British Army 'could drop tanks in favour of cyber capabilities', says report

Proposals to drop the UK's ageing tanks in favour of modern capabilities such as cyber warfare have been developed by senior British Army figures, according to The Times.

It says the proposals are being examined by the government due to the soaring costs of upgrading Britain's 227 Challenger 2 tanks and the 388 Warrior armoured vehicles.

Both were last year described as "obsolete" and the Ministry of Defence (MoD) is considering whether changes in warfare require investment in non-traditional capabilities.

The proposals are being considered as part of the government's foreign policy, defence and security review - and Britain has reportedly sounded out NATO partners about overhauling its military contributions to the alliance.

But a senior British defence source who spoke to The Times said the plans would harm Britain's standing among allies, describing the move as "dressing up financial pressures as capability choices".

The proposals for the military to lose its heavy armour would likely see the Challenger tanks placed in preservation, allowing them to be used in a crisis situation, the newspaper reported.

If the tanks were retained, the Army could only afford to upgrade or replace around 150 of them.

https://news.sky.com/story/british-army-could-drop-tanks-in-favour-of-cyber-capabilities-says-report-12056160

Sweden steps up its defense activities in Baltic Sea region

The Baltic News Service reported Tuesday that four Russian naval ships were detected near Latvian territorial waters.

Sweden is stepping up its defense activities in the Baltic Sea region due to what a high-ranking official called a deteriorating security situation” as Russia and NATO conduct military operations in the area.

The Swedish armed forces said Tuesday that it initiated a high-readiness action in the southeastern and southern Baltic Sea due to the current, extensive military activity in the region. Sweden is not a member of NATO.

https://www.financialexpress.com/defence/sweden-steps-up-its-defense-activities-in-baltic-sea-region/2065062/

USNI News Fleet and Marine Tracker: Aug. 24, 2020

These are the approximate positions of the U.S. Navy’s deployed carrier strike groups and amphibious ready groups throughout the world as of Aug 24, 2020, based on Navy and public data. In cases where a CSG or ARG is conducting disaggregated operations, the chart reflects the location of the capital ship.

Total U.S. Navy Battle Force:

298

https://news.usni.org/2020/08/24/usni-news-fleet-and-marine-tracker-aug-24-2020#more-79401

Physicists discover new two-dimensional material

University of Arkansas scientists are part of an international team that has discovered a two-dimensional ferroelectric material just two atoms thick.

Two-dimensional materials are ultrathin membranes that hold promise for novel optoelectronic, thermal, and mechanical applications, including ultra-thin data-storage devices that would be both foldable and information dense.

Ferroelectric materials are those with an intrinsic dipole moment—a measure of the separation of positive and negative charges—that can be switched by an electric field, said Barraza-Lopez. "For example, a single water molecule has an intrinsic electron dipole moment as well, but the thermal motion of individual water molecules under ordinary conditions (for instance, in a water bottle) prevents the creation of an intrinsic dipole moment over macroscopic distances."

https://phys.org/news/2020-08-physicists-two-dimensional-material.html

>>10412987

that was dated the 17th…this is updated to 24th

>>10412994

this is actually a really big deal in terms of implementing it into current tech….graphene is definitely a game changer as well, that combined with the 2d ferroelectric materials will change everything

>>10413005

no that just an example of ferroelectric materials…they discovered 2d material within the ferroelectric materials

>>10413028

possibly or could just be anons talking…who knows…kek

Bill Gates invests $78 million in satellite antenna firm Kymeta

(Reuters) - Billionaire Bill Gates is leading satellite antenna firm Kymeta’s latest funding round with a $78 million investment, the company’s president told Reuters.

Redmond, Washington-based Kymeta, which sells pizza box-sized antennas for installation on cars, trains and boats, secured $85.2 million in capital. It plans to launch a monthly subscription service for satellite-based internet to government customers later this year, Kymeta President and COO Walter Berger said in an interview.

Gates’s firm, which has invested in at least one other funding round, did not immediately return a request for comment.

Kymeta antennas mainly link with satellites in high orbital altitudes and can link to remote places as well moving planes and vehicles.

A range of companies, like Elon Musk’s SpaceX and Jeff Bezos’ Amazon, are building networks of satellites in low-Earth orbit, an expensive and high-risk endeavor that has sent satellite operator OneWeb into bankruptcy.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-kymeta-gates-idUSKBN25L1MJ

>>10413070

Explanation of 2d material

What are 2D materials?

Nanomaterials can be broadly classified by the total number of their nanoscopic dimensions:

If all three dimensions of a material are nano-sized, it would be called a 0D (zero-dimensional) material, more commonly known as a nanoparticle.

If two dimensions of a material are nano-sized, with the other dimension much larger (much like a piece of string shrunk down to a tiny size), then this is a 1D material or ‘nanotube/nanowire’.

If only one dimension is nano-sized, it would be a 2D material – resembling a large, but very thin sheet (like a piece of paper).

Finally, if a material does not have any dimensions that are small enough to be considered nano-sized, then it is not a nanomaterial. Instead, it should be referred to as a ‘bulk’ material, and it is this class that we deal with in our everyday lives.

https://www.ossila.com/pages/introduction-2d-materials

>>10413176

1972 Nixon button uses the downward-pointing stars:

>>10413248

USS Carl Vinson Conducts Change of Homeport

BREMERTON, WASH. - The Nimitz-class nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) departed Bremerton, Washington, Aug. 23, to commence sea trials as the final phase in completing a 17-month docking planned incremental availability (DPIA) at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility.

Upon the conclusion of DPIA, which began Feb. 28, 2019, Vinson returned to the fleet to begin her operational training cycle.

The DPIA included a complete restoration and system retrofit to accommodate F-35C Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter mission capabilities, as well as upgrades to combat systems, electrical systems, and crew living spaces, and maintenance on the ship’s hull, rudders, and shafts. Vinson has the speed, agility and maneuverability to travel more than 5,000 nautical miles in less than seven days and arrive on station ready to fight.

“I am proud of all of the hard work and dedication shown by the entire crew throughout the DPIA - and particularly with the added challenges we faced during this pandemic,” said Capt. Matthew Paradise, Vinson’s commanding officer and a native of Tacoma, Washington. “Also, a huge thank you to our family and friends; because our success was, in large part, due to their unwavering support. We just couldn’t have done this without them.”

Prior to departing Bremerton, Vinson conducted extensive COVID-19 prevention measures to ensure the health and safety of the crew while at sea, and to prevent potential spread to their families and the community upon their return to port. Those measures included: restriction of movement for all personnel for 14 days prior to embarking the ship, mandatory face coverings, continued cleaning and disinfecting throughout common areas, routine COVID-19 testing, and social distancing.

https://www.dvidshub.net/news/376622/uss-carl-vinson-conducts-change-homeport?ocid=uxbndlbing

>>10413251

exactly, but in the would of science it's 2-d…kek

>>10413364

hopefully they're okay out there

>>10413364

Looks the're heading in to land

https://flightaware.com/live/flight/N42RF