Oeirkan sentenced to life imprisonment

The former head of the 6th Legion, unmasked as a traitor during the original Terrasaur Wars and who killed a co-conspirator, Legate Oeirkan was found guilty in a military court earlier today. Oeirkan was initially sentenced to death though this was commuted to life imprisonment by Censor Ronald. Oeirkan has also been kicked out of the Dino Army.

Ronald said that this was a sad day. He said he accepted Oeirkan's reasoning why he sold information to the Terrasaurs (for desperately needed money) though could not forgive. Oeirkan is likely to live out his sentence at a maximum security military prison on Xi. He will not be eligible for parole for fifty years.

Remedians want LRMs

The Remedians have made a request to NS for ten LRM mobile launchers and fifty LRM-20 missiles plus a number of training rounds and technical assistance to get up and running. The Remedians have also requested details of the NS nuclear warhead design and intend to make their own.

It is not known if NS will agree the sale though they have already sold LRM-20 to Molab (which are due to become operational later this year).

Revolution has first atmospheric test, lands at NS base

The prototype Type 35Z multi-mode cruiser, SS Revolution, has successfully travelled in an atmosphere for the first time. Barnard's Star Five was chosen for the test as the atmosphere is thinner than planets such as Proxima 7 and Terra. Revolution entered the atmosphere from orbit and switched to turbine power. It then successfully travelled in the atmosphere for an hour.

The test was so successful Revolution was given clearance to land at an NS base on the planet's surface. After checks and analysis of telemetry, Revolution later took off again and returned to orbit before heading back to Solaris.

A number of modifications are going to be made before the next atmospheric test following analysis of flight telemetry, these are mostly small aerodynamic changes though some flight control software tweaks are expected.

Remedians plan large fleet increase

The Remedian Space Navy now consists of a command cruiser, six destroyers and two patrol ships (with one pending). The Remedians are growing wary of the resurgent Utrek Federation and new threats including the Terrasaurs and think they need a larger fleet.

The Remedians have decided on a target fleet which they want to achieve by the end of this decade. They want to be able to maintain two battle groups which will consist of a command cruiser and five destroyers plus support assets. A patrol fleet of six ships is also desired.

The Remedians therefore, as they want to maintain a standard fleet, will need to order another Mulberry, four more Corkscrews and three more Pentekonters. Affording this will be the main challenge.

Third helicopter carrier enters service

The third West Clone Republic class helicopter carrier CNSS Grenvilla has entered service with the Clone Navy. The availability of this ship, and sufficient flat tops available to the navy, means that the fleet flagship carrier CNSS Cloneworld will leave service later this year for a full refit.

Also entering refit is the veteran frigate CNSS Ailier, it is being rebuilt to bring it up the same standard as the follow-on Ailier II class.

Kelsan crew were killed by enemy action

Autopsies of the bodies of the crew of the Kelsan KS bomber found in deep space has revealed they died from a highly potent nerve toxin. The agent has not been identified due to it degrading however the effect on the Clone crew indicates it was military grade.

This indicates the Kelsan was seized by an unknown enemy power. Oojok has ordered the Clone Defence Forces to its highest state of readiness.

Bodies found from lost Kelsan bomber

A Clone Space Navy patrol has made a grisly discovery in deep space between the two halves of the Clone Star Empire. Several bodies have been found drifting in space, the bodies belonged to the crew of the Kelsan KS bomber which has gone missing. No trace of the bomber has been found.

However, the bodies indicate the Kelsan has been stolen not destroyed. More Clone warships have been sent to the area.

Another Lynx rebuild completed

The latest Lynx 35M rebuild of a Panther has been completed. 35-504 Snow Leopard has now rejoined the fleet and is ready for deployment. Snow Leopard has been fitted with a Gluon TM-07B-Y6 not the e-Core version fitted to SS Royal Tiger. This is not due to issues with the experimental new engine but simply due to a lack of spares.

NS hope to speed up conversion of the remaining Panthers and complete phase 1 of the Lynx programme by early next year. Development work on phase 2, converting the Indy 35B to Lynx has already begun.

Review of NS military will not be made public

Zeppelin is understood to have completed his review of the NS military, something he was tasked to do by Viceroy Caratore. He presented his review to Caratore last week though the review will not be made public. Caratore is thought to have been pleased with the review and it will guide his decisions on future development.

No major changes are expected in the short to medium term though the forthcoming Black Triangle weapon system could change the NS fleet structure dramatically if it lives up to expectations.

NS demand answers from Clones over lost bomber

Viceroy Caratore has contacted the Clones and demanded information on the Kelsan KS bomber that has gone missing. No trace of the bomber has been found despite intensive search parties, the Kelsan was carrying a number of nuclear armed CSM-S missiles.

It is thought the warheads cannot be activated without a fractal encrypted key from Clone Defence Forces HQ though the CDF have never confirmed that this level of protection with their strategic weapons is in place or not. However, the nuclear material could pose a considerable risk.

Clones admit loss of nuclear armed bomber

The Clone Defence Forces have reported they have lost contact with a Kelsan KS bomber near Paragon. The ship was part of a fleet rotation between the two halves of the Clone Star Empire and was armed with six nuclear tipped missiles.

It is not known what has happened to the Kelsan. Dozens of Clone ships are now combing the area. The area of space the bomber disappeared is in a "dead zone" for most communications and datalinks meaning that the loss of the ship was not noted for several hours.

Clones raise alert status to second highest

The Clone Defence Forces has raised it's alert status to 4, the second highest (5 is actual war). The status change means all CDF units are expected to enter full readiness within 36 hours. Cloneworld will also be put under a partial lockdown. It is rumoured that Oojok and other senior personnel will be evacuated to secure locations.

Why the status change is unknown. The CDF have not given any details. Ships have been diverted to the region of space between the two halves of the empire, near Paragon, where extra patrols have begun.

Von Kane returns to NS as new head of Space Forces

Former NS office Von Kane, who joined MBO after fleeing NS captivity, has formally returned to New Sparta as the new Head of NS Space Forces. This is a new position which puts him in charge of all NS fleet operations and organisation. His role will be between the head of MBO-NS Armed Forces Zeppelin and MBO-NS Space Fleet Commander Akbar.

Some wondered why Von Kane did not rejoin NS immediately when MBO took over. A reason given by the MBO is that Von Kane had duties with the MBO fleet which needed to be completed first. It is thought he has been involved in the technology transfer from NS to MBO and helping rebuild the MBO fleet after the war. 

Zip cannon will replace TPM as key NS weapon

NS have said that the TPM, while an important part of the armoury, will no longer be the key weapon and focus of development. The Z Inter Phase cannon (or Zip) is seen as having more room for growth and development.

TPM-5 is said to have been cancelled with development only continuing of the next generation TPM-4 and TPM-3 families. The Zip cannon will receive an upgrade within the next couple of years.

Operation New Start

Operation New Start is the first exercise of the year and the first proper deployment of NS warships since the war. The exercise was ordered by Viceroy Caratore to demonstrate the NS fleet has now recovered from it's war losses and is fully operational and integrated into the Mutre Bee Organisation. As the exercises will take place near Starbot, some analysts think the real purpose of the exercises is to intimidate the Starbotians.

The exercises will include some mock combats, drone operations and special forces operations. The exercises will begin next week and last around ten days. The ships involved are:

36-102 Midas (flag)

35-501 Lynx

35-203 Invincible

51-112 Citadel

41-102 Silurian

52-104 Nimrod

165-001 Arcadia

161-103 Insciber

73-107 Tristar

F-12 Hammerhead has first flight

The next warplane for NSTF Air Department, the F-12 Hammerhead, has successfully made it's first flight. The F-12 will take over LEO defence duties from the F-10S when the F-12 enters service next year. The F-12 is a subsonic aircraft and is intended to be a pure interceptor, usually for LEO interception. The F-12 will carry three TPM-As and have a long loiter time plus full integration into the NS defence network.

In other aviation news NSTF have begun an upgrade programme of their fleet of Cherrybee CBH-90 security and patrol helicopters. The CBH-90M (for Modernised) has a new EO sensor, improved data handling and filtering and improved armour plating. The helicopters will also be fully refurbished.

NS to enlarge Aldebra orbital facilities, increase fleet deployment

NS will enlarge it's orbital facilities over Aldebra within the next few months. New modules and a second maintenance port will be added along with a second fuel processing depot on one of Aldebra's moons. Once this work is completed NS say the number of ships deployed to the border system will be increased from the current five to twenty.

Observers say this could be intended as a reminder to Starbot to not support Real DDS. Aldebra is the closest NS base to Starbot and with twenty ships would have enough strike power to overwhelm the Starbotian fleet, plus be only a few hours away.

Type 126 will be known as Black Triangle, part of a "revolutionary weapon system"

Admiral Gomber has given a few more tantalising details of the mysterious new Type 126 warship currently in development. Gomber said it will be known as the Black Triangle 126A but will be just part of a wider weapon system which Gomber says will be "revolutionary" and unlike anything else in the NS fleet.

Gomber did not give a date for when Black Triangle will be unveiled or will enter service though he indicated that the aim is for construction of the prototype to begin this year.

Two new ships join the NS fleet

Two new ships have joined the NS fleet, 165-004 African Lily is the latest Arcadia 165A remote support tender which will support remote operations on the edge of UNP space.

Two new Nectar 52A destroyers have completed localisation and have joined the fleet. They are 52-108 Nottingham and 52-109 Nigeria.

Head of the 6th Legion arrested for treason and murder!

In a shocking development Legate Oeirkan, the head of the 6th Legion (Ronald's honour guard), has been arrested for treason and murder. The treasonous acts are thought to date back decades to early in Ronald's reign as Emperor during the first war with the Terrasaurs. One unconfirmed report states that Oeirkan took money to provide information to the Terrasaurs which resulted in over a hundred Dino Army deaths.

The murder charge is recent though no details are forthcoming. Oeirkan is now in SS custody. Tribune Bite, officially Oeirkan's deputy, has been named the new head of the 6th Legion though, as he is on Pulsin leading anti-terror operations against the Mosk, Senator Krusty has been put in temporary charge of the Legion.

NS to reveal mysterious Type 126 later in 2123

Viceroy Caratore, in a New Year Eve address, has revealed that NS is working with the MBO on a "major new type of warship". No other details were given about this apart from the fact it is to be the Type 126. This indicates it will be either unmanned or a small combatant.

The latter may be a clue to the new ship. Work on the Alpha 121A Nano Fighting Ship ended a few years ago but NS Research continued development of automation technologies and two of the Alphas have been trialing some new (and secret) systems over the last year.

Whatever Type 126 turns out to be it should be revealed later this year according to the Viceroy.