NS licence engine technology

New Sparta are keen to expand the licensing of their technology to commercial companies, The Shiner sees it as being a very valuable new funding stream. A start has been made with the licensing of a new economic engine core to Consolidated Spacecraft for 1.5 billion zarks plus royalties from engines built using the core.

The core is the work of NS Research and uses hybrid technologies to recycle spent fuel and external energy sources like solar to reduce the amount of fuel needed for normal operation. NS spends 8% of its annual budget on fuel and the required infrastructure including the oiler fleet so reducing this is seen as a priority. Future uses for the technology in NS ships is expected from next year and will include use of EA-X.

The commercial version of the engine core and related systems is said to be able to reduce fuel burn by an average of 5% which amounts to quite a lot on long distance transport programmes.

Story #2323

Crunch Coating
The Dinos come under attack from strange aliens.

Story #2322

Political Mess
DM65 is under attack.

Story #2321

Impressed
The 6th Legion's new mission soon runs into difficulties.

NS buys third Helwin

NS has bought an ex-Bolitic Helwin cruiser from a scrapyard. Although in a poor state NS Engineering say they can restore the ship to service and it will join 2 other Helwins in the Alpha Centauri 093A class of research and training ships though probably not until 2118.

NS Engineering has also given updates on a number of ship types. The Lavender 105A unmanned patrol ship is now expected for 2118. The Provider 071A transport fleet will be expanded with at least 6 more built over the next couple of years. NS will also retrofit (and built from new) the enhanced C3 suites to be fitted to the forthcoming Remedian flagship to the Mulberry 036A which will take on a role of flagships for medium sized deployments.

NS admits it is struggling against cyber attacks

New Sparta has said that there is one aspect of modern warfare in which it is struggling: cyber warfare. NS systems are said to be under frequent attack with systems being compromised no less than 493 times in 2116. However NS Engineering said that no sensitive data or core systems have been affected.

NS Commander Knobhead is said to be displeased with NS Engineering's efforts to combat the cyber threat from foes like the Bolitic and Tarbotians. A dedicated arm of the NS to combat cyber attacks (and to launch attacks in return) may be formed in the new year alongside Space and Terrestrial Forces.

New Remedian flagship will reuse the Brartiga name

Although the order has not yet been finalised the flagship of the reborn Remedian Fleet will be a Yel'Tema / Mulberry 036A with extra C3 and ship docking facilities according to Remedian reports. The ship is likely to take a slot off the NS Mulberry line so it can be delivered in 2117.

The ship will be known as Brartiga II, reusing the name of the former flagship of the old Remedian Fleet before it was first absorbed into the DDS.

Command sub-class of Rome to be formed

As everyone knows the flagship of the New Sparta fleet is K101X (046-201) Cicero, a Rome 046A Light Combat Ship that has been fitted with worm drive and extra C3 facilities. It and 4 other Romes will form the Rome 046K pool of dedicated flagships.

Five ships will form the Rome 046K to allow for cover due to maintenance and because the Director of Operations Torus will also have a dedicated ship (Windy already has his own ship, SS Infinity). All ships will receive worm drive, C3 upgrades and other enhancements next year. No date has been yet set for this work however.

NS to renumber fleet

New Sparta is to renumber its fleet under the new NS 2117 Scheme over the next few months, though digital records will be changed immediately. The change originally came about an effort to remove the gaps in the existing numbering of ships caused by war losses. However the head of space forces Caratore has come up with a brand new scheme which Torus and Knobhead have endorsed.

Under NS 2117 Scheme all ships will receive a unique 6 digit running number, the first 3 digits will be for the Type code so for example the Panther 035A ships will have number starting with 035. The other 3 digits will be the unique identifier, usually starting from 101 but where a ship type has a number of sub-classes (the Type 35 for example) then numbers will start in their own blocks of 100.

To give a few examples, SS Panther currently H101 will become 035-101 and SS Independence currently H121 will become 035-201. Caratore said the new scheme would bring clarity to the fleet and aid operational planning.

Olympus Mons next priority for worming

With the Freedom and Quasar (nearly) fleets all wormed NS is now looking at the next fleet to receive worm drives, and that will be the 9 strong Olympus Mons 023A fleet of support carriers. The type has already been calibrated for worm drive as the sister fleet of Olympus Balista 023M missile carriers are built as new with worm drives.

NS say the work will be carried out next year as part of a general update for the Olympus Mons which will likely include more TPM storage and sensor updates.

Fleet News 18/12/16

M213 Comet is the latest Corkscrew 051A to enter service.

M133 Firedrake and M135 Fox have been wormed, completing the Freedom 041B worming.

Quasar 015A S107 Charm Quark has also been wormed.

Ronald to reorganise SS

With his return to being Dino Emperor a couple of weeks away Ronald has begun to outline his priorities. Ronald said he wants to integrate the SS more closely into the Dino Army. The 1st SS Legion will be reduced in size to a core of 3 brigades (the elite Black Dragon Martyrs and Iron Fist brigades plus a support brigade). Other SS regiments and battalions will be allocated to Dino Army legions. The 2nd and 3rd SS Legions will continue to exist but mostly for administrative purposes.

Another way to bring the SS closer to the Dino Army will be to change the rank armbands so they are much closer to the Army. Ronald said though that the SS will continue to be a separate and vitally important part of the Dino armed forces and security apparatus. He added that SS Commander Solax is fully behind his plans (though as Solax is the Grand Wizard in the SS Cult which reveres Ronald as a living God that is no surprise).

Ferret to receive major update

New Sparta have announced a major update for the Ferret 101 unmanned space fighter. The Ferret-NG 101M is said to be the biggest upgrade since the original UCV. It will have a new updated hybrid ion-turbine drive Z90A with boosted speed, acceleration and fuel efficiency.

The guidance and communication systems have been rebuilt from scratch with data security and encryption built in. While there have been no instances of Ferrets being "hacked" or affected by enemy info-weapons NS believes it is only a matter of time. The Ferret-NG will be virtually impossible to attack in this way.

The first Ferret-NGs should enter service next year. NS say they want to have around 600 Ferrets in service (which is more or less what they have now) so new Ferret-NGs will replace existing old UCVs. These UCVs will be placed in strategic storage.

Tarbot look to spoil NS, Clone export market

The Tarbot Empire has announced it has 60 Samara I and II destroyers for sale, at a low price. The Tarbot say they will sell to anyone other than the "major powers". It is thought Tarbot is doing this on purpose to sour the export market for New Sparta and the Clone Star Empire, which has increasingly become reliant on arms sales to fund weapon development and even day to day running costs of the military.

Unlike the Clones New Sparta has a firmer financial footing though the loss of export zarks would be badly felt. NS is aiming to raise over 20 billion zarks from arms sales over the next 5 years.

Its not known who will buy these old, but still useful, warships. Tarbot used to sell a lot of surplus hardware indeed recent NS and Clone export ships have often replaced time expired Tarbotian Vortis and Yeoman class ships in small navies.

Northern Project ends 2116 exercise schedule

The final exercise of 2116 Northern Project has now ended with a final "mock war" set-piece involving NS, Raegris and Dino ships and troops at Xi in the Dino Republic. New Sparta ships are now returning to base ready for the Christmas shutdown (though only for active service crews, NS Engineering will be very busy!

NS returns to a monthly exercise schedule next year, NS Commander Knobhead preferring more frequent small exercises to a small number of larger ones. The first new exercise will be Dawn Rising 2117 early next month which will involve strategic reconnaissance. Its also thought it will involve special forces and intelligence gathering.

Starbot surprises with order for NS warships

Despite no longer being part of New Sparta the bulk of Starbot's fleet remains NS built ships and they have placed an order to reinforce their fleet. This comes as a bit of a surprise after recent poor relations with NS and the order for Clone ships however the Starbotian Commander K-2 said Starbot was a neutral and independent power happy to have "a wide variety of friends".

A third Olympus 023A support carrier has been ordered and no less than 6 Depender combat support ships. Its thought these ships will be used mainly in the intelligence gathering and Elint roles following recent debate in the Starbotian military about the lack of any assets in this area.

Starbot orders Sharks and transports

Starbot has made it's first major ship order since leaving New Sparta. In a multi-billion zark deal they have ordered 10 Shark SKS frigates from the Clones. In a major revitalisation of the transport arm of their fleet they have also ordered 3 Loader TYCS transports and 3 Omiten TYJS oilers.

Head of the military K-1 said the new ships would help ensure Starbotian security post-NS. He also said that military alliances would be sought with a number of powers including the Clones. A joint exercise will be held next year.

Remedians to disband RCPP, reform Space Fleet

Tier I allies the Remedians are decoupling their ships from the NS fleet and will maintain their own fleet thus abolishing the Remedian Customs & Police Patrol (RCPP) which was a sub-grouping of NS ships operated by Remedian personnel and paid for by the Remedians. The change is mostly administrative as the Remedian ships tend to operate separately anyway and the NS have given their blessing to the change.

The new Remedian Space Fleet will reform at the start of 2117 and will consist of 5 Corkscrew 051As and 2 Extender 073As. These ships will be removed from the NS register. The head of the Remedian Armed Forces Lord Argrox (who is also an NS Politburo member) said that operations would continue unchanged but that it was time the Remedian Belt had its own fleet again. He also said that more ships will be ordered in the new year. Its thought a 6th Corkscrew will be ordered and a new flagship, probably a modified Mulberry 036A.

Fleet News (02/12/16)

S254 Ra is the latest Olympus Balista 023M to enter service.

M212 Crescent is the latest Corkscrew 051A to enter service.

A123 Freightliner is the latest Provider 071A to enter service. A114 Spruce Goose has been fitted with worm drive and is now in the Skytrain 131A fleet.

Operation Northern Project 2116

The latest (and final) edition of the year end "full spectrum" exercise will begin tomorrow. The exercise will involve the Raegris and Dinos in a mock war which will take place in the Rim Worlds and also on the Dino planet of Xi. The exercise will include mock combats, raids and an amphibious landing.

The NS ships involved are below. About 20 Dinos ships and 6 Raegris ships (who will act together as the "enemy") will also be involved.

S202 Lancer (flagship)
S207 Rifleman
H102 Jaguar
H110 Puma
H129 Impregnable
H201 Mulberry (amphibious force flagship)
M103 Jurassic
M135 Fox
M184 Sea of Fertility
K103 Augustus
K151 Fighting Falcon
K159 Goshawk
L111 Pangaea
L117 Rodinia
L158 South America
A106 Flying Boxcar
A141 Extender

UV231 : Gibson's Empire of Fear

• Roki Or Not Here I Come - Orange Dart demonstrates the power of a chocolate eclair.
• Shattered - Windy captures some pirates.
• Its Only Piss - Neverak recounts how he ended up in an alien prison.
• Gate Of Death! - Gibson's empire of Hell is revealed.
• Focal Point - Melson warns Joshi of a plot in the Bolitic Confederacy.
• Greyhounds - Firefly comes to a decision.

Story #2316

Greyhounds
Firefly comes to a decision.

Story #2315

Focal Point
Melson warns Joshi of a plot in the Bolitic Confederacy.

Clones sign huge arms deal with Rectoids for warships, CSM

The Clones have agreed a 14 billion zark arms deal with their allies the Rectoids. The deal, one of the biggest, will be for 12 Molentic Tuul MTMR cruisers and for 45 CSM missiles with mobile launchers.

The Molentic Tuul MTMR will be a localised version of the pending MTM2 new build for the Clone Space Navy. The MTM2 had been subject to delays due to budget pressures and capacity but this order will allow a mothballed line to be reopened and should allow new MTM2s to also be built within the next few years.

The Clone Space Missiles to be bought will be the latest version with cold flame and other stealth features. A NS analyst said that CSM sites on the Rectoid planet of Rowacta could target most planets in the Free Eritran States (though not Molab).

No delivery dates have been announced yet though a Rectoid source said he hoped CSM would be operational within 4-5 years.

Clone missile development "dead"

A senior Clone Air Force general has warned that missile development is virtually dead in the Clone Star Empire (except for CSM) and that unless an urgent programme is launched immediately to design a new generation of short and medium range missiles then the Clone armed forces could be facing mass obsolescence with its weapons within 5-10 years.

General Rekenzie said that the missiles deployed today were largely those developed late in the Clone Wars. "The only missile system developed and deployed within the last 10 years is the SA-6A and that was an upgrade to the Clone Wars era missile." he said. Air-to-air was the same story with K45Cs using the same missiles as mid-period K40s did in the Clone Wars.

Another officer, General Wokok, disagreed with his colleague citing the development of a new cruise missile, an upgrade to the medium-range SA-8 and the SS-10 IRBM. However he did agree that apart from the SS-10 they have yet to enter service.

Much of the money available for weapon development has gone to big projects like the K45C and the Clone Space Missile though Rekenzie said that as these big projects are now in production there was the opportunity to develop new short-range and medium-range missiles. The question is, with budget pressures as tight as ever will the Clones be able to fund these programmes?

Northern Project 2116 will include the Dinos / 2117 schedule

The final exercise of the year is Northern Project which is a "full spectrum mock war" involving as many aspects of the NS war machine as possible. In early December the 2116 edition will be held and it will include the Dinos as guests. It is thought about 20 Dinomarks and 4,000 troops will join the NS forces, the Raegris will also take part.

The exercise will take place in Dino territory on Xi and also in the nearby Rim Worlds. It is thought NS will "battle" the joint Dino/Raegris force culminating with an amphibious landing.

This will be the last time the NS follow this schedule for exercises. In 2117 there will be monthly smaller exercises as well as the "blue riband" Atomic Fist, Ground Shock and Civilian Partnership exercises.

The 2117 schedule is:

January : Dawn Rising 2117 (strategic reconnaissance)
February : Agile Response 2117 (mock space combat)
March : Ground Shock 2117 (ground attack)
April : Target Spot 2117 (special forces, info warfare)
May : Mass Field 2117 (ally co-operation)
June : Sharp Focus 2117 (mine warfare)
July : Atomic Fist 2117 (strategic attack)
August : Top Performance 2117 (mock space combat)
September : Civilian Partnership 2117 (humanitarian)
October : Long Patrol 2117 (long range operations)
November : Material Asset 2117 (strategic lift)
December : Winter Mists 2117 (full-spectrum operations)

NS issues warning to Starbot

New Sparta has warned Starbot about its peace deal with the Argon. Deputy Commander Torus said that it would be a mistake to trust the Argon and allowing Argon ships in Starbotian space was a potential security risk for NS. "Freighters can easily be a cover for intelligence gathering or even staging posts for special forces missions." she said.

"NS will be increasing its patrols near Starbotian space and keeping an eye on what enters its space." she added.

Starbot and Argon announce peace deal

Starbotian Commander K-2 has announced a peace deal with the Argon faction of the 7 Sa Sao. The Argon were in battle with Starbot only last year so the move has surprised many. K-2 said the time for enmity was over and Starbot needed new allies now it was no longer part of the DDS system.

Argon freighters will be allowed to enter Starbot space under the peace deal with similar rights for Starbot ships in Argon territory. Argon will also open an embassy on Starbot. Further discussions on closer ties will be held in the new year.

Story #2314

Gate Of Death!
Gibson's empire of Hell is revealed.

Story #2313

Its Only Piss
Neverak recounts how he ended up in an alien prison.

Ren's Bay branch opens on GHQ Metro

The Ren's Bay branch of the metro that links up both sides of the major port at the north of Helnikan Island, home to NS GHQ, has opened. The opening is several months late after salt water was found to affect signalling forcing some modifications. Now regular shuttles will operate along the branch as well as through trains to the rest of the metro network on the island as well as freight trains of course.

Also opening is an extension from NS+'s base to the Quentin Hills Observation Point. Work is progressing on the next major extension to Henkly Point and the branch to Rotos Island. This is now expected to be finished in 2118.

Story #2312

Shattered
Windy captures some pirates.

Story #2311

Roki Or Not Here I Come
Orange Dart demonstrates the power of a chocolate eclair.

Type 051B will be called the Vanguard / Z360

The second batch of 20 Type 051 Medium Combat Ships, which will follow on from the Corkscrew 051A in the early 2120s, will be called the Vanguard 051B the NS has announced. Most changes from the Corkscrew are still being decided upon but it is thought the Vanguard will be longer and have a second and separate docking bay to allow for even greater facilities for small craft including UCVs.

Weapons systems are still undecided as there are a number of new weapon programmes currently in development, however one was mentioned by NS for the first time today and it may debut on the Vanguard. The weapon is called Z360 and will be the next development of the Z-Cannon. In essence the Z360 is a merging of the Z7/Zip and the 360 CIWS systems. With 360 CIWS defensive energy beams can be generated from any point on the ship's hull to ensure 360 degree coverage. Z360 will turn this ability into an offensive weapon which will eliminate any blind spots and also make taking out the Z-Cannon on an NS ship much more difficult for an opponent. Z360 is expected to be ready to enter service around 2120 but will be tested in a couple of years.

Knobhead may step down by 2120

When asked by a journalist if he hoped to be NS Commander long into the future he admitted the job was stressful and more difficult than he anticipated. He also said he did not think he would still be the commander by the end of the decade. Later on he clarified that he thought by 2120 it may be time to consider options.

Of course this has sparked a frenzy of gossip in New Sparta. Torus is considered the most likely successor to Knobhead though she also has played down talk of the commander stepping down. "Its still a long way away [2120]." she said at a meeting with fleet officers. It is thought she fears she could fail to be elected commander if the vote be held too soon and before she can consolidate her power base.

Knobhead's other sponsor in last year's election Sea Urchin said that maybe NS should move to a fixed term system for its commanders. "Maybe we should elect a new commander every 4 or 5 years."

Clones accuse New Sparta of hacking central systems

The Clones have accused New Sparta of launching cyber attacks against Clone Defence Force computer systems. The Clones say NS tried to break into the Clone Army Missile Organisation computer and access targeting systems for the CSM. The NS hacking attempt was unsuccessful according to the Clones.

NS cyber attacks were also launched on the Clone Air Force and Clone Space Navy networks the Clones claim. NS+ Commander Torus said the Clone accusations were nonsense. "NS has not been conducting cyber warfare against the Clones." she said.

However independent analysts say NS has been beefing up its "digital firepower" in recent years and now considers cyber warfare as a key part of its offensive portfolio.

Clones to shut shipyard

The Clones are to shut one of the 3 shipyards they have which can build warships. The move will save 1.1 billion zarks a year as all 3 shipyards have to operate at an uneconomically low rate to build the minimum number of ships. The closure of the shipyard is likely to mean the Molentic Tuul MTM2 will be delayed until 2120.

This is because the 2 shipyards that are remaining are currently building the Cosmos CS/CG and Shark SK family. A new batch of Kelsan KS bombers are also expected to be built before the end of the decade. The Molentic Tuul delay will also save the Clones a lot of money though strategically it is a problem for them as they needed the extra new ships to cover the gap while the large Soulaki SLM upgrade programme takes places from next year until 2120.

Fleet News 03/11/16

S131 Wild Swan is the latest Warrior 016A bomber.

A113 Crate has been upgraded to Skytrain 131A standard with the fitting of worm drive.

M130 Formidable is the latest Freedom 041B to be fitted with worm drive.

UV230 : Re-United

• Down On The Kids - Krusty is given a new mission.
• Bare Back Man - Krusty's latest SS-CINT mission begins.
• Spasm Shot - Egonneck has a new ally in his search for Neverak.
• Why Don't You Dig? - Egonneck closes in on Neverak.
• Neverak - Egonneck begins his rescue mission.
• It's Great! - Will it be a happy ending for Egonneck and Neverak?

Story #2306

It's Great!
Will it be a happy ending for Egonneck and Neverak?

Story #2305

Neverak
Egonneck begins his rescue mission.

Clone ICBM upgraded with cold flame

The Clone Army has accepted the Gale IIIB SS-5B ICBM into service though roll-out is expected to be slow. The Gale ICBM is the launcher for Clone Space Missile though dozens are also fielded with nuclear and conventional warheads. Gale IIIB has the cold flame technology recently developed by the Clones which reduces infrared signatures by over 80%.

Gale IIIB also includes guidance and countermeasure improvements though it is likely this will be the final version of the ICBM with most development now being concentrated on the submarine launched version SeaGale/SeaCSM.

Story #2304

Why Don't You Dig?
Egonneck closes in on Neverak.

Story #2303

Spasm Shot
Egonneck has a new ally in his search for Neverak.

Clone Space Missile upgrade announced

The Clone Space Missile is to receive a major upgrade next year as the Clones seek to maintain their advantage in the field of interstellar missiles. The range of CSM will be increased to 15 light years from 10 (though still less than LRM-20 which New Sparta will soon field). Mid-course correction will also be enabled and improved penaids.

A more substantial upgrade is also in the works for 2120. A brand new engine will enable CSM to reach over 20 light years in range and also be a lot faster.

The Clones have also confirmed that SeaCSM is now operational, the trials submarine CNSS Warhammer is said to regularly go to sea with 2 SeaCSM loaded. Full deployment with purpose built submarines is expected in 2119.

Joint NS/DTA intelligence report concludes Bolitic heading for collapse

A previously top secret joint intelligence mission by New Sparta (represented by the Raegris) and DTA (represented by the Dinos) has reported back on the state of the Bolitic Confederacy and it does not make for pleasant reading if you are Bolitic. The report concludes that the Bolitic are unable to recover from their heavy loss in the ABBO-Bolitic War followed by the civil war after the death of Borca. The Bolitic Confederacy is virtually bankrupt and Emperor Melson is finding it increasingly difficult to keep a lid on discontent (and keep himself in one piece).

The reasons for the Bolitic inability to bounce back from defeat as they have in the past were also explored by the report. Unlike in previous conflicts the Bolitic were unable to swell their coffers with loot. They have also fallen behind peer opponents in many areas though the Utrek partnership has helped stem the gap somewhat (though this help has dried up as the Utrek face a renewed Mantae threat). A key problem the Bolitic face is the loss of so many senior Barons and veteran soldiers in the war and civil conflict. The cream of the Bolitic military machine was lost. Finally the report explores the decentralisation of the empire with the rival power base of Erinthorn which has diluted Bolitic power.

The report says that the Bolitic are in danger of becoming a third rate power though stubbornly refuse to accept it even though their shipyards remain idle due to lack of funds. If Melson is deposed then a radical new Emperor may decide the Bolitic need to go out in a blaze of glory and attack their enemies. Both the NS and DTA should maintain strong defences along the Bolitic border and monitor closely events on Castarian.

NS announce NDAA 2.0

With the production run of the Next DDS Attack Aircraft, otherwise known as the A-12, coming to an end next year (5 have been added to the outstanding order) attention has now been turned to the next step. Work has begun on a major upgrade for the light attack aircraft known as NDAA 2.0.

The NDAA 2.0 will be applied to all 100 A-12s in service plus there will be some new build. Key to the upgrade will be an improved turbofan with 15% more power but with reduced infrared signature. The airframe will be slightly lengthened which, together with a reorganisation of internal systems, will allow for larger fuel tanks. Range should be increased by around 17%. The attack and navigation systems will also be upgraded with improved data linking and signal processing.

NDAA 2.0 is expected to begin flight testing next year. One of the prototypes has already been modified.

Daggaddon becomes first planet to devolve Clone Defence Forces

Just a month after the announcement of a massive reorganisation of the Clone Army and Air Force called Clone Armed Forces Devolution Daggaddon has already announced it has set up the Daggaddon Army and Air Force. The planet, the first world added to the Clone Star Empire of course, began the process earlier in the year as part of the pilot scheme before Oojok gave the go-ahead and order for the process to be carried out empire wide.

How Daggaddon has reorganised it's land forces has been published as an example to other worlds which have to start the process by the end of the year. Before the devolution there were 18 Clone Army regiments on the planet. Fifteen of these have been transferred to the Daggaddon Army. They have kept their CA regimental numbers though this may change when the transfer has been completed with respect to personnel.

Daggaddon's army has been organised into 3 divisions:

Daggaddon First Division

58(A) Armoured Regiment
231 Mechanised Infantry Regiment
278 Mechanised Infantry Regiment
670 Infantry Regiment
692 Infantry Regiment
1478 Transport Regiment
1690 Transport Regiment
670 Artillery Battalion
397 Engineering Battalion
1902 Reconnaissance Battalion

Daggaddon Second Division

131(B) Armoured Regiment
302 Mechanised Infantry Regiment
486 Infantry Regiment
557 Infantry Regiment
1002 Transport Regiment
809 Artillery Battalion

Daggaddon Third Division (Reserve)

229 Mechanised Infantry Regiment
116 Infantry Regiment
1974 Transport Regiment
1763 Reconnaissance Battalion

The Clone Army on Daggaddon (formerly known as the 7th Legion) has been reduced to the following:

262 Mechanised Infantry Regiment
199 Infantry Regiment
1606 Transport Regiment
320 Engineering Battalion
+ Red Lizard Company

LRM-20 successfully hits target over 17 light years away

The long-running and much troubled Long Range Missile project, the NS equivalent to the Clone Space Missile, has finally held a successful full test from silo to a target light years away. A LRM-20 was launched from a silo at DDS City and hit a target on an asteroid 17 light years away. Although the warhead was inert the accuracy was sufficient to have destroyed the target if it had been armed.

In 2114 the then DDS Commander Firefly had reorganised the LRM team and restored the previously cancelled LRM-20 with the aim of limited operational capability in 2116 with full operational status in 2117. NS sources say these may be reached with 6 silos on Proxima 7 approaching completion.

In 2118 NS will field more silos on Proxima 5 and Solaris. An updated LRM roadmap shows a mobile launcher in 2118 and an improved missile in 2119. The follow-on LRM-100 and LRM-W projects are ongoing and still expected for the early 2120s.

Dinos and NS announce partnership for next generation worm drives

The respective chief scientists of the Dino Republic and New Sparta, Dougson and Dr Forbidden, have held a joint media briefing on Dino-Land where they announced a new partnership to develop the next generation of worm drive. Both the Dinos and NS will pool their worm drive development and a joint team will be set up to work on new engines.

It is thought the eventual aim of the partnership is the "10K" engine, a worm drive that can propel ships at up to 10000ec. This is twice the speed of the latest Dino worm drives though is not expected anytime soon. An analyst thinks that 7000ec is the first target and could be achievable within 4-5 years. The 2030s could be when speeds of over 10000ec are reached though unexpected advances could cut that dramatically.

The partnership has also unlocked the W2 worm drive family for NS who will buy 5 off the Dinos and at a later date built their own. A source said that a W2 drive could push a Panther over 5000ec.

Story #2302

Bare Back Man
Krusty's latest SS-CINT mission begins.

Molab order more ships/upgrades

Molab has been quiet on the ship ordering front after several years of high spending, mostly in order to integrate what they had bought into their fast growing fleet. Now however they have signed a 4.1 billion zark contract with New Sparta for 3 new ships and a number of upgrades.

Two more Pentekonter Protectors have been ordered to add to their fleet of 16 (6 being minesweepers). They will be to same spec as the existing patrol E1Ms though will be more 350 series in specification. The existing fleet will also receive a refresh to bring them to the current high-end Pentekonter Protector specification.

A fourth Provider transport has also been ordered. There will also be upgrade kits for Molab's 3 Isometric EMMs which includes TPM capability and a new sensor suite.

NS draw back on Corkscrew, reduce order

New Sparta have drastically reduced the size of the order for the Corkscrew 051A Medium Combat Ship from 59 to 25 (of which 11 are currently in service). Instead of a single fleet NS will instead build the type in batches that develop and improve over time as has happened with the Type 035 (which has been built as the Panther, Indy and latterly the Kinetic) and Type 041.

At current rate the remaining ships will be built by the end of the decade, after that there will be a second batch of around 20 ships currently known as the Type 051X which will have "design and conceptual differences".

Clones receive 3 new warships

The Clone Space Navy has accepted into service 3 new ships, a rare event with the current budgetary pressures. Two new Cosmos CG ground attack cruisers and a Mekit MK4A cruiser delivered from the Rectoids are now in service with the main fleet.

Money is tight but the Clone Space Navy is supposed to be on the verge of beginning 2 expensive new ship programmes in the form of the Soulaki SLM rebuilds and the new Molentic Tuul MTM2. Both are due to start in 2117 though the Soulakis may now been delayed.

Story #2301

Down On The Kids
Krusty is given a new mission.

Fleet News 05/10/16

T241 Scholar is the first Pentekonter 044T training ship to enter service with the fleet.

H146 Killer is the latest Kinetic 035C fleet combat ship to enter service.

S104 Positron is the latest Quasar 015A to receive worm drive.

M129 Fierce, a Freedom 041B, has also received worm drive.

UV229 : How hard Little Cub

• Sand Down - Windy gets a new mission.
• Just A Joke - Firefly comes under attack from the Tarbotians.
• 13GWSBPT - Firefly ends up marooned.
• Endless Pr0n - Firefly explores his new home.
• Trip North - Windy's anti-piracy operation begins.
• Blue Light At Night - An alien menace threatens S101, B-B and Egonneck.

Story #2296

Blue Light At Night
An alien menace threatens S101, B-B and Egonneck.

Story #2295

Trip North
Windy's anti-piracy operation begins.

Story #2294

Endless Pr0n
Firefly explores his new home.

Dinos form first Dinomark AM flotilla

Two more Dinomark AMs have joined the Dino Army and with 6 in service of this new generation warship the Dinos have been able to form the first AM flotilla. The 317th Attack Flotilla has been attached to the 13th Legion and is stationed on Dino-Land. Sixty nine more AMs are on order for the Army with ships also expected for the SS.

In other Dino news the "Future Assault Ship" which will be a customised version of the Clone Intruder platform has been given the name of Dinomark SR. An order for 6 has been placed with the first expected to enter service in 2118.

Story #2293

13GWSBPT
Firefly ends up marooned.

Story #2292

Just A Joke
Firefly comes under attack from the Tarbotians.

UV228 : Hostage

• Assassinationass - Egonneck finds a vital clue in his hunt for Neverak.
• Inquiry Set - Egonneck receives a shock.
• Meaningless Stormtrooper Dialogue - Hijackers seize a Terran freighter.
• All Lives Matter - Flying Boxcar's Space Prowler detachment runs into trouble.
• Too Much Cheese - Flying Boxcar goes into action!
• Cutting Board - Can Firefly deliver victory to the Vel-Pur Assesmbly... or something else?
• Hostages - Egonneck takes matters into his own hands.

Story #2291

Sand Down
Windy gets a new mission.

Clone officers form group opposed to devolution

A group of senior Clone Army officers, including 3 generals it is claimed though all are remaining anonymous for now, has formed a pressure group called "Classic HCS" which is opposed to the Clone Armed Forces Devolution which will see the bulk of the army and air force devolved to national government control and funding.

Classic HCS issued a press release where they called for a return of the massive armed forces of the Clone Wars. "Strength is in unity. Weakness lies in separation."

The head of the Clone Defence Forces Admiral Anderson was unimpressed however. "The days of massive armies that can field 100s of 1000s of men in 1 offensive are long gone though this group do not seem to realise that. The empire is built already, we need forces to guard and patrol what we already have. We don't need huge panzer armies parading around waiting for a peer enemy to fight when there are none."

Clone Navy holds major exercise

The Clone Navy has held its largest exercise yet on Cloneworld with both operational aircraft carriers and the helicopter carrier allowing for an impressive amount of carrier borne airpower to be deployed. Sixteen K45K fighters were used in one simulated attack with mock combats held against Clone Air Force K40s along the Northern coast of Micom province.

In total 18 surface ships and 6 submarines were used in the exercise with 3 Mariner support ships used in the "auxiliary helicopter carrier" role. This allowed 40 Z26S helicopters to be deployed (plus other helicopters on the escorts) and these carried out a series of ASW and patrol exercises.

As new shipbuilding is currently on a bit of a hiatus for budget reasons (apart from submarines to be used in the strategic deterrent) this is likely to be as good as the Clone Navy gets for awhile though Admiral Anderson who oversaw some of the exercises is said to have been delighted at how fast the youngest service in the Clone Defence Forces has come.

National Armies may get bulk of J89s

The National Armies being set up across the Clone Star Empire may be largely equipped with J89 tanks instead of the J55Z which was originally seen as the "second line" tank. The J89, which in its J89F was the final evolution in Clone tank design which went back to the T-86 and the earliest days of the Clone Wars, has been out of production for 5 years now. Although updates will continue any real improvements will be seen with the J55Z which is why the Clone Army will largely move over to this as their main tank. Nearly 10, 000 J89s are in service though and 2, 000 will likely remain on Clone Army books in a reserve role.

In other Clone Army news the J5 Tapir IFV, the backbone of the army, will have a 6th generation update around the end of the decade. The J5L will have a new hybrid engine, improved armour alloys, a redesigned electronic defence system and other improvements. Production of the J5HD continues (and indeed legally cannot end) though at a fairly low rate.

F-10SNG delayed until 2118

The next version of the F-10 Shark, the SNG, has now been delayed until 2118 following software and system integration issues during development and early testing. Around 50 SNGs will eventually be built to finally allow the NS to withdrawn its remaining (and ageing) F-10A fighters.

The delay means the F-10A will likely remain in service until 2120 though following the ASE update a few years ago its systems are said to still be "competitive" and the airframes should last. Its role is mainly to carry TPM-As these days.

The delay however also means that NS plans to upgrade older versions of the F-10S, the S baseline and SIM to SEP standard have also been put on hold to ensure sufficient airframes remain available for operational commitments.

Story #2287

Hostages
Egonneck takes matters into his own hands.

Pterodactyl enters service

The most significant new Clone aircraft since the K45C, the K03 Pterodactyl, has entered service with the first 5 aircraft being delivered to an operational integration squadron. The Pterodactyl is a small but nimble advanced jet trainer with a secondary COIN role so why is it so important?

Its the first Clone aircraft with a hybrid turbine-electric powerplant. As well as a turbofan it has an electrically driven ducted fan for low-speed and cruise modes. Electric fans and propulsion look set to be a key new technology for the Clone Air Force in the next decade as the 5th generation K85QA will have it and hence will have a high degree of acoustic stealth and greatly reduced infrared signature. Perfect for the patrol, light attack and COIN roles.

Operation Civilian Partnership 2116

The annual humanitarian / disaster relief exercise is still going ahead despite the NS/UNP already being engaged on a real disaster relief at Golinar Sigma (privately the NS are said to be glad for the chance to really stretch their resources to provide a "real test"). Civilian Partnership 2116 is to be based around Remedia Prime and Mila and will test integration with Remedian and Raegris ships and agencies on a number of simulated disaster scenarios. The exercise will last just over a week and include the following NS ships.

L132 Iapetus Ocean (flag)
H201 Mulberry
M172 Black Sea
M208 Champion
L151 Oceania
L156 North America
A110 Lodestar
A144 Globemaster

Two Remedian ships from the RCPP will also attend thought to be M203R and M206R as well as 3 Raegris ships.

Anderson speaks about CDF reorganisation

The head of the Clone Defence Forces Admiral Anderson held a very candid media conference today at HCS GHQ on Ailier, most questions on the Clone Armed Forces Devolution programme announced yesterday. Anderson said that Oojok had made the order and now Clones had to obey. When asked if he agreed with the order he said that the changes were needed though they would be painful at first.

Anderson also revealed that weapon design and procurement will remain centralised. All existing equipment allocated to the National Armies and Air Forces being set up would be given freely however future updates and procurements would have to come out of their own locally raised budgets. National Armies would not be able to go it alone and develop their own weapons or (more likely) buy in from outside the empire except if there was a very specialised system needed that the empire did not have available.

Anderson also spoke about how the defence budget will be split up. National Armies and Air Forces would be funded through local taxation though a portion would also go to the centralised Clone Army and Clone Air Force as well as the Clone Navy and Clone Space Navy. Central budgets would only fund the central forces (after the reorganisation was complete) though a fund would be available to help planets - especially the poorer ones in the empire.

The question of Cloneworld was asked and Anderson said that there would be no Cloneworld Army. The capital planet would be protected solely by central forces and there would be enough of these anyway with the army reserve and most training taking place there.

Finally Anderson said the plan had already begun, using the template and plan already devised over the last couple of years. Consultations with troops had already begun and the first National Armies would likely be set-up early next year.

Oojok loses patience and orders massive CDF reorganisation to finally begin

Several years ago the HCS (as it was then still called) came up with a plan for a massive reorganisation to finally form an armed forces suited to defending the empire. The plan involved the majority of the army and air force being devolved into separate National Armies and Air Forces of the planets in the Clone Star Empire. A central core of forces (somewhere between a quarter to a third of the original) would be retained for strategic operations.

Taragargi ran a trial with army troops on the planet joining the "Taragargi Army". However despite the lack of major problems and a huge amount of preparatory work the project has been frozen by the Clone Defence Forces until now. Oojok is said to have lost patience and ordered the project commence at once. Earlier today the head of the CDF Admiral Anderson outlined a 10 year plan to achieve the reorganisation known as Clone Armed Forces Devolution.

Phase 1 will cover the next 4-5 years and involve reorganisation of forces on the planets in the empire into the new National Armies. Oojok has promised that no soldier will be forced to serve in a National Army on a planet that is not his or her homeworld unless they wish to migrate permanently though they may have to leave the armed forces if they cannot find a suitable posting - however natural wastage may mean this is not too much of a problem. It is envisaged that up to three quarters of the troops in the National Armies will be part-time and organised in territorial and reserve units. These will perform the day to day garrison and patrolling of the empire with smaller numbers of fully professional troops at strategic locations. They will be backed up by central force troops (Clone Army and Clone Air Force) who will retain a small presence on each planet, perhaps regiment sized though maybe more on more strategically important worlds.

Phase 2 will involve the improvement of the remaining core to become more mobile and rapid reaction. A new generation of much faster troop and equipment transports will be developed in the 2120s as well as improved communications. This will be paid for by the expected dividend from Phase 1. A military analyst said that the savings in the wage bill alone from up to 4 million soldiers going part-time will run into the billions of zarks.

Oojok said that by the late 2120s the empire will have a much more suitable armed forces to protect and maintain it. The core would have an increased budget for improved equipment and training and the territorial armies would become much more suited to their local terrains and retain local knowledge.

DTA buys 2000 T-55ZDM3s

The DTA has ordered 2000 T-55ZDM3s, a Dino funded next development of the Clone tank, as its standard tank. The purchase, largely funded by the Dinos but also with Sirikwanese and Yengite contributions, will replace the large mix of legacy tanks in the non-Dino DTA armies. The Dinos are also to buy the ZDM3 which will begin production next year.

The ZDM3 will have a new hybrid engine, improved armour with advanced alloys, a new EO system with integrated NS anti-dazzle technology and compatibility with 2 new short-range missiles currently being developed by the Dinos.

The Clones have not yet committed to building their own ZDM3s, which would likely be known as the J55Z8 in Clone Army service. They will be building half of the tanks for the DTA, the rest - and Dino Army order - will be built by the Dinos at a dedicated new tank factory, so may simply switch production anyway though they would be unable to include the NS systems.

Story #2286

Cutting Board
Can Firefly deliver victory to the Vel-Pur Assesmbly... or something else?

Story #2285

Too Much Cheese
Flying Boxcar goes into action!

Fulcrum retired

The final 2 Fulcrum 085A special forces transports, modified versions of Utrek High Speed Transports have been retired. The ships were already stood down on the lowest availability status so were virtually retired already however now they have been officially removed from the register.

Six "Special Forces" Coril 086Ms will be built to replace them (one more than previously reported). These worm drive equipped ships will be built from next year, probably next Summer.

Fleet News 01/09/16

M211 Crossbow is the latest Corkscrew 051A to enter service.

The third and final Triumph 066B strike carrier L183 Tempest has entered service.

A122 Cangrestor is the latest Provider 071A transport to enter service.

S103 Deuteron is the latest Quasar 015A to receive worm drive, the Rome 046A LCS K105 Claudius has also received worm drive.

Dinos building "planet killer" weapon?

The Dinos are neither confirming or denying reports in the UNP media that they are developing a "planet killer" weapon. This is thought to be a missile based on trans-phasic technologies but which phases into the core of a target planet where then a cluster of powerful warheads detonate and cause extreme disruption to the planet's core. This could cause mass devastation on the surface or even the destruction of the planet!

The weapon is still in the early development stage according to reports but could be ready in the next decade. The NS have said that such a weapon would be seen as a direct threat and would sour UNP-Dino relations.

Story #2284

All Lives Matter
Flying Boxcar's Space Prowler detachment runs into trouble.

NS will radically change ORBAT

NS say their forthcoming ORBAT (Order of Battle) change will be far more than a shuffle of fleet resources. Rather it will be a radical reorganisation of the first line fleet taking a "zonal" rather than a "functional" approach.

In other words rather than organise the fleet by role the fleet will be ordered by the part of NS space they are responsible for. The fleet will be reorganised by NS North, NS South, NS HQ Section (space around the Proxima system), a reserve and a floating reinforcement. The new ORBAT will be punished in the Autumn.

Dino Elders rubber stamp return to monarchy

The Dino Elders, an influential council of elder statesmen, has given its blessing to Ronald and MBH's plans to return the Dinos to a monarchy at the end of the year. A bill has already been passed by the Senate so even if the Elders had declined the change it would not have stopped the change necessarily though the loss of face would have been considerable.

One change the Elders did suggest was that Jimmy be made Head of the Senate for as long as he wants the role as a counter balance to the Emperor (who will be Ronald). After Jimmy stands down the position of Head of the Senate will be put to a Senate vote. Ronald has agreed the change, Jimmy who is not happy with the return of monarchy is said to be accepting of the role "grudgingly".

Story #2283

Meaningless Stormtrooper Dialogue
Hijackers seize a Terran freighter.

Civilian Partnership will still go ahead

The 2116 edition of the annual humanitarian/disaster relief exercise Civilian Partnership will still go ahead next month NS say despite the NS being heavily involved in a real emergency on Golinar Sigma which suffered massive loss of life and environmental disaster after a huge nuclear explosion. Fourteen NS ships are currently involved in the disaster relief mission.

Civilian Partnership 2116 will be focussing on interaction with the Remedians and Raegris a NS source said and these are vital areas that require training and development. There will also not be significant overlap in the ships required with those already committed to Golinar Sigma the source added.

Story #2282

Inquiry Set
Egonneck receives a shock.

UV227 : Step Into The Fire

• All Of The Bells - The ESBG pile in.
• Humidity Factor - Windy has a mid-life crisis.
• By Order Of The - Windy places an agent in NS+.
• Swift Build - Windy and Sally are called into action.
• Puffy Stuff - Windy and Sally hit a new low.
• Big Fat Disaster - York fights back.
• Iceland - Its York o'clock!

Story #2281

Assassinationass
Egonneck finds a vital clue in his hunt for Neverak.

Fulcrum to be withdrawn from service, Coril 086M announced

The final 2 Fulcrum 085A special forces transports, modified versions of Utrek High Speed Transports, have begun the process of being switched off. They are due to be withdrawn in a few months but will remain available if needed though on a reduced readiness status.

They were bought from the Clones in 2107 and have performed admirably if at sometimes rather precariously due to their age and "exotic" nature of the technologies used to achieve speeds of 900c. They will be not be directly replaced immediately but the NS have announced that will replace them, the Coril 086M. This is a specialised version of the Coril-DDS shuttle which will have worm drive and a specialist (and secret) equipment fit. Five 086Ms will be built from next year.

Operation Klondike

NS has announced a 6 month operation to eradicate piracy which has become a problem in space near to Sanga Alpha and is now affecting core transport routes in the UNP. Windscorpion himself will command the operation which will be based off Sanga Alpha though will be highly mobile. The force contains ground troops too in the form of Space Prowler units and a regiment of NS Terrestrial Forces infantry will be on standby on Sanga if there is a need for reinforcements.

Operation Klondike, as it has been called, will begin next week. The ships involved are:

S251 Anubis (flagship)
H141 Kinetic
H145 Keel
M105 Palaeocene
M122 Furious
K107 Hadrian
K112 Tacitus
K153 Eagle
K162W Pelican
L131 Tethys Ocean
A155 Pentane
A230 Avon

UNP accuse NS of causing Golinar Sigma disaster!

While the relief convoy left Solaris earlier today there came reports that members of the UNP are blaming NS for the nuclear explosion that has caused such a disaster on the Rim World of Golinar Sigma. It has emerged that an NS warship in orbit around the planet came under fire from a warlord on the planet and returned fire. The shots from the NS warship detonating a nuclear stockpile which devastated a large island and killed tens of thousands.

However NS have countered that they are not to blame. They were defending themselves after an unprovoked attack and did not know of the nuclear stockpile which NS say the UNP, which has a liaison office on the planet, should have known about it and warned NS about it. NS was operating in the area with UNP blessing it was added.

NS fleet despatched to Golinar Sigma

NS Commander Knobhead has ordered a relief force to the Rim World planet of Golinar Sigma which suffered a massive nuclear explosion killing thousands and badly damaging an already fragile and marginal ecosphere. Emergency supplies and medical personnel as well as engineers and disaster response experts will be taken with the fleet which will consist of:

S221 Olympus Mons (flagship)
H164 Castor
M180 Sulu Sea
K151 Fighting Falcon
K156 Kite
L153 South East Asia
L159 Australasia
A119 Crane
A156 Methane
A210U Association
A903 Doctor Vincent

The fleet will depart from Solaris tomorrow and reach Golinar Sigma by the end of next week. Two ships are already in orbit and have taken UNP Astral Weather Service experts to examine the effect of the explosions on the planet's ecosphere. There was a worry that the planet might become uninhabitable but that is now thought unlikely though there will be a period of uncertainty.

Massive explosions at colony in Rim Worlds

Massive nuclear explosions have been reported on the colony of Golinar Sigma in the Rim Worlds. The colony has been settled by humans though is non-UNP. There is a UNP liaison however who reported multiple nuclear detonations on an island in the narrow habitable strip around the planet's equator.

The death toll is unknown but is thought to be in the many of thousands. NS and the UNP have despatched ships with relief supplies and medical personnel. Golinar Sigma is only barely habitable and it is feared the fallout from the explosions could wreck the fragile ecosphere. Over 750,000 colonies are thought to be on the planet which started as a mining colony but has become pretty lawless.

Story #2277

Iceland
Its York o'clock!

Withdrawal of final Perimpaz brings an end Kalahati Tuul service with the NS

Although they have been on a very low level of readiness for several months now (if they were needed its touch and go if they could have been worked up again) the final 3 Perimpaz 039As with the Remedian flotilla have finally been officially withdrawn. This brings an end to a long service of Kalahati Tuul family ships with the NS and its predercessors (including the sovereign Remedian fleet). Two of the ships will go to museums on Remedia Prime and Terra.

The Remedian flotilla now uses 5 Corkscrew 051A ships. The Remedian military has requested 2 more ships be added to their fleet and are asking the Remedian government for extra funding.

Fleet News 04/08/16

S130 Weasel is the latest Warrior 016A to enter service.

H205 Minotaur is the latest Mulberry 036A to enter service.

S102 Photon is the latest Quasar 015A to receive worm drive and other updates.

M128 Foxhound is the latest Freedom 041B to receive worm drive.

The 3 remaining Perimpaz 039A ships, the last Kalahati Tuul family ships in NS service, have been withdrawn.

Story #2276

Big Fat Disaster
York fights back.

Story #2275

Puffy Stuff
Windy and Sally hit a new low.

Story #2274

Swift Build
Windy and Sally are called into action.

NS privately said to be concerned at Dino changes

While publicly New Sparta has made no comment on the news that the Dinos are to return to a monarchy privately there is concern at GHQ at the changes this might mean to Dino foreign policy. An unnamed source said NS Commander Knobhead fears the return to a single figurehead will mean the "steady state" of the Dinos government where nothing much seems to happen or get decided may change and the Dinos could pursue a more proactive foreign policy.

An analyst said, "The Dino Senate basically cancelled itself out and its been very difficult for any decisions to be made of importance. This is course is why Ronald and MBH want to return to having an Emperor to break the log jam. Now the question is why they want to break the log jam, do they think the Dinos should be more assertive and aggressive with respect to the neighbours of the DTA?"

The change will take place at the start of next year and Ronald will once again be Emperor. That does not worry the NS too much though the prospect of MBH following Ronald one day is another matter.

Dino Empire to be reformed

Ronald and MBH's joint bill to restore the monarchy has been passed in the Dino Senate as expected with the majority of senators belonging to Ronald and MBH's respective parties. Jimmy, the current (and now final) Consul, was able to insert some changes to the bill. The change will not take place until the end of the year and so Jimmy will be able to see out the rest of his term.

Another change is the position of Head of Senate, this will be taken by Jimmy initially but will from 2118 be an elected position (from the rest of the Senate). The Head of Senate will have influence over bills and the casting vote in the event of a tie.

However the power of the Senate will be overall diminished as the Dinos will have an Emperor once more. Ronald will be the first Emperor of the restoration, the third time he has held the Dino crown. He said that at some stage in the future he will stand down and the next Emperor elected by the Senate following a recommendation from Ronald (MBH will most likely be that man).

Revisiting the A-projects

A few years ago DDS Research (as it then was) spoke about some of the "A-projects" which are warship concepts that later on may feed into actual designs. Usually they are internal only to NS Research (and secret) but a small number of interesting projects were made public to spur debate. Now almost exactly 5 years on NS Research has published a "progress report" on these 3 A-projects.

Albany was a concept for a new "multi-battlespace" warship that could operate in atmospheres as well as in space. NS have not proceeded much further with Albany though some ideas may be incorporated in future updates to the Type 035 family. Interestingly the new Dino warship the Dinomark AM has many of the features of Albany though Director of Technology Dr Forbidden said that the multi-battlespace features of Dino ships were an inspiration of Albany in the first place.

Adder was an ambitious project being a modular replacement for the Provider and Extender transport fleets. As with Albany Adder has not yet proceeded to an actual ship design though the Emerald 116A unmanned transport is said to take some ideas from Adder.

Finally August was a small warfighter with superluminal capabilities. Dr Forbidden said that the Alpha 121A NFS is based on many features of August though its development was parallel to the A-project. More aspects of August may appear in the forthcoming unmanned Lavender 105A patrol ship.

New Sparta hold full LRM test

New Sparta has held a full test of its interstellar nuclear missile the LRM-20. The missile was launched from a silo on Sanga Alpha and a couple of days later hit a target asteroid 7 light years away and detonated a small nuclear warhead. The missile had been tracked throughout by a NS warship though had operated fully autonomously. The target point on the asteroid was missed by a few km but this was within operational parameters (and the nuclear warhead meant it was still a "hit"!)

LRM-20 will now be made operational by the end of the year though a final decision on deployment has yet to be made. NS are looking into road mobile launchers for the Bright Spark ballistic missile stage.

Dinos order Olympus-E to form Dinomark JE

Five Olympus-E support carriers have been ordered by the Dinos from New Sparta. They will be delivered in a fairly unfitted state as the Dinos will want their own communications, computers, weapon systems fitted and to localise the design as much as they can. Previously known as "Future Support Carrier" the type will officially be known as the Dinomark JE.

The first delivery is planned to be next year. Five are on order though further examples may be licence built by the Dinos. They will primarily operate Ferret UCVs which the Dinos co-developed with New Sparta and Starbot though have not fielded it in numbers as of yet.

Jimmy calls for Dino parliamentary democracy

Senator Jimmy has responded to plans by Ronald and MBH to restore the monarchy by saying the Dinos should continue their transition to democracy instead of making a retreat to the past. Jimmy will propose a counter-bill for a full parliamentary democracy with an elected parliament replacing the Senate and other government levels.

Jimmy is unlikely to be successful though as Ronald and MBH have the numbers in the Senate for their bill. Ronald has said that the Senate will remain and may be increased in size as a compromise.

Story #2273

By Order Of The
Windy places an agent in NS+.

Story #2272

Humidity Factor
Windy has a mid-life crisis.

Ronald says it is time to return to a monarchy

Ronald has finally agreed with MBH that the Dino Republic system is not longer fit for purpose and the Dinos should return to a monarchy. He said that the current system of a Consul and a senate was too slow to react and there needed to be a single figure at the top who could make the important decisions.

Ronald has resisted the idea because he says he does not want to be Emperor himself but it is thought now he is open to the idea now as he can step down in favour of MBH at a later date. Consul Jimmy said he and the Liberal Party would resist the return to monarchy. "The system indeed needs change but you don't change it by going backwards." he said in the senate.

Ronald and MBH will present a joint-bill for the return of the monarchy to the Senate and their parties combined have enough votes to carry it.

Interview : Windscorpion, Director of Military Intelligence

The Director of Military Intelligence Windscorpion was kind enough to grant us a short interview after a recent NS Politburo meeting.

US : Windscorpion, can you describe what your role of Director of MI actually entails?

WS : I chair the NS Intelligence Committee and also conduct a number of special operations.

US : Can you elaborate more about these "special operations"?

WS : No.

US : Er, you have said that New Sparta needs to be more proactive, how does intelligence play a role in this?

WS : In the past we have always been reactive, allowing for threats to develop before dealing with them. I want NS to detect these threats at an earlier stage and snuff them out. To do this we need to have stronger intelligence so we can detect them earlier.

US : But some would say there is a tension between yourself and NS+, the ISSF successor.

WS : Tension is not always bad. I can keep NS+ honest. New Sparta needs a bit of tension throughout to keep everyone on their toes.

US : Where is the NS strongest in intelligence? Signals? Data gathering? Humint?

WS : Signal intelligence for sure, we've lagged in humint (though of course that emcompasses many alien species) but there will be greater investment in this area. The galaxy is becoming ever more complicated and dangerous, the effort to keep tabs on what is going on thus will be always becoming a bigger job.

US : You can't go into specifics of course but are you happy with our intelligence efforts with respect to major threats like the Tarbotians?

WS : No i am never happy, things can always get better and they will.

Story #2271

All Of The Bells
The ESBG pile in.

Fleet News 06/07/16

S253 Sobek is the latest Olympus Balista 023M to enter service.

The final two Falcon 047A (Dinomark XT) have arrived from Dino-Land, they have been named K171 Blackbird and K172 Sparrowhawk.

The first 2 ships in the big Quasar 015A upgrade have been completed and have returned to the fleet, S101 Quasar and S106 Baryon.

Finally Freedom 041B M127 Faithful has been fitted with worm drive.

UV226 : Whatever happened to Firefly?

• Fantan Assortment - Windy and Sally punish the Tarbotians.
• Violence Day - Firefly is in trouble.
• On The Edge - Firefly is under attack.
• Wild + Untamed - Firefly is led in chains.
• Nob Jockies - Firefly makes his escape.
• What Do You Not Know? - Smellyson recalls his days in the ESBG.
• Eight Inch Floppy - Ronald is under attack from communist terrorists.

Operation Atomic Fist 2116

The annual NS strategic attack exercise has begun in space near Sanga Alpha. Due to the Quasar 015A upgrade programme currently ongoing the scope of the exercise is less than it has been for the last few years with just 3 simulated attack operations over the next 2 weeks. Atomic Fist will still end with its traditional live nuclear weapon operation though, an asteroid in deep space has been designated for this (which NS bomber crews regard the highlight of their year!)

The ships involved are:

S121 Warrior (flagship)
S123 Wanderer
S128 Walrus
S251 Anubis
H103 Cheetah
H112 Royal Tiger
M117 Ordovician
M127 Faithful
M209 Conflict
K109 Sulla
K115 Horace
A110 Lodestar
A156 Methane