Windy to announce rebranding later this month / round-up

Windy has gone to Remedia Prime to monitor the conclusion to the Utrek surrender negotiations and to be on hand in case the Utrek do try a revenge attack for the devastating assault on Golf (this is pretty unlikely though). Windy has sent his flagship SS Carboniferous back home to escort damaged DDS ships and moved his flag to SS Quasar which came out of it's ILU2 retrofit and trial early for the meantime.

Windy says that the long-awaited DDS rebranding will be announced officially when he returns to GHQ later in September. He did drop the information however that the DDS will become Domination Death Squad. He also said he was monitoring the situation with the lost settlers and the DDS would send a ship if they had any concrete proof to go on.

Meanwhile the Dinos have rotated their forces on Loeuss and deployed the 11th Legion. As well as guarding Utrek prisoners this relief force will also begin construction of the new permanent Dino base on the planet.

DDS receive call to assist lost settlers

The UNP has requested the DDS locate and assist a lost settler group who left UNP space some 18 years ago. The group, the New Cross, wanted to find a world to settle and create a new Christian community. It is thought they did find a planet somewhere beyond UNP charted space in the little known region beyond Bolitic and Vosun Voth space.

Recently the UNP received intelligence via the Vosun Voth that this community may have been enslaved by an unknown enemy. The DDS have requested full information on the sect and it's journey plan and will consider sending an expedition.

Utrekians surrender

Following over 2 weeks of stalling and wallowing in minute details the Utrekians have abruptly said they accept the terms of surrender presented to them by the Allies. It is understood General Morkon received a communique from Utrek High Command instructing him to sign up to the terms which include 20 billion zarks compensation and an extensive demilitarised zone. One concession the Allies have made is that all Utrek prisoners will be returned which has angered some Remedian politicians who wanted some Utrek officers put on trial for war crimes.

The cause of this about-face is of course the devastating DDS attack on Golf. It is understood news of this attack has caused a massive upheaval in Utrek High Command with most senior Utrek officers forced to resign (it is rumoured in some cases assassinated). The greatly weakened Utrek Federation is now facing uprisings by some of it's subject races elsewhere and the fear is if the war against the DDS continues the Utrek war machine will be weakened to the extent it cannot guarantee security.

As per the terms of surrender all Utrek military installations and forces will have to be removed from Golf, Tromas, Aktau, Diareel and Kame. The Utrekians will be permitted to retain a small liaison post on Diareel. Small numbers of internal security troops will also be permitted on the other planets but armed only with small arms. The DDS will be setting up surveillance and monitoring stations along the DMZ to make sure Utrek warships do not cross into it. New orbital facilities are hurriedly being built at Mila and Loeuss, where the Dinos will also have a base. It is thought they will assist with monitoring and guarding the DMZ.

DDS attack Utrek planet

A special task force led by Windscorpion has launched a devastating attack on the Utrek world of Golf. The planet, one of the Utrek planets along the Remedia-Utrek border, had a huge military complex and a powerful orbital station. Both were used extensively in the Utrek invasion as marshalling areas and repair for warships. Both will no longer be available.

A joint attack by Von Kane and Torus chased away the Utrek warships in orbit and then battered down the powerful station. 4 Kalahati Tuuls and 1 Molentic Tuul was destroyed by the DDS. F110 Miocene suffered extensive damage in the attack on the station which was heavily defended and there were a number of DDS casualties.

With the station destroyed however the second wave moved in led by Windscorpion. Two Pulsar bombers fired 6 large nuclear missiles at the vast military complex on the planet below (the complex was said to be the size of Wales). 18 nuclear weapons exploded across the complex, sweeping aside the Utrek military facility in the resulting nuclear firestorm. The base was almost totally destroyed at a cost of millions of dead Utrek.

F-10S Milestone 3

The next generation DDS jet fighter the F-10S Shark 2100 has reached Milestone 3 also known as Release Candidate 1. If extended tests during September are successfully completed then the F-10S will be cleared to begin production by the end of the year. Milestone 3 includes full integration into DDS data networks including datalinks from ground, air and space based sources. A key role for the F-10S will be missile defence and the F-10S will carry out tests with air launched TPMs.

The DDS have said they will procure 120 F-10S to supplement it's current fleet of 56 F-10As. A further order of F-10S is expected later on. Although derived from the F-10A the F-10S is a much more advanced fighter with stealth and data networking features.

The F-10A fleet will also be upgraded to F-10A3 standard which includes a number of improvements to avionics and ECM next year when enough F-10S are in service to take over their duties.

HCS Navy update

The head of development of the reformed HCS Navy (as in water based not space) Admiral V. Phoebus hosted a media day at the Naval HQ at the port of Reuilla on Ailier's north coast. He said that the regeneration of the navy was going well and they should be on target to begin limited fleet operation by the end of next year. Developments over the last few months include :

• Launch of the first new destroyer CNS Olana (for service by next summer)
  
• Return to service of the submarine CNS Tinfish
• Two more Triona OPVs joining the fleet
• Another successful operation against pirates
• Funding received for an update of the F-40N fleet to F-40N2 standard
• Setting up of new Naval Academy
• Reformation of Navy Infantry Legion
  

Phoebus said recreating a navy from virtually scratch was a difficult endeavour but the HCSN would by the next decade be securing the coastlines of Cloneworld from attack. Next year is expected to see the launch of 2 more destroyers, the first of 3 frigates (to accompany CNS Ailier the only current major surface ship) and the new aircraft carrier CNS Cloneworld. Phoebus admitted that submarine construction was behind schedule because of a lack of available skills but he said that by the end of the decade Tinfish would have some "comrades".