Spate of pirate attacks near Sanger Alpha

Over the last few weeks there have been a number of attacks on commercial shipping in the vicinity of UNP member Sanger Alpha 6329. The area has usually been a fairly quiet and secure part of space being only 9 light years from the Proxima Centauri system however that has changed with the pirate attacks.

The UNP has requested the DDS move in and deal with the pirates who are not Zone level in power and ferocity but are proving an annoyance to UNP traders. A DDS warship is due to be sent to the area next week.

Operation September Sunrise 2113

The latest exercise in the calendar starts next week, September Sunrise is a strategic weapons exercise and will involve interdiction and attack exercises on a test range in the Mila system in Remedian space.

Although not commissioned as a DDS ship yet SS Corkscrew will take part in the exercise as part of its extended test, and also to provide some training opportunities for DDS and Remedian crew.

S101 Quasar (flagship)
S102 Photon
H126 Intrepid
H130 Invicta
M115 Permian
M162 North Sea
A161 Alkane
TP211309 Corkscrew

First part of Helnikan Island Metro opens

A major part of the new DDS GHQ on Helnikan Island, Proxima 5, is a sub-surface metro railway linking up the key parts of the island. The first part of the DDS GHQ (Helnikan Island) Metro (as it is officially known) has now opened linking GHQ itself to the Air Base. This is only a small part of the network however and the DDS have published the below map for the first time.

The Metro will link up all the major parts of the island (or islands as one station will be on the adjoining Rotos Island where ISSF have a base) with the major routes being to and from GHQ from the Air Base and the port at Ren's Bay. Other destinations on the east of the island where the major barracks and storage areas are will be linked by a loop. The port will also have a shuttle service that links up the two halves of the port (the lines are also used for freight).

The next part of the Metro to be completed is expected to be a length from Residences to Ren's Bay which will be active later this year. The rest of the loop and an extension from Air Base to the Quentin Hills Observation Point could follow in 2114-5 with the port shuttle and Rotos Island link in 2116.

Map last update 12/05/14

Provider 2113 Update A

The DDS core transport fleet of Provider 71As has just begun its annual update and refit. Each ship in the 18 strong fleet will receive an upgrade and refurbishment over the next 2 months. Core to the update is the fitting of 2 8-cell TPM-VLS modules greatly increasing the self-defence capabilities. The tactical system is also being upgraded and sensors improved.

There are also improvements to the main computer system, ship security sensors, auxiliary power and various other minor updates.

Clones considering maritime patrol aircraft

The Clones are considering building a maritime patrol version of the K48 Cargolifter transport, the proposed K48P is wanted by Aquaworld's naval air service to patrol the large water expanses on that planet. The K48P would be armed with anti-shipping missiles and depth charges and would be equipped with a full reconnaissance suite similar to that fitted to the K72MR maritime reconnaissance aircraft.

The problem is Aquaworld only want, need and can afford a small number. At most they want 8, this is uneconomic for such a conversion to be built. At the moment Cloneworld and Austini 55's naval air services are still evaluating whether they need the type too.

CDF withdrawal from Eritran planets ahead of schedule

The Clones have until the end of the year to withdraw their occupation forces from Kontai and Unatel Gamma 540 but look set to have all forces packed (if not actually gone) by early next month. Over 85% of Clone Defence Force troops have left already with remaining forces being mostly administrative.

Sirikwanese and Aritan troops are guarding key installations on the 2 planets as per the peace plan though Molabite troops (with DDS assistance) may move in after the last of the Clones have gone. The Free Eritran States have pledged 2.3 billion zarks and the DDS 370 million zarks to help reconstruction efforts.

DDS Terrestrial Force Naval Division officially formed

The latest arm of the DDS has been formed, the Naval Division of DDS Terrestrial Forces is at its core the Maritime Support Regiment with its primary responsibility patrolling the waters around DDS GHQ on Helnikan Island, Proxima 5.

The DDS are training sailors who will man the 4 Triona II OPVs currently on order from the Clones, the first of which is expected to be delivered in 2114. Until then Naval Division will use the small craft of the MSR. A number of marine focussed Prowler units are also under Naval Division's wing though administratively they remain part of ISSF.

• Naval aircraft are to be operated by the Air Division on behalf of the new Naval Division, this includes a new version of the LLAD drone called the MQ-14N which has just entered service. The LLAD-N (as it is officially if rather clumsily known) has modified sensors and equipment for operation over water. It also has a slightly longer range and enhanced datalinks. A small number are being built alongside the LLAD to patrol the waters around Helnikan Island.

194/2

The Treatment
The Tarbotians and Malanas meet in battle (Hero P4)

194/1

All I Care 4 Is U
Ronald comes face to face with the Malanas Assembly (Hero P3)

Clone carriers to receive upgrade ready for new jets

The Clone Navy's 2 Cloneworld class carriers are to receive an upgrade over the next few months. Key to the upgrade will be preparing them for the new K45K fighter which will enter service onboard the carriers from next year (though flight tests will take up much of the first half of 2114). The steam catapults as well as deck handling equipment will be improved.

The carriers will also receive upgrades to their communication systems and the SA-N-6A self-defence system will be relocated, and receive computer upgrades.

• The prototype Nano Fighting Vehicle, SS Alpha is currently being tested following an upgrade and modification. It and its sister ship SS Beta (currently in final building) will have their hyperspace velocity increased to 700c following refinements to the subspace field. The ships will also have provision for an optional third TPM-2 launcher pod increasing maximum load to 15.

UV193 : True Love

• Plastic Is Fantastic - SFX finds a saviour from an unexpected source (Operation Death P5)
• Almost Six - Solaris comes under attack (Family Affair P1)
• Missing Herring - The ISSF close in on the terrorists (Family Affair P2)
• The Betrayal - Windy is shocked to his core (Family Affair P3)
• Fish Of Fury - Can Brad find out who is behind the Solaris attack? (Family Affair P4)
• Stick It In Reverse - Ronald's expedition discovers a wrecked Tarbotian ship (Hero P1)
• On The Back Foot - The Dinos make a surprising discovery (Hero P2)

Wayne King-Meiouf : Say hello to the next generation

Professor Wayne King-Meiouf of the University of Proxima

Being a military organisation there are of course two ways to progress up the hierarchy in the DDS, by your deeds but often the faster way is by replacing those lost in battle. Like any war the DDS has been involved with the ABBO-Bolitic War left some gaps in the DDS, the most notable was that of DDS Commander which AP failed to fill though the basic structure he left in place was carried forward by Firefly.

Under Firefly are his two deputies, Knobhead who handles all DDS operations and Sea Urchin who handles DDS technology. It is in Knobhead's team that new faces have come to the fore and it is from these that a future DDS Commander may one day come.

The rise of Torus is astonishing but she has managed to create a niche for herself finally as head of ISSF. The recent promotion of Torus to be Knobhead's deputy is reward for turning around DDS security which was in tatters after the vicious actions of the Hoods. Its too early for Torus to be considered for the top job, for a start her combat experience is not as great as some but i see no reason why we might not have DDS Commander Torus one day.

Kommandant Kurt Von Kane is a name who divides opinion, many consider him a fascist deviant, everyone else agrees but thinks he does a good job anyway. He had a fairly quiet war being away from the main front lines (though not be choice of course). Despite his twisted Nazi excesses Von Kane is considered a possible future Director of Operations though its unlikely he could go any further.

Lower down are a number of captains we should keep our eyes on, for me Captain Hussein and The Chef are future stars. Both command Fleet Combat Ships and have proven to be excellent tacticians and leaders of men. Its too early to say if either could reach the very top but the DDS can often be a very dynamic organisation and promotion can sometimes be very rapid...

New Puritan Way angrily deny being behind terrorist attack

The Proximan political party New Puritan Way has angrily denied being behind the recent attempted terrorist attack on Solaris which saw a hijacked airliner aimed at a major chemical plant. The attack was foiled but the aeroplane was destroyed meaning it took awhile for the DDS to find out who was behind the attack. Extreme religious fanatics were fingered as being behind the attack, seeking to destroy the DDS as being "against God".

The New Puritan Way is also known for being highly critical of the DDS which it calls a "cesspit of moral depravity led by the servants of Satan". However while the DDS did not link the terrorists with the New Puritan Way the party obviously feels a link is implied. "The slaves of the Anti-Christ seek to discredit the Way, to cover us with sinful lies so they can continue their aims of destroying God's church!" a spokesman for the New Puritan Way told reporters. Legal action may be taken against the DDS to force them to issue a retraction.

193/7

On The Back Foot
The Dinos make a surprising discovery (Hero P2)

Fleet News (15/08/13)

• There are 3 new ships joining the fleet this month. These are S210 Bowman which will be the tenth and final Missileer 21B, L117 Rodinia a Clone built Pangaea 62A and A184 Zealous a Zephyr 76A fast oiler.
• In a surprise move all 4 remaining un-wormed Solaris 37C Fleet Combat Ships have received worm drive, the whole fleet being now equipped. 
• M172 Black Sea and M173 Celebes Sea are the next 2 Mediterranean Sea 43G upgrades, both also have worm drive. 
• With the Zephyr and the Solaris that means 7 newly fitted worm drive equipped ships have joined the fleet. The DDS want to worm the Quasar 15A bombers next but because the number available are so few the DDS will wait until the Warrior 16A bombers enter service from late this year before doing so.

Wayne King-Meiouf : The Clone plan that leads nowhere

Professor Wayne King-Meiouf of the University of Proxima

The delivery of the first F-45K ... i mean K45K to the Clone Navy is another step in the Clone Defence Forces' grand plan begun early this decade. The plan basically starts with an admission of failure : the Clone Space Navy is not strong enough and a major enemy such as the Tarbotians (or even the DDS) could sweep them aside. The plan deals with what next for Cloneworld.

Without the cover of the Space Navy Cloneworld would be vulnerable to space bombardment, hence efforts to decentralise military command and control facilities, a new generation of underground bunkers, dispersal fields for air power and the reborn blue water navy. The grand plan of the Clones is to survive the bombardment and retain the ability to strike back against an invasion force.

Key to the strike back are SeaGale SLBMs, by the end of this decade the Clones will be able to field up to 50 in deep waters around Cloneworld's main landmass. These missiles will be able to strike any point on the landpass and make enemy bridgeheads disappear in a mushroom clouds. Secondary strike-back abilities will be facilitated by cruise missiles launched by submarine, warship or air-launched (K45K natch). Although the new cruise missile currently under development cannot reach the centre of the continent they will be able to strike many places on the planet, and reduce them to radioactive ash no doubt.

But where does this lead the Clones? Lets assume the Tarbotians sweep the Clone fleet aside, pound the planet and then land an army. If this army is nuked then the Tarbotians are not going to simply go away. They are likely to retaliate with nuclear weapons of their own, and/or blockade the planet no doubt after destroying as many crops as possible. Could this plan just result in a slow death for the Clones?

These are questions never asked, maybe no one wants to go there. Everyone lauds the fact the impressive SeaGale can nuke the middle of nowhere, but no one talks about what next. It could be the Clones just hope to hold out long enough for a miracle. Its not really a solid basis for a key military strategic plan in my opinion.

193/6

Stick It In Reverse
Ronald's expedition discovers a wrecked Tarbotian ship (Hero P1)

First K45K delivered

After years of development the second generation K45C/K Falcon has finally been delivered to the Clone Defence Forces. The first navalised K45K was received by the Clone Navy yesterday. It will be joined by 2 other planes at the end of the month. The Clone Naval Air Service (CNAS) will begin test flights in early September following engineering and ground crew familiarisation training and tests.

The first carrier landings will take place in the Autumn. The CNAS is hoping to have the first 6 in an operational flight by the end of the year and will embark on one of its carriers in early 2114.

Next generation K44 planned

CAC have announced work will begin on the next generation of the K44 Cargoking, the main transport aircraft of the Clone Air Force. The announcement co-incided with the final transfer of commercial sales and manufacture of the 440, the civil version of the K44, to Clone Commercial Aircraft. The state owned Clone Aircraft Corporation will continue to build the military line though CAC and CCA will work together on future developments.

The K44NT is not expected until later in this decade and little is known about it as yet however a vee-tail is likely following tests with one of the K44 development aircraft. The K44NT could also have a larger fuselage and a new wing.

• Following a review of the New Vosun situation the DDS have decided to reduce their alert status to CYAN.

DDS make changes to ORBAT

The DDS have made some changes to its formal Order of Battle (ORBAT). One of the most noticeable changes is the disbanding of the Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron, some of its role will be taken over by the new Strike Support Squadron which includes reconnaissance and EW in its duties.

Another change is the removal of the "reserve" suffix from second-line squadrons, it was thought the "reserve" title was poor for morale. The Rapid Reaction Squadron has been increased to 4 ships though there has been little change to the line-up of most squadrons. This may change after a review which Knobhead has ordered into force strengths and roles.

• Firefly has begun preparations for a new DDS force command called DDS Rim Worlds. This will be centred on Charlotte from 2114. Firefly is currently looking into candidates to run this command which will be vital for future security against the Tarbotians. The head of DDS North, Von Kane, is considered a front-runner. The commanding officer of SS Independence Captain Hussain is also being considered for promotion.

DDS seek base on Voth

The Dinos are currently trying to renew their lease on base facilities on the Remedian planet of Loeuss. The DDS have no objection to it but instead of the Dinos paying a fee they are trying to get base facilities of their own on Voth in the DTA.

The DDS want an intelligence gathering station on the planet (mainly aimed at Tarbotian space) and storage for spare parts for space craft, personal weapons and other useful stories. They already have rights to refuel warships in Voth orbit though there are restrictions on the number allowed at any one time. The DDS would also like this limit increased.

Director of Operations Knobhead will meet with Senator Zanus, the Dinos minister of defence, next week during Dino exercises on Loeuss (the DDS are also taking part). It is thought likely the two sides will come to an agreement.

Clones cancel planned exercises

The Clone Army has cancelled a planned major exercise on Daggaddon that would have seen amphibious landings and special forces raids. The reason being given is that the desired army units are not available but it is thought the real reason is due to cost savings and because of fears the Clone data network might collapse.

A new data ring linking Cloneworld, Daggaddon, Sandworld and Lomar is currently being installed but will not be operational until early next year. It may be the Clones will avoid major operations in the area until then.

• The Dinos meanwhile are preparing for an exercise of their own. They are to stage an amphibious landing on the Remedian planet of Loeuss next week (the planet once had a major Dino presence though this has been much reduced). Remedian Guard units and some Remedian units of the DDS Terrestrial Forces will take part. A DDS landing ship will also join the Dinos, likely to be one of the Oceania 63As.

193/5

Fish Of Fury
Can Brad find out who is behind the Solaris attack? (Family Affair P4)

Firefly wants "ultra-weapon" to combat Tarbotians

DDS Commander Firefly has said he wants the DDS to have an "ultra-weapon" to combat the Tarbotians and other future threats and has agreed 100 million zarks funding to DDS Research for a new massive parallel beam energy cannon codenamed Circus.

This monstrous weapon (itself bigger than a Rome 46A) is said to have potentially the firepower of 40-50 Z6 cannons. It could defeat any known defence screen and also devastate ground targets (one simulation has it that the weapon could destroy a target the size of DDS City with one shot). To field it it is thought a specialist spacecraft would be built which would be little more than the weapon with engines on the end.

Director of Operations Knobhead is interested in the concept though says the ship would only be of use for major space conflicts. The trend for the DDS has been in "multi-dimensional" spaceships with flexibility of roles and capabilities. However if this "ultra-weapon" performs as thought it could turn the tide in a major war.

Zephyr fails again on exercise

Earlier in the year the Zephyr 76A made its combat debut as the oiler supply ship on the February Flourish exercise. However it suffered multiple problems with cargo handling forcing the premature end of the exercise. Now a Zephyr has failed again on its second exercise deployment as part of August Flourish 2113 (maybe the "Flourish" is unlucky for the Zephyr?)

SS Zenith suffered an accident while transferring supplies to SS Foxhound. Three crew were injured when a crane collapsed, though none of the crew are said to be in danger. The exercise is continuing for now though an Extender 73A oiler is en route to replace Zenith. Director of Operations Knobhead has asked for a full review of the Zephyr's cargo handling equipment.

193/4

The Betrayal
Windy is shocked to his core (Family Affair P3)

Sea Urchin wants DDS to think big

The trend for warships has been for smaller ships using technological advancements to pack in more firepower and performance. Even a small ship like the Rome 46A now possesses far more war potential than a Pulsar 12A cruiser did in its earliest configuration. However Director of Technology Sea Urchin wants that to change and for the DDS to invest in a fleet of huge "city ships".

Sea Urchin has pointed out how the worm drive has made the area of space the DDS can reach much larger, however the DDS are now facing problems with supplying and supporting units so far out from the central core of DDS space. The solution he believes is to develop massive ships that have their own support eco-systems and massive storage facilities.

These ships would be able to fabricate spares, even mining and processing ores, have food production facilities, extensive maintenance and crew recovery facilities and also would be able to carry huge amounts of firepower. "Instead of ever lengthening supply lines from DDS City, with all the vulnerabilities that brings, we could send a city to the far frontier." Sea Urchin said, though he acknowledged that such ships would be very expensive. However he says the DDS could save in the long run in less need for logistical journeys and static forward bases.

"Some static facilities on UNP worlds are now obsolete, they were once on the 'frontier' but speed advances mean they are no longer necessary, unfortunately they are unable to move. A DDS city ship on the other hand could move to where it is needed, and gradually further out as DDS space expands."

DDS Commander Firefly is said to have found the idea interesting.

K47 receives name

The K47 light fighter has been known by its project designation LLFX up until now but the Clone Air Force have finally given a name to their replacement for hundreds of ageing K40s. The K47 Freedom is the full name of the new fighter, over 25 have already been delivered. Although subsonic and quite basic in many respects for day-to-day sovereignty and general patrol missions it is perfectly adequate and has shown running cost savings over the K40s it has replaced of nearly 60%.

This is offset by building costs of course though the CAF estimate they will be in the "black" by 2116. Just over 1000 Freedoms will be built.

Operation August Flourish 2113

The latest exercise is August Flourish which is a series of simulated space combats. This year the DDS have invited the Porquatians to take part, they will provide 3 ships to act as the "enemy" and also train fighting alongside the DDS. The exercises will take place in Porquatian space next week. The DDS ships involved are to be :

S202 Lancer (flagship)
H105 Ocelot
H162 Polaris
M128 Foxhound
M133 Firedrake
M157 Andaman Sea
A183 Zenith

Clones test fire road-mobile ICBM/CSM

The Clone Army has successfully test fired a version of its Gale-III ICBM from a trailer at a location in the Southern Desert on Cloneworld. This was the first test of a new road-mobile missile system that will supplement the Gale silos around the central military district in Ailier. A sea-launched version is also due to enter service at the end of this decade.

The missiles are capable of launching the CSM weapon system, the mobility of the system meaning the Clones could launch a counterattack on an enemy even if Cloneworld was heavily attacked. Targeting however is thought to rely on pre-programmed settings which can't be easily changed in the field. However it has been reported the Clones may be adding mid-course target correction to CSM in its next update allowing launched missiles to be retargeted by Clone space craft once they are en route. Its not known how many road-mobile missiles the Clones plan to deploy.

Other Fleet News (01/08/13)

• The Dinos have built 1 each of Dinomark PT, XT and MX this month.
• The Bolitic are reported to have completed a Snarl, 2 Meltinans and withdrawn 2 Redhulls.
• The Clones have built 2 Sharks.