SD.Net World(RAR!) MK III

[MKSheppard]

Popular Nukistanic

FRAM Conversions being studied for surplus DDG-51s

FRAM Proposals

In light of the growing needs for a border guard to watch over Neverhood, the Navy Department is studying possible conversions of existing surplus fleet DDG-51s into PFGs (Patrol Frigate, Guided). Main features of the FRAM I conversion are:

-Deletion of 5" Forward; replacement with two superfiring 76mm Guns
-Deletion of AEGIS system
-Deletion of all but one missile director

These are estimated to be ready in two months from go date.

A far more comprehensive refit, FRAM II is planned, which will require five months to be done; involves removing an entire pair of gas turbines for economy and reduction of crew.

[phongn]

TMSDF Offers Aid to Diocese

Two TMSDF SAGs are en route to the Diocese to offer their assistance for search-and-rescue efforts with the recent events of the tsunami ...

[Master_Baerne]

Baernish MinWar + Baernish MinState + Baernish News Service
Multiple Files

File BMW-40
TO: Blackadder Ministry of War
FROM: Baernish Ministry of War

We'd like to purchase three Halifax-class frigates, assuming you've still got some.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

File BMS-40
We extend what aid we can to all the tsunami-ravaged nations, as is our humanitarian and FUN duty.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

File BNS-40
Military Spending Increase Rumored!
A source at MinWar, who prefers to remain unnamed, passed on information to the editor indicating that a massive military spending increase is in order, for reasons he/she/it hinted were related to the UAR and recent events in Neverhood and the IRT.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

File BMW (BIS) 41
INTERNAL MEMO

Find out who the BNS's "source" is, and fire him or her.

[General Deathdealer]

Baal Daily News

82nd Airborne BCT to Adrianapolis

The Ministry of Defense announced today that the 82nd Airborne BCT will deploy in its entirety to the country of Adrianapolis. The BCT will conduct civil relief operations there to help the local government recover from the devastating Tsunami that recently hit there. The 82nd and its equipment will be loaded onto Baal Air Force C-141s and transported to Adrianapolis. The Ministry estimates it will take a couple of days to get the entire BCT there. The length of deployment has not been released, but experts say the Brigade could be there for some time helping the local populous.

[RogueIce]

Shinra Republic Devotes $2 billion USD to ISCA Spending

The newly formed Shinra Republic Merchant Marine (SRMM), a civilian branch of the government, has been created to facilitate the ever-growing maritime trade of the Republic. Vice Admiral Kevin Mallory, SRMM, has been designated as the Chief of the Merchant Marine.

To that end, the SRMM, which takes it's vessels from ISCA plans for purposes of standardization, has released the following purchase order for FY2011:

Commerce
15 FCS/standard
5 FCS/oil
5 FCS/chemical
5 FCS/container
10 FCS-L

Relief
1 SHS
2 LHS

Patrol/Escort
5 FCS/helicopter (FC)
6 Pr.2101 Heavy Cutters
12 Pr.2102 Light Cutters
30 Pr.2103 Hydrofoils

All told, this amounts to the biggest Shinra Republic order yet, with some 1115 DWTs of shipping and a cost of $1.96 billion USD. In addition, the SRMM has announced they are donating $40 million USD to the general ISCA Fund for research and design. This brings the total to an even $2 billion USD spent over FY2011.

When asked why the SRMM was buying from the ISCA "Coast Guard Series" when the Shinra Republic Coast Guard (SRCG) was available and well equipped, officials noted that the missions of the SRCG and SRMM Patrol/Escort unit were different:

"The SRMM P/E unit is designed to provide regular convoy escort and fast response for SRMM and other shipping on the high seas, in conjunction with SRN forces. The SRCG is designed and deployed primarily to watch the territorial waters of the Republic itself."
--Vice Admiral Kevin Mallory, SRMM

[Coyote]

...Ring!....

"Admiral Dayan."
"Hello, Admiral Dayan, how are things?"

"Your Majesty! I--"
"Don't worry about it. I just wanted to call to ask what's going on. I've heard there's been some... excitement."

"There has been, Excellency... [sighs]...turns out the harbor's been mined. I suspect by submarine; in fact, I suspect by Nukistani submarine. Now I've got a wrecked container ship partially blocking the entrance to the harbor, and it's causing a real logjam."
"I see. ... I was about to send more MESS forces into the area; are you saying that the harbor is now a no-go?"

"Excellency, even if the harbor was clear, I'd recommend air or sealift directly to the port cities themselves. The cities are mostly stable, but the farmlands and suburbs around them are a patchwork of territorial militias and revolutionary groups. It's fight or pay to get through."
"Are the civil councils cooperating?"

"In their way, sir. They worry about appearing weak or like puppets, so they downplay our prescence and limit our involvement in everything. Given how sensitive people are to the perception of 'puppet government' on the Nukistan side, it's a sensitive issue here. We have total security at our compound-- we have the airport and adjoinign hotel to ourselves; we're fortunate that the train station falls in our zone too. But we are so far asked to not interfere with civil affairs, even law enforcement."

"Great... [sighs]... So what about the Tonkin thing? I'm catching flack for letting them have access to the minerals. Especially the uranium."
"I argued against it, sir, but the Hadera civil council overruled me. They see money in the venture and don't care about anything else. This brings in jobs, taxes, props up the economy, and makes them look like they're in charge."

"How are the people taking it, Admiral?"
"They don't see much past the jobs & income, most of them, but the country people are going to be pissed. This side of the mountains, people were always sort of independent and liked OMSK if not exactly Nukistan policy... folks here see Nukistan as an exploiter of the people, and they're likely to see IRT as a replacement."

"Great. ProTec know about this?"
"I presume so, sir, they haven't coordinated with me beyond my warning about liability. The bastards on the civil council actually kinda hope ProTec gets all trigger-happy on some village so they can sue the hell out of them."

"Well... ProTec knows what they're doing. Let them know that we can't bail them out if they get into something. They're on their own."
"I'll pass that on, Excellency."

"Good. Look... sounds like you have some real... diamonds in the rough there to work with... do what you can, let me know if you need more resources. Don't be afraid to exert control over the dockyards. After all, if you've got the airport and the train station, the dockyards are a given."

"I'm drawing up plans to do that, sir. The local police are receptive and they want our help. They lost a man yesterday, a rookie got drowned in the gold rush... I've tried to keep a light prescence at the docks, apart from the pier my ship has. But... I have a feeling it's going to get worse."

"Keep me appraised, Admiral. Thanks."
"Thank you, sir."

--click.

[Coyote]

NORTHERN COAST BEGINNING TO RE-OPEN

Canissia's northern coast is beginning to re-open to civilian traffic and casual visitors again, after months of closure due to erosion concerns.


--Red Technocracy freight train rumbles along re-opened tracks.

The Northern shore rail line was closed due to concerns that the vibration of passing trains was contributing to the loosening of the soil, however, this has turned out not to be the case. The rail lines were still closed, however, to facilitate the movement of construction equipment and teams of civilian and military construction engineers.

Today, however, a step was taken towards re-opening the north coast as freight traffic was resumed, including a train hauling strings of freight cars from the Red Techncocracy, brought over by special rail-ferry.

The Eastern Coast remains closed, for the most part, for similar concerns, and visitors are encouraged to alter their travel plans accordingly.


==========================================



Pearl Point, Canissia
Pearl Royal Air Force Base


"Allright, you mutts! Get aboard and make it tight! It's a short flight, so you won't be nut-to-butt for too long, so just grin & bear it!"

The Platoon Sergeant hustled his guys aboard the parked C-130's as the engines whined to life, blowing cool, moist northern sea air over the troops. It was a welcome break for most; having waited on the tarmac for three hours for the planes to come and go, ferrying them to their destination.

"Destination", in this case, meant Port Eilatia, a modest sized port of West Neverhood, with commercial shipping and some military boats typically moored there. It was about 35 miles north of Hadera, ordinarily linked by an impressive set of four rails and a divided interstate highway-- ordinarily, the 9th Air Assault Division would fly in a handful of super-jumbos to the major international airport at Hadera and then go th elast few miles by bus or train.

But now, the area between Hadera and Eilatia were the domain of some group calling it "The Farmer's and Worker's Collective", demanding polls to pass through and threatening to blow up the bridges that made up major partions of the highway if they didn't get their wishes. So instead, the troops were carried across in an endless conveyer belt of C-130s instead, to land at the small municipal airport at Eilatia.

Overall, though, the men & women of the 9th Air Assualt didn't mind their lot-- Eilatia was a quiet place, as big as Hadera in overall land-area footprint, but with almost half the population. Hopefully, it would be a quiet tour of playing traffic cop, and the Criminal Investigation Command could use the area as a quiet place to process terrorists and war criminals...


Results:
The following is assigned to Eilatia, 35 mile snorth of Hadera:
9th Air Assault Division; Shinra Republic Army
Commander: Major General Russel "Rusty" Benson, SRA
901st Air Assault Regiment
902nd Air Assault Regiment
903rd Air Assault Regiment
904th Sustainment Regiment


Army Criminal Investigation Command
Detachment November Sierra One (Det NS1) [18 Agents]
Special Agent in Charge: Special Agent Brian Edwards (CWO3)

Detachment November Sierra Two (Det NS2) [18 Agents]
Special Agent in Charge: Special Agent David Williams (CWO2)


The 15th IR(AA) is in Pearl POint, Canissia, awaiting deployment orders and going through pre-deployment briefings. This will likely be followed by the 20th IR(AA) and the 8th Sustainment Regiment.

[RogueIce]

Code: Select all

TO: Commander, JTF-1
      Commander, JTF-2
      Commander, JTF-3
FROM: Commander, CJTF-4

You are ordered to allow the UAR convoy to land and begin unloading operations.  Passive observation may be continued at local commander's discretion.

=======================

Off the west coast of the Shinra Republic

The SRS Fortuna and three of the older Gorgon-class frigates, escorting eight of the new SRMM FCS-Ls departed from Naval Base Junon and headed out to the Western Ocean. Only the senior officers aboard the ships knew their ultimate destination was the port of New Delphi, Alexandria, Terra Libertia.

[Lonestar]

The Battalion
LRS Apache departs for West Neverhood
The Ocean-Going Tug Apache has departed for West Neverhood to aid in the harbor clearing efforts there.

"This is not our war," Assembly Minority Leader Erwin McFibblestein said "It is not in our interests to get involved."

1st Airborne involved in Adrianopolis recovery effort.
The 1st Airborne is aiding in recovery efforts in Adrianopolis, clearing debris, providing medical care, and rescue for stranded civilians.

"We are always ready to help our MESS allies" Secretary DiBacco said. When asked if similiar aid would be offered to Saddamistan, he said : "No."

[Sea Skimmer]

Official Statement of Saddamistani Concerning the South Seas Tsunami

Owing to the geographic imposition of Adrainpolis between the orgin point of the tsunami and the glorious Saddamistan coastline damage has been minimal to moderate from secondary waves reflected off surrounding landmasses. Casualties’ are currently estimated at over four thousand, with active army and mobilized popular forces troops dispatched to the affected coastal areas. Saddamistan will accept relief aid but not personal, except those necessary for the safe landing and unloading of zeppelin airships, from the Bear Republic, a nation which despite its FUN membership has not demonstrated an irrational hated of Saddamistani sovereignty.

Furthermore in view of the limited scale of damage, Saddamistan suggest that all possible aid by directed to Adrainpolis, which cannon help but have sustained massive damage on its exposed islands. Saddamistan in fact will now makes a formal aid offer of one Saddam the Sultan class sea base ship, which can operate as a floating hospital and water production facility, besides carrying aid cargo. The ship will be accompanied by two large landing craft, to facilitate unloading into other vessels, four helicopters for the same purpose, and two mine countermeasures ships, but will under no circumstances enter Adrainpolis waters.

Saddamistan additionally warns all international maritime traffic that naval mines may have been moved by even the weakened tsunami wave. All shipping should avoid the waters between Saddamistan and Adrainpolis until marked cleared lanes are established, similar to those already in use in the straights of Terralibertia.

[Mr Bean]

BBC Special Report
December 6th 2010
In a stunning two part series, the BBC's investigation journalists went through the UKB's massive effort to modernize it's Merchant fleet with what is locally called the Swift Commerce Ship. The UKB planned to internally construct over 70% of the estimated 342 vessels need to replace currently in operation Merchant Marine vessels. However of the 121 due to be completed this year only 34 of them have been finished while the foreign produced ISCA ships are not only all completed but most were finished days or even weeks ahead of schedule.

The ISCA has been tasked to complete only 30% of the UKB's total ship needs needs while the UKB built the other 70% itself, with the whole program costing an estimated 15.2 billion dollars. However due to massive internal cost over-runs the UKB government's program will more likely jump to sixteen or even seventeen billion dollars over the next three years.

Dozens of examples were show where workmen were idle because of lack of parts in UKB construction ports, or double booking and charging the UKB government for workers that did not exist and a dozen other corruption business practices. Investigations have already been opened into three of the UKB's largest local ship builders.

--------------------
"...In national news following the release of the BBC's report on the three year Merchant Marine upgrade, dozens of MP's from the Commons have called for a full investigation into the program. And the King's government has already reacted stating that construction contracts were being canceled for 2011 for native firms and being turned over to the ISCA for 2011 and depending on the results of the already ongoing review may be cancelled for 2012 as well.

Crown representatives went on to state that existing contracts would be finished by native firms unless management in those company's were to be shown to be complicit in the fraud, waste and abuse"


---------
"In what was supposed to be a proud moment for the Naval construction firms of the UKB has instead turned into a giant embarrassment as one hundred and four Fast Commerce Ship Large versions(Called the Swift Commerce Ship by UKB shipbuilders) steamed into the Central bay of the Kingdom. Hundreds of people traveled to Vice City to see the massive Convoy over a hundred shipss being escorted by over forty UKB Naval vessels.

The reason for the embarrassment steams from the fact that there were due to be 120 locally built Swift Commerce ships ready to meet them as they entered the bay, instead there were only 22, less than 20% of the original total.

Investigations have already been opened into half a dozen suppliers, two producers and three of the largest UKB ship-building firms.

The 2011 order for 110 ships has already been placed with the ISCA.

[Beowulf]

TXS Victoria
Steaming to Tian Xia from Shinra

Commodore MacClintock read the message from HQ. Make all possible speed to Adrianopolis, to support Tsunami Relief efforts. He knew the 173d Air Assault had already left. It was unfortunate that Tian Xia didn't have any LHDs yet. Supposedly the the Navy was planning on ordering a couple after the CSGNs were all delivered. They'd come in real handy right now. He shrugged.

[Mr Bean]

Message to relevant World Governments
December 7th 2010
Surplus Ships have returned to port today to begin removing UKB classified communication equipment and for final workups. This is estimated to take three weeks for all ships to be completed. The ships will be arriving December 20th and December 29th. Please have crews standing by for acceptance.

(OOG: The ships sold so far are being cleaned up and scrubbed. Then all ships will be decontaminated of all classified materials and communications equipment. Then the ships will sail with caretakers crews to the various countries and all be delivered by Saturday of this week. New Years is also this Saturday, we are almost in 2011)

[Lonestar]

Austin Republican

El Presidente wins re-election with 63-25 landslide!

"I'm going to Six Flags Over Texas!"

[Master_Baerne]

The Duke extends his congratulations to El Presidente on his reelection.

[TimothyC]

The Ashford Times

Two HAL Tejas prototypes in flight over New Patria

Late last year, the Langley Department of Defense successfully entered into a deal with the Kingdom of New Patria to assist in development and production of the HAL Tejas; while most of the contributions to the program have been purely monetary, some parts production takes place within the Duchy, with the majority of technical work and all final assembly taking place with New Patria. The first prototypes took flight earlier in the year; just a few days ago, New Patria Aeronautics announced that the Tejas is now available for purchase. As part of the development deal, the Langley Air Force has been guaranteed twenty free airframes; the Air Force is planning on taking delivery of fifteen single-seaters and five two-seaters sometime next year. Future airframes have a sticker price of US$27 million each.

New Patria is saddened to have to inform Langley that the original production schedule for the Tejas Fighter is being re-evaluated in light of a lack of orders and production bottle-necking.

The original plans called for 10 air frames per months, The total now is looking like half of that. However in the interests of Northern Sea Solidarity, the Kingdom of New Patria is releasing all but the first month's production of the Tejas to Langley. Allowing the order to be finished by October. In addition - no rent will be charged for the '10 lease of F-16s.

[Beowulf]

Forbidden City Times

Tian Xia Army announces downsizing plan

The Tian Xia Army, in an effort to reduce spending, has announced plans to put six Infantry Regiments into reserve status. It is currently undecided how exactly this transformation will be effected, or which units will be turned into reserves. It is projected that this will save over half a billion ROBs a year in manpower costs. The Army also announced plans to convert three more infantry regiments to air assault capability.

[Fingolfin_Noldor]

Constantinople Times

Imperial Byzantine Navy looking to retire 6 Basil class (Halifax) frigates, in anticipation of procuring 5 new Basil II the Bulgar Slayer (F-100) frigates.

The Imperial Byzantine Navy is looking to retire 6 Basil class frigates. Countries interested in those frigates should contact the Byzantine Defence Ministry as soon as possible. The frigates will be retired, with a full suite of weapons, at 70 million each.

[Lonestar]

The Battalion
Third Perimeter Acquisition Radar authorized
The DoD announced that a third large PAR will be constructed to improve air and missile defense for the LSR. It is likely that these PARs will ultimately be tied into any MESS-wide ABM system.

Fort Worth Star Telegram
Construction continues on Commerce and Prosperity Bridges with Tian Xia
The Assembly Committee for Transportation issued a review of the status of the bridge projects with Tian Xia today, stating that progress is "satisfactory" in all areas. The car bridge "Prosperity" is expected to be completed by 2012, and the "Commerce" train bridge will be completed in 2013.

FIRE Begins construction on Tokamak mk 2
the Fusion Ignition Reactor Experiment, or FIRE, has settled on a design for a Mark Two Tokamak, based upon lessons learned from the Mark One.

"The Mark two will bring us signifigantly closer to reaching the 'break even' point in fusion." A Texas A&M spokesman said.

[Shroom Man 777]

LIVE on ShroomSatTV
The Sovereign Shroomanian Sentinel
SUPPORTING SADDAMISTAN, ASSISTING ADRIANPOLIS


Shroomanian airships make way Qudlivun, wherein they will rendezvous with Bear Republican zeppelins and deliver aid to Saddamistan.

In a show of igood will, and despite the current international situation, the Shroomanian government was quick to dispatch a fleet of ten large cargo zeppelins to aid the tsunami-stricken nations of Saddamistan and Adrianpolis in a second wave of humanitarian aid after the recent tsunami. The first wave of aid was directed to the NeoGoombas of Republicsbergstatesville, a nation that was not as heavily affected by the calamity as those in regions nearer to the tsunami's point of origin.

The Shroomanian sky fleet will rendezvous with their Bear Republican counterparts over the skies of Qudlivun and will fly the flag of the FUN, delivering aid to Saddamistan and Adrianpolis.

As the Saddamistani government has pointed out that Adrianpolis has suffered considerably more damage from the deluge, most of the Shroomanian airships' cargo will be delivered to Adrianpolis.

However, the relief fleet will nonetheless be making deliveries to Saddamistan. To compliment the Bear Republican shipment, the Shroomanian airships are carrying several tons of MushroomMeds pharmaceutical supplies as well as multilingual pamphlets detailing the dangers of megafauna - to be used and distributed by Saddamistani authorities as they see fit.

No MOM personnel will be deployed to Saddamistan, but one hundred have been alloted for Adrianpolis. The Shroomanian airships are, however, primarily carrying supplies rather than personnel.

To save weight, the typical complimentary anti-megafauna mandatory flamethrowers has been removed.

This deployment will also serve as the first ever long-ranged flight of the new MacMillan-made airships.

[The Yosemite Bear]

The following Hughes Kaiser model 47s have been sold/issued to the Fungal Union of Nations: "Gunboat Diplomacy", "Diplomatic Immunity", and "Serial Peacemaker" Remember that these are full HK-47 airships, with built in air defense countermeasures (Radar jammers, Being electric models they have a low heat signature and their skin is 99% absorbative, Chaff, Flares, Decoys, Advanced Air to Air Missiles, four miniguns), armoured small arms lockers, recreation decks, telecommunications suite, and a rather acerbative chat bot computer.

[RogueIce]

SRNS Mercy deployed to Dicoese; SRNS Solace to Adrianpolis



The SRNS Mercy, a Standard Hospital Ship (SHS) is beyond deployed to the Dicoese of Terra Libertia to assist in medical relief efforts, while the SRNS Solace, a Light Hospital Ship (LHS) is making the transit to Adrianpolis.

"Our deployment decision was based upon relative need, and the capability of the host governments to handle the situation on their own. Adrianpolis, as a member of the MESS, is already receiving considerable effort from not only the alliance but nations all over the world. In addition, they are a prosperous, First World nation. The Diocese, in contrast, has been in a state of rebuilding after several brutal wars, and is less able to respond to the crisis."
--President Rufus Shinra

Aid shipments would be extended to Saddamistan, although plans were currently being worked out on how to do so given the Saddamistani declaration that no personnel be allowed to land. Large aid packages are already underway to Adrianpolis and the Diocese.

[Decue]

FUN conference, Sarajevo, Imperial Beach Resort

Bönne looks out over the ocean, a second sun suddenly appears
Cool, I didn't know this place had two suns, I really should get outside more
The lights fades and a mushroom cloud appears were the sun just was
Smiling, the High Lords turns to Prime Minister Shroom.
"Hey, Shroom-guy, how did you do..." Suddenly it appears to Bönne what it is.A nuke. A fucking nuke!
"DUCK AND COVER! DUCK AND COVER!"
Everyone in the room looks at the screaming madman.
"Chillax dude, it's only a movie" Prime Minister said.
"Oh yeah, sure it is, sure it is..." He makes an effort to pull himself together. "It's only a movie, it's only a movie... yeah, only a movie... Never eat any magic mushrooms he offers before a movie again. Goddamn " he mumbled as he walked to the video screen linked to the Bear Republics leader.
"So what do you say Emporer Colin? How about you rent a naval base in New Gottland?"

[RogueIce]

MESS Sailors enroute to UKB


Sailors from all over the MESS head to crew surplus UKB ships

It was announced today that the MESS would be purchasing one nuclear carrier, two VLS cruisers, and four VLS destroyers surplussed from the United Kingdom of Blackadder from joint alliance funds. The crews for the seven ships have been training ever since the purchase was made, and their commanders feel confidant they will all work well together.

"The MESS has always sought to utilize a common standard of equipment and has a long history of training together."
--MESS spokesman

When asked how the new ships would be utilized, officials declined to comment, citing that deployment usage was still being discussed. Additionally, as the UKB did not supply any aircraft for the carrier, any operational usage would have to wait until the air wing was filled out.

No official announcement has been released concerning when the joint-MESS carrier group would be made operational.

[Shroom Man 777]

[OOC: It's about time to wrap the FUN CONFERENCE up, guys.]

Sarajevo, Shadow Empire
Something-something hours, Unreal Time

"So," Prime Minister Shroom began as he closed the paper-filled folders littering his desk. He glanced at his compatriots, his FUN Friends. "I assume that because no objections have been raised, we've come to a consensus on the following outlined matters:

1.) All FUN members will have an equal say in the Administrative Committee.

2.) The FUN will begin a space program, the Fungal Air and Space Technology Administration (FASTA) in order to have independent space capabilities. We will contract the UKB for civilian purposes, while we may do our own space launches for our military assets - such as communications satellites.

3.) We will make our military communications networks compatible and will pool resources into the FUN Defense Fund. For starts, Shroomania is contributing $10 billion to the Fund.

Also, we will create the Fungal Advanced Reaction Taskforce - the FART. An international rapid-response unit that will be under the command of the FUN Force. It will answer any unforeseen domestic crisis within the FUN, like the recent civil war that happened right here in the Shadow Empire.

4.) As for the situation with the Unified Atomic Republic... we will not involve ourselves in foreign military conflicts. But because the current situation has gone out of hand, we have blacklisted UAR nations from doing any business with the FUN and, practically, in the Central Sea, as a form of protest over the happenings in Terra Libertia and the Neverhood. If the situation changes, then we will rescind this 'lockdown'.

"How does that sound, guys?"