NationStates Jolt Archive

<Gina News Cast>
David: "...quite a touching statement, if I may say so myself.

"Now, for some more national events, we turn to Jessica."

Jessica: "Thanks David,

"Even as the IDF's forces are focused on the stabilization of former Daylami territory in Iran, Afghanistan, and Kashmir, the hard-pressed military of Western Asia continues to protect and assure the stability of Western Asia's interests abroad.

"Batteries of the advanced BrahMos two antishipping missiles were established on the Canary Islands recently retaken from Daylami control, which returns that territory to Western Asian control. These missiles were also installed on the Azores and Madeiras Islands north of the Canaries and on the islands in the St. Helena chain in the South Atlantic Ocean, where the final touches were placed on the IDF Marine Corps fortifications about those islands. These islands have become the centerpiece of the new IDF Naval Corps strategy of "long-span Defense" that began with the removal of much of Wetern Asia's home Naval Fleet in the Mediterranean island of Cyprus, where the Turkish part of the Island hosts a pair of major naval facilities.

"In the mean time, the former Daylami forces on the Canaries began their emigration to the USWA state of Turkey, where Social Welfare officials have been hard at work preparing homes and services. Even as the Marines and Army Corps troopers move into Iranian Daylam, they have been looking for...and finding the families of those soldiers, who are now beginning to meet up with their long-separated loved ones."

<Video Clip: Rural Eastern Turkey>
Worn soldiers emerge from military transports and civilian passenger jets, still clothed in their Daylami uniforms and walk down the stairs...some of them rush out of line to embrace some of a couple dozen women, children, and elderly civilians who have come to Turkey from former Daylami lands.

Some of the soldiers and civilians yell at the camera praises in turkic and persian.
<End Video Clip>

David: "From news reports, it sounds like there are still many more of these soldiers waiting to arrive at their new home. And remember, folks...any donations of food, clothing, or even household supplies can be brought in to your local Magen David Adom or Social Welfare offices. These people need your help!"

Jessica: "That's right David, but it's not only in the crumbling nation of Daylam that our soldiers try to improve the lots of the less fortunate. News is now coming in of continued, but dangerous operations in Panama...where the IDF has joined with several fellow nations in an attempt to liberate those people and that government of the scourge of organized crime and narcoterrorism. The price is not light as already there have been reports of several Western Asian casualties...but our men and women in the armed forces are serving us well. Insiders at Magen David Adom have confirmed that the MDA might be deploying Disaster Recovery Crews to both Daylami Iran and Panama once the initial military maneuvers have stabilized the situation enough to ensure the safety of the aid workers.

"This need is perhaps most desperate in the new territories of Northern Afghanistan and Kashmir, where civilians have long struggled to maintain their independence from warfare and external foes. The first Western Asian delegation of officials and soldiers arrived there yesterday evening and immediately set about to their work. With IDF military operations in Iran almost uniting Western Asian-held lands into one long, if thin, strip of land, more military, civilian, and aid personnel are expected to be arriving in that territory en mass by the end of the next week.

"And now a word from our sponsors..."

OOC: Final notice of WA claims to the Madeira and Azores Island groups, as well as to territories in the Canary Island group formerly seized by WA, then handed over to Daylam and subsequently retaken during the collapse of Daylam...also restating claim over Cyprus as a part of the (long, long ago) claims to Turkey.

OOC:
Bring
Up
My
Post
IC:

"...and now Bob is happy that he got his Natural Male Enhancement pills and has a new swing in his step and a happy missus at home...call now for a free 1 month supply!"<end commercial>

David: "And we're back, with breaking news about the political upheaval (http://forums2.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=341625) in Beth Gellert. IT appears that hardliners from the Igovian Old Guard have seized power. The popular democratic system has been replaced by a more centralized socialist government. So far, the "revolution" has apparently been a relatively bloodless one and the new government has been backed by the old legislative bodies...and appears to bear no ill will towards WA but has rather maintained relations.

"Future developments remain to be seen."

Jessica: "Certainly! In other news, preliminary tests of new naval guns in the South Indian Ocean, as witnessed by Beth Gellan officials, has apparently progressed well and one Naval Corps officer reported that, and I quote, 'The operations and certification of the new Electromagnetic Rail Gun system are progressing well and without hindrance.'

"In more local events, preparations are being made for a massive military parade through Jerusalem on Unification Day next month, where new IDF systems and technologies are expected to be demonstrated for the public."

OOC: Bump for the midday crowd.

(One Day on...)

"Back to you, Jessica."

"Thanks Ibrahim, the Damascus Stock exchange grew on steady gains today on rumors of a possible Beth Gellert military build-up reached traders. The new BG government is reportedly one that views with great favor the possibility of a large-scale naval revival that, WAAMA officials believe, could send a great deal of capital their way."

OOC: bump...for the evening crowd

you didnt get any replies (not sure if you want any) but great job!

While the stock exchange in Western Asia was anticipating market expansion in the Beth Gellen defence sector -an entity that consumed over four trillion US dollars worth of goods and services on a typical year prior to the authoritarian take-over- the Igovians were manoeuvring to make Graeme effective head of the Civil Service and to create for his son* a new office of Premiership in the newly renamed Igovian Soviet Commonwealth of Beth Gellert.
A few hundred miles west, in Lusakan (Tanzanian-ish) waters, the fleet defence frigate CS Esselink was groaning in the tones of cracking steel as she laboured under repeated Stingray torpedo strikes and Captain Jones ordered the abandonment of the sixth Beth Gellen vessel of native construction to be sunk in the southwest of the Indian Ocean in just the last few years. It has not been without notice that ships such as CS Ood, the WA-built trimaran, is still afloat after serving in almost every action that has seen domestic ships sunk, despite being several years older.


*Sopworth Igo, one time revolutionary war hero against the capitalist principality and post-revolutionary premier and suspected war criminal, who spent the years of The People's Commonwealth's existance hiding away abroad, selling nuclear secrets to Dra-pol (North Korea), assassinating pro-free-market reformists in the PR China, murdering businessmen in Andaman and Nicobar, inciting violence and protest in Iansisle, and deploying genetically-targetted bioweapons** against imperialist Roycelandian troops on Madagascar

**Ah, relatively none persistant, don't worry :)

Edit: guh, I know my east from my west, really!

OOC: Troen, I wasn't expecting any...this is my 2nd "news" thread, mostly meant to solidify my claims to the Azores, Madeiras, and Canary islands under WA control...and other claims.

BG,
**Ah, relatively none persistant, don't worry :)
OOC: I knew those gas masks were a good idea!

Edit: guh, I know my east from my west, really!

OOC: It's okay, as long as you assassinate the businessmen of Eastern Asia and not Western Asia :)

In terms of ships, there might be a new ship in the works that would be shared with BG...I think you'll like what you see.

"Dominator" Type Shore Bombardment Vessel
Working Specs (input MORE than welcome)
- 6, 16in guns in 2, triple batteries (one fore, one aft)
- 6, 8in guns in 2, triple batteries (one fore, one aft...farther towards tips than 16in'ers)...Note: might be upgraded to 12in, any suggestions?
- 4, Millennium Gun stations, posted to provide full-range coverage against threats
- 2, MTHEL III/IV stations
- 72, NAVLAR-160 (http://www.israeli-weapons.com/weapons/missile_systems/artillery/lar/LAR.html) rockets (in 2 stations, each with 2 pods that has 18rockets). Range 45km.
- 24, Navalized MLRS 270 (http://www.israeli-weapons.com/weapons/vehicles/self_propelled_artillery/mlrs/MLRS.html). (in 2 stations, each with 2, 6-packs) Range: 35-50km.
- 8 NAVMAR-350 (http://www.israeli-weapons.com/weapons/vehicles/self_propelled_artillery/mar-350/MAR-350.html) rockets. (in 2 stations, each with 4 pods). Range: 75-90km.
- 2, 155mm EMRG (in 1, double battery).
- Possibly several 3" or 5" gun stations.
- Landing space/Uncovered stowage for 2-3 MH-60S Knighthawk helicopters or 1 MH-53 Super Stallion.
- Barak point-defense missile system (2 arrays, 36+ VL missiles)
- 10-20+ Typhoon GSA remote weapons stations (20-30mm gun +/- ATGM)
- Defensive torpedo arrays (2-4 hull-integrated ports, each with a rotating magazine-type selectable round un/re/loading system)
- Modern integrated radars and detection systems
- Stealthy Design
- Soft-kill Self-defense features (scrambling, signature distortion/hiding, detection reduction)
- Advanced armor plating and crew protection systems
- 40knot "official top speed" (42knots unofficial, top clocked at 46knots), 38knot "efficient cruising speed."
- Digitized "glass cockpit"-type control center and remote redundant (internal) command stations. Distributed and "adaptive" electrical and systems grids.
- Total length between 680 and 800ft, likely 740'.
- Projected cost: $2-3bn/unit

Primary Role: To arrive and establish total tactical superiority in the littoral and near-shore environment by virtue of its heavy weapons, stability, and ability to support amphibious forces. Would only be deployed in a major operation or in an AARG. Would not operate completely independently in a bombardment group, but rather would be supported by other, medium-weight/power bombardment vessels so that the loss of this vessel is not the loss of a campaign. Costs are expected to be significant relative to the scale, primarily due to armoring and essential system modifications/improvements but costs should be limited to allow for escort bombardment platforms.

Armaments and Design Features: Stealth comes secondary to armoring and land-targeting abilities. Systems should include redundancy beyond normal levels and ASuW systems should be minimized in favor of bombardment capabilities.

Other units:
"Interventionist" Type Shore Bombardment Vessel
Primary Role: Support of forces otherwise ill-equipped for shore bombardment duties, possibly co-deploy with non-AARG amphibious landing forces. Would be oriented towards rapid deployability, maneuverability, and medium-weight power.

Armaments and Design Features: Stealth comes secondary to armoring and land-targeting abilities. Systems should include redundancy beyond normal levels and ASuW systems should be minimized in favor of bombardment capabilities. Armaments not determined yet…max. gun size is 12inches or a limited number of 16inchers at MOST. Most likely armament size is 8in to 12in guns, 5-12 such guns on a vessel. MTHEL II/III integrated for defense, Millennium Gun CIWS, ECM, and Barak Missiles for defense. Limited missile dependence. Possibly could use Navalized MLRS or NAVLAR but chance is limited.

"Dominator Lite" Type Shore Bombardment Vessel
Primary Role: To arrive and aid in establishing tactical superiority in the littoral and near-shore environment by virtue of its medium and heavy weapons, stability, and ability to support amphibious forces. Would be deployed in a major operation, in an AARG, or in operations that do not demand the heavier "Dominator"-level vessel. Would not operate completely independently in a bombardment group, but rather would be support other larger/more powerful bombardment vessels in striking minor targets and target zones to increase the efficiency of so that the loss of this vessel is not the loss of a campaign. Costs are expected to be significant relative to the scale, but not nearly as much as the larger "Dominator" type vessels.

Armaments and Design Features: Stealth comes secondary to armoring and land-targeting abilities. Systems should include redundancy beyond normal levels and ASuW systems should be minimized in favor of bombardment capabilities. Armaments not determined yet. Min. major gun size should be 8 in, with some smaller guns as tertiary systems. Main guns should be 14-18in (16in standard most likely, with 6-12 such weapons on a vessel, depending upon the use of smaller-caliber major guns in support…one possibly configuration is 3 (16in), 3 (8in), 3 (8in), 3 (16in)…). MTHEL II/III integrated for defense, Millennium Gun CIWS, ECM, and Barak Missiles for defense. Limited missile dependence. Possibly could use Navalized MLRS or NAVLAR as a secondary system.

-------
This is all part of an existing internal IDF Naval Corps program that coincides with the restructuring of the NGF and AARG grouping system:
[b]IDF Shore Bombardment Vessels: Current, Prototype, and Future Systems

Overview
The Western Asian Amphibious Assault Ready Group (AARG) Order of Battle calls for the inclusion of a Shore Bombardment Group (SBG) consisting of between 2 and 4 Shore Bombardment Detachments (SBDs). The purpose of an SBG is the placement of a comprehensive, flexible, reliable, and powerful shore bombardment/artillery from the sea capability in the hands of an AARG or mixed purpose force (MPF) commander, who may be coordinating and running a Level IV or above military deployment.* The capabilities assigned to a SBG and its component SBDs must be balanced with care taken to reduce the demands upon base infrastructures, the Naval Corps’ overall crewing limitations, and the number of vessels required to project that force.

*- On a 6-level scale established by the IDF Naval Corps. Levels I and II are Special Operations-dependant deployments in support of SOCS-type vessels or limited strength and purpose amphibious forces. These conflicts usually only include fleet components without so much as an entire expeditionary fleet being deployed. Type III is a limited naval deployment that is usually only a show of force or a representative contribution to an allied operation (may sometimes be used for limited strike missions against lower-order countries and groups). Level IV involves the extensive deployment of naval resources and includes the landing of between 20,000 and 120,000 Marine Corps personnel, usually involves at least one entire Naval Grand Fleet (NGF) or AARG. A Level V or VI deployment is a Total War Force deployment that will involve the ultimate defense of an ally under threat of annihilation or (in the case of Level VI) the threat of an assault on Mainland Western Asia.

OOC: BUMP for the sake of my claims.
BG, some of my carrier information is also up on the GI regional board....and I'm trying to transfer all of my old ship stuff and WAAMA stuff to that board now.

WAAMA section (http://s6.invisionfree.com/Greater_Israel/index.php?showforum=2)
Naval Restructuring (http://s6.invisionfree.com/Greater_Israel/index.php?showtopic=3&hl=)

OOC: One more bump

Ah, BG is procuring more ships, was the one I sunk yesterday WA made?
:sniper:

OOC: UE, I don't believe so. I think the only WA ships to ever be completely destroyed in battle were those that I personally destroyed when they were used against my allies...and those were the first generation models.

OOC: Indeed, the frigate was of the domestic monohull Gauntlet Class.

I think in my whole time on NS I've only lost one naval vessel in combat, a light corvette to a mine strike off Gabon.

Well, you haven't been in any major naval conflicts then... I've lost approximately 100 vessels insofar...

Well, you haven't been in any major naval conflicts then... I've lost approximately 100 vessels insofar...
OOC:
Hahaha...I took on the GDODAD main fleet at the hight of that group's operations (and when the WA navy was at its smallest...equivalent to less than one of the modern WA Grand Naval Fleets...and I made ship sales to GDODAD members afterwards) and disrupted their landing attempts and I lent ships to the failed assault on Arda, where most of the other ships were lost. I've participated in well over a dozen (easily more than two dozen) naval stand offs and operations. I've had ships damaged in combat, but WA and the IDF-NC has never lost a single vessel in combat...crippled? yes. casualties? yes. Lost? never.

Tactics, ship design, weapons, and skill. Most navies are counted by their successes rather than their losses in battle...having lost 100 vessels is no badge to skill, ship design, or the skill of your captains. In 1973 the Israelis sunk the entire Egyptian fleet without a naval loss...it was called a victory for the Israelis and their small navy, not for the Egyptians. The USN hasn't really lost a ship since the end of WWII...enemy vessels in Vietnam and Korea and elsewhere were not considered the victors for their losses.

BG, any opinions on the specs posted above? I've also finished off some temporary specs for the "interventionist" type SBV and for a new type of vessel that's being considered.

UE, any progress on the Panama thread?

Well, the majority of them were lost when I was a n00b/newb in the War of the Isle of Tortuga... I pretty much screwed my first fleet in that war... I've been a lot better in recent years, only losing a submarine here and there to unexplained circumstances (actually New Empire's renegade submarine and Grimdale)...

(a few days later)
David: "President Drucker officiated over the christening ceremony of the new Barkai-class Heavy Bombardment Cruiser Mk. 7. The HBC-7, as it is known within the IDF's Naval Corps, was named after Michael Barkai, who lead IDF naval forces in successful attacks against Assadite Syrian forces during the 1973 October War. It was that action that validated the use of electronic warfare and countermeasures and which was the first demonstration of real naval missile combat. It was his daring that won the navy war in 1973 while the Air Force and army struggled against the enemy threats.

"This comes just as news has emerged of new Western Asian-Beth Gellan talks reportedly focused on an increased cooperative naval construction effort to aid both nations. It has been reported that the Barkai-class and the Mk. 5 (Sabra) version of the old Devastator-class Shore Bombardment Vessel are included in the talks, although the specifications and final design of each of those vessels remains classified."

OOC: The "Barkai" is the "interventionist"-type Bombardment Vessel, a "Heavy Bombardment Cruiser" by internal convention. Working Barkai-class specs:

- 5, 8in guns in 2, in one fore triple battery and one aft double battery.
- 3, 5in or 155mm guns in 1, triple battery (placed fore of the 8in triple battery)
- 4, Millennium Gun stations, posted to provide full-range coverage against threats
- 6 Typhoon GSA remote weapons stations (30mm gun +/- ATGM)
- 4 OTOBreda 76mm gun

- 1, MTHEL III/IV stations
- Defensive torpedo arrays (six 324mm Mark 32 torpedo tubes, one triple mount integrated on each side of the main hull)

- 144, NAVLAR-160 rockets (in 2 stations/side, each with 2 pods that has 18 rockets). Range 45km.
- Barak point-defense missile system (2 arrays, 64 VL missiles at each. European-style PDMs also possible)
- 16 Gabriel III ASMs, in 4 quad armored box launchers. (Harpoon ASMs poss.)
- 16 Gabriel IV LR ASMs, in 2 quad armored box launchers. (Harpoon ASMs poss.)
- 8 BrahMos II ASMs in Mk. 50 VLS launchers.
- 54 Mk. 41 VLS spots for AD, ASuW, and land-attack missile systems.

- Landing space and covered stowage for 2 MH-60S Knighthawk or MH-60R Seahawk helicopters.
- Modern integrated radars and detection systems
- Stealthy Design
- Soft-kill Self-defense features (scrambling, signature distortion/hiding, detection reduction)
- Advanced armor plating and crew protection systems.
- 44 knot "official top speed" (46 knots unofficial, top clocked at 48 knots), 40 knot "efficient cruising speed."
- Digitized "glass cockpit"-type control center and remote redundant (internal) command stations. Distributed and "adaptive" electrical and systems grids.
- Total length between 550 and 700ft, likely 660' range.
- Projected cost: $880M-1.8bn/unit

Note: Built on a similar principle to the Sa'ar 4 and Sa'ar 5 vessels, which are among the most heavily armed ships in the world per ton. This unit is built primarily to support the Sabra-class in major operations or to serve as a fire support base for smaller amphibious fleets that do not have/need the full SBV Mk. 5.

OOC: Another bump...to get the claims validated.

Potentially related news from The Igovian Soviet Commonwealth comes with the commissioning of the first hulls of The Igovian Soviet Navy's Batch 3 specialist frigates. The significance being that only Bodkin Class hunter and Gauntlet Class defenders have been built where previous batches included a third type, that being the Trebuchet Class bombardment frigate.

The Trebuchets were never so heavily used as their Bodkin and Gauntlet sisters, and few in the Admiralty or the Professional Civil Service would admit to favouring the type. The Trebuchets were furnished with vertical-launch cruise missile silos, allowing them to strike targets over six hundred miles inland (with Mangonel cruise missiles), but lacked heavy guns with which to lay down rapid, sustained, and affordable shore bombardment, covering fire, or the sort of intimidation that naval gunners have used through the ages to win surrenders without spilling blood.

Some Senate attendees have supposed that the upgrade from 76mm to 152mm quick firing guns on Batch 3 Bodkins, and the carriage of Mangonel aboard plentiful Anunkai Class SSNs may be sufficient to cover the loss of Trebuchet. Others have suggested that Batch 1 and 2 Trebuchets might simply serve on, and while this is certainly true in the short term, it has been uniformly dismissed by the Admiralty and the CPCS as a long term possibility. It is generally felt that the complete loss of an entire class comprising a fairly large number of hulls can not be substituted by relatively minor improvement to the bombardment abilities of other classes specialised for quite different roles.

It seems likely, then, that the Igovian Soviet Navy will indeed look again to the shipyards of Western Asia, where it hopes to find gun and rocket armed bombardment vessels as known to have been recently designed. Perhaps the impending withdrawal of the ISN's long over-worked and fatigued quartet of Jonathan Netnyahu Class carriers will not in fact end long-running Western Asian design contribution to Beth Gellen maritime defence.