150K

The field of comparatively low-cost standoff munitions offerings continues to expand, with Kratos throwing its hat into the ring in the form of the Ragnarok Low-Cost Cruise Missile (LCCM).

The slender munition, which is named after the cataclysmic end of the world in Norse mythology, is capable of fitting into the bays of the XQ-58 Valkyrie drone, another Kratos product. The missile has a 500 nautical mile range and can carry an 80-pound payload, according to a release from the company. Ragnarok can also cruise at up to 35,000 feet at Mach 0.7.

While these performance figures, as least as claimed, are quite impressive, the price is perhaps more so. Kratos says the missile will cost $150,000 per unit in quantities of 100. One would imagine that number would drop further, possibly substantially so, if purchase volumes were expanded.

The performance and cost figures fit precisely with the USAF’s previously stated goals for such a weapon, which you can read about here.

Other listed features of Ragnarok’s design include a heavy use of carbon composites in its construction, an innovative wing-folding mechanism for compact storage and transport, and its ability to be deployed from weapons bays, wings, and from pallets. The fact that it is clearly built with the XQ-58 as a host in mind could prove to be a major advantage for Kratos, as the stealthy drone has extreme interest from various customers, and especially the USMC. Beyond fighters, advanced drones, bombers, and transports, its small size could see it migrate to non-traditional aircraft, including attack helicopters, if its weight allows it. U.S. Special Operations Command is also highly interested in a small cruise missile with this kind of performance, and is actively testing similar ones now.

No mention of a ground/surface launch variant is made in the release, nor are guidance packages and payload options, beyond a warhead, but we have reached out for more info on that and other aspects of the program.

Kratos has found a unique niche in the current defense acquisition environment, as its roots are primarily in target drones. The expertise built up by producing these often expendable uncrewed aircraft has ported over to the current rush toward lower-cost long-range munitions, as well as Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) and other affordable highly autonomous uncrewed systems.

The push for low-cost cruise missiles has exploded with companies large and small coming to the table with various offerings. Few have the pedigree of reliably building relatively advanced, but low-cost airframes like Kratos. Competition is growing rapidly in this space to meet emerging U.S. and foreign demands, which are in some cases intertwined. Ukraine is now in line to receive thousands of low-cost cruise missile-like munitions developed through a USAF program called the Extended Range Attack Munition (ERAM). However, other U.S. allies and partners, and the U.S. military itself, could be on track to benefit from the ERAM effort. Whether they come via ERAM or other programs, U.S. military purchases of weapons in this general vein are clearly on the horizon as advanced munitions stockpile concerns are now making headlines.

Steve Fendley, President of Kratos Unmanned Systems, is quoted as stating the following in the official release from Kratos:

“The Ragnarök LCCM represents our commitment to developing high-performance strike systems, for Valkyrie, that meet the evolving needs of today’s warfighter in conjunction with the budget realities that dictate what systems ultimately make it to the field… Its modular design delivers maximum combat capability for carriage and launch options. With complementary capability to the Northrop Grumman’s Lumberjack that’s recently been in the news, weapons in this new class which support unmanned and manned applications are coming to the forefront demonstrating their performance value per cost.”

As noted earlier, we reached out to Kratos with a number of questions about Ragnarok and the vision for it as it evolves, as well as its exact developmental state, although the company does say in their release that it is “ready for production.”

Contact the author: [email protected].

The Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office has issued a warning to Brits who are planning to travel abroad, urging them to declare one detail or risk paying thousands

The Foreign Office has issued a stern warning to Brits, advising them to declare a crucial detail on their travel insurance or risk facing potential bills exceeding £150,000.

It’s no revelation that securing your travel insurance is an essential part of holiday planning, providing financial protection if you encounter any issues while abroad. Travel insurance is designed to cover unexpected hospital bills, lost or stolen items, trip cancellations and even emergency transport. Without it, these costs can be incredibly steep when in a foreign country.

However, when applying for coverage, neglecting to disclose any past medical conditions could completely invalidate your insurance.

READ MORE: ‘I’ll never be able to walk again after £3k bucket list trip turned into holiday from hell’READ MORE: Foreign Office issues important ‘itinerary’ alert to anyone travelling solo

The Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) stated: “If you travel internationally you should buy appropriate travel insurance before you go, covering you for existing physical or mental health conditions (including those currently under investigation) and any activities you will be doing whilst you are away.

“If you do not have appropriate insurance before you travel, you could be liable for emergency expenses, including medical treatment, which may cost thousands of pounds.”

More specifically, it advised: “Declare existing conditions or pending treatment or tests so that you are covered if there are related complications during your trip; failing to declare something may invalidate your travel insurance.”

The FCDO provided examples of how much this could ultimately cost you if it nullifies your insurance:

• Fall and break your leg in Spain, you will need hospital treatment and possibly medical evacuation/repatriation – £25,000+
• Quad bike accident in Greece, and you need surgery and medical evacuation/repatriation – £80,000+
• Stomach bug or infection treated in a hospital in the USA and possibly medical evacuation/repatriation – £150,000+

Money Saving Expert (MSE), the brainchild of Martin Lewis, highlights that some insurers may request a comprehensive medical history spanning several years.

The site advises: “It’s important to carefully read the questions asked by the insurer – they may want to know of medical conditions or visits for medical attention within the last three, four or five years, and some insurers may even want to know your medical history even further back, as you’re usually considered to be more likely to make a claim.”

As reported by the Express, MSE also lists some of the most common medical conditions that need to be disclosed when buying travel insurance, although this list is not exhaustive:

• Epilepsy
• Heart conditions (including high blood pressure or cholesterol)
• Asthma
• Diabetes
• Mental health conditions (including depression, eating disorders, anxiety)
• Arthritis
• Gout
• Crohn’s disease

Price comparison giant Money Supermarket points out that travel insurance could be pricier if you have a pre-existing condition. It explains: “Yes, you can get travel insurance if you have a pre-existing medical condition, although it might be more expensive than standard travel insurance. This is because an insurer sees you as a higher risk of making a claim on the policy.

“However, there are still lots of policies to choose from for those with pre-existing conditions. They cover a wide range of health problems and there are also specialist insurers who can help.”

Before jetting off, the FCDO advises holidaymakers to have their insurance policy details at hand, including the policy number and emergency contact number for your insurer.

“Share your policy details with people you’re travelling with and friends or family at home, in case they need to contact your insurance company on your behalf,” it suggests.

A new Telegram trading bot has arrived and it’s going viral on day one. Snorter ($SNORT) is the cheapest and most-advanced way to trade on Solana, helping users maximize their bull market wins.

The project launched a presale one day ago and has already raised over $150K, illustrating strong market appeal from the get-go.

Snorter won’t be the first Telegram trading bot – the market is already worth $41 billion; but it will be the cheapest. And that’s one of the many benefits positioning Snorter for huge success in the coming months.

Currently, investors can buy $SNORT at its lowest presale price of $0.0935. However, this price will rise throughout the campaign, with the next uptick in just one day. For those seeking the most value for money, now is the time to act.

Cut trading fees from 1.5% to 0.85% with $SNORT

One of Snorter’s many competitive advantages is its fee structure, with token holders receiving a discount that slashes trading fees from 1.5% to 0.85%. This makes Snorter cheaper than Bonk Bot, Maestro, Trojan, Banana Gun, SOL Trading Bot, and the rest.

The crypto industry is moving faster than ever. There are countless launchpads for developers to create new projects on. There are endless informational streams for investors to discover new projects. And there are thousands of cryptocurrencies emerging daily.

It’s an information overload. Manual research and trading is no longer viable to catch high-growth opportunities. Automated trading tools can’t be an afterthought; they’re a must-have. That’s why the crypto trading bot market is projected to reach a $154 billion valuation by 2033.

But as the newest market emergent with better fees than its competitors, Snorter is uniquely positioned to benefit from the sector’s growing demand. But that’s far from its only advantage.

Snorter’s premium trading features unlock explosive opportunities

Move over, web-based browser bots. Snorter’s Telegram app is easy to use, featuring an integrated UI for swaps, snipes, copy-trading, limit orders, and portfolio commands.

The app features an institutional-grade dashboard that displays real-time updates on PnL, portfolio size, and cost basis. It all happens inside the Telegram app, making on-chain trading as easy as sending a text message.

However, it’s not just about catching trading opportunities easily; the Snorter bot also features stop-loss integration, allowing users to dynamically manage risk.

So far, it appears that instant sniping will be the main feature; after all, getting in early is where most of the money will be made.

And here’s where Snorter’s sniping bot stands out: the project has built-in scam and honeypot detection features, meaning that users are less likely to buy duds and more likely to catch real runners.

Beta tests for the rugpull protection feature reportedly catch 85% of scam tokens, significantly bolstering the platform’s safety and security.

Something else that helps differentiate Snorter is that the bot will operate on multiple blockchains. While its journey begins on Solana, it will also be available on Ethereum, BNB, Polygon, and Base. It means that users can capitalize on the hottest trading opportunities regardless of where they occur.

Let’s face it, investors buy meme coins to make profits, not friends. If we strip everything back, 99% of investors care far more about money than community. Yet, there’s no doubt that memetic branding helps projects go viral and attracts attention. That’s the reason meme coin prices can be so explosive.

Snorter is a project that fulfils investors’ appetite for gains, while retaining the virality of a meme coin. By design, the real utility and a meme coin allure – it’s the best of both worlds.

As mentioned, the crypto trading bot market is expected to reach a $154 billion valuation by 2033, growing at a 14% compound annual growth rate (CAGR).

However, the AI-driven crypto trading bot sector (which Snorter falls into) is forecasted to hit $985 billion by 2034 with a 37.2% CAGR, reflecting even bigger potential.

With a meme coin allure and a position at the forefront of a rapidly expanding technology domain, Snorter appears firmly set for strong growth in the years ahead, both as an application and an investment opportunity.

With apps like Pump.fun, Believe, and LaunchLab making it easy for anyone to create meme coins; the bar has been raised, and simple joke tokens no longer cut it. Now, investors are shifting to meme coins with real utility.

Eye-catching artwork, cultural resonance, and a profitable business model underneath; that’s the holy grail trifecta for new meme coins – and that’s precisely what Snorter offers.

In terms of utility, holding $SNORT unlocks access to the trading bot and also broadens investors’ opportunities to earn. Notably, holders can lock up their tokens in the project’s staking contract and currently earn a 1,901% APY.

However, the staking yield is variable and will decrease as the staking pool grows. This means that investors seeking to maximize their gains should not wait around.

How to buy $SNORT at presale

Investing in the $SNORT presale is easy. Simply visit the project’s website, connect your wallet, choose the crypto you want to pay with, and the amount of tokens you want to buy.

The presale accepts payments on the Ethereum and Solana networks, and investors can even use bank card. This means there’s seamless accessibility for everyone.

With a use case that blurs the lines between light-hearted meme coin and industry-leading trading bot, Snorter is uniquely positioned for growth. The $SNORT token is the centerpiece of the ecosystem, meaning its price will rise alongside the platform’s adoption.

There are over one billion users on Telegram, who now all have instant, low-cost access to identify explosive crypto trading opportunities using Snorter.

The project’s presale offers a rare chance for investors to capitalize, and that could lead to substantial gains. However, with price hikes occurring throughout the presale, prospective investors should not wait to get involved.

Follow Snorter on X or Instagram for updates. Alternatively, visit its website to buy and stake tokens.

Visit Snorter Presale

This article is for informational purposes only and does not provide financial advice. Cryptocurrencies are highly volatile, and the market can be unpredictable. Always perform thorough research before making any cryptocurrency-related decisions.