title: Smart card

text: Set up in 2009, Plastc announced a single card that could digitally hold the data of up to 20 credit or debit cards. The company succeeded in raising US$9 million through preorders but failed to deliver any product. Plastc was then acquired in 2017 by Edge Mobile Payments, a Santa Cruz-based Fintech company. The Plastc project continues as the Edge card, a dynamic payment card that consolidates several payment cards in one device. The card is equipped with a battery and an ePaper screen and can store data from up to 50 credit, debit, loyalty and gift cards.


title: Smart card

text: Stratos was created in 2012 in Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA. In 2015, Stratos developed the Stratos Bluetooth Connected Card, which was designed to integrate up to three credit and debit card in a single card format and featured a smartphone app used to manage the card. Due to its Lithium ion thin film battery, the Stratos card was equipped with LEDs and communicated in contactless mode and in Bluetooth low Energy.


title: Smart card

text: SWYP was the brand name of a card developed by Qvivr, a company incorporated in 2014 in Fremont, California. SWYP was introduced in 2015 and dubbed the world's first smart wallet. SWYP was a metal card with the ability to combine over 25 credit, debit, gift and loyalty cards. The card worked in conjunction with a smartphone app used to manage the cards. The Swyp card included a battery, a button and a matrix display that showed which card was in use. The company registered users in its beta testing program, but the product never shipped on a commercial scale.


title: Smart card

text: Complex Cards have been adopted by numerous financial institutions worldwide. They may include different functionalities such as payment cards (credit, debit, prepaid), One-Time Password, mass-transit, and dynamic Card Security Code (CVV2).


title: Smart card

text: Since April 2009, a Japanese company has manufactured reusable financial smart cards made from paper.


title: Smart card

text: As mentioned above, data on a smart card may be stored in a file system (FS). In smart card file systems, the root directory is called the "master file" ("MF"), subdirectories are called "dedicated files" ("DF"), and ordinary files are called "elementary files" ("EF").


title: Smart card

text: The file system mentioned above is stored on an EEPROM (storage or memory) within the smartcard. In addition to the EEPROM, other components may be present, depending upon the kind of smartcard. Most smartcards have one of three logical layouts:


title: Smart card

text: In cards with microprocessors, the microprocessor sits inline between the reader and the other components. The operating system that runs on the microprocessor mediates the reader's access to those components to prevent unauthorized access.


title: Smart card

text: Contact smart cards have a contact area of approximately , comprising several gold-plated contact pads. These pads provide electrical connectivity when inserted into a reader, which is used as a communications medium between the smart card and a host (e.g., a computer, a point of sale terminal) or a mobile telephone. Cards do not contain batteries; power is supplied by the card reader.


title: Smart card

text: Because the chips in financial cards are the same as those used in subscriber identity modules (SIMs) in mobile phones, programmed differently and embedded in a different piece of PVC, chip manufacturers are building to the more demanding GSM/3G standards. So, for example, although the EMV standard allows a chip card to draw 50 mA from its terminal, cards are normally well below the telephone industry's 6 mA limit. This allows smaller and cheaper financial card terminals.


title: Smart card

text: Communication protocols for contact smart cards include T=0 (character-level transmission protocol, defined in ISO/IEC 7816-3) and T=1 (block-level transmission protocol, defined in ISO/IEC 7816-3).


title: Smart card

text: "Contactless smart cards" communicate with readers under protocols defined in the ISO/IEC 14443 standard. They support data rates of 106–848 kbit/s. These cards require only proximity to an antenna to communicate.


title: Smart card

text: Like smart cards with contacts, contactless cards do not have an internal power source. Instead, they use a loop antenna coil to capture some of the incident radio-frequency interrogation signal, rectify it, and use it to power the card's electronics. Contactless smart media can be made with PVC, paper/card and PET finish to meet different performance, cost and durability requirements.


title: Smart card

text: Hybrid cards implement contactless and contact interfaces on a single card with unconnected chips including dedicated modules/storage and processing.


title: Smart card

text: Dual-interface cards implement contactless and contact interfaces on a single chip with some shared storage and processing. An example is Porto's multi-application transport card, called Andante, which uses a chip with both contact and contactless (ISO/IEC 14443 Type B) interfaces. Numerous payment cards worldwide are based on hybrid card technology allowing them to communicate in contactless as well as contact modes.


title: Smart card

text: The CCID (Chip Card Interface Device) is a USB protocol that allows a smart card to be interfaced to a computer using a card reader which has a standard USB interface. This allows the smart card to be used as a security token for authentication and data encryption such as Bitlocker. A typical CCID is a USB dongle and may contain a SIM.


title: Smart card

text: Different smart cards implement one or more reader-side protocols. Common protocols here include CT-API and PC/SC.


title: Smart card

text: Smartcard operating systems may provide application programming interfaces (APIs) so that developers can write programs ("applications") to run on the smartcard. Some such APIs, such as Java Card, allow programs to be uploaded to the card without replacing the card's entire operating system.


title: Smart card

text: Smart cards serve as credit or ATM cards, fuel cards, mobile phone SIMs, authorization cards for pay television, household utility pre-payment cards, high-security identification and access badges, and public transport and public phone payment cards.


title: Smart card

text: Smart cards may also be used as electronic wallets. The smart card chip can be "loaded" with funds to pay parking meters, vending machines or merchants. Cryptographic protocols protect the exchange of money between the smart card and the machine. No connection to a bank is needed. The holder of the card may use it even if not the owner. Examples are Proton, Geldkarte, Chipknip and Moneo. The German Geldkarte is also used to validate customer age at vending machines for cigarettes.


title: Smart card

text: Roll-outs started in 2005 in the U.S. Asia and Europe followed in 2006. Contactless (non-PIN) transactions cover a payment range of ~$5–50. There is an ISO/IEC 14443 PayPass implementation. Some, but not all, PayPass implementations conform to EMV.


title: Smart card

text: Non-EMV cards work like magnetic stripe cards. This is common in the U.S. (PayPass Magstripe and Visa MSD). The cards do not hold or maintain the account balance. All payment passes without a PIN, usually in off-line mode. The security of such a transaction is no greater than with a magnetic stripe card transaction.


title: Smart card

text: EMV cards can have either contact or contactless interfaces. They work as if they were a normal EMV card with a contact interface. Via the contactless interface they work somewhat differently, in that the card commands enabled improved features such as lower power and shorter transaction times. EMV standards include provisions for contact and contactless communications. Typically modern payment cards are based on hybrid card technology and support both contact and contactless communication modes.


title: Smart card

text: The subscriber identity modules used in mobile-phone systems are reduced-size smart cards, using otherwise identical technologies.


title: Smart card

text: Smart-cards can authenticate identity. Sometimes they employ a public key infrastructure (PKI). The card stores an encrypted digital certificate issued from the PKI provider along with other relevant information. Examples include the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) Common Access Card (CAC), and other cards used by other governments for their citizens. If they include biometric identification data, cards can provide superior two- or three-factor authentication.


title: Smart card

text: Smart cards are not always privacy-enhancing, because the subject may carry incriminating information on the card. Contactless smart cards that can be read from within a wallet or even a garment simplify authentication; however, criminals may access data from these cards.


title: Smart card

text: Cryptographic smart cards are often used for single sign-on. Most advanced smart cards include specialized cryptographic hardware that uses algorithms such as RSA and Digital Signature Algorithm (DSA). Today's cryptographic smart cards generate key pairs on board, to avoid the risk from having more than one copy of the key (since by design there usually isn't a way to extract private keys from a smart card). Such smart cards are mainly used for digital signatures and secure identification.


title: Smart card

text: The most common way to access cryptographic smart card functions on a computer is to use a vendor-provided PKCS#11 library. On Microsoft Windows the Cryptographic Service Provider (CSP) API is also supported.


title: Smart card

text: The most widely used cryptographic algorithms in smart cards (excluding the GSM so-called "crypto algorithm") are Triple DES and RSA. The key set is usually loaded (DES) or generated (RSA) on the card at the personalization stage.


title: Smart card

text: Some of these smart cards are also made to support the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) standard for Personal Identity Verification, FIPS 201.


title: Smart card

text: Turkey implemented the first smart card driver's license system in 1987. Turkey had a high level of road accidents and decided to develop and use digital tachograph devices on heavy vehicles, instead of the existing mechanical ones, to reduce speed violations. Since 1987, the professional driver's licenses in Turkey have been issued as smart cards. A professional driver is required to insert his driver's license into a digital tachograph before starting to drive. The tachograph unit records speed violations for each driver and gives a printed report. The driving hours for each driver are also being monitored and reported. In 1990 the European Union conducted a feasibility study through BEVAC Consulting Engineers, titled "Feasibility study with respect to a European electronic drivers license (based on a smart-card) on behalf of Directorate General VII". In this study, chapter seven describes Turkey's experience.


title: Smart card

text: Argentina's Mendoza province began using smart card driver's licenses in 1995. Mendoza also had a high level of road accidents, driving offenses, and a poor record of recovering fines. Smart licenses hold up-to-date records of driving offenses and unpaid fines. They also store personal information, license type and number, and a photograph. Emergency medical information such as blood type, allergies, and biometrics (fingerprints) can be stored on the chip if the card holder wishes. The Argentina government anticipates that this system will help to collect more than $10 million per year in fines.


title: Smart card

text: In 1999 Gujarat was the first Indian state to introduce a smart card license system. As of 2005, it has issued 5 million smart card driving licenses to its people.


title: Smart card

text: In 2002, the Estonian government started to issue smart cards named ID Kaart as primary identification for citizens to replace the usual passport in domestic and EU use.


title: Smart card

text: As of 2010 about 1 million smart cards have been issued (total population is about 1.3 million) and they are widely used in internet banking, buying public transport tickets, authorization on various websites etc.


title: Smart card

text: By the start of 2009, the entire population of Belgium was issued eID cards that are used for identification. These cards contain two certificates: one for authentication and one for signature. This signature is legally enforceable. More and more services in Belgium use eID for authorization.


title: Smart card

text: Spain started issuing national ID cards (DNI) in the form of smart cards in 2006 and gradually replaced all the older ones with smart cards. The idea was that many or most bureaucratic acts could be done online but it was a failure because the Administration did not adapt and still mostly requires paper documents and personal presence.


title: Smart card

text: On 14 August 2012, the ID cards in Pakistan were replaced. The Smart Card is a third generation chip-based identity document that is produced according to international standards and requirements. The card has over 36 physical security features and has the latest encryption codes. This smart card replaced the NICOP (the ID card for overseas Pakistani).


title: Smart card

text: Smart cards may identify emergency responders and their skills. Cards like these allow first responders to bypass organizational paperwork and focus more time on the emergency resolution. In 2004, The Smart Card Alliance expressed the needs: "to enhance security, increase government efficiency, reduce identity fraud, and protect personal privacy by establishing a mandatory, Government-wide standard for secure and reliable forms of identification". emergency response personnel can carry these cards to be positively identified in emergency situations. WidePoint Corporation, a smart card provider to FEMA, produces cards that contain additional personal information, such as medical records and skill sets.


title: Smart card

text: In 2007, the Open Mobile Alliance (OMA) proposed a new standard defining V1.0 of the Smart Card Web Server (SCWS), an HTTP server embedded in a SIM card intended for a smartphone user. The non-profit trade association SIMalliance has been promoting the development and adoption of SCWS. SIMalliance states that SCWS offers end-users a familiar, OS-independent, browser-based interface to secure, personal SIM data. As of mid-2010, SIMalliance had not reported widespread industry acceptance of SCWS.<ref name="http://www.simalliance.org/en?t=/documentManager/sfdoc.file.supply&fileID=1279268442341"></ref> The OMA has been maintaining the standard, approving V1.1 of the standard in May 2009, and V1.2 was expected to be approved in October 2012.


title: Smart card

text: Smart cards, used as transit passes, and integrated ticketing are used by many public transit operators. Card users may also make small purchases using the cards. Some operators offer points for usage, exchanged at retailers or for other benefits. Examples include Singapore's CEPAS, Malaysia's Touch n Go, Ontario's Presto card, Hong Kong's Octopus card, London's Oyster card, Ireland's Leap card, Brussels' MoBIB, Québec's OPUS card, Boston's CharlieCard, San Francisco's Clipper card, Washington, D.C.'s SmarTrip, Auckland's AT Hop, Brisbane's go card, Perth's SmartRider, Sydney's Opal card and Victoria's myki. However, these present a privacy risk because they allow the mass transit operator (and the government) to track an individual's movement. In Finland, for example, the Data Protection Ombudsman prohibited the transport operator Helsinki Metropolitan Area Council (YTV) from collecting such information, despite YTV's argument that the card owner has the right to a list of trips paid with the card. Earlier, such information was used in the investigation of the Myyrmanni bombing.


title: Smart card

text: The UK's Department for Transport mandated smart cards to administer travel entitlements for elderly and disabled residents. These schemes let residents use the cards for more than just bus passes. They can also be used for taxi and other concessionary transport. One example is the "Smartcare go" scheme provided by Ecebs. The UK systems use the ITSO Ltd specification. Other schemes in the UK include period travel passes, carnets of tickets or day passes and stored value which can be used to pay for journeys. Other concessions for school pupils, students and job seekers are also supported. These are mostly based on the ITSO Ltd specification.


title: Smart card

text: Many smart transport schemes include the use of low cost smart tickets for simple journeys, day passes and visitor passes. Examples include Glasgow SPT subway. These smart tickets are made of paper or PET which is thinner than a PVC smart card e.g. Confidex smart media. The smart tickets can be supplied pre-printed and over-printed or printed on demand.


title: Smart card

text: In Sweden, as of 2018–2019, smart cards have started to be phased out and replaced by smart phone apps. The phone apps have less cost, at least for the transit operators who don't need any electronic equipment (the riders provide that). The riders are able buy tickets anywhere and don't need to load money onto smart cards. The smart cards are still in use for foreseeable future (as of 2019).


title: Smart card

text: In Japanese amusement arcades, contactless smart cards (usually referred to as "IC cards") are used by game manufacturers as a method for players to access in-game features (both online like Konami E-Amusement and Sega ALL.Net and offline) and as a memory support to save game progress. Depending on a case by case scenario, the machines can use a game-specific card or a "universal" one usable on multiple machines from the same manufacturer/publisher. Amongst the most widely used there are Banapassport by Bandai Namco, E-amusement pass by Konami, Aime by Sega and Nesica by Taito.


title: Smart card

text: In 2018, in an effort to make arcade game IC cards more user friendly, Konami, Bandai Namco and Sega have agreed on a unified system of cards named "Amusement IC". Thanks to this agreement, the three companies are now using a unified card reader in their arcade cabinets, so that players are able to use their card, no matter if a Banapassport, an e-Amusement Pass or an Aime, with hardware and ID services of all three manufacturers. A common logo for "Amusement IC" cards has been created, and this is now displayed on compatible cards from all three companies. In January 2019, Taito announced that his Nesica card was also joining the "Amusement IC" agreement with the other three companies.


title: Smart card

text: Mozilla's Firefox web browser can use smart cards to store certificates for use in secure web browsing.


title: Smart card

text: Some disk encryption systems, such as VeraCrypt and Microsoft's BitLocker, can use smart cards to securely hold encryption keys, and also to add another layer of encryption to critical parts of the secured disk.


title: Smart card

text: Smart health cards can improve the security and privacy of patient information, provide a secure carrier for portable medical records, reduce health care fraud, support new processes for portable medical records, provide secure access to emergency medical information, enable compliance with government initiatives (e.g., organ donation) and mandates, and provide the platform to implement other applications as needed by the health care organization.


title: Smart card

text: Smart cards are widely used to encrypt digital television streams. VideoGuard is a specific example of how smart card security worked.


title: Smart card

text: The Malaysian government promotes MyKad as a single system for all smart-card applications. MyKad started as identity cards carried by all citizens and resident non-citizens. Available applications now include identity, travel documents, drivers license, health information, an electronic wallet, ATM bank-card, public toll-road and transit payments, and public key encryption infrastructure. The personal information inside the MYKAD card can be read using special APDU commands.


title: Smart card

text: Smart cards have been advertised as suitable for personal identification tasks, because they are engineered to be tamper resistant. The chip usually implements some cryptographic algorithm. There are, however, several methods for recovering some of the algorithm's internal state.


title: Smart card

text: Differential power analysis involves measuring the precise time and electric current required for certain encryption or decryption operations. This can deduce the on-chip private key used by public key algorithms such as RSA. Some implementations of symmetric ciphers can be vulnerable to timing or power attacks as well.


title: Smart card

text: Smart cards can be physically disassembled by using acid, abrasives, solvents, or some other technique to obtain unrestricted access to the on-board microprocessor. Although such techniques may involve a risk of permanent damage to the chip, they permit much more detailed information (e.g., photomicrographs of encryption hardware) to be extracted.


title: Smart card

text: The benefits of smart cards are directly related to the volume of information and applications that are programmed for use on a card. A single contact/contactless smart card can be programmed with multiple banking credentials, medical entitlement, driver's license/public transport entitlement, loyalty programs and club memberships to name just a few. Multi-factor and proximity authentication can and has been embedded into smart cards to increase the security of all services on the card. For example, a smart card can be programmed to only allow a contactless transaction if it is also within range of another device like a uniquely paired mobile phone. This can significantly increase the security of the smart card.


title: Smart card

text: Governments and regional authorities save money because of improved security, better data and reduced processing costs. These savings help reduce public budgets or enhance public services. There are many examples in the UK, many using a common open LASSeO specification.


title: Smart card

text: Individuals have better security and more convenience with using smart cards that perform multiple services. For example, they only need to replace one card if their wallet is lost or stolen. The data storage on a card can reduce duplication, and even provide emergency medical information.


title: Smart card

text: The first main advantage of smart cards is their flexibility. Smart cards have multiple functions which simultaneously can be an ID, a credit card, a stored-value cash card, and a repository of personal information such as telephone numbers or medical history. The card can be easily replaced if lost, and, the requirement for a PIN (or other form of security) provides additional security from unauthorised access to information by others. At the first attempt to use it illegally, the card would be deactivated by the card reader itself.


title: Smart card

text: The second main advantage is security. Smart cards can be electronic key rings, giving the bearer ability to access information and physical places without need for online connections. They are encryption devices, so that the user can encrypt and decrypt information without relying on unknown, and therefore potentially untrustworthy, appliances such as ATMs. Smart cards are very flexible in providing authentication at different level of the bearer and the counterpart. Finally, with the information about the user that smart cards can provide to the other parties, they are useful devices for customizing products and services.


title: Smart card

text: Smart cards can be used in electronic commerce, over the Internet, though the business model used in current electronic commerce applications still cannot use the full feature set of the electronic medium. An advantage of smart cards for electronic commerce is their use customize services. For example, for the service supplier to deliver the customized service, the user may need to provide each supplier with their profile, a boring and time-consuming activity. A smart card can contain a non-encrypted profile of the bearer, so that the user can get customized services even without previous contacts with the supplier.


title: Smart card

text: The plastic or paper card in which the chip is embedded is fairly flexible. The larger the chip, the higher the probability that normal use could damage it. Cards are often carried in wallets or pockets, a harsh environment for a chip and antenna in contactless cards. PVC cards can crack or break if bent/flexed excessively. However, for large banking systems, failure-management costs can be more than offset by fraud reduction.


title: Smart card

text: The production, use and disposal of PVC plastic is known to be more harmful to the environment than other plastics. Alternative materials including chlorine free plastics and paper are available for some smart applications.


title: Smart card

text: If the account holder's computer hosts malware, the smart card security model may be broken. Malware can override the communication (both input via keyboard and output via application screen) between the user and the application. Man-in-the-browser malware (e.g., the Trojan Silentbanker) could modify a transaction, unnoticed by the user. Banks like Fortis and Belfius in Belgium and Rabobank ("") in the Netherlands combine a smart card with an unconnected card reader to avoid this problem. The customer enters a challenge received from the bank's website, a PIN and the transaction amount into the reader. The reader returns an 8-digit signature. This signature is manually entered into the personal computer and verified by the bank, preventing point-of-sale-malware from changing the transaction amount.


title: Smart card

text: Smart cards have also been the targets of security attacks. These attacks range from physical invasion of the card's electronics, to non-invasive attacks that exploit weaknesses in the card's software or hardware. The usual goal is to expose private encryption keys and then read and manipulate secure data such as funds. Once an attacker develops a non-invasive attack for a particular smart card model, he or she is typically able to perform the attack on other cards of that model in seconds, often using equipment that can be disguised as a normal smart card reader. While manufacturers may develop new card models with additional information security, it may be costly or inconvenient for users to upgrade vulnerable systems. Tamper-evident and audit features in a smart card system help manage the risks of compromised cards.


title: Smart card

text: Another problem is the lack of standards for functionality and security. To address this problem, the Berlin Group launched the ERIDANE Project to propose "a new functional and security framework for smart-card based Point of Interaction (POI) equipment".


title: ROH World Championship

text: The ROH World Championship is a professional wrestling world championship created and promoted by Ring of Honor (ROH). It is considered the most prestigious title in the promotion. The current champion is Claudio Castagnoli, who is in his second reign. The title is currently defended on All Elite Wrestling's television programs (AEW being co-owned by ROH owner Tony Khan), as well as ROH pay-per-view events.


title: ROH World Championship

text: Low Ki defeated Spanky, Christopher Daniels, and Doug Williams in a 60-minute Iron Man match to become the inaugural ROH Champion at Crowning a Champion on July 27, 2002 after holding its first tournament to crown the inaugural champion on June 22, 2002.


title: ROH World Championship

text: Samoa Joe had the longest title reign to date when he held the belt for 21 months and four days. During his reign, ROH held a cross-promotional show with Frontier Wrestling Alliance in the United Kingdom on May 17, 2003, called Frontiers of Honor. At that show, Joe turned the title into the ROH World Championship when he defended it against The Zebra Kid. Since then the title has been defended in Germany, Canada, Switzerland, Austria, Mexico, Japan, Ireland, Italy, and Spain.


title: ROH World Championship

text: On August 12, 2006, the ROH Pure Championship was unified with the ROH World Championship after the ROH Pure Champion Nigel McGuinness lost to the ROH World Champion Bryan Danielson in Liverpool, England in a title unification match. The match was contested under pure wrestling rules, with the stipulation that both championships could be lost by disqualification or count out.


title: ROH World Championship

text: In 2010, the title belt, along with the ROH World Tag Team Championship belts, was redesigned. The new belt has an eagle with its wings spread over a picture of the world with an ROH logo on the top. This design also includes various flags on different countries.


title: ROH World Championship

text: On July 3, 2013, the ROH World Championship has declared vacant for the first time since its inception, when ROH Match Maker Nigel McGuinness stripped then-champion Jay Briscoe of the title after he was sidelined with a storyline injury and would be unable to compete for the foreseeable future.


title: ROH World Championship

text: In late 2021, ROH announced it would go on hiatus following Final Battle. Then-ROH World Champion Bandido was supposed to wrestle Jonathan Gresham in a championship match at Final Battle until December 9 when it was announced that Bandido had tested positive for COVID-19, thus ending his participation in the scheduled match. Jay Lethal took Bandido’s place against Gresham at Final Battle where Gresham defeated Lethal and won the vacated ROH World Championship, now represented by the original title belt. However, during ROH’s hiatus after Final Battle, Gresham and Bandido would appear in different promotions defending their respective championships; Gresham with the original belt and Bandido with the most recently designed belt. The championship was defended on cards promoted by other companies such as longtime ROH national rival Impact Wrestling, Game Changer Wrestling (GCW), the UK-based Progress Wrestling, and All Elite Wrestling (AEW). Both men even defended their respective titles with Gresham's new promotion, TERMINUS.


title: ROH World Championship

text: On January 20, 2022, it was announced that Bandido and Gresham would face each other in a championship unification match at Supercard of Honor XV, the first ROH event after the hiatus. At the event, Gresham defeated Bandido to unify the ROH World Championship. Afterwards, Gresham continued to carry the original belt while the belt carried by Bandido was shelved.


title: ROH World Championship

text: On June 22, 2002, ROH held the first part of a tournament to crown the inaugural ROH Champion. Sixteen wrestlers were divided into four blocks, with the winner of each block competing in a Four-Way Iron Man match on July 27, 2002 to determine the first champion.


title: ROH World Championship

text: Overall, there have been 37 ROH World Championship reigns and 30 total champions. The title has been vacated twice. The inaugural champion was Low Ki, who defeated Christopher Daniels, Spanky, and Doug Williams in a Four Way 60-minute Iron Man match at the Crowning A Champion event on July 27, 2002, to become champion.


title: ROH World Championship

text: Adam Cole holds the record for most reigns, with three. Jay Lethal has the most defenses, with 41; Kyle O'Reilly has the fewest, with 0. At 645 days, Samoa Joe has the longest reign in the title's history; Kyle O'Reilly's reign is the shortest at 33 days.


title: ROH World Championship

text: Claudio Castagnoli is the current champion in his second reign. He defeated Chris Jericho on December 10, 2022 at Final Battle in Arlington, Texas.


title: Westland Lynx

text: The Westland Lynx is a British multi-purpose twin-engined military helicopter designed and built by Westland Helicopters at its factory in Yeovil. Originally intended as a utility craft for both civil and naval usage, military interest led to the development of both battlefield and naval variants. The Lynx went into operational usage in 1977 and was later adopted by the armed forces of over a dozen nations, primarily serving in the battlefield utility, anti-armour, search and rescue and anti-submarine warfare roles.


title: Westland Lynx

text: The Lynx is a fully aerobatic helicopter with the ability to perform loops and rolls. In 1986, a specially modified Lynx set the current Fédération Aéronautique Internationale's official airspeed record for helicopters (category excludes compound helicopters) at , which remains unbroken as of January 2022.


title: Westland Lynx

text: Several land and naval variants of the Lynx have been produced along with some major derivatives. The Westland 30 was produced as a civil utility helicopter; it was not a commercial success and only a small number were built during the 1980s. In the 21st century, a modernised variant of the Lynx was designed as a multi-role combat helicopter, designated as the AgustaWestland AW159 Wildcat; the Wildcat is intended to replace existing Lynx helicopters.


title: Westland Lynx

text: The initial design, then known as the Westland WG.13, was started in the mid-1960s as a replacement for the Westland Scout and Wasp, and a more advanced alternative to the UH-1 Iroquois. The design was to be powered by a pair of Bristol Siddeley BS.360 turboshaft engines. As part of the Anglo-French helicopter agreement signed in February 1967, French company Sud Aviation (later Aérospatiale) had a 30 per cent share of production work, Westland performing the remainder. It was intended that France would procure the Lynx for its Navy and a heavily modified armed reconnaissance variant for the French Army, with the United Kingdom in return buying Aérospatiale Gazelle and Puma for its armed forces. In October 1969, the French Army cancelled its requirement for the Lynx, so development of the armed variant was terminated at an early stage.


title: Westland Lynx

text: The first Lynx prototype took its maiden flight on 21 March 1971. In 1972, a Lynx broke the world speed record over 15 and 25 km by flying at and set a new 100 km closed circuit record shortly afterwards, flying at ; both of these records were set by L. Roy Moxam OBE, Westland's Deputy Chief Test Pilot (later Chief Test Pilot). In 1986, the former company demonstrator Lynx, registered "G-LYNX", was specially modified with Gem 60 engines and British Experimental Rotor Programme (BERP) rotor blades. On 11 August 1986 the helicopter was piloted by Trevor Egginton when it set an absolute speed record for helicopters over a 15 and 25 km course by reaching ; an official record with the FAI it still holds. At this speed, its lift-to-drag ratio was 2, and its BERP blade tips reached a speed of Mach 0.97.


title: Westland Lynx

text: The British Army ordered over 100 Lynx helicopters under the designation of "Lynx AH.1" ("A"rmy "H"elicopter Mark 1) to perform several roles, such as transport, armed escort, anti-tank warfare (with eight TOW missiles), reconnaissance and evacuation missions. Deliveries of production helicopters began in 1977. An improved Lynx AH.1 with Gem 41-1 or Gem 42 engines and an uprated transmission was referred to as the "Lynx AH.5"; only five were built for evaluation. The AH.5 led to the "Lynx AH.7", which added a new tail rotor derived from the Westland 30, a reinforced airframe, improved avionics and defensive aids.


title: Westland Lynx

text: The initial naval variant of the Lynx, known as the "Lynx HAS.2" in British service, or "Lynx Mk.2(FN)" in French service, differed from the Lynx AH.1 in being equipped with a tricycle undercarriage and a deck restraint system, folding main rotor blades, an emergency flotation system and a nose-mounted radar. An improved Lynx for the Royal Navy, the "Lynx HAS.3", had Gem 42-1 Mark 204 engines, an uprated transmission, a new flotation system and an Orange Crop ESM system. The Lynx HAS.3 also received various other updates in service. A similar upgrade to the French Lynx was known as the "Lynx Mk.4(FN)".


title: Westland Lynx

text: In September 1974, the British and Egyptian governments initiated talks to establish a new Egyptian helicopter manufacturer. Out of these talks, the Arab British Helicopter Company (ABHCO) was established during the 1970s; this new organisation was accompanied by an initial arrangement to manufacture under licence the Lynx AH.1 in Helwan, Egypt. A separate agreement was formalised with Rolls-Royce to license manufacture the Lynx's Gem engines at the Helwan facility. However, this plan was ultimately aborted due to a lack of funds that resulted from the collapse of the Arab Organization for Industrialization (AOI).


title: Westland Lynx

text: Announced in 1984, the "Lynx-3" was an enhanced development, featuring a stretched fuselage, a redesigned tail boom, Gem 60-3/1 engines, a wheeled tricycle undercarriage, BERP rotor blades, and increased fuel capacity. Both Army and Naval variants were proposed; however, the project was ended in 1987 due to insufficient orders being placed. Only one Army Lynx-3 prototype was built. A development of the Lynx AH.7 with the wheeled undercarriage of the Lynx-3 was marketed by Westland as the "Battlefield Lynx" in the late 1980s. The prototype first flew in November 1989, and deliveries began in 1991. In British Army service this variant is designated as the "Lynx AH.9".


title: Westland Lynx

text: In the early 1990s, Westland incorporated some of the technology from the Naval Lynx-3 design into a less-radical "Super Lynx". This featured BERP rotor blades, the Westland 30-derived tail rotor, Gem 42 engines, a new under-nose 360-degree radar installation and an optional nose-mounted electro-optical sensor turret. Royal Navy Lynx HAS.3s upgraded to Super Lynx standard were known in service as the "Lynx HMA.8", and several export customers ordered new-build or upgraded Super Lynxes. From the 1990s onwards, Westland began offering the "Super Lynx 200", which was equipped with LHTEC CTS800 engines, and the "Super Lynx 300", which also had a new cockpit and avionics derived from the AgustaWestland EH101. Both of these models have achieved several export sales. In 2002, "Flight International" reported that more than 40 variants of the Lynx were in service with different users, almost 400 aircraft having been built for various customers.


title: Westland Lynx

text: The British Army and Royal Navy Lynx fleets were to be replaced to a new common advanced Lynx variant based on the Super Lynx 300, with a new tail boom, undercarriage, cockpit, avionics and sensors. Initially referred to as the Future Lynx, and later as the Lynx Wildcat, this type has since been re-designated as the AW159 Wildcat.


title: Westland Lynx

text: While having the Lynx as the origins and basis of its design, the Wildcat differs substantially. Only 5% of its components, including some main rotor gearbox parts and fuel system, remain interchangeable with previous Lynx variants.


title: Westland Lynx

text: The Lynx is a multi-purpose twin-engine battlefield helicopter, of which specialised versions have been developed for both sea and land-based warfare. A distinguishing feature between early and later aircraft is the undercarriage: early Army versions of the Lynx were equipped with skids, while the Naval and later models have been outfitted with wheels, a requirement for easy ground handling on the deck of a warship. Early versions of the Lynx were powered by a pair of Rolls-Royce Gem turboshaft engines and had a four-blade rotor, mounted on a rigid titanium monobloc rotor head of the kind pioneered by the MBB BO105 a few years earlier. The innovative blade design comprised a honeycomb sandwich structure made out of composite material. For shipboard stowage, both the rotor blades and tail can be folded. Lag dampers were incorporated but these are not required in flight (owing to the rigidity of the monobloc rotor head). In flight, the main rotor is kept at a constant speed, simplifying aircraft control; the rotor also features a vibration absorption system.


title: Westland Lynx

text: The Lynx is an agile helicopter, capable of performing loops and rolls, and of attaining high speeds. The agility of the type led to its use as an aerial display aircraft, having been operated by the Blue Eagles and Black Cats helicopter display teams. The efficiency of the main rotor, as well as the overall top speed of the Lynx, was substantially improved with the adoption of BERP rotor blade technology. During the 1990s, the hot-and-high performance of the type was considerably boosted in the later Super Lynx 200 series, at which point the type's Gem engines were replaced with the newer LHTEC T800 turboshaft engine with associated FADEC system; the Lynx can also maintain a good level of performance under moderate icing conditions. The FADEC controls eliminated the requirement for a throttle or manual speed selection switches, further simplifying flight control. Later aircraft feature automatic stabilisation equipment; functions such as auto-hover are installed on some Lynx.


title: Westland Lynx

text: Various avionics and on-board systems are integrated on the Lynx in order to perform differing mission profiles. Several operators have equipped their Lynx with BAE Systems' Seaspray surveillance radar to provide for a surface search capability, which is used in maritime patrol, search and rescue, and other mission profiles. British Army models are equipped with a Marconi Elliot automatic flight control system capable of performing automatic three axes stabilisation. The integration of both avionics and weapons systems is customised for each Lynx batch to customer specifications and requirements. Most of the installed sensors and avionics are typically integrated with the aircraft's avionics management system (AMS), from where they can be managed by either pilot; sensors such the optional nose-mounted FLIR can be set up to directly cue the weapon systems. Functions such as navigation and communications are also tied into the AMS, with information from these systems displayed to the pilots on interchangeable integrated display units in the cockpit. The Lynx is considerably easier to service and maintain than the AgustaWestland Apache.


title: Westland Lynx

text: The Lynx features a two-man cockpit for a pilot and observer sitting side by side; the British Army typically operates their fleet with a three-man crew, a door gunner being the third member. The cabin, located behind the cockpit, is accessed through a pair of large sliding doors on each side of the fuselage; it can accommodate up to ten equipped troops, depending upon seating configuration. An alternative configuration houses radio equipment in the cabin area when the aircraft is being used in the airborne command post role; the cabin can also be used to house additional fuel tanks for conducting long distance missions and ferry trips. The Lynx can perform a wide variety of mission types, including anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare, vessel replenishment, search and rescue, airborne reconnaissance, armed attack, casualty evacuation and troop transport; according to AgustaWestland, a Lynx can be converted from one mission-type to another within the space of 40 minutes.


title: Westland Lynx

text: Typical combat equipment includes stabilised roof-mounted sensors, onboard countermeasures and door guns; when being used in the anti-tank role, the Lynx is typically armed with BGM-71 TOW missiles; missiles such as the Sea Skua have been used in the maritime anti-surface role. Additional armaments that have been interchangeably used include rockets, 20 mm cannons, torpedoes, and depth charges. Those Lynx built for export have been typically outfitted with armaments and equipment customised for the end-user, such as the Mokopa air-to-surface missile used on Algeria's Lynx fleet, eight of which can be carried; studies into equipping the AGM-114 Hellfire have been performed, and air-to-air missiles could also reportedly be adopted if the capability is sought by operators. Equipped armaments can be managed and controlled inflight through the onboard stores management system. In order to counteract battlefield threats such as infrared-guided missiles, various defensive aid subsystems can be optionally installed, including warning receivers and countermeasures.


title: Westland Lynx

text: Many of the Lynx's components had been derived from earlier Westland helicopters such as the Scout and Wasp. The Lynx has been substantially upgraded since entering service in the 1970s; improvements made to in-service aircraft have typically included strengthened airframes, new avionics and engines, improved rotor blades, and additional surveillance and communications systems. Various subsystems from overseas suppliers have been incorporated into some Lynx variants; during a South Korean procurement, hulls produced in the United Kingdom were equipped with Korean-built systems, such as ISTAR, electro-optical, electronic warfare, fire-control systems, flight control actuators, and undercarriages. A glass cockpit was adopted on the Super Lynx 300, featuring fully integrated flight and mission display systems, a variety of integrated display units including head-up displays, and dual controls; AgustaWestland has commented that the new cockpit reduces aircrew workload and increases aircraft effectiveness. The head-up display installed could be replaced by a helmet-mounted sight system on customer demand.


title: Westland Lynx

text: The Lynx AH.1 entered service with the British Army's Army Air Corps (AAC) in 1979, followed by the Lynx HAS.2 with the Fleet Air Arm (FAA) in 1981. The FAA fleet was upgraded to Lynx HAS.3 standard during the 1980s, and again to HMA.8 standard in the 1990s. Most Army aircraft were upgraded to Lynx AH.7 and the later AH.9/AH.9A standards as utility helicopters; they have also served with 3 Commando Brigade Air Squadron (3 CBAS) of the Royal Marines and later, the Commando Helicopter Force (CHF) of the FAA, operating as reconnaissance and attack/utility helicopters to support the Royal Marines. During the Cold War, it was envisioned that Army Lynxes would be paired with Westland Gazelle helicopters to counter Soviet armoured vehicles. Lynx HAS.3 and HMA.8 variants operate as anti-submarine warfare and maritime attack helicopters armed with Sting Ray torpedoes, Sea Skua anti-ship missiles and depth charges, from Royal Navy warships. Navy Lynx have been critical to maritime patrol operations, including non-military operations such as counter-narcotics missions.


title: Westland Lynx

text: The Lynx HAS.2 ASW variant participated in combat operations during the Falklands War in 1982. A combination of Lynx and Westland Sea King helicopters were used to maintain continuous anti-submarine patrols in order to protect the British task force offshore from the Falkland Islands. On 3 May, a Lynx conducted the first combat-firing of a Sea Skua missile, firing on the Argentinian patrol boat ARA "Alférez Sobral", inflicting considerable damage to the vessel. This was the first use of sea-skimming missiles in the conflict. Although none were shot down in combat, a total of three were lost aboard vessels that were struck by attacks from Argentine aircraft, these vessels being , and SS "Atlantic Conveyor".


title: Westland Lynx

text: On 14 May 1989, in the type's second fatal accident, Lynx HAS3GM "XZ244", attached to , crashed near Mombasa, Kenya, while en route to the city's airport for a period of shore leave. A door had detached when opened inflight and collided with the tail rotor, resulting in the aircraft splitting in half and the death of all nine personnel on board. As a result, door modifications and inflight opening restrictions were introduced. As of 2004, it remained the deadliest Lynx crash.


title: Westland Lynx

text: The Navy's Lynx helicopters were among Britain's contribution to the coalition against Saddam Hussein's Iraq during the 1991 Gulf War. During the Battle of Bubiyan, the biggest naval engagement of the conflict, the Lynx and its Sea Skua missiles proved to be decisive, being responsible for the majority of individual engagements with various Iraqi Navy vessels. By 2 February 1991, 25 Sea Skuas had been launched, out of these, 18 were confirmed as having hit their targets, and had succeeding in heavily damaging a significant portion of Iraq's navy. Navy Lynxes were routinely used to deploy troops to oil platforms and into occupied Kuwait, as well as to perform aerial reconnaissance across the Gulf.


title: Westland Lynx

text: The British Army also deployed 24 TOW-armed Lynxes alongside an equal number of Westland Gazelle helicopters during the Gulf War. They were assigned the mission of locating and attacking Iraqi tank concentrations, and to support the advance of coalition ground forces into Kuwait and Southern Iraq during the "100 hours war" phase of the conflict. On 26 February 1991, a Lynx of 654 Squadron AAC destroyed two MTLB armoured personnel carriers (APCs) and four T-55 tanks using TOW missiles: the engagement was the first recorded use of the missile from a British helicopter.


title: Westland Lynx

text: On 19 March 1994, during The Troubles in Northern Ireland, the Irish Republican Army (IRA) brought down Lynx AH.7 "ZD275" of the AAC with an improvised mortar, striking it while attempting to land at Crossmaglen Army base. The pilot managed to crash land and the aircraft was destroyed, but all crew on board survived. Author Toby Harnden described the incident as the IRA's most successful operation against a helicopter.


title: Westland Lynx

text: Various British Lynxes were used during the NATO intervention in the conflict between Serbia and Kosovo, later known as the Kosovo War. They were frequently employed to supply NATO forces inside the theatre, including those engaged in humanitarian operations. In June 1999, the type was employed to escort British ground forces being air-deployed into Kosovo via Chinooks, during NATO's first phase of deployment. For a number of years, British Army Lynx and Gazelle helicopters were deployed within Kosovo, performing reconnaissance and transport duties in support of NATO peacekeeping forces.


title: Westland Lynx

text: In September 2000, Army Lynxes were used in Sierra Leone to rescue several British soldiers during Operation Barras. In 2002, a Lynx attached to crashed 200 miles off the coast of Virginia.


title: Westland Lynx

text: In March 2003, the Lynx formed the bulk of the deployed British rotary aviation battle group in the invasion of Iraq. Participating aircraft were quickly outfitted with engine sand filters, armour, heat dissipaters, modern secure radios and radar warning receivers. In the subsequent multi-national occupation force, a flight of either AAC or CHF Lynx AH.7s were based at Basra International Airport under command of the Joint Helicopter Force (Iraq) on a rotational basis. In theatre, they would escort infantry patrols, perform aerial reconnaissance, provide fire support and act as airborne communications hubs. Problems in operating in the high temperature environment were encountered, with the helicopters often operating with no power reserve and thus without the ability to overshoot during landings; these problems were belatedly overcome by the introduction of the Lynx AH.9A.


title: Westland Lynx

text: On 6 May 2006, Lynx AH.7 "XZ6140" of the CHF, was shot down by a man-portable surface-to-air missile over Basra, southern Iraq; the first British helicopter and only the second British aircraft downed (the first was an RAF Hercules) by enemy fire in the war. Among the five killed were 847 Naval Air Squadron's commanding officer, Lieutenant Commander Darren Chapman; Wing Commander Coxen, who had been due to take command of the region's British helicopter forces, and Flight Lieutenant Sarah-Jayne Mulvihill; Coxen was the most senior British officer to die in the conflict and Mulvihill was the first British servicewoman to die in action in 22 years. At the crash scene, British troops reportedly encountered rioting Iraqi civilians and were fired on by militia, while civilians were killed in the ensuing clashes. The crash led to a review of the vulnerability of helicopter transports in southern Iraq.


title: Westland Lynx

text: In 2006, the first Lynx AH.7 was deployed to Helmand Province, Afghanistan; this variant would only be subsequently used during winter months due to the performance limitations imposed during the high summer temperatures. The Lynx AH.9A later deployed was praised as having been a substantial performance improvement. On 26 April 2014, Lynx AH.9A "ZF540" of the Army Air Corps crashed near Kandahar Airfield in Afghanistan, killing the three crew and two passengers on board. This was the first fatal accident in the conflict involving a British military helicopter and the third largest loss of life of British troops in a single incident in Afghanistan since 2001.


title: Westland Lynx

text: The Royal Navy retired its Lynx helicopters from active service on 23 March 2017 with its official decommissioning. On 17 March, a final flypast was conducted by four Royal Navy Westland Lynx HMA8 helicopters from 815 Naval Air Squadron, based at RNAS Yeovilton in Somerset. The Army Air Corps retired the Lynx in 2018, with the disbandment of 657 Squadron AAC.


title: Westland Lynx

text: The first German Navy Lynx, a Sea Lynx Mk88 model, was manufactured in 1981. A total of 19 were built. In 1996, the German Navy elected to purchase seven additional Super Lynx Mk88As; in 1998, the decision was taken to upgrade the existing Mk88 fleet, by then numbering a total of 17, to the improved Mk88A standard. In the anti-surface role, Germany's Lynx fleet were supplemented by several Westland Sea Kings, which were upgraded with Sea Skua missiles in the 1990s. In 2009, Germany was studying a limited upgrade programme for their Super Lynx fleet which reportedly included the replacement of the current anti-ship missile. In 2013, the German defence ministry signed a contract with Selex ES to integrate new electro-optical/infrared sensors onto the Super Lynx.


title: Westland Lynx

text: Since 2012, German Lynx have been deployed routinely off the coast of Somalia to discourage and intervene against acts of piracy as a part of the multinational Operation Atalanta. In September 2014, 15 of the navy's 22-strong Sea Lynx Mk88A fleet were temporarily grounded following the discovery of fuselage cracks on some aircraft. The German Defense Ministry estimated that the Sea Lynx fleet will return to full strength in early 2015. In the long term, the German Navy is to retire the Super Lynx in favour of the .


title: Westland Lynx

text: The Republic of Korea Navy (ROKN) of South Korea took delivery of the first batch of 12 Mk.99 Lynx helicopters in 1990; a second batch of 13 Mk.99A Super Lynx helicopters began delivery in 1999. The first Lynx batch was later upgraded to the same standard as the second batch; the changes included the adoption of a new radar, FLIR, and ESM systems. In 2013, South Korea's Defense Acquisition Program Administration announced its selection of the AW159 Wildcat; deliveries of eight aircraft are planned for 2015–16; these will be used for search and rescue, anti-submarine warfare and surveillance missions.


title: Westland Lynx

text: In May 2009, a ROKN Lynx successfully protected a North Korean freighter from being pursued by pirates off the coast of Somalia. In 2010, South Korea's Lynx fleet was temporarily grounded for emergency inspections following the crashes of two aircraft within the same week. Shortly afterwards it was discovered that the ROKN's helicopters had been victim of a maintenance scam, involving falsified documentation and faked replacement of components; by 2011, 12 employees of two South Korean private companies had been jailed, two ROKN officers were indicted, and several other officers were to be remanded as a result.


title: Westland Lynx

text: In 1979, the Lynx Mk.2(FN) entered service with the French Naval Aviation of the French Navy, a total of 26 aircraft would be procured, followed by 14 improved Mk.4(FN)s. Upon entering service, the French Lynx was more capable of performing independent anti-submarine operations than its Royal Navy counterpart, a single aircraft being capable of simultaneously being equipped for detection and weapon delivery roles. In February 2011, a French Lynx landed on the flight deck of a FREMM multipurpose frigate for the first time as a part of qualifying trials. In addition to France's own Lynx fleet, French Navy vessels have also hosted British Lynx helicopters, such as during an extended counter-piracy deployment on board the during 2012. In 2019, the French Navy announced plans to retire the Lynx by 2020, and the type carried out its final operational deployment, aboard the frigate , in July 2020. It was formally retired from French service on 4 September 2020.


title: Westland Lynx

text: The Royal Netherlands Navy's (RNN) Naval Aviation Service operated fleet of 24 Lynx for a total of 36 years, entering service in 1976 and phased out in 2012 after being extensively used. These performed search and rescue, anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare and special forces support tasks while operating from the flight decks of most RNN vessels during this period. In 1993, the RNN fleet were upgraded to a common Lynx SH-14D standard. In 1999, a design defect in the rotor-head used on some Lynx aircraft was responsible for the loss of a Dutch aircraft in 1999; this led to a number of Lynx worldwide to be temporarily grounded until retrofitted with new titanium rotor-heads. On 28 February 2011, a Dutch Lynx and three navy personnel were captured by Libyan forces while performing an evacuation mission inside the country. On 19 September 2012, the RNN performed its final operational Lynx flight.


title: Westland Lynx

text: The Portuguese Naval Aviation of the Portuguese Navy exclusively operates the Super Lynx Mk.95. In 1990, Portugal signed a contract for a total of five Super Lynx, two of them being refurbished ex-Royal Navy aircraft. A total of two Lynx can be operated from the flight deck of a single ; they typically accompany the vessels, including during long distance deployments for anti-piracy operations off the Horn of Africa.


title: Westland Lynx

text: In 1978, the Brazilian Navy became the first foreign operator of the Lynx helicopter, having taken delivery of its first of a batch of five that year. During the 1990s, the fleet was more than doubled by the acquisition of a further batch of nine. During overseas deployments for multinational training exercises and United Nations operations, the Lynx has been described as "eyes and the ears of the fleet". In 2009, Brazil deployed several Lynx in an effort to locate the missing Air France Flight 447. In 2014, a mid-life upgrade process was agreed for Brazil's Lynx fleet, they shall receive LHTEC CTS800-4N engines, new avionics, satellite navigation systems, countermeasures, and night vision-compatible cockpit displays.


title: Westland Lynx

text: The Royal Norwegian Air Force (RNoAF) received its six Lynx Mk 86 in 1981. 337 Squadron was reactivated at Bardufoss and declared operational with Lynx in 1983. RNoAF operates the aircraft with the Norwegian Coast Guard's s. In 2010, one Lynx reached the end of its operational life and was withdrawn from service; a second aircraft suffered a non-fatal crash in 1988 and was totally rebuilt by Westland. The Lynx was to have been progressively replaced by the NH90 from 2005 onwards; however, deliveries of the new type suffered multiple delays, leading to Norway considering life extension measures on some of their Lynx fleet. Lynx was decommissioned in December 2014.


title: Westland Lynx

text: The Royal Danish Navy (RDN) took delivery of eight Lynx Mk 80 between 1980 and 1981. A further two Mk 90 were delivered in 1987 and 1988 as attrition replacements. Operated by the Danish Naval Air Squadron, the RDN fleet is typically stationed upon naval inspection vessels and used to patrol Greenland and Faroe Islands as well as the Danish mainland. Beginning in 2000, the whole Lynx fleet was upgraded to Mk 90B standard. On 7 November 2006, a Danish Lynx had the distinction of performing the first helicopter landing on board a of the Swedish Navy. In January 2011, control of the Lynx fleet was transferred from the Danish Navy to the Royal Danish Air Force.


title: Westland Lynx

text: With all HMA.8 aircraft upgraded to CMP standard, HMA.8(CMP) aircraft were re-designated back to HMA.8(SRU). The Lynx HAS.8 fleet is currently undergoing further modifications, by the Lynx Operational Support Team, to improve self-defence, mission execution and survivability. These modifications will not affect the SRU designation.


title: Westland Lynx

text: Notes: AH=Army Helicopter, HAS=Helicopter, Anti-Submarine, HMA=Helicopter, Maritime Attack, IFF=Identification Friend or Foe, (GM)=Gulf Modification, (S)=Secure speech radio, and SIFF=Successor to IFF.


title: A Moon Shaped Pool

text: A Moon Shaped Pool is the ninth studio album by the English rock band Radiohead. It was released digitally on 8 May 2016, and physically on 17 June 2016 through XL Recordings. It was produced by Radiohead's longtime producer Nigel Godrich.


title: A Moon Shaped Pool

text: Radiohead recorded "A Moon Shaped Pool" in RAK Studios in London, their studio in Oxford, and the La Fabrique studio in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, France. It features prominent use of strings and choral vocals arranged by the guitarist Jonny Greenwood and performed by the London Contemporary Orchestra. Several songs, such as "True Love Waits" and "Burn the Witch", were written years earlier. The lyrics address climate change, groupthink and heartbreak; many critics saw them as a response to singer Thom Yorke's split from his partner Rachel Owen. Radiohead's longtime collaborator Stanley Donwood created the abstract cover by exposing his paintings to weather.


title: A Moon Shaped Pool

text: Radiohead promoted "A Moon Shaped Pool" with singles and videos for "Burn the Witch" and "Daydreaming", a viral campaign of postcards and social media posts, and a series of video vignettes. Radiohead toured in 2016, 2017 and 2018, with headline performances at festivals including Glastonbury and Coachella. The tour included a performance in Tel Aviv, which drew criticism from supporters of Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions, a campaign for an international cultural boycott of Israel.


title: A Moon Shaped Pool

text: "A Moon Shaped Pool" was named one of the best albums of the year and decade by many publications. It was the fifth Radiohead album nominated for the Mercury Prize, and was nominated for Best Alternative Music Album and Best Rock Song (for "Burn the Witch") at the 59th Annual Grammy Awards. It topped the charts in several countries, becoming Radiohead's sixth number one on the UK Album Charts, and was a bestseller on vinyl. It is certified gold in the UK, US, Canada, Australia, France and Italy.


title: A Moon Shaped Pool

text: Several songs on "A Moon Shaped Pool" were written years before the recording. Radiohead first performed "True Love Waits" in 1995, and attempted to record it several times, but could not settle on an arrangement; over the years, it became one of their best-known unreleased songs. Radiohead first worked on "Burn the Witch" in the sessions for "Kid A" (2000) and again in subsequent album sessions. The songwriter, Thom Yorke, first performed "Present Tense" in a solo set at the UK Latitude Festival in 2009.


title: A Moon Shaped Pool

text: During the tour for their eighth album, "The King of Limbs" (2011), Radiohead performed new material, including the future "Moon Shaped Pool" tracks "Identikit" and "Ful Stop". On tour in 2012, they recorded two songs at the Third Man Records studio in Nashville, Tennessee, including a version of "Identikit", but discarded the recordings as substandard. After the tour ended that year, Radiohead entered hiatus and the members worked on side projects.


title: A Moon Shaped Pool

text: Radiohead began work on "A Moon Shaped Pool" with their longtime producer Nigel Godrich in their Oxford studio in September 2014. They were slow to regain momentum after their break and worked in "fits and starts". The Oxford sessions lasted until Christmas. In 2015, Radiohead spent three weeks in the La Fabrique studio near Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, France, building on their Oxford recordings. The studio, originally a nineteenth-century mill producing art pigment, had been used by musicians including Morrissey and Nick Cave and houses the world's largest vinyl record collection.


title: A Moon Shaped Pool

text: Yorke had few demos and there was no rehearsal period. According to the guitarist Ed O'Brien, "We just went straight into recording ... The sound emerged as we recorded." Instead of using computers, Godrich recorded the band to tape with analog multitrack recorders, inspired by Motown and early David Bowie records. This added creative limits, as rerecording a take meant erasing the previous take. According to the bassist, Colin Greenwood, "It forces you to have to make decisions in the moment; it’s very much the opposite of having your album stored on a terabyte hard drive."


title: A Moon Shaped Pool

text: For the introduction to "Daydreaming", Radiohead slowed the tape, creating a pitch-warping effect. The guitarist Jonny Greenwood used the music programming language Max to manipulate the piano on "Glass Eyes". "Identikit" developed from loops of Yorke's vocals recorded during the "King of Limbs" sessions. The drummer Clive Deamer, who had performed with Radiohead on the "King of Limbs" tour and appeared on their 2011 double single "The Daily Mail" and "Staircase", played additional drums on "Ful Stop".


title: A Moon Shaped Pool

text: The strings and choir sections were arranged by Jonny Greenwood and performed by the London Contemporary Orchestra, with Hugh Brunt as conductor. The orchestra had previously worked with Greenwood on his score for the 2012 film "The Master". The strings were recorded at RAK Studios in London. For "Burn the Witch", the players used guitar plectrums rather than bows, creating a percussive effect. "Daydreaming" was finished early in the La Fabrique sessions; Yorke described it as a "breakthrough" for the album. Greenwood had the cellists detune their cellos, creating a "growling" sound. Additional string and choir parts were recorded but cut.


title: A Moon Shaped Pool

text: Godrich's father Vic died on the day of the recording of the strings for "Burn the Witch". According to Godrich, "I literally left him on a fucking table in my house and went and recorded. And it was a very, very emotional day for me. He was a string player as well so it was one of those things where it felt like he would want me to go and just do this." Around the same period, Yorke announced his separation from his wife, Rachel Owen, who died of cancer several months after the album's completion. The special edition of the album is dedicated to Vic Godrich and drum technician Scott Johnson, who died in the 2012 stage collapse before Radiohead's scheduled show in Downsview Park, Toronto. Yorke told "Rolling Stone": "There was a lot of difficult stuff going on at the time, and it was a tough time for us as people. It was a miracle that that record got made at all."


title: A Moon Shaped Pool

text: Work was interrupted by the recording of "Spectre", commissioned for the 2015 James Bond film. The film producers rejected the song as "too dark". Godrich said: "That fucking James Bond movie threw us a massive curveball. It was a real waste of energy ... In terms of making "A Moon Shaped Pool" it caused a stop right when we were in the middle of it." In December 2015, at the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Paris, Yorke performed three "Moon Shaped Pool" songs: "The Numbers" (then known as "Silent Spring"), "Present Tense" and "Desert Island Disk". On Christmas Day, Radiohead released "Spectre" on the audio streaming site SoundCloud. Jonny Greenwood estimated that 80% of the album was recorded in two weeks. After Radiohead finished work in France, Godrich edited and mixed the album in London.


title: A Moon Shaped Pool

text: "A Moon Shaped Pool" incorporates art rock, folk, chamber music, ambient music and baroque pop. It combines electronic elements such as drum machines and synthesisers, acoustic timbres such as guitar and piano, and string and choral arrangements, which feature more heavily than on previous Radiohead albums. "The Guardian" characterised "A Moon Shaped Pool" as more restrained and "pared back" than Radiohead's earlier work.


title: A Moon Shaped Pool

text: The songs are sequenced in alphabetical order, which Jonny Greenwood said was chosen only because the order worked well. "Burn the Witch" features "pulsating" strings and electronic percussion. "Daydreaming" is an ambient song with a "simple, sad" piano motif, "spooky" backmasked vocals, and electronic and orchestral elements. "Identikit" has a jam-like opening, choral vocals, and "spacey" electronics, and ends with an "agitated" guitar solo. "Ful Stop" features "malevolent" synthesiser, a "bustle" of rhythms, and phasing guitar arpeggios. "Glass Eyes" has manipulated piano, strings, and lyrics evocative of an "unguarded phone call".


title: A Moon Shaped Pool

text: "The Numbers" begins as a "loose-limbed, early 70s jam session", with strings reminiscent of Serge Gainsbourg's 1970 album "Histoire De Melody Nelson". "Present Tense" is a ballad with bossa nova elements. "Tinker Tailor Soldier Sailor Rich Man Poor Man Beggar Man Thief" features strings, electronic percussion and distorted synthesiser. "True Love Waits", first performed on acoustic guitar over 20 years prior, is performed on piano. The special edition contains two additional tracks: "Ill Wind", featuring a bossa nova rhythm and "icy" synthesisers, and "Spectre", an orchestral piano ballad.


title: A Moon Shaped Pool

text: The lyrics discuss love, forgiveness, and regret with, according to Larson, "a sense that beyond tectonic heartbreak there is an anaemic acceptance that is kind of beautiful if you don't get too sad about it". Several critics felt the lyrics were coloured by Yorke's recent separation from his partner of almost 25 years, Rachel Owen, noting that the backmasked vocals of "Daydreaming", when reversed, resemble the words "half of my life". Spencer Kornhaber of the "Atlantic" wrote that "A Moon Shaped Pool" "makes the most sense when heard as a document of a wrenching chapter for one human being".


title: A Moon Shaped Pool

text: Other themes include climate change and call for revolution on "The Numbers", and the dangers of authority and groupthink on "Burn the Witch". Yorke feared that political songs alienated some listeners, but decided it was better than writing "another lovey-dovey song about nothing". He was conscious that lyrics such as "a river running dry" and "the system is a lie" were cliches, but felt there was no other way to state them: "How else are you supposed to say 'the system is a lie'? Why bother hiding it? It's a lie. That's it."


title: A Moon Shaped Pool

text: "The Guardian" wrote that where "Hail to the Thief" had addressed the era of Tony Blair and George W. Bush, "A Moon Shaped Pool" may become the "accidental soundtrack" to the Donald Trump presidency. Of the refrain "one day at a time" from "The Numbers", Yorke said: "One day a time, mate, you will be impeached shortly, mate. You are not a leader, love … You can't sustain this. It's not gonna work. One day a time. We ain't stupid."


title: A Moon Shaped Pool

text: The artwork for "A Moon Shaped Pool" was created by Yorke with Radiohead's longtime collaborator Stanley Donwood. Donwood joined the band in France, and worked in a barn with speakers connected to the studio where they recorded nearby, allowing their music to influence his art. Wanting to move away from figurative art and create work that was more a product of chance, Donwood initially conceived a "painting Dalek" that would squirt paint at canvases, but this proved technically difficult. Instead, he experimented with weather, leaving canvases outdoors to allow the elements to affect the paint. Donwood continued the weathering process in Oxfordshire during the band's winter break, with "completely different results", before photographing the works and editing them in Photoshop with Yorke.


title: A Moon Shaped Pool

text: "A Moon Shaped Pool" was released as a download on 8 May 2016 on Radiohead's website, online music stores including the iTunes Store and Amazon Music, and on paid streaming services. On Google Play Music, it was accidentally released several hours early. It was not added to Spotify until 17 June. Yorke and Godrich had publicly criticised Spotify in 2013, arguing that it cannot support new artists. Spotify had been in "advanced discussions" with XL and Radiohead's management to make "A Moon Shaped Pool" the first album available exclusively to Spotify users with premium subscriptions, but no agreement was reached. Spotify spokesperson Jonathan Prince said they and Radiohead had explored "new approaches", but could not overcome technical problems in time.


title: A Moon Shaped Pool

text: CD and LP editions were released in Japan on 15 June through Hostess Entertainment and in other countries on 17 June through XL Recordings. Radiohead sold a special edition from their website, which shipped from September. It contains the album on CD and two heavyweight 12" vinyl records, plus an additional CD with two extra tracks: "Ill Wind" and the previously released "Spectre". The special edition features packaging inspired by the albums for 78rpm shellac records in the La Fabrique studio, additional artwork and an original piece of master tape, less than a second in length, from one of Radiohead's prior recording sessions. As tape degrades over time, the band decided to include it in the special edition rather than have it "end up as landfill". On 20 June 2020, a white vinyl repress was released through independent online record stores for Love Record Stores Day.


title: A Moon Shaped Pool

text: Radiohead conducted no interviews and did not tour before the release of "A Moon Shaped Pool". O'Brien said the band members were not ready to talk about it when it was released: "We didn't want to talk about it being quite hard to make. We were quite fragile, and we needed to find our feet."


title: A Moon Shaped Pool

text: On 30 April 2016, days before the album was announced, fans who had previously made orders from Radiohead received embossed cards with lyrics from the lead single, "Burn the Witch". On 1 May, Radiohead deleted all content from their website and social media profiles, replacing them with blank images. "Pitchfork" interpreted the move as symbolic of Radiohead's re-emergence. Donwood said the idea had been "a way of getting rid of all of had gone before ... It was like being some sort of evil Bond villain or something, in some lair, pressing buttons ... It was creatively brilliant fun."


title: A Moon Shaped Pool

text: After releasing excerpts on Instagram, Radiohead released "Burn the Witch" as a download on 3 May. It was accompanied by a stop-motion animated music video that homages the 1960s children's television series "Trumpton" and the 1973 horror film "The Wicker Man". Three days later, Radiohead released "Daydreaming", accompanied by a music video directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, for whom Greenwood had scored several films. The video was projected in 35mm film in select theatres. On the same day, Radiohead announced that their next album would be released online the following Sunday, but did not reveal the title.


title: A Moon Shaped Pool

text: BBC Radio 6 Music played "A Moon Shaped Pool" in its entirety on the day of release. The following week, Radiohead released the first in a series of video vignettes set to clips from the album by artists and filmmakers including Michal Marczak, Tarik Barri, Grant Gee, Adam Buxton, Richard Ayoade, Yorgos Lanthimos and Ben Wheatley. This was followed by a fan competition to create a vignette for "Daydreaming". In September and October, Radiohead released video performances of "Present Tense" and "The Numbers". The videos, directed by Anderson, feature Yorke and Greenwood performing with a CR-78 drum machine.


title: A Moon Shaped Pool

text: On 17 June 2016, the day of the album's retail release, participating record shops held a promotional event, "Live From a Moon Shaped Pool". The event featured an audio stream curated by Radiohead, a recording of their performance at the London Roundhouse, and competitions, artwork and other activities. A participating shop in Istanbul closed following an attack by a gang angered by customers drinking beer and playing music during Ramadan. Radiohead released a statement condemning the attack and offering fans in Istanbul "love and support".


title: A Moon Shaped Pool

text: Radiohead toured Europe, North America, and Japan from May to October 2016, joined by the second drummer, Clive Deamer. They began a second US tour in March 2017, culminating in April with a headline slot at the Coachella Festival in California. A European tour followed in June and July with further festival shows, including Radiohead's third headline performance at Glastonbury Festival in the UK. In 2018, Radiohead toured North and South America from April to August, including four nights at Madison Square Garden in New York City, with Jonny Greenwood's project Junun as the support act. The tour was the 61st-highest-grossing of 2018, earning over $28 million USD.


title: A Moon Shaped Pool

text: The "Moon Shaped Pool" tour included a performance in Tel Aviv on 19 July 2017, disregarding the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions campaign for an international cultural boycott of Israel. The decision was criticised by artists including the musician Roger Waters and the filmmaker Ken Loach, and a petition urging Radiohead to cancel the concert was signed by more than 50 prominent figures. Yorke responded in a statement: "Playing in a country isn't the same as endorsing the government. Music, art and academia is about crossing borders not building them, about open minds not closed ones, about shared humanity, dialogue and freedom of expression."


title: A Moon Shaped Pool

text: "A Moon Shaped Pool" was Radiohead's sixth number one on the UK Albums Chart. It also reached number one in Ireland, Norway and Switzerland, and the top ten in several other countries. It was certified gold in the UK on 24 June 2016 for sales of over 100,000 copies. Following the retail release in June, "A Moon Shaped Pool" returned to the top of the UK chart with sales of 44,000. Of these, 39,000 were retail copies, including 10,500 vinyl, making it the week's bestselling vinyl record. It was the UK's fourth-bestselling vinyl album of 2016, behind "Blackstar" by David Bowie, "Back to Black" by Amy Winehouse and the "Guardians of the Galaxy" soundtrack. "Burn the Witch" was the year's 26th-bestselling UK vinyl single.


title: A Moon Shaped Pool

text: In the US, "A Moon Shaped Pool" sold 181,000 copies in its first week, reaching number three on the "Billboard" 200, the week's highest debut. It was Radiohead's best American sales week since the debut of "Hail to the Thief" in 2003. With the release of the special edition a few months later, "A Moon Shaped Pool" climbed to number 11 on the "Billboard" 200 and number one on the vinyl album chart, selling 21,000 vinyl copies in one week. It was certified gold in the US on 9 November 2018, for sales of over 500,000 copies. The bonus track "Ill Wind", added to streaming services in 2019, reached number eight on the "Billboard" Alternative Digital Songs chart and number 24 on the Hot Rock Songs chart.


title: A Moon Shaped Pool

text: On the review aggregator website Metacritic, "A Moon Shaped Pool" has a score of 88 out of 100 based on 43 reviews, indicating "universal acclaim". Patrick Ryan of "USA Today" wrote that "the brooding, symphonic and poignant "A Moon Shaped Pool" ... was well worth the wait". Chris Gerard of "PopMatters" felt it was "worthy of Radiohead's peerless catalog, a rich addition to what is the most vital and important string of rock albums of the last 30 years". Jamieson Cox of the "Verge" praised the string arrangements and "emotional magnanimity". Andy Beta of "Rolling Stone" described it as "a haunting, stunning triumph" and Radiohead's "most gorgeous and desolate album", praising its timbres and melodies. Fellow "Rolling Stone" critic Will Hermes wrote that "it's Yorke's voice that holds the emotional centre, and it's never been more affecting ... ["A Moon Shaped Pool" is] one of their most musically and emotionally arresting albums."


title: A Moon Shaped Pool

text: Sam Richards of "NME" described "A Moon Shaped Pool" as "an album of eerie, elusive beauty that is strange, shimmering and uncertain all at the same time". Stephen Thomas Erlewine wrote for AllMusic that "there's a melancholic comfort to its ebb and flow, a gentle rocking motion that feels comforting; it's a tonic to the cloistered, scattered "King of Limbs" and even the sleek alienation of "Kid A"". "Pitchfork" editor Jayson Greene felt the album was coloured by Yorke's separation: "The impact of trauma, a sort of car crash of the soul, is palpable. The music here feels loose and unknotted, broken open in the way you can only be after a tragedy." "Pitchfork" later named "Daydreaming" and "True Love Waits" among the best songs of 2016.


title: A Moon Shaped Pool

text: Eric Renner Brown of "Entertainment Weekly" praised the variety and scale: "By nature, Radiohead albums will always be somewhat epic, but this one is more consistently grandiose than any of the band's releases since 2000's masterpiece "Kid A"." Jon Pareles, writing for "The New York Times", wrote that "A Moon Shaped Pool" was perhaps "[Radiohead's] darkest statement – though the one with the band's most pastoral surface". He praised Yorke's vocals and Greenwood's string arrangements, writing: "Both Mr. Yorke and Mr. Greenwood are relentlessly inquisitive listeners, lovers of melody and explorers of idioms, makers of puzzles who don't shy away from emotion." Chris Barton of the "Los Angeles Times" described "A Moon Shaped Pool" as "a rich and engrossing listen that somehow finds more undiscovered territory for a band that has built a career on doing just that". MTV's Simon Vozick-Levinson wrote: ""A Moon Shaped Pool" provides a thrilling answer to the existential concerns that confront any band that's made it this far ... After all this time, hearing these five old friends challenge themselves into a new phase of evolution can still blow even a jaded fan's mind."


title: A Moon Shaped Pool

text: In "The New York Observer", Justin Joffe wrote that "A Moon Shaped Pool" was "a stunning display of naked vulnerability and a notable achievement ... Radiohead remain dedicated craftsmen of strange new sonic universes." Like Joffe, Nina Corcoran of "Consequence of Sound" praised the inclusion of older songs such as "True Love Waits", writing that "Radiohead finally feels connected enough to perform them with meaning ... Waiting to release a studio recording of a song over two decades old allowed Radiohead to peel its words when riper than ever." "Guardian" writer Lanre Bakare praised the evolution of "Present Tense" from Yorke's earlier "sketchy guitar number" to "beautifully wrought, bossa nova-tinged ballad".


title: A Moon Shaped Pool

text: Mike Diver of the "Quietus" felt the older songs created the unwelcome feeling of a compilation album, writing: "Certain tracks feel less than fully fleshed out, really given the treatment that their age warrants ... There's simply so little spark here, barely glowing embers and blackened dust where once Radiohead blazed a fascinating, furious trail for others to attempt to follow." "New Republic" writer Ryan Kearney likened the album to "taking a warm, occasionally agitated bath; it’s soothing and all, but the longer you immerse yourself, the colder it leaves you". He criticised Yorke's lyrics as predictable, and said it was "no coincidence that the only moving song on the album, 'True Love Waits', was written two decades ago".


title: A Moon Shaped Pool

text: Jamie Milton of "DIY" felt that "A Moon Shaped Pool" needed "another breakneck force shock to the system" similar to "Ful Stop", and that it contained unnecessary elements, such as the "over-tinkering echo" of "Present Tense" and the "jagged closing section" of "Decks Dark". Nonetheless, he concluded: "These are gorgeous, human, complete works – some of the best of [Radiohead's] remarkable career." Alexis Petridis of the "Guardian" criticised the "suffocating gloom" of the lyrics, but felt the album was an improvement over "The King of Limbs" and that Radiohead had achieved something new.


title: A Moon Shaped Pool

text: "A Moon Shaped Pool" was the fifth Radiohead album nominated for the Mercury Prize, making Radiohead the most shortlisted act in the award's history. At the 59th Annual Grammy Awards, it was nominated for Best Alternative Music Album and Best Rock Song (for "Burn the Witch"). It was also shortlisted for the Independent Music Companies Association Album of the Year Award for the best album released on an independent European label. It appeared on numerous publications' lists of the best albums of the year and decade.


title: Pokémon Emerald

text: The gameplay and controls are largely the same as the previous games in the series; players control a Pokémon trainer from an overhead perspective. As with "Ruby" and "Sapphire", the player's general goal is to explore the Hoenn region and conquer a series of eight Pokémon Gyms in order to challenge the Elite Four and its Champion, while the main subplot is to defeat two criminal organizations attempting to harness a legendary Pokémon's power for their own goals. Along with Pokémon that debuted in "Ruby" and "Sapphire", the game incorporates Pokémon from "Pokémon Gold" and "Silver" not featured in "Ruby" and "Sapphire".


title: Pokémon Emerald

text: The gameplay in "Emerald" is largely the same as in "Ruby" and "Sapphire". Much of the game takes place in an overhead style; players' characters can move in four directions and can talk to other people on the overworld. Players can encounter wild Pokémon by walking into grass, surfing on their Pokémon, walking through caves, and other means. They can also battle other trainers' Pokémon. When this happens, the game shifts to a battle screen where players and their Pokémon are seen on the front-left portion of the screen while opponents are viewed on the back-right portion. Stats of the Pokémon and their trainers are shown on the side of each participant; these stats include the Pokémon's levels, each trainers' number of Pokémon (from one to six), the Pokémon's health, and any status effects, such as poison, paralysis or burn. Trainers send out the first Pokémon in their party and they take turns attacking where the first strike is determined usually by the speed of the two Pokémon. Players can choose from one of four options: Fight, Bag, Switch, and Run. Each Pokémon has up to four moves that they can use, which have different effects, number of uses, and types, such as Grass or Psychic. When a Pokémon hits 0 hit points (HP), they faint, forcing the Pokémon's trainer to switch out. Once one trainer runs out of Pokémon, the battle is over. When a human-controlled Pokémon wins a battle, the Pokémon gains experience. Enough experience will earn that Pokémon a higher level, which grants upgraded stats—attack, defense, special attack, special defense, HP, and speed—and sometimes grant new moves.


title: Pokémon Emerald

text: Certain battles allow for two-on-two battles; certain moves were designed to support partners while other moves are capable of attacking two or more Pokémon. Unlike "Ruby" and "Sapphire" which had the player fight two specific trainers, "Emerald" allowed for the player to have a 2-on-2 battle with two trainers both of whom they could usually battle separately. Every Pokémon has an ability that often aides in battle, such as abilities that make a Pokémon more powerful if they are close to fainting. Wild Pokémon encountered by players can be captured using items called Poké Balls, which have a greater chance of success the weaker the wild Pokémon is. Players can battle and trade with others using any of the third generation "Pokémon" games including "Emerald", "Ruby", "Sapphire", "FireRed", and "LeafGreen" by linking their Game Boy Advance systems together. This can be accomplished either by using a Game Boy Advance Link Cable or by use of the wireless adapter that was bundled with "FireRed" and "LeafGreen". It is also compatible with "". This allows players to trade for Pokémon not normally obtainable in "Emerald".


title: Pokémon Emerald

text: Aside from the traditional battle and overworld style, players' Pokémon are also able to participate in Pokémon Contests where they can try and win in five contest categories: "Cool", "Beauty", "Cute", "Smart", and "Tough" competitions. The players' characters are given a device early on called the PokéNav, which allows players to view the world map, check their Pokémon's contest stats, and make and receive phone calls with trainers that they have met with whom they can chat or plan a battle. This replaces a function called "Trainer's Eyes", which allows players to register certain trainers and see when they are in the mood to battle. This also allows players to re-battle Gym Leaders, an ability not found in previous "Pokémon" games. "Emerald" includes several other new features and changes such as animations of Pokémon in-battle and an area called the Battle Frontier which is an expansion of the Battle Tower found in previous games. A man whom players encounter several times throughout the game will eventually allow them to access the Battle Frontier after beating the Pokémon League Champion. The Battle Frontier features the aforementioned Battle Tower in addition to six new areas. Completing these areas awards players with "Battle Points" which can be spent on prizes to use in and out of battle. The Japanese version features compatibility with the Nintendo e-Reader; however, this was cut for the English release due to its lack of success. Also featured is the Trainer Hill area which, in the Japanese version, is compatible with the e-Reader. Rare Pokémon that originated from earlier "Pokémon" games such as Mew, Lugia, and Ho-Oh were made available through an in-game event.


title: Pokémon Emerald

text: The setting and story remain largely the same as "Ruby" and "Sapphire". Players can choose between either a boy or girl, both of whom have been given new outfits with a green color scheme, and one of three Pokémon before they proceed from their hometown into the rest of the game's world.


title: Pokémon Emerald

text: Players are tasked with filling their Pokédex by catching different Pokémon species and evolving them. They are also tasked to complete eight gym challenges and defeat the Elite Four and its Champion by battling their Pokémon. Along the way, they make two rivals: May or Brendan, the child of the Pokémon Professor Birch, and Wally, a timid child from Petalburg who the player assists in catching his first Pokémon, a Ralts. They also encounter Wallace, the Hoenn Region's Champion.


title: Pokémon Emerald

text: Along their journey, they face both Team Magma and Team Aqua, who originally could only be faced in "Ruby" and "Sapphire", respectively. Both have a goal to change the world they believe will benefit Pokémon—Magma desiring to expand the landmass and Aqua desiring to expand the sea—and both plan to accomplish their respective goals by summoning the legendary Pokémon Groudon and Kyogre, respectively. Both teams make repeated efforts to alter the landscape. Team Magma attempts to make a volcano erupt and Team Aqua tries to steal a weather-altering Pokémon.


title: Pokémon Emerald

text: Between the player's visit to the seventh and eighth gyms, both teams summon their respectively-sought legendary Pokémon with mystical orbs stolen from Mt. Pyre; however, the Pokémon refuse to obey either team and begin fighting, which puts the world in a constantly switching state of droughts and heavy rainfalls. The player climbs a tower in order to summon the legendary Pokémon Rayquaza, who quells the other two Pokémon's rage.


title: Pokémon Emerald

text: After the player defeats the Elite Four, they are able to encounter two Pokémon flying across Hoenn, Latias and Latios, and can access an area called the Battle Frontier, which adds several new challenges for the player. The player gains access to a battle with former champion Steven Stone in Meteor Falls, who uses a powered-up version of his team in Ruby and Sapphire. The player is now able to catch Kyogre and Groudon, which can be tracked by talking to the scientist in the Weather Institute.


title: Pokémon Emerald

text: "Pokémon Emerald" was developed by Game Freak and published by Nintendo for the Game Boy Advance. It was first announced in "Coro Coro Magazine". It features compatibility with the Nintendo e-Reader and 83 cards launched for "Emerald" on October 7, 2004. This functionality was removed from the English versions. It is the third version of "Ruby" and "Sapphire" and follows a tradition of third releases, e.g. "Pokémon Yellow" for "Pokémon Red" and "Blue". The wireless adapter was bundled with Japanese copies of "Emerald"; this was removed from English versions of the game.


title: Pokémon Emerald

text: Nintendo has done several promotions related to "Emerald". Nintendo held a competition for players based on "Emerald" where players compete to be the ""Pokémon Emerald" Ultimate Frontier Battle Brain". The competition took place in seven areas across the United States and Canada, where 14 finalists, two from each area, competed in Seattle, Washington's Space Needle for a trip for two to the Pokémon Park in Nagoya, Japan. People could also enter to win a trip to the Space Needle to watch the competition. The competition centered around trivia about characters from Pokémon and their abilities. Nintendo also introduced a pre-order program that would give those who pre-ordered the game exclusive access to a "Pokémon" website, a collector's tin holder, and a guide to the Battle Frontier. A limited edition Game Boy Advance SP was released by Nintendo which featured a silhouette of the Pokémon Rayquaza. It was distributed by Nintendo in Japan exclusively on their website "Pokémon Trainer Online" and was never released outside of Japan. It was featured in the "Official Nintendo Magazine"s list of rare "Pokémon" consoles. Players who brought their Game Boy Advance with a copy of "Emerald" and a wireless adapter to Booth 2029 of the 2005 Comic-Con International were given an in-game item called the Mystic Ticket which allows players the opportunity to capture Lugia and Ho-oh.


title: Pokémon Emerald

text: "Pokémon Emerald" received generally positive reception and holds aggregate scores of 76/100 and 76.65% on Metacritic and GameRankings respectively. It received an award for excellence at the ninth annual CESA game awards. "IGN"s Craig Harris stated that while he was not enthused by "Emerald", he admitted that it was a solid game and that it was the best version to get for people who hadn't played "Ruby" or "Sapphire" yet. "1UP.com"s Christian Nutt felt that it was the definitive version of "Pokémon" at the time yet was also a rehash. "GameSpy"s Phil Theobald felt that it was a good game in its own right but felt like the same game as "Ruby" and "Sapphire". "GameSpot"s Ryan Davis noted that it was a quality experience despite being similar to "Ruby" and "Sapphire" and that hardcore fans may appreciate its changes. "Eurogamer"s Corey Brotherson felt that it was a good game in its own right but was lacking in compelling additions. He added however that it was a better game for players new to the series. "Nintendo Life"s Laurie Blake performed a retroactive review of "Emerald"; she felt that the "Pokémon" games have aged well but still feel like they did in 1996. She further stated that the similarities between it and "Ruby" and "Sapphire" prevented it from being a must-have while still being good. "Allgame"s Julia Reges felt that the game had a lot of value for younger players but that older players may be disinterested. She compared Nintendo's remakes of the "Pokémon" games to the various "Star Wars" remakes.


title: Pokémon Emerald

text: "IGN"s Audrey Drake praised the game for utilizing both of the villain groups and called it a "marked departure" from "Ruby" and "Sapphire". She felt that the ability to re-battle Gym Leaders created an "exciting challenge" for players. She also included "Emerald", alongside "Ruby" and "Sapphire", in a list of Game Boy Advance games that she wanted to see on the Nintendo 3DS' eShop. "1UP.com"s "IGN"s Lucas M. Thomas bemoaned the fact that he had to play through the whole game before he could play the Battle Frontier. Jeremy Parish listed "Emerald" as one of the best games to bring onto a plane. Fellow "1UP.com" editor Kat Bailey included it in her list of remakes that "left the originals in the dust". She praised the Battle Frontier and its fixes for flaws found in "Ruby" and "Sapphire".