First Mediterranean Sea 43G completed

The first ship has completed the Terran Sea ILU and unification project that being M171 Mediterranean Sea, and following usual DDS practice the ship has also given its name to this new sub-class of Medium Combat Ships which will be known as the Mediterranean Sea 43G.

The ship has been upgraded and refurbished and includes a worm drive (not the first Terran Sea to receive one, SS North Sea was given one last year to aid calibration), a Z6 cannon, EA-X, IWC 3.0 and a reorganised internal structure to allow for a higher TPM load. SS Mediterranean Sea has now begun extended proving trials and is expected to return to the fleet by the late Summer.

• The Quasar 15A bomber fleet will finally receive worm drive this year. They were due to receive W1A engines last year but shortages in engines meant their yearly update included everything for the engine to be fitted but no actual engine! That will now be rectified as part of the 2113 Quasar update, full details of which will be announced later in the year.
• Following the renumbering of the flagship SS Cicero the patrol fleet's pennant number prefixes have been changed from P to K. No reason has been given.

Clone Air Force bomb Benito loyalists

Marcus has finally agreed to the use of air power to help defeat the well dug-in Benito fanatics in the Austini 55 capital. Four A-85 COIN aircraft made pinpoint strikes on rebel held buildings in the park. The targets were chosen to minimise civilian casualties. One A-85 was hit by ground fire but was able to return to base.

Marcus has said that the resolve of the Clone people is strong and that the rebels should drop their weapons and surrender. Current casualties is now thought to be over 730.

Oojok reorganises CDF into 4 commands

The HCS was split into HCS-West and East, Oojok has decided this does not fit the Clone Defence Forces requirements now and has reorganised it into 4 commands. CDF-Core takes in the old HCS-W territory apart from Cloneworld, CDF-East pretty much replaces HCS-E.

The two new commands are CDF-Cloneworld which concentrates on the defence of the Clone homeworld and strategic weapons and CDF-Reserve for reserve, new and rebuilding units. These changes are mostly administrative and will be phased in over the next year.

• Benito loyalists have been beaten back into an area of Austini City centred on a park. Despite the heavy fighting the loyalists are refusing to surrender and look like they will fight to the last man and bullet. Marcus is still resisting calls to use airpower though some A-85s have dropped leaflets on the occupied area. A SAM was fired at one of the aircraft though did not lock onto the target and landed in a pizza restaurant.

191/2

Edge Of Darkness
The DDS investigate the destruction of a Raegris ship (Tremors P1)

Dinos fund T-55ZDM3, TAA-5 development

The Dinos have provided 35 million zarks of development funding for the next version of the T-55ZDM tank which is co-developed and produced with the Clones. The new version, expected to be the ZDM3, could enter service around 2118 replacing the current ZDM2 in production. Few details have yet emerged about the ZDM3 but it could have a new hybrid engine and improved armour.

Also being co-funded is a new air-defence system based on the Clone SA-8 short and medium range missile. The TAA-5 Ferret will supplement the short-range gun/SA-6A armed TAA-4 Stoat. The Ferret will carry 3 of the larger missiles, targeting radar and datalinking capabilities. It will likely use reconditioned T-89 chassis. No entry into service date has yet been given.

• The battle on Austini 55 continues between government and Benito fanatics. Marcus has held off using air power at the moment though the Benito fanatics from the 2nd Legion are defending their area of the city house by house. Casualties are now listed at 337.
• The HCS to Clone Defence Forces name change has already been enacted at digital level with computer displays across the empire rolling out the name changes, as has this site. Physical name changes such as signs and uniforms have a target completion date of the end of 2114 though the CDF hope to get most of the major areas changed by the end of this year.
• Rather quietly the Clone Navy helicopter carrier CNSS Benito Clone has been renamed West Clone Republic.

Rebels isolated in capital

Following another day's heavy fighting rebel troops from the 2nd Legion have now been largely surrounded in the Yelvase district of Austini City, capital of Austini 55. Emperor Marcus has demanded the rebel troops surrender or "the full weight of the HCS will be unleashed". Two COIN squadrons equipped with A-85NT attack aircraft have been moved closer to the capital.

The rebels however appear intent on fighting to the bitter end despite the fact the vast majority of HCS-E (and even the majority of the 2nd Legion) did not join their uprising. It may be the rebels, who are Benito fanatics, may have come to the conclusion that they are finished anyway so might as well go down fighting. The death toll is now estimated at 273 including 32 civilians.