#United Aerospace Corporation

[pedroam-bang]

Doom Eternal (2019)

“Trapped in hell. Surrounded by evil. Low on gas.”

[lonestarflight]

Mock-up of the Grumman F-14A Tomcat for the U.S. Navy's Naval Fighter Experimental (VFX) program. Grumman was selected over McDonnell Douglas, General Dynamics, North American Rockwell and Vought for the F-14 and was awarded the contract in January 1969.

"The name 'Tomcat' was partially chosen to pay tribute to Admiral Thomas F. Connolly, as the nickname 'Tom's Cat' had already been widely used within the program during development to reflect Connolly's involvement, and now the moniker was adapted into an official name in line with the Grumman tradition of giving its fighter aircraft feline names. Changing it to Tomcat associated the aircraft with the previous Grumman aircraft Wildcat, Hellcat, Tigercat, and Bearcat propeller fighters along with the Panther, Cougar, and Tiger jet fighters. Other names considered were Alley Cat (considered inappropriate due to sexual connotations) and Seacat."

712 F-14s were built at Grumman's Calverton, Long Island, New York facility.

-Information from Wikipedia: link

Date: January 1969

Long Island Daily Press Identifier: aql:31627 ldp-003584 ldp-003584

[gonetodash19]

Thank you to all the wonderful corporations supporting Pride Month!

Remember: evil doesn’t discriminate

[worst-fictional-places-to-work]

The contestants are set!

With 100 responses, i unfortunately could not include everything <//3. However, there will be 52 contestants as listed bellow, and 26 polls for the first round!

I will begin the polls shortly, may the worst place win!

PLACE: The Stanley parable company place MEDIA: the stanely parable

VS

PLACE: Papa's Pizzeria MEDIA: Papa's Pizzeria

PLACE: Hazbin hotel MEDIA:Hazbin hotel

VS

PLACE: VVV MEDIA: Hazbin hotel

PLACE: Altobuck Hospital MEDIA: Blackout Hospital

VS

PLACE: Aether West Academy MEDIA: Here For Sweet Hearts

PLACE: Jovial Playground MEDIA: Jovial Playground - Roblox

VS

PLACE: Glorp N Go MEDIA: Regretevator - Roblox

PLACE: The BAU (the behavioral analysis unit) MEDIA: criminal minds

VS

PLACE: Princeton plainsboro teaching hospital MEDIA: House m.d.

PLACE: Global Relief Effort (GRE) MEDIA: Dying Light/Dying Light 2

VS

PLACE: IMC (Interstellar Manufacturing Corporation) MEDIA: Titanfall 2

PLACE: JCJenson MEDIA: Murder Drones

VS

PLACE: The Company MEDIA: Lethal Company

PLACE: Rizzo’s MEDIA: Outer Worlds

VS

PLACE: The Halcyon Corporation MEDIA: Outer Worlds

PLACE: Arkham Asylum MEDIA: DCU

VS

PLACE: Lexcorp MEDIA: Superman comics/tv shows/movies

PLACE: StrexCorp MEDIA: Welcome to Night Vale

VS

PLACE: Night Vale Community Radio MEDIA: Welcome to Nightvale

PLACE: Gent corporation MEDIA: BATDR

VS

PLACE: Joey Drew Studios MEDIA: Bendy And The Ink Machine

PLACE: Archeological expedition funded by Whitmore Industries/Preston Whitmore MEDIA: Atlantis the Lost Empire

VS

PLACE: Clovis Bray / Braytech MEDIA: Deatiny 2

PLACE: Engineering on the USS Enterprise NCC-1701 MEDIA: Star Trek: The Original Series (TOS)

VS

PLACE: Discovery One MEDIA: 2001 A Space Odyssey

PLACE: Lobotomy Corporation MEDIA: Lobotomy Corporation (the game)

VS

PLACE: The Combine Overwatch MEDIA: Half Life

PLACE: Lumon MEDIA: Severance

VS

PLACE: I.R.I.S. MEDIA: Anomaly Found - Chase Brody by Jacksepticeye on Youtube

PLACE: hero association MEDIA: one punch man

VS

PLACE: Public Safety Devil Hunters MEDIA: Chainsaw Man

PLACE: Princess Peach's Royal Guard MEDIA: Super Mario Bros.

VS

PLACE: Mettatons restaurant MEDIA: Undertale

PLACE: Aether foundation MEDIA: Pokemon

VS

PLACE: The Fatui MEDIA: Genshin Impact

PLACE: Goddard Futuristics MEDIA: Wolf 359 (podcast)

VS

PLACE: The Magnus Institute MEDIA: The Magnus Archives

PLACE: D.D.D MEDIA: That’s not my neighbor

VS

PLACE: Grand Army of the Republic MEDIA: Star Wars (Attack of the Clones to Revenge of the Sith era)

PLACE: Coven Communications Research and Power (CCRP) MEDIA: The hatchetfield series (starkid)

VS

PLACE: ASU-NARO MEDIA: yttd (Your Turn to Die - Death Game by Majority)

PLACE: Fairy godmother's factory MEDIA: Shrek 2

VS

PLACE: COGs incorporated MEDIA: Disney’s Toontown

PLACE: Fazbender Entertainment MEDIA: The Dayshift At Freddy's series

VS

PLACE: Freddy Fazbear's Mega Pizzaplex MEDIA: Five nights at freddy's

PLACE: UAC (Union Aerospace Corporation) MEDIA: doom

VS

PLACE: Immediate Murder Professionals (IMP) MEDIA: Helluva Boss

PLACE: S.C.P. Foundation MEDIA: S.C.P. Foundation

VS

PLACE: Aperture science MEDIA: Portal

PLACE: GrizzCo MEDIA: Splatoon

VS

PLACE: Mystery Flesh Pit National Park MEDIA: Mystery Flesh Pit National Park

[pwlanier]

AN IBM 7090 MAINFRAME COMPUTER

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINE CORPORATION, 1959

Comprising an IBM 7151 console control unit with IBM 7155 switch control console attached to side, an IBM 711 card reader, two IBM 7617 Data Channel Consoles, an IBM 7608 power converter, thirteen IBM 729 magnetic tape units, an IBM 1401 mainframe computer, an IBM 7302 core storage, an IBM 7606 multiplexer, an IBM 7108 instruction processing unit, an IBM 7109 arithmetic sequence unit, an IBM 7607 I data channel, an IBM 7607 II data channel, an IBM 7618 power control, an IBM 1403 printer, an IBM 1402 card read punch, an IBM 716 printer, a trolley of instruction manuals, a large quantity of archival boxes of punched cards, three boxes of archival folders of user manuals, and twelve archival boxes of printouts.

The IBM 7090, introduced in 1959, marked a transformative shift from earlier systems. This pioneering machine was renowned for its remarkable speed and computational power, distinguishing itself from its predecessors with a revolutionary transistorized architecture. Unlike the IBM 709, which relied on cumbersome vacuum tubes, the 7090's use of transistors enabled a significant leap in efficiency, performance and reliability.

With a processing capability of approximately 229,000 instructions per second, the IBM 7090 was a trailblazer of its era, setting a new benchmark for computational speed. This capability made it an invaluable tool for a wide array of demanding scientific and engineering applications. The 7090's 36-bit word length and its advanced floating-point arithmetic capabilities facilitated complex calculations, positioning it as an ideal computer for intricate tasks in fields such as aerospace engineering, weather forecasting, and nuclear research.

The IBM 7090's impact extended beyond its immediate technical advancements. It played a crucial role in solidifying IBM's dominance in the mainframe computing market, establishing the company as a formidable leader in the industry. The 7090's success demonstrated the potential of transistorized computing systems and set new standards for performance and reliability. Throughout the 1960s, its influence was felt across various large-scale computing environments, driving innovation and shaping the future of computational technology, and establishing the computer as a device that was kept in secure room, with limited access.

Today, the IBM 7090 is remembered not just for its specifications, but for its role in heralding a new era of computing. It stands as a symbol of the rapid technological progress of the late 1950s and early 1960s, embodying the spirit of innovation that continues to drive advancements in the field of computing.

Christie’s

[usafphantom2]

Deliveries of the Su-57 to the Russian Air Force with second-stage engine "will occur in the near future"

Fernando Valduga

Russia's Rostec State Corporation is prepared to deliver Sukhoi Su-57 combat aircraft with the advanced Izdeliye-30 (Product 30) or second stage engine.

According to a Rostec statement of May 12, the Su-57 is currently in testing with the second-stage engine, with plans to deliver aircraft equipped with these new engines in the near future.

“The Su-57 is being tested with a second-stage engine. Deliveries of aircraft with new engines are planned for the near future,” the company said.

Although not confirmed, it is expected that all future Su-57 will be equipped with the Izdeliye-30 (AL-51F-1) engine, marking a crucial step to the full realization of the Stealth capabilities of the Su-57 in series production.

Since the end of 2022, the Russian Aerospace Forces have received several batches of Su-57 aircraft, some with the new engine, promising greater thrust and supercruise capabilities.

The Izdeliye-30 engine has a post-combustion thrust of 18,000 kgf and a maximum thrust of 11,000 kgf, resulting in a 1.2-fold increase in the thrust-to-weight ratio. This increases the ascent rates to 330-350 m/s and agility during maneuvers. It also raises the service ceiling and supersonic cruising speed to 2,150-2,200 km/h, with a maximum speed of 2,600-2,700 km/h.

The introduction of the Izdeliye-30 engine is expected to improve game thrust, fuel efficiency and reduce weight and maintenance requirements.

A striking feature of the Izdeliye-30 engine is its exhaust nozzle that increases thrust efficiency, stability, maneuverability and reduces engine noise. The addition of chevron-shaped exhaust nozzles significantly reduces the aircraft's infrared (IR) and radar signatures, improving its stealth characteristics.

The AL-51F-1 (Izdeliye 30) is an advanced turbofan engine with two-axis, low bypass post-combustion design. Notable improvements over its predecessor, the AL-41F1, include fiberglass plastic IGVs and convergent-divergent nozzles with serrated flaps to minimize radar visibility. The AL-51F-1 engine also shows a 19% increase in the thrust/weight ratio, a 6.4% increase in specific thrust and a 9% reduction in specific fuel consumption.

Tags: Military Aviationizdeliye 30RFSAF - Russian Federation Aerospace Force/Russian Aerospace ForceSukhoi Su-57 Felon

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Fernando Valduga

Fernando Valduga

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

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In terms of power, the thrust of this turbofan engine reaches 107.9 kN (24,300 lbf) without afterburning and 166.8 kN (37,500 lbf) with activated after-combustion. Equipped with a full-authority motor digital control system (FADEC), the AL-51F-1 ensures reliability in various operating conditions.

[iww-gnv]

As the summer marked by nationwide labor movements continues to heat up, another major national corporation with deep roots in Kentucky may soon face a strike. The International Union, United Automobile, Aerospace and Agricultural Implement Workers of America, or UAW, is applying pressure on the Big Three automakers, which include General Motors, Ford and Stellantis — which owns the Jeep, Ram, Chrysler, Dodge and Fiat brands — by hosting a nationwide strike authorization vote. Ford Motor Co., which operates both the Louisville Assembly Plant, LAP, and the Kentucky Truck Plant, KTP, in Louisville is facing a strike authorization vote from union members at UAW Local 862 as national UAW negotiations continue ahead of a nationwide contract expiration on Sept. 14. UAW Local 862 represents roughly 12,000 rank and file workers at both LAP and KTP. While a strike authorization vote is often seen as a formality and a common tactic for unions to take during negotiations, it will allow the UAW to strike if deemed necessary in order to secure a contract it feels is best for its membership.

[Read the rest]

[thetruearchmagos]

Fun Worldbuilding for you all that I've just come up with, but Farouk Industries, one of the United Commonwealth's largest defence and aerospace corporations specialising in state of the the art missile, sensor, and computation systems, still runs a small bespoke-rifle making branch which produces custom firearms by hand the same way the company did a century ago.

Dammit, might as well Tag some folks: @athenswrites @caxycreations @hessdalen-globe

[unnervinglyferal]

to the wannabe aerospace engineer anon: please, consider mechanical engineering, especially if you're in the united states. mechanical engineers study the same material as aerospace engineers, but often have more job options that aren't in the defense industry or at corporations tactfully described as "billionaire's playhouses". mechanical engineers are employable in a lot more fields and so it's very possible to go into aerospace with a mechanical engineering degree. as someone who spends a lot of time around aerospace engineers and mechanical engineers, the aerospace engineers are always a lot more stressed about their job prospects. i know this almost certainly will have no impact on your choice, but this is the advice i've received from my mentors and also seen firsthand (i participate in a club at my university with a lot of mechanical engineering and aerospace engineering majors, and that's how i got this perspective on aerospace engineering; i am an engineering major, but not in mechanical or aerospace)

and feral, i think you'd be great at calligraphy, if your sketches are anything to go by

-flore

Noted for the engineer anon. And I have no idea how the hell would anyone keep themselves employed through calligraphy.

[wildmonkeysects]

War Profiteers

Remember President Dwight “Ike” Eisenhower, who after green-lighting the overthrow of Iran’s democracy in 1953 at the behest of petrochemical corporations, had a change of heart and warned about the Military Industrial Complex? Here are the top 100 USA Military Industrial Complex “defense” contractors, all corporate welfare queens mooching off the public, who have blood on their hands in Palestine and elsewhere:

Academi

Action Target

ADT Corporation

Advanced Armament Corporation

AECOM

Aerospace Corporation

Aerovironment

AirScan

AM General

American Petroleum Institute

Argon ST

ARINC

Artis

Assett

Astronautics Corporation of America

Atec

Aurora Flight Sciences

Axon Enterprise

United Kingdom BAE Systems

BAE Systems Inc

Ball Corporation

Ball Aerospace & Technologies

Barrett Firearms Manufacturing

Battelle Memorial Institute

Bechtel

Berico Technologies

Boeing Defense, Space & Security

Booz Allen Hamilton

Boston Dynamics

Bravo Strategic

CACI

Carlyle Group

Carnegie Mellon University

Ceradyne

Cloudera

Colt Defense

The Columbia Group

Computer Sciences Corporation

Concurrent Technologies Corporation

CSRA (IT services company)

Cubic Corporation

Omega Training Group

Curtiss-Wright

DeciBel Research

Dillon Aero

Dine Development Corporation

Draper Laboratories

DRS Technologies

DynCorp

Edison Welding Institute

[Israei]l Elbit Systems

M7 Aerospace

Ensco

United Kingdom/Military contractor Ernst & Young

Evergreen International Aviation

Exxon

Fluor Corporation

Force Protection Inc

Foster-Miller

Foster Wheeler

Franklin Armoury

General Atomics

General Dynamics

Bath Iron Works

General Dynamics Electric Boat

Gulfstream

Vangent

General Electric Military Jet Engines Division

Halliburton Corporation

Health Net

Hewlett-Packard

Honeywell

Humana Inc.

Huntington Ingalls Industries

Hybricon Corporation

IBM

Insight Technology

Intelsat

International Resources Group

iRobot

ITT Exelis

Jacobs Engineering Group

JANUS Research Group

Johns Hopkins University

Kaman Aircraft

KBR

Kearfott Corporation

Knight's Armament Company

Kratos Defense & Security Solutions

L3Harris Technologies

Aerojet

Brashear

[France] Lafayette Praetorian Group

Lake Shore Systems

Leidos

EOTech

Lewis Machine & Tool Company

Lockheed Martin

Gyrocam Systems

Sikorsky

LRAD Corporation

ManTech International

Maxar Technologies

McQ

Microsoft

Mission Essential Personnel

Motorola

Natel Electronic Manufacturing Services

Navistar Defense

Nextel

Northrop Grumman

Northrop Grumman Electronic Systems

Northrop Grumman Ship Systems

Northrop Grumman Technical Services

Northrop Grumman Innovation Systems

NOVA

Oceaneering International

Olin Corporation; also see John M. Olin and John M. Olin Foundation

Oshkosh Corporation

Para-Ordnance

Perot Systems

Picatinny Arsenal

Pinnacle Armor

Precision Castparts Corporation

Raytheon Technologies

Collins Aerospace

Rockwell Collins

Goodrich Corporation

Pratt & Whitney

Raytheon Intelligence & Space

Raytheon Missiles & Defense

Raytheon BBN

Remington Arms

Rock Island Arsenal

Roundhill Group

Ruger

Saab Sensis

Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC)

SGIS

Sierra Nevada Corporation

Smith & Wesson

Smith Enterprise (SEI)

SPRATA

Springfield Armory

SRC Inc

SRI International

Stanley

Stewart & Stevenson

Swift Engineering

Tactical Air Support

Teledyne

Teledyne FLIR

Textron

AAI Corporation

Bell Helicopter Textron

Trijicon

TriWest Healthcare Alliance

Unisys

U.S. Ordnance

Verizon Communications

Vinnell Corporation

Westinghouse Electric Corporation

[longwindedbore]

* At the heart of this investigation is RealPage, a software and consulting firm that allegedly orchestrates price-fixing among large corporate landlords. RealPage’s system, which is owned by Thoma Bravo, one of the largest private equity firms in the U.S., provides rental price recommendations to landlords. These recommendations are based on detailed real-time data shared by landlords, including pricing, inventory, and occupancy rates. RealPage’s influence is extensive, affecting rents for 70% of multi-family apartment buildings and 16 million units across the country.

The scheme allegedly works by encouraging landlords to adopt RealPage’s pricing recommendations, which they do 80-90% of the time. This coordinated effort among landlords to follow the software’s suggestions drives up rental prices by reducing the availability of units. As one of RealPage’s architects reportedly stated, the goal is to prevent landlords from undervaluing their properties, thereby ensuring higher rents nationwide.*

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

EDITORIAL

Is there a difference in the DOJ between administrations?

YES: both political parties, including presidential candidates, accept donations from Big Corporations, and Political Action Committees (often the same entities).

HOWEVER there is a SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE between policies of administrations and legislative majorities.

OBVIOUSLY we live in a corrupt system resistant to change.

The Rich and their surrogates in institutions lecture the 95% of us that we should be investing (or tithing) instead of buying I-phones or lattes, food, etc.

In actuality the Rich aren’t ‘investing’ to create new markets and growth. As was more the case in times past.

Instead they’re wealth comes from hegemonic depredations which they can easily hide with their hegemony on the media.

The stock market has changed from a means to raise capital for new ventures to a gigantic legalized Ponzi scheme to drive up the value of the stock bonuses that are 90% of the compensation for the top floor execs and directors so that they can borrow against their monopoly-money value.

Voting could change this

The old anti-trust laws are on the books. We could have done this in the Obama Admin.

Alas, the #%^*£€¥ ‘progressives’ who failed to vote in the off-year 2010 elections wiped out Dems large majotlrities in Congress

The loss of the majorities torpedoing any chance of Obama resurrecting the anti-trust laws, the Congress and DOJ investigating the ‘derivatives’ Ponzi scheme and breaking up the ‘too big to fail’ banks. Then the aerospace duopoly, pharmaceuticals, insurance bastards, etc.

Not voting matters!

And, yeah, “voting within the system won’t change the system”. No shit?

Did “punishing the Dems” improve things when #%^*¥£€> ‘progressives didn’t vote their MAJORITIES in 1968, 1972, 1980, 1984, 1988, 1994, 1996, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2022???

[pedroam-bang]

Grzegorz Domaradzki - Doom Eternal (2019)

“Trapped in hell. Surrounded by evil. Low on gas.”

[restless-sea-art]

Armored core 6 has basically taken over my brain like an infectious parasite or ameboid of some sorts so I’ve went down the rabbit hole of fanfiction and fanart, which has in turn inspired me to write my own head canons down, and one replay of armored core 4/4A and well….

Anyways here’s how I imagine a few the corporations/pilots from 4 would work in 6’s timeline. Some info is implying a Liberator ending as I plan on using these in a post liberator fanfic

THE EARTH SPHERE CORPORATIONS

These companies are all old money, pioneers of core theory With their developments in the field of AC research, and in turn helping propel humanity out into interstellar colonization. While no longer being the only fish in the pond they still command respect from earths governments and

Global Armaments

Global armaments is a house in decline, having already been on the back foot in the wars that ravaged earth, they were slow to make the jump into extraplanetary exploration. Things not being helped by whatever market niche they could carve being overtaken by the Balam group. Nevertheless, many a mercenary in the earth sphere take a shine to their AC designs, finding them a nice compromise between the Dafeng and Balam design philosophies. They maintain colonies in orbit of mars, the home planet of one of their top pilots Unite Mons.

Rayleonard

A company that’s always been at the forefront of AC development, they maintain colonies in orbit of earths moon where they act as a nation in and of themselves, leaving their earth activities to their subsidiary Akvavit. Rumors say that they had a massive share in the rubicon research institute and have the biggest off planet stockpile of coral though many investigations from earth sphere officials and the PCA have found no truth to these claims.

Bernard Felix Foundation

BFF is a corporation with close ties to the earth government, lending its top minds to the development of advanced MT’s like the PCA LC/HC lines. BFF was initially an aerospace engineering firm, spearheading humanities colonization of the stars with its research. It now commands a series of colonies in the asteroid belt between mars and Jupiter, and is ruled by an aristocracy stationed out of earth itself. The general culture of which models itself off of the Knights of old, befitting the groups roots in Europe.

PILOTS

Joshua O’Brian

AC: White glint

A mercenary in association with the organization Collared, though not an association he’d like to have, Joshua is an ace among aces, only being rivaled by Anatolia’s mercenary. His interest has turned to rubicon after Balam and Arquebus’ retreat from the planet, seeing the newly formed rubiconian government as a potential client.

Anatolias’s mercenary

AC: Thinker

Callsign: Crow

An old soldier, having fought many battlefields since as long as they can remember. Their past is shrouded in mystery, with a select few knowing who they truly are. They fight to support their home of new Anatolia, a small mining colony in an O’Neil cylinder that, after the resource they mined dried up, could no longer support itself. Comes to rubicon after word of a mercenary known as raven having played a pivotal part in the conflict

[shadeops21]

Ruby Team

9th Fighter Squadron, 2nd Air Division of the Royal Valean Air Force.

While the unit's name predated her transfer into the squadron, it is certain that the impact that Flight Lieutenant Ruby Rose had during the unit's involvement during the Second Great War has etched both her name and her unit's into the history book.

It was observed through the latter stages of the war that her mere presence in an airspace or over a battlefield directly affected the morale of all involved, either for the good or bad.

"That jet; we called it the Burning Rose, for the flames it left behind were akin to falling petals." - Separatist Atlesian POW

(Rafale M of the RVAF's 9th FS, serial 0148-011, dubbed "Crescent Rose")

Originally based out of Beacon AFB, located just outside of Vale's capital district, the 9th FS specialized in precision ground attack and tactical strike operations. Trained for interdiction, tactical bombing, precision and maritime strike, as well as the capability to self-escort to and from a target area, these pilots were renowned for their accuracy and tenacity.

However as the Second Great War progressed, Ruby Team found themselves at the spearhead of offensive and defensive operations across the theater of war. Ruby Team were also only one of the few from a handful of squadrons across both the Royal Valean Air Force and Royal Valean Navy's Maritime Air Arm to escape the fall of Vale to friendly territories.

"I swear, you could hear the confidence of the troops skyrocket when those four were seen overhead. You could be on your last magazine, but hearing those four sets of engines made you feel you could take on an entire armoured column." - Valean Army 'Hunter' operator.

(Rafale M of the 9th FS, flown by FLTLT Weiss 'Ice Queen' Schnee. Ruby Team's #2)

Few actually know of the four pilots of Ruby Team beyond their names, ranks, and posting at the time of the Second Great War. Part of that was attributed to the loss of records as a result of the Fall of Vale, but anecdotal stories from allies and onlookers alike show that whilst not aloof the members of Ruby Team did tend to stay out of the limelight and out of view whenever they were on the ground between missions.

One common trait was clear though, remaining consistent regardless of whoever was interviewed about their encounters with the Burning Rose:

She inspired others with little more than a smile and a 'follow me'.

"If you were on the same [frequency] as them, you wouldn't have known it. They were at the level where merely a few words needed to be exchanged before each pilot moved to act. It was as if they had telepathy or something. And to watch them fly was just awe-inspiring." - Senior Lieutenant Wukong, 10th Fighter Squadron of the Mistral Aerospace Forces

(Rafale M 0240-009, "Gambol Shroud". Flown by Ruby Team element leader, FLGOFF Belladonna)

Many theorised over the factors and reasons why Ruby Team performed as well as they did during the course of the war. They weren't the only squadron to have considerable impact on the war and it's progress, with many successful operations attributed to other units that formed up the Remnant Strategic Allied Forces (RSAF).

One key attribute that some have indicated may have been a factor was their composition of pilots: a young Valean prodigy born from renowned ace pilots; the daughter and prospective heiress of one of the largest mega-corporations on Remnant; a reformed activist looking to right wrongs done in the past; and a free-spirited yet loyal daredevil who never gave up even in the worst of odds.

"Ruby Team saved our lives, both personally and collectively. When things were at their darkest, they were the ones who said 'Fuck that, we aren't dying here. Let's go.' And I think that was what did it for everyone, once you cut out all the other bullshit." - FLTLT Arc, "Juniper" Team flight lead, 11th Fighter Squadron, 2nd Air Division, RVAF.

(Rafale M 0122-009, flown by Ruby Team #4, FLGOFF Xiao Long.)

Regardless of the anecdotes, the stories, and the varying pieces of news reporting from all sides of the conflict, it is undeniable that if it weren't for the efforts of Ruby Team, there may very well not be a Remnant left to live on.

Yet, despite their impact, once the fires were extinguished and cities were rebuilt, nary a trace of the The Four Beacons could be found. I personally would not blame them; they've more than earned their peace and quiet.

I just hope that their rest is not disturbed by another conflict.

Excerpts taken from "The Beacons, The Rose, and the Second Great War - An Account of the War from the tip of the spear", written by Oscar Pine.

------

Yeah, back on my crossover bullshit. Working on a whole series of skins of different aircraft and squadrons as "what if's" - Namely, what if RWBY was set in a world like Ace Combat.

Squadrons tend to follow matching paint schemes, and I also didn't want to give Ruby and her team a uber-distinctive and unoriginal livery like full black and red or something like that. I've kinda pulled inspiration from different Ace Combat titles and liveries of primary and secondary characters. It may not be visible on the renders above, but each aircraft has a personal touch, apart from the character's respective emblems located behind the cockpit:

Ruby: cursive "Crescent Rose" in red written below the cockpit in front of the right intake.

Weiss: a red arrowhead/dagger shape representative of her scar.

Blake: has the two lines seen on Gambol Shroud running along the spine of her aircraft from nosecone to tailfin

Yang: pin-up girl silhouette with the words "Ember Celica" flanking on either side, lower left nose in front of the intake.

I have an entire word doc with an order of battle drafted up, assigning each team of students and hunters to squadrons from specific air forces. I may post this up later if there's significant interest...

Anyway, thanks for getting to this point. Long post and different from the usual programming. Still fun to do this though!

[tastydregs]

The US Air Force Is Moving Fast on AI-Piloted Fighter Jets

On the morning of December 1, 2022, a modified F-16 fighter jet codenamed VISTA X-62A took off from Edwards Air Force Base, roughly 60 miles north of Los Angeles. Over the course of a short test flight, the VISTA engaged in advanced fighter maneuver drills, including simulated aerial dogfights, before landing successfully back at base. While this may sound like business as usual for the US’s premier pilot training school—or like scenes lifted straight from Top Gun: Maverick—it was not a fighter pilot at the controls but, for the first time on a tactical aircraft, a sophisticated AI.

Overseen by the US Department of Defense, VISTA X-62A undertook 12 AI-led test flights between December 1 and 16, totaling more than 17 hours of autonomous flight time. The breakthrough comes as part of a drive by the United States Air Force Vanguard to develop unmanned combat aerial vehicles. Initiated in 2019, the Skyborg program will continue testing through 2023, with hopes of developing a working prototype by the end of the year. 

The VISTA program is a crucial first step toward these goals, M. Christopher Cotting, director of research at USAF Test Pilot School, explains. “This approach, combined with focused testing on new vehicle systems as they are produced, will rapidly mature autonomy for uncrewed platforms and allow us to deliver tactically relevant capability to our warfighter,” he says. 

With Ukraine’s use of semiautonomous drones, the US military’s first autonomous flight of a Black Hawk helicopter last November, and the successful testing of AI algorithms in US U-2 spy planes in 2020, it’s clear that autonomous combat represents the next front in modern warfare. But just how completely will AI take over our skies, and what does it mean for the human pilots left on the ground?

The VISTA X-62A (short for Variable In-flight Simulation Test Aircraft) has always been ahead of its time. Built in the 1980s and based on an F-16D Block 30 Peace Marble Il, the plane previously held the designation NF-16D and became the US Airforce Test Pilot School’s go-to simulation machine in the early 1990s. A versatile and adaptable training tool boasting open systems architecture, the VISTA can be fitted with software that allows it to mimic the performance characteristics of multiple aircraft, from heavy bombers to ultra-light fighter jets. 

Prior to last year’s autonomous flight tests, the VISTA received a much-needed update in the form of a “model following algorithm” (MFA) and a “system for autonomous control of the simulation” (SACS) from Lockheed Martin’s Skunk Works. Combined with the VISTA Simulation System from defense and aerospace company Calspan Corporation, these updates facilitated an emphasis on autonomy and AI integration. 

Utilizing General Dynamics’s Enterprise-wide Open Systems Architecture (E-OSA) to power the Enterprise Mission Computer version 2 (EMC2, or Einstein Box), the SACS system also integrates advanced sensors, a set of Getac tablet displays in both cockpits, and multilevel security features, all of which enhance VISTA’s capabilities, including its rapid-prototyping advantage, which allows for speedy software updates to meet the accelerating pace of AI development.

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Canada selects Boeing's P-8A Poseidon as its new multi-mission aircraft

The partnership with Canadian industry will provide long-term economic prosperity to Canada 🇨🇦

Fernando Valduga By Fernando Valduga 11/30/2023 - 18:52 in Military

With the P-8, Canada guarantees the interchangeability of allies NORAD and FIVE EYES.

The government of Canada signed a letter of offer and acceptance of foreign military sales for up to 16 Boeing P-8A Poseidon aircraft, as part of the Canadian Multimission Aircraft Project (CMMA).

Canada joins eight defense partners, including all allies of FIVE EYES, the intelligence alliance that also includes the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand, and becomes the fifth NATO nation to have selected the P-8 as its multi-mission aircraft. The first delivery is scheduled for 2026.

“The P-8 will strengthen Canada's defense capability and readiness, and we look forward to delivering that capability to the Royal Canadian Air Force,” said Heidi Grant, president of Business Development at Boeing Defense, Space & Security. “Together with our Canadian partners, we will deliver a strong package of industrial and technological benefits that will ensure continued prosperity for Canada's aerospace and defense industry.”

The P-8 is the only proven in-service and production solution that meets all CMMA requirements, including range, speed, strength and payload capacity. This decision will benefit hundreds of Canadian companies and bring decades of prosperity to Canada through the support of the platform provided by our Canadian industrial partners.

The acquisition of P-8 will generate benefits of almost 3,000 jobs and $358 million annually in economic output for Canada, according to a 2023 independent study by Ottawa-based Doyletech Corporation.

“This is a very important day for the Royal Canadian Air Force and Boeing,” said Charles 'Duff Sullivan, managing director of Boeing Canada. "The P-8 offers unparalleled capabilities and is the most affordable solution for acquisition and life cycle maintenance costs. There is no doubt that the P-8 will protect Canada's oceans and borders for future generations."

The partnership with Canadian industry will provide long-term economic prosperity to Canada.

The Poseidon Team is the cornerstone of Boeing's Canadian P-8 industrial partnership, composed of CAE, GE Aviation Canada, IMP Aerospace & Defense, KF Aerospace, Honeywell Aerospace Canada, Raytheon Canada and StandardAero. The team is based on the 81 existing Canadian suppliers for the P-8 platform and more than 550 Boeing suppliers in all provinces, contributing to the company's annual economic benefit of approximately CAD$ 4 billion for Canada, supporting more than 14,000 Canadian jobs.

With more than 160 aircraft delivered or in service and 560,000 collective flight hours, the P-8 has proven capabilities for anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare, intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance and humanitarian assistance/disaster relief response.

Tags: Military AviationBoeingP-8A PoseidonRCAF - Royal Canadian Air Force/Canada Air Force

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Fernando Valduga

Fernando Valduga

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

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