Molab visit Solaris ahead of possible Advanced Rome sale

A technical team from the Molab military has arrived on Solaris to receive information on the Advanced Rome. They have received in depth information on the new ship including simulation data from the Advanced Rome bench testbed at UNDF Engineering as well as telemetry data from the n-Core test bed. They were also presented with details of the localisation options available for the Rome 46A ships which will be loaned to Molab to tide them over until Advanced Rome arrives.

Molab are after sixteen Advanced Rome with a delivery from 2128, with six Romes arriving from late this year to help ease the pressure on the crumbling Kalahati Tuul fleet. The value of the contract is said to be 9 billion zarks which would make it the biggest export order for DF for quite some time.

The main sticking point is said to be Molab's insistence on getting n-Core engines as soon as they are available in the early 2130s. DF originally wanted to keep n-Core to themselves for at least five years though may make an exception for Molab due to the importance of the order.

Molab decline Swordfish, interested in Advanced Rome

In a major shock, Molab has declined the chance to buy the Dino Swordfish and instead say they think the Advanced Rome is the ship they need to replace their eighteen Kalahati Tuuls which are in desperate need of replacement. The problem is, no Advanced Rome yet exists, building the prototype has only just begun. Even if things go smoothly Molab might not receive any ships until late 2128 or even 2129.

The Kalahati Tuuls will simply not last long enough, some are said to be already virtually end of life, with the remainder being rotated to prolong the ships so some can reach 2130, though none will live much beyond that. Molab said the Swordfish is an excellent ship but is too small and under-equipped to replace the Kalahati Tuuls being more a Dino equivalent to the Pentekonter Protector.

DF has said they can transfer up to six Rome 46As to Molab on loan, and after localisation could be ready to begin service by the end of the year. These ships can help tide Molab over until Advanced Rome can take over in the late 2120s and early 2130s. Molab could buy up to fifteen Advanced Romes.

DF makes big changes to export portfolio

UNDF has made some dramatic changes to it's spaceship export portfolio in an attempt to kickstart a new wave of orders. The Olympus-E, Provider-E and Extender-E have all been cancelled, the latter two due to DF closing it's SUP derived ship line.

The Oceania (which has not yet secured any orders) and Depender multi-role support ships have received a specification bump with improved sensors and tactical system options.

The best-selling Pentekonter Protector has also been upgraded to the x90 specification. The 390 and 290 models have improved sensors, defensive systems and tactical computers. The upgrade is fairly modest though.

DF are also looking into the possibility of an export version of the Advanced Rome to compete with the Dino Swordfish design.

Oojok warns that Clone Star Empire has no succession plan

Former Emperor of the Clone Star Empire, Oojok who is now living on Dino-Land, has said he has concerns about the CSE. He said that Admiral Anderson is the last clone standing from the generation who came to prominence in the Clone Wars. He warned that Anderson has eliminated most of his potential rivals, which may bring some short-term stability but if Anderson falls then the obvious successor is unknown.

One potential successor is the Clone Wars hero Xerxes, former commander of the 1st Armoured Division and now military commander in the Ailier South sector on Cloneworld. Cicero, the former deputy of Marcus, is now the governor of the CSE-E is another potential future leader. Oojok said that he hoped Anderson would not purge people like Xerxes and Cicero as the CSE might need them in the future.

MBH visits CIN East and Starbot

Emperor MBH has begun an extended visit of the former Free Eritran States, now known as the eastern states (not that directions mean much in space) of the Commonwealth of Interstellar Nations and Starbot. MBH has met the leader of Molab and will also see the leaders of Helinox and Sear N7. He will later chair a meeting of the leaders of the CIN East members on Starbot.

Sear N7 has requested information on the Swordfish patrol ship. Starbot are also said to be interested in it.

Clones launch offensive against Teriatri insurgents

Last month the Clone Defence Forces reinforced Teriatri 7 with two infantry regiments, a Red Lizard brigade and three COIN air regiments. This was possible to the ending of the insurgency in the CSE-E which has relieved a lot of pressure on the CDF.

The Clones have launched what they say will be a month long offensive against Teriatri insurgents including aerial and land assets. A K85 COIN aircraft is reported to have been lost though it is unclear if this was due to being being shot down or another reason.