Free Republic

When the 2022 World Cup made its debut on Sunday, it kicked off one of the most significant in-game uses of technology in sports history. All tournament long, match balls will contain a sensor that collects spatial positioning data in real time — the first World Cup to employ such a ball-tracking mechanism. This, combined with existing optical tracking tools, will make VAR (video assistant referees) and programs like offside reviews more accurate and streamlined than they’ve ever been. Combining these two forms of tracking has long been a holy grail of sorts in technology circles, and FIFA’s use of...

It seems critical theorists won't stop until they've denied, rewritten, and scrubbed every semblance of Western Civilization from the education system. It started on July 5 when Nikole Hannah-Jones, who penned the lead essay for The New York Times’ 1619 Project, was trolled with a meme. The meme came from philosopher James Lindsay, whose upcoming “Cynical Theories” book on identity politics co-written with Helen Pluckrose is already an Amazon bestseller. Lindsay summarized the exchange: [I]t appears someone put this Woke Mini into the employ of satirically replying to Nikole Hannah-Jones on the fifth of July in response to her tweeting,...

...In 2010, Lt. Col. (retired) Oliver North visited the ranch where Ashurst lives. He was working on documentaries called “War Stories.” He was accompanied by Chuck Holton, a freelance war correspondent and former U.S. Army Ranger who has worked with North on his films and books. When the caravans of illegal immigrants began forming last year in southern Mexico, Holton was sent there to report on them. Ashurst shared some of the information he received from Holton. The migrants are not being paid to join the caravans, but they are being supported and encouraged to join by opposition political elements...

IMI unveils new long-range guided rocket Israel Military Industries has completed development of its MARS long-range precision air-launched guided rocket. Israel Military Industries Ltd. (IMI) has completed development of its MARS long-range precision air-launched guided rocket. The multipurpose rocket weighs half a ton. IMI says that it has successfully undergone a series of tests at training grounds, with good hits on the targets predefined in the mission planning stage. IMI's Rocket Systems Division has been developing the MARS system for several years. It is based on analysis of future battlefield needs, and will soon be offered to the IDF and...

IMI Explores an Air-launched Derivative of the Extra Rocket Israel Military Industries (IMI) is exploring a new air launched application of the 300mm Extra guided ballistic surface launched rocket, enabling air forces to perform autonomous, precision standoff attack, at extended ranges, well outside the effective protected range of even the most advanced air defense systems. The Extra rocket was developed by IMI and IAI MLM division as a surface launched guided rocket, capable of attacking fixed or relocatable targets from distances of 160 km, using an aerodynamically guided, roll stabilized rocket. EXTRA - Extended range Rocket System. Photo: IMI The...

It was named one of Time magazine’s best inventions of 2008, but Raytheon’s Active Protection System (APS), formerly known as “Quick Kill,” was nowhere to be found on the floor of the Washington Convention Center at the Army’s annual conference this week. I asked the Raytheon folks about its status and the best they could come up with was that the program is “maturing”; there was no APS on display nor were there videos showing field tests of the system. By contrast, over at the Israeli Military Industries booth, the Israelis were showing video of their “Iron Fist” APS in...

Tavor-21 Rifle Headed Into Service With Indian Special Forces Posted 28-Feb-2007 06:36 In late 2002, India signed a Rs. 880 million (about $20 million) deal with Israel Military Industries for 3,070 TAR-21 Tavor assault rifles, a new bullpup design developed for use by the Israeli Defense Forces. The Israelis had just selected the compact Tavor over the Colt M4/M16 as its next-generation assault rifle, and the compact new weapons would be issued to India's special forces personnel, where its ergonomics, reliability in heat and sand, and and fast-point/ fast-shoot design might give them an edge in close-quarters shootouts and employment...

Israel Military Industries Ltd. (IMI) is vying for its share of expected IDF orders to restock its artillery shell reserve, this after some 140,000 shells were fired during the recent war in Lebanon. During the war the IDF placed an emergency order of artillery shells with the United States. In recent years the Defense Ministry has preferred to purchase shells using American military aid. Until the arrival of the new 155 mm shells from the US, the army fired many old American-made shells, some of which were duds, at targets in Lebanon. “Our production lines have had a very low...

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Israeli-made bullets bought by the U.S. Army to plug a shortfall should be used for training only, not to fight Muslim guerrillas in Iraq and Afghanistan, U.S. lawmakers told Army generals on Thursday. Since the Army has other stockpiled ammunition, "by no means, under any circumstances should a round (from Israel) be utilized," said Rep. Neil Abercrombie of Hawaii, the top Democrat on a House of Representatives Armed Services subcommittee with jurisdiction over land forces. The Army contracted with Israel Military Industries Ltd. in December for $70 million in small-caliber ammunition. The Israeli firm was one of...

Israel is trying to prevent the United States from selling progressive weapons systems to Saudi Arabia and Egypt, Army Radio reported Thursday. According to the report, Israel is in particular trying to block the sale of satellite-guided Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) bombs, which are intended to accurately hit their target even in adverse weather conditions. Countries bordering Israel must not get these precision bombs, Israeli sources were quoted as saying, adding such sales would put a dent in the Israel Defense Force's qualitative military edge over other Middle East armies. Israel also expressed dissatisfaction with the sale of missiles...

Israel Looks to New of Army Vehicles GAVIN RABINOWITZ Associated Press JERUSALEM - To boost the maneuverability of its army, particularly in the urbanized West Bank and Gaza Strip, the Israeli military plans to equip its troops with armored vehicles that use wheels instead of tracks, Israeli officials said. The military will buy 500 American-made Stryker LAV-3 armored personnel carriers for its soldiers, the Haaretz daily newspaper said. The $750 million purchase of the Strykers will be funded by America's annual defense aid to Israel, Haaretz said. The Strykers, expected to be in use within seven years, would replace...

IDF won’t buy IMI Tavor rifle for lack of budget Israel Military Industries: Statements that the Tavor is the best rifle in the world cannot be deposited at the bank. Dror Marom 4 Feb 03 16:39 The IDF is not equipping its combat units with Israel Military Industries’ (IMI) Tavor assault rifle at this time. The reason is a shortage in the defense establishment’s shekel budget. The shortage puts in doubt the IDF’s plan to equip its combat troops with the assault rifle developed by IMI’s small arms division. Only a few rifles have been purchased to date for use...