Free Republic

Targets key part of virus’ spike protein that changes little across variants. The virus that causes COVID-19 today is not the same as the one that first sickened people way back in December 2019. Many of the variants circulating now are partially resistant to some of the antibody-based therapeutics that were developed based on the original virus. As the pandemic continues, more variants inevitably will arise, and the problem of resistance will only grow. Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have identified an antibody that is highly protective at low doses against a wide range of...

The Israeli company Tactical Robotics is partnering with US aerospace giant Boeing to develop “flying cars” using “ducted fan propulsion” technology, called “fancraft,” for piloted and autonomous vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) air-crafts. The Israeli company has already developed an unmanned vehicle, called the Cormorant, that is powered by internal lift rotors that allow takeoff and landing in small areas, which could revolutionize the way militaries deploy and rescue troops. “Cormorant represents the first in a family of vertical takeoff and landing aircraft that can fly and land where no other aircraft can,” Rafi Yoeli, CEO of Urban Aeronautics, the...

One man showed millions of people how to convert an AR-15 so that it can fire 70,000 rounds in a minute. All Andy Orlando used was a mil-spec butter knife, and he “converted” a handgun and rifle into automatic weapons in less than five minutes. He got the rifle to a sustained rate of fire of 70,000 rounds per minute, and the handgun to a rate of 2,000 rounds per minute. Absolutely incredible accomplishment. I don’t want to give any of his secrets away, so go ahead and watch the video.

Notice how socialism always and everywhere results in “shortages,” every time it’s tried. Well, our own socialist chickens have now come home to roost: Faced with a shortage of U.S. Navy ships, the Marine Corps is exploring a plan to deploy its forces aboard foreign vessels to ensure they can respond quickly to global crises around Europe and western Africa. The initiative is a stopgap way to deploy Marines aboard ships overseas until more American vessels are available, said Brig. Gen. Norman Cooling, deputy commander, U.S. Marine Corps Forces Europe and Africa.

The Hollywood Reporter calls it a “shocker” that a patriotic movie by one of the best directors working today, about an American hero who kills jihadists, is really, really popular. To me, that sounds like a formula for success, but Hollywood still thinks tender stories about gay males coming of age are what the public demands, along with cartoonish special effects-laden, nine-figure-budget mind candy.

Over the past year, US citizens have become increasingly aware of the substandard consumer-level goods flowing out of China, but new reports indicate that the counterfeit products and dubious quality controls are not confined to the consumer sector. An increasingly large number of supposedly military-grade electronic components are turning out to be counterfeit commercial-grade hardware that, in some cases, is decades older than the manufacturing label indicates. The problem, to be sure, is not entirely China's fault. Back in 1994 and 1996, the Clinton Administration passed two bills, the Federal Acquisition Streamlining Act (1994), and the Clinger-Cohen Act of 1996...

In response to Soldier feedback, Program Executive Officer-Soldier has designed the new Army Combat Shirt to be even more breatheable. The flame-resistant ACS is in development for use under body armor. It is designed to replace two layers, the Army Combat Uniform jacket and moisture-wicking T-shirt, thus reducing bulk and heat stress. "As providers of the world's best equipment to the world's best Soldiers, we collect and rely on Soldiers' input and ideas to constantly improve all of our products," said Brig. Gen. R. Mark Brown, Program Executive Officer Soldier. "All of our clothing and equipment is battle-proven and live-fire...

Hoping that a Freeper out there might be able to enlighten me on the topic of Mil Specs pertaining to fabrication of sheet metal and plastic parts for a U S Army prototype project. This project landed on my lap today and I looked at a set of prints for parts that have been requested for quote on fabrication. I contacted a quality fabricator that I know and as soon as they saw Mil Spec, they backed away from the work. Thanks, RS

The Shrike 5.56 LMG(Light Machine Gun) upper, by ARES Defense Systems, LLC, is in production and currently available for pre-order(both in select-fire and semi-auto-only configurations), and the ARES Defense Systems site is up and running. If you remember, DefRev reported on the Shrike 5.56 and ARES Defense Systems some time ago. If it works as advertised, the Shrike 5.56 just might throw the Squad Automatic Weapon(SAW)/LMG market right on it's ear. When fitted to a standard M16 or M4 lower, the Shrike, coming in at about 8 lbs, turns said weapon into a lightweight SAW/LMG that is supposedly every bit...