DDS announce Carbon and Coral

The DDS have formally announced 2 new ship projects both with names starting with C as is the current trend. When a project receives a code name it is said to have passed from the theoretical stage to actual solid work being done on it according to DDS sources. Carbon is the name for the new strike bomber to replace the Pulsar 12A, this name had already been rumoured for a few weeks. Interestingly Carbon is being called a bomber and not a cruiser.

There are signs the DDS are preparing to ditch the old ship type names. Corkscrew 51A is being called the Medium Combat Ship instead of a sloop now and instead of being called a frigate.

While Carbon was expected Coral was not. This is the codename for the Fast Fleet Tanker concept which has been mentioned a few times over the last couple of years. Coral will be based on the River platform but capable of 800c as the structure will be re-stressed and strengthened. No date for either type to enter service has yet been given but a source said they will be roughly enter service the same time as Corkscrew in 2114-5.

It is hoped both Carbon and Coral will enter service though one commentator said that no C-ship has yet entered service and some projects (Chrysalis, Crankcase) ended up cancelled. The other projects known about, Cordial, to replace the SUP and Clearwater a superluminal UCV have not been mentioned for some time.

• The Pulsar 12A fleet is now in its final month of service with the DDS.  C108 Europa is currently the flagship of Force Starbot though will hand-over at the weekend to another ship and then return to Solaris via Liberation and will arrive back just in time for the scheduled withdrawal. Of the other ships C103 South America is currently the flagship of the DDS Central Fleet at Proxima 7 and C109 Antarctica is heading the active strike squadron along with 2 Quasar 15As.