Electrocardiographic abnormalities in medically screened German military aircrew

Background A resting electrocardiogram (ECG) is a well-tolerated, non-invasive, and inexpensive test for overt electrical signs of cardiac pathology and is widely used in the screening of aircrew and other high-hazard occupations. Given the low number of pathological results leading to disqualification or restriction however, there is an ongoing debate as to how often screening ECGs should be performed in different age groups. Methods We restrospectively analyzed 8275 resting 12-lead ECGs registered between 2007 and 2020 in the German Air Force Centre of Aerospace Medicine. Findings were categorized according to consensus recommendations published by the NATO Working Group on Occupational Cardiology in Military Aircrew, based on ECG screening criteria published for athletes which were used at the time of registration. Age, sex, height, weight, and body mass index of the probands were also captured. Additionally, 4839 pilot and non-pilot aircrew members were analyzed longitudinally over a maximum period of 13.4 years. Results Out of all the ECGs only 18 revealed findings requiring further investigation, and only one individual was temporarily disqualified because of a ventricular pre-excitation (delta wave) as a sign of an antegrade conducting accessory pathway. The longitudinal analysis of 25,829 ECGs revealed 28 abnormalities requiring further investigation, and only two ECG findings (in probands aged 48.8 and 59.1 years) led to temporary, or permanent disqualification. In a third case, the ECG showed signs of a myocardial infarction, which was already known from the proband’s history. Conclusions Initial ECG screening for asymptomatic aircrew revealed extremely low numbers of individuals requiring further investigation in our cohort. This would appear to justify an initial screening ECG and follow-up ECGs at certain intervals starting at a certain age, but routine ECG screening of applicants in professions with a higher risk tolerance or frequent, e.g. annual, follow-up ECGs in younger aircrew is not supported by our data because of the minimal yield of ECG findings requiring further investigation.

Experimental evaluation of tasking and teaming design patterns for human delegation of unmanned vehicles

This work discusses different approaches for the cooperation between humans as a supervisor and multiple unmanned vehicles (UVs). We evaluated the most promising approach experimentally with expert pilots of the German Air Force. The co-agency of humans and highly automated unmanned systems (i.e., human autonomy teaming, HAT) is described by the use of a design and description language for HAT design patterns. This design language is used to differentiate control modes for tasking, teaming, and swarming of UVs. The different control modes are then combined in a planner agent (PA) design pattern that further enables the UV guidance on scalable delegation levels from a single individual up to a team. The desired system behavior and interaction concept of the PA for these scalable delegation levels is then transferred to the domain of manned-unmanned teaming in fighter aircraft missions. To demonstrate the applicability of the system, we implemented the concept into our fast-jet simulator of the Institute of Flight Systems (IFS) and conducted an experimental campaign with expert pilots. The results of the experiment showed (1) task delegation with the PA design pattern is faster and reduces the error potential; (2) scalable delegation levels enable a pilot and situation-specific task delegation; (3) the delegation of teams is faster and reduces the error potential; however, in some situations, deeper access through the scalable delegation levels is needed; (4) the concept is intuitive and the transparency and trust in UVs and swarms were very high; and (5) the pilots could imagine operating such systems in the future. Overall speaking the presented PA design pattern is suited for the guidance of UVs and the scalable delegation levels are beneficial.

CHEMICAL SUPPORT OF TROOPS DURING WORLD WAR II

When it attacked the USSR, Nazi Germany possessed signifi cant chemical weapons. Chemical support thus became one of the main kinds of operational (combat) support. Short-term course has been created for chemical service commanders and personnel chemical specialists training. The Red Army’s general attention was paid to the chemical defence measures, to eliminate the enemy manpower, weapons and military equipment by use of the fl amethrower and incendiary means, smoke screens were used to mask. Chemical detection and the prevention of chemical weapons use involved chemical, meteorological monitoring; chemical reconnaissance was provided mostly by chemical troops. It took a lot to provide troops with necessary chemical defence means. The fl amethrowers` mission was to burn the enemy out of long-term fi re facilities and fortifi ed buildings, to block strongholds, and to destroy tanks and armoured personnel carriers. Smoke screens were used to mask rear objects, important industrial facilities in cities, railway junctions, bridges and crossings. Smoke screens masking signifi cantly reduced the effectiveness of German air force bombing.

The Challenge of Western Neutralism during the Cold War: Britain and the Buildup of a Nigerian Air Force

In the wake of decolonization, Britain wanted to maintain its strategic interests in Nigeria and to keep the newly independent African country in the Western orbit. Having abrogated a defense agreement in reaction to Nigerian domestic opposition, the British government counted on military assistance to secure its postcolonial security role. The British thus hoped to gain responsibility for the buildup of a Nigerian air force, which the authorities in Lagos wished to establish for national prestige and protection against potential enemies such as Ghana. The Nigerians, however, first tried to secure the requisite assistance from Commonwealth countries other than Britain before opting for a West German air force mission. The Nigerian government aimed to reduce its dependence on Britain and thereby burnish its neutralist credentials. Yet London was challenged by a Western version of neutralism, similar to Western neutrality, because the Nigerians never attempted to approach the Soviet bloc about military assistance.

4. Barbarossa: the German invasion of the Soviet Union

‘Barbarossa: The German invasion of the Soviet Union’ outlines Germany's attack on the Soviet Union, which began in the early hours of June 22 1941 with an army of over three million men and over six hundred-thousand horses joined by half a million men in the armies of Romania and Finland. The German air force struck Soviet airfields and Soviet planes, destroying several thousand in the first few days and securing control of the air for the early phase of the campaign. Stalin's errors made for easy early German victories. However, the superior Soviet tanks and tenacity of the Red Army resulted in a much longer and, eventually, unsuccessful battle for Germany.