DDS consider "giving away" Pentekonter fleet

The Pentekonter OPV is an unfortunate space craft, the DDS made a mistake when they were specifying it and also geo-political considerations overtook it meaning that what was needed was a larger, more capable and more flexible ship. And that is the Rome corvette. The DDS are considering making more of the ships into minesweepers and then giving the rest to their new allies where they would remain in DDS ownership but be operated and maintained by the other power.



A leaked DDS memo has revealed a plan to convert 2 more into Pentekonter-M minesweepers (though they will operate as support ships to the existing 8 P-Ms until the SPECNES replacement minesweeping suite comes on line) with the 8 other Pentekonters being given to the Voth (4 ships), Sirikwan and New Arit (2 each). All these ships would receive updates to their missile launcher to handle TPM-2 (though its likely only the Aritans will operate TPM-2 for now) and some tactical updates which is planned and already budgeted for anyway. The receiving forces would pay for their own localisation and integration costs though the DDS would assist with technical assistance and training.

The 2 ships for Arit might be transferred as early as the Fall with Sirikwan and then Voth receiving ships as more Romes come online. As yet the DDS have not confirmed or denied this plan.