Steven Seagal Introduces UAE’s First Electric Tracked Vehicle, STORM

25 Feb 2021, 10:21 UTC · 

by Elena Gorgan 

Home > News > Military Bits & Pieces

There is only one thing Steven Seagal loves more than kicking butt on camera, Vladimir Putin, and shooting guns, and that’s armored vehicles. As he puts it, it’s something he’s been into since he was just a child, so he’s now living out a life-long dream.

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Steven Seagal, the ‘80s and ‘90s action movie star, may be long past his Hollywood prime, but he’s still very much around. These days, he’s in Abu Dhabi, attending the 2021 edition of the International Defense Exhibition, also known as IDEX 2021. He’s there in an official capacity as the brand ambassador for the UAE-based Streit Group.

Initially set up in Canada, Streit Group has been in UAE since 2005. At this year’s IDEX, the company unveiled four new armored vehicles, including the country’s first electric tracked vehicle, called STORM. It just happens to be Seagal’s favorite, and you can catch a better look at it in the video below, shot during a brief conversation with The National News.

Streit Group makes armored personnel vehicles, luxury and security vehicles, and armored boats. This year, they unveiled STORM, the tracked electric vehicle for both military and civilian use; DHABI, a “state-of-the-art” MRAP (mine-resistant ambush-protected vehicle); NISR, a mounted infantry troop carrier and ground support vehicle; and CONDOR, a cost-effective MRAP. Seagal was pretty clear about his personal favorite.

“The design of the STORM looks like a crossover between a Lamborghini and a Stealth fighter, and is definitely one of the head turners at IDEX 2021,” Seagal says in a statement. “I believe in Streit’s mission to save lives around the world and am honored to unveil these vehicles which will contribute to achieving that goal.”

Speaking to the aforementioned media outlet, Seagal says the STORM is also the one vehicle at the expo he’d buy if he was in the market for one. Designed to be multi-purpose, it’s armored and bomb-proof, and can travel both on land and on water, in addition to being completely silent. And Seagal isn’t exactly far off in saying it looks like the love child of a Lambo and a Stealth fighter.

STEVEN SEAGAL STREIT GROUP ARMORED VEHICLE TRACKED VEHICLE MRAP UAE EVS APC

 

American Airlines Pilot Spots UFO-Like Aircraft, FBI Reportedly Investigating

24 Feb 2021, 8:14 UTC · 

by Bogdan Popa 

Home > News > Space Junk

The pilot on American Airlines’ flight 2292 traveling from Cincinnati to Phoenix on Sunday has reported what is being referred to by many as a “UFO,” with the FBI reportedly looking into the whole thing trying to determine what it was.

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The passenger jet was over northeastern New Mexico when the pilot reached out to the control tower to report what he described as “a long cylindrical object.”

A radio transmission published by Steve Douglass, a well-known radio interceptor, reveals the unidentified object was reported to the air traffic control in Albuquerque when the aircraft was flying at 406 mph (653.39 km/h).

“Do you have any targets up here? We just had something go right over the top of us. I hate to say this but it looked like a long cylindrical object that almost looked like a cruise missile type of thing — moving really fast right over the top of us,” the pilot is heard to say.

With no military aircraft known to be around, many believe the Airbus A320 had a quick encounter with a UFO. The FBI is already looking into the whole thing. A statement released by American Airlines confirmed for Fox News that the recording is authentic but pointed to the Feds for more information.

“Following a debrief with our Flight Crew and additional information received, we can confirm this radio transmission was from American Airlines Flight 2292 on Feb. 21,” an American Airlines spokesperson was quoted as saying. “For any additional questions on this, we encourage you to reach out to the FBI.”

The FBI, however, hasn’t released any information on the alleged encounter with the unidentified flying object.

On the other hand, it’s important to emphasize the pilot has never used the term “UFO” but referred to the unidentified object as a “cruise missile.” As the cited source indicates, New Mexico hosts the White Sands Missile Range, but pilots would obviously be informed of any activity at the center before approaching the area.

 

This Tiny RV Has a Pop-Up Upper Level With Balcony and Its Own Elevator

20 Feb 2021, 7:02 UTC · 

by Elena Gorgan 

Home > News > Coverstory

These days, we can all use a little escaping from our everyday reality and routine. Since most of the world is still under travel restrictions and the last thing you’d want is to have to travel for hours on end in the presence of strangers, RVs, motorhomes, campervans, trailers, tiny homes and the likes have emerged as favored solutions.

The industry has seen a massive boost due to increased demand, and that’s putting it lightly. Over in China, they’re already working on the design of what could be the perfect home on wheels: compact but still oh-so-spacious, high-tech and comfortable, and incredibly cozy, if not exactly a dream to take out on the road.

It’s called the SAIC Maxus Life Home V90 Villa Edition and, according to the New Atlas, it’s a showcase model for customization potential but also has a working prototype. So it’s a concept, but in a slightly more advanced stage because some features included in the concept have already been implemented in real life. The report doesn’t mention whether this will ever head into production, but there’s strong indication that it might, seeing how a price tag was attached to the build.

You can see the working prototype starting at the 1.10-minute mark in the video below. The V90 is not called the Villa Edition for nothing: this RV has a standing-height upper floor that pops up, and includes a balcony and its own interior elevator. If that’s not peak “bring your home comforts on the road,” we don’t know what is.

Size-wise, the V90 is a C-class motorhome, in that it features an over-cab sleeping area. The V90 has slide-outs, too, maximizing available space on the bottom floor to offer a real-size living room with an L-shaped sofa that could easily and comfortably sleep at least two more people even if it doesn’t fold out.

So, on the bottom floor is the living area, which includes the living room slash dining area, a full-size kitchen with everything you need to put together fresh family meals, and the bathroom. Behind the kitchen is the interior elevator, which comes to replace the stairs or ladder used in other motorhomes with pop-ups.

The single-person lift takes you to the upper story, which expands to standing height and floor-to-ceiling glass walls with tint technology. This area can function as an extra lounge or a home office, a tea room or a wellness-dedicates space to practice your yoga poses.

It comes with its own couch and large-screen TV and, perhaps more impressively, a balcony that hangs over the driver’s cabin. Right underneath it, in the bulbous protrusion, is the master bed (bedroom?), which is sadly not shown either in photos or video.

Available living space is 12.4 square meters (133 square feet) in the upstairs area and 20 square meters (215 square feet) for the lower level, thanks to the slide-outs.

The whole thing is packed with technology: you get entertainment system, smart system controls of all electronics and amenities, IoT, and app, voice and gesture control for an advanced smart home environment. That is to say, there’s more to it than just a balcony and elevator to take you to the second floor of your RV.

Pricing for the V90 Villa Edition has been announced at CN¥2.68 million, which is roughly $413,000. It’s quite a lot of money for an RV, but then again, you would in fact be getting an actual, permanent home, right?