The DDS have quietly unveiled their latest weapon, the SROPS (Short Range Operation Patrol Ship), a small shuttle and patrol boat that will be carried by all ships Isometric and above in size (cruisers may carry 2). The SROPS is based on a commercial design and is a small 6 man space ship. The DDS will use it where larger ships are unable to operate such as in dense asteroid fields and for boarding other ships (teleportation is a risky business and new DDS policy is to try boarding another ship first).
The DDS have ordered 30 SROPS and more will follow later. The first SROPS has been operationally deployed by Isometric frigate SS Jurassic. Ships require some modifications to their docking bays to operate a SROPS and these modifications will be carried out as the ships enter refit or maintenance (SS Jurassic has just had a major refit).
SROPS is not capable of faster-than-light operation though its thought the DDS are looking into a version of SROPS that is as a potential replacement for the aging Coril shuttle fleet.
