Sparkle 162A will be new EW ship, new special forces support ship also named

UNDF have announced the name of their new EW ship which will replace the Marconi 81A. The Sparkle 162A will be a development of the Depender 161A intelligence gathering ship (though this role has not officially been confirmed).

The Sparkle will be based on the Friendship platform, it will have a Proton RM-01C e-Core engine as was tested on one of the Dependers. The first Sparkle is expected in service in 2127. DF have ordered seven.

Another new type, and also Friendship based, is the Dreamscape 163A which will be a tender ship to support special forces operations. DF have not yet committed to this type, though the fact it has a type number and name in the DF database indicates that it will be built as well.

Dinos order Dinomark HX as new heavy cruiser

The Dinos have placed an order for five new cruisers to replace their ageing Dinomark RS. The new Dinomark HX is based on the Bolitic Furl design. The Bolitic will provide new Furls to the Dinos which will then be finished with Dino weapons and systems, and a worm drive. The first HX could enter service in 2127.

For the last three months a Bolitic Furl has been loaned to the Dinos and has been used for evaluation and training. The Dinomark HX will be used as command ships for major fleet deployments and also be in charge of defending the home system of the Dino Empire.

DF order three more River class

UNDF have placed an order with Consolidated Spacecraft for three more River 75B medium transports. The ships are expected to be delivered next year and join the ten in service (one will be a battle replacement, the other two will help reduce pressure on the increasingly hard pressed transport arm of the fleet).

DF said that they are looking into buying new Providers and Extender from the Dinos who now have the production rights to SUP derived ships. However, it is more likely DF will try and make do with converting the Missileers and hold out for the next generation heavy transport in the 2130s.

Major loss of face for Clones as Freedom Miliaris strike targets on Austini 55

Earlier today, military HQ on Austini 55 was hit by five SRBMs of the new type developed by Freedom Miliaris. One missile did not explode but the others caused damage to the large Clone Army base causing a number of deaths and damage.

At the same time two missiles were fired at a military fuel depot near the capital though these missiles missed and did not cause any damage.

Freedom Miliaris later claimed responsibility for the attacks though the Clones do not know if it was actual FM from Miliaris or local sympathisers who had been supplied with the missiles. This is a great embarrassment for the Clones though as they struggle to stop the growing insurgency on Miliaris, now the fear is this could help re-launch other uprisings across the CSE-E.

DF orders two more Kinetic 35C

In a change of policy, UNDF have decided to built two more Kinetic 35C cruisers to replace battle losses and bring the fleet back up to fifteen. The decision was taken before the production jig was shut down to convert it for Revolution 35Z series production. This does mean that series production of the multi-mode version of the Type 35 will be delayed for around eighteen months.

UNDF have committed to the type though and have increased the order to ten.

Clones could send elite troops to Miliaris

The 2nd Guards Division of the Clone Army, one of the best equipped and trained divisions in the army, has been put on notice to relocate within the next few weeks. Whilst the location of this relocation is unknown it is strongly rumoured that the troops will be moving to Miliaris. Two COIN air regiments are also moving, one equipped with new K58 Raptors.

This would be a major escalation if true as the troops used on Miliaris have until now been Territorial or second-line units from the Clone Army. A decent quality though usually with older weapons. The Guards will have the latest kit.

Marconis to be replaced by new Friendship based EW fleet

The three surviving Marconi 81A EW ships are to be replaced by a new type based on the Friendship platform. Two of the original five ships have been lost in combat, DF did look into buying a new ship but could not secure a SUP backbone.

The new ships will be dedicated to EW/Elint and are likely to be based on the Depender. The special forces support role of the Marconis will be given to a different type of ship, as yet unannounced.

It is possible the three Marconis, when withdrawn, could be converted into transports or oilers.

Clones accuse DF of operating on Miliaris

The Clone Star Empire has accused UNDF of having assets on Miliaris, they may even have shot down several Clone aircraft though this is unconfirmed. The Clones say a DF ship is operating in the Miliaris system which is under full military lockdown. The Clones have also claimed that DF personnel are on the planet and have killed Clones, shooting down two K85 COIN aircraft.

DF have strongly denied the claims. UNDF Commander Torus said the Clones were speaking nonsense and challenged them to produce some proof.

Mass attack on Miliaris HQ causes chaos

Freedom Miliaris have launch an all-out attack by drones and rockets, including their upgraded plastic attack drones, on the headquarters of miliary forces on Miliaris. Following months of similar attacks, the HQ now has a formidable and layered defence network. However, it was overwhelmed by sheer weight of numbers.

One estimate is that over 1000 drones converged on the HQ simultaneously from all directions, nearly 100 rockets also landed on the HQ which degraded the response. The HQ is reported to have been wrecked by the assault, one report also states that the head of the Clone Defence Forces on the planet was killed.

Coup fails on Cloneworld, Hijim killed

Elite forces have battled General Hijim's troops at Clone Army GHQ, who attempted to seize the General Staff and Admiral Anderson. The troops were supported by aircraft from the Clone Naval Air Service (it is not known why Clone Air Force planes were not used, GHQ is hundreds of miles from any coast line). It has been reported that the coup forces have been crushed.

General Hijim's base was also hit by CNAS aircraft. Red Lizard special forces also stormed the base. Hijim is reported to have been killed.

Admiral Anderson is reported to be aboard the aircraft carrier CNS Clone Empire and is directing the response to the coup.

Attempted coup on Cloneworld

There are reports coming in of gunfire and explosions at the GHQ of the Clone Army on Cloneworld. It is thought that troops loyal to General Hijim, commander of the 34th Infantry Division, have tried to seize the General Staff and arrest Admiral Anderson who was due to visit.

It is thought Anderson was delayed due to engine issues with his personal transport. This meant he was not at GHQ during the coup attempt.

Anderson is now said to be at a secure and secret location and is directing the response to the coup.

DF will keep Tethys Ocean ships as command ships

Whilst the rest of the amphibious warfare fleet has been gutted, the two Tethys Ocean support carriers have remained with the fleet, though without an apparent role. DF is thought to have considered also converting these two ships into transports as they plan with the Missileers, however they instead will keep the two Tethys Ocean ships in a command role.

It is expected they will lead deployments such as on humanitarian assistance missions and major fleet deployments.

DF facing up to challenges of 2130s

The UNDF has a big problem, not the Tarbotians or Clones or another enemy power, but with an ageing fleet. During the first decade of the 2100s, the DDS (as it then was) fleet expanded greatly. The problem for DF is that the major ship classes built then will reach the ends of their lives in the 2130s.

The money which funded the fleet expansion, at first a war budget from the UNP and then augmented by billions of zarks in land and weapon sales, is no longer there.

The key problem is with the Quasar, Isometric and Provider/Extender fleets. These will reach the ends of their service lives from the early 2130s onwards. DF simply cannot afford (or even has the industrial capacity anymore) to replace all three at the same time.

DF have indicated they will not replace the Quasar fleet, relying instead on the Warrior fleet and LRM force for strategic attack. The Missileers are likely to be rebuilt as transports and oilers, this will help delay the need to build brand new transports.

The big question remains with the Isometric fleet. DF are hoping the forthcoming Advanced Rome is a success, as they plan to use this design as the basis of an Isometric replacement. The alternative will be to completely rebuild the Type 41 though this will be more expensive in the long run.

DF have just begun a full review of their fleet, this will help guide them with some difficult decisions to come.

Starting again (3282)

Tiger begins his new mission in a war zone.