NationStates Jolt Archive

The ARSB MoD has increased its military readiness rating by one level, therefore activating all expeditionary forces (forces that fight abroad). Included in this mobilization are two full marine divisions, one stationed at Rostov, the second currently stationed with the 3rd Expeditionary Fleet (in the South Atlantic on maneuvers with the 8th Expeditionary Fleet). Other forces mobilized include two infantry divisions (both stationed within the ARSB), one armor division (stationed in Buechoria), and two airborne assault divisions (one infantry, one armor; one stationed in the USSCR, the other in the ARSB).

Numerous air forces have also been mobilized including fighter wings, bomber wings, logistical command units, and a missile wing, located in District VII.

Naval forces mobilized include the 3rd Expeditionary Fleet, 8th Expeditionary Fleet, and the 1st Battle Fleet (stationed in the Pacific).

Other forces mobilized include both Expeditionary Forces (Corps size units devoted to fight abroad).

No information will be released on why their readiness has been raised.

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In other developments, the brand new Torrent-class arsenal ship has been integrated into both of the expeditionary fleets being mobilized. Each fleet receives one of the vessels.

Also, a brand new fast attack submarine, its identification unknown to the world, will be joining the 1st Battle Fleet. It is the first of its series and still in the prototype phase. A second vessel is being built. The submarine will perform active testing with its new propulsion systems and its new torpedo, an unconventional design, so far unseen (by the ARSB) in the NS world. Also to be tested will be its new system for reducing sound, another revolutionary design unseen in the NS world.

And finally, the newly refitted Kasatanov-class SSBNs, some now classified as SSGNs, are being integrated into the 1st Battle Fleet. Three SSGNs and two SSBNs are being added.

Location: Pacific Ocean
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Aboard the RNS Red Tide, a 1.21-class fast attack SSN...

The impatient sonar officer, a young ensign, propped himself up on the console in front of the screen with his two elbows, his jaw resting in his hands... He had a headset around his neck but was watching the screen, showing all types of sound waves and reverberations... A raw input line continuously shook near the top, a second line, which was the secondary filter line, was stationary... The primary line, near the bottom, moved occasionally, each time it was confirmed it was an ARSB ship maneuvering nearby. The sonar officer glanced up at the ranking officer on deck, a chiseled commander who spoke hurredly into a radio, relaying signals to a nearby destroyer... The commander pulled the receiver from his ear and handed to the radio operator. A look of disgust was on his face as he leaned against the bulkhead...

The sonar officer glanced up at him and waved him over... The commander sighed and headed over... "What is it Ensign?"

The ensign removed his head phones from around his neck and placed them on the console... "When is that new sub supposed to show up for trials?"

The commander sighed... Closed his eyes for a second and opened them... "It was already here... And... This sub is right now supposed to be at the bottom of the sea... Along with half of the 1st Battle Fleet..."

The ensign's jaw dropped... He then quickly collected himself together... "But how? When?"

The commander shrugged... "We didn't get any passive sonar readings off of it... Not a single ship in the fleet did."

The ensign cocked an eyebrow... "But why didn't we hear it when they fired? During trials aren't they supposed to act like they fired their torps... At least make the noise like one?"

The commander nodded... "It did... Its that damn new torpedo... Some new firing method. They don't have any actual prototypes yet, so they're working on the basis of it and the noises it would make when being readied for launch... I think they call it the 'Flounder'... Whatever the hell that's supposed to mean..."

The ensign's jaw dropped once again. A silent sub? And a silent torpedo? It had to be false... There's no way... As the commander walked away, the ensign leaned back in his chair... He had not heard a single murmur in the waves... Well, none that would be classified as a submarine...


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Meanwhile... At the Golden Plains Testing Facility (southern Soviet Bloc)...

The brand new ST-19, Soviet Bloc's 7th Generation main battle tank is running trials... Built off of the ST-11s chassis and sharing its exterior design, the ST-19 is a far different tank on the inside... With a redesigned main 145mm Electro-Thermal cannon providing greater accuracy, destructive power, and greater efficiency, the ST-19 literally dominates any other tank on the battlefield.


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Also, the 1st Battle Fleet is remaining at its current position while the two expeditionary fleets maintain their current position off of the coast of South Africa.