Clone Navy announces cuts

The Clone Navy has announced a series of cuts and reduced sailings. This will save an estimated 1.4 billion zarks a year from their budget, half of which will be retained by the CN for weapon upgrades, the rest will be used to boost the budget elsewhere.

The headline cut is the cancellation of the fourth planned Cloneworld aircraft carrier and West Clone Republic helicopter carrier. The CN will maintain three of each type with one each being at sea at any time.

Also cancelled is a follow-on order for three more underwater capable Dinomark XTs and the two planned Landing Ship Docks.

Delayed are the Flexible Support Ship and the Ailier frigate rebuild, both now pushed pack to later in the 2120s. Some aircraft orders have also been delayed, though none cancelled.

Kalahati Tuul S to be replaced by Shark SKBE

In an unexpected move, the Clone Space Navy has confirmed that the ageing and obsolete Kalahati Tuul S fleet will be replaced after all. For a number of years there has been uncertainty as to the fate of the KTS due to Clone Star Empire financial problems. It was feared by the CSE-E, where the KTS form the bulk of their allocated space fleet, that the ships would have to receive yet another life extension.

Instead thirty Shark SKBE will be built (replacing 35 KTS though the improved performance, capability and availability of the Sharks should more than compensate for five less hulls) with the first deliveries next year. The KTS is due to be finally withdrawn around 2126. The details of the Shark SKBE specification are unknown but are assumed to be a customised version of the current standard SKB.

Two more Stings arrive

Two more localised Sting 58A have joined the MBO-New Sparta fleet. This makes a fleet of ten now in service and this is expected to the last transferred to NS. The ships have been called 58-109 Strength and 58-110 Successor.

Four Deterrence 53A patrol ships have left service. NS said the rest would be withdrawn by the end of the year though there are quite a few left still. The four ships are 53-107 Sutherland, 53-108 High Road, 53-115 Port Sunlight and 53-128 Hoylake.

NS Terrestrial Force receives first T-62YMs

NS Terrestrial Forces has received the first batch of what may be 800 upgraded T-62YM tanks. The upgraded tank has a new and improved gun barrel, improved EO sensors and an upgraded engine supercharger for better performance. The tank's communication system will also have the new fractal encryption standard and a new computer.

The tanks are also fully refurbished during the upgrade. The total number of tanks to be upgraded by SMA has not been publicly revealed but it has been stated that NSTF wishes to standardise on a single tank type and this would mean all 800 tanks currently in service will be upgraded.

Rome 46K VIP/Command ships to revert to patrol ships

The three remaining Rome 46K VIP/Command ships (one is in the hands of the outlaw so-called Real DDS) are to be reverted to Rome 46A patrol ships. NS is to use the Sting fleet for VIP/upper rank personnel transport from now on and Viceroy Caratore prefers to use his Isometric destroyer SS Jurassic as his flagship.

The Rome 46Ks will retain their extra C3 capabilities but the VIP accommodation will be removed. The modifications will be made during routine maintenance later this year.

Clones disband three legions to save money

The Clone Army has begun disbanding three entire legions in order to save an estimated 750 million zarks a year. Despite budget problems the Clone Defence Forces have resisted cutting forces but now, with various upgrade and refurbishment programmes looming and a lack of cash to pay for them, the decision has been made to make some cuts. Despite the loss of three legions the Clone Army is still far larger than the NS Terrestrial Forces and even the Dino Army.

It is rumoured the Clone Air Force may also make cuts, including speeding up the withdrawal of most of the remaining K40 fighters without replacement.

MBO to open three more drone production units in UNP space

The Mutre Bee Organisation is to open three more drone production units in UNP territory it has been announced. MBO drones are genetically engineered life forms created as Mutre Bee's foot soldiers. Most of the drones will be General Drones which operate MBO warships and auxiliary tasks. Some will also be MBO Commandos who form MBO ground forces and special forces.

It is thought the units will only operate at a minimal level for the time being. It is estimated there are around 250, 000 MBO drones attached to NS and also stationed on UNP planets. Once all units are fully operational then (including the existing unit) up to 20, 000 new drones could be created every day.

Marcus says CSE-E needs urgent military investment

Marcus, the head of the Clone Star Empire - East (CSE-E) has said the armed forces of this part of the empire are in urgent need of investment. The space fleet is especially in need of renewal, much of the fleet consists of the Kalahati Tuul S which is due to reach the end of it's fatigue life in the late 2120s but as yet there are no firm plans for replacement.

Unfortunately there is a general lack of money for military investment for the empire as a whole due to the financial problems of the empire over the last decade. The Clones may have to resort to yet another life extension refurbishment for the Kalahati Tuul S fleet, to push their withdrawal back in the 2130s. The ships are fairly obsolete already.

NS troops assist police during unrest on Malau

Although seldom discussed, NS forces are available to UNP authorities to back up civilian forces in times of crisis. Recently there has been unrest on Malau after disputed elections and the Malau police force have struggled to contain the trouble.

Yesterday around 500 troops from L18 Infantry Regiment arrived on Malau from Liberation and assisted the police in protecting ministries against a mass protest. It is understood the NS troops were used as a mobile reserve and did not get get used in anger. The troops will remain on Malau for the time being.

Isometric MULE begins

After a year's delay the Isometric Multi Update Life Extension (MULE) has begun. This is the second major rebuild in the Isometric 41A destroyer fleet's life and will keep the ships up-to-date and viable into the mid-2130s which is when they are likely to be withdrawn.

Isometric MULE includes a full refurbishment and replacement of life expired load bearing components. They will be re-engined with Proton RM-01KE e-Core engines, gain TPM-3 support and many other updates. The mine sweeper director ships with Pave Yellow will have this equipment removed.

The first ship to be upgraded has not been named though it is understood the operation has already begun. 

Operation Atomic Fist 2123

After a year's absence, the MBO-New Sparta strategic attack exercise has returned and will include a number of mock bomber attacks on targets on an asteroid near New Jakarta. The final attack will use live nuclear weapons and will be a combined attack using an LRM-20 launched from Proxima 7 and missiles from NS ships. The ships involved will be:

36-106 Madwort (flag)

15-101 Quasar (strike flag)

15-105 Graviton

15-107 Charm Quark

35-501 Lynx

51-103 Champion

41-102 Silurian

116-103 Eucalyptus 

73-110 Gasoline

Clones conduct major CSM exercise

The Clones have conducted their largest test firing exercise of Clone Space Missiles yet. Seven missiles launched from silos on Cloneworld, land mobile launchers on Cloneworld and Sandworld, and a submarine on Cloneworld struck targets on a lifeless planet in the Geulis system. The CSMs were not fitted with nuclear warheads.

With tensions high with MBO-New Sparta, it is thought likely the exercise is intended as a demonstration of Clone strategic attack capabilities. A spokesclone said that all missiles had hit the target within acceptable measures of CEP.

Gloves off as NS forces pound asteroids

Viceroy Caratore has ordered the policy of ignoring the so-called Real DDS to be changed to one of wild engagement. Three asteroids in deep space have been struck by NS bombers. All asteroids were thought possible to contain Real DDS bases though later analysis found just rock debris.

More strikes are thought likely as NS analysts come up with a list of possible Real DDS bases, the locations will be attacked even if there is no actual evidence of use.

LRM-50 test aborted due to security breach

The first test launch of the next generation LRM-50 interstellar missile on Solaris has been aborted after a security breach by the so-called Real DDS at the test site. Real DDS terrorists attacked a tracking station that was to be used in the test, disabling it. NS instigated a full lock down of the test site though Real DDS were able to escape justice.

An NS source said the LRM-50 test would take place later this year though only after a full security review of the test site had been carried out.

Clones strike at Lornacan Fighters

Clone Air Force attack aircraft have struck at six positions on Lornaca Melnig, said to be bases operated by the Lornacan Fighters insurgency force. At the moment there are no details as to the effectiveness of the raids though one LF aligned source said four of the bases were no longer used by the group.

Admiral Anderson has ordered local commanders to deal with the upsurge in activity by the Lornacan Fighters. With the pipeline of weapons (allegedly) provided by NS now thought to be stopped, the CDF think the time is ripe to hit LF hard.

Kill or be killed (3056)

Caratore sends in the Marines.