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https://www.adsadvance.co.uk/rocket-test-facility-set-to-support-uk-space-sector.html
Rocket test facility set to support UK space sector
Posted 23 July 2025
A Cold War-era armoured building close to the Mull of Kintyre is set to see action again as the base for a cutting-edge rocket test and teaching facility.
The facility, called MachLab, has opened at a business park on the site of the former RAF Machrahanish airbase near Campbeltown.
MachLab was established by researchers from the University of Glasgow and backed by close to £500,000 in funding from industry, including matched contribution from the UK Space Agency.
It aims to support the research and development of new rocket engines capable of delivering up to one tonne of thrust.
Researchers from academia and industry will be able to fire experimental rocket designs and gather data on their performance using MachLab’s custom-built test stand.
MachLab will also help establish the UK’s next generation of rocket engineers through specialist training, including a University of Glasgow-led programme called Rocketry Research Teaching Training, or R2T2.
The programme, also funded by the UK Space Agency, will bring rocketry students from all over the UK to MachLab to develop their skills and test new rocket designs.
Dr Krzysztof Bzdyk and Professor Patrick Harkness, of the University of Glasgow’s James Watt School of Engineering partnered with space technology experts Exotopic to design and build the MachLab facility.
Machlab forms part of Exotopic’s growing R&D infrastructure at the Machrihanish site and the Glasgow researchers are continuing to collaborate with their counterparts at Exotopic on the delivery of the operational service.
Professor Harkness said: “MachLab is ready to play a key role in the UK’s strategy to return to vertical launch, ensuring that students and researchers can access hotfire facilities in a safe and controlled environment.
“MachLab will allow us to co-operate with other countries establishing or re-establishing their access to space. We have already had visitors from South Africa and we expect to welcome partners from Australia in the near future.
The UK is returning to vertical launch and will be going to the stars. We are building that future here, today.”
Jack Tufft and Jack Davies are PhD students at the University of Glasgow, working on space propulsion. They were key members of the MachLab team.
Jack Davies said: “Being part of the team to make this facility come to fruition has been a great experience and it will enable research for spaceflight and planetary landing.”
The facility has already hosted an initial test-fire of new 3D-printed rocket engines with an advanced cooling system, designed by Jack Tufft and supported by funding from the UK Space Agency.
The TORC-1, -2 and -3 engines use a high-strength aerospace alloy made from copper, chromium and zirconium and were built to explore use of topology optimisation in regenerative cooling channel design, which can improve performance by making the engines lighter and more efficient.
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The design was supported by ToffeeX, a physics-driven generative design software platform and by Aconity3D GmbH, who specialise in the development of state-of-the-art and beyond machines for additive manufacturing.
In the future, MachLab will enable the development of rocket engines using solid, liquid and cryogenic propellants designed to carry payloads into space.
The rocket test stand in MachLab’s fortified lab allows researchers to fire prototype rockets while they remain safely locked down and stationary.
The lab was originally built in the late 1980s as part of a refuelling complex for US Air Force strategic bombers.
MachLab’s specialist data-collection equipment provides researchers with detailed readings of temperature, propellant consumption, chamber pressure and other key metrics to help them understand and refine their designs.
Dr Bzdyk said: “MachLab has been two years in the making, with all the systems required to operate a liquid bipropellant rocket engine being created from the ground up.
We’re excited to be ready to start making our mark in rocket research, development and teaching in Scotland.
“Patrick and I are very grateful to our colleagues Jack Davies and Jack Tufft and the many others who have helped us in countless ways since work on MachLab began began.”
Andy Grey, CEO of Exotopic, said: “This has been a fantastic opportunity to partner with some of the UK’s leading researchers at the University of Glasgow to develop a world-class facility that provides a key capability within our unique aerospace R&D offering at Machrihanish airbase.
We are looking forward to welcoming national and international researchers from academia and industry to our site, growing this R&D service and creating more jobs and opportunities in the area.”
Matt Archer, Director of Launch at the UK Space Agency, said: “Facilities like MachLab strengthen our launch ecosystem, helping build the skills, infrastructure and innovation needed for a resilient UK launch capability.
By supporting rocket engine testing and inspiring future engineers, it lays the groundwork for the UK to lead in launch.
The UK Space Agency is proud to have supported MachLab’s development as part of our broader commitment to growing the UK’s launch sector.”
Integrating fluid topology optimisation and AI, ToffeeX uses physics simulations to drive the engineering process, algorithmically generating optimised designs, focusing on engineering goals like heat dissipation, conduction and optimal fluid flow.
Aconity3D provides modular and expandable machine platforms, with fully configurable machines that offer flexibility – from automated solutions that require no user intervention to complete control over the entire process through their open system architecture.
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Top Space Force General in Europe Working on ‘Common Ground’ with Allies, NATO
July 22, 2025
As NATO considers its approach to space, the top U.S. Space Force general in Europe says he’s waiting for the alliance to finalize its approach to the domain.
In the meantime, the U.S. is working with its allies to help build up their space capabilities and, in turn, make countries stronger together.
The goal, Brig. Gen. Jacob Middleton said July 22 at AFA’s Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies, is a “resilient architecture” of space assets that the U.S. and its allies can leverage.
“When I’m out visiting one of our partners and allies, the very first thing I start with is their national sovereign concerns,” said Middleton, who heads U.S. Space Forces Europe and Africa.
“And then we walk that back into regional concerns, and then, in the case of NATO, the alliance concerns. Obviously within that are U.S. objectives and U.S. security concerns.
“But it’s a federated approach, where you start with solving concerns, and then you come together where there’s common ground, and it builds a more resilient architecture, because it allows each sovereign nation to go after their sovereign concerns on their own, but it allows us to work as a team, also with interoperability.”
While the head of U.S. Air Forces in Europe also serves as the head of NATO Allied Air Command, Middleton noted that he has no NATO authorities.
“NATO is currently working through what they want their space infrastructure to look like in the end,” Middleton said. “They have an ops center, and they are putting this structure in place, but there hasn’t been a vote on how that’s going to look.”
NATO first declared space an operational domain in 2019, then established a Space Center within Allied Air Command in 2020.
By 2024, the alliance had established the Combined Force Space Component Command and the NATO Space Operations Center, both of which are still located at Allied Air Command.
During that time, the alliance has also embarked on its first ever space program, a “virtual constellation” that will pool and distribute intelligence and surveillance data culled from both national and commercial satellites.
And last year, the first U.S. Space Force general officer assigned to NATO, Maj. Gen. Devin R. Pepper, suggested the alliance may one day procure and operate space assets of its own, much as it owns aircraft like the E-3 AWACS and RQ-4 drone.
Amid all these changes and potential moves, “we still have a job to do in bringing space capabilities, and so we are still working to educate, train, and exercise with partners and allies, to include U.S. Space Command in that,” Middleton said.
The intragovernmental coordination with Space Command is significant, given that allies like Germany and France have grown interested in defending their satellites, and “on-orbit defense” is a SPACECOM mission, Middleton said.
“I am more focused on the theater, down to the tactical level, which is more electronic warfare-type stuff,” Middleton said.
“But we work together with Space Command to make sure we bring the totality of capability that space has to offer.”
That cooperation is poised to deepen.
“We’re working towards, us and Space Command, an ops center that covers both of our needs,” Middleton said.
“Not sure how that’s going to look. It may be one for Space Command, one for us. That may be combined, where we bring in allies.”
While those plans move forward, Middleton said his team remains ready to coordinate with NATO too.
“Whenever NATO votes and they decide how this is going to look, the important part of this is that what we’re doing needs to be able to plug into whatever NATO as an alliance wants this to look like. But we’ll be prepared, regardless of what that decision is.”
The end goal is what Space Force officials have described as an “allied by design” space infrastructure, where countries contribute different capabilities based on their own needs and resources and seek to minimize duplication.
And while the U.S. remains the dominant space player within the NATO alliance, Middleton said allies can contribute too. “I am not familiar with a situation where we’re giving and they’re not providing.
Every country is important, and everybody brings something to the table that’s beneficial, and we leverage all of that for a common operating picture,” he said.
https://www.airandspaceforces.com/top-space-force-general-europe-allies-nato/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pPycYTWO_6s
Third round of Russia-Ukraine peace talks: Live Updates
23 Jul, 2025 16:56
A new round of Russia-Ukraine peace talks kicked off in Istanbul, Türkiye on Wednesday. The delegations are being hosted at the Ciragan Palace on the European shore of the Bosporus.
The talks follow two rounds of direct negotiations held in Istanbul earlier this year. The negotiations have focused primarily on various humanitarian issues, including the exchange of the remains of fallen soldiers and prisoner swaps.
The two sides have also exchanged draft memorandums outlining their vision of a peace settlement.
The Russian delegation is headed by presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky, who led the previous negotiations with Ukraine.
Kiev has also fielded the same team as before, which is headed by now-former Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, who was appointed head of the country’s Security Council during a major government reshuffle last week.
The new round of negotiations is expected to “mainly focus on issues related to those draft memorandums that were exchanged during the second round, and also a discussion on the continuation of a very important process of mutual [POW] exchanges,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said earlier in the day, cautioning against making any predictions.
“It’s hardly possible to talk about this now. We need to see how it goes,” Peskov told reporters. “No one expects an easy path. Naturally, this will be a very difficult conversation. The draft proposals are diametrically opposed.”
23 July 2025
17:06 GMT
The heads of the Russian and Ukrainian delegations, Vladimir Medinsky and Rustem Umerov, are holding a face-to-face meeting, a source has told RT.
The two teams were expected to begin their meeting at 16:00 GMT, but the start of the extended talks has been behind schedule.
https://www.rt.com/russia/621863-istanbul-talks-third-round/
‘Ukrainian agent’ caught in Russia was recovering explosive device – FSB
23 Jul, 2025 13:10
A Ukrainian agent has been detained in Russia’s Nizhny Novgorod Region while attempting to retrieve an improvised explosive device from a concealed cache, the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) said on Wednesday.
The Russian citizen, allegedly recruited by Ukraine’s secret service while on a visit to the country last year, was arrested in the Nizhny Novgorod Region, approximately 400 kilometers east of Moscow.
In a video released by the FSB, the man claimed Ukrainian agents had coerced him by threatening his family members living in Ukraine.
He told investigators he had been apprehended during his fourth trip to a rural village roughly 30 kilometers west of Nizhny Novgorod, where he was instructed to retrieve equipment.
The FSB also published footage showing materials seized from the suspect, including four kits apparently intended for assembling small quadcopter drones.
The incident follows other recent arrests linked to Ukrainian intelligence activity inside Russia.
On Monday, the FSB said it had apprehended a Moldovan citizen accused of conducting surveillance on a defense facility in the Ryazan Region on behalf of Ukraine’s military intelligence agency, the HUR.
Last week, the FSB released a video of a shootout involving a suspected Ukrainian sympathizer.
According to authorities, the suspect lobbed a grenade at security officers during an attempted arrest. The FSB frequently reports arrests of individuals working as part of Ukrainian sabotage networks.
The suspects typically operate alone, guided remotely by Ukraine’s intelligence services through encrypted messaging platforms, and use hidden drop points to exchange equipment.
https://www.rt.com/russia/621855-sbu-agent-bomb-cache/
Ukraine loses French-supplied fighter jet
23 Jul, 2025 08:52
The Ukrainian air force has reported the first loss of a French-supplied Mirage 2000 fighter jet in what officials described as an equipment failure on Tuesday evening.
France pledged six of its 26 Mirage 2000 jets to Kiev as part of a multibillion-euro military aid program supporting Ukraine in its armed conflict with Russia. French Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu announced the delivery of the first three jets in early February.
Ukrainian media reported the crash occurred in the Volyn Region in western Ukraine, far from the front line. Video circulating online appeared to show the pilot descending by parachute.
The Ukrainian military commended the pilot of the downed aircraft, saying he acted “professionally” and safely ejected.
Air Force public communications chief Yury Ignat said the unidentified pilot “did everything to divert the aircraft to a safe place far from any settlement.”
“Such incidents are common all over the world,” Ignat added. “The important thing is the pilot is alive and well.”
Ukraine has previously confirmed the loss of multiple US-made F-16 fighter jets in combat.
While Kiev initially asserted that Western aircraft would provide a battlefield advantage, they have largely been used for intercepting Russian long-range missiles due to a shortage of air defense systems.
The Mirage 2000 models sent by France are older and were scheduled for retirement by 2029. France also trained Ukrainian pilots to operate them.
The Ukrainian military relies heavily on foreign aid to pay and equip its forces.
Denis Shmigal, the former prime minister recently appointed defense minister in a government reshuffle, said this week the military would need at least $120 billion next year.
He made the statement while addressing Ukrainian ambassadors, urging them to seek additional foreign support.
Following a meeting with international arms donors Monday in Germany, Shmigal said Kiev faces a $6 billion shortfall in weapons procurement.
Russia has condemned Western arms shipments, warning they only prolong the conflict without changing its outcome.
https://www.rt.com/russia/621844-ukraine-mirage-jet-loss/
https://twitter.com/ug_chelsea/status/1947903266421150032
They skipped one checklist item, then 427 drones drowned
Jul 23 2025 - 9:42 am PT
On July 14, 2023, a much‑publicized drone light show over Victoria Harbour in Melbourne’s Docklands district never made it to the crowd‑pleasing finale.
Instead, 427 of the 500 drones crashed into the water after a cascade of control errors and mid‑air collisions sent the swarm spiraling out of control.
A new Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) investigation, released earlier this month, dissects the disaster in a way that should make every US drone‑show operator — and any drone pilot who flies near people — sit up and take notes.
Here are the key takeaways…
What went wrong
Wind invisible to the pilot:
Ground‑level gusts were flirting with the Damoda Newton V2.2 drones’ 22‑mph limit before launch, yet the remote pilot‑in‑command (RPIC) did not use a “weather‑drone” test flight or consult high‑altitude readings, both steps written into the company’s wind‑management plan.
Once airborne, the GCS (ground‑control‑station) software actually displayed real‑time wind speed, but neither the RPIC nor the co‑pilot knew the readout existed.
As the swarm climbed toward the show area, winds more than double the drones’ published capability pummeled the formation.
No automated alert: Version 3 of the GCS lacked an audible or visual alarm for wind exceedances. Without the pilot’s manual scan of an obscure numeric field, there was no cue that conditions had turned unsafe.
High workload, higher pressure: The RPIC was juggling show‑position changes, client communications, and an inexperienced co‑pilot. The ATSB concludes the pilot perceived “higher‑than‑normal pressure” to get the show airborne, a classic recipe for “get‑there‑itis.”
Snowballing errors: As drones drifted off course, the RPIC tried to loiter and manually “return‑to‑launch” the worst offenders. At that moment, nearly 400 drones lost the data link and executed a failsafe descent — straight into the harbor.
ATSB’s contributing factors
1 Launched on the edge: The pilot knowingly took off with winds near the limit and no proof of conditions at show altitude.
2 Skipped the wind‑check tool: The weather‑drone option, added a month earlier, was ignored because checklists never mentioned it.
3 Storm stronger aloft: Winds aloft quickly overwhelmed the drones’ motors, causing formation break‑ups, geofence breaches, and collisions.
4 Software knowledge gap: Pilots didn’t realize a wind‑speed field was staring at them on‑screen.
5 Pilot overload: Unfamiliar software tweaks, an under‑trained co‑pilot, and live‑event stress eroded decision‑making.
Safety issues the report flags
Checklist blind‑spots: Neither the launch checklist nor the pre‑flight “show day” list reminded crews to run a weather‑drone probe.
Training on software updates: The operator relied on “learn on the fly” familiarization; formal instruction on GCS version 3 never happened.
No wind alert function: Lack of an automated warning left exceedances hidden in plain sight.
Fixes already underway
Operator actions:
After the debacle, the show company now requires two CASA‑approved pilots per event, performs single‑drone wind‑test flights before mass launch, inserts multiple go/no‑go gates, and enforces a sterile‑cockpit rule to keep chatty VIPs away from the flight desk during crucial phases.
Manufacturer response: Damoda is evaluating a GCS update that will actively flag wind exceedances so the pilot doesn’t have to hunt for numbers. The ATSB issued a formal safety recommendation urging the alert be added.
Why US drone operators should care
Drone light shows are exploding across the nation, from theme parks to halftime spectaculars, and many use overseas airframes and control software. The Australia incident spotlights universal lessons:
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Trust but verify winds: An inexpensive “scout drone” climb can reveal a silent jet‑stream not felt on the ground.
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Software familiarity is currency: If your GCS gets new features, bake refresher training — and updated checklists — into your ops manual before the next gig.
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Automate the obvious: Audible alerts for wind, battery, or GPS degradation buy precious seconds when hundreds of aircraft demand attention.
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Manage event pressure: Pilots need bandwidth; assigning a separate “show liaison” keeps client hype from clouding aeronautical judgment.
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The ATSB paints a vivid picture of how a single overlooked metric — wind aloft — can scuttle an expensive drone display within minutes.
The chain wasn’t forged by one bad link but by several manageable gaps: missing pre‑flight data, hidden software functions, and human pressure.
US operators who close those same gaps today can avoid turning their next crowd‑pleaser into an unplanned water feature.
https://dronedj.com/2025/07/23/australia-drone-light-show-crash/
As hunger mounts, IDF shows apparent Hamas terrorists flaunting food in Gaza tunnel
July 23, 2025, 5:54 pm
As reports and criticism mount over the levels of hunger being experienced by Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, IDF Arabic spokesperson Avichay Adraee on Wednesday published footage and images of what he said are Hamas terrorists in Gaza tunnels enjoying fresh produce and a meal, while those above ground experience hunger and food scarcity.
In the video, terrorists in a tunnel are seen holding up to the camera fresh mangoes, grapes, and bananas, appearing to celebrate.
Another image shows terrorists sitting down for a meal, and another shows two holding up a fruit platter. It is unclear exactly when the footage and photos were taken.
“While Hamas’s leaders accuse Israel of the lie of starvation, the clips show the organization’s members boasting about their meals inside the tunnels,” Adraee said in the post, adding, “It should be noted that the food items seen in these clips were not included in the humanitarian aid convoys to the Gaza Strip.”
“Once again, the blatant disregard of Hamas saboteurs for the suffering of the population is evident.
This organization, which promotes lies to the world about alleged starvation, mocks the destruction it has inflicted on the sector’s residents,” he continued.
“This is the truth. These saboteurs are not heroes, but thieves who care about themselves at your expense and hide in the tunnels out of fear of the consequences of their actions,” he said, addressing the people of Gaza.
In recent days, reports have mounted over the increasingly dire levels of food insecurity and malnutrition in the Strip, which has reportedly caused dozens of deaths.
Hamas’s health ministry on Tuesday said that hospitals in Gaza had recorded 15 deaths, including four children, “due to famine and malnutrition” in the previous 24 hours, adding that it brought the total number of cases since the beginning of the war to 101, “including 80 children.” The figures cannot be independently verified.
“Infants under one year of age suffer from a lack of milk, which leads to a significant decrease in their weight and a decrease in their immunity that makes them vulnerable to diseases,” said Mohammed Abu Salmiya, the director of Gaza’s Al-Shifa Hospital.
AFP and several other news outlets published graphic pictures of Palestinian youth Abdul Jawad al-Ghalban, 14, who AFP said died of starvation, at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis.
In addition, the head of the UN Palestinian refugee agency said that its staff, as well as doctors and humanitarian workers, were fainting on duty in Gaza due to hunger and exhaustion.
Israel quickly dismissed the claims of famine, saying that some 950 trucks’ worth of supplies are waiting to be picked up by the UN from the Palestinian side of the Kerem Shalom and Zikim crossings.
A senior Israeli security official said Tuesday that the military had not identified famine, while stressing that actions need to be taken to “stabilize the humanitarian situation."
Regarding the famine claims, the official said that Hamas was taking advantage of the humanitarian situation in Gaza and carrying out a propaganda campaign as part of a pressure tactic amid the ongoing hostage negotiations.
“This is a cynical and timed move aimed at creating international pressure on Israel,” the official said.
The war in Gaza began with the Hamas-led October 7, 2023, invasion and massacres, during which terrorists killed some 1,200 people and kidnapped 251 hostages back to Gaza.
In the ensuing war, some 58,000 people in Gaza have been killed, according to Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry. Hamas casualty figures cannot be verified and do not differentiate between combatants and civilians.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/as-hunger-mounts-idf-shows-apparent-hamas-terrorists-flaunting-food-in-gaza-tunnel/
https://twitter.com/AvichayAdraee/status/1947975900915478860
IDF: Artillery misfire led to mistaken hit of Gaza church, no punishments for soldiers involved
Updated: JULY 23, 2025 20:13
The Holy Family Church in Gaza City was hit by a misfired artillery shell last Thursday, according to an initial probe, the IDF reported Wednesday.
Three people were killed and several others were wounded in the incident.
Photos showed the church’s roof was hit close to the main cross, scorching the stone facade and shattering windows.
The incident led the Catholic Church and many of Israel’s Western allies to condemn the IDF for being negligent in Gaza.
The awry strike was caused by a malfunction in the munition and artillery mechanisms and not by human error, the IDF said.
The IDF statement did not say any of the soldiers would be punished, as has been the case in other instances when aid workers were mistakenly killed.
The IDF did not elaborate about what had led to the malfunction or whether similar mistakes have occurred in the past without being reported.
Lessons had been learned to adjust artillery open-fire rules when attacks are taking place within a certain proximity to sensitive sites, the IDF said.
The significance of the IDF’s statement remained unclear, however, given that for the past 21 months, Israel has had to act in Gaza in close proximity to sensitive sites.
IDF sources say military firing procedures have become more aggressive in recent months
In recent months, since Maj.-Gen. Yaniv Asor assumed command of Southern Command, open-fire procedures have been more aggressive and shown less restraint than during the previous 18 months of the war, some IDF sources have said.
Asor denies the charges and says he fully probes all relevant incidents.
The IDF said it had allowed special visits to examine the church area to show transparency and facilitate medical care for the victims.
The IDF apologized for the mishap. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had previously apologized to the Catholic Church.
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/defense-news/article-861983
IDF unleashes 120 strikes, eliminates militant cell in northern Gaza
23 July 2025 12:55
The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) carried out strikes on over 120 military objectives across the Gaza Strip within the last 24 hours, according to a statement released by the army's press service on July 23.
“Over the past 24 hours, IDF forces have struck more than 120 targets in the Gaza Strip, including radical cells, military installations, weapons depots, underground infrastructure, and other terrorist infrastructure,” the statement noted.
The IDF also reported the elimination of a radical group that had been attempting to place an explosive device in the northern part of the Gaza Strip.
The conflict escalated on October 7, 2023, when Israel was hit by an unprecedented barrage of rockets launched from the Gaza Strip.
Following the rocket assault, Hamas militants crossed into Israeli border areas, attacking both military and civilian targets and seizing more than 200 hostages.
In retaliation, the IDF initiated Operation Iron Swords, which has included airstrikes on a range of targets—including civilian sites—and the imposition of a full blockade on the Gaza Strip.
https://caliber.az/en/post/idf-unleashes-120-strikes-eliminates-militant-cell-in-northern-gaza
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AGEybahgPGE
Russian drone attack damages sports center, church, dozens of homes in Kryvyi Rih
23.07.2025 16:31
An overnight Russian drone attack on Kryvyi Rih has damaged a sports complex, a church, eight private homes, and up to 15 apartment buildings.
Serhii Lysak, head of the Dnipropetrovsk Regional Military Administration, announced this on Telegram, according to Ukrinform.
According to him, two emergency response centers will be operating in the city throughout the day.
"There are eight damaged private homes and around 15 apartment buildings.
Residents are being provided with repair materials — OSB boards, plastic sheeting, and wooden planks. Applications for financial assistance from the city are being accepted," the post reads.
In addition to residential buildings, the attack damaged infrastructure, including a sports complex, an administrative building, and a church. Municipal services are working at the scene.
https://www.ukrinform.net/rubric-ato/4018082-russian-drone-attack-damages-sports-center-church-dozens-of-homes-in-kryvyi-rih.html
Ukrainian drones reportedly target key logistics hub in southwestern Russia
July 23, 2025 9:45 am
Ukrainian drones reportedly struck the Russian city of Novocherkassk in Rostov Oblast on July 22, while a Ukrainian official said that a railway hub used by the Russian military was targeted.
The alleged attack comes amid Kyiv's ongoing long-range drone campaign, aimed at crippling Russia's ability to sustain its all-out war by targeting key industrial and military facilities in the rear.
Rostov Oblast Governor Yuri Slyusar confirmed Ukrainian drone attacks against Novocherkassk and other areas in the region.
Drone wreckage started fires across the city, and three people were injured, one of them seriously, the governor claimed.
Drones may have targeted the local railway station and the Novocherkassk State District Power Plant, Russian Telegram channels Baza and Astra reported, citing local residents.
"In Novocherkassk in Rostov Oblast, the railway infrastructure used by the military-industrial complex and the Russian military came under attack," said Andrii Kovalenko, an official at Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council.
"This logistical hub connects strategic directions: Rostov-on-Don, Voronezh, Volgograd, and Kamensk-Shakhtinsky.
It is through this hub that the transfer of equipment, ammunition, fuel resources, and personnel to the Ukrainian border is carried out."
According to the official, the city also houses the facilities of Russia's 1061st Material and Technical Support Center of the Southern Military District, which are responsible for arms and fuel supplies.
Novocherkassk, a southwestern Russian city of 160,000 residents, lies around 200 kilometers (120 miles) from the front line in Ukraine.
"Hubs like Novocherkassk are the arteries that feed the Russian war machine. Without them, supplies to the front stop," Kovalenko said.
Thirty-three Ukrainian fixed-wing drones were downed over Russia overnight, including 11 over Rostov Oblast, the Russian Defense Ministry claimed.
Russian officials have not confirmed any damage to military or strategic facilities in Novocherkassk. The Ukrainian military has not commented on the claims, which could not be independently verified.
https://kyivindependent.com/ukrainian-drones-reportedly-target-key-russian-logistics-hub-in-novocherkassk/
First protective anti-drone tunnel built on key frontline highway in Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia region
Wed, July 23, 2025 - 17:40
In the Zaporizhzhia region, special anti-drone tunnels are being constructed to protect against Russian UAVs.
The first tunnel was built along one of the most dangerous logistical routes – the Orikhiv highway, according to a briefing by the head of the Zaporizhzhia Regional Military Administration, Ivan Fedorov.
"We’ve built the first anti-drone road along the Orikhiv highway — it stretches 6.5 kilometers. This is just the beginning. We have an ambitious plan: over 200 kilometers of protected routes across the region.
In the coming days, I plan to meet with the Minister of Defense to coordinate efforts and speed up the implementation of this project," he said.
It is noted that the tunnels are being constructed using funds from the Joint Defense Fund, which purchases everything needed for the work — metal structures, nets, consumables, and more.
Military personnel, including fighters from one of Zaporizhzhia’s brigades, were involved in the construction.
Purpose of anti-drone tunnels
An anti-drone tunnel consists of nets mounted on metal structures designed to protect a route from drone attacks.
A typical or fiber-optic FPV drone used by the enemy may become entangled in the netting or detonate upon impact with the barrier.
For the Armed Forces, such tunnels provide a safer means of transporting personnel, equipment, and evacuating the wounded.
For civilians, an anti-drone tunnel offers a relatively safer way to travel within frontline areas, especially since Russian forces are known to target civilian vehicles as frequently as military ones.
These types of anti-drone defenses are being actively built not only in the Zaporizhzhia region.
In June, the head of the Sumy Regional Military Administration, Oleh Hryhorov, announced that roads in the Sumy region and in border communities would be covered with anti-drone nets to complicate enemy aerial reconnaissance and protect logistics.
https://newsukraine.rbc.ua/news/first-protective-anti-drone-tunnel-built-1753280790.html
Myanmar junta drone crashes over Thai border
July 23, 2025, 9:08 pm
BANGKOK – A Myanmar junta drone targeting anti-coup fighters crashed over the border in Thailand, the kingdom’s military said, prompting an official rebuke over hazardous spillover from the civil war.
Western Thailand regularly suffers ramifications from the conflict that has raged in Myanmar since the military toppled the country’s elected civilian government in 2021.
Deserting junta troops, fleeing civilian refugees and desperate economic migrants often make unsanctioned crossings of the countries’ 2,400 kilometer frontier.
Thailand’s military said it found the “kamikaze drone” on Monday in a forest in Tak Province, 15 kilometres inside the Thai border.
“No civilians were injured or killed, and no property damage was reported,” said a Tuesday night statement.
“Initial investigations suggest the drone belonged to the Myanmar military and was intended for an attack on resistance forces, but lost control and crashed on the Thai side.”
The military statement said a disposal team “neutralised the explosive materials” and a “formal protest” has been lodged about the incident through a border dialogue organisation.
Myanmar’s junta and its myriad rebel opponents are both increasingly relying on drones to gain a strategic edge in the civil war, which has now ground on for more than four years.
Myanmar ranks third globally — behind only Ukraine and Russia — for the number of drone sorties recorded by monitor organisation Armed Conflict Location and Event Data, according to a report this month.
“The accessibility, ease of modification, and cost-effectiveness of drones enable both resistance groups and the military to achieve military objectives while minimizing combat casualties,” the report said.
https://manilastandard.net/news/314619828/myanmar-junta-drone-crashes-over-thai-border.html
Mayor Adams Announces New Drone Operations Committee
July 22, 2025
EW YORK — New York City Mayor Eric Adams today announced the new Drone Operations Committee and appointed Deputy Mayor for Public Safety Kaz Daughtry as chair.
The committee will cement New York City’s position as a national leader in leveraging cutting-edge technology to keep New Yorkers safe as the city has already used drones to keep New Yorkers safe at the beach, protect against subway surfing, track criminal suspects fleeing a crime scene, and more.
Deputy Mayor Daughtry and committee members — comprised of leaders from across city agencies — will spearhead a citywide effort to coordinate drone operations across key agencies, including the New York City Police Department (NYPD), the Fire Department of the City of New York, New York City Emergency Management, the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation, the New York City Department of Buildings, the and New York City Department of Environmental Protection.
Agency heads will retain operational control over their respective drone programs.
“New Yorkers deserve to know that when there’s an emergency — whether it’s a terror threat, a protest, or a natural disaster — our administration is using every tool available to keep them safe,” said Mayor Adams.
“Drones are the future of public safety, and under Deputy Mayor Daughtry’s leadership, New York City’s first-ever Drone Operations Committee will take this technology to the next level.
Kaz has spent his career protecting this city and has spent much of it utilizing new technologies to keep New Yorkers safe, and now he’ll ensure that our drone operations are coordinated, strategic, and always focused on safeguarding the people of New York City.”
“Our public safety strategy is built on interagency coordination, real-time intelligence, and the smartest technology available,” said Deputy Mayor for Public Safety Daughtry.
“Drones are a force multiplier — they give us eyes on the ground in seconds, help us coordinate evacuations, monitor critical infrastructure, and keep our first responders safe.
I’m honored to lead this team and make sure we’re using these powerful tools in the most effective and responsible way possible.”
As chair of the committee, Deputy Mayor Daughtry will bring together leadership from across city government to oversee policy development and interagency training.
This effort will expand on the city’s existing drone programs, including the NYPD’s pioneering ‘Drone as First Responder’ initiative, which allows drones to autonomously deploy from police precincts and arrive at scenes within minutes, providing live intelligence that helps save lives.
New York City also deploys drones to monitor beaches for distressed swimmers and sharks during the summer, prevent injuries and fatalities from subway surfing, monitor large-scale events, track criminal suspects attempting to flee, assess damage after incidents, and protect critical infrastructure.
https://www.nyc.gov/office-of-the-mayor/news/541-25/mayor-adams-new-drone-operations-committee
What is this UFO-shaped cloud doing over eastern China?
July 22 2025
LIANYUNGANG, CHINA - Zhuyu Peak is one of the most notorious mountain tops in the Yuntai range, with an estimated elevation of some 4,291 feet.
The mountain top and nearby peaks provide the type of topography conducive to lenticular cloud formation, as moist air is forced upward over the ridges.
While there isn't a specific known elevation needed for the formation of lenticular clouds, the features are often witnessed outside taller mountains.
The Himalayas in Asia, the Alps in Europe and the Rockies in North America are all known to produce sights of lenticular clouds.
And again, despite their appearance, meteorologists note that lenticular clouds are simply an indicator of atmospheric conditions interacting with terrain features and not something more menacing.
"When sufficient moisture is present above mountain-top level, ACSL clouds develop within the crest of these mountain waves where the air is rising. ACSL clouds are continually developing and dissipating in the vicinity of the wave's crest and immediately downwind of the crest, respectively.
That is why they appear to remain stationary (hence the name) even though winds are swiftly (sometimes very swiftly) moving through the entire cloud," the NWS previously stated.
Interestingly enough, they are most often spotted during the winter and spring seasons, when upper-level winds are typically the strongest - neither of which are unfolding in China right now.
Countries north of the equator are in the middle of summer as the northern half of Earth is tilted towards the Sun, leading to more direct daylight.
https://www.foxweather.com/weather-news/lenticular-cloud-mountain-lianyungang
The pyramid UFOs are back, large tetrahedrons: Impressive. The media is hiding it 🛸
Jul 22, 2025
In this episode of Interstellar with Jaime Maussan, we analyze the enigmatic return of the so-called pyramid UFOs: pyramid-shaped unidentified flying objects that have been captured again in different parts of the world.
What connection do they have with previous sightings? Could they be non-human technology? New images, testimonies, and expert analysis reveal what could be one of the most shocking manifestations of the E.T. phenomenon.
https://linktr.ee/jaimemaussanoficial
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UVLXZUaidnE
UFO Days gets ready for 46th celebration
July 23, 2025 1:34 pm
ELMWOOD – UFO Days has become more than a hometown celebration with a quirky theme: It draws visitors and speakers from all over the country fascinated with aliens, the paranormal and things unseen.
The festival includes presentations and screenings by filmmakers, podcasters, UFO historians and more, along with community favorites such as kids’ activities, water fights, street dances, grand parade, craft & vendor fair, flying saucer toss, chicken poop bingo, food stands, garage sales and contests.
Residents were asked to decorate their homes with the most unique, out of this world, alien-themed items they could find for chances to win cold hard cash: $100 for first place, $75 for second and $50 for third.
Another creative outlet is the inaugural UFO Days Ugly Truck Contest. Participants are asked to arrive between 5:30-7 p.m. on Main Street in Elmwood with judging taking place 7-8 p.m.
Cash prizes are $100 for first place, $75 for second place and $50 for third place. Winners are automatically entered into Sunday’s grand parade to show off their trucks.
Here are some highlighted Saturday events. For a complete listing, visit the UFO Days Facebook page.
Infinite Rabbit Hole will present “UFOs and Elmwood” at 9:30 a.m. at the Elmwood Auditorium (323 W. Winter Ave.) This is “the podcast that always takes it one step further and has a habit of making you think twice about reality.
One path may travel to the deepest forests of the Pacific Northwest to track down everyone's favorite upright walking monster, and the next path might lead us to the bottom of the ocean to discover the source of the Bloop, or maybe we get abducted and brought to Zeta Reticuli (that's if you believe that space is real of course).
Jeremy and Jeff provide their unique points of view through the world that parallels our own as they act as your guides through the Infinite Rabbit Hole!”
UFO sighting bus tours will leave from the alley by American Legion Park at 11 a.m., 12:30 p.m., 2 p.m., 3:30 p.m. and 5 p.m. Tickets available near the souvenir stand.
Find Darkwoods Paranormal Podcast in the auditorium for “The Thinning Veil, Echoes from the Other Side” at 1 p.m. Saturday for a free presentation.
Look for them again at 7 p.m. for a showing of the sci-fi cult classic "Mars Attacks.”
Barnaby Jones from WI Cryptids, Anomalies and the Paranormal Society will present “Cryptozoology 101: What is a cryptid?” at 3 p.m. in the auditorium.
Jones founded the organization in July 2019 to research and investigate the possible connections between different phenomenon, from Bigfoot to aliens, ghost and shadow people, fairies and portals, and Dogmen.
At 5 p.m., head to the Auditorium for “From Skywatching to Podcasting” with Chumming with the Spirits.
From 8-10 p.m. at the Elmwood baseball field, Sara Comeau & The Cosmic Ambassador team will gather for a guided meditation and a cosmic chat while the sky dims and the stars come alive.
“With our collective frequency raised, Sara Comeau & Jupiter the Doberman will facilitate intuitive messages and healing from our Cosmic Friends, while Jacob Comeau & Greyson the Grey will use the SB7 Spirit Box to invite our Cosmic Friends to offer audible messages to the group.
And when night has fallen, you will cast your eyes to the sky as we welcome our extra-terrestrial friends to show up and show out.
You’ll learn how to distinguish stars, planets, & satellites from ET Spacecraft!” the event description states.
The event is free to attend. It’s recommended you bring a chair or blanket, water or your favorite healthy beverage.
At 9 p.m. the award-winning supernatural drama "The Field" by Tate Bunker will be shown, with an introduction given by the Milwaukee-based filmmaker himself.
Lead actress Kara Mulrooney and child actor Sinora will also be in attendance for a live Q&A. Dive into the story behind the film and what inspired its “eerie brilliance.”
The film follows a married couple who risk it all to buy a small farmstead near Manitowoc.
“Lydia is determined to transform the rotting house into a dream home and finally start a family, but Ben’s photographs reveal they’re not alone.”
https://www.piercecountyjournal.news/stories/ufo-days-gets-ready-for-46th-celebration,144827
https://www.facebook.com/UFODAYSELMWOOD/
Proof of aliens possible by Christmas, say experts
July 23, 2025
An ‘interstellar visitor’ spotted drifting into our solar system weeks ago is either a massive dirty snowball or an alien probe.
At least, this is according to a leading UFOlogist and a Harvard theoretical physicist, who believe the massive object could have been sent by an otherworldly civilisation.
The object, known as 3I/ATLAS, is flying between the orbits of the asteroid belt and Jupiter and will soon loop around the Sun.
3I/ATLAS is still slightly too far away for experts to know for sure what it is, but it’s been officially classified as a comet.
Mark Christopher Lee, a UFOlogist and film-maker, has mixed feelings about 31/ATLAS.
He told Metro: ‘The UFOlogist film-making side of me goes: We could get evidence of actual first contact by Christmas!
‘The interstellar object 3I/ATLAS is due to pass by Earth just before Xmas. Some have speculated that this may be intentional if it is proven to be some kind of alien probe or Mothership.’
However, the ‘scientist’ in Lee said that we need more data before speculating what the object could be.
‘These are indeed weird times in the world and throughout mankind’s history, we have always looked into the stars for meaning and guidance and in 2025, we need it more than ever,’ Lee added.
Avi Loeb, a professor of science at Harvard University, told Newsweek that 3I/ATLAS’ ‘retrograde orbital plane’ is just five degrees from that of Earth.
He said: ‘The likelihood for that coincidence out of all random orientations is 0.2%.’A retrograde orbit means a celestial body, such as a moon or a planet, zooms around its host in the opposite direction to the host’s rotation.
Given how bright 3I/ATLAS is, which scientists say suggests it’s a glowing comet rather than a dull asteroid, Loeb said this shows it’s around 12 miles wide.
This is ‘too large for an interstellar asteroid’, he said, adding: ‘It might have targeted the inner Solar System as expected from alien technology.’
Current estimates say that 3I/ATLAS will be closest to the Sun in late October before zooming off back into the abyss of space.
‘This could be intentional to avoid detailed observations from Earth-based telescopes,’ Loeb said.
Objects from outside our star system very rarely drift into our cosmic neighbourhood, with 3I/ATLAS being the third recorded drifter.
The first was the asteroid Oumuamua, which passed close to us in 2017. Harvard astronomers similarly suspected it was an alien spaceship. In 2019, the comet Borisov then paid us a fleeting visit.
31/ATLAS was first spotted by a Nasa-funded telescope in Chile on July 1, with the Minor Planet Center later receiving some 100 sightings.
Experts told Metro that the 7-billion-year-old ‘interstellar interloper’ likely came from the outskirts of the Milky Way.
The Hubble Space Telescope caught its first glimpse of 3I/ATLAS on Monday, showing the comet’s wispy tail, called a coma.
But the comet was unknowingly photographed by Chilean Vera Rubin Observatory in late June, according to a new paper on arXiv.
The analysis, which has not been peer-reviewed, also concluded that the object is a comet.
‘Comet 3I/ATLAS is estimated to have a nucleus of roughly 5.6 kilometres (3.5 miles),’ it said, referring to a comet’s solid core of ices and dust.
https://www.msn.com/en-in/news/world/proof-of-aliens-possible-by-christmas-say-experts/ar-AA1J8R4U
https://avi-loeb.medium.com/
Storming the Silence - Dave Foley and the Fight for UAP Transparency : WEAPONIZED : Episode #83
July 22, 2025
In this episode of WEAPONIZED, Jeremy and George sit down with legendary comedian and actor Dave Foley, who opens up about his personal UFO sighting and evolving stance on the phenomenon.
From poking fun at alien lore to being “balls deep” in the topic, Foley shares how one unforgettable encounter changed everything.
The trio dissects the recent wave of UFO disinformation, whistleblower suppression, and the media's complicit role in burying the truth.
They also take aim at the infamous Wall Street Journal hit piece, discuss the repercussions for whistleblowers, and expose the myth that it’s all just elaborate military "hazing."
With humor and insight, Foley reflects on his journey, the psychological barriers to acceptance, and the ongoing battle for transparency in the face of government pushback.
https://www.weaponizedpodcast.com/episodes-3/episode-83
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SOzth5nQorw
The dog days of summer only has a couple weeks left