Federal Agents (2723)

The Mutre Bee has a new focus.

Burgundy Red (2722)

Stinkyson is given a new job.

Windy surprises NS by announcing Quarz is alive... kind of

President Windscorpion has surprised NS by revealing that Quarz, former NS officer, is alive. Well sort of. The Quarz that is alive is one which Windy bought back from a visit to a parallel universe several years ago. Quarz was still alive in that universe which was said to be a strange reality where Hank Wolfmann had taken over the DDS.

Windy said that this new Quarz (whom he referred to as New Quarz) had been in NSIS custody for the last few years and was considered not a security risk. New Quarz has been assigned first officer duties on a warship.

Stinkyson named new SS-CINT chief

Ronald's second son Stinkyson, a former SS-Commander, has been named the new Minister of the Intelligence Services and public head of SS-CINT (the operational head is unknown). Krusty had held this role before but after his presumed death the post had been left vacant - Ronald handled intelligence business himself. When Krusty was found to be alive it was assumed he would return to his old job but he disappeared on his return to Dino-Land. Krusty's whereabouts are unknown, it is rumoured he may have joined a temple or monastery (he is known to be a layperson of the Cult of Orach).

Ronald has therefore decided to make a permanent appointment. Stinkyson has publicly changed his political allegiance from the Liberal Party to Imperial Order and will vote along that party's lines in the Dino Senate.

DTA go for Pentekonter for mine warfare force

In a big blow to the Clones who were almost certain of winning the contract, the DTA has instead gone for NS technology for it's big Joint-Force Mine Warfare Squadron (JFMWS) project. This will be a pan-DTA asset dedicated to mine warfare. Twenty-five Pentekonter-Ms will be bought with deliveries expected from 2122, the JFMWS aims to become operational by 2125.

Five of the Pentekonters will be equipped with a customised version of the Pave Orange mine sweeping direction system. NS use Romes for this role but there is no reasons why it can't be used on Pentekonters too. The specification of the ships has yet to be made public but it is expected they will follow the Protector 280M style though with TPM-VLS (as the DTA already have this). The total value of the contract has also not been made public but is said to be around 10 billion zarks.

Dinos souring on Dinomark LM

Three years ago the Dinomark LM entered service, the replacement for the XT which had remained in production for over fifty years. Now nearly thirty LMs are in service but the Dinos have put a halt to new production for the moment. The reason is because of many problems that have emerged with the LM.

Although a new type is expected to have teething troubles the LM's issues are far worse than that. Some say the design has some fundamental flaws, of the twenty seven currently in service only nine are said to be operational. Senator Cruggson has begun an enquiry into the type, a key finding whether it will be cheaper and easier to rectify the LM design or simply to re-start XT production.