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Thanos Massias @massiasthanos.bsky.social · 3h

This is the patent for the 'Command Optics' "optical system utilized to provide guidance information in the form of a modulated beam for a beamrider missile during its rocket powered flight phase"

🔗📷📑 worldwide.espacenet.com/patent/searc...

Thanos Massias @massiasthanos.bsky.social · 3h

The 'Command Optics' subsystems handled the initial CLOS phase:

"… "Command Optics" to cover our novel Temporal Mode Laser Optics (TMLO) and our novel Missile Tracker Zoom (MTZ) devices, which are combined essentially into a single package."

(same source)

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Thanos Massias @massiasthanos.bsky.social · 3h

The reason for the initial CLOS phase (using the IR signature of the motor plume instead of a beacon) was to guide before the minimum smoke motor burned out.

Laser beam riding, unobstructed by the motor plume, took over for the non-powered stage.

🔗📷 worldwide.espacenet.com/patent/searc...

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Thanos Massias @massiasthanos.bsky.social · 3h

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bofc...

Air Defense Anti-Tank System (ADATS) Shoot

YouTube video by jaglavaksoldier

www.youtube.com

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Thanos Massias @massiasthanos.bsky.social · 3h

www.youtube.com/watch?v=VPqJ...

Air Defense Anti-Tank System (ADATS) Live Fire

YouTube video by jaglavaksoldier

www.youtube.com

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Thanos Massias @massiasthanos.bsky.social · 3h

www.youtube.com/watch?v=rV_j...

Air Defense Anti-Tank System (ADATS) Test Footage at WSMR, 1984

YouTube video by White Sands Missile Range Museum

www.youtube.com

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Thanos Massias @massiasthanos.bsky.social · 3h

🧵 ADATS (Oerlikon-Martin Marrieta MIM-146 Air Defense Anti-Tank System) is quite interesting in many ways.

For example, guidance begins with a spatially-coded laser Command to Line Of Sight (CLOS) stage, then switches to a spatially-coded laser beam riding phase.

🔗📷 www.google.gr/books/editio...

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Thanos Massias @massiasthanos.bsky.social · 5h

"Personnel from Naval Surface Warfare Center Panama City conduct Counter-UUV Air Curtain demonstrations in Naval Station Mayport’s basin during Citadel Shield-Solid Curtain 2025. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Brandon J. Vinson) "
📷📑 www.dvidshub.net/image/889963...

Thanos Massias @massiasthanos.bsky.social · 5h

www.youtube.com/watch?v=royy...

Powering sustainable bubble curtain solutions off the coast of France

YouTube video by Aggreko Official Channel

www.youtube.com

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Thanos Massias @massiasthanos.bsky.social · 5h

Bubble Curtains are available from various companies.

"Creating a curtain of bubbles around the area where an offshore wind turbine is being installed can help to dampen the noise (Credit: Hydrotechnik Lübeck)"

🔗📷📑 www.bbc.com/future/artic...

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Thanos Massias @massiasthanos.bsky.social · 5h

"Bubble curtain technology is used to mitigate noise in the underwater environment. Our Bubble curtains can reduce underwater noise by up to 95%."

📷📑 www.thayermahan.com/sectors/nois...

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Thanos Massias @massiasthanos.bsky.social · 5h

The main civilian application:

"A bubble curtain, which is comprised of large, perforated hoses and specialized air compressors, is designed to absorb and dampen sound during the installation of offshore wind turbine foundations. …"

🔗📷📑 www.thayermahan.com/systems/big-...

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Thanos Massias @massiasthanos.bsky.social · 5h

» Thayer Mahan manufactures a ruggedized air curtain for mitigation of undersea acoustic noise and threat systems. (U.S. Navy photo by Ronnie Newsome)"

📷 www.dvidshub.net/image/933993...

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Thanos Massias @massiasthanos.bsky.social · 5h

🧵 Bubbles

"Naval Surface Warfare Center Panama City Division (NSWC PCD) operates the Thayer Mahan air curtain system for defense against undersea threats during field exercises, Aug. 13 [2025]. »

📷📑 www.dvidshub.net/image/933993...

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Reposted by Thanos Massias

Hupple’s Cat @hupplescat.bsky.social · 19h

Just finished this. An entirely entertaining account of post-war record setting distance flying, and its impact on commercial aviation.

Highly recommend for aviation buffs.
@jimleeke.bsky.social

THE TURTLE AND THE DREAMBOAT
The Cold War Flights That Forever Changed
the Course of Global Aviation
JIM LEEKE

Book cover

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Thanos Massias @massiasthanos.bsky.social · 2d

Several ATSOL/Advanced Sail designs were studied by the Next Generation Submarine Sails project, along with several NGS designs.

🔗📷 www.google.gr/books/editio...

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Thanos Massias @massiasthanos.bsky.social · 2d

🔗📷 archive.org/details/DTIC...

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Thanos Massias @massiasthanos.bsky.social · 2d

The Advanced Submarine Sail Concept was part of the Advanced Technologies for Submarine Operations in the Littoral (ATSOL) program. Therefore, it is sometimes mentioned as ATSOL/Advanced Sail.

"Use of RANS Calculations in the Design of a Submarine Sail"
🔗📑 apps.dtic.mil/sti/tr/pdf/A...

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Thanos Massias @massiasthanos.bsky.social · 2d

🧵 An Advanced Sail design is being tested at Lake Pend Oreille, Idaho, at the NSWCCD Acoustic Research Detachment's (ARD) Large Scale Vehicle Range (LSVR) on their 1/4-scale submarine, LSV-1 Kokanee (LSV=Large Scale Vehicle).

Circa late-1990s or early-2000s

🔗📷 www.ussvicb.org/poems-storie...

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Thanos Massias @massiasthanos.bsky.social · 5d

From the 2000 'UK Soft Vertical Launch - A Flexible Solution to an Integral Concept for Ground & Naval Air Defence' paper.

(MBDA had joined ownership of Roxel with Safran. It fully owns it since late 2024: www.mbda-systems.com/mbda-makes-r... )

📷 apps.dtic.mil/sti/tr/pdf/A...

Thanos Massias @massiasthanos.bsky.social · 6d

"In May 2008, Protac […] joined Roxel [who makes the CAMM propulsion system]. Protac was founded in 1994 through the merger of the propulsion activities of Thomson Brandt Armements and Bayern-Chemie."
www.roxelgroup.com/en/corporate/

Roxel is the European leader in tactical propulsion systems and a major player in world markets

Based in France and the United Kingdom, Roxel designs, develops, manufactures and sells solid propulsion systems and related equipment for all types of rockets and tactical and cruise missiles for air...

www.roxelgroup.com

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Thanos Massias @massiasthanos.bsky.social · 6d

I wonder if the tail-mounted thrusters that orient the missile once it has been ejected worked (at least for the model of the film) according to this 1987 Thomson Brand patent.

- Film: www.youtube.com/watch?v=pnxg...
- Patent: worldwide.espacenet.com/patent/searc...

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Thanos Massias @massiasthanos.bsky.social · 6d

"F9F-8P LANDING ABOARD USS LEXINGTON (CVA-16)" 1959
🎞️📑 catalog.archives.gov/id/75643

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Thanos Massias @massiasthanos.bsky.social · 6d

"Vought F8U-1 "Crusader" of VMF-235 Squadron 'Death Angels', MCAS Beaufort, S.C."
📑 www.flickr.com/photos/my_pu...

📷 commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ge...

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Thanos Massias @massiasthanos.bsky.social · 6d

USMC VMF-235 'Death Angels' F-8A Crusaders, firing Sidewinders and guns, and dumping fuel.

No. 4 is BuNo 143811—stricken off charge in 1964 according to forgottenjets.warbirdsresourcegroup.org/F8U.html

"F-8A Aircraft Takeoff, Landings, and Touch and Go"
🎞️📑 catalog.archives.gov/id/542321899...

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