While work on the Advanced Rome 216A continues, a new ship type has appeared on various DF Engineering documents and lists. This is the Type 216X which has appeared on the list of pending worm drive geometries to be created to allow the ship to safely make a worm jump. According to the details of the geometry it will be similar to the Advanced Rome but longer and have a mission wing like the Repulse 51B.
The second place Type 216X has appeared is on a list of n-Core engines being developed. A second generation engine with around 20% more thrust than the Tachyon PM-01A to be fitted to Advanced Rome is being developed. Analysts say the details of the Type 216X seem to match the planned Isometric family replacement planned for the second half of the 2130s.
The ship, when completed, will probably not be known as Type 216X as UNDF often use designations like this as placeholders. Indeed, it has been rumoured that the Isometric replacement could be the Type 220. As yet we are a long way off. DF's priority is to get Advanced Rome into service by 2130.
