Atomic Fist begins

Atomic Fist 2111 has begun (see here for ships involved) with the DDS fleet departing from Solaris bound for territory near Oratai. Enroute they will rendezous with 3 Porquatian Quagan class ships. The exercise has started a few days late due to delays in delivering live nuclear warheads from the secret DDS Nuclear Arsenal. A live fire test with nuclear tipped MRMs will take place at the end of the exercise.

• The first Ferret-G factory has begun construction on Dino-Land, a second factory is currently being built on Voth. This will be the last model of Ferret common to the Dinos and DDS as it expected that Ferret development will now diverge. The DDS are working on their Ferret-X, its not yet known what the Dinos will do with their version of the Ferret.
• At a lavish ceremony held at the massive Central Tank Factory on Cloneworld the very last T-89 rolled off the production line thus bringing to an end decades of production of the T-86/87/88/89 tank family. The only tank to remain in production will now be the T-55ZDM. Deputy Emperor Sleeze said that the T-89 and its earlier versions had been the iron fist that had enabled the Clones to build their empire but now it was time for the HCS to move on. He also announced that the T-88++ would leave service by 2114 though the T-89 is expected to remain in service for at least another 35 years.

Iron Fist
Malanson is confronted.

Dino View : Meeting the Sirikwanese

Legate Dralson, ex-Dino Army and Security Council

Recently i had the opportunity to join a Dino Army delegation visiting Sirikwan, a key ally of the Dinos now and a core member of the Dino Trade Association. The Sirikwanese themselves are Dinos, like the Bolitic they are descended from the first wave of Dinos who went out into space in a now almost mythical Classic Age (for those who don't know history a cataclism and a major war sent the Dinos of the Classic Age back into a pre-technological level of existance and our colonies on Castarian and Sirikwan were cut off and soon followed suit).

Happily unlike the Bolitic the Sirikwanese don't hate us. The Sirikwanese indeed are very easy going relaxed people who have eagerly restored links with us. The Sirikwanese are secure in their own culture and heritage while happily acknowledging their ancestral links with us. Maybe the Bolitic are insecure, well thats maybe a topic for another essay.

Although they are quite laid-back (and their flower outfits they like to wear take some getting used to) the Sirikwanese are very energetic in their detirmination to make the DTA work and to be the most important part of it after the Dinos. One Sirikwanese facilitator told me that the Sirikwanese wanted the DTA to be a major galactic power with themselves as a key member.

What role though do the Sirikwanese see for themselves. Yeng for example want to be the diplomats of the DTA, the Dinos obviously are the brains and engine room of the DTA but Sirikwan? It seems to me that Sirikwan want to be the "alternative". They want to counterbalance the might of the Dinos in the DTA to provide the alternative point of view. A POV that won't always be adhered to but existing all the same to help guide DTA policy.

I wonder how that plays out, the Dinos tend to pretty single-minded (which is why the brutal fascism of the SS is such a key part of the state) and why democracy is a recent experiment. Will we be able to tolerate a bunch of hippies in flower outfits telling us that we are wrong? Well that may be the thing which sees the DTA ultimately succeed or fail...

HCS Fleet News (03/04/11)

• A Soulaki SLBK battlecruiser has joined the fleet.
• A 7th Nybble NL superluminal drone has been accepted into service.
• A Freighter TYA has joined the fleet though 2 Nerval TYB transports have left the fleet, it is rumoured they may be sold to Sirikwan who have bought the type before.

Other Fleet News (03/04/11)

• The Dinos have added 3 Dinomark PTs, 3 Dinomark XTs and 1 Dinomark MX to their fleet this month. Two XTs called up from the reserve have been released back to their civilian owners.
• The Raegris have added a DC-1 frigate and a PC-1 patrol ship to their fleet.
• Putri 500 have accepted into service their Velocity-E destroyer. Molab have also received a Pentekonter-E.

DDS cut 1.1 billion from operational budget

CFO The Shiner has announced a 1.1 billion zark cut in the yearly operational budget as part of ongoing efforts to trim DDS spending. The Shiner said this would not effect the effectiveness of the DDS and would help integrate the DDS more with the UNP, a stated aim of AP. Some of the measures include:

• Closing sixteen small regional offices with personnel either relocating to larger offices or using UNP premises.
• Two orbital dock stations will be closed, they are likely to be sold to the UNP.
• A 140 million zark order to replace the DDS' fleet of utility vehicles has been cancelled.
• A 75 million zark upgrade to communication systems on DDS facilities on Proxima 5 and Terra delayed.