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Sweden's Stealth Navy: Visby Corvettes and Gotland Submarines

Sweden's Stealth Navy: Visby Corvettes and Gotland Submarines

Yahoo04-05-2025

Sweden favors stealth over brute force—and nowhere is that more apparent than in its two naval marvels: the Visby-class corvette and the Gotland-class submarine. Engineered for one of the most complex maritime environments in the world, these platforms embody the Swedish Navy's philosophy of striking silently, surviving unpredictably, and defending decisively.
The Visby-class corvette is one of the most radar-evading warships ever built. Its angular, carbon-fiber hull dramatically reduces its radar cross-section, while integrated weapons and sensors help it operate undetected in littoral zones. Despite its sleek profile, the Visby is packed with anti-submarine, anti-ship, and mine warfare capabilities—tailored for the Baltic's tight, shallow waters.
Beneath the surface, the Gotland-class submarine is a master of silent operations. It was the first operational sub to feature air-independent propulsion (AIP), allowing it to remain submerged for weeks without surfacing. Its quiet diesel-electric engines and stealthy profile once allowed it to 'sink' a U.S. aircraft carrier during a training exercise—without ever being detected.
Together, the Visby and Gotland represent a highly strategic blend of innovation and geography. They're not built to dominate oceans—they're built to disappear in narrow seas and reappear with deadly precision. Quiet, agile, and nearly invisible—this is Sweden's naval edge.

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AI Will Connect Mercedes-Benz Places Residents to the World
AI Will Connect Mercedes-Benz Places Residents to the World

Newsweek

time2 days ago

  • Newsweek

AI Will Connect Mercedes-Benz Places Residents to the World

Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Sixty-seven stories above sea level, Mercedes-Benz Places sits as one of the many high rises on the Miami skyline bearing an automaker's name. Aston Martin Residences, Porsche Design Tower and Bentley Residences are all nearby, as are the Armani/Casa and Fendi Chateau. To stand out, Mercedes-Benz Places is relying heavily on its brand affiliation. Design and technology features throughout the space are meant to welcome homeowners, shoppers, diners and visitors into a fully immersive Mercedes-Benz ecosystem. The exterior of the condominium structure features horizontal brightwork reminiscent of the center console vents in the new-generation Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class sedan and the rounded edges of the building play on the car's armrest design. The evolving juxtaposition of the two-tower structure gives the eye something unique to look at in a sea of light-colored towers as it moves toward the sky. While driving an artificial intelligence-enhanced Mercedes-Benz, such as the new CLA, Places residents will be able to seamlessly move throughout their day. Transitioning from morning to night with work or play in between, with AI assistance. "Mercedes-Benz Places in Miami is designed as a highly integrated living experience," Michael Stern, CEO of JDS Development Group, told Newsweek. "As truly a mixed-use project, Mercedes-Benz Places includes residences, a hotel, office, wellness and food and beverage outlets. Forward-thinking technology, mobility and sustainability features, and community programming support this future-oriented, integrated lifestyle, including the large-scale, reimagined park at the ground floor, to the many spaces for gathering, entertaining and socializing." Among the features of the 2.5 million-square-foot build are over 1,000 parking spaces, over 800 condominium residences, a 175-key hotel, 130,000 total square feet of amenity and hospitality space and 200,000 square feet of office space. There is also a public park that surrounds the Brickell neighborhood space. It will be filled with a basketball court, a dog run, green space, a kid-friendly section and a restaurant that will be built into the historic building that once housed Miami's first high school. Each condo buyer can customize their space from a selected materials and color palette developed in partnership with the Mercedes-Benz team, led by Mercedes-Benz's Chief Design Officer Gorden Wagener. Prospective buyers can see the options at the site's experience center. In its Finish Room, the sales team shares floor plans and views with clients, helping them understand what their unit could look like. Like when ordering a car, customers are presented with a curated menu of options they can choose from. Unlike what is available from Mercedes' Manufaktur arm, high levels of materials and design customization aren't able to be accommodated. Instead, as with a car, the highest level of customization and personalization comes from AI. "AI and connected technology have been part of the design process (a collaboration with Mercedes-Benz, SHoP Architects, and Woods Bagot), and will be experienced in many ways throughout the property, including through an in-home 'dashboard' in your private kitchen," Stern said. One potential AI-linked opportunity is a valet summon capability. Imagine a blend of technology that knows your schedule, traffic, navigation and climate control preferences that would be able to ask the condo complex's valet to pull up your car so you can be sure to leave on time, in comfort. Or, utilizing self-driving features, your Mercedes car could drive itself out of the deck and into the porte-cochère so it is ready and waiting for you when you arrive on the ground floor. "Seamless communication will be available at every turn. Not just a 'SmartHome', this is a SmartBuilding, and SmartLifestyle, where your car can talk to your home," Stern said. Additional high-tech amenities at Mercedes-Benz Places include an F1 simulator, recording studio and custom app. The first residences in the building are expected to be inhabited in 2027.

GWM Returns After a Decade to Clinch Taklimakan Rally Production Title
GWM Returns After a Decade to Clinch Taklimakan Rally Production Title

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GWM Returns After a Decade to Clinch Taklimakan Rally Production Title

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A US Navy sailor walked BI through what it was like shooting down a small drone with a .50 caliber machine gun
A US Navy sailor walked BI through what it was like shooting down a small drone with a .50 caliber machine gun

Yahoo

time3 days ago

  • Yahoo

A US Navy sailor walked BI through what it was like shooting down a small drone with a .50 caliber machine gun

A US Navy sailor used a .50 caliber machine gun to shoot down a small drone last month. The engagement came during a major NATO exercise focused on naval air defense. It underscores how drones are increasingly becoming a key element of maritime warfare. Petty Officer Second Class Brian Diaz saw the small drone coming in through his binoculars. The US Navy sailor quickly called in the threat and got the go-ahead to open fire on it with his deck-mounted M2 Browning .50 caliber machine gun. A hundred rounds went out in a flash. They found their target, and Diaz, a gunner's mate, scored a direct hit on the drone, sending it crashing into the chilly Atlantic waters below. Sailors on the Arleigh Burke-class destroyer USS Thomas Hudner erupted in cheers. The drone that Diaz shot down with his machine gun did not belong to a real enemy, but the exercise was serious all the same, simulating a threat that warships like the Thomas Hudner could face in the future, as drones are finding a greater role in naval warfare. "Being able to go through the motions just gives me peace of mind, that I know I can do it, come the need to do it," Diaz shared with Business Insider during a recent visit to Thomas Hudner that came on the heels of the warship's participation in NATO's Formidable Shield 25 exercise last month. Formidable Shield is Europe's largest live-fire naval exercise and a key opportunity for allies to train for a variety of air defense scenarios. For the Thomas Hunder, the drills included missile and drone engagements. One day, toward the end of the exercise, a handful of NATO warships lined up to face off against different defense scenarios. Diaz was on watch with the .50 caliber, looking out over the water and waiting for instructions to come through on the radio. Diaz said that his first engagement that day was a remote-controlled boat, simulating an uncrewed surface vessel. It was pretty far out, and he could barely see it. Thomas Hunder engaged with all its weapons systems: the large five-inch deck gun, the Mark 38 machine gun system, and the .50 caliber. Eventually, the five-inch gun hit it. It was later that day that he fought the flying drone, a small quadcopter system. Other warships called in the threat to Thomas Hunder. Diaz recalled that he couldn't see it at first, but eventually, the team spotted the threat and marked it as a contact. The drone started to get closer, at one point 200 meters (650 feet) out, getting well within range of the .50 caliber. Diaz asked for permission from a superior to engage the drone before opening fire alongside another sailor operating a second M2 Browning. "We're both shooting," Diaz said. "Boom, boom, boom, boom, boom." At one point, the other sailor paused to reload. That's when Diaz made the kill. "I think I shot the wing off," Diaz said. "What it does is, it's flying, and it's just sitting there, and it just — donk!" he explained. "There's a little sway, and it's straight into the water." Drones of this size, often just a few inches or a foot in length, are incredibly difficult to shoot down because they're so small and can move erratically in the air. Diaz said he was nervous during the engagement, but the successful hit got the crew fired up. Cdr. Cameron Ingram, Thomas Hunder's commanding officer, told BI that some of the crewmembers were watching Diaz from the bridge wing at the time, wondering whether he would be able to take down the drone. "And then he clips it, and it falls," Ingram said. "The whole bridge wing explodes with excitement," he said, noting that the sailor "walks a step taller now." The exercise underscores how the US Navy is increasingly integrating counter-drone training into its planning as it absorbs lessons from the Red Sea conflict, during which the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen regularly launched drones and missiles at military and civilian vessels operating in the area. The Houthis relied heavily on one-way attack drones like the KAS-04, or Sammad. This fixed-wing drone, which is packed with explosives and can fly long distances, is much larger than a cheap, commercially available quadcopter drone but significantly smaller than a US military MQ-9 Reaper, a well-known combat drone. US warships, including Thomas Hunder, shot down Houthi KAS-04s. The ships weren't known to have battled any Houthi quadcopters; these threats, however, are something the Navy is training for, especially considering their proliferation in other fights. During BI's visit to the Thomas Hudner, which sailed from England to France last weekend ahead of the D-Day events this week, the watch team spotted a quadcopter drone as the destroyer was setting off on its journey. They closely monitored the drone, which turned out not to pose any immediate danger to the ship. Still, the crew was ready to take action if needed. Ingram said that small quadcopters are "absolutely a threat," even if there are limitations in their capability, specifically endurance, range, and payload capacity. While these drones generally can't carry enough ordnance to effectively disable a destroyer, they could certainly hurt people and do enough damage to potentially force the warship into repairs. "I think there will probably be a desire to weaponize those things, but there are limitations," Ingram said. Destroyers like his don't operate close to the coast. An enemy would have to send the drones out several miles from the shore or have a launching platform closer to the warship. But even then, the payload wouldn't be as heavy as a Houthi KAS-04. It is possible that the ship could encounter one near port. Warships have been attacked pierside in the past, though by other threats. The Ukraine war has demonstrated the effectiveness of quadcopters, small, inexpensive first-person view (FPV) drones, in combat. They are mostly used in engagements on land, but Kyiv has at times integrated these drones into maritime operations, demonstrating that it's still possible to burden a naval force even if the desired target isn't necessarily an expensive warship. Read the original article on Business Insider

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