Mirfak
01-02-2005, 06:33
At 19:23 yesterday night, a Labule Gel was destroyed by friendly fire in an incident that is nothing short of a disaster for a program that was long ago thought complete: the Friend or Foe detection system carried aboard all Labule facilities and hoksas. The incident began after MCL-SG13, a light assault ship class (or Gel, as the Labule calls it), returned from a routine escort mission through the Mirfak Sord. A Labule patrol ship (Lesui) of registry MCL-SL1 detected MCL-SG13 as an unidentified armed spacecraft. As it was on a direct approach vector to Mirfak III and issued no signal to any stations (something a Labule vessel is not required to do), MCL-SL1 destroyed the lightly-shielded Gel with laser fire and a hoksa. Labule High Admiral Finore Esk, acting quickly to curb anxiety over the incident, issued the following acknowledgements and orders this morning.
1: As our detection systems are obviously faulty, all Labule vessels are hereby required to identify themselves on an independent radio frequency at all times until the fault is corrected.
2: As lack of military discipline resulted in the hasty destructive action against MCL-SG13, and considering that such action is inappropriate even against a truly unidentifiable vessel without any attemt to contact it beforehand, the commanding officer of MCL-SL1 is hereby ordered relieved of duty and new encounter training protocols instituted for all Labule personnel.
3: Noting that both MCL-SL1's sensor array/AI and the Friend or Foe detection system installed in the hoksa fired by said ship failed to recognize MCL-SG13 as a Labule vessel despite the fact that its transponder was operating correctly constitutes a double, and thus complete failure of Labule Friend or Foe detection technology, we deem it unsafe and unacceptable for the system to be used any longer. All FoF detection systems aboard Labule vessels are hereby ordered deactivated until a replacement system can be fabricated.
4: As the developmental department of the Labule allowed this faulty system to proceed into service, the department is to to be cited for failing to observe proper testing and installation procedures and responsible parties court-martialled.
5: As is their duty under national and Labule law, the developmental department of the Labule is hereby ordered to produce and test new Friend or Foe detection software for Labule use within the next 300 days, which must exceed all relevant accuracy standards by 25% or more.
6: For the dual purpose of replacing the lost vessel and testing the emergency construction time for a ship of this class, a new Gel class vessel is to be constructed at facility MYL-F1 with all possible haste.
Thirty crewmembers and one artificial intelligence were lost in the destruction of MCL-SG13. The necessary organizations and families have been informed, and a military funeral is tentatively scheduled for Saturday. Alphin Natasha Burkavik declined to comment on the incident beyond saying that she had confidence in High Admiral Esk's ability to handle the situation as an internal Labule affair.
1: As our detection systems are obviously faulty, all Labule vessels are hereby required to identify themselves on an independent radio frequency at all times until the fault is corrected.
2: As lack of military discipline resulted in the hasty destructive action against MCL-SG13, and considering that such action is inappropriate even against a truly unidentifiable vessel without any attemt to contact it beforehand, the commanding officer of MCL-SL1 is hereby ordered relieved of duty and new encounter training protocols instituted for all Labule personnel.
3: Noting that both MCL-SL1's sensor array/AI and the Friend or Foe detection system installed in the hoksa fired by said ship failed to recognize MCL-SG13 as a Labule vessel despite the fact that its transponder was operating correctly constitutes a double, and thus complete failure of Labule Friend or Foe detection technology, we deem it unsafe and unacceptable for the system to be used any longer. All FoF detection systems aboard Labule vessels are hereby ordered deactivated until a replacement system can be fabricated.
4: As the developmental department of the Labule allowed this faulty system to proceed into service, the department is to to be cited for failing to observe proper testing and installation procedures and responsible parties court-martialled.
5: As is their duty under national and Labule law, the developmental department of the Labule is hereby ordered to produce and test new Friend or Foe detection software for Labule use within the next 300 days, which must exceed all relevant accuracy standards by 25% or more.
6: For the dual purpose of replacing the lost vessel and testing the emergency construction time for a ship of this class, a new Gel class vessel is to be constructed at facility MYL-F1 with all possible haste.
Thirty crewmembers and one artificial intelligence were lost in the destruction of MCL-SG13. The necessary organizations and families have been informed, and a military funeral is tentatively scheduled for Saturday. Alphin Natasha Burkavik declined to comment on the incident beyond saying that she had confidence in High Admiral Esk's ability to handle the situation as an internal Labule affair.