NationStates Jolt Archive

The time had come again for Fleet Week. Layarteb City hosted the first Fleet Week back in 1987, three years after the conquest of the full Province of Layarteb. The original goal was to boost the morale of the civilian population, much as a parade does but the effect was far greater. Millions upon millions of people, mostly young women, flocked ot the streets of Layarteb City as dozens of warships of the Imperial Layartebian Navy pulled into New York Harbor, docked, and flooded the streets with sailors. Bars, clubs, restaurants, and halls all across Manhattan Island were filled to the brim twenty-four hours a day. Fleet Week was a success and, rightfully so, brought in millions of extra dollars of revenue to Manhattan business owners. It went over so well that in 1988, Fleet Week brought in double the amount of people and revenue. It was decided to maintain the event, in May of each year. Now, twenty years later, Fleet Week promised to be better than ever.

Usuall, the Imperial Layartebian Navy and Defense Forces brought in between fifteen and twenty-four vessels. Many of them are open to the public for limited tours. An airshow is conducted. Demonstrations, especially the Marine "invasion" are conducted and for a single week, the entire city, which never sleeps anyway, never even shuts its eyes. Bars are given an exemption and instead of last call being mandatory by 04:30 hours, they're open until 08:00 hours, as a maximum. Crime usually rises but nothing that a surge in the police force can't handle. It kicks off a three month tour, which brings "Fleet Week" from Layarteb City to Norfolk to Charleston to Miami to Havana to Caracas and finally, ending in Panama City. Foreign dignitaries are invited. Foreign vessels appear and Manhattan Island, usually the hub of the world, suddenly becomes the hub of the universe. Fleet Week 2007 would be no exception!

Due to appear from the Imperial Layartebian Navy were fourteen surface ships and from the Imperial Layartebian Defense Forces were four surface ships.

Exhibits

Key
Red: Means that the item will be on static display only
Blue: Means that the item will be on static display but tours/walk arounds are available
Italics: Means that the item will perform at the airshow
Underline: Means that the item will perform at the airshow but there will not be an exhibit

Imperial Layartebian Air Force

A-15A Cobra
B-9C Sphinx
C-17B Globemaster III
C-29A Titan
E-9A AWACS
E-10A MC2A
F-16G Super Falcon
F-16H Super Falcon
F-22B Raptor
F-26A Typhoon
F-31A Tornado ADV
F-32A Foxhound
F-39C Super Eagle
MH-60G Pave Hawk
P-51D Mustang
U-2S Dragon Lady


Imperial Layartebian Defense Forces

Avenger MCM
C-130J Super Hercules
Canaria WHEC
HH-60J Jay Hawk
HH-92E Super Hawk
Leopard Flight II PC
P-7A LRAACA
Raef PC
SH-102A Sky Lord
WC-130J Super Hercules


Imperial Layartebian Marines [Note: For Demonstration Only]

1st Marine Division, 3rd Brigade, 1st Regiment, 2nd Battalion
AH-94B Stalker
CH-53N Super Stallion II
HV-24C Bulldog
UH-95A Super Huey


Imperial Layartebian Navy

CH-53N Super Stallion II
Dnalkrad Flight II FFGN
Earthquake Flight II BBGN
Enterprise CVN
F-14E Super Tomcat
F-35B Raven
HLCAC
Heretic FFGN
HV-24C Bulldog
Indefatigable Flight II DDGN
Independence LCS
KA-3C Skywarrior
Luna CVN
Mexia Flight IV BCN
MH-60S Knight Hawk
MQ-8C Fire Scout
RA-5E Vigilante
San Antonio LPD
Supply AOE
Unforgiven CGN
Verrazano Flight II DDKN
Ynoga CVLN


Summary of Events

Wednesday, May 23

12:00 hrs: Welcome speech by Mayor of Layarteb City
13:30 hrs: Reception for Fleet Admirals @ Waldorf Astoria Hotel
20:00 hrs: Welcome fireworks & dance @ Waldorf Astoria Hotel


Thursday, May 24

10:00 hrs: Opening of all ILN exhibits
12:00 hrs: Officers & Family Luncheon with the Emperor
16:00 hrs: F-14E Super Tomcat Flyover
18:00 hrs: Veterans dinner with the Emperor
19:00 hrs: Closing of all ILN exhibits
21:00 hrs: Sponsors dance @ Waldorf Astoria Hotel


Friday, May 25

10:00 hrs: Opening of all ILN & ILDF exhibits
12:00 hrs: Foreign Dignitaries Luncheon
15:30 hrs: Awards Presentation for Medals & Promotions
19:00 hrs: Closing of all ILN & ILDF exhibits
21:00 hrs: Foreign Dignitaries Dance @ Tower of Luna


Saturday, May 26

10:00 hrs: Opening of all ILN & ILDF exhibits, Airshow gates open
11:00 hrs: Airshow Begins
13:30 hrs: Marine Landing Demonstration
17:00 hrs: Officials dinner with family
17:30 hrs: Airshow Ends
19:00 hrs: Closing of all ILN & ILDF exhibits
21:00 hrs: Fleet Week Galla @ Waldorf Astoria Hotel
21:30 hrs: Fireworks Begin
22:45 hrs: Fireworks End


Sunday, May 27

11:00 hrs: Airshow Begins
12:00 hrs: Special Fleet Week Concert begins
13:30 hrs: Marine Landing Demonstration
16:00 hrs: Concert ends
17:30 hrs: Airshow Ends


Monday, May 28

10:00 hrs: Opening of all ILN & ILDF exhibits
19:00 hrs: Closing of all ILN & ILDF exhibits


Tuesday, May 29

10:00 hrs: Opening of all ILN & ILDF exhibits
19:00 hrs: Closing of all ILN & ILDF exhibits

The Realm of Cotland shall participate with the following:

Royal Cottish Navy
(1) Ormen Lange class BBGN
(1) Hordaland class CBGN
(1) Demon class DDG
(1) Osiris class LPD
(2) H-21/A Super Stallion II
(6) H-23/A Merlin
(2) H-25/A Super Huey
(8) Q-40/A Fire Scout
3. Infantry Bn, 6. Royal Marine Expeditionary Brigade (616 Royal Marines)

Royal Cottish Air Force
(8) F-25/A Typhoon
(1) C-15/A Kondor


Ormen Lange class BBGN

http://img230.imageshack.us/img230/6208/ormenlangeob3.png

Length: 457.2m
Beam: 91.44m
Draft: 16.9m
Displacement: 190,000 tons
Power Plant:3 CNE-7 Pebble Bed Nuclear Reactors
Speed: More than 35 knots
Armament: 12 635mm ETC cannons, 12 155mm ETC cannons, 160 Mk.51 VLS cells, 20 Quad Launchers, 12 MABLs, 4 torpedo tubes, 10 CIWS', 18 RAM Launchers
Crew: 250 officers, 3,050 enlisted, 250 Royal Marines
Hordaland class CBGN

http://ensemble.va.com.au/tableau/suzy/TT_ResPs-pics/swanlakepics/KirovCruiser/Image10.gif

Length: 253m
Beam: 28.5m
Draft: 10.4m
Displacement: 30,000 tons
Power Plant: 2 CNE-1 Pebble Bed Nuclear Reactors
Speed: More than 35 knots
Armament: 1 155mm ETC cannon, 2 25mm chainguns, 240 Mk.51 VLS cells, 4 Quad Launchers, 4 MABLs, 4 CIWS', 4 RAM Launchers
Crew: 57 officers, 473 enlisted
Demon class DDG

http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/images/SHIP_KDX-III_lg.jpg

Length: 165.9m
Beam: 21m
Draft: 14m
Displacement: 10,800 tons
Power Plant: 2 DABB Marine MDE-9 Diesels, 1 LM2500 Gas Turbine in CODAG arrangement
Speed: More than 35 knots
Armament: 1 155mm ETC cannon, 2 25mm chainguns, 80 Mk.51 VLS cells, 4 Quad Launchers, 2 MABLs, 4 torpedo tubes, 1 CIWS', 2 RAM Launchers
Crew: 26 officers, 324 enlisted
Osiris class LPD

http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/images/SHIP_LPD-17_USS_San_Antonio_Arrives_Norfolk_lg.jpg

Length: 208.5m
Beam: 31.9m
Draft: 7m
Displacement: 24,900 tons
Power Plant: 4 DABB Marine MDE-5 Diesels
Speed: More than 25 knots
Armament: 2 30mm ETC chainguns, 1 CIWS', 2 RAM Launchers
Crew: 28 officers, 333 enlisted, 699 Royal Marines

The Commonwealth of Hirgizstan will participate with the following:

Hirgizstanian Navy:

(1) Ronald Reagan Class CVN (With half its Air Wing)
(1) Missouri Class BB
(1) Wolf Class ADFFG
(1) Tiger IC Class


Hirgizstanian Marine Corps:

(1) 1st Regiment MEU SOC of the 1st Marine Division-'The 1/1'-one of their ships with troops, helicopters, tanks and a number of vehicles for static displays


Hirgizstanian Air Force:

(1) F-4SX Phantom Blackstar
(1) F-104X Starfighter
(1) F-15L Super Strike Eagle
(1) B-52H Stratofortress
(1) SR-71E Blackbird Interceptor
(1) Tornado GR.6H

With the guaranteed participation of the Commonwealth of Hirgizstan and the Realm of Cotland, Fleet Week would remain an international spectacle for at least one more year. Every recognized nation in the world was invited to participate and it was the hope of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs that many of them would show up, regardless of private opinion. Terrorism was a major factor that was expected to keep some people at bay but there was no measure of security that wasn't taken by the Empire. Police would be walking the streets in droves, the military was all around, and the federal agencies would be there too. Layarteb City would be a fortress and Manhattan Island would be impassable for any terrorist or terrorist plot. Anyone who could do something was given one stern warning: "Don't!" That was the simple matter. If anyone, especially the domestic terrorist group wrecking havoc across the Empire, tried anything, they would find themselves staring down the business end of an assault rifle or a shotgun or a pistol real fast. The Ministry of Intelligence had agents throughout the city and so did the Central Justice Agency from the Ministry of Justice. High alerts were everywhere and nobody was going to get away with anything. Fleet Week was for the people of Layarteb and it would stay that way and no terrorist was going to ruin it.

Throughout lower Manhattan, ships were being pulled into port and a new event was announced, a special concert, for Sunday. It would be free, given in Battery Park, and everyone was invited. From the windows of the Twin Towers and the Tower of Luna, people would be able to see the concert and all of its attendance and speakers would be pumping the music throughout the regions of lower Manhattan. It was a guaranteed good time!

As Wednesday afternoon came, the stage was set for the Mayor of Layarteb City to make his "kick off" speech. It would be done from the steps of city hall, with hundreds and thousands of sailors, citizens, officials, and what not gathered in front of and behind him as he took to the podium. "Good afternoon Layarteb City!" The crowd roared and it was obvious, spirits were high. "Welcome to the twentieth annual Fleet Week at Layarteb City. The greatest city on Earth!" His smile beamed across the crowd to raging applause, whistles, and screams. "Thank you. Thank you. Please, have fun. Visit the ships. See our airshow. Attend our concert. Stay for the fireworks. This week we open up our homes, our city, our gates not just to the people of Layarteb but the brave men who fight for our sovereignty all over the world. To the navy! To the marines! To the air force! To our defense forces! To our army! To all of our men in uniform, firemen, policemen, EMS workers. To everyone who fights on the front lives against terrorism, against crime, against invading armies, and against evil! I raise my glass to you every night! The Empire thanks you! Now let Layarteb City give you back what you've given all of us!" It was a short, sweet, and to the point speech, just the way he liked to give them. People roared with applause and whistles. Nobody could fight back a smile, not even the bodyguards around the mayor. Layarteb City had kicked off Fleet Week 2007, officially.

Russian Federation would like to participate:

-"Voyevoda" Indestructible Class Aircraft Carrier (1/3rd of its full air wing on board)
-T-0 Tsaplia multi-purpose water-landing aircraft
-"Pobedonosets" Grospek class Heavy Guided Battle Cruiser
-"Admiral Chaikovsky" Paramount class Air Defense Vessel
-Marines: 3000, "Voyevoda" Indestructible Class Aircraft Carrier Morskaya Pehota (Sea Infantry, rus.) Polk (brigade, rus.)

In addition we would like to bring 5 of each of the following aircraft:

-Mish-11 "Arhangel" air superiority fighter
-Lu-45 Hawk Air Superiority Fighter

The Tynish Dynasty is requesting that the following units be allowed to parade and particapate in the Airshow

Infantry

-57th Airborne (Marines

-99th Muscisian Unit (Marines

-Royal Guard Reserve (Mixed with outstanding men)

---------------

Aircraft (Airshow)

-Spitfires (10) (out of Service)

-P51 Mustangs (7) (Out of Service)

Primary Diplomatic Cypher Two-Charlie-Four

MESSAGE SENT: 16:36 GMT
ORIGIN: COMFLTAT (Commander, Atlantic Fleet)
DESTINATION: Whoom it May Concer
ROUTER: 32-Charlie-Zulu-123
SUBJECT: "Fleet Week" Exibition Participation
MESSAGE:-

We would be interested in participtating in the events of "Fleet" Week, we wish to send the following units of the Confederate States Navy to parcipitate.

Admiral-class Battlecruiser Anson
182-class Frigate FRG-215
182-class Frigate FRG-255
182-class Frigate FRG-165
182-class Frigate FRG-355
182-class Frigate FRG-183
182-class Frigate FRG-182

In addition the following aircraft, which make up the groups normal airwing will be present:-


6 [six] SH-60G LAMPS-IV General Purpose Helocopters
8 [eight] F-132F Zephyr STOVL Point Defence Interceptors


BREAKBREAK

MESSAGE ENDS ROUTER 32-Charlie-Zulu-123 SECURE

OOC:
Admiral-class Battlecruiser:-

8 Type 32 Mark 1 34"/70 ETC Guns (Two Quad Mounts, A-X posistions)
12 Type 332 Mod 1 5.3"/75 ETC Guns (6 Mod 1 Twin Mountings)
2 Type 122 Mod 2 28cm Gatling ASW/Torpedo Defence Mortars
4 Mk 9 ASHUM Guns
64 Cell Standard-VLS
8 F-132F Zephyr PDIs
48 Type 21 57mm/75 ETC Naval Autocannons (8 Quad Mountings, 8 Twin Mountings)

Displacement: 241 Thousand Metric Tonnes

182-class Frigate:-

2 Type 332 MOd 1 5.3"/75 ETC Guns (1 Mod 1 Twin Mounting)
4 Type 21 57mm/75 ETC Naval Autocannon (1 Quad Mounting)
8 MAS Trespasser Missiles
32 Cell Light VLS
2 ASHUM Guns
4 21" Torpedo Tubes (submerged)
Displacement: Never Bothered to Calculate one

[OOC: Spiz, a battlecruiser with 34" guns? What's the dimensions of that beast? Tynish, this is for E2 members only.]

OOC:
Cot:-
458 metre length
54.5 metre beam
17.7 metre draught

Max Speed is in the region of 35knots thats to some High Temperature Supercritical reactors. It is armoured against shellfire from 27"/68 Mark 12 ETC Guns (which were my main superheavy guns for a while), hence the designation. But since noone on E2 uses guns much bigger than that, i should be fine

Also, the Ormen Lange has a Block Coefficient of about .27 whereas most RL battleships have one at about .6 or so.

The Russian Federation was welcomed to Fleet Week. It was an opportunity to add some detante to a Cold War that brewed between the two superpowers that always risked overflow. Since the Russian invasion of Mexico, things had never been tenser and now that they were retreated from the Central America region, it was an opportunity to step back and look at things through hindsight, which was always 20/20. Also, given the tensions within the Empire, it wasn't a good thing to have enemies on your borders when there were enemies within your borders. It was also a fantastic opportunity. For years, Layartebian spy satellites and reconnaissance methods had tracked a seaplane that now made its public debute, the T-0. Much was known about it but not enough, not yet at least.

Even the advent of the newcomers, the Tynish Dynasty was welcomed. The Empire, unaware of them could not allow them to participate in the airshow, due to safety concerns and a relative unknown about their government but they were welcomed. Their presence would add depth and dimension to the already engorged events but the Empire was alwyas welcoming newcomers on such an auspicious occassion as this was.

Even the Spizanians were welcome, although they would have to be downsized. They brought too many ships, the Empire could only allow for up to five and the largest of those, which weighed in at over 235,000 long tons was just too large, weight wise, to fit into the harbor. It would have to be denied entry, it was the fact of the matter and it was unfortunate. The message would be passed to the Spizanian High Command immediately.

OOC: Tynish, I hope that's alright I just never RP'd with you before so we're a cautious bunch. Spiz yeah it's just too heavy for my port, sorry, and we only have space for up to 5 ships.

OOC: The reason it was six escorts was the fact its an operational battlegroup, i dont just detach extremely expensive warships from fleet groups and send them into harbours in a foreign power.
Oh and incase you havent noticed, the ship is quite a bit smaller in terms of hull area than the Ormen Lange, and is only 80cm longer and 80cm deeper as well as being nearly 40m NARROWER, which indicates to me that if that thing cant fit, then in all likelyhood the Ormen Lange couldnt fit either. But oh well, i suppose i could sit in open water outside the harbour and give tours using the ships gig to take people there and back.

OOC: The reason it was six escorts was the fact its an operational battlegroup, i dont just detach extremely expensive warships from fleet groups and send them into harbours in a foreign power.
Oh and incase you havent noticed, the ship is quite a bit smaller in terms of hull area than the Ormen Lange, and is only 80cm longer and 80cm deeper as well as being nearly 40m NARROWER, which indicates to me that if that thing cant fit, then in all likelyhood the Ormen Lange couldnt fit either. But oh well, i suppose i could sit in open water outside the harbour and give tours using the ships gig to take people there and back.

They brought too many ships, the Empire could only allow for up to five and the largest of those, which weighed in at over 235,000 long tons was just too large, weight wise, to fit into the harbor. It would have to be denied entry, it was the fact of the matter and it was unfortunate. The message would be passed to the Spizanian High Command immediately.

Emphasis mine. Should explain your concerns, as my battleship weighs in at a "mere" 190,000 tons. However, if it's still too much, then the Ormen Lange will cast anchor off Liberty Island and take people aboard via the ship's boats. :)

OOC: Weight is not a real issue, its the phyisical size of the ship that is important, as the overall density, and therefore weight, of the harbour will be the same, which is required inorder for the ships in it to float in equilibrium. Since my ship is smaller physically than yours, it should fit more easily, but nevermind

OOC: Actually, it would seem the biggest ship, size wise, is the Missouri Class as it is over 578 metres long with a beam of over 57 metres and a draught over 22 metres. But the weight is only 85,000 tons, so it can be accomodated fairly easily in the harbor.

OOC: Actually, it would seem the biggest ship, size wise, is the Missouri Class as it is over 578 metres long with a beam of over 57 metres and a draught over 22 metres. But the weight is only 85,000 tons, so it can be accomodated fairly easily in the harbor.

OOC: Too light...

OOC: Actually the maximum dimensions for New York Harbor do not allow any ship that has a draft in excess of 17.50 meters and a displacement of over 200,000 long tons or 203,209.4 metric tonnes. That is why it cannot enter NY Harbor and neither can the Missouri now that you've posted its draft (way too deep to enter). Hirg we need to redesign that ship, it's really off in terms of its weight. It's sizeably larger than a CVN but weighs much less.

With a good pilot, some tugboats and some careful manouvering, the Ormen Lange will fit in perfectly :)

OOC: Yeap Lay, I saw that the moment I posted it, but I wanted to wait to see if you guys thought it was off too. Something tells me it was supposed to be 185,000, I think it might have been a typo in the stat entry I have. I copy and paste the entries so I can use the headings without re-typing them, musn't have filled in the weight properly. I reckon something between 200,000 and 220,000 would be about right?

OOC: Yeap Lay, I saw that the moment I posted it, but I wanted to wait to see if you guys thought it was off too. Something tells me it was supposed to be 185,000, I think it might have been a typo in the stat entry I have. 185,00 would be about right for a ship that size with twelve 25 inch cannons, twenty 10 inch cannons and a shitload of other weaponry?

More. Remember that you have to have ammo for those big guns and a shitload of armor too - about 40 - 50 % of teh battleship's weight is the armor if I remember correctly.

OOC: Actually a ship of the size described by Hirgy should have a displacement of approximately 434,900 Metric Tonnes assuming a cB of 0.6, which is normal for battleships

OOC: Spiz, I reckon that estimate is way out of the ball park. I don't think the weight would be more than 300,000.

OOC: alright enough OOC...

http://www.theforsakenoutlaw.com/Graphics/Nation-States/Role-Playing/Fleet%20Week%202007/fleetweek2007-01.jpg

Ships were docked and ready to take on visitors as the second day of Fleet Week rolled around. All of the exhibits would be opening at 10:00 hours and they would be taking on millions of people across the week long event. Balloons were everywhere, many ascending in the beautifully blue, cloudless sky. Kids held their parents' hands and people were out in force. Unfortunately it meant one bad thing for Layarteb City. Traffic would be, absolutely, horrendous. With that many people, every hotel booked solid for twenty miles around the city, the highways were clogged.

http://www.theforsakenoutlaw.com/Graphics/Nation-States/Role-Playing/Fleet%20Week%202007/fleetweek2007-02.jpg

At 12:00 hours, over 300 officers and their families sat down on an enclosed balcony at the Tower of Luna, which took up three floors, between 68 and 71. The balcony gave an amazing southerly view of the city and of the harbor, with the Statue of Liberty in the distance. It had been delivered to the Republic in the 1886 and had stood there, in New York Harbor since. It was a beacon of the future that the Republic was to have, a future that had become clouded and warped with corruption. It was a luncheon that was full of security left and right because the Emperor was going to be there. The officers and their families had a chance to meet him and granted, given the amount of people there, they wouldn't get much in but the Emperor was there, dressed in a sharp business suit. "Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen," he began with a smile and applause. "This year, 2007, marks the twentieth anniversary of Fleet Week. It is an honor to host this and it is an honor to have foreign diplomats, officers, ships, and people in our great city this week. It is an honor for me to sit here with you, to meet you, to thank you for the sacrifice that you continue to give the Empire and its people.

"I may ask you to go to war. I may ask that you stay away from your families for another extra month or two. I ask you this for the good of the Empire. For the good of the people. And yet each and every time you comply. You uphold your duty. Your sacrifices, your commitments, your duties are what make this land so great. This week we honor you. All of you. All of you who have given so that the Layartebian people can continue to live as they want.

"Today, this afternoon, I cannot thank you enough for what you have done, what you do, and what you will continue to do, for the Empire, for its people, and for the world. You are the fore bearers of peace. You usher in the first line of defense for the Empire and you are the most potent, the most capable, and the most powerful. Your ships and battle groups can bring entire countries to their knees and that wouldn't be possible without the discipline you have, the training you undertake, and the massive commitment you give.

"So I raise my glass to you. To the navy. To the marines. To the defense forces. To all of you! Thank you!" The applause continued throughout the remainder of his speech and the standing ovation was deafening in the room. It was time now for the luncheon and every effort was done to make it an extremely palatable occasion. The food was gourmet, the drinks flowed, the atmosphere was lively, and nobody left that room without a smile on their face. Many of them posed for professional pictures with the Emperor and he greeted each and every person in the room, not by making them come to him, quite the opposite. He moved throughout the room, shook hands, and said hello to everyone. It was tough to remember everyone's name but, at the end of the luncheon, he had a few committed to memory.

It was in the morning of the second day, at 09:40 hours when the four vessels that represented the Realm of Cotland at this annual show-off arrived off Layarteb City. Escorted into the harbour area by two Leopard class and one Vindicator class patrol boats, all three of them produced in the Cottish shipyards in Norway and delivered to the Imperial Layartebian Military a few years prior, the Cottish warships sailed elegantly into port, the lead ship being the mighty Ormen Lange class battleship HMS Finnmark, followed by the Demon class destroyer HMS Storm, the battlecruiser HMS Hordaland, and the amphibious transport HMS Anubis. For the occasion, all hands were commanded to man the rails, dressed in the navy blue Class A uniforms of the Royal Cottish Navy, or the black Class A uniforms for the Royal Marines on the Finnmark and the Anubis, ready to render the honors to the citizens of Layarteb City that drove past the entrance to the harbour in the early morning.

As the small convoy made its way past the Statue of Liberty and Governors Island at a leisurely five knots, the four crewmembers on the starboard forward-most 155mm secondary cannon on the Finnmark loaded their cannon with a blank round and traversed the cannon to the maximum elevation of eighty-five degrees before reporting to the CIC that they were ready to open fire. A few seconds later, as the battleship made its way past the Fortress of Comhghall, the order was given and a puff of white smoke emerged on the side as the loud boom quickly travelled over the water at the speed of sound, waking up those in Layarteb City’s south-eastern side that weren’t already awake at 09:45 hours. At the same time, the hands that were manning the rail saluted the fortress and the Emperor that they expected to be standing there. The other five cannons on the starboard side fired blanks as well, giving the Emperor a six-gun salute. The other ships also saluted the fortress as they sailed past.

After having passed the Fortress, the ships slowed down even further as they met up with the harbour tugs that helped them manouver through the narrow waters to the piers where they were to berth, on the south-western side of Manhattan Island. Piers 33 and 34 would be the temporary home for the Cottish warships during their weekly stay in Layarteb City. After manouvering in with the help from the harbour tugs and the Layartebian pilots that had been taken aboard after they had passed the Fortress, the ships were finished with docking by 10:00 hours. From there, the Cottish sailors finished the preparations for allowing the people of Layarteb City and those of the other ships to come aboard for the guided tours. Small gift shops and cafeterias were set up to sell small souvenirs and refreshments to the visitors, and the NCOs that were to be tour guides were briefed once again. Guards were deployed to the critical areas of the ships to keep unauthorized personnel access and direct them back to the ‘green zones’, as the areas where visitors were allowed to go were dubbed, and other armed patrols would roam the ships at random to make sure no one were where they weren’t supposed to be. The duties would be given in shifts, with those not on duty being given shore leave to go out and enjoy the city, of course after having been firmly instructed that they were representing the Realm, and that they should behave accordingly – i.e. no bar fights, no drunken behaviour, and no behaviour that would bring dishonour to themselves, their ship, the Navy, or the nation in general.

At 11:00 hours, the Cottish vessels opened their landings for the public, and the Fleet Week, the sixteenth that was attended by the Royal Cottish Navy, was officially open for business.

OOC:
Can i send a frigate into the harbour, and keep the other five ships at anchor offshore and use the group's helos and launches to bring people there and back for the tour?

OOC:
Can i send a frigate into the harbour, and keep the other five ships at anchor offshore and use the group's helos and launches to bring people there and back for the tour?

OOC: Yes.

Flagship of the Anson Battlegroup, CSS Anson

"GPS Coordinates match the set stationkeeping area, SONAR reports two metres of water under the kell", noted the Navigation Master of the CSS Anson as he looked over to the Commodore sitting in the Admiral's Chair, temporarily taking his eyes away from his blinking panel on the flag deck of the battlegroup.
As he turned towards the Commodore, he might have been stating those mundane facts, but he was wondering how he had come to be the lead navigator on the most powerful warship in the world, the Anson's sisters would soon share that honour with her, (but the first of them, Hood was still six months away from launching, so it would be a while yet before she was made to share the prize with the rest of her class), instead of being the assistant navigator aboard a nuclear powered Ice breaker at Port Royale, well that was the luck of the draw. Even more fantastic than this fact was the fact he was serving under none other than Commodore Melissa Theuriau, and old friend (she was the youngest officer to ever reach flag rank, while the navvy officer was a late entrant to the fleet) and only one year older than him, she had been in the year above at the Grammar School in there home town back in Antartica.
As he finally turned enough to see her, one of the most beautiful women in the world, she turned towards him and smiled.
"Very Well, all stop, deploy 'keeping thrusters and prepare the broadside-of honour",
The Navigation Officer, (named Eric Russeau) ignored the last statement, that was a matter for the Gunnery Control Officer, he simply turned hte old fashioned engine room signaling wheel to all stop, waited until the engine room answered and the ships speed began to drop, before checking there was sufficeint space under the keel. When he was satisfied he touched one of the controls on his touchscreen display and activated the stationkeeping thrusters.
Numerous doors opened on the bottom of the hull and fully trainable electric driven props appeared, kicking up a load of silt from the bottom of the sea, just two metres beneath them as they finished slowing the ship and began the constant struggle to keep the ship at her present posistion, about six kilometres offshore and just off the main approach channel, leaving it clear but still causing anyone approaching to get a rather good view of teh ship, the better to impress upon them the fleets ultimate might.

The Gunnery Control Officer turned from his own station, "Gunnery Crews Report Guns ready, guns elevating, we will be in correct posistion in ten seconds." As he spoke the navigation officer looked out the bridge windows and saw that all the ships guns visible from this posistion, the forward port DP guns, the superfiring DP guns, the 57mm Autocannon mountings on the port and superfiring mounts, even the main quadrouple mounting, four of the ships F-132s tied down ontop of it, were turning to port and elevating.
Autoloaders were loading powder charges into all the big guns, and blanks into the autocannon and DP guns.
"Guns elevated" was the call as the big forward status hologram showed the lights representing the status of all the guns that were to be used, they all flickered from yellow for loading/training to green for ready to fire.
"Guns ready for broadside of Honour, escorts have answered, they are also ready"
"Very Well, fire at will"
"Yes Ma'am" stated the gunnery officer as he slaved the automatic fire control to his console, depriving his men in the gunnery control room from the honour, those men were actually waiting for the Real Time Sat images of the broadside.
As his hand touched the control on his touchscreen, he said "Good Morning Layarteb City" and pressed with sufficient pressure to trigger the control.

The ship rocked and rolled visibly to starboard as the guns fired, the escorts following suit, sending a wall of smoke and flame into the sea off of Layarteb Harbour, causing the Cottish Salute to be looked upon more as a kid letting off a firecracker, the Commodore was sure that a great number of officials were watching the arrival of the fleet perhaps even the emperor himself, and she didnt want them to be dissapointed.
FRG-182 left the fleet and headed for the harbour entrance, its crew already filing onto its decks in dress uniforms, while the crews of the other ships prepared to launch the gigs and helos, while armed patrols set up around the reactors, and crewmen cleared "B" Turret Magazine and Working spaces, ready for the tours. Flight Crews swarmed over the F-132s, checking tiedowns and preparing them for the week of events, while more crew set up deckchairs and tables on the after gundeck, ready for the swarms of visitors, and nodoubt Spies, who would be willing to ride out to see and tour the largest and most powerful warship currently affloat, many for less than innocent reasons. Secret equipment was being moved or covered with panels that looked like the controls for obsolete previous systems.

Then a dialog box appeared in the upper fight corner of Navigational Officer, 1st Class, Russeau's control panel, informing him that his shift was up, just then his replacement, Navigational Officer, 2nd Class, Lindsey, a nice girl from Porto Princessa, appeared to take over his station for the midwatch, he rose from his chair and headed towards the bridge, catching the Commodores eye, he then saw the ravenous look in her eyes as she stood and grabbed the phone on the rack beside the Chair, which connected to the CIC, where the Ships Captain was supervising the batonning down, "Il be in my quarters if you need me, dont disturb me unless something big happens", she got an acknoledgement and then followed Eric to the bridge elevator, when she was down the side of the bridge, moving towards the elevator, out of sight of the rest of the bridge crew, she reached up and started to undo her uniform shirt as the subordinate opened the elevator door and keyed for the admirals personal quarters...........

Captain Arthur Kante watched the huge gun salutes with a slight grin playing at the sides of his mouth. He was standing on the bridge of the biggest, most expensive and most powerful warship that man had ever built. Just looking at it would make you wonder how it floated.

The Spizanians thought they had brought their best, and their salute was indeed impressive. But Captain Kante and his crew would prove their salute to be nothing more than "a flea lighting his farts," as his XO put it.

The ship itself was far too big to even attempt to enter the Layarteb City harbor. It would instead anchor at sea although still visible to the crowds watching. People wishing to tour the vessel would be ferried out by helicopter and launches throughout the week.

But as the ship anchored smoothly in the waters off the city, the massive 25 inch main guns came to life. Inside the gigantic structures sailors overlooked the gigantic mechanisms loading the blanks. It took only a few seconds before all twelve guns were elevated and ready to fire.

The Captain gave the command from the bridge and the very sea around the ship seemed to recede with the awesome power of the guns. Pillars of smoke and flame shot out of the barrels and created huge semi-circular depressions in the sea.

The sound was like thousands of thunder claps all sounding at once. The Emperor, and indeed a sizeable portion of the Layartebian Coastline would hear the pride of the Hirgizstanian Fleet as it announced its arrival at Fleetweek 2007.

Twenty-two F-14E Super Tomcats had lifted into the air shortly before 15:30 hours on the second day of Fleet Week. The F-14 Tomcat had been in service with the Layartebian Navy since 1973 and it was going on its thirty-fourth year of service. It had been massively upgraded over the years from the original A standard to a modified and improved B standard that included newer engines and improvements to airframes. Then there came the F-14C Tomcat, an prototype F-14 that was to have improved air to ground capabilities but it was shelved for the much more capable F-14D Tomcat, which added newer avionics, smart munitions capabilities, and the engines from the B version. However, as the end of the 90s dawned, the F-14D Tomcat was eclipsed by newer, more agile fighters that could carry better weapons. The F-14D+ upgrade, which began in 1997 was to give the Tomcat added capabilities with AMRAAM capabilities and newer engines. It was still insufficient. In 2001, the F-14E Super Tomcat made its appearance and with enough force to halt, destroy, and otherwise annihilate the F-18 Super Hornet issue. Retired prematurely, the F-18 Hornet and the F-18 Super Hornet were placed in storage while the F-14E Super Tomcat, with thrust vectoring engines, newer avionics, stealth improvements, and a massive ordinance array launched from the decks of Layartebian carriers.

The aircraft assembled in a tight formation and headed north, from a naval air station in New Jersey. They flew at subsonic speeds but maintained a high altitude to allow them to conserve fuel. They were unarmed and not carrying full fuel loads, allowing them to do impressive acrobatic manuevers.

http://www.theforsakenoutlaw.com/Graphics/Nation-States/Role-Playing/Fleet%20Week%202007/fleetweek2007-03.jpg

At 16:00 hours, at an altitude of just 5,000 feet, the twenty-two aircraft came over New York Harbor. The formation was the largest Tomcat formation over Layarteb City in history and the aircraft welcomed the applause on the ground. From their altitude, they could see the battleships of Hirgizstan and Spizania off the coast. The battleships had loudly announced their arrival along with the Cottish when they entered, firing off blanks in full broadsides. Now it was the Super Tomcat's time to take the show and it did. The aircraft broke off and flew aerobatic maneuvers for fifteen minutes, doing mock dogfights, pulling high G turns, all the while maintaining subsonic speed, the effects of a sonic boom being too dangerous for any populated area.

Admiral Grishkin felt a little bit out of his water standing aboard a Russian naval flag waving Indestructible class aircraft carrier docked in the Layartebian harbor.

Так всё таки враги они или друзья? Когда уж будет политиками решено? Я стаю на борту судна которое было пребретено для цели потопления ну скажем...всех других кораблей в этом порту. Ах по хер...ладно приказ есть приказ.
So are they our friends or our enemies already? When are the politicians going to decide? Im standing aboard of a vessel that was procured for the purposes of sinking, lets say...all the other ships in this harbor. Ah screw it....alright an order is an order.

He thought to himself as he watched the Layartrebian aircraft pierce the sky. He picked up his radio.

"Эй Другов с твоими орлами всё готово?"
Hey Drugov, is everything ready with your eagles?

"Готово товарищь Адмирал, ждём сигнала."
Ready comrade Admiral, waiting for the signal.

"Отлично, даю добро, летите."
Great, Im giving permission, you can fly.

"Так точно товарищь Адмирал."
Yes sir comrade Admiral.

Three Mish-11 Arhangels took off the deck and roamed into the sky. They were part of the Russian aerobatic team "Orli" (Eagles, rus.) Taking off they went up to about 200 meters and turned on their smoke makers, one aircraft had a white one, another a blue one and the third one a red one. They flew into the air parallel each other with their wing tips only a few centimeters away from each other creating a thick trail in a form of the Russian Federation flag that went on for hundreds of meters in the sky. But that was only the beginning very quickly they changed formation, the center aircraft kept going straight, the one to the right of it barrel rolled 2 meters above it, the left one two meters blow, they were flying parallel and the Russian flag they were making with their smoke was now perpendicular to the ground. It was only a small portion of what Mish-11 with its cutting edge maneuverability technology could do. After two minutes sharp they split, again, upper one climbed up, bottom one climbed down the center one kept going straight and got ahead of the other two as they hit the breaks sharply and spiraled up and down in a matter of seconds changing positions, they did that trick three more times until they let their thrusters speed their aircraft forward, they caught up to the center one and started both doing barrel rolls around it, at the same time, synchronically so they would stay as close to each other each time and would never collide. That was only the begging more was to come, and of course T-0 Tsaplia the pride of Russian navy was yet to have its first flight in the Layartrebian airspace.

As the Mish-11 took to the sky over New York Harbor. They put on a particularly good show, different than what the F-14s did. The F-14s weren't out to showcase their capabilities but the Mish-11 was and it did an excellent job of it. Its engines were powerful and its agility was definitely excellent, making it a qualified dogfighter. Layartebian aircraft had similar performance and the Mish-11 was a definite showcase. Many of the people that watched it were awestruck but it but as day two came to a close, the Emperor and many veterans were preparing for a dinner at one of the fanciest restaurants in Layarteb City, all courtesy of the city of Layarteb. The Emperor would be there to personally thank a select group of veterans. The restaurant could hold one hundred and twenty people, comfortably and, needless to say, the applications for the dinner were plentiful but only a few could be chosen because of the capacity of the area. The finest seafood in Layarteb City would meet with some of the finest veal, steak, Italian, German, and various other cuisines.

It was in the middle of the second day when the Royal Cottish Air Force decided to appear. Elements of the Cottish forces in Layarteb, namely eight of the twenty F-25/A Typhoon advanced air superiority fighters and one of the mighty C-15/A Kondor transport aircraft, touched gracefully down one by one at Layarteb City Air Force Base and taxied over to the area where the air exhibits were being held. Layartebian ground personnel kept the curious spectators at a safe distance while the nine Cottish aircraft taxied into positions and powered down their engines.

The Typhoon was arguably the most advanced fighter aircraft in the world, with its state of the art avionics, electronics and weapons suite, design and construction, enabling the 25.5 meter long, 6.14 meter tall and, when at maximum takeoff weight, forty-nine ton heavy aircraft to reach altitudes of more than thirty-two kilometers up into the atmosphere, speeds of Mach 2.9 on afterburner, and combat ranges of some 2,400 kilometers. Add to that a weapons load of four short-range and ten long-range air to air missiles internally, and an additional two short-range and eight long-range missiles externally when at maximum loadout, along with the trusty 27mm revolver cannon in the nose, and a well-trained crew of two, and you have an aircraft that'll make anyone think twice before they choose to engage it.

The Kondor was the largest transport aircraft in Cottish service, and it was an excellent one at that. Based off the highly successful An-124 Ruslan transport aircraft, the Kondor was basically a highly improved version, with new and more powerful engines, a somewhat higher payload of 180,000 kg (maximum), and the ability to fly up to 16,500 kilometers with a cargo haul of 130 tons in its cavernous cargo hold.

The eight Typhoons were packed with highly sensitive electronics and systems, and would therefore not be open for people to do anything but watch them from a distance, admiring their sleek, efficient design, save for one aircraft which would be available for the people to walk around and watch under the guarding eyes of the Layartebian MPs. The Kondor, on the other hand, would be open for the people to come aboard and take a look around, and ask its crew about any question they might have about the Kondor. Of course, some of the questions wouldn't be answered, as the Cottish airmen politely explained the disappointed visitors, because they were classified. The nose of the Kondor was opened along with the aft cargo hatch, allowing for people to enter in one end and exit in the other if they so chose. In the upper aft passenger compartment, which could house eighty-eight passengers in relative comfort, the Cottish had set up a small shop which sold refreshments to those who dared take the steep staircase up from the cargo hold and into the passenger area.

http://www.aeronautics.ru/img/img004/paris_airshow_1999_02.jpg

The veterans dinner was a big hit and it was the first time one had been done. The Emperor was a veteran himself and many of those present were disabled veterans. Many of them had originally served in Venezuela and were, at the time, disoriented with the fact of the fighting there but, when Venezuela was annexed in the 1980s, they were pleased to see that what they gave did not go in vain. Still, Venezuela was a hot topic, especially at the dinner. It had been on the lips of the Layartebian people since the 1960s and in 2007 it was just as much of a topic as it was in 1967. Forty years had gone by and little changed except that Venezuela was in the rightful hands of the Empire.

After the dinner, the Emperor was headed back to the Fortress of Comhghall, by convoy when the topic of a nuclear test arose. There had been a test of a new nuclear weapon planned for some time now and tonight was the night it was supposed to happen but the Emperor, at last minute, shelved the test. It didn't make the military too pleased though. "Sir. The military, they're rather ticked off, if I may be frank." The aide began. He was fighting for the case of the military. "Sir. It's only an eighty kiloton test. It will produce little to no radioactivity."

"That isn't the point. It's not shelved because of fears of radiation or damage. It'll be done at Tristan de Cunha but that isn't the point. The point is that this is a time for peace, for detante. The Russians are here, in Layarteb City. The world has been to the brink of annihilation too many times. Perhaps we should step back with a clear head and word to push away from that. Our foreign policy towards the Russians could use some alteration and this is a chance for that. Why should we kick a gift horse in the mouth, as they say?"

"Sir. The test is not aimed at the Russians."

"If we plant a landmine in the middle of Quebec they think it's because of them. They think the whole world revolves around themselves and their insignificance."

"Precisely sir so who cares."

"Perhaps I feel like giving them a chance to redeem themselves. They think Sunfall was a move against them even after we told them it wasn't and that was the painful truth. They can't comprehend reasons other than war and peace. That is all they see and, for now, we have to play into the stupidity and go with peace. Please, this world is crumbling apart. Our situation here is instable. Who knows what these terrorists will do next or what their goals are. We still have no leads on them at all."

"Yes sir."

"So. For the future. Who knows what the situation will be like in 2008? Wouldn't you rather have someone on your border that is neutral or at least impartial while you have those within who wish to destroy you?"

"Yes sir."

"Very well. Now you see my point. The test is cancelled. For now. I am sure the weapon works and the military is sure that it works too."

"Yes sir."

"Good. No sense, for now, testing something that needn't be tested."

HMS Hordaland
Pier 34, Manhattan Island, Layarteb City

The group of curious visitors was assembled on the port center side of the deck of the Cottish heavy missile cruiser HMS Hordaland, which had recently been brought out of the mothballs and given a thurrough refit, replacing the old systems with new ones and upgrading the ship internally. Even though she had been brand new twenty-five years ago, the Hordaland had the apperance of being brand new. The visitors were looking around at the well-maintained and sparkling ship they were on, at the flags that waved proudly in the gentle breeze of Manhattan, and at the sharp-looking Cottish sailors they saw on the ship.

"Ladies and gentlemen, can I have your attention please?" A voice said loudly in perfect Oxford English. It belonged to a fenrik (Ensign) who stood facing the aft of the vessel. Once he had the attention of everyone, he started the guided tour.

"Ladies and gentlemen, first of all I'd like to welcome you aboard His Majesty's Ship Hordaland. Before we start our little tour of the ship, I'd like to give you a little history lesson concerning the vessel and a quick run-through of the rules we have aboard the ship. Firstly, we'd greatly appreciate if you don't stray away from the group, as this is a large ship and it's easy to get lost if you don't know your way around. Secondly, the areas which are cordoned off are not to be entered, as those are restricted areas and my shipmates in the security division won't be too happy with us if we do. Thirdly, we'd appreciate if you don't take any pictures of the insides unless I say it's okay. If anyone tries to take photographs, the cameras will be confiscated and the pictures destroyed. And that's about it."

The fenrik smiled and paused to let the rules sink in with the visitors. He hadn't mentioned that the security division had armed guards posted along the guided route, ready to intercept anyone who were somewhere they weren't supposed to be, and roaming the ship with the same objective in mind.

"The Hordaland was laid down at Laksevåg Naval Shipyards in Bergen, Norway in 1980 as the lead ship of her class, which was named after her. This class was part of the Cottish 1980 Fleet Plan. This plan encompassed the construction of a new and powerful fleet capable of roaming the seven seas and projecting the might of the Realm of Cotland, and included both battleships, aircraft carriers and other powerful surface combatants. Of these, the Hordaland class was to serve a critical role as flagships for smaller flotillas and as leaders for the escort forces that accompany battleships and aircraft carriers. With their impressive armament of among others one, one hundred fifty-five millimeter electrothermal-chemical cannon, two twenty-five millimeter chainguns, two hundred forty vertical launch cells capable of holding just about any missile in Cottish service, four quad-cell launchers for anti-shipping missiles, four MABLs for even more powerful anti-shipping missiles, and four close-in weapons systems chambered in thirty-five millimeter and four Rolling Airframe Missile launchers for point defense against an enemy missile attack, the Hordaland class is an extremely well armed and armored class of warship. It would take Laksevåg three years to finish construction, and she was launched in 1983. It would take another two years before she could join the fleet as an operational vessel, but when she did in 1985, she was the mightiest vessel of her sort in the world. She served with distinction until it was decided politically to decommission the Hordaland class in 1993 when it was decided that the Fleet Plan of 1980 was too ambitious, and she was mothballed the following year along with the other nineteen ships in her class.

"Then came the great wars of the twenty-first century, and after the wars with among others the former incarnation of the Russian Federation, which lasted a full eleven hours before Russia collapsed mind you, and the geo-political tensions that exist in the world today, it was decided that the Hordaland class was required after all. So, in 2005, the Storting provided the Navy with the funding required for the existing ships of the class to be refurbished and for more ships of the class to be constructed to meet the requirements of the Navy. The result is the vessel you see before you today: HMS Hordaland was re-commissioned into service seven months ago and is once again an important part of Cottish naval doctrine. And with that, we shall begin our tour. If you have any questions at any time during this tour, don't hessitate to ask them and I will answer to the best of my ability."

The fenrik paused to see if there were any questions right now.

[OOC: And this, dear friends, is where you can ask questions about the ship. Assume that one (or more) of your citizens or, if your nation participates in Fleet Week, sailors/soldiers/airmen is in the tour group.]

OOC: Then I get a chance to post I'll have a tour of T-0 Tsaplia up. Twelve more hours left of work this week, with 4 of them overtime, yays.

HNS Lusaka
Near Layarteb City Port, Manhattan, Empire of Layarteb

The group of tourists and foreign sailors were standing along the starboard side of the Missouri Class Battleship. They were fairly close to the stern and could see all the way back to the port on the warm, humid day. The sea was a sickly green but fairly calm. Birds fluttered in the soft breezes overhead and the buzz of jet engines and helicopter blades could be heard in the distance.

The visitors to the ship was the sixth batch for the morning. Two other groups were somewhere else on the ship, partway through their tours. The groups were led by Ensigns who had been on the ship for more than a year. A skeleton crew stayed aboard to man the ship and help point out things and show how various features worked. A helicopter sat on the rear deck with its flight crew ready to show the eager visitors the ins and outs of their ASW bird.

The groups of visitors were coming across in the ships numerous launches and a floating staircase brought them up the starboard side.

The Ensign stood atop an elevated area around the foremost gun turret and waited for everyone to come up the staircase. Once there he plugged his wireless speaker into the transmitter and his voice could be heard on speakers in range of wherever he was standing, saving him shouting or using a bullhorn.

"Ladies and Gentlemen..." the crowd began to turn and talking petered out, although a few excited kids continued to point out things and jump up and down, disobeying their parents quiet admonishments. "Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome aboard the HNS Lusaka. Your are, right now, standing atop a piece of naval history. Before I begin the tour I must take this oppurtunity to apologise in behalf of the Hirgizstanian Navy for having to check your identification on shore before boarding the launches. The reason for this is simply that the Commonwealth does not recognise certain nations that happen to be present at Fleet Week and we cannot, for security reasons, allow their citizens or armed forces personnel to board our ships. Once again, I apologise on behalf of the Navy, but I can assure you, the wait will have been worth it."

The crowd quieted down now and even the kids were paying attention to the young man standing just under the shade of the huge elevated guns that seemed to defy gravity in being raised off the deck.

"Before we begin our tour I'd just like to tell you a little of the history of this grand old ship. The ship we are currently standing on is over 90 years old. She was first commissioned in 1913 and went into service in 1916. However, a lack of action and running costs proved too much for the fleet of eight Missouri's and six were scrapped, except this boat and the HNS Hirgizstan. Both were turned into floating museums, this particular ship was moored off Washington State for most of its life, until the 70's when the Government revamped its Naval policy and brought both the Lusaka and Hirgizstan back into service after extensive refits and overhauls. Now the fleet of Missouris is 98 strong. Yes Ladies and Gentlemen, there are 98 of these monsters in Hirgizstanian service. I'll tell you all right now, even the food bill for the crews would give me a heart attack!" The crowd laughed a little at the joke, most just wanted to see the ship, and they'd get their wish.

"Today we'll be showing you how this ship operates, who operates and what we do when out on the water and at war. I'm going to take you into the gun position behind me and you can see inside these beasts. Then you'll be able to see the view from the forecastle and how surprisingly spacious the ship is beneath the decks. We'll show you were the crew live and let you get some chow in one of the ten restaurants. We'll finish the tour with a look around one of our Anti-Submarine Warfare helicopters on the rear deck, and if your real good you might even get to take a ride in it." The SH-60F's on the ships compliment were being replaced by the newer 'R' version, and so security was laxer, permitting short trips.

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OOC: Like Cot said in his post, you can ask some questions about the Missouri Class as people from the crowd.

The Armed Republic had been busy with issues at home, hence when Fleet Week 2007 rolled around, the nation got a very late start. The Navy of the Armed Republic had fully intended to showcase several vessels and aircraft, however, with their state of disarray, this was no longer the case. The F/A-77A Kovas project, which was intended to be the centerpiece, had been delayed, again, as further progress was made with its electronics. A demonstrator model would be brought along aboard one of the five vessels chosen to represent the Armed Republic at Fleet Week 2007.

The Ministry of Defense, and the leadership of the Armed Republic, had felt the Armed Republic needed to represent itself in a special way at the 20th Anniversary of Fleet Week, and thus chose five of the largest vessels in the Armed Republic Navy to represent itself in Layarteb City's New York Harbor. However, it wasn't so sure that these five vessels would actually represent the Armed Republic more than it did the October Alliance. Chosen were the five, largely ceremonious, flag ships of the five regional fleets - RNS North Germania, the lead ship of her class of BBN/BBGN; RNS Layarteb; RNS Hirgizstan; RNS Cotland; and RNS Hawdawg. It represented the entirety of the October Alliance, except for the newest member, who had joined after the design and number of ships had been finalized. The RNS Hawdawg was the last vessel to be completed, and with several additional features, warranted its own sub-class.

http://img294.imageshack.us/img294/6831/rnsnorthgermaniashow8gi4.png
*RNS North Germania*

The one thousand eighty-two foot vessels, each with a draught of over forty-three feet, had set sail for New York Harbor from their staging point in Louisiana the night before, and were just now arriving. Kagan Viktor R. Dokhturov had personally phoned the Emperor of Layarteb the night before to state the Armed Republic’s intentions of deploying the five vessels. When they arrived, however, they knew space would be tight in the harbor proper for five such large vessels. The decision was made, then, that the RNS Layarteb would represent the remainder in-port, in homage to the nation behind Fleet Week. As the four other vessels glided to a stop in the off-harbor waters after being directed by Layartebian vessels to their proper places, deployed their anchors. The RNS Layarteb, then, gently slipped into the harbor, with tugs and a guide boat, bringing her to her berth. As she slipped past the piers and dockages, most of the ship’s complement of sailors had assembled on her decks, waving to any onlookers below. The ship’s nine fourteen inch guns were all pointed skywards, as were its secondary armament of six inch guns. The UAV launch and retrieval area near the stern of the ship had been reconfigured for helicopter landing and take-off [it was designed to function as both, but there is no storage or berth area for helicopters aboard the RNS North Germania-class]. Two VS-140D sealift helicopters were strapped to the landing deck, as was a UAV parked nearby. Less noticeable to the people aboard the piers and other vessels, was the ship’s large complement of VLS cells, as well as the large armored box launchers which occupied the center of the ship’s superstructure. The VLS housed anywhere from surface-to-air to anti-shipping missiles. The armored box launchers, however, housed strictly anti-shipping missiles, heavy anti-shipping missiles. Rolling air-frame missile launchers occupied a few spaces on the superstructure, as did gun-based close-in defense systems.

Upon berthing, a majority of the Layarteb’s crew would likely spill into the masses of civilians and foreigners, taking up the day’s exhibits and looking forward to the days to come. The other ships’ would be readily available for touring, especially if citizens of their respective nations were interested.

Hopefully, the Armed Republic’s officer delegation would be able to convince the organizers of the show that to celebrate the 20th Anniversary of Fleet Week, the five ships could fire a full broadside in a crescendo during the fireworks demonstration when it came.

[OOC: Bump?]

OOC: I don't think any Fleet Week thread has ever been completed lol but they're fun to post pictures in.