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Saturday Night Doomsday Double Feature – An Examination of “The Day After” (1983) and “By Dawn’s Early Light” (1990)

May 18th, 2025

I ran across this look at two great Cold War movies on Youtube and wanted to share. I watched both of these movies when they debuted and in the case of “By Dawn’s Early Light” multiple times.

I’ve long been fascinated by nuclear war fiction, likely as a response to growing up in the 60s through 80s and then serving in Germany during the waning days of the Cold War. I don’t know if enjoy is the proper word for appreciating this genre, but I hope you get something out of this examination of these nuclear fiction dramas.

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Dropkick Murphys to Headline D-Day Rally in Support of Veterans

May 17th, 2025

Unite for Veterans Welcomes Legendary Punk Band to June 6 Event on the National Mall in Washington, DC

WASHINGTON, DC — Organizers of the upcoming Unite for Veterans, Unite for America rally are proud to announce that acclaimed Celtic punk band Dropkick Murphys will join forces with veterans and their allies on the anniversary of D-Day, June 6, 2025, for a historic performance on the National Mall.

The band will headline the rally, delivering a high-energy set to support thousands of veterans protesting deep cuts to the Department of Veterans Affairs and the federal workforce — where veterans make up nearly one-third of all employees.

“Since we started in 1996, Dropkick Murphys has always proudly supported the men and women of the United States military and are honored to count many of them among our most loyal fans,” said Dropkick Murphysfrontman, Ken Casey. “It will be a privilege to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with veterans on the anniversary of D-Day to raise our voices in defense of their jobs, their health care, and their dignity.”

The June 6 rally will take place near the Washington Monument and the World War II Memorial — a powerful backdrop for a day of protest, remembrance, and unity. Organized by the Unite for Veterans Coalition, the event will spotlight attacks on earned benefits, call out attempts to privatize the VA, and rally the veteran community to defend the institutions that serve them.

“We couldn’t ask for a better partner than the Dropkick Murphys,” said Will Attig, an Army veteran and lead organizer of the event. “Their music has long been a soundtrack for resolve and resilience — and the source of many post 9/11 war anthems. Veterans know the difference between patriotism and empty platitudes — and on D-Day, we’ll be rallying and singing for something real: veterans’ jobs, their healthcare, and American ideals.”

The rally remains nonpartisan and veteran-led, focused on upholding American values, preserving veterans’ benefits, and opposing any attempts to dismantle the systems that support those who served.

Veterans, union allies, and supporters are encouraged to join the effort and learn more at www.unite4veterans.org. Follow Unite for Veterans, Unite for America on Twitter/X and BlueSky for updates and details.

Posted in Press Release, Veterans | Comments Off on Dropkick Murphys to Headline D-Day Rally in Support of Veterans

Happy 17th Birthday to Us

May 17th, 2025

In a wild SSD / SOLSYS mashup, our first post in 2008 gave a hint of what was to come. If you’ve seen “2001: A Space Odyssey” you may have caught Astronaut Dave Bowman utter something about something wonderful happening…and here it is.

What a long, strange trip it’s been…

Posted in Admin | 1 Comment »

US Army’s Impact on Fashion

May 17th, 2025

FORT GEORGE MEADE, Md. — The average person probably believes the worlds of the military and fashion are mutually exclusive. Fashion is a popular style or trend that often includes rare, high-priced wearable art… while the military prides itself on utilitarianism, a calling born of necessity while wearing clothing designed for heavy wear-and-tear.

It may come as a surprise, therefore, that the U.S. Army’s fondness for design extends to more than just the most updated lethal weaponry, vehicles and warfare tactics. Its impact on fashion can be seen daily worldwide, without the consumer realizing its history.

Here are five major fashion items inspired by the U.S. Army.

Aviator Sunglasses

From the runway to faces around the globe, “aviator” sunglasses were initially developed for Army Air Corps pilots prior to World War II. If you have ever wondered why these sunglasses have their distinctive shape, it is for much more than fashionable reasons. The design protected the eyes of pilots from 360-degree sunlight, as well as covering the entirety of the eye socket for even more shielding from the sun’s rays. Next time you throw on your favorite pair of aviators, remember you have the Army Air Corps to thank.

Cotton T-Shirts

You read that correctly. Your favorite go-to clothing item became a fashion staple following the return of Soldiers from World War I. Before then, the cotton t-shirt was exclusively an underwear item and not believed appropriate for wear on its own in public. Tens of thousands of Soldiers were issued the cotton t-shirt as an undershirt for their uniforms. Returning home from war, these heroes began wearing the cotton T-shirt solo when out and about.

Combat Boots

Initially designed for Soldiers to protect their feet and ankles while marching through unknown and treacherous terrain, the combat boot has been incorporated into the collections of countless designers. Its adoption by the civilian population gained prominence as a symbol of protest with the punk movement of the 1980s. Its influence on fashion continues today, with iconic design house Prada continuing to update its longstanding line of combat-inspired footwear.

Outerwear

Fashionistas crave the styles that will walk the major runways during Fall/Winter fashion season, mostly for the new and stylish coats that will be shown. Many may not know, however, that a large majority of the coats being seen are heavily inspired by military duty uniforms. The iconic “Eisenhower” jacket, a waist-length, double pocket, pleated coat with an adjustable waistband, was issued to Soldiers in World War II and has now made a comeback as an optional item of the Army Green Service Uniform. Parkas and field jackets were designed for differing weather environments (Korea and Vietnam, respectively) and have been heavily featured in collections of designers since first being worn by U.S. Army Soldiers.

Camouflage EVERYTHING!

Millennials will remember the fashion trends of the early 2000s, including glitter crop tops, low-rise jeans, fleece jackets over two or more popped-collar polos camouflage pants, shorts, and shirts. Before the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, U.S. teenagers grew up during a period of peacetime following the Persian Gulf War, often turning to familiar staples seen in early news coverage of military action. After the start of the Global War on Terror, camouflage clothing gained popularity as patriotism and national pride increased. Some Soldiers serving may even associate this fashion trend with their first experience wearing the uniform.

The U.S. Army has influenced fashion trends through the widespread adoption of military-inspired styles. The Army’s impact extends beyond the battlefield, shaping civilian clothing and expressions of pride in our nation. As fashion continues to evolve, military aesthetics remain a powerful symbol of service and resilience.

SFC Nicholas Nofziger

Posted in Army, Clothing, Guest Post | No Comments »

New NP Aerospace UK Defence Facility Opened by Coventry MP

May 16th, 2025

NP Aerospace, the global vehicle integrator and armour manufacturer, has formally opened its new 5.73-acre facility in Coventry, supporting UK job growth and global defence needs. The opening ceremony was conducted on Friday 9th May 2025, by Mary Creagh CBE, MP for Coventry East and NP Aerospace’s leadership team and workforce.

Located in Coventry, the 80,000 sq. ft. indoor site and large outdoor space for military vehicle fleets, will enhance vehicle integration, armour production, and engineering capabilities – creating jobs and strengthening the UK supply chain.

Facilities include vehicle assembly, fabrication, customer support and spares, engineering development, specialist equipment handling, machining and final finishing, and sustainable energy production.

The new site is also situated close to NP Aerospace’s armour production site in Foleshill, the area of the city where the company was established as part of Courtaulds Group, approaching 100 years ago.

NP Aerospace is a trusted global supplier of defence-related products and services for UK MOD and global defence forces. With this new facility, NP Aerospace is in the ideal position to deliver greater capacity for UK-based assembly and integration of full or partial defence systems, including vehicles and armour, for military customers and vehicle OEM industry partners. It also demonstrates NP Aerospace’s investment in the development of people, skills, and engineering know-how, whilst supporting growth in domestic and export business.

Mary Creagh, MP for Coventry East MP said: “It’s a great pleasure to open NP Aerospace’s latest UK defence facility, here in the heart of Coventry. Last week, the Prime Minister showed he knows what it takes to deliver the deals we need for economic growth. This means well-paid skilled jobs, more money in your pocket, and more access to markets so UK-based companies like NP Aerospace can thrive. By opening this new facility, NP Aerospace is expanding their export capabilities and strengthening the UK supply chain. NP Aerospace already has a strong reputation in this city, in the industry, and internationally. In seeing this new facility for myself, I understand why.”

James Kempston, CEO of NP Aerospace, commented: “I’m thrilled to be opening our new UK facility today, and I’d like to thank Mary Creagh MP for joining us to cut the ribbon and mark this important milestone alongside our team. This investment represents a major step forward for NP Aerospace, strengthening the foundations for our continued growth. As a key defence employer in the West Midlands, we remain committed to developing our people, advancing skills and know-how, and expanding our engineering capabilities—delivering lasting benefits to both the region and the wider UK economy.” He added: “For our international customers, this new facility will serve as a central hub to support the continued delivery of our vehicle and armour export programmes, following the acquisition and contract novation activities completed in 2024. For the UK Ministry of Defence, it enhances our ability to deliver on major programmes, including Protected Mobility and Conventional Vehicle fleet contracts such as PMETS and CVSSP, while also reinforcing vital onshore defence capabilities well into the future.”

Posted in Armor, Industry, International, Press Release | No Comments »

Cubic Digital Intelligence Unveils Tethys Data Management Platform

May 16th, 2025

A breakthrough in AI-driven data management for defense and intelligence missions

Cubic Digital Intelligence (CDI), a leader in mission-ready software solutions for defense and intelligence, today announced the launch of Tethys, a powerful data management platform to deliver AI/ML-driven intelligence across complex and dynamic operational environments.

As the pace and complexity of mission demands grow, operators and analysts are inundated with volumes of unstructured data. Tethys simplifies and accelerates the data-to-decision timeline by intelligently ingesting, processing and distributing information, empowering mission-critical decisions at scale.

“Tethys answers the evolving challenge of turning raw data into mission-ready intelligence,” said Paul Sartorius, VP and General Manager of CDI. “It streamlines complex workflows, automates processing, and ensures data gets where and when it’s needed most.”

Kubernetes-based, Tethys is engineered for high scalability, fault tolerance, and intelligent resource orchestration. Defense and intelligence teams can seamlessly deploy and monitor AI/ML models, automate data workflows, and securely manage data movement across classified and unclassified domains.

Key platform capabilities include:

AI/ML Model Management: Centrally deploy, track and refine models in a single, intuitive interface.

Flexible Data Movement: Ingest and distribute heterogeneous data inputs—such as ELINT, SIGINT, and OSINT—and real-time routing to mission systems or storage layers.

Federated Data Access & Integration: Virtualize access to distributed data sources, enabling cross-domain insights without requiring data migration or schema standardization.

Three-Click Access: Streamlined UX ensures users can locate/process/retrieve high-priority data assets in three interactions.

Whether cloud, on-premises or disconnected edge environments, Tethys provides unmatched flexibility and performance, maintaining operational advantage regardless of infrastructure or connectivity constraints.

Built for the Modern Mission Landscape

Tethys is platform-agnostic and topology-neutral, accommodating various data sources, models and mission needs. Its intuitive UI offers complete pipeline observability, and zero-downtime-update ensures continuous operations during critical missions.

From special operations to enterprise-level intelligence environments, Tethys empowers users:

Faster insight generation
Reduced cognitive load
Improved mission planning/execution
Stronger integration across allied forces and systems

Tethys is available now as part of CDI’s growing portfolio of defense software solutions, including TAKTICS, Unified Video+ and the HiPER Suite of GEOINT tools.

Posted in Comms, Press Release | No Comments »

RGB Spectrum and Gemstar Manufacturing Partner to Deliver Tactical Operations Units for Military-Grade Deployments

May 16th, 2025

Purpose-Built Mobile Command Center Designed for Rapid, Reliable Field Operations

Alameda, California – May 14, 2025 – RGB Spectrum, a global leader in mission-critical video solutions for real-time decision support, announced a collaboration with Gemstar® Manufacturing, a specialist in rugged protective packaging, to deliver the IPX Flyaway Kit—a lightweight, fully integrated mobile command center designed for mission-critical deployments.

Built for rapid deployment in military, defense, and tactical environments, the IPX Flyaway Kit combines RGB Spectrum’s IPX video processing system with Gemstar’s SENTINEL® ruggedized hard case to ensure high performance in the harshest operational conditions. Together, the two companies are providing field teams with an advanced yet compact solution that delivers powerful visualization, real-time data distribution, and reliable communications—when and where it matters most.

Deployable. Durable. Mission-Ready.

The IPX Flyaway Kit is a self-contained mobile command-and-control solution engineered to deliver unmatched video processing, situational awareness, and secure data sharing on the move.

Key features include:

Real-time visualization with RGB Spectrum’s Zio® AV-over-IP platform, enabling multiview displays, remote video streaming, encoding/decoding, and video wall control.

Plug-and-play integration with local and remote video sources, sensors, computers, and displays.

Ruggedized SENTINEL® case-on-case by Gemstar Manufacturing, offering watertight, lightweight, durable protection.

Military-grade deployment readiness, weighing under 70 pounds and fully operational within minutes.

A Strategic Collaboration for Future-Ready Solutions

“We partnered with Gemstar to build a system that meets the extreme durability and performance needs of defense and tactical teams,” said Dan Marcus, Vice President of New Business Development, RGB Spectrum. “The IPX Flyaway Kit is built for the mission—compact, resilient, and ready to deliver situational awareness and secure communications in any environment.”

“Gemstar’s hard cases are designed for exactly this kind of deployment—where reliability is critical and failure is not an option,” said Mark Hedin, President, Gemstar Manufacturing. “We’re proud to work alongside RGB Spectrum to protect and enable advanced technologies that support the warfighter.”

Learn more about RGB Spectrum’s innovative solutions at www.rgb.com.

Posted in Comms, Press Release | No Comments »

Elbit America’s Night Vision Goggles Provide Marines Precision, Accuracy, Confidence

May 16th, 2025

Squad Binocular Night Vision Goggle systems will support USMC missions in low-light and no-light conditions world-wide

FORT WORTH, TEXAS – May 14, 2025 –Elbit Systems of America (Elbit America) recently received a delivery order valued at $112 million for Squad Binocular Night Vision Goggle (SBNVG) systems from the Marine Corps Systems Command. The SBNVG systems will be produced at the company’s facility in Roanoke, Virginia through December 2026. The delivery order was placed under a multi-year Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (ID/IQ) contract secured in 2023.

Elbit America’s SBNVGs are lightweight, helmet-mounted systems that combine a binocular with high -performance white phosphor image intensification tubes and an enhanced clip-on thermal imager. The thermal capability allows Marines to detect otherwise hidden targets, even in complete darkness.

The SBNVG provides unmatched depth perception, clarity and situational awareness – whether Marines are operating vehicles, maneuvering on foot, or navigating tunnels or dark buildings. Built for extended missions, the SBNVGs deliver exceptional performance and extra-long run times, no matter the environment.

“Production of more than 20,000 Squad Binocular Night Vision Goggle systems – and continued orders – demonstrate their impact and effectiveness for the U.S. Marine Corps,” said Erik Fox, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Warfighter Systems at Elbit America. “SBNVGs provide our Marines a decisive advantage. They can see, detect, and react more quickly than their adversaries – an edge that’s critical in today’s complex battlefield.”

“Elbit America’s Squad Binocular Night Vision Goggle system enhances the capabilities of our Marines, making them an unmatched force on the battlefield,” said Elbit America President and CEO Luke Savoie. “These advanced systems build on more than six decades of night vision innovation, enabling the U.S. Marine Corps to operate with precision, accuracy and confidence.”

More details on Elbit America’s Night Vision solutions are available at www.elbitamerica.com/night-vision.

Photos via DoD.

Posted in Optics, Press Release, USMC | No Comments »