New Evidence on the Original Setup of the ‘Tilbury Group’, Formerly in the Tower of London

Abstract

An argument is presented that Valentine Green’s mezzotint engraving ‘Queen Elizabeth at the Head of her Army at Tilbury-Fort, A.D. 1588’ (1792) was inspired by the late 18th-century life-sized group of three figures representing the same subject that was formerly on show at the Tower of London. The mezzotint presented in Acta Historica Reginarum Angliae is the only known image of the original pre-1828 setup of the display, showing the figure of the queen in a skirt-like piece of armour that has since been re-identified as King Henry VIII’s tonlet armour.     

William and John Pickering and the garniture made for the Prince of Brunswick under their supervision at the Royal ‘Almain’ Armoury at Greenwich, 1610 to 1612

Abstract

The princely garniture ‘commanded’ to be made by Prince Henry Frederick for his cousin, Prince Friedrich Ulrich, later Duke of Brunswick, from the Royal ‘Almain’ Armoury at Greenwich, during the stewardship of the Master Armourer, William Pickering, his son, John, and the men of the Greenwich workshop, is described, illustrated and discussed. Accounts are presented of the lives and work of the Pickerings and the evidence is reviewed for the manufacture of this last decorated garniture of the Greenwich School.     

Military Power: A Reply

This article argues that the prewar planning process for postwar Iraq was plagued by myriad problems, including a dysfunctional interagency process, overly optimistic assumptions, and a lack of contingency planning for alternative outcomes. These problems were compounded by a lack of civilian capacity during the occupation period, which led to a complicated and often uncoordinated relationship with the military authorities who found themselves taking the lead in many reconstruction activities. Taken together, these mistakes meant that US success on the battlefield was merely a prelude to a postwar insurgency whose outcome remains very much in doubt more than three years later.     

特定m维修策略更新过程系统可用度模型

将武器装备系统的组成部分分为3类,通过分析得出适合装备系统的特定m维修策略,能够在保证装备较高使用可用度的同时,最大程度地缩减维修保障成本.利用更新过程某些特性,建立特定m维修策略下的使用可用度模型,简化了使用可用度的计算.     

某小型武器稳定系统的建模及仿真

针对某小型武器稳定系统稳定精度差的问题,构建了其控制系统的数学模型,通过仿真施加试验台架扰动信号,对现系统采用的传统PID控制器进行仿真计算,得到其动态稳定精度,并把得到的和定型试验稳定精度数据对应的外扰模拟信号作为改造后系统的标准扰动输入,对线性自抗扰控制器进行了比对仿真研究.仿真结果表明,系统采用线性自抗扰控制器具有响应速度快、稳定精度高、抗扰能力强的优点.这一方法得到的仿真结果和实车具有较高一致性,可以有效解决实车参数调试困难的问题.     

装备保障资源确定技术研究与需求分析系统开发

维修资源是实施装备维修工作的物质基础和重要保证,无论是平时训练还是战时抢修,维修资源都占据着十分重要的地位,不仅影响着装备的寿命周期费用(Life Cycle Costs,LCC),还直接影响着装备的战备完好率以及部队战斗力的保持和恢复.应用更加科学高效的方法确定保障资源,是维修决策面临的重要问题之一.据此,着眼于部队装备维修保障现状需求,将维修任务分配与保障资源需求紧密结合,提出了保障资源确定分析流程,并对分析过程中的关键技术进行了相应的研究,建立了典型的维修决策模型,优化了保障资源配置.最后开发了计算机辅助决策分析系统,为维修资源的优化配置起到了很好的辅助决策作用.     

鱼雷外形参数化建模平台研究

鱼雷外形建模是鱼雷设计过程中非常重要的一项工作环节.传统的鱼雷外形建模方法仅仅是利用了CAD绘图软件进行手动建模,但是在鱼雷外形初步设计过程阶段,往往需要对设计参数进行多次调整,这就造成了参数一旦调整就要重新建模,既降低了效率,也浪费了大量的人力和时间.采用了基于Java环境开发的参数输入界面,同时与UG/OPEN二次开发技术相结合,完成鱼雷外形参数化建模平台的搭建,开发出了较为简单方便的鱼雷外形参数化建模的方法,大大提高了鱼雷外形建模的效率.     

弹丸飞行时间拟合误差对射击诸元误差的影响

分析了基本射表中弹丸飞行时间拟合误差对射击诸元误差的影响,给出了因时间拟合误差引起的射击误差的解析表达,并利用5条典型航路分析了飞行时间拟合误差对射角、射向误差的影响,得出了不同航捷、航高、斜距、目标速度下拟合误差对射击诸元误差的影响关系,从而为确定弹丸飞行时间拟合精度提供依据.     

Convoys to combat Somali piracy

As the world becomes increasingly globalized, interruptions to international trade cannot be permitted. Piracy off the coast of Somalia has hampered international trade in the region and poses significant risks to the sailors required to navigate those waters. Over the past three years the global community has attempted, through a number of different naval tactics, to stop these acts of piracy; however, these tactics have proven ineffective. This article looks at historical precedence and military theory to support the concept of using convoys to protect the thousands of cargo vessels traveling round the Horn of Africa every year. This tactic will greatly decrease the number of successful pirate attacks and save countless lives in the process.     

On the brink: The resurgence of militant Islam in Central Asia

Since Operation Enduring Freedom, Central Asian militants, such as the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, have fled to Pakistan from their previous strongholds in Afghanistan. However, many militants have begun returning to Central Asia. Thus questions are raised as to what extent militancy has the potential to thrive with the pending North Atlantic Treaty Organization withdrawal from Afghanistan set for 2014? Is militancy a legitimate security threat to Central Asia? What strategies might militants implement? Thus, this article examines the current state of militancy, analyzes militant trends, introduces Afghanistan and Pakistan into the Central Asian equation, and determines the militants' capability and overall strategy. The article concludes that militant Islam, regardless of its current numbers, remains a viable threat to regional security, Afghanistan will be an essential factor for the future of Central Asian militancy, and the form this re-emergence will take becomes apparent.