Dinomark HX begins testing

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 helicopter carriers converted by Clone Navy to Imperial Control Ships

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.

First five Stings head off for Triple Megan

Accompanied by a Rome escort ship and a Friendship transport carrying spare parts (and to bring the crews back), the first five Sting 58A patrol ships has left DF with skeleton crews for the transit to Triple Megan. All ten Stings have been sold to Triple Megan.

Sensitive equipment such as the fractal encryption layer in the communications stack have been removed though the ships are largely unchanged. The final five ships will be sent out in a few weeks.

Provider MULE 2126 announced

The hard-worked Provider 71A transport fleet, literally the backbone of UNDF, is to receive a much needed upgrade and refurbishment which will keep the ships in service until their planned replacement in the mid 2130s (though as yet no replacement has been designed).

The ships will receive a full refurbishment and replacement of life-expired structural components. The engines will be replaced by the Proton RM-07MEGA e-Core which is a re-working of the original engine with e-Core technology. Navigational systems will also be upgraded and communications will receive fractal encryption support.

The upgrade is known as Provider Multi-Upgrade Life Extension (MULE) 2126 and will be the last major upgrade to the type before it's retirement. A similar upgrade is expected to be made to the Extender fleet at a later stage.

The door explodes (3336)

The heist goes wrong.

Clones unveil active visual stealth for aircraft

The Clone Aircraft Corporation has unveiled a K45 Falcon fighter with a new active visual stealth coating. This is known as the "chameleon layer" (not that there are such creatures on Cloneworld). It changes the colour of the coating depending on the terrain the aircraft is traveling over, depending on the viewpoint of the threat.

It is thought the new technology could be part of the forthcoming mid-life upgrade of the K45A fleet due at the end of the decade (now known as the K45M) and also new build K45C from 2128 or 2129.

Other aircraft such as the K85QA may also receive the layer.