China’s plan to make its military ruthless if electronic warfare shuts down technology: use its brains

In the training camps of the People’s Liberation Army, the sound of drones and electronic simulators coexists with something unexpected: the echo of an ancient tradition. Between radars, missiles and touch screens, some soldiers practice invisible operations with their fingers in the air, moving imaginary beads on an abacus that no longer exists. It is not a ritual or an eccentricity, but a new military experiment: learning in case one day the machines suffer a blackout. Calculate with your mind. China has rescued an ancient tradition to apply it to modern warfare: mental calculation with abacus. In a context of increasing dependence on artificial intelligence, the People’s Liberation Army has applied logic: train soldiers capable of becoming a kind of “human abacus”, ready to operate when digital systems fail. In fact, in a recent exerciseCaptain Xu Meiduo predicted the trajectory of three targets in seconds after a radar failure simulation, guiding artillery fire with precision. State television has turned his feat into an emblem of self-sufficiency, reminding us that the human mind remains a decisive weapon even in the age of algorithms. From the classroom to the battlefield. The program is inspired by an educational practice still common in Asia: the mental abacus, or AMC, an ancient technique that allows complex calculations by visualizing an imaginary abacus. Used in China for a long time more than eight centuriesthis discipline has shown benefits measurable cognitive– Improves concentration, memory and reasoning speed. What’s more, studies from Harvard and Stanford confirmed a few years ago the trained children with mental abacus surpass in calculation and understanding to those who learn traditional mathematics. Now, the Chinese army transfers that advantage to the military fieldconvinced that mental precision and resistance under pressure can make the difference in combat. Millennial and current. The abacus, created in China ago more than 800 years and used for centuries in trade and imperial administration, it never completely disappeared. Although calculators and computers relegated it to a cultural symbol, in schools in China, Japan or Singapore continues teaching as a method of cognitive development. His mental version, based on imaginary manipulation From accounts, it has been the subject of neurological studies that demonstrate structural changes in the brain. Hence, the Chinese army has seen this plasticity as perfect training for modern warfare, where mental quickness and calmness under stress are as valuable as marksmanship. Tradition and vulnerability. The goal of the program, it seems, it’s double: reinforce the cognitive readiness of soldiers and reduce vulnerability to electronic warfare. In a confrontation where radars, GPS and networks can be nullified, human calculation capacity becomes a strategic backup. If you like, Beijing also seeks to demonstrate that its military strength does not depend solely on of drones or hypersonic missilesbut also of soldiers capable of thinking and deciding for themselves. Facing total automationChina aims for balance: a technologically advanced, but sustained army by trained brains to calculate without machines, in the conviction that, even in the digital age, war remains a human act. Between humans and algorithms. In that sense, the contrast with the United States is revealing. While Washington boasts or promotes highly trained soldiers and trusts in the superiority of its command systems, the Pentagon warns that excessive technological dependence can be an Achilles heel. US officials have pointed out that, when communications are interrupted and artificial intelligence degrades, what decides a battle is human initiative. From that perspective, China seems to have taken note. Your bet on rescue the mind As a war tool it is not intended to replace technology, far from it, but rather to complement it. In a world where machines can fail, true superiority, according to Beijing, may once again lie in the most basic: the human brain. Image | Picryl In Xataka | China has asked Russia for an airborne battalion and training. That can only mean one thing: they are preparing a landing In Xataka | The US studied what would happen if it went to war with China: now it has begun a desperate race to duplicate missiles

The army wants to expand the military area of ​​a privileged corner of Mallorca. His neighbors have told him not so quickly

Cap del Pinar is a postcard place from the north of the island of Mallorca. Cliffs, coves, trees and unique views of the Mediterranean. None of that has prevented that small strip of land from motivating an institutional ‘riffrafe’ between the Alcúdia City Council (21,000 residents), where the small peninsula is located, and the Ministry of Defense. The reason: Cap del Pinar is a privileged place for locals, but also an Area of ​​Interest for National Defense. The question is how compatible both uses are. What has happened? That the future of Cap del Pinara cape located north of the island of Mallorca, has caused an institutional clash between the Government and the Alcúdia Town Hallthe locality in which the spit of land is located. The reason? For the department headed by Margarita Robles, it is a space of “national interest” for defense. For the Consistory, however, it is something more: a space for “high heritage and natural value” which plays an important role in local traditions and cannot be stolen from neighbors. Where does the problem come from? To understand it you have to go back a few decades, in the early 40’swhen the Army initiated a file of forced expropriation of the lands of The Victory. Your goal, remember The Confidentialwas to install military batteries and auxiliary services in several strategic points on the Majorcan island: Cap del Pinar and Cap Gros. In 1947, the Alcúdia City Council (the town where the first one is located) accepted the transfer, although including a small print that clarified that it was granting the land temporarily and reserving certain rights. That was 79 years ago, but the area and especially its use has continued to make people talk. Why’s that? Because the presence of the Army marked the use of the environment, which began to focus on national defense. So much so that already entering the 21st century, the Alcúdia City Council and the Government came to an agreement to guarantee that residents could enjoy Cap del Pinar, although with certain conditions. As published in April 2009 Mallorca newspaper, The pact contemplated that people could visit the military base during the summer months and respecting a maximum daily quota of 50 people. Before, yes, they needed to request a special permit, which in practice deters to quite a few neighbors. The result is that locals have been able to continue enjoying the area, although with limitations. And what happens now? That the army wants to reinforce its presence in that small (and privileged) salient in the north of Mallorca. Recently the ministry communicated to the City Council that wants to declare a barracks located right on the Cape road “Area of ​​Interest for National Defense”. In other words, it wants to expand the area it already uses as a military maneuver and shooting range to 145 hectares. Although Margarita Robles’ department is still processing the Royal Decree that will allow it to expand the “area of ​​interest”, the notice has been enough to put the Balearic Council on guard, which was quick to make a move. What has he done? A few weeks ago the municipal plenary agreed to transfer to Defense a list of allegations. Basically, the City Council warns that the expansion “could condition local powers” in matters of urban planning and heritage, in addition to the use of the environment. Because if there is something that is worrying in Alcúdia, it is that its neighbors will lose access to a space of “high natural and heritage value”. “This is our main demand. We don’t want to have to ask for permits to climb,” explains the mayorFina Batlessa, a The Confidential. Why this concern? Because it is not just any area. Beyond your environmental protectionthe Cap del Pinar peninsula is a space of tradition and enjoyment for the neighbors. Very popular excursions are organized, not counting the coves (or paths to coves) that are distributed throughout the area. The big question is… If Defense decides to expand the military zone, how would that affect the use that locals make of the environment? After all, the neighbors already have experience of what happened with the land transferred in the 1940s. Hence, the City Council’s allegations clarify that one of its objectives be “maintain the hiking and hiking activity”, “guarantee access without prior authorization” and protect the popular festivals that are celebrated in Victòria. “It should not entail unjustified limitations on the rights of citizens and municipal autonomy. Alcúdia must preserve its environment and traditions,” summarizes Linares in Mallorca Diary. In its allegations the Consistory ask For example, the expansion of the military zone does not interfere with “hiking and hiking activities” nor does it represent a “reduction in the free movement of people” during the holidays. Hunters also have a license valid until 2028. What does Defense say? The issue has generated so much controversy that the Ministry of Defense has already come out to clarify that the expansion will not affect the enjoyment of the area. He has also clarified that he does not aspire to another 145 extra hectares, but that this will be the total area that he will manage after the change, including those that he has already controlled since the 1940s. To be more precise, the focus is on a 400-meter stretch of land that will leave a stretch of road and part of the surroundings under his management. Will that affect its public use? A few days ago the department of Robles guaranteed to Mallorca Diary that both hikers and hunters will be able to continue enjoying the area “without problem.” That has not prevented the debate has escalated even beyond local and regional politics, reaching Congress, where Sumar Més has registered several questions on the topic. Images | Wikipedia (Frank Vincentz) and Selvatgi (Flickr) In Xataka | Ibiza promised them happiness with its coves. Until luxury villas and beach clubs began to privatize them with hammocks

China prepares one of the biggest military parades in history. It will be, above all, a warning to the world

On September 3, Beijing will convert Tiananmen Square in the epicenter of an unprecedented demonstration of force. China will organize a military parade massive to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. In addition, it will also be the perfect time to show the military capacities acquired under the mandate of Xi Jinping. An event of magnitudes. More than 10,000 military personnel, a hundred aircraft and several hundred land vehicles will participate in A 70 -minute ceremony which promises to be the largest Chinese armament exhibition since 2019. The parade will include 45 troops formations and will present more than 100 different types of military equipment, all national production and active duty. We don’t know everything. Chinese authorities have confirmed that a great proportion of the weapons will be completely new. Among the novelties are hypersonic missiles capable of traveling five times the speed of sound, antimile defense systems, directed energy weapons, autonomous combat drones and electronic warfare systems. According to Major general Wu Zeke, deputy director in charge of the military parade, these weapons “will fully demonstrate the solid capacity of our army to adapt to technological advances and win future wars.” A message for another recipient. Although officially commemorates the victory over Japan, the parade has a strategic objective between the lines: show the United States and its allies in the Pacific The new Chinese military capacity. The analysts They expect See new anti-buque missile models such as YJ-15, YJ-17, YJ-19 E YJ-20, specifically designed to neutralize carriers and deny access to Western naval forces in the region. Taiwan in the spotlight. The arsenal that Beijing will also have direct implications for Taiwan’s future. The new tanks with unmanned turrets and active protection systems would significantly complicate the island’s defense strategy, which is based on mobile and cheap anti -tank weapons. As Point out Sheu Jyh-Shyang, from the Taiwan National Defense and Security Research Institute: “This is not good news for Taiwan.” Putin as guest star. The confirmed presence of Russian President Vladimir Putin with Xi Jinping during the ceremony sends another powerful geopolitical message. Putin already attended the great military parade of China in 2015, when the majority of Western leaders declined the invitation, so it is another step in The alliance between the two countries in front of the West. The backdrop. The military power deployment comes at a time of maximum tension in the Pacific. The popular liberation army has intensified your exercises Simulating blockages and attacks against Taiwan, while systematically denies the operation capacity of US forces in the region. Beijing has promised to reveal more details about the specific weapons that will be shown in the coming weeks. Cover image | Pang Xinglei/Xinhua In Xataka | Deepseek has suggested that Nvidia chips no longer needs. We believe to know who is buying them

Sin rare Chinese, the US military supply chain wobbles

The United States is one of the main military powers of the planet. And that war muscle It does not feed exclusively with money. Requires something else: Rare earth. That’s where his geopolitical antagonist, China comes into play. The Asian giant controls rare earth production And the United States is realizing something: those who do their arms do not have it easy to find suppliers that are not Chinese. And it’s what is causing A new war, the magnets. And it is affecting the entire US military chain: from bullets to the most expensive hunt in history. Rare earth. Yes, again. We have already counted on other occasions that “rare earths” are a peculiar term because they are neither lands, nor are they rare. It is a set of 17 elements that are all over the world, but whose difficulty lies in the process to “take off the grain of the straw.” It is a polluting process that was delegated to China, which is why The country dominates its production. How far? It depends on the material, but it is estimated that China produces around 90% of refined rare lands, as well as 94% of gallium production and 83% Germanioalso crucial for industries such as the military. They also control the production of aluminum or steel. Stab where it hurts: weapons. Within the rare earths, a crucial component is the magnets. They are used in many industries such as audio (headphones do not work without magnets, for example), that of renewable (for wind turbines) or for electric cars batteriesto quote just a few. And yes, they are also crucial for the military industry. Combat fighters, guided ballistic missiles, drones and even night vision glas iron control over what they export and their possible military use by other countries, who manufacture weapons and systems for the United States are forced to look for alternatives. The problem is not cheap. This graph shows China’s enormous power in the rare earth metals segment Shot prices. The Wall Street Journal Ha Posted an article in which they expose the case of a manufacturer of pieces for military drones that is crashing against the wall of the rare Chinese earth. It is being forced to delay orders for up to two months because it does not give viable sources of magnets other than China itself. In the article, he points out that these materials necessary for the war industry are being sold for five times their usual value, or more. The countries and companies that need these materials usually have an emergency stock, but as the Leonardo DRS company (a US -based defense contractor and Italian company comments on the company. Leonardo Spa.), They are already using that security stock. If you want to maintain the punctual pace of deliveries, the flow of materials “must improve in the second half of this year,” they point out. Case: The most expensive hunt in history. One of the most leading and controversial products of the United States military machinery in recent years has a name and surname: Lockheed Martin F-35. This hunting is the most expensive in history (What do we know), One of the most advanced And even Donald Trump critical Before his first term, claiming that his cost was “out of control.” Only the pilot’s helmet costs $ 400,000 and the initial estimate of the cost of each plane was more than $ 100 million and the project was described as “El that devoured the pentagon“ Well, among the hunting components, we have some 400 kilos of rare earth magnets, an element that placed the plane In the eye of the hurricane a few months ago. And previously, there were already revealing How much the US needs China’s rare trade. Those upward prices due to Chinese commercial restrictions They have caused other sources of samarium, a necessary element to manufacture the magnets of the engines of the fighters, offer the material for a price 60 times higher than the standard. Beyond F-35. To problems with magnets and rare earths are added Export restrictions of Germanio, Gallium and Antimony. In the first bars of the commercial war, China closed the tap of these materials that are key to another good military solutions, such as the creation of hardened projectiles or infrared vision systems. Situation? Panic. Given this situation, USA, Europe, Japan and more countries are desperately looking for rare earth deposits or alternative ways to obtain them. But, as we said, the complicated thing is not so much to find these deposits as processing them. Meanwhile, it’s time to continue buying China what China wants to export, since, as other sources in the sector point in the WSJ report, some of the elements are “so specific that they cannot occur profitably in the West.” Everything indicates that China has the pan of the rare earths through the mango. The pentagon demanded Defense contractors stop buying rare earth magnets of Chinese origin before 2027, but although some companies have accumulated reservations, other smaller ones have not had that opportunity to go with the accounts more “up to date”. The papers. And it is no longer just that the US does not want to buy from China, but that China has also begun to look at all the Westerners who want their rare earths. One of the companies is Eproppelled, American and manufacturer of drones, which a curious situation was found in May of this year. When buying magnets from your Chinese supplier, the supplier sent you a series of official forms that demanded plans, product images and a list of companies that would buy the finished product. Among Eproppelled customers are civil companies, but also military, and given the refusal to sign the papers, the Chinese supplier canceled the shipment of magnets. They point out that companies that use these materials to create civil use products are evaluated and approved, but if the use will be military or aerospace, the approval is more complicated. Committed merchandise. … Read more

An American military seemed like a cybercrime genius. He was given his own searches on how to desert Russia

Cameron John Wagenius had no criminal record or a dark past. He had a military uniform, 21 years and a career ahead in the United States Army. But in his spare time, from his bedroom in Texas, It connected as “Kiberphant0m” to telegram groups and forums where stolen credentials are purchased and databases for thousands of dollars are sold. I knew how to move, how to enter without being seen and how to extort technological companies from the shadow. According to the Department of Justicefor more than a year he directed a campaign that affected at least ten organizations. It was made with private credentials, accessed protected networks and much more. He did it as he continued charging the army and fulfilled functions as an active soldier. Until everything fell apart, not by a filtration, or by a technical error. For himself. The soldier who moved as a professional cybercrime Wagenius and his accomplices were coordinated through encrypted chats. They shared passwords, discussed vulnerabilities and talked openly about their next objectives. They used Tools like SSH Brutea brute force solution to enter protected systems, and acted quickly to move stolen data in some of the best known cybercrime forums of the moment. Once they got access, they launched threats. Sometimes privately, sometimes publicly. They threatened to publish the stolen information if they did not receive money in return. In some cases, they came to sell the data directly. In others, they used that information to launch attacks from Sim Swapping and supplant identities. The goal was always the same: money. The Department of Justice estimates that they tried to extort at least 1 million dollars to the victims. But while all that happened, Wagenius did something that FBI agents did not expect to find so easily: I left trace. According to judicial documentsin October 2024, in full swing of its operation, it began to search Google how to escape from the country. Literally. These are some of the searches he made from his personal account: • “Where you can desert an US military without being extradited” • “US military personnel deserting Russia” • “Russia Embassy – Washington DC” • How to get a fast passport “ In parallel, I wrote to his contacts with phrases such as: “The fun is that if they ever discover me, They can’t immediately arrest me by military law. That gives me time to disappear. ” The reality was another. Not only did he not escape. All this activity was recovered, documented and used as proof to demonstrate not only its crimes, but its intention to escape. Wagenius was arrested and declared himself guilty of several serious positions: conspiracy to commit electronic fraud, extortion in relation to computer crimes and aggravated identity. He had already admitted before, in another case linked, his involvement in the illicit transfer of confidential telephone records. His conviction, which will be read on October 6, could add up to 27 years in prison. The charges have different weight: electronic fraud can cost up to 20 years; Computer extortion, up to five; and the theft of aggravated identity entails a mandatory penalty of two additional years that cannot be combined with the previous ones. Wagenius had knowledge. I knew how to move around the network and how to hide behind proxies, vpns and Tools that in theory had to protect it. But something in his strategy went wrong. Now he is paying the consequences. Images | Xataka with Gemini Flash 2.5 | Kevin Ku In Xataka | Sam Altman believes that a serious crisis is coming with the AI fraud. The problem is that it has strong interests in the solution

Airbus’s last military drone has been designed and manufactured in Spain. Its importance is not measured only in meters of altitude

Spain has just marked a milestone in the European defense industry. Airbus is over assembly of the first SIRTAPa New Generation Tactical Dron which has been designed and manufactured in the country. It is not just a technical advance: it is a declaration of intentions about the role that is sought to play in the development of strategic technologies. The Sirtap has been assembled at the facilities of Airbus Defense and Space in Getafe. The purchase was formalized by the Ministry of Defense in November 2023, with a request for nine complete systems composed of 27 aircraft and nine control stations on land. It is there where the first prototype has taken shape, and where it is now preparing to start the Test Campaign on Earth. The Spanish set by tactical drones The tests, which will evaluate both the structure and the main components of the system and the software, will be extended during the next months. The goal: to leave it ready for your first flight Before ending 2025at the CEUS DEL INTA trial center, in Huelva. According to Airbus, the new drone has been designed to fly in extreme conditions: it can operate between -40 ° C and 50 ° C, land on unpaid tracks and stay in the air for more than 20 hours in a row. To this is added an operational roof greater than 21,000 feet (6,400 meters), which would make it an ideal platform for long -distance recognition and surveillance missions. What Airbus poses with the Sirtap goes far beyond simple recognition. The drone has been thought of as A modular platform capable of adapt to different missions: You can monitor convoys from the air, act as an armed escort, detect electronic signals, participate in electronic war operations or control borders in hostile environments. It can also be deployed in emergency tasks, such as the search for vessels on the high seas or fire support. One of the most outstanding points of SIRTAP is that it has been designed without components subject to Itar restrictionswhich, according to Airbus, facilitates its export to international markets. This feature, together with its modular architecture, opens the door to future versions adapted to different environments, such as a naval variant or with complete weapons integration. A no less detail is that the system is also designed to interoperate with existing command and control networks. The Sirtap breaks into a segment with Several established actors. Uav like him TACTICAL HERONwith its ability to carry several useful loads simultaneously and operate from semi -sighed clues, or the Bayraktar TB2known for its missions in real combat and more than one million hours of operational flight. We also find al Falco Xplorerwith its autonomy of more than 24 hours and flight roof above 30,000 feet. Given that panorama, Airbus drone proposes a promising combination: Itar restrictions free, modular architecture, interoperability with European systems and operability in extreme conditions. Its focus is not to overcome figures, but to offer an adaptable platform, easily exportable and margin to evolve towards naval or armed versions. He has not yet taken off, but his road map places him as an actor to take into account. Images | Airbus Media Center In Xataka | Otto wants to break molds with the Phantom 3500: Goodbye to the windows for passengers, hello to the immersive screens

The US is relocating military airplanes in the middle of the Middle East. The B-2 has not come into play, but already intimidated

While Iran and Israel continue to exchange attacks, United States has begun to reinforce His military presence in Middle East. The Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegesh, confirmed last night Through a publication in X that he had ordered “the deployment of additional capacities” to protect his forces and improve defensive position in the region. As detailed Media as Reuters and BBCthe deployment includes the USS Nimitz aircraft carriers, one of the key pieces of the US Navy. On board they can travel to 5,000 people and more than 60 aircraft, including fighters, light bombers and support planes. They have also mobilized at least 30 cistern aircraftmostly KC-135 Stratotankers and KC-46 Pegasus, next to a fighter fleet composed of models such as F-16, F-22 and F-35. HEREWORKS, fighters and a pending question: B-2 But in the midst of this climb, many looks are directed to an unknown that plans on the US strategy: will the bomber end up mobilizing B-2 Spirit? There is a clear reason for that question. This is the only aircraft under direct control in the United States that is certified to transport and launch the GBU-57/B MASSIVE ORDNANCE PENETATORa pump designed to pierce high depth underground structures. That capacity is not a simple technical detail. According to various estimatesthe GBU-57 could be one of the few weaponss capable of reaching fordow, Iranian uranium enrichment installation excavated under a mountain, about 80 or 90 meters deep. No one has confirmed it, but the B-2 Spirit already flies over the hypotheses. The simple possibility that the United States mobilizes it is enough to alter the strategic conversation. Justin Bronk, of the Royal United Services Institute, He made it clear: The current type of deployment is “highly indicative” that Washington is preparing to support “intensive combat operations” in the region. The B-2 would be the strongest piece of that support. Its scope, 9,650 km without repostingallows you to operate from some key locations. He usually does it from Whiteman, in Misuri. Other options on the table are Fairford, in the United Kingdom, and Diego García, a remote base in the Indian Ocean leased by the United Kingdom to the United States. The B-2 Spirit is not the fastest or newest bomber, but it is one of the most difficult to detect. Its steering wing -shaped design, added to special materials and a low flight profile, allows you to penetrate highly sophisticated air defense systems. It is precisely where its value lies: it can fly where others could not. It measures 52 meters of wingspan and 21 meters long, and is propelled by four general electric F118-GE-100 engines. It has a 15,000 meter operational roof And, as we have seen, an Intercontinental Alance. Your load capacity Round the 20 tonsand can carry both conventional and nuclear armament. It is created by two people, much less than in other heavy bombers such as B-1b or B-52, and its missions are coordinated from a limited network of strategic bases. Its maintenance is the responsibility of the American Air Force, with the support of contractors led by Northrop Grumman. There are only 19 active units. The B-2 began to fly in 1989 and is not a resource that unfolds lightly. Its value is not only in technology that makes it undetectable, but in its ability to combine Stealth, scope and attack power On a single platform. It is, in many ways, the letter that is kept until the end. Images | US Air Force (Via Wikimedia Commons) Northrop Grumman (1, 2, 3) In Xataka | Ukraine was the anticipation of what Israel has done: war is no longer a thing of fighters or missiles, but something much cheaper

China’s military and civil nuclear capacity grows at an unprecedented rate. The US does not take away your eyes off

China has deservedly consolidated as the country to which all the nations that bet on nuclear energy look. It currently has 58 nuclear reactors whose joint capacity is approximately 61 GWE (electric gigawatts). Besides, It has another 28 reactors under construction that will add additional 33.65 GWE. And just a month ago the State Council approved the construction of 10 more nuclear reactors. China is already the second country with more machines of this type, only behind the US. In any case, the best asset of this Asian country is its commitment to innovation. And the reactor of Molten Sales and Torio TMSR-LF1 is a very valuable letter of presentation. This machine received the approval of the Chinese Nuclear Safety Administration in mid -June 2023 after having successfully completed the initial testing phase that started in 2021. and since then the itinerary that had set the Institute of Applied Physics of Shanghai, which is the institution responsible for its tuning. As explained by the American nuclear engineer Nick Touran In your tweetthe TMSR-LF1 reactor officially entered into operation on October 11, 2023. A few months later, on June 17, 2024, He started working at full power. And on October 8 of last year the technicians who operate it detected protacinium-233 (PA-233), a radioactive isotope intermediate derived from the transformation of the thorium into Uranium-233 as part of the fuel cycle of the thorium. This nuclear reactor is in the Minqin industrial complex of the province of Gansu, in northern China. It has a power of 2 thermal megawatts (MWT), and, although it will not be the first Fourth Generation Nuclear Reactor In activity, and not the first one that Torio will use as fuel, it will be the first of molten salts that will use this chemical element. However, the ambition of this Asian country does not end here; It is already planning to build a molten salts and more capacity sales reactor for 2030. The modernization of China’s nuclear arsenal is accelerating Nuclear physics has two faces. We all know that the knowledge that has given us can be used to generate electricity and favor the development of large population masses, as we have just seen, but it can also be used to produce weapons of mass destruction. China carried out its first test with an atomic bomb in 1964. Initially its scientists had the help of Soviet nuclear engineers, but this alliance was broken in 1959 and the country that was then led by Mao Zedong was forced to continue with this project without having any external help. This isolation did not prevent China from carrying out the first test with a hydrogen bomb in 1967, just three years after launching its first atomic bomb. During the next three decades the Chinese nuclear armament continued advancing, although Mao never aspired to deal with the number of atomic and hydrogen bombs With the US or the Soviet Union first, and Russia later. His doctrine pursued China’s survival by resorting to deterrence, but without directly involving themselves in the cold war that the two hegemonic powers held at the end of the 20th century. “Beijing has the ambition to create a wide sphere of influence in the regions of the Indian and the Pacific, as well as becoming the leading world power” The funny thing is that everything changed during the first decade of the 21st century. China’s economic capacity was growing and its scientific and technical development during the second half of the twentieth century had been out of all doubt. The US government was already realized that this Asian country was consolidating as a superpower Able to dispute your world supremacy. This was the context in which the tension between these two countries was born that seems to be currently reaching its peak. The following literal extract of the document that collects The National Security Strategy Published by the US government in October 2022, it reflects very clearly why it considers China a threat: “The People’s Republic of China (RPC) is the only competitor that has both the intention of remodeling international order and, increasingly, more and more Economic, diplomatic, military and technological capacity To do so. Beijing has the ambition to create a wide sphere of influence in the regions of the Indian and the Pacific, as well as to become the leading world power. “These lines perfectly condense the background history that has triggered the international situation in which we meet. If we stick to its military development the US Department of Defense He estimates that China currently has an arsenal made up of More than 600 nuclear eyeletsand plans to increase this figure until reaching 1,000 eyelets in 2030. USA and Russia have an arsenal of approximately 5,200 and 5,500 eyelets respectively, although many of them are in reserve and others will be dismantled. China has less eyelets, it is evident, but at least rivals with the US if we stick to the sophistication of its intercontinental ballistic missiles, its nuclear submarines, its bomber and its hypersonic missiles. Let us trust that China, the US, Russia and the other nuclear powers enter and stop this climbing of the nuclear weapons. Image | Пресguese More information | US Department of Defense In Xataka | China prepares the mate to the US: it will have its own UVE lithography team to make chips in 2025

The war in Ukraine has become a video game. Kill gives points and rewards to exchange in a military Amazon

It is something that has happened in all modern wars and conflicts, and in Ukraine it was not going to be different. We refer to the use of surprising tactics for combat. We had previously talked about the use of a Naval optical illusion And of a drone that “seeks” That they capture it to display your true threat. The latest: a rewards system with points. The prize: go to a war “Amazon. A war with points. I told it This week Insider and Political. In an unprecedented fusion between military and video game logic, Ukraine has launched a Rewards system that gives points to their soldiers for killing Russian troops or destroying their vehicles, provided that these acts are verified by recording of video drones. These points, called “Epoints”, can then be exchanged In Brave1 Marketa new digital platform that operates as A “Military Amazon”where combat units can acquire from attack drones and terrestrial robots to electronic warp devices or components such as batteries, cameras and engines. Add casualties to buy artillery. The initiative, promoted by Mykhailo Fedorov, Minister of Digital Transformation of Ukraine, seeks to speed up and Decentralize access To the equipment, allowing the soldiers themselves to choose and buy the technology that best suits their needs in the front, either with own funds or through the rewards accumulated by their effectiveness in combat. The system establishes a numerical value for each target Enemy: Six points for each Russian soldier eliminated, forty for each destroyed tank, with equivalences that allow, for example, to acquire drones such as The “Baba Yaga” by 43 points or the sophisticated “backfire”which costs about $ 60,000 for three units. Delivery is made directly with state financing, without intermediaries. The Magyar’s Birds Unitfamous for its FPV drones attacks, it has already exceeded 16,000 points, heading The March rankingfollowed by specialized brigades in unmanned systems and special operations. A military Amazon. Far from being a simple shopping site, Brave1 Market represents a Disruptive Logistics Model and acquisition in times of conflict. Your catalog has More than 1,000 items ranging from advanced armament to technical solutions of communication, surveillance, navigation and electronic protection. Soldiers can navigate the portal, compare models, read specifications and contact manufacturers to close orders. Part of the content is of restricted accessbut the bulk of the inventory is publicly available to facilitate fast and autonomous decision -making from the front. One of the main objectives is to reduce the gap between technological development and its real implementation on the battlefield. In fact, Insider told that many units did not know that certain devices were available; They can now request them directly without having to wait for bureaucratic channels or slow -on channels. Drones as currency. The points system has the drones that, like We have explainedare absolute protagonists of the new battlefield Ukrainian. The most used They are the FPV (First-Person View) and short-range bombing models, operated by highly mobile units that film each impact to document it to the military intelligence network. These videos not only allow to verify the elimination of enemy objectives, but have become The “hard currency” with which more technology is accessed. Each approved purchase is Financed by the Ukrainian Government and delivered directly to the requesting unit, which reinforces a decentralized supply model based on operational merit. Meritocracy and ethical dilemma. No doubt, we talk about a system that converts the war effectiveness into immediate benefitswhich generates a Ethical conflict on the gamification of the conflict. Killing becomes a rewarded act not only with recognition, but with material power to improve the offensive abilities of the unit. Although brutal, the model has proven to be effective for Accelerate the answer On the battlefield, promote tactical initiative and allow troops to access the technology they really need. In parallel, it also represents a form of digitalized war economy, where each confirmed impact translates into purchasing power, each successful mission in Access to strategic resources. A logic that is not free: responds to the urgency of Modernize the military apparatus Ukrainian in the midst of an asymmetric war, and the need to compete technologically with an enemy that has greater industrial and human reserves. Of course, he questions the ethical limits of the military culture model that can generate in the long term. A new military paradigm. The only existence of A “store” like this Change the concept of war in the 21st century. We talk about a digital architecture, distributed and Efficiency oriented Immediate with which Ukraine not only tries to match Russia in offensive capacity, but to overcome it in technological agility, tactical innovation and adaptation speed. If you want too, the battlefield does not seem only a physical space, but also a kind of Interactive platform where each action can be measured, rewarded and transform into operational advantage. A New War Economy where the value is measured, not in abstract terms, but in eliminated objectives, points won and delivered drones. Together with the obvious ethical dilemmas he poses, he also reveals to what extent the modern war is as technological as lethal. Image | NATO North, Ministry of Defense In Xataka | Russia has confirmed one of the great unknowns of war in Ukraine: North Korea accompanies them and not only with troops In Xataka | Russia has crowded a surprising blow to Ukraine: 100 soldiers walking for four days inside a gas pipeline

Put solar panels in space has never been profitable, but there is something that motivates the current interest: its military use

The old idea of ​​collecting energy from the sun from space to transmit it uninterrupted to Earth has always collided with the huge costs and technological barriers that have prevented their deployment. Until now. A global interest. Governments and companies around the world seem to have a renewed interest in space solar energy. The drastic drop in launch costs, thanks to the emergence of reusable rockets such as Spacex, could have cleared the main economic obstacle from the equation. The necessary technology has also matured in parallel: solar panels are lighter and more efficient, and wireless energy transmission (microwave or laser) is more advanced. The same with robotics, which will be necessary to assemble the stations in orbit. The military factor. As with any renewable project, the energy transition and emission commitments are the engine of this new effort. But behind the recent interests of the Chinese government or the pentagon there is something else: the military potential of space solar energy. “The military utility of transmitting energy to land, aerial or maritime units is obvious,” He said to Spacenews Darpa’s tactical technology project manager Paul Jaffe. Transporting fuel to remote places with tank airplanes can be a usual practice, but “it is not a practical way to bring energy where we need it for defense purposes.” In addition to DARPA, who has conversations with space solar energy startups and invests in the development of long -distance wireless energy transmission, the United States Air Force and Navy are also in garlic. Pentagon projects. The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFR) actively develops space solar technology through its “Space Solar Incremental Demonstrations and Research” program. Its flagship mission “Arachne” will prove in orbit a sandwich panel that converts sunlight into radiofrequency energy to transmit it to a terrestrial receptor. Led by Northrop Grumman, it is scheduled for this year with the explicit objective of providing energy to the forces and reducing the dependence of fuel convoys, which are more vulnerable. For its part, the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) integrated a module called PRAM into the X-37B secret space plane to prove the conversion of solar energy to microwave. Now the project is part of the space force. What can we expect. Military interest is an important catalyst, and possibly one of the motivations behind the gigantic project of the Chinese Academy of Space Technology (CASC), which will display its first satellites in low orbit by 2028 and in geostationary orbit for 2030. But in the coming years we will also see all kinds of commercial and space agencies, including the European Space Agency with its Solaris initiative, which focuses on viability studies. Despite these progress, the challenges are still considerable. The two major doubts are profitability, in the case of commercial efforts, which will compete with the renewable energies deployed on land, increasingly profitable despite their intermittency. And security, which depends on the fact that you are issued at distances of hundreds or tens of thousands of kilometers are very precise. Maybe let’s see some “fried” birds along the way.

Log In

Forgot password?

Forgot password?

Enter your account data and we will send you a link to reset your password.

Your password reset link appears to be invalid or expired.

Log in

Privacy Policy

Add to Collection

No Collections

Here you'll find all collections you've created before.