Earlier this year a committee set up by Director Of Operations Action Painting explored the future shape of the fleet, the numbers of cruisers, destroyers and frigates needed to match future operational requirements and needs were examined. The results of this analysis are due soon but a leaked snippet to a technical journal indicates there could be some big changes.
The leak states that the third Isometric class, the Pangaea, will be cancelled. It was due to start in production after the Terran Sea was completed and add 20 frigates to the fleet. Instead 6 more Terran Seas will be built, to a Block 3 standard that includes some technology developed for the Pangaea. The final 5 of the current order of 20 Terran Seas could also be to this Block 3 standard.
6 instead of 8 Isometrics will be converted to the long-range Rhombus class. This will mean that the frigate fleet will end up with 22 Isometrics, 26 Terran Seas and the singleton Isometric-P. This is considered sufficient. The money saved from not building the Pangaea class may go into ordering a further 2 Panther class destroyers. Development will also take place of a Block 2 mark of the Pentekonter patrol boat, to plug the gap between itself and the frigate fleet.
The full report is expected soon. The DDS declined to comment on the leak.
