F-12 Hammerhead has first flight

The next warplane for NSTF Air Department, the F-12 Hammerhead, has successfully made it's first flight. The F-12 will take over LEO defence duties from the F-10S when the F-12 enters service next year. The F-12 is a subsonic aircraft and is intended to be a pure interceptor, usually for LEO interception. The F-12 will carry three TPM-As and have a long loiter time plus full integration into the NS defence network.

In other aviation news NSTF have begun an upgrade programme of their fleet of Cherrybee CBH-90 security and patrol helicopters. The CBH-90M (for Modernised) has a new EO sensor, improved data handling and filtering and improved armour plating. The helicopters will also be fully refurbished.

NS to enlarge Aldebra orbital facilities, increase fleet deployment

NS will enlarge it's orbital facilities over Aldebra within the next few months. New modules and a second maintenance port will be added along with a second fuel processing depot on one of Aldebra's moons. Once this work is completed NS say the number of ships deployed to the border system will be increased from the current five to twenty.

Observers say this could be intended as a reminder to Starbot to not support Real DDS. Aldebra is the closest NS base to Starbot and with twenty ships would have enough strike power to overwhelm the Starbotian fleet, plus be only a few hours away.

Type 126 will be known as Black Triangle, part of a "revolutionary weapon system"

Admiral Gomber has given a few more tantalising details of the mysterious new Type 126 warship currently in development. Gomber said it will be known as the Black Triangle 126A but will be just part of a wider weapon system which Gomber says will be "revolutionary" and unlike anything else in the NS fleet.

Gomber did not give a date for when Black Triangle will be unveiled or will enter service though he indicated that the aim is for construction of the prototype to begin this year.

Two new ships join the NS fleet

Two new ships have joined the NS fleet, 165-004 African Lily is the latest Arcadia 165A remote support tender which will support remote operations on the edge of UNP space.

Two new Nectar 52A destroyers have completed localisation and have joined the fleet. They are 52-108 Nottingham and 52-109 Nigeria.

Head of the 6th Legion arrested for treason and murder!

In a shocking development Legate Oeirkan, the head of the 6th Legion (Ronald's honour guard), has been arrested for treason and murder. The treasonous acts are thought to date back decades to early in Ronald's reign as Emperor during the first war with the Terrasaurs. One unconfirmed report states that Oeirkan took money to provide information to the Terrasaurs which resulted in over a hundred Dino Army deaths.

The murder charge is recent though no details are forthcoming. Oeirkan is now in SS custody. Tribune Bite, officially Oeirkan's deputy, has been named the new head of the 6th Legion though, as he is on Pulsin leading anti-terror operations against the Mosk, Senator Krusty has been put in temporary charge of the Legion.

NS to reveal mysterious Type 126 later in 2123

Viceroy Caratore, in a New Year Eve address, has revealed that NS is working with the MBO on a "major new type of warship". No other details were given about this apart from the fact it is to be the Type 126. This indicates it will be either unmanned or a small combatant.

The latter may be a clue to the new ship. Work on the Alpha 121A Nano Fighting Ship ended a few years ago but NS Research continued development of automation technologies and two of the Alphas have been trialing some new (and secret) systems over the last year.

Whatever Type 126 turns out to be it should be revealed later this year according to the Viceroy.