The F-12 Hammerhead LEO interceptor has been cleared to enter service with the Air Department of the UNDF Terrestrial Forces. The Hammerhead will take over LEO attack duties from the F-10S. It is a high performance and long endurance fighter that can carry up to three TPM-As which can attack objects in low orbit.
DFAD will buy fifty Hammerheads, though may order more if a planned development into a general interceptor is given the go-ahead.
The first two Dinomark KX, which are Pentekonter-MD minesweepers, have entered service with the Dino Army. The Dinos will eventually operate fifteen of them as part of the CIN Mine Warfare Command. Ships will also be operated by Sirikwan. A total of 25 Pentekonter-MDs will be built.
The Pentekonter-MD is known to the DF as Pentekonter Protector 284M with an e-Core engine.
UNDF has reported that it has discovered a major MBO base in the Rim Worlds, on the previously unexplored planet of Beta Algol 635B. The MBO was led by Kommandant Kurt Von Kane, the former NS officer who betrayed NS to join the MBO. It is thought Von Kane was trying to build an army of new MBO drones loyal to him.
A DF force led by Stella attacked the MBO base, which was protected by four MBO ships - survivors of the destroyed MBO fleet - and destroyed it. Von Kane is reported to have been killed during a battle with Stella.
DF units are now searching for any MBO survivors in the area.
Although the news is being heavily suppressed, non-Clone sources are reporting that a critical piece of CDF infrastructure has been hit by a drone attack. The key communications node for the CDF, which relays communications between GHQ and other vital bases and orbital assets, was struck by drones and attacked. It is not known if there were any casualties.
The node was knocked out of action. The problem for the Clones is that the back-up node, which is supposed to activate within a second, failed to activate. For 27 minutes data communications with orbital assets was unavailable, though within a few minutes radio communications were restored. The CDF are now reviewing their back-up facilities as a data communications gap of that length in the event of Cloneworld being attacked could be catastrophic.
The Coril shuttle is a venerable design, originally built by the Tarbotians in the 2070s, but copied by many nations and built since including by the DDS/NS/UNDF. Although it continues to be a highly useful ship, DF are now looking into a replacement which could enter service in the early 2130s.
At the moment the project is known as the Next Generation Utility Shuttle (NGUS) though DF projects tend to change name as they progress. NGUS will be of a similar size to the Coril, DF are said to be looking at a common core for the ship with a range of different crew compartments for different roles. DF have approached Consolidated Spacecraft and other commercial spaceship builders to assist.
Admiral Anderson has said the arrival of two new Shark SKB frigates to the Clone Space Navy means that Clone space ship building has finally been restored after several years of chaos when barely a ship could be completed due to a skills shortage and a supply chain collapse.
Anderson said that more Sharks and also new Cosmos CM cruisers would be joining the fleet later this year and also in subsequent years. New ships are badly needed due to the looming withdrawal of the Kalahati Tuul S fleet and also the retirement of end-of-life Cosmos CA over the next few years.
Anderson also said the fleet would be further strengthened by three more Mekit MK4Y cruisers bought fron the Rectoids. Analysts say this purchase indicates that heavy combatant production may not resume for a while yet.
The Clone Army has unveiled a new version of the evergreen Tapir IFV. The J7HMA Defender Tapir will be new-build machines based on the latest version of the Tapir (HD), though it is possible older Tapirs could be retrofitted if necessary. The Defender Tapir is equipped with a 400 cell DART system with integrated radar. The DART is a new kinetic warhead missile dedicated to fighting mass produced drones.
DARTs are very small, almost pencil sized and are very short range. However, they can be built and fielded in the huge numbers required to protect against mass produced drones and other attack projectiles. The Clones are hopeful that mass deployment of DART will negate the growing threat of Molab type drones.
The Defender Tapir is also equipped with a radar guided machine gun as a back-up. The Clone Army has ordered 500 of them, with the first regiment already equipped and in training.
Admiral Anderson has condemned the drone attack on Central Air Force Base a few days ago. He said the Clone Defence Forces would no longer tolerate "criminal, terrorist and treasonous" actions on Cloneworld and elsewhere in the Clone Star Empire. He said that operating, possession and building of drones would be punishable by death. Even possessing the plans for drones would be heavily punished.
The Clone Army has moved more anti-aircraft assets to key strategic positions on Cloneworld. A new version of the Tapir IFV dedicated to anti-drone warfare is said to be ready to enter service.
UNDF Engineering are reporting that static bench testing of the latest build of the n-Core engine, which will one day be powering the Advanced Rome, is going very well. However, the engine now has to face the Sustained Stress Test, said to be a "nightmare" for any new design. The test includes a full power run for several days followed by a series of maximum deceleration and acceleration events and then another multi-day run at maximum power. If there are any flaws in the engine design then this test will find them out!
If the test goes well, the n-Core engine will begin field tests next year. UNDF Engineering are currently working on a new engine build which will fit in the Advanced Rome design. Work has begun on the second ship which will be used to text the n-Core engine. The prototype will run initially with the e-Core engine used in the Classic Rome 46A.
Two Repulse 51B Medium Combat Ships have joined the fleet. The ships are 51-209 Caldecote and 51-210 Woodcote and have joined the DF fleet.
Half of the Repulse 51B has now been completed. DF say there will be no differences in the second half of the fleet.
UNDF has confirmed that the Advanced Rome 216A will be the official name of the next generation Light Combat Ship. They also said that the Rome 46A will be renamed the Classic Rome 46A.
DF also provided some more details of the Advanced Rome. The first few examples will use the same engine as the Classic Rome. The Advanced Rome will have a brand new tactical databus, this will be trialed on a Classic Rome later in the year.
A dozen drones, of the Molab type, are reported to have attacked Central Air Force Base in Ailier, Cloneworld. This is the headquarters of the Clone Air Force and a major logistics hub. The drones are reported to have struck a hangar, damaging a transport plane inside (type unspecified). A radar antenna was hit and badly damaged. No injuries are reported though an unofficial source says there were a number of minor injuries.
The attack is a major embarrassment to the Clone Defence Forces and a review of security is being carried out. The identity of the attackers is unknown. Analysis of a downed drone which did not explode indicates that the drones were built locally. Plans for the Molab drones were released onto the galactic internet and it is known that a number of insurgent groups have built them.
Admiral Anderson has ordered more anti-aircraft defence assets be mobilised in the area.
Kommandant Kurt von Kane, a former NS officer turned traitor and an MBO higher-up, was reported missing after the collapse of MBO-New Sparta. It is thought he escaped with a small MBO force though there also rumours of his death during space battles near Aldebra.
DF Intelligence say they are following up on a solid lead that von Kane and a group of MBO drones are hiding in the Rim Worlds. A DF team is said to be searching for them.
The next generation heavy cruiser for the Dino fleet, the Dinomark HX, has begin testing before an expected entry into service at the end of the year. The Dinos plan to build five of them, they will replace the Dinomark RS as the most powerful ships in the Dino fleet, though usually dedicated to home system defence.
The Dinomark HX is a development of the Bolitic Furl design, though has been heavily modified for Dino needs. The HX is said to be armed with twin fusion cannons, TPMs and auxiliary beam weapons.
Two ships of the West Clone Republic helicopter carrier class of the Clone Navy, the navy has three in total, have been converted to "Imperial Control Ships". This means they are the floating bases of Admiral Anderson who no longer likes to live on land because of assassination attempts.
One ship will be used at a time with the other as a spare. The ships have had communication improvements, better internal security and a VIP suite for Anderson added along with extra accommodation for staff officers.