#Arsenic removal technologies

[regretsofaghost]

Survival May Be the Hardest Part

part 1- I Couldn't Give What It Cost Me

ao3 link- here

Danny couldn’t focus.

He needed to focus, to save, to keep something, with Batman. From Batman?

                Danny kept looking in his peripherals, images of white suited men, teal and bright orange HAZMAT suits, people that left before he could get a clear look at them.

                He needed to know for sure.

                He couldn’t.

                Phantom stepped away from Batman, unused to the feeling of wind on his bare face as he flew up. He hoped the other man was okay, but he had a feeling that he wasn’t. Whatever he saw when Phantom had removed his mask had shaken the older hero.

                Phantom could power through most things, he had to.

                Phantom was the only thing standing between ghosts and the living.

                The only thing that wanted both sides to be safe.

                Was Scarecrow ready for a real ghost?

                A real manifestation of fear, of the dead? Something so otherworldly that you could just barely comprehend it?

                Phantom didn’t really understand what he did. All he knew for sure was that he didn’t want anyone hurt, including Scarecrow.

                He couldn’t give into his urges like he had with Freakshow.

                Danny liked the stars; he liked them a lot.

                It’s one of the reasons he loved Amity Park so much, the night sky was so clear that he could see distant stars and planets, some nights the Milky Way looked close enough to touch.

                It was one of the only things he could think of while under Freakshow’s influence, his stars. Danny couldn’t remember much other than his stars, how odd it was that they were tinted ever so slightly red, his eyes drifting to the sky at every opportunity.

                Sam liked to say it was that reason she knew she wouldn’t die from her fall off the tightrope. If Danny could remember his stars, if he could seek them out and lose himself to them like he normally would, he would remember Sam and Tucker.

                Bruce had been keeping an eye on the new meta in Gotham, a mysterious figure who wore a black HAZMAT suit, complete with a gas mask which obscured their face. Of course, Batman had wanted to meet this figure, but the Family was having trouble setting up a meeting.

                Their abilities made tracking them near impossible, new powers seemingly appearing every week. Or perhaps the meta refrained from using their full arsenal, it was impossible to tell. Intangibility made them impossible to contain, flight made them harder to catch, invisibility made the Family lose track of them regularly. That was ignoring how the meta messed with their technology, much of it shorting out when they got close enough to detect them.

                It was like they were dealing with a real ghost.

                Running the meta’s appearance through reverse image searches lead the Family to social media, where Barbara was able to get past a fire wall surrounding a small town. Phantom was their, or rather his, name. He was a hero, or a vigilante, or a villain, depending on who you asked. He appeared to exhibit villainous behaviour at points, however with how rare it was, mind control in those instances was not ruled out.

                Amity Park had a ghost problem, and it seemed that they received a ghost savior in the process.

                Bruce didn’t know what to think of that.

                Danny remembered stars.

                He kept looking up, hoping to see the tiny specks in the distance, the moon should be full.

                The smog was too thick to see through.

                He wanted to see his stars.

                It was dark. There was a thunderstorm happening, flashed of bright light followed by booms of thunder every few minutes. Just enough time for Danny to relax, never enough to feel safe.

                He forgot about those fears. Those childish fears of the dark, the ingrained fear of electricity.

                Maybe that’s why the lightning looked more green than white, like it should.

                He had to protect them. He had to find Scarecrow.

                Target the ghost, the perpetrator, help deal with the fallout afterward.

                Danny’s face was wet, he didn’t realize rain could touch a ghost.

                Scrodinger’s cat, neither dead nor alive till you opened the box, both dead and alive till you lifted the lid.

                Danny didn’t want to open the box.

                Phantom drifted upward, eyes scanning for Scarecrow, recognizing the dissociation for what it was.

                If he didn’t register the white, teal, and orange, he could do it.

                Bingo.

                Scarecrow was in front of him, taunting? The rain was too loud, the lightning too distracting. Phantom couldn’t tell, couldn’t see his mouth, the mask over the other’s face.

                Phantom lifted a gloved hand, sending a weaker ghost ray towards the man. Scarecrow was still sent back into the building behind him.

                Maybe he wasn’t as present as he thought.

                Fear gas was still thick in the air, Phantom could still see the Fentons in the corners of his vision, gloves bloody and suits damaged, he didn’t hurt them. Did he? He wouldn’t, he couldn’t.

                Phantom stood over Scarecrow, tilting his head at the odd energy surrounding the man. He hadn’t seen ghosts react like that before, the way they seemed desperate to get away, only to be pulled back in, like the man was a drain they couldn’t escape.

                Danny thought of a mixture of red and green going down the drain.

                The Bats were busy, Batman was closer than he usually got.

                Batman still had Phantom’s mask on.

                Batman could still see Danny’s face.

                “Do you know fear?” Phantom found himself asking, looking down at the Scarecrow. His voice sounded so odd without the muffling of his mask, that was until he remembered that his voice was not coming strictly from his mouth. It was also coming out of the speakers in the area, a damaged store’s intercom, a police car’s siren, com links. It made his voice crackle, high and low frequencies cutting in and out.

                It nearly sounded like he was borrowing others’ voices.

                The Scarecrow struggled to answer, which was odd. Phantom didn’t want to know why he struggled.

                “I think you think you know fear, Scarecrow,” Phantom breathed out, the crackle worsening in the speaker closest to him, “you know it’s not simply what goes bump in the night.”

                Phantom walked closer, white, teal, orange, orange, white, teal, orange.

                There was a boom of thunder in the distance, a flash of green lightening illuminating Danny’s face.

                White, teal, red, red, orange, red, white, green, white, teal, orange.

                “Phobias are easy. The best way to scare someone is with rational fears. Something that can, and will, harm them.”

                White, teal, orange.

                “Are you afraid of ghosts, Doctor Crane?”

                Phantom kept looking up at the sky. Bruce wasn’t sure why.

                There was almost longing in his young face, jaw still soft with age despite the malnourished way his cheeks sunk in. His green eyes were hazy, never truly focusing, even as he searched for something he seemed to struggle to find. His white hair whipped around his face, shaggy in a way that suggested it was kept short but had grown out.

                Phantom was young, younger than estimates suggested. Why was a child wearing a HAZMAT suit? Why did he seem so proficient in engineering?

                Phantom asked Scarecrow if he was afraid of ghosts.

                What killed a child in a HAZMAT suit?

                What prompted Phantom into giving Bruce his mask?

                Phantom wasn’t reacting like one normally would under fear gas, but Bruce knew it wasn’t because he was immune.

                Maybe it was because he was a dad, but he knew when a child was scared, and Phantom was terrified.

                Danny remembered searching for the stars, before he was diving to save a Robin from falling.

                Freakshow never really learned, he was human, but he was the same as the ghosts he took over. Never really learning from his mistakes.

                Or maybe he thought he figured Phantom out.

                Danny could remember holding Freakshow over the ledge, his staff broken below them.

                He could remember the feeling of Freakshow’s suit jacket in his hands, the rubber of his gloves just barely slipping.

                “You got your sequel, I’m not letting you make it a trilogy.”

                His hand let go.

                Phantom let Lady Gotham take Freakshow, leaving before the Bats could arrive.

                Phantom was standing over Scarecrow.

                He was so small, how did they ever think he was older than 18.

                Scrodinger’s cat, dead and alive.

                Phantom had a civilian identity.

                “Oracle?”

                “B-zzzzzz-t’s? C-zzzz-me? -zzzzzz- get a-zzzzz-al.”

                No luck, it’ll have to wait.

                Batman was slow to approach.

                There was no need to scare the kid further, with what he’s seen so far, Phantom wouldn’t hurt him, but fear gas was powerful.

                “Phantom?”

                The ghost turned towards him, and Bruce had to breathe deeply as his body tensed, chills running down his spine, his palms went sweaty.

                All precursors to fear that Batman was used to ignoring.

                “We’ll lock him up. Let me take him.”

                Bright green eyes, hazy, hands loose at his sides. Phantom was terrified, but he didn’t act on it. Strange.

Phantom’s eyes darted back and forth, trying to catch something that wasn’t there. His breath was coming out in puffs of mist, despite the temperature, though Bruce couldn’t complain, the mist meant he could tell that the child was hyperventilating.

                Scrodinger’s cat, both dead and alive

                Bruce hoped his comment about fear wasn’t from experience. He knew it was.

                “Phantom, let me take Scarecrow,” Bruce put a bit more of a demand behind his words, taking a small step forward. He held his hands within view, making it clear he had nothing in them, and wasn’t reaching for anything.

                Phantom watched him so closely, he probably forgot his face was exposed. He let Batman get close though.

                The fear gas was slowly dissipating around them. Good, they had Scarecrow, the others had taken care of the gas, and now, Bruce was within ten feet of the mysterious meta who had managed to avoid the full force of Gotham’s vigilantes.

                Phantom watched as Batman cuffed the Scarecrow, the masked villain never letting his eyes leave the ghost.

                Phantom looked towards the sky again, seeing a glimpse of the night sky, a single star, before there was a shooting pain through his side.

                The ghost came crashing to the ground, the pain a terrifying familiar feeling, Danny struggled to keep his transformation up, even as his eyes darted around the crowd, white, white, white.

                Teal, orange.

                White.

                Phantom was gone.

[margaretoakgrove]

HEISENBERG'S METAL ARMY

● HAULER

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

Humanoid appearance

Surgically mounted headgear

Capable of wielding handheld weapons with accuracy

Ashen complexion

Limited mobility, slow moving

Moderate intelligence

Heightened aggression

Moderate physical strength, durability and endurance

Crystallization of cellular structure after death

● SOLDAT EINS

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

Humanoid appearance

Surgically mounted headgear

Exposed reactor replacing heart

Singular arm replaced with mechanized industrial drill implant

Ashen complexion

Limited mobility, slow moving

Moderate intelligence

Heightened aggression

Heightened physical strength, durability and endurance

Crystallization of cellular structure after death

Detonation of reactor core after sustaining significant damage

● SOLDAT ZWEI

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

Humanoid appearance

Surgically mounted breathing apparatus

Exposed reactor replacing heart relocated to upper back

Both arms replaced with mechanized industrial drill implants

Ashen complexion

Limited mobility, slow moving

Moderate intelligence

Heightened aggression

Heightened physical strength, durability and endurance

Crystallization of cellular structure after death

Detonation of reactor core after sustaining significant damage

● SOLDAT JET

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

Humanoid appearance

Equipped with crude armor-like scrap metal encasing upper body

Equipped with rocket engines and head stabilizing wings for flight

Exposed reactor replacing heart

Both arms replaced with mechanized industrial drill implants

Capable of short distanced aerial attacks

Moderate intelligence

Heightened aggression

Heightened physical strength, durability and endurance

Crystallization of cellular structure after death

Detonation of reactor core after sustaining significant damage

● SOLDAT PANZER

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

Humanoid appearance

Exposed reactor replacing heart

Overall body encased in crude armor-like aluminum alloy

Both arms replaced with mechanized industrial drill(s) implants

Ashen complexion

Limited mobility, slow moving

Moderate intelligence

Heightened aggression

Heightened physical strength, durability and endurance

Crystallization of cellular structure after death

Detonation of reactor core after sustaining significant damage

● STURM

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

Humanoid appearance

Surgically mounted turbo-prop engine to upper body

Exposed reactor replacing heart

Loss of hands and forearms due to oversized propeller

Low intelligence

Heightened aggression

Superhuman physical strength, durability and endurance

Crystallization of cellular structure after death

Detonation of reactor core after sustaining significant damage

[chou-de-chambers]

Monsieur's Request

Content Rating: Explicit (NSFW) Tags: Chamber x Reader, Chamber x You, Reader is a Valorant agent, Reader is non-Radiant, fem!reader, smut, eventual smut, sexual tension, size difference, making out, hickeys, cunnilingus, vaginal sex, porn with context (?), use of french, no beta we die like cinematic Cypher This is my first time writing smut, so beware! Also, I am open to comments and recommendations. Thanks! MINORS DO NOT INTERACT.

Your week-long mission to inspect the ruined teleporters of Everett-Linde Research Facility was almost to its fruition. All it needed was Killjoy's expertise with technology and the superiors' conclusion, which would be due tomorrow. For now, the objective is to check yourself and Chamber in a room to stay for the night. Brimstone was unable to give both of you a ride back to headquarters given that you still had one more day left for the mission, unlike the others who were abruptly demanded to return for other duties. "We'll meet you there by noon," was the last voicemail you heard from your leader. You sighed. Camping was out of the option since it's just the two of you left, and it's riskier taking that route, so there was nothing you could do but endure a night's stay with him in an inn.

You heard him sigh from dismay as you both entered the room. Everything to his sight was cheap- mediocre. The ambience wasn't as extravagant as he was usually accustomed to, especially as a designer. Not even a hint of gold to the whites to at least fake luxury. Everything was washed black, brown, and green. Like swamp to his eyes. You didn't mind it, though. What's important was that you have your own bed and cabinet.

With exhaustion sinking in, you threw your backpack on the couch and dove into your bed. It felt like your body was being sucked by the mattress from how soft it was compared to your apartment bed in HQ. The sheets and pillows were spotless and clean. Smelled fresh from the laundry with a hint of lavender. You couldn't help but smile from how cozy it all felt.

Chamber, on the other hand, took meticulous steps in adjusting to being in a monstrosity of a room. He first removed his shoes and neatly placed them beside the door. Of course he kept his socks on; he wouldn't want his bare feet touching the room slippers. He then dusted off the inside of the cabinet with a disposable napkin before carefully placing his briefcase in it. You were watching him with one eye as you're one with your bed. He acted like he had one of his fragile toys inside his case, but you knew that he kept his arsenal within his radianite tattoos, scanning the way it flowed like gold canals from his forehead to his arms.

"Keep staring, mon chéri. I appreciate the attention," Chamber remarked as he folded the navy blue vest he took off himself. And guilty you obviously were, so as a defense mechanism, you buried your face on your pillows to hide your embarrassment. It's no secret that Chamber is one hell of a handsome gentleman who displayed such strong confidence inside and outside the field. He's too attractive that it's literally a trap left in the open, and one's stupid for falling for it. Most of the agents in VP, especially the superiors, knew that he had other motives, ones that were beyond his contract. He was vocal about it, describing his agenda as an "even bigger picture". Others found it difficult to bond with him 'cause of how good he is at pretending to be an open book, so tonight they paired him with someone quiet: someone like you.

This was unfair, you thought. You weren't great at keeping silent, you just were. You had always been a person of few words, and you found more sense in maintaining things direct and concise rather than prettying it with pointless fillers. But it did not mean that you were immune to his appeal. You were, in fact, 'stupid' for dipping your toes, looking back at the copious glances you stole from him this week.

You were gonna wrap yourself with your blanket when Chamber called your name, "May you come over here?" You turned your head to face where his voice came from, his words echoing from the bathroom.

"Yeah?," you lazily muttered, clicking your tongue, then dragging yourself out of the fragrant sheets. As you opened the door ajar, your eyes were blinded by the white light from the ceiling and the golden luster from Chamber's back tattoos. You gulped as you helplessly stared at his bulky physique, something you didn't expect due to how he was always covered decently. It took all the control you can to lock your jaw from dropping and your eyes from popping out of their sockets, feasting on his half-naked state. Good thing he wasn't looking in your direction to witness how stunned you were. Instead, he was facing the sink, his glasses on top of his head, squinting on a puny razor with disgust.

He turned to you, presenting the razor, "This inn has yet to cease my disappointment from growing," then lent it to you, "If you don't mind, please help me groom myself."

Just when you thought the situation won't get significantly awkward, more pressure was added by his request, followed by him almost closing the gap between the two of you. Your brows furrowed in confusion as to how the hell you were gonna do this. His shadow was literally looming over your figure.

"Um. Isn't there a stool somewhere? I can't reach," you asked as your eyes wandered in search of it, even when half the truth was you're finding an excuse to not look at him.

It wasn't long before a pair of strong hands made their way to your waist, raising you just enough to surprisingly grip Chamber's shoulders. The same hands later supported your thighs, anchoring you to sit on the bathroom counter. You felt a cool flash hit your clothed limbs from the counter's freezing surface, but it was paid for by the marksman's warm breathing on your face. You could also smell his expensive cologne which miraculously stayed even after being soaked for several hours under the sun. Chamber sported a smug look as he observed how shameful you were with your positions- you seemingly straddling him from the way you sat close to him and him pinning you on your spot with his arms on your sides- setting an opportunity for him to tease you.

"Is this better, mon chéri?"

Fuck you Chamber, you cursed in silence. You mentally slapped your very being to calm down and not overthink whatever's happening. He's probably just messing with you so he could feel better.

Making sure your palms weren't sweaty from this nerve-wracking situation, you fumbled for the tube of shaving cream and proceeded to prep him. You massaged his face, your fingers touching the pricks of stubble growing from his jaw, something one might fail to notice without closer inspection. These were ticklish to your soft hands, triggering you to picture Chamber with a full beard on- or a mustache maybe? It helped you ease your nerves, but thinking about how he would've looked was difficult since he always kept his face clean.

Try as you may ignore him, the more the silence grew, the higher the tension was becoming. Like a ticking bomb, your heart started to pace from how he kept his eyes on you. Almost like laser burning your skin. Like he was stripping you naked. How the hell were you gonna do this properly if he's acting like that?

Chamber watched the build-up of red from your ears to your cheeks. He's amused by the size difference, him embodying a predator cornering his next meal. How could he forget the way you effortlessly flicked your firearm at consecutive enemies during your mission together? It got him attracted to you like a damn magnet. Almost a distraction. From the skills you've exhibited, you just helped him save magazines of bullets and repair times, and sometimes all that's left for him to do was admire your graceful movements through Tour De Force's scope. Yet there's something about the way you switched now that's making him act up. The way you're desperately collecting yourself in front of him displayed a huge contrast against your dominance in the field. Interesting. His seed of fondness over you was being watered to growth the more he thought about how you're turning out to be his perfect match.

You weren't sure if it's just you but the proximity of your faces seemed to gradually lessen. Shifting your eyes down was a mistake too as you met deliciously toned muscles with gold circuit-like strips running from his torso to the boundary of his pants' waistband. With one hand holding the razor and the other on his face, you tried to initiate a conversation, hoping to get your mind out of the gutter.

"Do your tattoos hurt?"

It took him a few seconds before answering with a hum, "Non, why do you ask?"

"Well, it's because all your weapons are stored there, so it must take a lot of energy to take them out of you, right?" you followed in a matter-of-factly tone, genuinely curious while steadying your shaving hand, careful not to cut his skin.

Your trivial interest over his masterpiece excited him. After all, he loves talking about himself.

"They do, but I work out in order to compensate. So say, I wanted to upgrade my radianite weaponry, then I need to be stronger for that."

"Hm," you simply responded, unable to stop yourself from making quick peeks over his huge chest and broad shoulders, a clear proof that he had been sweating to build his body, "Um... You're not Radiant, right?"

"I am not as special as the others in terms of that," he said, "though I am special in another context."

You rolled your eyes in disagreement, although the butterflies fluttering in your stomach dictated otherwise. Just a bit and then you're done, you reminded yourself. You gently tilted his face using your free hand to the other direction. It's bothering how Chamber's eyes didn't leave your sight even with his head shifted. Like he's committing this obscene act in purpose. Hard to tell though because it might just be all in your head. After all, you're probably way below his type, and you've only been in the Valorant Protocol for less than a year to leave a lasting impression on the sentinel.

A drop of shaving foam fell onto your lap. Out of pure instinct, Chamber swiped it with his finger, his hand slightly pressing onto your thigh. It was heavy, and you swore you felt chills run down your spine from this contact. Gulping, you decided to fake curiosity over the continuation of his tattoos on his hand.

"And this is where your cards come from?"

"Ah," he exhaled, meekly showcasing the hand you were pertaining to, "Here is where my teleporters and traps are."

"So the cards-"

"Come from the other hand, yes."

Your brow raised in affirmation, "Oh."

You paused from your task to acknowledge his other hand, its wrist adorned by a custom gold watch touching the side of your other thigh. His arm was incredibly close, trapping you on your right side as you felt the metal bracelet poking through the fabric of your pants. You were almost done, left with the last step of moisturizing his face, so you continued to ignore this inevitable tension eating your insides and further entertained his ego, "Are there other things you can do?"

"Would you like me to show you?"

A whimper escaped your lips as your body had been suddenly pulled forward by strong hands that squeezed your thighs, the razor jumping out of your grasp and falling onto the bathroom floor. Chamber tugged the clean face towel hanging on the wall hook to wipe the leftover foam off of his face and threw it on the ground. You helplessly muttered, his nose almost touching yours, "I swear I'm almost done."

"It is a shame that I do not bear that much patience," he growled, his eyes fixated on the way your dry lips trembled. You were driving him feral from the way you cowered, face piping hot red under his big stature, and it's urging him to just ravage every inch of your being. But as a gentleman, he had to tone himself down, at least on the start, so he wouldn't scare you any more than you are right now. His hands caressed your waist, palms tracing the curves down to your hips. Chamber was leaving you breathless from his touch, forcing you to resort onto clutching his shoulders. The icy feeling of your hands on his bare skin motivated the marksman to pull you much closer, your hot core being poked by his tent through both your pants. You gasped in unison with him, crossing paths with his eyes set ablaze by desire.

His face slowly neared yours, the clean smell left by the shaving cream tickling your nose. Your ears rang from the vibrations of your pulse, too. Unsure of whatever urged him to be like this, your eyes closed and braced for whatever he might do. Then, Chamber's lips crashed yours, his mouth tasting stingy from the minty toothpaste. His rough hands slid under your upper garments, feeling your soft skin just below your chest. Quiet moans struggled to slip out from you as his tongue invaded your mouth. You were becoming dizzy from the warmth he radiated from every overlap of his lips on yours and every ghost of his touch close to your erotic parts, so you tried to push him away. Chamber respected this, pulling away from you as a wet string was tangled in between your lips. He licked his upper lip, savoring your aftertaste, and kept a heated look as he adored this mess you became from his advances.

"Not as innocent as I thought you were, mon ange," he teased with a smile, brushing a stray portion of your hair to the back of your red-tipped ear. You have so many questions, but the dryness of your mouth made it difficult to spit out words. You tried backing away from him, but you were caged. His grip on your thighs were also strong. Bruising, almost. Looking straight at him, you noticed your reflection from his dilated pupils. His breathing was audibly deeper this time, all while focusing on you and only you.

"W-Why?," you managed to speak out as your voice trembled.

The way he looked at you didn't waver, "Is it not obvious that I'm smitten over you?"

You blinked. You wanted to pinch yourself just to confirm whether you were dreaming or not because this did not feel right. The possibility of your death from failing to defuse the spike seemed more likely to happen than someone like Chamber harboring such a fire for you. Reject it as much as you did, the lust and want in his eyes did their absolute best to convince you that this is real. You were what he'd been eyeing for, much more a necessity than a want. To him, at this very moment, nothing could ever compare to finally having you. Even just for tonight.

Chamber pressed himself onto you, leaving you gasping for air as his entirety devoured your fragile being, gently pushing your back to lean on the mirror. His nose nuzzled your neck, then proceeded to indulge himself to your scent. His prediction was right; your smell was sweet and addicting, like a delicacy he'd purposely bite. You felt his tongue lick your neck, making you tense and earning him a moan from you. He groaned from the noise you just made, certainly wanting more.

"I beg of you, mon chéri. Please let me in," he breathed with his lips still grazing your neck. Unable to use your words, you affirmed his desperate plea by wrapping your legs around his hips and your hands on the back of his neck and shoulders. This made the feeling inside him eat him more, so he compensated by sucking and nipping onto your skin until there were hickeys on the base of your neck. You released lewd noises from the way Chamber brazenly marked you and from the way his hands gripped onto your frame- like you'd slip away from him if he didn't hold you tight.

The line was almost crossed when his fingers held onto the clasp of your jacket's zipper. You liked everything that's happening- you sometimes dreamt of it, but this is reality, and he's skipping way too many bases. His wrist was stopped by your hand, causing him to look at you with lidded eyes, lips moving to kiss your hand that held his, "Are you not enjoying this?"

You struggled to make eye contact from how you felt your face will explode from too much heat. In response to his question, you shook your head. He stopped, slowly backing away to give you some space, but not far enough to still feel each other's breathing. "My apologies, I got carried away. I should have asked for your consent first." His palms then met your burning cheeks, raising your head enough for you to face him, "But mon amour, I adore you. You are the only thing in my mind ever since we started working closely together. What shall I do to make you mine?"

His words shocked you. Obviously from the way he explored you hungrily, you knew there was something, but you refused to accept this until he said it out loud. You thought this was gonna be a one night thing or just his carnal desires talking, and you didn't want to be left heartbroken by any of those. You're just too soft for that kind of thing. "Are you sure?"

"That is a silly question," he answered, adding another passionate kiss to your hand, "Of course I am."

"T-Then..," you hesitated for a moment, unable to think clearly from the spirals that crowded your mind.

"Then what?"

Building up courage, you accepted this possibility of Chamber wanting you, abandoning the what ifs for tomorrow and trying to enjoy the privilege of being his tonight. With your hand finally loose on his wrist to touch his cheek, you mumbled, "Then take me."

"Tu m'excites, mon amour," he breathed out shakily before locking his lips onto yours. The kiss this time was more torrid than before, with your tongues feverishly exploring each other's mouths. Your hands, in need of something to brace onto, slid from his jowls to the back of his neck and his undercut, your head tilted upwards as his figure conquered yours. Without pause from making out, your jacket was zipped open to the hem, exposing the tank top that hugged your upper body. Chamber's lips, its bottom swelled from the bites you've snuck, eventually pulled away to peck your collarbone. You were feeble from every move he made, melting like a puddle as his hands swiftly got rid of articles of clothing that blocked him from feeling your bare chest.

His warm hands palmed your breasts, supple to his touch. "Ah, just the right fit," he whispered with a smile before sucking your earlobes. Your nipples had gotten erect the more he kneaded on your chest, eventually getting played by his fingers. You couldn't help but let out moans from this loving you received without any demands for exchange. Lucky for you that Chamber's the type of man to find pleasure from his partner's pleasure, so he's doing his absolute best to elicit these lewd reactions from you to satisfy himself too. Your panties were inevitably getting soaked from this heated activity, made worse by his mouth sucking on your nipples and his erection grinding on you.

Chamber's slicked-back hair became disheveled from navigating every inch of your bare skin- starting from the base of your jaw to your breasts. He's even hotter looking like this, you thought to yourself, although your lashes fluttering in passion relayed this to him. "Keep your eyes on me," he ordered in a soft tone as he descended to your legs, removing your pants and leaving your underwear clinging onto your folds. Your thighs were spread apart by Chamber's hands, his hot breathing fighting the counter's chilly contact with your skin. The marksman's face was too close to your sex, with only a thin underwear as the only boundary left. He smiled at the sight of your panties' wet stain, his fingers repeatedly swiping onto it, assuring him that you were enjoying this as much as he did and earning him moans from you.

You swore your mind was turning blank from how his eyes were still staring at yours as his fingers moved from the stain to your panties' fabric, tucking them on the side, revealing your moist folds. His eyes momentarily closed from ecstasy, smelling your rousing scent below. He even bet that your taste was just as good. You bit your lower lip as his tongue began to flick from your folds to your erect clit, keeping this pattern over and over again. "Oh my god," you needily whimpered. You haven't felt anything better than this. It's so different from when it's just you touching yourself during your sleepless nights or stressful weekends. Moans were hardly produced from you masturbating in your bed compared to Chamber coating your entirety with his saliva. He's too good at eating you out. It felt like you were ascending into heaven.

Your fingers intertwined with his as you were nearing your climax. He didn't stop from lapping your cunt even after your release, your tummy coiling and your legs shaking badly from the high. You were still gasping for air when Chamber decided to unbuckle his belt, freeing his hard length that curled up to his navel. His eyes were also way darker than before. You were getting wetter just from the sight of his cock erect for you, and this was clear proof that he had asserted so much power over you right now. It wasn't a problem since you were more than willing to be used by him, thanks to the lust intoxicating your mind, vacant of any rationality. Both of you were longing for each other- and you'd like to leave it at that to keep things simple.

"I cannot wait any longer," Chamber grunted as he held onto his cock's shaft, spitting on it as lube, "You are way too beautiful being this sinful for me."

You struggled to keep your noises inside you as his cock's head penetrated your entrance. It wasn't even the whole thing yet it already felt big. Chamber groaned from how your walls clenched and slowly sucked him in. It's been so long ever since the last time he visited cloud nine, and to do it with a heavenly being such as you, all hot and bothered from his erotic efforts, made it the best he'd ever experienced. Oh, how he loved the way you turned to mush on his grasp- hair tumbled and body painted by his love marks- as he slowly sank himself inside you.

Your hands were lost, fumbling all over the marksman's back for someplace to hold onto as he thrust in you, your nails digging onto him. It was distracting him from relishing your insides, so he caught your wrists and pinned them above your head. This was his declaration of control, and it turned you on much more than ever, your sex getting wetter, allowing Chamber to insert his whole length with ease until he was balls deep into you. "Merde, you feel so good," he cursed as his hips drilled into yours, spreading your legs and your insides even wider. The sloppy sounds from your skin and his skin echoed through the four walls, filling the room with vulgarity. If this happened at headquarters, the whole team would've heard how you shamelessly cried his name. Thank Brim for this blessing in disguise because if it wasn't for him, then you wouldn't find out that the handsome guy you've been ogling at missions fancied you more.

Chamber amped up his pacing, driven crazy by the music of your moans. This made your mouth dry, longing for him, so your face desperately reached for his. "Please," you begged with tears at the edge of your eyes from the pleasure built up. Chamber was motivated by how you looked like a hungry pup, pleading for sustenance, so like a good master would, he leaned closer and reciprocated the fervor of your kisses. Both of you exchanged hot moans in between making out, all while he railed you like the sun wouldn't shine again tomorrow.

You felt a tight knot building in your stomach and your legs started to quiver, a clear sign that you were getting close. Chamber, being mindful of cues, picked up his pace until his rhythm turned reckless. Your locked hands fought for release, anchoring on his worked shoulders while his hands descended to your ass, moving you so he could pound you harder. You tasted a hint of blood from biting too hard on your lip as you climaxed, your legs trembling non-stop as they went around the gentleman's thin waist. He didn't slow down from pumping his cock into you while you were releasing, ensuring that you're letting all of it out, drenching his cock in all of your juices.

The adrenaline in your system slowly eased, helping you relax and catch your breath. He pulled out, his hands sliding towards your overworked thighs, caressing them to avoid cramps. This was thoughtful of him, earning him more attraction from you. It's also fair that he was as flustered as you were; at least you knew that he was truthful with his feelings for you. Chamber then pecked your forehead, not minding the sweat that dripped, "Did I feel good?"

"That's a silly question, monsieur," you retorted, hearing him chuckle. He once again kissed you, but this time it was more gentle than the firsts, combining it with a hug.

He hummed with contentment, studying your work on his face through the mirror while not letting you go, "You did excellently for someone who doesn't do this kind of grooming."

"Thank you," you happily whispered to his ear, tightening your arms around his neck.

"And," he whispered back with a change in his tone, "You're loud for someone who's awfully quiet most of the time." His grip then aided you to plant your feet back on the floor. As you were finally able to stand up again, Chamber then lightly spanked your ass, prompting you to face the bathroom mirror with your back leaning to his chest.

"Up," he patted your thigh, commanding you to bring that leg up on the counter with his erection slapping your once again heated core, "The night is still young, and I have plenty more to show you."

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: .☽ . :☆ﾟ. ─ ･ ｡ﾟ☆: .☽ . :☆ﾟ. ─ ･ ｡ﾟ☆: .☽ . :☆ﾟ. ───

[weathermanpolls]

Rules:

It has to be a dedicated melee weapon. If it has multiple forms, the melee has to be considered as valid as the other forms. The exception is cutting tools that become really useful in the setting.

It cannot just be one whackjob, but has to be find a way to be useful, or be a main weapon from a faction.

It cannot just be a mundane weapon from today, (other than smallswords), but it can be a technologically improved one.

Descriptions:

40K: Chainsword: A chainsaw made into a one-handed sword. This is justified in-setting by making them 8ft super soldiers in powered armour. The powered armour can protect them from the vast, vast, vast majority of weapons in the setting.

40K: Power Sword: They take a sword, wrap a forcefield around it, and then shrink it down to a monomolecular edge.

Andromeda: Force Lance / Babylon 5: Denn'bok: Collapsable quarterstaves. This seems especially mundane, but the quarterstaff is one of the most versatile hand-to-hand weapons. It's a weapon that, in the hands of a master, can give them the advantage in pretty much any situation. Making it collapsable removes the big drawback. You think, it's basically an asp? Kind of. Asps are our attempt to make them. Their balance is terrible. So, useful, but definitely not master-level useful. The Force Lance also doubles as a firearm, by making the bullets tiny homing missiles called Effectors. This solves the main problem with using a weapon designed for both melee and range.

Farscape: Qualta Blade: This weapons suffer from the same problem of making a combined melee/ranged weapon, the fact that both modes are completely different. It's a sword that turns into a plasma rifle, both of which look incredibly awkward to use.

FFXIII: Gunblade: Final Fantasy has a love of gunblades, but gunblades are incredibly awkward. XIII solves this by having the weapon shift from sword to gun modes. When in gun mode, the blade is folded away to the point it's basically a bayonet. While I love Lance's gunblade from Epic Battle Fantasy, FFXIII made one that seems like it would actually work.

Mass Effect: Omni-Shield: Mass Effect stars a series of super firearms that are designed to fold away into themselves, allowing someone, (you), to carry an arsenal. We could talk about how ME2 fucked up the firearms, but I'd rather focus on how the Humans saw these incredibly advanced gauss rifles, and decided to duct tape a knife to them. They then turned their omni-tools into a device who's primary purpose is to make better knives to attach to their firearms. Then they came out with the master plan, use the Omni-tool to make a shield. This solves one of the big problems with melee weapons, that being bullets. It makes a lot of sense in Mass Effect, as there are a number of aliens that can take a lot of bullets and not get dropped, and they use this advantage to get within melee range. Contrary to Humans-are-Space-Orcs, Humans are on the squishy side of the setting.

Stargate: Ma'Tok (staff weapon): This is an interesting weapon, because it's utility is questioned and justified in the setting. In Stargate, aliens masquerade as gods. They tell their soldiers that if they die on the battlefield, it was because of a lack of faith. They actively prohibit their soldiers from using tactics. The reason Bra'tak was so successful is that he was able to disguise his tactics. He saved his true training for true disbelievers. The Goa'uld are also anti-technological progress, because it would make them more powerful than their fellows. If they find one of the System Lords doing this, they will typically gang up and ruin their day, and then backstab each other, trying to be the only one with the technology. So, in Stargate, the primary tactic used by Jaffa is line infantry. They line up and shoot each other. The staff weapon is incredibly durable, to the point it seems to be resistant to itself. Jaffa armour is NOT resistant to staff weapons. It can also be used for centuries without running out of ammo, or suffering any major malfunctions. It's a variable-yield plasma cannon that is also double-loaded staff for melee combat. In the hands of a master, they are incredibly useful. But, their accuracy is only really useful against massed enemy infantry, or volley-firing into civilians. As mentioned, Jaffa armour does not protect against them, or a better way to say it is that their variable-yield is always set high enough to penetrate their own armour. Their armour is more useful for bullying civilians. Which, truthfully, the Goa'uld spend most of their time doing. It is also shown that Jaffa armour actually interferes with their ability to fight other Jaffa, and so only makes sense because their gods want their toy soldiers to fight in soldier suits.

Star Trek: Bat'Leth: This a sword, but completely different from pretty much any weapon on Terra. The Klingons are incredibly hardy, (with many backup organs, including a backup spinal cord), but also realize the limitations of their weapons. As such, they will typically try to find a way to engage in as close-quarters as possible. Unless the enemy's energy weapons are set to the highest setting, it can take a lot of shots to even slow them down. The Bat'Leth is a sword designed for mastery, and the best supposition behind it's creation is that it's a weapon that FORCES it's wielder to master it. Bath'Leths can attack, block, and parry from any position, while also be used as non-lethal weapons.

Star Wars: Light Sabre: Possibly the progenitor of all energy swords. I say possibly, because Starship Troopers mentions "Laser Knives", but never gives them any description, so it might just be a laser cutter. Heinlein loved giving vague, one-off descriptions like this. In Star Wars, it justifies why the laser sword is useful, and that's because you basically need magical control and precognition to not cut yourself with it. And when you cut yourself with super-heated plasma, you are not getting the arm back. Rey was infamously so bad with it, that the special effects artists had to basically ignore what she was actually doing with it.

Various: Cutting Tools: So, you're in space, and you encounter something that your weapons just can't touch. The only thing you have that might work is a plasma torch, or a buzz-saw designed to cut through concrete. Before anyone says Dead Space, Dark Forces had a fusion cutter as one of your main weapons.

Various: Small Swords: The biggest problem with melee weapons is that you, obviously, need to get close enough to touch them. You need some justification in-setting for this. This would be as simple as stealth, or the fact that bayonet charges still work wonders, but other justifications would still work. Still, you're in a world with firearms, so you need to find that perfect balance between utility, weight, an inobstrusiveness. Enter the knife/smallsword. They can be easily carried on the waist, but still useful in close-combat. Dune justifies it because firearms draw the attention of sandworms. Babylon 5 had them use swords because they were a decaying Franco-Russian empire that still had a duelling culture among it's upper classes. The Wakizashi is popular, because it's designed to be stowed easily and drawn instantly. Japan even has Iaido, a sword style / philosophy dedicated to draw-strikes.

[cssdtechnologies]

How does ETO Sterilization work?

What is ETO Sterilization?

Ethylene oxide (ETO) sterilization is a process used to sterilize medical and pharmaceutical products that cannot withstand traditional high-temperature steam sterilization methods. ETO is a gas that effectively kills microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses, and fungi by disrupting their DNA and cellular proteins.

How Does ETO Sterilization Work?

Preparation: Items to be sterilized are placed in a sealed chamber.

Exposure: ETO gas is introduced into the chamber, reaching all surfaces of the items.

Conditioning: The gas is held at specific temperature, humidity, and pressure levels for a predetermined time to ensure effective sterilization.

Aeration: Post-sterilization, the chamber is aerated to remove residual ETO gas, as ETO is toxic and potentially carcinogenic.

Monitoring: Throughout the process, parameters such as gas concentration, temperature, and exposure time are closely monitored to ensure efficacy and safety.

Applications of ETO Sterilizers

ETO sterilization is particularly suitable for:

Medical Devices: Such as surgical instruments, implants, and catheters.

Pharmaceuticals: Including drugs, ointments, and powders that are sensitive to heat and moisture.

Packaging Materials: Like plastic pouches and tubes that cannot withstand high temperatures.

Its ability to penetrate porous materials and complex devices makes ETO sterilization indispensable in many healthcare and pharmaceutical settings where other methods might be impractical or ineffective.

Considerations and Safety

While highly effective, ETO sterilization poses certain safety challenges:

Toxicity: ETO is hazardous to human health and requires careful handling. Workers must be trained in its safe use, and facilities must have adequate ventilation and monitoring systems.

Residuals: Proper aeration is crucial to remove ETO residues, which can otherwise compromise product safety.

Regulatory Compliance: Due to its potential health risks, ETO sterilization is heavily regulated by health authorities and environmental agencies worldwide.

Future Trends and Innovations

As technology advances, efforts are underway to improve the efficiency and safety of ETO sterilization processes. This includes developments in gas monitoring systems, aeration techniques, and automation to minimize human exposure.

Conclusion

ETO sterilization plays a critical role in ensuring the safety and efficacy of medical and pharmaceutical products that are sensitive to heat and moisture. While it requires careful handling due to its toxicity, advancements in technology continue to enhance its reliability and safety. As healthcare and pharmaceutical industries evolve, ETO sterilization remains a cornerstone in the arsenal of sterilization methods, ensuring that healthcare providers and patients alike can trust in the sterility of essential medical products.

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[dertaglichedan]

The Deepfake Privilege? The Justice Department Makes Startling Claim to Withhold the Biden-Hur Audiotape

We have been discussing the dubious constitutional basis for President Joe Biden withholding the audio tapes of his interview with special counsel Robert Hur. I have previously written that the claim of privilege makes little sense when the transcript of the interview has already been released. It seems curious that Biden is claiming to be the president “who cannot be heard” in withholding the audio version. It just got wackier as the Justice Department seeks to create a new type of “Deepfake privilege” that would effectively blow away all existing limits on the use of the privilege when it comes to audio or visual records of a president.

Multiple committees are investigating Biden for possible impeachment and conducting oversight on the handling of the investigation into his retention and mishandling of classified material over decades. Classified documents were found in various locations where Biden lived or worked, including his garage. The mishandling of classified material is uncontestable. Broken boxes, unprotected areas and lack of tracking are all obvious from the photos.

Biden made the situation even worse with a disastrous press conference in which he attacked Hur and misrepresented his findings.

Hur’s ultimate conclusion that Biden’s diminished cognitive abilities would undermine any prosecution left many dumbfounded. After all, the man who is too feeble to prosecute is not only running a superpower with a massive nuclear arsenal but running for reelection to add four more years in office.

From impeachment to oversight to the 25th Amendment (allowing the removal of a president for incapacities), there are ample reasons for Congress to demand information and evidence from the government on these questions. Congress is also interested in looking at repeated omissions for “inaudible” statements. Under this sweeping theory that Biden can legitimately withhold these recordings under executive privilege, any president could withhold any evidence of incapacity or criminality.

As previously explained, the claim that the audiotape but not the transcript remains privileged is hard to square with precedent or logic. However, now the Justice Department appears to be pivoting with a new claim with a late Friday filing.  The filing obtained by Politico states that the audiotape must be withheld due to the risk that it could be altered by artificial intelligence and passed off as authentic in a deepfake release: “The passage of time and advancements in audio, artificial intelligence, and ‘deep fake’ technologies only amplify concerns about malicious manipulation of audio files.”

[whatudottu]

Me, remembering that pill bugs can filter heavy metals from soil:

My brain: You know what this means, don’t you?

Me: What-

My brain: You can make talpaedans part pill bug-

Me, working on amperi headcanons: Wait LET ME FINI-

I’ve gone over a few times that I like to think that talpaedans are techno-organic, less so being silicon or silicone based beings but being an integration of organic carbon materials and the more industrialised physiology of being a walking talking construction equipment. I have also previously made use of the whole ‘machine’ aspect of their natural biology to not only consider them as burrowers, but also as ant-like burrowers with haplodiplody, this form of sex-determination system being used to expand the combinations of construction equipment that an individual talpaedan might have, but also as a basis of which I form the sociopolitical building of talpaedan cities, in which case we have large city state colonies of ant inspired pangolins recreating feudalism Europe of the 10th-13th century.

But up - until this point - there was not quite a lot of circumstances that would allow for actual metallic components to not only present itself biologically but also do so naturally, so with the heavy metal eating pill bug there’s a source of extra inspiration. Oniscidae (apparently the more accurate name for pill bugs/rollie pollies and literally any name under the sun) can remove arsenic (which is actually a metalloid), cadmium, lead, and depending on sources also mercury from the soil; additional metals that can be extracted from soil are copper and zinc. The pill bug in question would crystallise these ions in their gut and create spherical deposits within them, but since we are not talking about the isopod alone surely it isn’t too much of a stretch to the idea that perhaps talpaedans can use these deposits within themselves to feed into the development of their most notable features, their built in equipment?

Assuming that Poiana Lüncas has these metals and that talpaedans would in fact filter for them, in real world human employed Earth uses of these metals can indeed be of fine use. Both arsenic and cadmium can be used as alloys and zinc specifically can galvanise other metals such as iron to prevent rusting, very significant indeed in industry, notably especially with large amounts of zinc can be used in hardware industries. Copper has a very notable use in electronics and wiring of which motors are included, let alone more refined wiring in TVs and radio. And argueably the more infamous of these metals (at least to a standard ‘basic’ level of understanding) we have mercury and lead, the former being used in many different industries for it’s ability to measure the change in temperature and pressure, and the latter for some solders, gasoline/petroleum and wonderfully hazardous cosmetic items that uninformed humanity has come to be harmed by.

ngl, spent a bit of time trying to find an oxygen-carrier of these metals that can feasibly make black blood but i literally do not know if the colour of oxides is in any way relevant to how oxygen-carrier bloodcells would actually be coloured as i’m not a chemist

But in highlighting these metals, I am not simply looking to see if a techno-organic talpaedan can have galvanised armour nor if they come built in with blood pressure monitors. No no no, I am saying more than what talpaedans eat but also what metals can talpaedans have easy access to in the development of technology, and how one might say that actually interacts with the ant-psychology of utterly fucking despising other colony.

Well-

Let’s say that google might be a little concerned about me learning about elements used in the construction of ammunition and radiation protection ehek-!

With the earth tilling that many developing talpaedans need to incorporate necessary metals into their diet, depending on the availabilty of said metals they may be an over abundance for food alone; especially with the pressure of competition of resources in combination with a general disdain for anything extracolonial, a factor that may lead to an escalation of tech development. There is an inherent baseline for technology in talpaedans that would already give their industrialisation a boost, in addition to the materials that may vary on quantity based on the region, colony size, and general population needs. Before long there are city states reinforcing their own barriers and expanding their borders for more and more materials - to consume and to create - to in fact increase and increase the tension between colonies so loud to the point pressure spills like a broken thermometer spills mercury and conflicts arise.

And when everything boils over do they realise that many have to balance the act of raising young and building more weapons, the factor that may in fact be the tipping point to realise that the colonies with the most resources are not only a threat but a threat that can overwhelm on the technological scale and the population number. In spite of how many colonies may indeed hate each other, it is more than worth it to them to compromise and in fact LIVE rather than be caught between the suddenly unveiling superpowers of the world that had previously lay unknown thanks to willful ignorance. Decimation of land is significantly reduced from cataclysmic to catastrophic as entire colonies are rased and in fact dug out into craters, many war-era alliances held to the modern day of Poiana Lüncas. A tithing - remnants of the treaties formed at the peak of desperation - of the youngest generation of adult men stands as both tradition and of appeasement, a colony trade and marriage across many different colonial alliances as a symbol of what had to be done before, sharing resources and rearing while the soldiers fought to live.

And all of this because they got a pill bug diet see this is why ants aren’t allowed to have materials for megaton bombs smh 😞

[usafphantom2]

Falklands war-era Argentinian IA-58 Pucara ground support airplane modernized into ISR platform

Thursday, 11 January 2024 13:10

The IA-58 Pucará's engine replacement program, now known as the Pucará Fénix, has reached a pivotal milestone with the achievement of its remotorization certification from Argentina's Joint Military Aeronautical Airworthiness Directorate (Digamc). This certification, awarded to the Argentine Aircraft Factory (FAdeA), signifies the commencement of the series aircraft's update.

Ezoic

Follow Air Recognition on Google News at this link

Falklands Argentina IA 58 Pucara ground assault airplane modernized into modern ISR Platform 001The Argentinian IA-58 Pucarás will benefit from an engine replacement program (Picture source: FAdeA)

EzoicThis evolution is the result of a collaboration between FAdeA, the Argentine Air Force (FAA), Digamc, and international partners such as Pratt & Whitney Canada P&WC, Hartzell, and IAl. The joint effort bore fruit after over 150 hours of flight testing and 109 test flights, leading to the equipping of each aircraft with two Pratt & Whitney PT6A-62 turboprop engines and Hartzell four-blade propellers.

Ezoic

The Pucará Fénix, formerly a ground-attack aircraft, is now intended for ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance) missions. This shift towards modern surveillance functions contrasts with the attack role of the rest of the Pucará fleet.

The project includes a complete modernization of the cockpit and avionics systems, the addition of air conditioning systems, and the removal of obsolete components. The Pucará Fénix thus becomes the platform for the progressive development of the ISR POD, with enhancements such as AESA active antenna radars and EO/IR sensors envisioned in future configurations.

The remotorization certification of the Pucará Fénix represents a significant advancement in modernizing Argentina's aerial arsenal. By pivoting towards ISR capabilities, Argentina is adapting its military equipment to the current demands of defense and surveillance operations.

The development of the IA-58 Pucará, initiated in August 1966 by the Argentine Air Force (FAA), aimed to create an aircraft suitable for close air support (CAS) and counter-insurgency (COIN) missions. The first prototype, named AX-2 Delfin, equipped with 904 hp Garrett TPE331I/U-303 engines, made its maiden flight on August 20, 1969. "Pucará", meaning fortress in the Quechua language, was later fitted with French Turbomeca Astazou XVI G engines in other prototypes.

Constructed entirely of metal, the IA-58 is designed to operate in light guerrilla conditions, with an armored cockpit and windshield and landing gear suited for unprepared runways. It is notable for its ability to take off in just 80 meters using JATO rockets and is designed for simple maintenance. This two-seater is equipped with Martin-Baker Mk 6AP6A zero/zero ejector seats.

The serial version IA-58A, or Pucara Alpha, first flew on November 8, 1974, and was delivered in 1975 to the III Air Brigade, with 108 units built until 1986. The IA-58B, or Pucara Bravo, featured 30 mm DEFA 553 cannons and improved avionics but was built in only one example. Similarly, the IA-58C (Pucara Charlie), a single-seat version with a HUD, IFF, and additional hardpoints, was built in only one example. Finally, the IA-66, equipped with more powerful Garrett engines, was also produced in a single example.

The IA-58 Pucarás were deployed by Argentina during the Falklands War, where, despite their numbers, they were unsuited against an adversary like the British, suffering heavy losses mainly on the ground. They did, however, manage to shoot down a Westland Scout. After the conflict, 11 aircraft were captured by the British, including 4 in flying condition, and 6 are now displayed in museums.

With the emergence of more advanced technologies and the evolution of military requirements, the Pucará began to show signs of obsolescence, particularly in its engines and avionics systems. In response to these challenges, the Pucará Fénix project was launched, aiming to modernize the aircraft through remotorization with Pratt & Whitney PT6A-62 turboprop engines and the update of avionics systems and propellers. This renewal has also led to a significant shift in the aircraft's role, transforming it from a ground attack aircraft to an ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance) platform, suited to contemporary needs for reconnaissance and surveillance. The Pucará Fénix is now envisioned as an evolutionary platform, capable of progressively integrating cutting-edge technologies such as AESA active antenna radars and EO/IR sensors, thus marking its transition to a more sophisticated and strategic role in the Argentine military.

@Airrecognition via X

[onyuonyu]

I feel like if there were actually people and animal hybrids, they would have to go through years of evolution and everything.

This is my original take on a human/jellyfish hybrid. They wouldn’t have any hair (this produces drag), and their skin would be very white due to the depth at which most of them reside. They also wouldn’t have any ears, because of the depth. They communicate through sign language accompanied by their very large eyes and eyelashes, both extended naturally in order to remove dirt from their eyes from currents, and manually with extensions.

I also think it’s important to recognize that if these creatures lived together, they would have many, many different relations and traditions. Jellyfish people would use long and flowy fabric imported from the surface in order to portray the ocean currents and how they are “One with the ocean”. They also use jewelry to express the rank at which each jelly is in, such as pearls, rings, and arsenic (Which runs through the mucus of many types of jellyfish and can be put into jewelry).

The jellyfish society would be one of the most conservative and yet the most technologically advanced in all of the civilizations. They are weary of outsiders and are reliant on their elders, as they respect age more than anything else.

[mariacallous]

What was NATO before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine? A Cold War relic in search of a mission, a drain on Washington as it pivoted to Asia, a needless irritant to a nonthreatening Russia—or so a chorus of academic and media pundits told us. French President Emmanuel Macron, Europe’s pundit-in-chief, famously summed up the mood by calling the alliance “brain-dead.”

Countries closer to Russia knew differently, of course, and tirelessly warned their western peers that the alliance still served a vital purpose. Today, in many ways, NATO is back to its roots as a bulwark of the trans-Atlantic West against an expansionist Kremlin. Weapons are heading east, and troops are being forward-deployed. Seeking the bloc’s traditional protection, Finland has joined, Sweden is in the waiting room, and Ukraine’s path to membership will be discussed when NATO leaders meet for their annual summit in Vilnius, Lithuania, next week. All of a sudden, we’re talking about the defense-industrial complex again, tallying ammunition production and counting tanks.

But this is no return to the past, even if some might be nostalgic for the sense of unity and purpose that seemed to define the West during the Cold War. Having brought that epic contest to a peaceful close without a major conflagration arguably made NATO the most successful military alliance in history. Today, however, the bloc operates in a very different world, where Moscow is just one challenge of many. As allies of Russia, China and Iran now impact European security directly; NATO, in turn, is eyeing new threats to the east.

With its asynchronous combination of 21st-century technology and long-forgotten trench warfare, land battle looks very different today, with many lessons from Ukraine for NATO still to absorb. Russia is much smaller and weaker than the Soviet Union—especially after its forces’ decimation in Ukraine—but it still has its nuclear arsenal. As the Wagner Group’s march toward Moscow showed, the country is also less stable and predictable than the Soviet Union ever was, giving the alliance a whole new set of Russia scenarios to prepare for. And unlike in NATO’s heyday, what was then still called the “Third World” isn’t content to watch from afar but rather wants a say in how conflicts are managed.

To give us a sense of how a revitalized NATO might address these and other challenges, Foreign Policy asked nine prominent experts from Europe and the United States for their views. Below, they discuss some of the most important topics facing NATO leaders next week and going forward, from membership for Ukraine to the bloc’s role in facing China. You can scroll down and read through or use the navigation options to choose a writer and topic.—Stefan Theil, deputy editor

Security Guarantees Are Ukraine’s Bridge to Membership

By Anders Fogh Rasmussen, former NATO secretary-general

NATO leaders meeting in Vilnius need to recognize that peace and stability in Europe relies on a secure and independent Ukraine. Ultimately, that means bringing Ukraine into NATO. Personally, I believe leaders should already extend an invitation for Ukraine to join in Vilnius—but unfortunately, certain leaders of NATO member countries remain hesitant to make a commitment while the war is ongoing. This is a mistake. If you make membership dependent on the end of hostilities, you give Russian President Vladimir Putin the incentive to continue the war indefinitely.

If there is no agreement on an invitation to join NATO, the second-best option would be to outline a path toward membership in three steps. First, confirm that once Ukraine is invited, it can follow Finland and Sweden on an accelerated path into NATO by removing the need for a membership action plan, a procedure that could drag on for many years. Second, pledge to review the question of NATO enlargement at the alliance’s 75th anniversary summit in Washington next year. Finally, establish a NATO-Ukraine council with a mandate to work on the conditions that need to be met for Ukraine to join the alliance.

These steps would send a clear message to Putin: Sooner rather than later, Ukraine will become a member. You cannot stop this process.

NATO membership is the ultimate destination, but to get there, Ukrainians needs stability and security. That is why they need a fourth step: robust security guarantees now. Even before next week’s summit, a group of Ukraine’s allies should back guarantees based on the Kyiv Security Compact that I co-authored with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s chief of staff, Andriy Yermak.

Security guarantees cannot be given by a piece of paper. The 1994 Budapest Memorandum guaranteed Ukraine’s borders and sovereignty—and turned out to be worthless when it mattered. Instead, Ukraine’s partners must ensure that Ukraine can defend itself, by itself, until it is covered by NATO’s Article 5. This should involve an open-ended commitment from a group of guarantor countries to provide weapons, joint training under European Union and NATO flags outside Ukraine, intelligence sharing, as well as sustained investment in Ukraine’s military-industrial base. This should be modeled on the United States’ long-term military support for Israel.

Security guarantees are not an end in themselves, but they can provide the bridge to Ukraine becoming a full member of both NATO and the EU. They can provide the security needed for Ukraine’s economy to recover, reconstruction to start, and millions of Ukrainians to return to their homes.

Leaders meeting in Vilnius must not repeat the mistakes of the past. They must back robust security guarantees and set Ukraine on the path to NATO membership. If they fail to do so, we risk never-ending instability and conflict on European soil.

Ukraine in NATO Will Make Europe Safer

By Dmytro Kuleba, foreign minister of Ukraine

As the Vilnius summit approaches, the battle of arguments over whether Ukraine should be invited to join NATO is in full swing. Meanwhile, Ukrainians are fighting in Europe’s bloodiest war since 1945—losing loved ones, defeating the Russian invaders, and liberating their homeland. Today, Ukraine’s commanders, soldiers, and all of society are gaining essential experience in defending against the Russian threat. Tomorrow, they will contribute their mettle to make all of NATO safe.

Who wouldn’t want an ally with Ukraine’s strength, courage, and tenacity? It is a new reality compared to 2008, the last time a NATO summit formally discussed Ukrainian membership. Ukraine is no longer just seeking to slip under the collective security umbrella. Today’s Ukraine is a net contributor of security, protecting itself and the Euro-Atlantic community from an aggressive and revanchist Russia.

When Ukraine wins the war and joins NATO, it will be Ukrainian brigades—not U.S. or German ones—guarding NATO’s eastern flank. Battle-hardened Ukrainian units will be stationed in allied countries seeking protection from the Russian threat. No other NATO member has our experience and skills, including how to react to and repel an invasion within hours. That resolves one of the alliance’s most serious issues—rapid response time—while also boosting collective security.

We are not seeking immediate membership. We will not drag NATO into this war. We have never requested foreign troops on the ground in Ukraine. With the generous assistance of our partners, we will defeat Russia on our own. This war is ours to fight.

But the next war can be avoided by admitting Ukraine into NATO. What we are therefore requesting is a strong step toward Ukraine’s future membership. In Vilnius, we ask NATO to recognize three obvious things: First, NATO needs Ukraine as much as Ukraine needs NATO; second, Ukraine is an inseparable part of Euro-Atlantic security; and third, Ukraine should be invited now to join NATO, with membership taking effect when conditions are met.

An invitation like this will not provoke Russian President Vladimir Putin—on the contrary, it will deter him from future aggression. When confronted with strength, he invariably backs down, as all of us saw when the Wagner Group marched toward Moscow. With Putin weakened by the mutiny, there is a window of opportunity to invite Ukraine to join NATO.

If NATO leaders are not yet ready to grant an invitation in Vilnius, they should state clearly when they will be. Membership has formal requirements, but an invitation does not. All that is required is strategic foresight and political will.

NATO’s New Power Bloc

By Kristi Raik, deputy director of the International Centre for Defence and Security

One of the long-term strategic consequences of Russia’s war against Ukraine is that NATO is growing larger and stronger in northeastern Europe—the long arc from the Nordic countries to the Baltic states to Poland. This power shift will transform the alliance over the coming decade, making it more capable of deterring the Russian threat. Growing defense capabilities in NATO’s northeast will help make Europe a more serious U.S. ally while also laying the groundwork for a possible reduced U.S. contribution to European security in the future.

Poland, in particular, is building one of the strongest militaries in Europe. Warsaw has gone on a procurement spree and plans to spend 4 percent of its GDP on defense in 2023. The Baltic states are also undertaking major increases in defense spending, aiming at 3 percent of GDP in the coming years.

The accession of Finland and (hopefully soon) Sweden will mark an even bigger strategic shift, bringing new strengths to NATO, including Finland’s highly capable land forces and Sweden’s strong maritime capabilities. These two new members will add strategic depth to the defense of the Baltic region. Instead of being NATO’s weak spot and a possible magnet for Russian aggression, the Baltic Sea will be a virtual NATO lake. Never before in history have all these countries belonged to the same military alliance.

Perhaps most importantly, the new northeastern bloc within NATO will inject strategic clarity into European security debates. The Nordic countries, the Baltic states, and Poland have been among Ukraine’s strongest supporters, above all because these countries have an existential interest in seeing Russia defeated in Ukraine. Likewise, they have a strong interest in credible security guarantees for Ukraine after the war—the most credible and efficient solution being membership in NATO. Ukraine’s accession to the Western alliance—which most allies agree is a matter of when, not if—will make Kyiv a part of the alliance’s power shift as well. The military ability and society-wide resilience Ukrainians have demonstrated since February 2022 leave no doubt that NATO would be substantially strengthened by such a new member.

The obvious reason for NATO’s northeastern members to pull together is an aggressive Russia aiming to restore its old sphere of influence. These countries do not expect the Russian threat to diminish anytime soon. Even if Russia loses in Ukraine, it will be capable of rebuilding its forces in a few years’ time. Importantly, Russia is unlikely to give up its imperialist ambition to reestablish control over its neighbors. NATO’s northeastern flank will ensure the alliance will take Russia seriously as a long-term and existential threat.

At the same time, NATO’s northeastern members are making the most serious efforts to strengthen Europe’s ability to take care of its own security. They don’t like talk of a possibly reduced U.S. commitment, as they are well aware of the Americans’ indispensable role in their defense. Unlike some Western European leaders, who lecture about European “strategic autonomy” and the supposed need to keep the United States at a distance, northeastern countries are focusing on actual deeds by taking on a bigger share of the responsibility for Europe’s security—all the while hoping that this will help keep the United States close.

Is NATO Ready for Chaos in Russia?

By Angela Stent, author of Putin’s World: Russia Against the West and With the Rest

The short-lived mutiny by Wagner Group leader Yevgeny Prigozhin and his mercenary army against the Russian government reminded the world that autocrats appear to be stable—until they are not. As NATO leaders convene in Vilnius, they will focus on the immediate challenge of the Russia-Ukraine war and how to maintain and increase support for Kyiv in the current counteroffensive. But the Western alliance will inevitably confront having to deal with a less stable nuclear-armed Russia. NATO has returned to its original mission of containment—the Soviet Union then, an increasingly aggressive Russia now. But the ability to accomplish that mission will depend on who might come to power after Russian President Vladimir Putin.

In the unlikely event that Putin were to opt for a managed transition—akin to how he came to power in 1999—then he would likely install a successor who would initially continue his policies, including prosecuting the war in Ukraine. In that case, NATO would focus on its current dual policies of supporting Ukraine and deterring Russia from escalation. But a managed transition might not work if the new leader decided not to protect the interests of the Putin elite. In that case, or if Putin suddenly departed the scene with no chosen successor, a power struggle would ensue, similar to what happened after Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin died. A more unstable Russia with different elements of the security services supporting opposing sides could raise new concerns about the disposition of nuclear warheads. Europe would likely see a wave of refugees.

To prepare for various scenarios of an unstable, unpredictable, post-Putin Russia, NATO needs to encourage its members to shore up their defense capabilities, particularly the front-line Baltic states and Poland. This includes conventional military weapons and cyberdefense, but NATO members also need to anticipate a range of unconventional threats from a less stable Russia, such as weaponizing nuclear energy. In case of an unstable transition or worse, the alliance would have to reiterate the importance and continuing applicability of Article 5 collective defense. And it would have to reach out to the Russian military to ensure that there was viable communication about nuclear issues.

NATO’s best scenario for a post-Putin Russia would be a leadership that rejected the imperial mindset of the current Kremlin, realized that domestic development and modernization were more important for Russia’s future as a great power than aggression against neighbors, and was willing to resume discussions on strategic stability and nuclear safety. However, it is unclear how Russian elites and the Russian public, which have been fed a diet of xenophobic, nationalist rhetoric for years, would respond to such a radical change in Moscow’s outlook. Barring some unforeseen developments—and Russia can always surprise—this scenario is still some way off, and the immediate challenge remains confining the instability within Russia’s borders.

The EU and NATO’s New Division of Labor

By Liana Fix, Europe fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations

Europe’s old division of labor—NATO responsible for the continent’s security, and the European Union for economic prosperity—is no longer sustainable. The return of major land war to the European continent for the first time since 1945 has made it clear that NATO has to become more European, and the EU more of a security actor.

The reason is simple: Protection through NATO means, overwhelmingly, protection by the United States. With an ongoing war in Europe and a looming conflict over Taiwan in Asia, the United States could become overstretched. As just about everyone agrees by now, Europeans need to carry more of the burden for their own security. However, better burden-sharing within NATO alone will not be enough. Many European countries have already committed to increase defense spending after Russia’s invasion, but the spending is uncoordinated, fragmented, and largely ineffective at reducing Europe’s dependency.

This is where the European Union comes in. French President Emmanuel Macron’s grandiose plans for European “strategic autonomy” independent of Washington have been exposed by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine as an unrealistic and dangerous fantasy—and were opposed by Central and Eastern European countries even before the war. On a more realistic level of ambition, the EU can make a real and lasting contribution to European security by investing in Europe’s defense industrial base and bankrolling the military capabilities that Europeans are lacking. Financing European defense and coordinating procurement is not a task for NATO, which has little influence on what its member states buy and how they finance it. Here, the EU can make an actual difference.

The EU has already gone through a remarkable transformation since Russia launched its war in 2022. Never before has the bloc acted so quickly and decisively during a security crisis, moving with power and speed on sanctions and energy decoupling from Russia. For the first time, Brussels used the European Peace Facility, set up in 2021 to fund peacekeeping missions, to directly procure weapons and ammunition for a non-EU country. Additionally, the EU is financing a military assistance mission to train up to 30,000 Ukrainian soldiers.

The EU’s next logical step should be to do for itself what it has already done for Ukraine: Finance and build the military capabilities that will allow Europeans to become real security contributors, not just a burden to the United States. The EU cannot and should not replace NATO. However, European countries should acquire the capability to conduct a medium-size combat mission in their neighborhood on their own—without the United States, and within either an EU or NATO framework.

The initial instinct during wartime is to stick to what has proven successful in the past. However, the combination of Russia’s war and China’s stepped-up threats against Taiwan is such a significant turning point that things have to change in order to remain the same. To future-proof the world’s most successful defense alliance for the next decade and ensure the security of the continent, NATO needs to team up with its EU cousin.

Trump-Proofing the Alliance

By Ulrich Speck, foreign affairs columnist at Neue Zürcher Zeitung

When NATO leaders discuss the bloc’s future next week, there will be an elephant in the room: What happens if former U.S. President Donald Trump is reelected in 2024? Even short of pulling the United States out of the alliance, as Trump came close to doing, a future U.S. president might limit engagement in Europe, driven by either isolationism or the need to shift scarce resources to the Asian theater.

Without the United States, the value of the alliance approaches zero. Deterring the Kremlin depends on credibility and power—and for the foreseeable future, those qualities can only be provided by the world’s leading military.

Europeans lack the military strength and, even more importantly, the strategic unity to deter a determined adversary. France is little trusted in much of Europe and focused elsewhere and Britain is weakened by Brexit, while Germany does not have much of a functioning military at all. Countries along NATO’s eastern and northern frontier have the will but lack the means. Without a strong and credible deterrence, Moscow would double down on regaining its Soviet-era possessions, and war in all its forms would spread beyond Ukraine.

Trump-proofing NATO is impossible, and Europe must live with a degree of dependence. But the risk of losing Washington can be diminished. In order to keep the United States engaged as the key power behind the European security order, its allies have to massively raise their share of the burden.

The key to any serious burden-sharing remains Germany—Europe’s economic heavyweight, political and geographic center, and close partner of much of Central and Eastern Europe. Germany needs to become the key backup power for the countries exposed to Russian pressure. It won’t be able to do that alone, not least because it lacks a nuclear deterrent, which remains crucial to being at eye level with the Kremlin. But Berlin could and should take over a far bigger share of the burden, stepping into the still-vacant position of “partner in leadership” that then-U.S. President George H.W. Bush offered to Germany at the conclusion of the Cold War.

A commitment to spend 3 percent of its GDP on defense—roughly doubling the 1.44 percent it spent in 2022—would be a strong signal to Russia and Europe. By stepping forward the same way that Japan has done in the Indo-Pacific, Germany would make it much harder for any U.S. leader to blame Europe for not bearing a fair share of the continent’s own defense.

A muscular Germany ready to free the United States from a large part of its European burden would not only impress the skeptics in Washington, but usher the trans-Atlantic relationship into a new era no longer defined by Cold War memories. It would turn NATO into a key element of an emerging free-world architecture involving the United States, Europe, and key Asian allies and partners, including India, Japan, and South Korea. Tokyo has already stepped into the new era—not least by doubling defense spending—while Berlin has yet to take any serious steps.

A massive investment in German defense would be far more than a symbolic tool to keep Washington engaged. It would become the basis for a healthy and sustainable balance between the United States and Europe in underwriting the European security order. Finally, it would be the prerequisite for any Plan B in case the worst comes to pass and a future U.S. president withdraws from Europe, leaving the continent on its own to face a neoimperialist Russia.

NATO’s China Role Starts in Europe

By A. Wess Mitchell, principal at the Marathon Initiative

NATO’s 2022 Strategic Concept took an important first step by recognizing China as a security challenge, but now the alliance needs to translate that into concrete actions. That won’t be easy: China is not an accustomed object of NATO concern, and allies differ on how to deal with Beijing. But forging a coherent approach is vitally important for improving the West’s collective resistance to China and bolstering the United States’ ability to deter and—should it be necessary—fight a war in the Indo-Pacific.

Dealing with China starts inside NATO’s guts and gears. The alliance operates by consensus, precedent, and the tasks that follow from public pronouncements. That’s why it was so important that NATO included China in the 2019, 2021, and 2022 summit declarations, as well as the new Strategic Concept. The key now will be to build support for concrete actions that follow from the threat assessment and fit naturally into NATO’s core security mission.

First, NATO needs to develop contingency plans for what it would do in the event of a U.S.-China war. It also needs to have the ability to regularly take joint positions on China, even if it lies outside of its geographic focus on the Euro-Atlantic region. A major objective of Chinese diplomacy is to disrupt the cohesion of U.S.-led alliances, and NATO is a leading target. At a minimum, the North Atlantic Council needs to be able to air China matters routinely. Eventually, it will probably need a consultative body of some kind to deconflict between NATO and the European Union—and avoid paralysis in a crisis.

Second, NATO needs tools to thwart Chinese activities that undermine its ability to perform its military mission. That includes threats to infrastructure, telecommunications, military readiness, and interoperability. A NATO perforated with Chinese influence could find itself unable to defend itself against Russia in a crisis scenario.

Third and most importantly, NATO needs to be more capable than it is now of defending the Euro-Atlantic home area. It’s always a welcome sight to see French or British ships in Asian waters, and it’s wise for NATO to deepen its partnerships in the Indo-Pacific region. But the heart of NATO’s job is in Europe. The United States’ ability to deter, and if necessary, defeat China will depend on having a strong defensive glacis in Eastern Europe. That begins by inflicting a strategic defeat on Russia in Ukraine, but it will also require a more substantial and permanent NATO presence on the eastern flank. That can’t only come from the United States and front-line allies; Western Europeans will have to do much more in Eastern Europe than they do at present.

The next few years will be crucial in determining whether the West can avoid a major conflict with China. NATO has a crucial role to play as an anchor to global stability by doing its core job in Europe—and doing it well.

Shielding 500 Million Europeans Is Priority One

By Ben Hodges, former commanding general of U.S. Army Europe and Africa

All over Ukraine, Russia is using precision weapons to attack apartment buildings, shopping centers, and energy infrastructure. Clearly, as long as Russia is a threat to NATO, the Kremlin’s methods of waging war on civilians mean that integrated air and missile defense (IAMD) will be required at a much greater scale than the alliance thought. Not only does critical military infrastructure need to be protected, as current plans envision, but NATO also has to protect half a billion European civilians.

The alliance is not prepared for this. Improving the scale, quality, and sustainability of air and missile defense is therefore NATO’s most urgent military task. As we’ve seen in Ukraine, salvoes of missiles, drones, and enemy aircraft will likely come in swarms, from multiple directions and at a variety of speeds and altitudes. The initial defense against such an attack will most likely be by a single member state or group of states—until Article 5 is invoked and NATO decides to act.

This threat requires NATO members to better integrate their various capabilities and develop the policies and processes required to respond instantaneously to any sudden attack. What is needed?

1. NATO must ensure it has a permanent, fully integrated IAMD architecture to perform early warning and command-and-control functions and defeat incoming threats during the transition from peacetime to conflict.

2. Frequent joint multinational exercises should test and verify IAMD capabilities, including in a simulated contested environment. This has not happened at the required scale for at least the past 10 years.

3. Member countries need to invest in next-generation fighter aircraft and a follow-on for NATO’s Airborne Warning and Control System. The first line of defense will most likely be air forces, as ground-based air defense alone will not be able to protect most targeted areas. Aircraft can cover more territory and shift to threats more quickly. But this requires tested and reliable sensors and a command-and-control system to direct aircraft while integrating and coordinating them with ground-based air defense. No one model of aircraft is the answer, but European allies must invest in aircraft that optimize alliance interoperability. Nations that can’t afford aircraft or their own modern missile defense systems can contribute by purchasing and hosting sensors and other support.

4. NATO needs to strengthen the maritime component of air and missile defense with more ship-borne sensors and weapons systems.

5. Alliance members need to increase their ability to defend against a massive, comprehensive attack for an extended conflict. Air and missile defense must be sustainable for as long as the threat lasts.

6. NATO must accelerate the rapid fielding and training of Patriot systems in Poland, Romania, and Sweden, a key partner in any future Russia contingency.

7. The alliance should seek new technologies that can disrupt ballistic missile attacks before they can actually get off the launch pad.

8. NATO must improve passive defense of military targets by minimizing detection and damage through dispersal, camouflage, deception, and hardening.

If Russia makes the terrible decision to attack NATO, it will surely begin with a massive salvo of missiles, rockets, and drones. The West cannot afford to be unprepared. Effective deterrence—and if deterrence fails, defense—requires greatly improved air and missile defense.

Make NATO a Network, Not a Bloc

By Anne-Marie Slaughter, CEO of New America

Is NATO a bloc or a network? At the alliance’s 2012 summit in Chicago, NATO members met alongside 13 global partners selected out of more than 40 countries for their critical contributions to NATO operations. The summit communique emphasized the vital importance of “a wide network of partnership relations” and embraced partnership beyond the bloc as a vital element of cooperative security. In a speech shortly after that summit, then-NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen described a kind of globally networked NATO comprised of “clusters of willing and able Allies and partners ready to cooperate in specific areas.”

That vision of a more horizontal, networked, and cooperative NATO is designed to “empower—to offer assistance and partnership—as much as to overpower,” as I wrote at the time. That ideal is quite at variance with NATO’s currently renewed role as the bulwark of the West, a united front of nations prepared to push back against what is left of the Cold War’s eastern bloc: Russia and Belarus. Yet when it comes to advancing NATO’s core values of “democracy, individual liberty, and the rule of law,” whether they are at risk inside or outside the alliance, the network approach of building peer relationships among groups of countries and their officials is likely to work best. That is the way the European Union works among members, with candidate countries striving to join, and in much of its foreign policy.

Even as NATO renews its original raison d’être as a collective security alliance against Russia, its members would do well to remember the subtler security threats corroding strong and honest government institutions in countries around the world, as well as the existential nonmilitary threats all governments now face. Cooperative security networks are more important than ever.

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What are the differences between UV, RO and UF water purifiers? - Ram Services & Sales

In today’s world, ‘Dirty water’ causes much more damage than just the water-borne illnesses. Contaminants such as arsenic, lead, and other harmful particles are potentially lethal in the long term and are the actual slow killers. In such cases, investing in a reliable water purifier will eliminate not only bacteria or viruses but will also remove other hazardous particle and solvents thus keeping you healthy. Clean drinking water technologies such as RO, UV, and UF are widely used in water purifiers and there is a unique distinction between these technologies and how they clean contaminated water to make it drinkable.

Water contains primarily four types of pollutants. They are:

Physical Impurities, which are visible impurities such as dust, mud, and sand.

Chemical impurities include color, odour, smell, and sour taste.

Hardness- Calcium, Magnesium, and other similar components

Microbiological impurities – Bacteria and Viruses

RO vs UV vs UF are the commonly used water filtration technologies to remove contaminants from water and the purifiers available in India utilize one of these or a combination of technologies to purify water. These technologies have different advantages and limitations. Let us give you a quick rundown of each of them so you can make an informed selection.

Do Visit: https://ramservicesandsales.com/2022/10/08/what-are-the-differences-between-uv-ro-and-uf-water-purifiers/

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The Difference Between RO and Regular Purifiers

In today’s world, having access to clean drinking water is essential for a healthy lifestyle. With various purification technologies available, it can be challenging to choose the right purifier for your needs. Two popular types are RO (Reverse Osmosis) purifiers and regular purifiers. Let’s break down the differences between them to help you make an informed decision.

RO Purifiers

RO purifiers make use of a semi-permeable membrane to eliminate impurities from water. This advanced technology eliminates harmful substances such as heavy metals, fluoride, chlorine, and even microorganisms like bacteria and viruses. RO systems are ideal for areas where the water contains high levels of dissolved solids (TDS), such as salts and metals. The outcome is sterile, mineral-free water that is safe to consume. RO services in Rohini offer a variety of models to suit different needs and budgets, from basic under-the-sink systems to high-capacity whole-house purifiers.

Key benefits of RO purifiers include:

Eliminates dissolved solids such as lead, arsenic, and nitrates.

Reduces water hardness, making it softer and better for appliances.

Effective in areas with poor water quality, offering maximum protection.

Regular Purifiers

Regular water purifiers, such as UV (Ultraviolet) or UF (Ultrafiltration) systems, focus primarily on eliminating bacteria, viruses, and other microorganisms. UV purifiers use ultraviolet light to kill germs, while UF purifiers use filters to block contaminants. These purifiers are effective in areas where the water is microbiologically unsafe but has low TDS levels. RO purifier repair and installation in Rohini is often recommended for areas where the water has high levels of dissolved solids, such as salts and minerals.

Advantages of regular purifiers:

Affordable and easy to maintain.

Capable of getting rid of pathogens without unnecessarily using water.

Retains essential minerals in water.

Conclusion

While RO purifiers offer superior protection by removing dissolved impurities, regular purifiers are suitable for areas where water quality is already decent but requires disinfection. Choose based on your water quality and household needs to ensure safe and clean drinking water for your family.

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Are You Looking For The Best Commercial RO Plant Manufacturer In Noida ?

Netsol Water is aware that to comply with the city's regulations about commercial businesses, a high-grade commercial RO plant must be built or installed in Noida due to its limited water supply.

It could be more thrilling to know that specific parts of our city's water distribution network might have established high levels of dangerous substances like arsenic, lead, & mercury, or organic or biological contamination. Therefore, setting up commercial RO plants becomes very important for this geographic location.

The company represented as Netsol Water, is a leader of commercial RO plant Manufacturer In Noida, with branches all across the nation.Even Netsol Water is One of the largest exporters of several types of RO water treatment plant systems.

Major Primary Characteristics to be inspected before any installation of a Commercial RO plant are mentioned below:

Decreases the amount of liquid impurities produced during the cleaning process, subsequently resulting in a smaller amount of upkeep maintenance.

At the very least, it should provide a high-quality water output for all applications including other water-dependent devices or machinery employed by infrastructure projects, construction companies, & commercial enterprises.

It is meant to complement & enhance popular, modern advanced facilities with membrane-based technologies.

In addition to purifying water, a commercial RO plant needs to eliminate unwanted salts, heavy metals, as well as harmful pollutants.

Conditions & Factors to think about prior to setting-up while mounting or installing in a Commercial RO plant manufacturer in Noida

Before purchasing, mounting, or installing a commercial RO Plant system, you must evaluate the quality of your supply water to determine the types of pollutants present. By getting a thorough report on this, you may add the appropriate Commercial RO Plants to your commercial permits. For example, if biological pollutants such as viruses are present in the source water, an RO facility equipped with a UV system is required; conversely, an Activated Carbon Filter is required if the examination produces a disagreeable odor as well as an unappealing color.

Financial planning is the most important factor to take into account in this situation. The type of RO installed at the commercial factory of your manufacturing facility will also depend on the money available to you for the establishment of a commercial RO. As a result, it becomes fundamental to budget ahead of time for the cost of choosing to purchase & install. 

Choosing a reputable company or brand that meets your needs & objectives while staying within your means is an essential step in managing budgetary investments or fundings.

We suggest purchasing a Commercial RO plant from a better & efficient manufacturer like Netsol Water because they are not just a respectable business with hundreds of happy clients, but also a Commercial RO Plant Manufacturer in Noida. Additionally, the quality will be of the highest caliber yet obtained at an incredibly inexpensive price.

Necessary things to be kept in mind for the preservation & upkeep maintenance of RO Plants

Systems for commercial RO plants are prone to wear as well as stress on their motors, membranes, as well as other components. After a certain level of deployment & application, they must be changed or replaced. Our experts maintain your Commercial RO to the highest standards implementing affordable, world-class modern technology.

Conclusion

The removal of unwanted salt & excess of harmful minerals from water is very essential for the operation in a water treatment plant. Given this, a top-level Commercial RO Plant from Netsol Water is the only option to totally remove all of these toxins & make it safe to drink. If you're searching for a reliable, also a long-lasting commercial RO plant manufacturer in Noida, we are always present as your best choice. One of the most reputed commercial water treatment company is Netsol Water. They provide a range of RO ultra-purification systems for both commercial & corporate customers.

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How Highgene Water Purifiers Ensure Safe Drinking Water for Indian Households

In India, access to clean drinking water is not just a luxury it's a necessity for survival. With diverse water sources varying in quality, the importance of ensuring that our drinking water is safe cannot be overstated. Contaminated water contributes to a range of health problems, especially among vulnerable populations. Fortunately, Highgene is committed to addressing this critical issue through its innovative water purifying solutions, designed specifically for the Indian context.

1. Multi-Stage Filtration Technology:

Highgene purifiers boast an impressive multi-stage filtration process that guarantees clean and safe drinking water.

Filtration Stages:

Sediment Filter: This initial stage captures larger particles like dirt and rust, acting as a pre-filter to prolong the lifespan of subsequent filters.

Carbon Filter: This crucial stage removes chlorine and other chemicals, improving taste and odor. It's particularly beneficial for urban households where chlorination is common.

Ultrafiltration (UF): This membrane filter removes bacteria and larger pathogens, providing an additional layer of safety.

Benefits for Indian Water Conditions:

The multi-stage process is tailored to tackle the specific issues commonly found in Indian water sources, ensuring that families can enjoy pure and delicious drinking water right at home.

2. Advanced Filtration Techniques:

Highgene employs advanced technologies like Reverse Osmosis (RO), Ultra Violet (UV), and Ultrafiltration (UF) to provide comprehensive purification.

Contaminants Targeted:

RO Technology: Perfect for areas with high TDS (Total Dissolved Solids), it removes dissolved impurities and heavy metals.

UV Technology: Effective in killing viruses and bacteria without using chemicals, making it a safe option for families.

UF Technology: This acts as an additional safeguard against pathogens, beneficial for water sourced from rivers and lakes.

By using these technologies together, Highgene ensures that your drinking water is free from harmful elements.

3. Removal of Heavy Metals and Contaminants:

Highgene’s systems are designed specifically for tackling heavy metals often found in Indian water supplies.

Harmful Substances Elimination:

Lead: Common in areas with old plumbing systems, Highgene purifiers can effectively remove lead, safeguarding health.

Arsenic: Known for its harmful effects, especially in certain regions, Highgene’s purification systems efficiently eliminate arsenic, protecting families from severe health issues.

With Highgene, you can trust that unsafe chemicals are filtered out before the water reaches your glass.

4. Non-Electric and Eco-Friendly Purification:

Among the impressive features of Highgene is the development of non-electric purifiers.

Benefits:

Efficiency: These models run without electricity, making them suitable for power cuts, a common scenario in many parts of India.

Environmentally Friendly: Non-electric designs promote sustainability by reducing energy consumption, a great step towards ecological conservation.

This eco-friendly approach not only benefits the planet but also saves families money on electricity bills.

5. Affordable Options for Indian Households:

Highgene believes that every household deserves clean drinking water, regardless of economic conditions.

Budget-Friendly Purifiers:

Models are available under ₹8000, ensuring affordability without compromising quality.

The easy maintenance of these purifiers means families can easily take care of their drinking water needs without incurring excessive costs.

Highgene's focus on affordability ensures that even lower-income families can access the essential resource of clean water.

6. Compact and User-Friendly Designs:

In many Indian homes, space is a precious commodity. Highgene has addressed this with compact purifier designs.

Space-Saving Features:

Easy Installation: Highgene units can fit snugly in kitchens, ensuring that they don’t take up unnecessary space.

User-Friendly Interface: The intuitive design makes operation simple, even for those who may not be tech-savvy.

These thoughtful design features cater not just to convenience but also to the needs of families living in smaller homes.

7. Health Benefits of Drinking Purified Water:

The long-term health advantages of consuming healthy water purifiers are immense.

Prevention of Waterborne Diseases:

Clean water drastically reduces the risk of waterborne illnesses such as cholera and dysentery.

Parents can be at ease knowing their children are less likely to suffer from these preventable diseases.

Long-Term Health Improvements:

Drinking clean water promotes better digestion, hydration, and overall bodily function, contributing to a healthier lifestyle for all family members.

Conclusion:

Highgene water purifiers play a pivotal role in ensuring that Indian households have access to safe drinking water. As one of the water filter best company, Highgene combines innovative technology, affordability, and a commitment to health, making it a trusted choice for consumers. Choosing Highgene is a proactive step towards a healthier future. So why wait? Invest in a Highgene purifier today and give your family the gift of clean, safe drinking water!

[pritiinternational1-blog]

Health Risks of Contaminated Water: How Manufacturers Prevent Them

Water is fundamental to life, but when contaminated, it can pose serious health risks. From gastrointestinal diseases to long-term chronic illnesses, polluted water can wreak havoc on our health. 

In this article, we’ll explore the dangers of contaminated water and how manufacturers work tirelessly to ensure the water we drink is clean and safe.

Health Risks of Contaminated Water

1. Gastrointestinal Diseases: Contaminated water often contains harmful microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses, and parasites. These pathogens can lead to diseases like diarrhea, cholera, dysentery, and typhoid fever. Symptoms include vomiting, dehydration, and abdominal cramps. Children and the elderly are especially vulnerable to these waterborne diseases.

2. Chemical Contaminants: Water can be tainted with chemicals like lead, arsenic, and pesticides. Long-term exposure to these toxins can result in cancer, liver and kidney damage, and reproductive issues. These pollutants often come from industrial waste, agricultural runoff, or old plumbing systems.

3. Heavy Metals: Heavy metals like lead and mercury are particularly dangerous, especially to children. Lead exposure can lead to developmental delays, while mercury affects the nervous system and cognitive function.

4. Emerging Contaminants: Recently, pharmaceuticals, personal care products, and endocrine-disrupting compounds have been detected in water sources. These emerging contaminants can have unpredictable effects on human health and ecosystems, making water safety an ever-evolving challenge.

How Manufacturers Prevent Water Contamination

1. Source Protection: Water manufacturers protect the source of the water they use, often drawing it from deep wells or protected reservoirs. Regular assessments are conducted to ensure the source remains uncontaminated.

2. Advanced Filtration Technologies: Leading water manufacturers, like Priti International in Kolkata, use cutting-edge purification methods, including:

Reverse Osmosis (RO): This process filters out dissolved salts, bacteria, viruses, and other impurities.

Ultraviolet (UV) Treatment: UV light is used to disinfect water, killing harmful microorganisms.

Activated Carbon Filtration: This method helps remove organic contaminants, chlorine, and other chemicals.

3. Rigorous Testing and Quality Control: Manufacturers perform regular water tests to ensure it meets safety standards. These tests screen for microbial, chemical, and physical contaminants. Strict quality control measures ensure that the water remains safe throughout the production process.

4. Sanitation and Hygiene Practices: Proper sanitation practices are essential to prevent contamination during bottling. Equipment is regularly cleaned, and employees follow strict hygiene protocols to avoid introducing pollutants.

5. Food-Grade Materials: Bottled water containers are made from food-grade materials to prevent chemical leaching. This ensures that no harmful substances seep into the water, even during long storage periods.

6. Compliance with Regulations: Manufacturers must meet stringent local and international water quality standards set by agencies like the FDA and EPA. This ensures that the water produced is safe for public consumption.

7. Consumer Education: Manufacturers often engage in educating consumers about safe water handling and storage. This helps individuals recognize potential signs of contamination and take appropriate steps to ensure the water they consume remains clean.

Conclusion

Contaminated water poses significant health risks, but water manufacturers play a key role in safeguarding public health. By protecting water sources, employing advanced purification technologies, conducting rigorous testing, and complying with strict regulations, manufacturers like Priti International ensure the water we drink is safe.

As consumers, it’s important to understand these processes to make informed decisions about the water we consume. By doing so, we can reduce health risks and trust that manufacturers are doing their part to provide clean, safe drinking water.

If you’re looking for a reliable water treatment solution, connect with Priti International, the leading water treatment plant manufacturer in Kolkata.