Above the cave (2954)

GBH is lured into a trap.

Large explosion at NS GHQ

A large explosion has been reported at NS GHQ on Proxima 5. The base has been put under the highest level of lockdown by NSIS supported by MBO Honour Guard troops. There have been no reports of casualties yet though the blast was strong enough to break windows across much of the base.

NS has already blamed the Real DDS for the attack. Viceroy Caratore has said the traitors will be bought to justice.

Ground based Zip deployed

NS have begun deploying a ground based version of the Zip cannon for attacking targets in high altitude and LEO. The cannon will supplement the ground based version of the TPM, TPM-G which is already deployed to high importance parts of the NS including GHQ.

NS said that the Zip-G will, like TPM-G, be able to access tactical data from a variety of sources including ground bases, aerial assets and orbital assets.

Enter the Beast (2953)

GBH follows a trail to Ottoman's planet.

Air Cooler (2952)

Ronald recounts when he was kidnapped by an extra-galactic being.

CAF pleased with K85QA so far

Production has now ended of thirty development K85QA (Quiet Attack) COIN aircraft. The aircraft have been deployed to six Clone Air Force close support and COIN regiments where they will be monitored and assessed in real service conditions. Production of the K85QA for real is expected to begin in 2124.

The CAF are said to be happy with the electric-hybrid plane which is over 80% quieter than it's ICE powered predecessors. Infrared emissions are higher than expected though an upgrade package is planned to rectify this early next year.

Clones to build new Tiamon fleet

The Clone Space Navy's fleet of Tiamon assault carriers fulfils an important role in the Clone Defence Forces. It can launch aircraft from high atmosphere and usually is at the forefront of an amphibious operation. However, the fleet of nine is reaching the end of it's life though after inspection the oldest have had their withdrawal date pushed from 2120 to 2123.

The Tiamon will be replaced by the Tiamon TMK, production of which will begin next year. The TMK is a development of the Triumph 66B carriers the Clones built for NS a few years ago. Compared to the original the TMK will have upgraded engines and tactical systems. 

Koval announces shake-up of NSIS

The Head of NSIS, Koval, has announced a shake-up of New Sparta's internal security, intelligence gathering and espionage service. Koval said too many loyalists to the old regime remained in place and were hindering efforts to capture the Real DDS traitors. Koval said that the loyalists may not be overtly assisting the traitors like Torus but their lack of care and commitment was showing and would no longer be tolerated.

Around fifty senior officers in NSIS have been removed, most given an option to transfer to other duties elsewhere in New Sparta though a small number have been ejected from NS outright.

NS to buy an extra Oceania assault transport

NS have taken up an offer to buy a second-hand Consolidated-ETA SX-98 heavy lift transport which was operated by a civilian operator for a short time before the company went bankrupt. The ship will now be converted to Oceania 63A specification and join the other nine ships operated by NS (two jointly operated with the UNP).

The new ship will be known as 63-110 Grenvilla and is expected to enter service before the end of 2124.

Second Windscorpion monitor cancelled, existing ship to be renamed

The second Windscorpion 18A monitor has been cancelled. This was not a surprise as NS has been holding on ordering any long-lead items for the second ship (apart from items which can be used as spares for 18-101 Windscorpion).

The existing ship will be renamed by NS, it being considered having the ship named after a traitor (the head of the so-called Real DDS) is ill-advised. The new name has yet to be decided.

Knell joins the fleet

A new Kinetic 35C cruiser has joined the fleet. 35-316 Knell has completed acceptance trials and is now awaiting a crew. A problem for NS at the moment is not so much a lack of ships but a lack of crews after the losses of the war and other losses. Knell will likely be assigned the crew of another Kinetic cruiser which enters maintenance next month.

Five more Kinetics are on order. After the last one production will probably switch to a production version of the Type 35Z.

Aritans to replace Kalahati Tuuls with Dinomark AME

The Aritans have announced they have chosen a new export version of the Dinomark AM (the AME) to replace it's eleven Kalahati Tuuls by the end of this decade. This includes six KTs which have been refurbished and are viable to last until 2135 though the Is Lanki (Aritan space navy) will replace all of them by 2130.

The Aritans are also sticking with their order for Pentekonter Protectors despite talk they may cancel the remaining two ships on order after the MBO take over. The Is Lanki said that the remaining two ships are expected by 2124 and indeed a sixth ship may be ordered.

I touched it (2951)

SS-CINT recruit a new agent in NS.

SUP production line to close next year

The Standard Utility Platform (SUP) production line, which produces the main structural backbone, control centre and powertrain of NS' large ships including the Provider and Missileer, will close down next year. It is thought eight more are scheduled to be built though there are also six completed SUPs which have yet to be taken to be fitted out to a completed ship. 

NS said one would be allocated to a replacement Marconi EW ship (though funding for the ship has yet to be decided), it is not thought NS will add any more Providers or Extenders to their fleet. Some export orders are outstanding.

Work on a follow-on, the SUP-X was abandoned years ago. NS are said to be looking at a modular system for a planned replacement heavy transport and oiler in the 2130s.

NS develop "e-Core 2" for next generation of ship propulsion

The introduction of the e-Core a few years ago heralded a new family of ship engines using up to 20% less fuel and also with reduced IR emissions. Now NS Research has announced e-Core 2 which will power the next generation of engines from the mid-2120s. e-Core 2 uses a brand new method of fuel ignition along with built in energy recycling which claims to reduce fuel consumption by around 15%.

NS said IR emissions are also reduced, assisting with stealth characteristics. NS will field test e-Core 2 engines from next year.

NS launch strikes on iP Services facilities

A strike force led by Gomber comprising a variety of NS ships including Warrior bombers has attacked an iP  Services base in an asteroid field near Solaris. The facilities were nuked after NS Marines stormed them and found they were no longer in use. The base had been used by iP Services recently though, ion traces indicate the traitor's stolen ship SS Cicero had visited the facilities within the last month.

Gomber said the base would no longer be available to the traitors. "The noose is tightening, one day soon Torus, Windscorpion and the other non-entities in the so-called Real DDS will have no where else to run."

NS accept ten Sting fighters from MBO

As well as the Nectar light destroyers currently being modified for NS use, ten smaller Sting fighters have also been transferred to NS service. These are smaller versions of the Nectar but without any heavy armament, they are used by the MBO for scouting and liaison duties. They may perform a similar role in the NS Space Fleet though this has yet to be defined.

In NS service they will be known as the Sting 58A. They will soon begin localisation upgrades, it is likely they will be up-armed with TPM-VLS.