Latest news with #Mirage
Yahoo
a day ago
- General
- Yahoo
Cat who survived nearly 400-foot fall adopted by rescue pilot who saved her
A cat who survived a nearly 400-foot fall will live the rest of her nine lives with the woman who came to her rescue. As rescue crews searched a ravine at Bryce Canyon National Park for a couple that had fallen over a railing on April 29 they found something they didn't expect: a soft-sided pet carrier covered in dirt. At first, they thought it was just a backpack. But inside was the couple's 12-year-old tabby cat, who survived the 380-foot fall, according to Best Friends Animal Sanctuary, the animal rescue organization that took her in. The couple, Matthew Nannen, 45, and Bailee Crane, 58, allegedly climbed over a railing at Inspiration Point, which is situated along a high plateau at the top of the park's Grand Staircase, according to the Garfield County Sheriff's Office. The couple fell and were killed. MORE: 10-year-old rescue cat becomes a model for Target The cat was bruised, shaken and suffered fractured ribs, according to the rescue organization. After veterinarians became concerned, she was sent to a specialty veterinary hospital in Las Vegas, where she received treatment for fluid in her heart, Salt Lake City ABC affiliate KTVX reported. Staff at the rescue organization named her Mirage because it was a miracle she was alive after falling from such a height. Mirage made a full recovery after receiving emergency care from the veterinary team, Judah Battista, chief sanctuary officer of the Best Friends Animal Sanctuary, told ABC News. MORE: Viral cat dubbed 'largest cat anyone has ever seen' gets adopted Utah Department of Public Safety pilot Chelsea Tugaw was among the search and rescue team that day and "never forgot" Mirage, the animal sanctuary said. "We couldn't believe the cat was alive. I thought she was injured and was uncertain of her future," Tugaw said in a statement. "It gave me a lot of comfort when I found out she was going to Best Friends Animal Sanctuary to get the help she needed." Tugaw came to the rescue again and adopted Mirage -- with a blessing from the family of Mirage's late owners, according to Best Friends Animal Sanctuary. "I'm so ecstatic to be taking Mirage home," Tugaw said. "I hope I can give her the perfect retirement life and let her be a nice lazy cat in her old age." View this post on Instagram A post shared by Best Friends Animal Society (@bestfriendsanimalsociety) Mirage has been given a "second chance," Battista said. "This reunion offers a glimmer of hope and light to a tragic beginning, and we're thrilled that Mirage will live out her golden years in such a loving home with Chelsea," Battista said. "We couldn't ask for a better ending for this sweet girl." Battista reminded animal lovers that there are still "countless cats" like Mirage still in need of loving homes. "You can be a hero for them," Battista said. Cat who survived nearly 400-foot fall adopted by rescue pilot who saved her originally appeared on
The Citizen
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Citizen
Why South Africa can't defend itself anymore
From a mighty force to near irrelevance, SA's defence capabilities have decayed. The country is now vulnerable, with no real ability to respond to African conflicts. This is a war game scenario which could not exist in South Africa today but, in the mid-'90s, as the country transitioned to democracy, it would have been one of many discussed by officers of the SA Defence Force (SADF), soon to become the SANDF (SA National Defence Force). A force of rebels has taken over the eastern parts of mineral-rich Zaire – now know as the Democratic Republic of the Congo or DRC – has killed civilians and is now laying siege to the town of Kisangani. The government in Kinshasa sends out an urgent appeal for help to Pretoria. Putting boots on the ground would take weeks and would be politically risky, especially if SA troops were to start coming home in body bags. There is an alternative: send in the South African Air Force (SAAF). So a flight of Cheetah D multirole fighters – a version of the French Mirage developed locally with help of the Israelis – is scrambled in the early hours of the morning from the SAAF main base in Waterkloof, Pretoria, loaded up with sophisticated air-toground missiles and cannons. As the sun peeps over the horizon in central Zambia, the Cheetahs link up with their airborne tanker, a converted Boeing 707 airliner also used by the SAAF as an airborne warning and control system. ALSO READ: What is taking so long? Why SANDF troops can't get a lift home Not long after refuelling, the SAAF jets move into their strike profile, hitting rebel units and decimating them, saving the government in Kinshasa. At that time, the SAAF, and the broader SADF, which knew it was about to get new political masters, realised the critical role in peacekeeping and peace enforcement which could be played by South African armed forces, at that time still the strongest and most experienced in Africa. It was a vision which would gel with that of our second president, Thabo Mbeki, who believed this country could be the engine of an 'African Renaissance' and the continent's unbiased referee for internal conflicts. At that time, it was a dream which could well have come true. The SADF and, later, SANDF were well able to deal with any threat on the continent – and even in our territorial waters…. as a SA Navy Daphne-class submarine proved by 'sinking' one of the US Navy's most sophisticated guided-missile destroyers in an exercise off Cape Point. It didn't take long for the incoming government to get cosy with the already corrupt European arms industry, so we sowed up an arms deal which cost us more than R100 billion and equipped us with state-of-the-art systems like Swedish-made Gripen supersonic fighters and German frigates and submarines. ALSO READ: Frustration as Motshekga in Russia while SANDF begins DRC withdrawal These systems, good as they were, required maintenance and updating and the ANC government progressively reduced defence spending to the point where it is today. The Gripen fighters – the handful still flying – are only used for shows, while the subs are often beached in dry dock. Even the most sympathetic analysts would agree that our military would be comparatively easy pickings for a number of African armies and air forces – from Nigeria to Rwanda and even Zambia and Zimbabwe – who actually have newer equipment than we do. And it is operational. Our recent poor showing in the DRC, when our troops were humbled by M23 rebels, shows the extent of the slide. Not only can we not dream about being Africa's peacemaker, we cannot realistically guarantee the sanctity of our soil, airspace or territorial waters. NOW READ: How topless car thieves met their match against SANDF officer in pyjamas and slippers
Kuwait Times
2 days ago
- Politics
- Kuwait Times
France gives air base $1.7 billion nuclear facelift
LUXEUIL-LES-BAINS: In a sign of the growing security nerves in Europe, France has embarked on a $1.7 billion renovation of an air base in remote hills in the east of the country so it can handle nuclear-armed bombers. The work will take a decade but from 2035 the Luxeuil-Saint Sauveur base will be twice the size it is now and it will house new generation hypersonic missiles carried by 50 of France's Rafale fighter jets. President Emmanuel Macron announced at the base in March - on the day that US President Donald Trump and Russia's President Vladimir Putin discussed the Ukraine war - that it was to become the first to welcome the latest Rafale jets and France's ASN4G nuclear-capable air-to-ground missiles. Luxeuil will become the fourth, but most modern, base in France capable of storing nuclear weapons. The base currently has about 20 Mirage-2000 jets, which are no longer in production. Its triangle shaped hangars date from 1952, according to base commander, Colonel Emmanuel Roux. They have been 'well used', according to Roux who said he had seen pictures of President Charles de Gaulle there in 1962. 'It was the same,' he joked. The hangars will go as the Rafales will not fit in them. 'We will have to redo everything for the infrastructure,' the colonel said. The Rafale is also heavier than the Mirage so Luxeuil's runway will also have to be made longer and tougher. As nuclear bases are given extra protection, 'we will have to increase security measures and the entire infrastructure to get up to speed,' the colonel said, likening his work to 'building a cathedral'. 'We have 10 years to build the best base in France with planes that do not exist (yet), a nuclear weapon that does not exist and technicians who are not yet in school,' said Roux. Luxeuil will be closed between 2029 and 2032 for the key works and the arrival of the first Rafales. There will be four times as many pilots as now as the Rafale has two crew. The 300 technicians currently at the base will expand to 1,000 by the time the new base is fully operational. 'Logistics wins the war,' said Roux who highlighted the importance of speed in preparing jets for faster rotations between flights. A Rafale engine can be changed in one hour and an ejector seat in 15 minutes, he said. Pilots at the base, who cannot be named, also said they were ready to carry nuclear weapons. 'It's the weapon of last resort, but I think we're all ready to use it to protect our loved ones and our nation,' said one. — AFP Luxeuil is close to France's border with Germany, Switzerland, Luxembourg and Belgium and the position could also prove strategic. Macron has also said that with the Russian invasion of Ukraine raging and heightening worries in the rest of Europe, France is ready to start discussing with other European countries the possible deployment of French nuclear-armed jets. 'I will define the framework in a very specific way in the weeks and months to come,' Macron said in a television interview this month. Russia has already condemned his comments. 'The proliferation of nuclear weapons on the European continent is something that will not add security, predictability or stability to the European continent,' said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov. — AFP
India.com
3 days ago
- Politics
- India.com
What is Source Code? Why Is it crucial for fighter planes? Know its role in Missile integration and upgrades
New Delhi: Post Operation Sindoor, where Indian Armed Forces launched a brutal attack on nine terror camps in Pakistan and PoK, there has been a lot of discussion around the term source code—specifically. According to the reports, India had requested the source code from France to integrate its own missiles into the Rafale jets, but France refused to provide it. This raises the question: What exactly is a source code? What is a Source Code? The source code of a fighter jet refers to its computer programming. This code functions like a set of instructions for the aircraft. It controls the jet's sensitive operations and functions. In other words, if any modifications are needed in the radar system of the fighter jet or if a new weapon needs to be integrated, it can only be done through the source code. Without access to the source code, it is not possible to equip the fighter jet with missiles or other weapons, nor can the jet be upgraded. All such changes and upgrades require the source code of the fighter plane. French company Dassault Aviation has manufactured the Rafale fighter jet. At India's request, it integrated Indian weapons such as the Beyond Visual Range (BVR) air-to-air missile Astra Mark-1 and the Smart Anti-Airfield Weapon (SAAW) into the Rafale. However, if India wishes to equip the Rafale with any new weapon during a mission or operation, it is not possible without external assistance. Due to the lack of access to the source code, only Dassault can add or configure weapons on the Rafale. India cannot independently install or modify any weapons on the aircraft. IAF Has Been Flying Mirage-2000 Since the 1980s France is considered a very close and supportive ally of India. It has consistently stood by India during times of crisis. Defense ties between the two nations go back a long way—so why is this happening now? It's true that India and France have shared decades of defense cooperation. The entire fleet of Mirage-2000 fighter jets in the Indian Air Force came from France. India purchased these jets in the 1980s, and the defense partnership between the two countries has continued ever since. What's surprising, however, is that despite the Indian Air Force flying the Mirage for over four decades, France has never provided the source code for the aircraft. As a result, India has only been able to integrate a very limited number of indigenous weapons into the Mirage.
Time of India
3 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
France gives air base $1.7 billion nuclear facelift
Representative Image (AI-generated) In a sign of the growing security nerves in Europe, France has embarked on a $1.7 billion renovation of an air base in remote hills in the east of the country so it can handle nuclear-armed bombers. The work will take a decade but from 2035 the Luxeuil-Saint Sauveur base will be twice the size it is now and it will house new generation hypersonic missiles carried by 50 of France's Rafale fighter jets . President Emmanuel Macron announced at the base in March -- on the day that US President Donald Trump and Russia's President Vladimir Putin discussed the Ukraine war -- that it was to become the first to welcome the latest Rafale jets and France's ASN4G nuclear-capable air-to-ground missiles. Luxeuil will become the fourth, but most modern, base in France capable of storing nuclear weapons. The base currently has about 20 Mirage-2000 jets, which are no longer in production. Its triangle shaped hangars date from 1952, according to base commander, Colonel Emmanuel Roux. They have been "well used", according to Roux who said he had seen pictures of President Charles de Gaulle there in 1962. "It was the same," he joked. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Giao dịch vàng CFDs với mức chênh lệch giá thấp nhất IC Markets Đăng ký Undo The hangars will go as the Rafales will not fit in them. "We will have to redo everything for the infrastructure," the colonel said. The Rafale is also heavier than the Mirage so Luxeuil's runway will also have to be made longer and tougher. Nuclear deterrent: As nuclear bases are given extra protection, "we will have to increase security measures and the entire infrastructure to get up to speed," the colonel said, likening his work to "building a cathedral". "We have 10 years to build the best base in France with planes that do not exist (yet), a nuclear weapon that does not exist and technicians who are not yet in school," said Roux. Luxeuil will be closed between 2029 and 2032 for the key works and the arrival of the first Rafales. There will be four times as many pilots as now as the Rafale has two crew. The 300 technicians currently at the base will expand to 1,000 by the time the new base is fully operational. "Logistics wins the war," said Roux who highlighted the importance of speed in preparing jets for faster rotations between flights. A Rafale engine can be changed in one hour and an ejector seat in 15 minutes, he said. Pilots at the base, who cannot be named, also said they were ready to carry nuclear weapons. "It's the weapon of last resort, but I think we're all ready to use it to protect our loved ones and our nation," said one. Luxeuil is close to France's border with Germany, Switzerland, Luxembourg and Belgium and the position could also prove strategic. Macron has also said that with the Russian invasion of Ukraine raging and heightening worries in the rest of Europe, France is ready to start discussing with other European countries the possible deployment of French nuclear-armed jets. "I will define the framework in a very specific way in the weeks and months to come," Macron said in a television interview this month. Russia has already condemned his comments. "The proliferation of nuclear weapons on the European continent is something that will not add security, predictability or stability to the European continent," said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov.
