Argrox moots separate Remedian fleet

Remedian Forces Commander-in-Chief Lord Argrox (and NS Politburo member) has said he would like the Remedians to have their own fleet again separate from the NS fleet. At the moment 5 Corkscrew 051As, 3 Perimpaz 039As (though these are about to be withdrawn) and 2 Extender 073As are operated by Remedian crews for operations along the border though remain officially part of the NS Fleet.

Argrox says he would prefer these ships to operate under the Remedian flag, working alongside the NS on integrated operations like other Tier 1 allies such as the Raegris. He is also pushing for an increase in the Remedian defence budget with the aim to increase the number of combat ships to 8 by 2120.

NS deliver 2 Extenders to Porquat

Porquat 640 has received 2 Extender 123P oilers taking their fleet of, what they term the Extender 908, to 5. They have so far been used mostly as transports but the Porquatians intend to take a larger role as NS allies over the next few years and take part in NS exercises.

They have already supported the NS in patrolling Free Eritran Space and Aldebran space. This role in supporting NS operations will continue. Three more Quagan 665 frigates have been ordered which will give them a fleet of 25 frigates by the end of the decade.

Operation Northern Project 2115

Northern Project is the final major DDS exercise of the year and is a "mock war" that requires the full spectrum of DDS military capabilities. The exercise will last for just over a week and include space combat, reconnaissance and EW, amphibious landings and mine warfare. A number of DDS allies will be taking part to act as the "enemy" (Red force). The exercise begins tomorrow. The ships involved are:

S201 Missileer (flagship)
H101 Panther
H112 Royal Tiger
H201 Mulberry
M108 Holocene
M135 Fox
M178 Sea Of The Hebrides
M183 Sea Of Serenity
A182 Zebra

L131 Tethys Ocean (amphibious force flagship)
L111 Pangaea
L117 Rodinia
L153 South East Asia
L158 South America
H162 Polaris
H175 Altair
M126 Fury
M171 Mediterranean Sea
A153 Propane
A107 Condor

M110 Cryptozoic (MCM force flagship)
K201M Thucydides
K209M Pericles
K213MX Paris
A143 Jetstar

A304E Fleming (Recce EW force flagship)
H121 Independence
H129 Impregnable
K109 Sulla
A168 Hexanol

S251 Anubis (Red force flagship)
M195T Oscar Wilde
A153 Methane
+ Remedian, Raegris, Porquatian ships

Knobhead and Von Kane clash in Commander debate

Ahead of the vote for the new DDS Commander on the 30th the 2 contenders Knobhead and Von Kane took part in a televised debate. At times the 2 contenders clashed on issues of DDS culture and forward direction. Von Kane wanted a much more disciplined and stricter DDS, with iron adherance to rule while Knobhead wants a more inclusive DDS with greater opportunities for personal growth.

Knobhead also wants the DDS to reach out to new allies while Von Kane said that the DDS needed to become more isolationist, highlighting TPM technology having left the DDS' control when the Starbotians left. Knobhead retorted that the DDS could not stand alone against threats like the Tarbotians.

Knobhead has a massive lead over Von Kane (nearly 80-20% split) but isn't taking anything for granted. His sponsors Torus and Sea Urchin are going to address the DDS on Liberation and Solaris respectively in the next couple of days while Knobhead himself will visit DDS City on Proxima 7.

DDS allies concerned about TPM plans

The Raegris and Remedians have responded angrily to reports the DDS will restrict the latest version of the TPM to themselves leaving Tier 1 allies with a lesser version. The Raegris said they have done nothing to jeapodise DDS security and indeed have enabled the DDS to provide a vibrant export industry. The Porquatians have also raised a query about the plans, especially as the latest version of the TPM is expected to be largely facilitated with Porquatian technology!

The DDS have been quick to point out the plans are unconfirmed and would not apply to existing Tier 1 allies. "We value our allies greatly." Hibiscus told reporters, "Together we will go forward in a vector driven roadmap."

• The Rim Worlds Squadron is expected to be disbanded next month with the Porquatians taking over patrolling this strategic part of space. It is expected a couple of DDS ships will also be on hand to reinforce if needs be.

DDS considering TPM sales

In the light of the pact between the Dinos and HCS and the transfer of worm drive technology the DDS are now thought to be considering selling their TPM-1 weapon technology to "selected customers". Up until now the DDS have not sold their most important weapon except to key allies and the one-off technology exchange with the Dinos during the war. At one stage they did consider sales to Molab but later decided to keep the technology closely guarded to avoid proliferation.

However two events may have changed the DDS' minds. The first was the defection of the Aritans from the DDS to the DTA. Although a DDS team dismantled Aritan TPM production facilities and all extant Aritan TPMs were returned to the DDS it is thought some technical details were secreted away by less scrupulous Aritans who have since tried to sell the technology on the black market. It is thought the Dinos managed to prevent such a sale to the Bolitic a few months ago though it is suspected that TPM technology is now in the hands of third parties. (It is thought the Bolitic were unable to get any TPM data through their info-warfare campaign during the war despite strenuous attempts!)

The second event is the transfer of TPM-1 technology to the Dinos as mentioned above. Although the Dinos have an agreement not to sell TPMs to non-DTA members the DDS privately acknowledge there isn't much they can do if the Dinos did decide to sell a "Dino TPM" to non-DTA customers. There is also the chance of illegal sales by Dino criminals too.

Therefore the DDS are starting to come to the view that TPM technology will proliferate anyway over the next few years so the DDS might as well make some money out of it! Molab is likely to be an early customer along with Putri 500. A final decision whether to allow TPM sales is expected to be made by the DDS Council in the new few weeks.

As a compromise to elements in the DDS who do not want to sell TPMs the DDS might tighten restrictions on the latest version of the technology. At the moment Tier 1 allies like the Raegris get the same version as the DDS but this might change with a "cascade lag" built in with allies only getting a version of TPM when the DDS themselves have moved onto the next.

Raegris seek bigger role in DDS

The Raegris have said they wish to have a bigger role in how the DDS is run, to become what they term a "Tier 1+" ally. The Raegris leader made these remarks on a visit to Solaris before meeting AP. He said that the Raegris were now at full manufacturing capacity making ships and weapons for the DDS and a Raegris fleet would remain attached to the DDS while the war continued.

Analysts say the DDS may have no choice but to give the Raegris more say in how the DDS is run with the defections of the Aritans and Sirikwanese leaving DDS foreign policy in tatters. However the DDS are also likely to welcome the Raegris taking a bigger role compared to their earlier preference for remaining more on the margins.

AP addresses the DDS

Acting Commander AP has made his first DDS wide address on DDS News 36. He said that the DDS had had a hard 2110 having fought its bloodiest war since the Clone Wars but that the end was in sight. "The ABBOs have been pushed back, in the new year we will deal the final blows and finish them once and for all."

AP moved onto other challenges facing the DDS saying that the loss of Sirikwan and New Arit to the DTA (his speech was recorded before the Voth announcement) was "dissappointing but would not de-rail the New DDS Project".

"We have a multi-vector strategy in place for the post-war situation and the DDS will neutralise these negatives and prioritise and action a whole spectrum of initiatives." he added.

DDS land Prowler units on New Arit

Three Prowler units have landed on New Arit though have been teleported directly into DDS bases which remain UNP sovereign soil for now. The DDS say the special forces are just to ensure the orderly withdrawal of DDS personnel from the planet though analysts think the Prowlers are to ensure sensitive technology is not given to the Dinos by the Aritans.

That includes passive sensor technology, some cyber security systems and communication systems among others. TPM-2 technology is thought to have been safeguarded already. One DDS analyst says however that the remaining secrets are probably not worth getting too worried about. "The Dinos have analogues of a comparable or even superior quality to these already so the DDS are probably best not sparking a diplomatic incident over it."

New Arit joins the DTA

At a ceremony on the main orbital station around New Arit Consul Ronald and the head of New Arit President Malanki signed an agreement to bring New Arit into the Dino Trade Association. As per the agreement Arit signs a mutual defence pact with the DTA and will integrate its armed forces into the DTA's.

Ronald announced a 230 million zark reconstruction grant to help New Arit recover from its damage sustained in the war as well as a 25 million zark fund to help integrate New Arit into the Dino's communication and military data networks. New Arit have not yet officially said they will leave the DDS but its only a matter of time now.

Aritans assure DDS over sensitive technical information

The Aritans have assured the DDS that they will not give up DDS secrets to the Dinos once they sign an agreement to join the DTA later today. An Aritan spokesman said that there would be a transitional period while the Aritans left the DDS and then integrated fully with the DTA. However the DDS think already some secrets have been given to the Dinos though not the TPM-2 schematics which have been already safeguarded.

The Aritans have said that they are happy for their troops to be gradually withdrawn from the New DDS Army so as to not harm the war effort though most Aritan troops have already been moved from the front line.

New Arit and Artic in tug-of-war over last Pentekonter-E

The only remaining operational combat ship in the Aritan fleet is a Pentekonter-E (and even that needs repair) but there is one problem : its not wholly owned by the Aritans. The ship was jointly bought with Artic and is "time shared" between patrol duties for both nations. Artic allowed the ship to take part in the battle for New Arit against the ABBOs but now want it to perform some duties for themselves.

Arit need the ship for local defence though Artic also urgently need the ship to perform some duties for themselves. It is the only ship the Artic government operate and so is used for communications and transport roles to a number of small colonies too. The Aritans have offered the Articans two of their Coril shuttles to perform the duties instead. Artic is reported to be considering buying out the Aritans' share of the ship.

DDS offer Tier 1 DDS membership to Porquat 640

The DDS have offered Tier 1 DDS membership to Porquat 640, a move that will almost certainly see New Arit leave the DDS. However the DDS will probably not be too unhappy with that as the Porquatians will bring a powerful fleet to the party.

A DDS negotiation team is said to be on Porquat 640 and the Porquatians may sign an agreement to join as soon as next week. A DDS Engineering team is rumoured to be already holding talks with the Porquatians about integrating the Porquatian fleet into the DDS', though no talks on technology transfer have yet taken place.

4 Dinomark NGs transferred to New Arit as DTA talks begin

The Aritans have admitted they have begun formal talks about joining the DTA, the DDS have not yet commented but are expected to take steps to ensure sensitive technology does not remain in Aritan hands if they leave the DDS (though much of it was destroyed by the ABBOs).

The 4 remaining Dinomark NGs have been transferred to the Aritan fleet as a "goodwill measure" by the Dinos. They will be sent to New Arit over the next week or so and then receive localisation ahead of an expected entry into service next month.

Prowler units on standby to secure Aritan sensitive technology?

The DDS are denying reports that 4 Prowler units have been recalled from other missions to a DDS base on New Jakarta in order for them to quickly reach New Arit and secure or destroy sensitive DDS technology if the Aritans do decide to join the DTA.

Although the ABBOs seem to have handily destroyed the TPM-2 factory on New Arit other sensitive technology exists on the planet. How the Aritans would react to this is unknown.

DDS delay aid shipment to Arit

The DDS have delayed their aid and reconstruction shipment to New Arit citing the dangerous space around the planet and the fact the DDS ships would not have any escorts. However insiders say the DDS in reality need their transports for the war effort, transporting weapons and spares around the DDS. "In terms of priorities Arit comes way down the list unfortunately." a DDS officer who declined to be named.

The decision though has infuriated the Aritans who are feeling abandoned by the DDS. A senior Aritan politician has now openly said the Aritans should join the DTA instead. A Dino relief convoy is on the way and indeed should arrive at New Arit by the end of the week. The Dinos are also sending 20 Dinomarks to help defend Arit's local space.

New Arit remains "committed" to DDS

With Sirikwan's defection to the DTA rumours are now abounding that the Aritans may also switch from the DDS to the new organisation. An Aritan defection would be far more serious as the Aritans are a Tier 1 ally producing and possessing TPM-2s and other advanced technology. A major part of the New DDS Army is also Aritan.

New Arit have said that they are "committed" to the New DDS Project in a communication to the media today however they also said that they needed immediate help from the DDS to protect their space after the near destruction of their fleet at the hands of the ABBOs. "Please do not take us for granted." the Aritans are thought to have told the DDS privately. The Dinos are known to have discussed the DTA with the Aritans just prior to the ABBO attack and of course sent ships to help the Aritans in the battle.

Sirikwan to join DTA

Sirikwan have officially announced that they are to join the Dino Trade Association. The Sirikwanese leader made the announcement on a state visit to Dino-Land and said that the Sirikwanese would leave the DDS as the DTA better served their "strategic, economic and cultural" interests.

This is a serious blow to the DDS who are seeing their plans for expansion in that region of space now in tatters and also a security problem for the DDS as Sirikwan is in possession of sensitive weapon technology such as the TPM. Luckily for the DDS though Sirikwan has not yet begun production of the weapon and although they have received TPM-2 launchers they haven't received any missiles yet. The Dinos already have TPM-1s.

The Sirikwanese may be in possession of sensitive security codes however and the DDS are now urgently changing their codes.

Anti-DDS riots on New Arit

DDS offices and personnel have been attacked during large protests at the New Aritan capital as opposition groups have called for the end of Aritan membership of the DDS. The opposition say the DDS have let the Aritans down even while Aritans die on Delta 9.

"One ship! One Rome corvette is what the DDS sacrificed for us." said an opposition leader in a speech, "We appreciate that loss but look at it in context. A few DDS men die, meanwhile dozens of Aritans die or are injured daily on Delta 9! We are bleeding for them, they are not bleeding for us! We must leave the DDS. Its not our fight with the ABBOs!"

The Aritan government have not commented though were quick to deny media reports that the government have quietly asked the Dinos for DTA membership terms.

Sirikwanese and Voth to join attack against Bolitic?

There are reports on Dino-Land that Sirikwan and the Free Voth Republic will join the Dinos in a final offensive on the Bolitic. It is thought the Dinos will send a fleet within the next couple of weeks and try and smash the remaining power of Emperor Borca. The Sirikwanese may send some ships with the Dino fleet and the Voth may contribute some troops.

DDS analysts say that both Sirikwan and the Voth are likely to join the DTA and that the fleet may indeed operate under the DTA banner. Yeng may send some observers along with the fleet too.