NationStates Jolt Archive

[N.B! Beth Gellert is now part of a closed RP-community known as A Modern World. Anyone may comment on items within this thread, but direct IC interaction with those outside AMW must be limited so as not to disrupt that RPing community.]

State media serving the Igovian Soviet Commonwealth of Beth Gellert, Iskra! has lately boosted its distribution around the globe, allowing everyone to see the benefits of communist utopia as follows a proper economic, political, social, and industrial evolution! Now for some of...that.

Soviets’ faith shaken as Final Senate blunders over navy

An article appearing in the last edition of Igovian Soviet Commonwealth state-paper ISKRA! (The Spark) highlighted an issue of significant embarrassment for the new Igovian regime. The Commonwealth Final Senate deliberated for days on the proper titles of the new revolutionary armed forces, eventually agreeing upon Igovian Soviet Navy for the primary maritime branch.

Unfortunately, as comrade Arianrhod Jones-Jones, Iskra! journalist, points-out in her latest report, the moniker ISN is already in use.

“So what?” One may very well ask- Gelert already has a grave, in Wales, and that didn’t stop us naming our country for it!

Well, in this case, the previous user of the initials ISN is none other than the Incorporated States Navy, primary military force of the Incorporated States of Andaman and Nicobar!

Not only is the tag already in use, but by another navy, and one counting the very same ocean as its primary theatre of operations.

What has really made the situation embarrassing and potentially politically sensitive is the long-running history of conflict between the economically polarised Indian Ocean neighbour states of communist Beth Gellert and free market capitalist Andaman and Nicobar.

It is in living memory that the ISN (that’s the Incorporated States Navy) came into being after a conflict with the CPN (that was the Commonwealth People’s Navy) over the Parmis Archipelago. A tiny island chain southeast of the British Indian Ocean Territory, Parmis was annexed by The Nicobar Islands in what was taken as a direct threat to Beth Gellert akin to the USA placing ballistic missiles on the southern shores of the Black Sea. Much as the USSR forced an American climb-down by placing missiles in Cuba, The Commonwealth repulsed TNI’s aggressive capitalist ambitions in a daring commando assault that liberated the archipelago. Concurrently, The Nicobar Islands were attacked by the Azazians who would force a humiliating peace that lead unfortunately to the later annexation of the Andaman Islands and creation of the Incorporated States. This of course birthed the ISN (Incorporated States Navy), a fact that was apparently lost on The Final Senate when re-naming Beth Gellen forces following the Igovian coup of earlier this year.

Comrade Supreme Admiral Katerina Ivolgin stated that the service would be re-named one final time, so that this sort of thing shan’t happen again. Thus is born the Soviet People’s Navy...

Iskra!: Igovian Soviet Defence Forces in review

Since the return of Igovian socialism and its strong-arm approach to the revolution –something much missed under The People’s Commonwealth- Beddgelen investment in defence technologies and support has been estimated at a yearly value in excess of one trillion US dollars*.

With these resources and the inherent communistic tendency to self-sufficiency, it surely comes as no surprise to see an ever-increasing proliferation through the armed forces of advanced defence systems of domestic design. Some of these systems are this week going on display for Commonwealth comrades to enjoy and understand and, in the Beddgelen tradition, for the whole world to observe.

At Fort Brennus, Igovian Soviet Army and Soviet People’s Air Force assets shall parade and display, while in the Sea of Rama off Porthmadog, from where revolutionary heroes went into action at Salvador, the Soviet People's Navy is to assemble.

Major items of interest at Fort Brennus include the first public views of the Loviatar battlefield-defence surface-to-air missile system and Beth Gellert’s first indigenous helicopter gunship, the Ja-36 Yellowbat. Much controversy surrounds the Loviatar, which is said to have been developed with the help of 3rd-world Lusaka, a nation not only hampered in technological pursuits by its abject poverty, but now labouring under apparently dictatorial rule. Display of the NT4E Hobgoblin-Export air superiority fighter, sold already to one foreign government, is another talking point, while Porthmadog is set to witness the launch for sea trials of the much talked-about Gull Flag Class fire-support ship, a big vessel due to replace the Trebuchet frigates.

*Nb. BG is played with a population in the order of three hundred million rather than the listed figure, which is in excess of three trillion and deemed totally unmanageable.

... launch for sea trials of the much talked-about Gull Flag Class fire-support ship...

((Ha! Found it! You'd be surprised how many threads the search 'Gull Flag' turns up. At any rate, I'm sure there was much shifting and twiddling of thumbs on the Shield at this announcement.

..Yeah, I could have just used the 'suscribe to thread' feature, but dammit, this is more fun.))

(Ah! I keep forgetting about my own threads! And what on earth? I seem to be in the wrong account. Erm. I believe there's also mention and some specification on the Gull Flag Class in my (painfully slowly) growing factbook thread. I had more, but people are dropping things all around me and I simply have to investigate...)

ISKRA!: ISA takes delivery of fourth generation of native battletanks!

SEB MT-4 HATHI MBT
Primary Builder: September Fort Brennus Heavy Lorry Plant
Crew- 4 (commander, driver, gunner, loader)
Weight- 59,850kg combat
Length- 10.12m gun forwards, 7.4m hull
Width- 3.6m
Height- 2.34m
Engine- 1,450hp diesel
Fuel- 1,610 litres
Top Speed- 72kph (45mph) road, 42kph (26mph) cross country
Road Range- 485km+ (300miles+); 600km+ (373miles+) with extra fuel tank
Trench- 3m
Vertical Obstacle- 1m
Fording- 1.4m
Main Armament- 126mm BGMKIV smoothbore gun with dual-axis stabilisation, firing HEAT-MP, APFSDS(-T), smoke, practice, BRES BGAM Totem-3 anti-tank guided missile; -9 +18 degrees elevation; fume extractor and thermal sleeve standard
Fire Control- laser range-finder, ballistic computer with manual override, thermal imaging night sight, stabilised panoramic sight for the tank commander, and a secondary telescopic sight; fire-on-the-move capable at night.
Secondary Armament- co-axial 11x72mm machinegun, 11x72mm anti-aircraft machinegun, 2x3 smoke-grenade dischargers
Ammunition- 36x126mm, 5xATGM, 1,200x11mm, 6xsmoke grenades fire-ready, 10xVAPS grenades fire-ready (aerosol and explosive included)
Armour- rolled homogenous steel, composite front and turret
Other defence systems- NBC suite, JOS-VAPS vehicle active protection system with laser-threat warning receivers and infrared jammer, LS-DW “Mirror” laser self-defence weapon, automatic fire and explosion detection and suppression system.
Notes on defence systems- MT-4 mounts a laser self-defence weapon, Mirror, which is similar to the one first deployed by MT-3. The turret rotates to face the threat once the vehicle’s LWR detects hostile activity enabling the LS-DW to seek out the source optics with a low-power laser beam. With the target acquired the power of said laser-beam is rapidly and substantially increased attacking sensitive optical equipment and/or human eyes at the source of the initial laser threat. This system is said to be effective up to at least five kilometres, and may be employed against helicopter as well as land-based threats.
VAPS, built by JOS, is an advanced integrated computerised grenade discharging system that deploys an aerosol screen if the crew does not immediately react to a LWR alert (though of course this system may be manually over-ridden before hand) and launches grenades against incoming projectiles detected by 360 degree radar. Its hard-kill aspect is effective against rocket-propelled grenades, advanced anti-tank guided missiles, and most impressively effects significant reduction of the penetration ability of kinetic energy projectiles. The soft-kill aspect with microprocessor technology links and co-ordinates JOS-VAPS and Mirror with regards to MT-4’s laser threat warning receivers (as the latter system is unable to operate while the aerosol screen deployed by the former is in use). The grenade-deployed aerosol screen takes just two or three seconds to form and lasts for around ten times that long, making it especially useful against ATGMs launched from extreme range and having long flight times. The soft-kill systems also include the tank’s electro-optical jammer, which emits continuous coded-pulsed infrared jamming against the threat of detected laser designators, range-finders, and semi-automatic command-to-line-of-sight ATGWs.
MT-4 can inject diesel fuel into the exhaust to create a smoke screen.
Service- 1,200 unit production run under way as MT-4 replaces MT-3 in Igovian Soviet Army service. Total production likely to pass three thousand units.


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v148/Chivtv/NS1/arjun0252.jpg
The first of many! MT-4 main battle tanks roll-out for the public at Hyderabad Fort Brennus

ISKRA!: Igovian clarity a myth? Commonwealth in two minds over Asian crises

When the Igovian Soviet Commonwealth was re-established, comrades Graeme and Sopworth Igo assured the Beddgelen masses that the wishy-washy indecision and international obscurity of the People’s Commonwealth was a thing of the past. Comrades were assured that Beth Gellert would take a stand for the revolution and force progress in Asia and beyond while never being drawn-in to other than potentially progressive situations.

Now, just months later, speakers at Local Senate meetings across the ISCBG raise questions about the actuality of these words. Beddgelens have seen public works increasingly turned to the production of military systems and can be in no doubt that the Igovian Soviet People’s Defence Forces are amongst Asia’s most wonderfully equipped and supported in material terms. But what are they doing? Everybody enjoys the spectacle of a grand communist military parade as it snakes along under the Indian sun, and Beddgelens sleep securely in their beds, but beyond The Commonwealth, Asia is in turmoil and revolutionaries cry-out for help as reactionary fury spreads terror.

Thousands wonder why Beth Gellert hasn’t taken direct action against its oppressive, imperialistic, murderous South Asian neighbour, Bonstock, even after that nation’s latest atrocities and the outbreak of war between it and more progressive states. And while some express surprise in the failure to deploy anti-ballistic-missile systems to anti-Bonstockian nations, others wonder at the delay in handing effective MT-3 battle tanks to the Choson People’s Republic now that MT-4 is becoming available to The Commonwealth.

It now appears that the Commonwealth Professional Civil Service and Igovian dynasty itself will be forced to back an upsurge in action before the Army takes action without official authorisation, acting as comrade General Kivi Eikki Paatelainen put it, “by the implicit will of the people”.

((OOC; Ha you! Sorry couldnt help it, had to greet a friend, ;) ))

ISCBG warms to role as the revolution's international armourer

In a joint effort with state factories in the Choson People's Republic, the Igovian Soviet Commonwealth has developed a fighter aircraft for high-rate production in defence of the revolution's most intensely threatened frontiers.

Following comrade Graeme Igo's latest series of lectures, Igovians have increasingly come to believe that they must take a more serious role in arming the world's threatened revolutionary peoples. It is, as comrade Igo says, "a struggle for public versus private ownership and for direct versus representative democracy" which now drives the Soviets. This is the nature of our current global contest and the test of our revolutionary metal.

Programme: NT6(E)/S-12 programme represents a rare joint venture between the ISCBG and the CPRD to create a multi-role fighter to compete with modern combat jets likely to be faced over Korea, suitable for high-rate mass production. The “Miggen” is so nicknamed because it combines some of the production techniques and technologies used in Dra-pol to produce MiG-21 variants and in Beth Gellert to –formerly- create licence-built Viggens for the Principality-era air force.
NT6(E) is the Igovian nomenclature, S-12 the Drapoel, and the (E) present in the former is helping to fuel speculation over plans for wider export of the cheap little aircraft.

Capabilities: S-12 will be somewhat more difficult to produce than are aircraft like the S-5 presently churned out by the CPRD’s factories, but much easier than other modern combat jets.
The aircraft’s strike ability is limited mainly to carrying out what are being called harassing attacks as opposed to precision bombing or missile strikes, and its range is not especially great. This shortcoming is not deemed important in the small theatre of intended operation and contributes to the fighter’s small frame, great agility, and high sprint speed.
With proven swing-wing technology and good power-to-weight ratios, S-12 is designed for relatively short take-off and landing runs appropriate to service with the PAAF.
S-12’s search and tracking radar is superior to that deployed on current Drapoel Fishbeds and Flagons, able to cope with fighter-size targets more than thirty kilometres away, but does not approach front-line 1st world fighters in that respect. It is meant by S-12’s introduction to expand the PAAF’s beyond-visual-range engagement ability beyond a mere five squadrons of imported fighters without compromising the force’s significant numerical strength as would result from competing like for like with the enemy. The radar suite can handle tracking of eight targets and guide missiles against two at a time.
It is unlikely that NT6(E) shall see service as a fighter in Beth Gellert, as current Igovian interceptors already have superior target handling abilities.

NT6(E)/S-12 Multi-Role Joint Fighter “Miggen”
Technical Data-
Role: Multi-role fighter
Primary Builder: Joint project carried out between MaL and JaF Beth Gellert and Factory 5-2-3 Pyongyang and Factory 5-1-2 Kanggye Dra-pol
Crew: One
Dimensions: length 13.2m/36.2ft; span 8.4m/23ft wings swept, 11.3m/31ft wings extended
Weight: 5,943kg/13,102lb empty, 9,924kg/21,878lb maximum takeoff
Powerplant: One T6E afterburning turbojet for 4,263kg/9,398lb dry and 7,644kg/16,852lb wet. Second afterburn for 10,082kg/22,227lb creates extreme engine wear and can only be used for a couple of minutes
Maximum Speed: Mach 2.25 at altitude, Mach 1.4 at sea level
Ceiling: 17,000m/55,775ft
Range: 840km/522miles without drop tanks
Armament: 2x30mm lightweight aviation cannon plus 1,850kg/4,080lb of external stores on five pylons- practice, 32kg, 54kg, 225kg, 250kg, 450kg, 500kg and cluster free-fall bombs, napalm tanks, 8x57mm, 6x80mm and 4x122mm rocket pods, single 240mm rockets, DXJ2 ECM pod, DRAR-1 SRAAM, DRAB ASRAAM, R-40/AA-6 Acrid MRAAM, R-24/AA-7 Apex MRAAM, Loviatar-A AMRAAM
Notes: T6E engine results from Igovian efforts to make use of existing Drapoel production facilities related to that nation’s domestic Fishbed variants in producing an up-rated MiG-21-type powerplant equivalent to the Tumansky R-25-300 used on late model Fishbeds that did not reach either nation. It is very reliable under normal and afterburning operation, suffering only from prolonged use of the so-called second afterburn capacity.
NT6(E)/S-12 is equipped with an ejector seat not very different from those seen in some MiG-21s and with a fairly basic autopilot enabling the aircraft to recover in the event of pilot disorientation.




http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v148/Chivtv/NS1/miggen.jpg

Following an international report that branded Beth Gellert's famously politicised youth as criminals, Iskra! agencies have taken to placing cameras in willing Phalansteries springing up across the Igovian Soviet Commonwealth. Shockingly, one did actually pick-up a horrific incident of young rebellion, culminating in an attempt to involve the international body responsible for yesterday's report.

Smertin-Kumble 28th November Phalanstery, Porthmadog
"Where the hell is the radio?"
"Young Davey's got it."
"Oh, okay then."
"Hahaha! My radio!"
"Yeah, okay, we can all hear it."
"But... I have it!"
"That's okay, we have community of goods, you can have it any time, there's plenty where that came from."
"But... but... I'm doing drugs!"
"Yup, the ones I harvested for us last week, you like?"
"Yeah... well, I spray painted slogans on your door, did you see that?"
"Yes, I spray painted a rebuttal on yours."
"Damn it! Well, I'm not going to attend the Local Senate and have my say! Nyeh nyeh!"
"Oh! I'm calling the UN, you little hellion!"

Truly shaking footage, comrades.

“Moral capitalism” Is it possible? The comrade Igo Discussions

Comrade Graeme Igo is a man famous across many nations –infamous in others- as the Grandfather of the Igovian Revolution. A communist of global significance, Igo has long advocated and driven radical reform in both economy and governance.
This week he was scheduled to speak at Seoul University in the Choson People’s Republic, but after, “somebody” learned of his intended subject matter (previously said to have been, “false democracy and the revolution” ), Igo was convinced to stay away. Speculation over GSIC (Gelert Sentinels Intelligence Co-operative) involvement was quite high, but nobody cared to follow it up, since it seemed best that Graeme stay at home, anyway.
He spoke instead at the Green Tower in The Village at Portmeirion.

“...We have confused the struggle for freedom with that for evolutionary progression, which is something that always shall happen no matter who resists it.” Said Igo.

“In fighting for freedom and progress, the distinction between the implements of trade and governance became blurred before us. We saw, thanks to our Igovian Soviet theology, direct democracy as inherently a communist device, and were sure that communist economics must come with our pure democracy.

“But I wonder, must it be so? The struggle for freedom may be primarily political and later economic. The capitalists of the world, as our former Principality, tend to be misguided and to rely upon representative democracy as their implement of governance. It is then easy for their dictatorial elements to practice evil capitalist economics. Likewise, a communist society without direct democracy may practice evil communist economics. If we had so chosen, during the Igovian dictatorship that followed the revolution, Beth Gellert may have withheld its technical advancement from less developed communistic states with which we traded. We may have used our production power to monopolise the balance between smaller states, refusing to share our massively extracted raw materials with state A unless it gave us the lion’s share of its own unique materials rather than allowing it to address the need of state B! We did not, because direct democracy was implemented and the masses could not stomach the prospect of betraying their fellows abroad.
“With our direct democracy established, should we not re-assess the viability of capitalist economics and the possibility of their fair and equal practice?”

“No! No!” Cried Igo’s own son, Sopworth. “I can not believe that the Grandfather of the Igovian Revolution would advocate such policies as would leave whole peoples vulnerable to subjugation as their industries –and as such their exportable means- collapse!”

“But that is what the comrade asks us to address! Is he not right that our own economic system could be wielded with such immorality as the capitalist sort, were it not for our political implement?” Interjected a third person attending the debate.

“The capitalist system enables interest-laden debts...”

“...it is only by our democratic morality that we do not demand undue recompense for what developmental aid...”

“...It is more basic than that! Capitalism would attack our community of goods, this is not purely a matter of the viability of international trade, it involves our very way of life!”

“We could discuss a balance of communal ownership and capital-oriented trade, perhaps?”

“What? No, any moral capitalism is doomed to collapse in a world of false-democracy and immoral capitalism. We would be out-competed by those with no regard for others’ freedom.”

And the debate would go on for some time without quorum.

CPCS proposes International Trade Commune

Beddgelen communism was facing a potential crisis following Graeme Igo’s controversial theorising on “moral capitalism” in which the so-called grandfather of the Igovian Revolution implied that Beddgelens had confused the separate fights for political and economic freedom. Responding hurriedly to address some of the potential problems that had caused Igo’s latest speeches, the Commonwealth Professional Civil Service has moved to stabilise trade in the communist world.

Commonwealth Chief Consul comrade Chivo spoke at the Green Tower in The Village at Portmeirion, making an initial announcement to the people of the Igovian Soviet Commonwealth.

“Comrades, not so many years ago Beth Gellert with false democracy and wasteful, divisive economics, much as most of the world continues to tolerate today. We of the Commonwealth have completed the destruction of representative, false democracy and enjoy the freedom of direct, true democracy. We have only begun the struggle against the obsolete economic system that accompanied our former style of governance.

“It is for this reason that the Igovian Soviet Commonwealth calls for its international comrades to establish a congress for international trade such as may complete our emancipation and birth a better world for all.

“We must struggle to encourage and assist the abolition of currency-based consumer culture with all of its waste and inequality, its decadence and immorality. We can and should work together to strengthen economies across the communist world, thus protecting the revolution’s achievements and reducing the scepticism of pre-revolutionaries in the capitalist world.”

And so the Igovian Soviet Commonwealth decided to invite the world’s post-capitalist economies to discuss their trade arrangements with a view to separating the more evolved and moral communist world from reliance upon the primitive and exploitative capitalist.

(OOC: I don’t know how many currency-free economies we have in A Modern World as yet, or whether any potentially communist economies will be able to consider the abolition of currency based on such a congress as this, but feel free to chip in, eh?)

Soviet People's Navy confirms decommission of two Flotillas, unveils the future realised

Long have the rumours abounded. The Commonwealth was set to reduce its maritime force's core of four Battle Flotillas and four Assault Flotillas by removing one of each. Today the speculation ended with Supreme Admiral comrade Katerina Ivolgin announcing that the 1st Battle and 103rd Assault flotillas would indeed by putting-in for the last time. This monumental action means the withdrawal of four fleet carriers, eight light assault/helicopter carriers, two Gull Flag Class bombardment vessels, up to thirty fleet-defence and ten hunter frigates, and possibly even two squadrons (sixteen hulls) of nuclear submarines. With significant associated reduction in various fleet tenders, this could represent easily a million tonnes of fleet reduction, and probably rather more, along with several hundred aircraft and hands in the tens of thousands. Ivolgin assured her audience that the two sixty-thousand tonne Ysbyty Class hospital ships associated with the cut fleets would remain on the books, as they did not always operate as part of fleet functions, anyway.
Even supposing a more than actually demanding maintenance rota, the Supreme Admiral insisted that the ISCGB would still have the capacity to operate major fleet and divisional forces under hostile conditions in two far-flung theatres at any one time, "and that is without regard for today's secondary announcements." Assuming maximum reductions, the SPN will still have a good five hundred hulls discounting Commonwealth Fighting Coast Guard assets that include missile boats and diesel-electric submarines, and Home Fleet Training and Sciences Co-operative assets in excess of a hundred hulls.

Then came the second announcement, something also the subject of speculation after major works were initiated at Alaric (Galle) and Porthmadog (Madras), and an incredible spectacle that well explained other fleet reductions and the Admiralty's earlier assertion that cuts were not the order of business so much as was restructuring.

As crowds looked out over the Bay of Bengal from their assembly at the coast not far from New Gibborim (Cuttack), their gaze was greeted by the spray-shrouded approach of a dragon. This great serpant was, Ivolgin explained, a Red Dragon named Cordelia. She was the child of March Alaric Aviation and August Shipbuilding Porthmadog, the MaL-AshPo co-operative, and her charge obscured the progress in her wake of two relatively diminutive but elsewhere breathtaking juniors. "Further fruit of the MaL-AshPo co-operation" said the Supreme Admiral, pointing out the pair of Dwrgi Ground Effect Vehicles coming into view behind the gigantic Cordelia.

The Commonwealth's age of industrial and technical ambition was truly arrived. While ashore the whole of Beddgelen society reorganised itself into vast palaces of the people and the economy continued to surge ahead of the competition and decades old coal-burning powerplants came down left and right, replaced by huge hydroplants and advanced nuclear powerstations, at sea the MaL-AshPo co-operation was mirroring that contemporary Igovian confident ambition. And perhaps the arrogance.

The "little" Dwrgi-T/P vehicles coming in to port were each above 65metres long, not so very far from a Jumbo Jet's equivalent dimension, while the span was but half of the 747's. Specifications were later released by Portmeirion, which decalred that the vehicles were not only incredibly capable and hugely impressive in a physical sense, but also extremely fuel efficient compared to conventional air craft, which was in line with Beddgelen enviromental doctrine.

MaL/AshPo Dwrgi-T/P Ground Effect Vehicle
Technical Data-
Role: Assault and medium-life tactical transport, anti-submarine patrol and anti-ship warfare, civilian transport
Primary Builders: March Alaric Aviation Plant and August Shipbuilding Porthmadog
Dimensions: length 65.2m/214ft span 32.6m/107ft
Weight: 154,438kg/152tons
Powerplant: Two 5,000kg T6D turbofans in fuselage and two Pheidippides turboprops on tail
Speed: 435kph/270mph maximum, 385kph/240mph cruise
Range: 4,000km/2,485miles/2,187nm
Cargo Capacity: Dwrgi-T 220 troops and 25tons/25,400kg (often a CICV), or 350 troops, or 50,000kg
Armament: Dwrgi-T dual 30mm BG cannon or 76mm QF cannon in turret on fuselage top. Dwrgi-P 2xCharioteer anti-shipping missiles, Type-3B-Mk2 305mm torpedoes
Notes: Dwrgi-T is an assault and transport vehicle with unloading ramp, Dwrgi-P is an armed version primarily for coastal defence.
Dwrgi (otter) vents exhaust under its wings in order to increase lift and assist take-off, and to reduce heat signature.
Service: Going into mass production, Dwrgi is expected to serve by the dozen or perhaps even in the hundreds, defending Beddgelen waters and taking part in rapid reaction deployments in the region. There are stated plans to produce an unarmed civilian version based on Dwrgi-T for cargo and civilian transport, with a view to Dwrgi replacing current conventional flights into western Marimaia specifically.

MaL/AshPo Red Dragon Ground Effect Vehicle
Technical Data-
Role: Heavy lift long-range strategic transport
Primary Builders: March Alaric Aviation Plant and August Shipbuilding Porthmadog
Dimensions: length 165m/542ft span 67m/219.8ft
Weight: 5,020,000kg/4,940tons
Powerplant: Ten Traedycawr 55,000kg turbofans, four T6D 5,000kg turbofans located in fuselage, plus manoeuvring thrusters
Speed: 640kph/400mph maximum, 510kph/320mph cruise
Range: 21,000km/11,000miles/9,680nm
Cargo Capacity: 1,425,000kg/1,400tons or 1,120,000kg/1,100tons plus 2,000 troops, or over 3,000 troops
Armament: Various countermeasures. Provision for mounting/carriage of cannons, torpedoes, mines, rockets, cruise missiles, anti-ship missiles, SAMs
Notes: Planned to enter service after the disbanding of one SPN Assault Flotilla and one Battle Flotilla, providing rapid deployment of large scale forces anywhere on earth, the Red Dragons are meant to identify the ISCBG as the world's foremost superpower, reminding the world that the revolution will be protected. The vehicle can deliver cargo at the expense of less than half the fuel per kilo of conventional aircraft, and although a very much larger degree of thrust is required by take-off than cruise, the ratio is still favourable next to conventional aircraft. The 'aircraft' will use standard maritime harbour facilities, by and large, and use thrusters to manoeuvre in port.
Service: Cordelia is undergoing sea trials, and two further craft are presently under construction at Alaric and Porthmadog, to be named Red Dragon and Morgana, with Creiddylad, and Coventina proposed.

[Bump for interest, you fellow AMWerereres]

People's Kosmonautical Co-operative in major scientific and diplomatic coup!

"This may in future be remembered as an historic day" said Commonwealth Chief Consul comrade Chivo to a large gathering at the capital's Green Tower, "in which Russia and India lowered their knives again, for the first time since the collapse of the USSR."

These comments come as Beddgelen technicians prepare to leave the Igovian Soviet Commonwealth for the Kosmodrome at Kazakhstan, reputedly on their way to take part in a major deal, in which their part will be the completion of Russia's second, unfinished An-225 Mriya (or Cossak to the west). It has been reported by comrades attenting Final Senate meetings on the issue that Portmeirion is in the closing stages of negotiation with Moscow, in a deal that will see the world's largest aircraft transfered to the Igovian Soviet Commonwealth and put back into service.

What has given rise to greater speculation is the fact that the An-225 was meant to be used in transporting Russia's reusable orbiters, or shuttles, of the Buran programme. It is an especially odd accquisition, if it is indeed completed as planned, since Beth Gellert's recent deployment of much larger and more efficient wing-in-ground-effect aircraft able to carry out most of the Mriya's alternate transport duties. Is The Commonwealth, then, also to take-over Russia's abandoned reusable orbiter programme? The PKC is known to have shown interest in the two Burans said to have been near completion when the financial plug was pulled some years ago, and enthusiasts point to the clearing of ground in southern Victoria (Sri Lanka) about the closest to the equator that any part of the ISCBG ranges (making it potentially ideal for orbital mission launches).

Phalansteries and Local Civil Service Co-operatives have begun the process of gradually re-assigning their work-forces so as to free-up skilled manpower and resources for long-term assistance (the term "aid" has been dropped as it was deemed to sound almost patronising) in recovering strained aspects of Russian life, with most observers theorising that Beth Gellert actually plans to help Moscow to maintain and repair its decaying military might. This would surely be a highly contentious issue in the Commonwealth, but one we can imagine being supported for the sake of warming chilly relations and counter balancing European monarchist rising without a direct Igovian deployment.

The Russian government has not released a public statement on the issue, but several leaks seem to indicate that they have enthusiastically supported the Beddgellens. This is further compounded by the recent emigration of several key Russian rocket scientists to Kazakhstan, and the Kosmodrome. It is expected that initial work will begin there, as two Buran space shuttles, incomplete, of course, were shipped to Kazakhstan, along with the An-225s, which are to be completed and used for longer term transport. In other news, Russia's top generals are expected to begin talks with Igovian military officials. The Boss, who, despite being both the War Secretary and Supreme Commander, will not be attending, as she is leading Russian forces against Tsarist rebels in Bryansk. While information remains scanty on the various insurgencies in Russia, it is reported that the Communists controlling St. Petersburg have made quiet inquiries with the Beth Gellert government for aid...

Russia rises in Igovian consciousness

Beth Gellert's hundred thousand open Local Senates have seen much debate centring on Russia in recent days, as many comrades claim to have been contacted, through friends and relatives, by Soviets in Russia, desperately seeking Beddgelen support.

Others meanwhile have shown more concern for the People's Kosmonautical Co-operative's exciting ventures in regard to former USSR space capabilities, which they fear would be upset by Igovian interest in communistic breakaway movements in Russia.

It appears that the Commonwealth Professional Civil Service may be investigating with Russia the possibility of deploying Igovian observers, and possibly Gelert Sentinels Intelligence Co-operative agents into Russia, specifically communistic areas, though the likely conflict of interests may continue to plague these efforts. It is clear that many Igovians would like observers to assess the Russian communists for their viability as allies, observing the validity of their claims to communist economics and, more importantly, their practices in pursuit of democracy and the standards of civil liberties in communistic areas. Others meanwhile hope to see Igovian agents mediating a peaceful compromise to end much of the violence in Russia, with one comrade even suggesting that the Igovian state offer to help committed Russian communists re-settle in small communities in Russia's vast extent where they would not disrupt the existing state and its economy as they do by dominating St.Petersburg.

Members of the armed forces and of several state defence factories meanwhile are reputed to have flown, aboard Marathon transport aircraft, to Kazakhstan and Moscow, possibly to begin assessing what the Commonwealth can do to restore Russia's military self-sufficiency, something that many hope will, by extension, help Lavrageria.

Sentinel Project 5 complete: venerable Hound Class submarines slated for withdrawal

Since the late 1960s, Beth Gellert has been a military power significant enough to operate submarines. However, the Hound Class Diesel-Electric patrol and attack submarine that represented that milestone almost forty years ago under the Principality is still the only none-nuclear submarine to have served the Beddgelen military and continues to protect the new Commonwealth's shores to this day. Exported to the Choson People's Republic of Dra-pol, the Hound has become somewhat infamous for attacks on international shipping in the Sea of Japan and the Yellow Sea, a fact that has possibly impacted on the Commonwealth's decision to halt military aid to the northern Korean state.

During its lifetime, the Hound received few upgrades until the rise of Commonwealth, which saw a significant overhaul enabling the twelve hundred tonne boats to launch 517mm Type-1B MkII heavy torpedoes and Qian Wei missiles built in conjunction with the CPRD (though it should be noted that the hulls exported to that nation were pre-refit and armed still with 485mm torpedoes).

At long last, however, the time has come to replace the Hounds in Soviet service with a more capable machine. After a lengthy development programme, Sentinel Submarine Project 5 has yielded a successor in the form of the Ortiagon Class patrol and attack submarine.

Technical Data
Role: Coastal patrol, minelaying, counter ship and submarine warfare
Complement: 32
Length: 70.35m
Displacement: 2,310tons submerged
Maximum Dive Depth: 375m
Propulsion: Two AShPo Air-Independent Propulsion systems and two diesel engines, single shaft
Maximum Speed: 21knots submerged, 12knots surfaced; two weeks 6knot cruise under AIP without snorkeling
Range: 9,500nm at 8knots
Armament: 4 tubes for 517mm Type-1B MkII anti-sub/ship torpedoes and Qian Wei anti-ship missiles, 12 carried; 2 tubes for anti-ship 670mm Type-4A MkI capital torpedoes, 4 carried; mines, up to 30 carried instead of torpedoes and missiles; station for 4 SAMs, Sumpit and Terrier
Stealth Features: AIP systems mounted on elastic supports in soundproof modules; low-noise propeller; hull form and appendages designed to reduce hydrodynamic disturbance; mounting of equipment on elastic supports and on uncoupled blocks and suspended platforms increases both stealth and shock-protection; torpedoes can be self-launched, starting-up inside the tubes for quieter launch.
Notes: AShPo AIP System means that Ortiagon is able to spend two or three times longer operating silently at depth and less time near the surface recharging its batteries.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v148/Chivtv/NS1/ortiagonclass.jpg

In all, the Ortiagon Class is around four knots faster underwater relative to the Hound, has improved stealth features in all regards, is able to remain operational below water for much longer and to spend less time near or on the surface, has a greater range, improved communications equipment, better fire-control, more efficient diesel engines, and the ability to fire new Type-4A MkI capital torpedoes likely inspired by the on-going insistance of small imperialists on commanding large battleships. The vessel also has multiple-target handling abilities.

OCC: Ah, finally withdrawing those Hounds, are you, BG?

That reminds me...Hindustan really needs to build something in the way of a capable navy. I suppose the ten Bihar AIP boats are a step in the right direction, but thats ten relatively inexpensive coastal defense vessels to your what, 64 SSNs?

And I claim to have some of the best shipyards on the planet at my disposal...

Yes, the Commonwealth has sixty-four Anunkai Class eight-thousand ton nuclear submarines with cruise missile capacity. There had been plans to reduce the number to forty-eight, but on seeing that the Chinese have three hundred nuclear submarines to our seventy-one (with seven SSBNs), we decided against it...

Plans had been to keep seven SSBNs (with some talk of withdrawing one or two for conversion to SSGN/special ops a la the American idea) and just forty-eight nuclear attack subs, plus a number of conventional Hound replacements fewer than the Hound's sixty. We'd have had near one hundred submarines, outnumbered three to one by China's nuclear subs alone.

The new plan is to keep all seven SSBNs as they are, likewise all sixty-four SSNs, and to replace the sixty Hounds with a similar number of Ortiagon. About one hundred and thirty-one submarines all told. Oh, plus a handful of none-specific mini-subs for science and rescue roles.

Needless to say, the Commonwealth would be greatly relieved to see Hindustan's military moving towards its own levels, because with China's three hundred nuclear subs (to our seventy-one), sixteen carriers (to our twelve plus twenty-four light/assault types), forty-eight arsenal ships (to our, er, well we've six gun-support ships), hundred cruisers (to our none), eighty-five destroyers (to our none), three hundred and fifty none-specified LCVs (to our hundred and twenty frigates -less one lost- and yet undecided number of corvettes), we haven't got space to worry about Russia, Roycelandia, Quinntonia, United Elias, or the Holy League.

[cries]

This is why we're okay with Hindustan buying British instead of Soviet! India needs more friends.

Edit: Oh, and yeah, if you happen to want late 60s vintage patrol/attack submarines, we've accounted for three in sales to Lusaka already, leaving fifty seven with nothing better to do than be broken-up or stuck on show. We'd donate one to the Itakchi commune, but, uh, that's landlocked :) Get 'em while they're hot and still water-tight! Mh.

(May as well give this a bump for other modernworldererers to see)

When it comes to the Hounds...hmm...perhaps shipbuilding firms would be interested in buying up the scrap?

There's always a market for recycled ships, and Hindustan has some of the world's busiest, if not the world's busiest, shipbuilding complexes. Nevermind the fact that, besides shipbuilding, manufacturing centers on bicycles and mopeds!

:)


Yes, I imagined that Hindustan might well have some big breakers. No doubt we'll strip some and sell the hulks to Bangladeshi breakers, we've sold three operational examples to Lusaka (for a bag of rare lake fish and an Igomo/Olongwe CD, roughly :) ), and if the Anarchos and Lyongians don't come for the rest, they'll end up on a beach in Gujarat or something.

Good and good.

Mind you, Hindustan doesn't have an Alang, but I would wager that, regardless, Hindustan does have some sizable breakers' yards.

Throughout the month, the Soviets in Karnataka and neighbouring Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu have conducted a series of flight tests, notable thanks to the fact that some (or all, for all outside sources can confirm) have occurred -by coincidence or design- during the over-flight of foreign spy satellites, according to their scheduels, which are known to the Soviet Commune.

The aircraft in question has been seen supercruising, and attaining afterburning sprint speeds around Mach 2.9, and has demonstrated bone-crushing climb rates from standing. Several of its tests -or demonstrations- have involved look-down-shoot-down engagements of transonic cruise missiles and drones flying several dozen kilometres from the attacking aircraft, which has also demonstrated sustained fully supersonic flight at low altitude.

Actually prototypes of the Commonwealth's NT7, these interceptors do not break with convention in that -like many machines produced by India's really very young arms industries- they clearly owe a lot to foreign systems. In this case the MiG-31's influence is most evident. The Sopworth-era Commonwealth briefly operated a small number of MiG-25, which were quite soon discarded, and the modern Commonwealth has for sixteen years relied on ground-based gun and missile systems, short-range interceptors, and highly expensive low-signature air superiority fighters for protection against cruise and ballistic missiles, heavy bombers, and low and fast flying attack aircraft. Certainly the likes of NT-5I would have struggled to pursue the likes of the Quinntonian Lancer for long distances at low altitude, and the NT4C would have wasted most of its fighter-oriented abilities by assignment to protect against such threats.

It appears that the new aircraft on show will be a defensive tool combining technologies a generation or two removed from a MiG-25 basis -in the manner of the never fully realised MiG-31M- with Beddgelen innovations such as something possibly related to the Hobgoblin's Sprite-C engines.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v148/Chivtv/NS1/nt7i.jpg

TAGGING for future reference

The HDF views the NT7 program with great interest, especially with Hindustan's newest (and arguably first) advanced fighter aircraft entering squadron service. While the HDF has faith in its SAM batteries' and PAf. 4/8 wings' ability to destroy both high-speed bombers and cruise missiles, there are still four squadrons of Lightning F.7s (HAL-produced) in service as a contingency, with avionics compatible with new BVR missiles and considerably increased endurance.

The HDF considers its greatest responsibility to be anti-shipping, especially with no Chinese border, relatively good relations with Quinntonia, and a French fort sitting offshore, barely out of ASM range. Therefore, high-speed, supersonic, penetrating bombers are not considered to be at the top of the threat list. And while HDF pilots train for such eventualities, they do not aim to pursue, as a single airframe or squadron, such a weapons system for any great distance alone. There is bound to be another squadron in a better intercept position, and the PAf. 4/8 are both capable of engaging targets at ranges in excess of 150 kilometers using the AA-12 missile.

However, the Igovian engineers are informed that a Lightning is available if they want to fly the NT7 against it.