Professor Wayne King-Meiouf of the University of ProximaA few days ago the DDS Ruling Council (i.e. all the section heads and some senior captains and commanders) held an Away Day where future strategic predictions were discussed.
The DDS hold these get-togethers every few years, the idea is to assess the likelihood of war with the various rival powers and try and predict how the galactic astro-political landscape will develop. This can help drive DDS procurement and strategic planning. While the full minutes remain a secret some cleared news has come out of the Away Day and i was briefed by Captain Caratore earlier.
The big news is that the DDS confidently predict a full-scale "hyper war" with the Tarbot Empire, a war which could be the biggest the DDS has ever been involved in. However before you start digging your fallout shelter and develop a liking for drinking urine (i recommend sticking to your own) the DDS don't think such a war will happen within the next 15 years.
They have calculated this from the time it will take the Tarbotians to secure their recent new territory, precedent (the Tarbotians always take a long term view) and the time taken for them to develop or steal (the more likely) worm-drive and TPM technology.
The latter is thought necessary if the Tarbotians are to able to hope to defeat the DDS. It doesn't mean the next 15 years will be all hunky dory of course, the DDS predict a period of greater rivalry and skirmishing leading up to full scale war.
Other powers were assessed as to the "danger" they pose to the DDS in the near to medium term and the likelihood of war with them too. The Dinos/DTA are thought unlikely to ever be in a shooting war with the DDS though greater competition is expected with them. The Clones likewise are thought unlikely to go to war with the DDS.
The Utrek are thought to have been too weakened by the last war and their continuous conflict with the Mantae to be any danger for years at least. The Bolitic Confederacy are thought to be at least 5 years away from being ready to fight anyone again. The DDS couldn't really assess the risk from the 7 Sa Sao who seem to have little interest in the DDS (and in any event have a powerful new neighbour in the Tarbotians themselves now).
The greatest threat to DDS security is thus Tarbot, and not just through a direct attack but also from the greater instability the Tarbotian annexing and eradication of the ABBOs will cause. A smaller team will meet again later in the year and consider how the DDS can best prepare for the new era of rivalry with Tarbot and the possible hyper war to come.
