MAROKO133 Breaking ai: Europe’s new concern: Russian truck-mounted nuclear missile for Pol

📌 MAROKO133 Hot ai: Europe’s new concern: Russian truck-mounted nuclear missile fo

Belarusian officials have suggested that the country’s Polonez operational-tactical missile system could eventually be equipped with a nuclear warhead, with development work involving Russian specialists, raising fresh questions about the expanding role of nuclear-capable weapons in Belarus’ military posture.

The claim was made by Gennady Lepeshko, head of the National Security Commission of the lower house of Belarus’ parliament, in an interview with the state-aligned outlet Sputnik Belarus. 

Lepeshko said Russian and Belarusian experts were working on enabling nuclear use for certain missile and aviation systems, including the domestically fielded Polonez launcher.

Rocket-launcher-fired nuclear missile

“I have heard that Russia and Belarus are conducting joint developments to enable the use of nuclear weapons, including from Polonez missiles,” Lepeshko said. 

He added that during the recent Zapad joint military exercises, Belarus and Russia practiced what he described as an “algorithm” for the use of nuclear weapons, without providing technical details.

Belarusian authorities did not release independent confirmation or timelines for any such modification, and there was no immediate comment from Russia’s Defense Ministry. 

The remarks nonetheless underscore Minsk’s deepening military integration with Moscow as Russia continues its war in neighboring Ukraine.

The Polonez system is a multiple-launch rocket and missile platform developed by Belarus with significant Chinese technical roots. 

It is based on China’s GATSS multifunctional missile system and mounted on the Belarusian-made MZKT-7930 Astrolog wheeled chassis. 

The system was first publicly shown during a military parade in Minsk in 2015 and adopted into service in Belarus in 2016 after completing state trials.

According to officially released specifications, the Polonez fires 301-millimeter missiles with ranges of up to 124 miles (200 kilometers) for the A200 variant and about 180 miles (290 kilometers) for the A300. 

The missiles use inertial guidance with satellite navigation updates and are reported to have an accuracy of roughly 50 to 100 feet (15 to 30 meters), depending on the source.

The system is operated by Belarus’ 336th Rocket Artillery Brigade, based in Osipovichi. Azerbaijan is the only known foreign operator to have acquired Polonez launchers in 2018.

Europe’s new nightmare

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has previously issued explicit threats referencing the Polonez. 

In 2022, amid heightened tensions with Ukraine and NATO, Lukashenko warned that Belarus could target “decision-making centers” in foreign capitals, saying they were within range of the missile system.

Belarus has continued to expand its missile forces in recent years. 

In 2021, Dmitry Pantus, head of the State Military Industry Committee, announced the development of an extended-range missile for Polonez with a reach of up to 186 miles (300 kilometers). 

That version, later designated Polonez-M, was adopted for service in November 2023 after additional testing.

Lukashenko has also said Belarus shifted from Chinese to Russian technology to develop what he described as a “serious” domestically produced missile, signaling a closer alignment with Moscow’s defense industry.

Beyond Polonez, Belarus has already taken delivery of Russian Iskander-M operational-tactical missile systems, which have a range of up to 310 miles (500 kilometers) and are widely believed to be capable of carrying nuclear warheads. 

Belarusian forces began operating the Iskander systems in early 2023 after training in Russia.

Russian officials have previously said nuclear warheads with yields of up to 50 kilotons have been developed for Iskander missiles. 

Analysts say Lepeshko’s comments about nuclear “algorithms” practiced during Zapad exercises may refer to these systems rather than an imminent nuclear version of Polonez.

Western governments have expressed concern that the deployment of nuclear-capable systems in Belarus blurs longstanding boundaries between conventional and nuclear forces in Eastern Europe, increasing risks of escalation in a region already strained by the war in Ukraine.

🔗 Sumber: interestingengineering.com

📌 MAROKO133 Update ai: Tesla driver completes 2,700-mile autonomous trip without t

A recent coast-to-coast road trip by a Tesla owner has drawn widespread attention and renewed debate about how close the world is to truly autonomous driving.

David Moss reported completing a journey across the United States using Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (FSD) software without manually taking control of the vehicle at any point.

2,700 miles from the West Coast to the East Coast

Covering roughly 2,700 miles from the West Coast to the East Coast, the trip took just under three days and included highways, urban streets, complex interchanges, and multiple charging stops. According to the owner, the vehicle managed navigation, lane changes, traffic signals, and merging largely on its own, relying on one of Tesla’s latest FSD software versions.

The journey was widely shared online through posts and videos, quickly gaining traction among Tesla enthusiasts and technology watchers. Many saw the drive as a symbolic milestone, suggesting that advanced driver-assistance systems are becoming capable of handling long-distance, real-world travel with minimal human input. The attention grew further after Tesla CEO Elon Musk briefly acknowledged the accomplishment on social media, which amplified discussion around the event and Tesla’s broader ambitions in artificial intelligence and autonomous vehicles.

Coast to coast, fully autonomous drive

“I am proud to announce that I have completed the world’s first USA coast-to-coast fully autonomous drive,” said David Moss.

“I left the Tesla Diner in Los Angeles 2 days & 20 hours ago, and now have ended in Myrtle Beach, SC (2,732.4 miles). This was accomplished with Tesla FSD V14.2 with absolutely zero disengagements of any kind, even for all parking, including at Tesla Superchargers.”

The system handled challenging scenarios

From a technical perspective, the drive highlights how far Tesla’s software has progressed compared with earlier iterations of Autopilot and FSD.

The system reportedly handled not only high-speed highway driving but also more challenging scenarios such as city traffic, construction zones, and navigating to and from Supercharger stations.

Classified as a supervised driver-assistance technology

However, the achievement also comes with important caveats. Despite the term “Full Self-Driving,” Tesla’s system is still officially classified as a supervised driver-assistance technology. This means the driver is expected to remain alert and ready to take control at any moment, and the vehicle is not legally recognized as autonomous under current U.S. regulations.

Safety experts and regulators have emphasized that such systems should not be confused with Level 4 or Level 5 autonomy, where a vehicle can operate independently without human oversight in defined conditions or at all times, reported the New York Post

Another point of discussion is verification. The reported zero-intervention drive is largely based on the owner’s statements and shared data, and neither regulators nor third-party testing organizations have independently confirmed it. While this does not necessarily undermine the claim, it does mean the trip should be viewed as an individual demonstration rather than definitive proof that the technology is ready for unsupervised public use. Critics also note that exceptional trips do not automatically reflect average performance across all drivers, regions, and conditions.

A coast-to-coast drive has broader implications

Even with these limitations, the coast-to-coast drive has broader implications for the future of transportation. It suggests that software-driven improvements can significantly expand what modern vehicles are capable of, potentially reducing driver fatigue and making long journeys safer and more efficient if used responsibly. The event also intensifies conversations about regulation, liability, and public understanding of automated driving systems, especially as the technology continues to improve faster than the legal frameworks governing it.

In the end, the journey stands as a notable moment in the evolving story of autonomous driving rather than a final destination. It reflects both impressive progress and the remaining gap between advanced driver assistance and true autonomy. As Tesla and other companies continue refining their systems, such real-world demonstrations are likely to play an important role in shaping public perception, regulatory decisions, and expectations about what self-driving cars can realistically achieve in the near future.

🔗 Sumber: interestingengineering.com