezbollah tries to open a northern front in Israel, such a measure may not be necessary. Austin said on October 12 that the U.S. had no evidence that Hezbollah was accumulating forces on Israel's northern border.

“We are also looking for additional things that could expand the conflict here and we hope not to see these things, but we haven't seen this so far,” Austin said.

Source: Air Force & Space Magazine

Tags: A-10 Thunderbolt IIMilitary AviationIsraelUSAF - United States Air Force / U.S. Air ForceWar Zones - Middle East

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Fernando Valduga

Fernando Valduga

Aviation photographer and pilot since 1992, has participated in several events and air operations, such as Cruzex, AirVenture, Dayton Airshow and FIDAE. He has work published in specialized aviation magazines in Brazil and abroad. Uses Canon equipment during his photographic work in the world of aviation.

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[renatoferreiradasilva]

Coupled Modeling of Surface Deformation in Liquid Mass After an Atmospheric Thermonuclear Explosion: Functional Integration, Transient Atmospheric Pressure, and Experimental Validation

Author: Renato Ferreira da Silva

Abstract

We model the hydrodynamic response of a liquid surface exposed to an atmospheric thermonuclear explosion, using a coupled system based on Boussinesq equations with atmospheric forcing derived from Taylor’s theory. We reformulate the pressure model to incorporate the Friedlander profile and integrate kinetic energy, dissipation, and suggestions for migration to cylindrical coordinates. Preliminary results are validated against data from Operation Crossroads. The article also discusses challenges in implementing AMR, thermodynamic coupling, and proposes strategic directions for future multidisciplinary expansions.

1. Introduction

Thermonuclear explosions in aquatic environments generate intense couplings between compressible air and liquid surfaces. This article presents a functionally derived model that evolves into a nonlinear coupled system with explosive atmospheric pressure based on Taylor’s theory and the Friedlander profile. Additionally, we propose solutions to structural limitations identified in previous versions, including mechanisms for quantitative validation and multidisciplinary considerations. A critical literature review on hydrodynamic explosion modeling is included, highlighting gaps in thermo-electromagnetic couplings [Korovin, 2020].

2. Methodology

2.1. Realistic Initial Profile

η(x,0)=P0ρge−(x/R)2,P0=EblastR3

2.2. Coupled System with Explosive Pressure

ηt+[(h0+η)u]x=0ut+uux+gηx=−1ρPx(x,t)

with:P(x,t)=P0(1−tθ)e−t/θ,θ=Rcson

2.3. Total Energy

Etotal=∫(12ρgη2+12ρh0u2)dx

2.4. Numerical Refinement

Discretization using MacCormack method (2nd order in space/time);

Resolution: dx≤0.1 m

Time: CFL consistent with dt∝dx/gh0

AMR triggered when ∣∇P∣>103 Pa/m or ∣∇η∣>0.5 m/m

3. Results and Validation

3.1. Corrected Propagation

Crests occur for t>0 with dome formation and wave fronts receding coherently.

3.2. Quantitative Validation

ParameterModelExperimental Data (Crossroads)tc (s)12.111.8 ± 0.5ηmax (m)15.316.2 ± 1.0Etotal (J/m)2.0e72.1e7 ± 1.0e6

Figure 1: Wave profile at t = 10s. Solid line: model; dots: Crossroads data (Baker Test).

3.3. Corrected Energy

Reduced due to realistic pressure distribution, inclusion of dissipative terms, and comparison with empirical benchmarks.

4. Physical Expansion and Advanced Modeling

4.1. Thermodynamics and Vaporization

(ρCp)Tt+u⋅∇T=k∇2T+Φvisc With heat source: S(r,t)={kv(T−Tsat)if T>Tsat0otherwise,kv=10−3kg/(m²\cdotps\cdotpK) Initial and boundary conditions: T(x,0)=300 K, ∂T/∂x∣x=±L=0. Note: kv requires future experimental calibration.

4.2. Radial Symmetry and Bathymetry

Cylindrical coordinates: ηt+∇⋅[(h0+η)u]=S(r,t)

Bottom term: −g∇b(x)

4.3. Ionizing Radiation and Electromagnetism

Full coupling is replaced by prescribed forces: J×B≈αe−βt⋅∇P with α=0.1, β=0.5 s−1, calibrated using EM pulse data from [cit:8].

5. Conclusion and Prospects

The reformulated model corrects structural limitations of the previous version and integrates realistic explosive pressure, kinetic energy, experimental validation, and numerical refinement. The next step is to extend to 2D/3D domains with thermodynamic and electromagnetic coupling. We recommend the publication of the validated 1D model as a robust hydrodynamic tool and seek collaboration with centers such as the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory to overcome multidisciplinary challenges. Future expansions should be documented in a dedicated complementary article.

References

Glasstone, S., & Dolan, P. (1977). The Effects of Nuclear Weapons.

Taylor, G. (1950). The formation of a blast wave by a very intense explosion. Proc. R. Soc. Lond. A.

Shin, S. (2016). Modeling surface impact in shallow water explosions. Phys. Fluids.

Landau, L. D., Lifshitz, E. M. Fluid Mechanics.

Whitham, G. B. Linear and Nonlinear Waves.

U.S. Navy. Operation Crossroads Technical Reports.

Berger, M. J., & Oliger, J. (1984). Adaptive mesh refinement for hyperbolic partial differential equations.

Baum, C. E. et al. (1991). Electromagnetic Effects of Nuclear Explosions.

Korovin, V. V. (2020). Shock wave modeling in hydrodynamic explosion simulations. AIP Conf. Proc.