Graphene could take night-vision technology beyond 'Predator': Movies such as 1987's "Predator," in which an alien who sees in the infrared hunts down Arnold Schwarzenegger and his team, introduced a generation of sci-fi fans to thermal imaging. Since then, heat-sensing devices have found many real-word applications but have remained relatively expensive and rigid.
But a new development featuring graphene, reported in ACS' journal Nano Letters, could lead to a flexible, transparent and low-cost infrared vision system.
The concept of humans - or aliens - having the power to see in the infrared to help fight enemies in the dark has been around for decades. Technology has allowed real-life military, police, firefighters and others to do their jobs successfully at night and in smoky conditions. It also helps manufacturers and building inspectors identify overheating equipment or circuits.
But currently, many of these systems require cryogenic cooling to filter out background radiation, or "noise," and create a reliable image.
Friday, November 6, 2015
House Votes To Approve 2016 Defense Policy Bill
House Votes To Approve 2016 Defense Policy Bill: The US House voted overwhelmingly Thursday to approve the 2016 defense policy bill that complies with the terms of the overarching budget deal between the president and congressional leadership, teeing up a vote in the Senate next week.
This is the second time around for this 2016 National Defense Authorization Act, whose provisions authorize spending on a wide range of acquisition programs across the services, overhaul the military retirement system and reauthorize a host of military pays and benefits. The bill also includes significant provisions aimed at reforming acquisitions.
Thursday's House vote tallied 370-58 – netting significantly more Democrats than the last time. Many Democrats voted against the previous version, and President Obama vetoed it because it inflated Pentagon funding via the overseas contingency operations (OCO) wartime account to skirt budget caps but refused to include an equal increase domestic spending.
This is the second time around for this 2016 National Defense Authorization Act, whose provisions authorize spending on a wide range of acquisition programs across the services, overhaul the military retirement system and reauthorize a host of military pays and benefits. The bill also includes significant provisions aimed at reforming acquisitions.
Thursday's House vote tallied 370-58 – netting significantly more Democrats than the last time. Many Democrats voted against the previous version, and President Obama vetoed it because it inflated Pentagon funding via the overseas contingency operations (OCO) wartime account to skirt budget caps but refused to include an equal increase domestic spending.
AP-GfK Poll: Americans souring on Obama's ISIS plan
AP-GfK Poll: Americans souring on Obama's ISIS plan: Americans are souring on President Obama's approach to fighting the Islamic State group, according to an Associated Press-GfK poll that also found deep pessimism about U.S. prospects for success in Afghanistan and uncertainty about Obama's plan to leave thousands of troops there when he leaves office.
More than 6 in 10 now reject Obama's handling of the threat posed by the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, where Obama has been escalating the U.S. military's involvement in a bid to break a vexing stalemate. Support for his approach has followed a downward trajectory since the U.S. formed its coalition to fight the group in late 2014. Last September, Americans were roughly split, yet disapproval has jumped 8 percentage points just since January.
Those concerns mirror broader trepidation about Obama's management of foreign policy, which garnered approval from just 40 percent of Americans in the AP-GfK poll. They come as Obama struggles to demonstrate progress advancing U.S. interests in the Middle East, where Obama hoped to disentangle the U.S. military after a decade-plus of war but will likely leave three military conflicts ongoing when his presidency ends in 2017.
More than 6 in 10 now reject Obama's handling of the threat posed by the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, where Obama has been escalating the U.S. military's involvement in a bid to break a vexing stalemate. Support for his approach has followed a downward trajectory since the U.S. formed its coalition to fight the group in late 2014. Last September, Americans were roughly split, yet disapproval has jumped 8 percentage points just since January.
Those concerns mirror broader trepidation about Obama's management of foreign policy, which garnered approval from just 40 percent of Americans in the AP-GfK poll. They come as Obama struggles to demonstrate progress advancing U.S. interests in the Middle East, where Obama hoped to disentangle the U.S. military after a decade-plus of war but will likely leave three military conflicts ongoing when his presidency ends in 2017.
Thursday, November 5, 2015
Pentagon welcomes advance by IS-fighting allies in Syria
Pentagon welcomes advance by IS-fighting allies in Syria: A coalition including Syrian Arab groups regained a swath of territory in northeastern Syria from Islamic State militants, a US military spokesman said Wednesday, calling it an encouraging success.
The fighters, who are from the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and its Syrian Arab Coalition subgroup, regained 87 square miles (255 square kilometers) near the town of al-Hawl, US military spokesman Colonel Steve Warren said.
The group "conducted an attack ... driving ISIL back," Warren said by videoconference from Baghdad, using an alternate acronym for IS.
"This is not a large tactical action," he said, but "we are encouraged by what we saw."
The spokesman said the operation had pitted "well over a thousand friendly forces" against "several hundred enemies" in the vicinity, after heavy US airstrikes had cleared the way.
The fighters, who are from the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and its Syrian Arab Coalition subgroup, regained 87 square miles (255 square kilometers) near the town of al-Hawl, US military spokesman Colonel Steve Warren said.
The group "conducted an attack ... driving ISIL back," Warren said by videoconference from Baghdad, using an alternate acronym for IS.
"This is not a large tactical action," he said, but "we are encouraged by what we saw."
The spokesman said the operation had pitted "well over a thousand friendly forces" against "several hundred enemies" in the vicinity, after heavy US airstrikes had cleared the way.
Ex-president George H.W. Bush lashes out at Cheney, Rumsfeld
Ex-president George H.W. Bush lashes out at Cheney, Rumsfeld: Former president George H.W. Bush has reportedly lashed out at Dick Cheney and Donald Rumsfeld, two key figures in his son George W. Bush's presidency, slamming the former as an "iron ass" and the latter as "arrogant" in a forthcoming book.
Bush, president from 1989-1993, has mostly been silent on issues regarding his son's presidency and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
But in an upcoming biography, he has some choice words for the two men who played a pivotal role in George W.'s 2001-2009 White House.
Former vice president Cheney is an "iron ass" who built "his own empire" and had too much of a "hard-line" over his son in convincing him to use military force around the world, Bush said, according to The New York Times on Thursday, citing the former president's biographer Jon Meacham.
Bush, president from 1989-1993, has mostly been silent on issues regarding his son's presidency and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
But in an upcoming biography, he has some choice words for the two men who played a pivotal role in George W.'s 2001-2009 White House.
Former vice president Cheney is an "iron ass" who built "his own empire" and had too much of a "hard-line" over his son in convincing him to use military force around the world, Bush said, according to The New York Times on Thursday, citing the former president's biographer Jon Meacham.
Wednesday, November 4, 2015
US, Russian fighters communicate over Syria in test: Pentagon
US, Russian fighters communicate over Syria in test: Pentagon: US and Russian fighter pilots communicated directly in the skies over Syria on Tuesday in a successful test of new procedures for avoiding incidents as they pursue separate air campaigns, the Pentagon said.
Navy Captain Jeff Davis said the test, carried out between one aircraft from each side over south central Syria, lasted three minutes and "met its intended objective."
"This test assured that the first time this mode of communication was used would not be during an unplanned encounter," Davis said.
The United States and Russia signed a "memorandum of understanding" on October 20 aimed at de-conflicting their air operations over Syria, where they are waging parallel air campaigns with different objectives.
Navy Captain Jeff Davis said the test, carried out between one aircraft from each side over south central Syria, lasted three minutes and "met its intended objective."
"This test assured that the first time this mode of communication was used would not be during an unplanned encounter," Davis said.
The United States and Russia signed a "memorandum of understanding" on October 20 aimed at de-conflicting their air operations over Syria, where they are waging parallel air campaigns with different objectives.
F-35A Gatling gun system passes first aerial firing test
F-35A Gatling gun system passes first aerial firing test: The first aerial test of the F-35A's internal 25mm Gatling gun system has been successfully completed, Lockheed Martin reports.
The Oct. 30 test flight conducted in California was the first in a series to functionally evaluate in-flight operations of the F-35A variant and a major event in certifying the Gun Airborne Unit--22/A Gatling gun for use on the aircraft.
"The successful aerial gun test sortie was a culmination of several years' planning, which intensified in the first half of 2015 at the Edwards (Air Force Base) F-35 Integrated Test Force Flight Test Squadron with a team of Air Force, Lockheed Martin, Pratt & Whitney, General Dynamics, and Northrop Grumman personnel," said Mike Glass, Edwards ITF flight test director.
"The results of this testing will be used in future blocks of testing, where the accuracy and mission effectiveness capabilities will be evaluated."
The Oct. 30 test flight conducted in California was the first in a series to functionally evaluate in-flight operations of the F-35A variant and a major event in certifying the Gun Airborne Unit--22/A Gatling gun for use on the aircraft.
"The successful aerial gun test sortie was a culmination of several years' planning, which intensified in the first half of 2015 at the Edwards (Air Force Base) F-35 Integrated Test Force Flight Test Squadron with a team of Air Force, Lockheed Martin, Pratt & Whitney, General Dynamics, and Northrop Grumman personnel," said Mike Glass, Edwards ITF flight test director.
"The results of this testing will be used in future blocks of testing, where the accuracy and mission effectiveness capabilities will be evaluated."
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