American Commonwealth General Movements and Actions

[MostGloriousLeader]

UAV Force

The Commonwealth military's UAV fleet have grown to be an essential part of its war-fighting capabilities on the modern battlefield.  All of the services operate a variety of drone systems according to their operational needs ranging from long range strategic ISR platforms to hand held micro UAVs operated by individual soldiers.  Lessons gleaned from the Faraway conflict have highlighted a need for new models and an expansion of the current force.

 

RQ-170 Sentinel

The basis of its bigger brother, the RQ-170 Sentinel is a capable UAV in its own right.  Possessing a high degree of stealth, this is combined with an advanced sensor suite to perform long range ISR missions in a contested environment.  Utilizing an electro-optical/infrared sensor and an multi-function AESA radar, the Sentinel can provide real time tactical information directly to the battlefield commander via data-link.  Modular equipment load outs also permit the usage of SIGINT, communications relay and electronic warfare equipment as well as light strike capabilities.  Intended to supplement the MQ-1 Predator and MQ-9 Reaper UAVs, the RQ-170's stealth capabilities has been deliberately lowered to prevent the disclosure of advanced stealth technologies due to its intended proximity to the front line.  Even so it is still able to operate effectively in contested air space. 

 

RQ-180 Eagle Eye

Sporting some of the most advanced stealth and sensor technology the Commonwealth has developed, the RQ-180 is a shining example of the Commonwealth's UAV development programs.  Designed for an extremely high degree of stealth and to penetrate sophisticated air defense networks, the Eagle Eye is a strategic surveillance UAV like the RQ-4 Global Hawks currently in service with the Commonwealth Air Force.  Unlike the Global Hawk, the Eagle Eye is capable of operating in heavily contested air spaces, performing ISR missions in high threat environments. The RQ-180 carries an integrated sensor suite which combines electro-optical and IR imaging with an multi-function AESA radar with SAR imaging capabilities and can transmit data and imaging in real time.  This is supplemented by the ability to carry a variety of modular equipment packages allowing it to perform SIGINT, electronic warfare and communications relay missions.  Like the Global Hawk, the Eagle Eye can perform long range missions with lengthy loiter times making it an excellent strategic reconnaissance UAV.

 

MQ-12 Avenger

The MQ-12 Avenger differs from other UAVs in service as it was designed from the start as a combat UAV rather than being retrofitted from a different model.  In this regard the Avenger excels combining stealth, sensors, and a large weapons payload to create a capable long range precision strike platform able to survive in defended airspace.  The internal weapons bay reduces drag and allows for stealthy carriage of up to 3500 lbs of weaponry, while six external hardpoints can be utilized to increase the total weapons carriage up to 6,500 lbs of munitions.  The variety of weapons able to be carried include Hellfire missiles, standard fare for most weaponized UAVs, as well as SDBs, JSMs and JDAMs.  The Avenger also comes with an integrated sensor suite for targeting or reconnaissance, allowing it to perform ISR missions with or without its armaments.  Compatibility with air to air armament, including Stingers and the AIM-9X, are ongoing to allow the Avenger to combat lower capabilities aircraft such as helicopters and other UAVs.

[MostGloriousLeader]

GENERAL ALERT

Norse activity in the North Atlantic had escalated dramatically in such a short amount of time.  The intensive training maneuvers by the Norse military had been noted via occasional satellite reconnaissance but not too much was made of it.  Now OTH radars in Greenland were reporting an large increase in Norse naval activity and now Norse military forces had landed on Iceland.  Commonwealth forces had been ordered to a state of high alert and forces in Greenland were ordered to full readiness while surveillance of the North Atlantic, specifically the Norwegian and Greenland Seas, and the Arctic Ocean, was heavily increased.  Additional fighter, ground, air and coastal defense assets were being flown into Greenland while four carrier battle groups would rendezvous to the east of the Labrador Sea for possible contingency operations.

[MostGloriousLeader]

Redeployment of forces to Greenland and the Arctic was still ongoing.  At Thule AFB and JB Nuuk, REDHORSE, Prime BEEF and army engineer units were working around the clock in clearing out areas and establishing prefabricated airfields nearby to complement the significant facilities available to the well established bases while Seabee and marine engineers did the same at NS Kangilinnguit.  Detachments from these units were also deployed to the numerous public airports in Greenland to establish backup bases for flight operations.  Highway strips, already planned and pre-sighted, would begin to be put into operation.  Similar measures were being implemented at northern Canadian bases to better manage the large amounts of aircraft streaming in, including a dozen B-1squadrons.

 

Naval forces forward deployed to Iceland included eight SSK diesel submarines while a dozen nuclear attack submarines were conducting patrols in the northern North Atlantic and Arctic Oceans.  These would be supplemented by another dozen nuclear attack boats and three SSGNs ordered to head north from the mid-Atlantic.  Additional deployments would be made to bases with Thule AFB, JB Nuuk and JB Alert each being provided a guided missile destroyer to assist in defense. 

 

While ground reinforcements were being delivered rapidly by air, with most of an additional mountain division almost in place, the deployment of heavy forces could only be done by sea.  As such, a marine expeditionary force was being assembled at Little Creek to be quickly delivered to Greenland by sea to be followed shortly after by an mechanized infantry and an armored division.  An additional airborne and mountain division had both been ordered to prepare for deployment to Greenland.

Edited August 25, 2014 by MostGloriousLeader

[MostGloriousLeader]

With some time passing by deployments and preparations in the North Atlantic Theater were progressing.  Over a dozen new airfields had been completed and were now operating in addition to over a dozen highway strips and civilian airports to accommodate the still growing number of more than 720 fighters and support aircraft now operating on Greenland.  A cloud of fighters and AWACs aircraft positioned over the island and out to sea provided early warning and protection, with a similar situation in Northern Canada and the Northern Early Warning Line.  With the Commonwealth's Space Surveillance Network actively tracking all Norse military satellites in orbit, the decision was also made to deploy satellite blinding lasers to all bases in Greenland and Northern Canada to prevent satellite surveillance.  Other countermeasures included timing movements outside of their observation windows and to erect decoys, especially fake aircraft and hangers, to give false information.  Aircraft not able to be placed in established hardened shelters were provided portable protective shelters able to prevent damage from cluster munitions and smaller explosives and were camouflaged.  As a last ditch measure, airfields and bases were provided with portable wide area GPS jammers and electronic warfare vehicles.

 

On the ground the situation had also improved growing from two light infantry divisions, an airborne division, a marine expeditionary force and two brigades with the addition of another airborne division, a mountain division, two more light infantry divisions two light armored brigades and numerous SAM units.  More than enough forces to cover all bases and population centers on the island.  These units were deployed in a more dispersed fashion in order to mitigate casualties from any strikes but were close enough to be able to rapidly reformed in order to conduct operations.  Possible landing sites were scouted, monitored and fortified.  Engineer units prepared port facilities for possible destruction to prevent their use if they fell.  Canadian facilities were also reinforced, with JB Alert receiving an entire light infantry division and additional air defense assets and other bases also receiving ground reinforcements for base protection.

 

At sea most assets were in place, with the four carriers remaining at their stations and the fifth about to arrive after being redeployed from the South Atlantic, and using advanced knowledge of Norse satellite movements to avoid detection.  The same measures were being taken by the reinforcements sailing out of Little Creek, which had taken longer to prepare than was planned with the addition of two mechanized infantry divisions to be transported to Greenland.  The eight diesel subs operating out of Greenland were patrolling the islands eastern coast and near Iceland.  The three SSGNs were operating south of Iceland with orders to stay hidden.  The now 30 nuclear attack subs operating in the North Atlantic had formed up patrol patterns roughly along the northern edges of the North Sea between Great Britain, the Shetland Islands and the Norwegian Coast, although a few were in the Greenland/Norwegian Sea.  The SSK squadron in Cuba and 5 more nuclear attack subs were en-route to their new stations, which included monitoring the mouth of the English Channel and the Celtic Sea.

[MostGloriousLeader]

Naval Development Program

 

Kitsap class MMCS

Based on the Independence class littoral combat ship, the Fairfield class Multi-Mission Combat Ship is a redesign that improves upon the original vessel.  While it was fast and agile, the original LCS design was rejected as too specialized and lacking in a number of areas, including armament, sensor capabilities and survivability.  Even with the various mission modules it still lacked effective capabilities against common air and surface threats and a ship that was capable of blue water in addition to littoral operations was desired.  The MMCS design provides a substantial improvement in base performance capabilities while retaining many of the positive aspects of the LCS's modularity and design.

 

One of the primary reasons the LCS was rejected by the Commonwealth Navy was that it lacked effective firepower and self defense capabilities.  This has been rectified by the addition of additional weapons systems, the most notable of which is the addition of two tactical module 16 cell Mk 41 VLS batteries on either side of the superstructure which allows the use of most missiles with the exception of land attack cruise missiles.  The forward bow has been refitted to allow the use of modular weapons systems.  The main gun mount is able to utilize either a 57mm or 76mm cannon while the forward missile battery can be used for traditional anti-ship missile launchers, another 16 cell Mk41 VLS battery, or a battery of smaller weapons like the NLOS-LS or hellfire missiles for increased close in surface defense, or additional short range air defense systems.  Close in missile defense such as the Phalanx or SeaRAM can be installed on two dedicated mounts, while close in surface defense is provided by four Typhoon Weapon Stations.  A secondary missile battery can be installed near the CIWS mounts if it doesn't require deck penetration, and two triple Mk 32 torpedo systems are available on either side of the vessel which remain closed until weapons deployment to maintain stealth.

 

The MMCS has dramatically improved sensor systems with the addition of an multifunction AESA radar system and the Aegis combat system.  This provides the MMCS with wide area air/surface surveillance and defense capabilities and allows it to operate seamlessly either on its own or with a larger task force.  It also possesses effective sub surface sensors, with a multifunction sonar capable of detecting submarines and mines as well as a towed sonar array.  The MMCS's air basic air contingent of two SH-60s and a UAV can further extend sensor range and effectiveness.  This can all be combined with its stealth capabilities to provide an effective forward patrol vessel for a task force.

 

Survivability has also been improved in the new design, with additional reinforcing of critical points against damage as well as the installation of an extensive automated battle damage control system.  Able to deal with damage from conventional threats like anti-ship missiles, the MMCS is also survivable against littoral threats, namely mines, being able to withstand greater underwater damage than the LCS.  The increased use of advanced composite materials has both increased durability and enhanced its stealth capabilities.

 

Despite the MMCS's redesign and upgrades, it still has many of the desirable features of the LCS, chiefly its speed, maneuverability, and its spacious mission bay.  With the increase to its baseline capabilities the anti-surface and anti-submarine warfare modules have been scrapped.  The mine countermeasures module will be retained and three new modules, mine warfare, amphibious warfare and special operations, have been developed.  The mine warfare module uses the rear and side boat launch/recovery systems to dispense carried mines.  The amphibious warfare module includes additional berthing and logistics and involves the removal and replacement of the rear boat launch/recovery system with a splash down ramp able to launch and recover amphibious vehicles like the AAV and EFV.  This will allow the embarked company sized landing force and necessary command and control elements to conduct amphibious operations.  The special forces module also includes additional berthing, logistics and command and control elements to support special forces operations as well as additional aircraft.  Without any of the mission modules the MMCS can be utilized as a troop transport with the large available area for vehicles and berthing, capable of carry a fully equipped company sized combat force.  The large roll on/roll off ramps on either side facilitate the rapid embarkation and debarkation of troops and vehicles.

 

Currently 30 Multi-Mission Combat Ships have been completed, are under construction, or have been ordered to supplement and at least partially replace the Franklin class corvettes currently in service.  Designed primarily as an open ocean vessel, the Franklins have been found lacking effective in-shore littoral combat capabilities and it is hoped that the MMCS will be able to supplant them as both blue water and littoral combat vessels.  The Commonwealth Navy intends to purchase 20 more if they prove capable and meet requirements, or go with two separate classes and develop another open ocean corvette if an alternative is deemed necessary.

[MostGloriousLeader]

With the collapse of the Republic of Alaska's government, Commonwealth troops would begin deployment from their Canadian bases to rapidly secure the territory.  The ground forces would be preceded by airborne and air-mobile forces moving fast and deep into the region to secure vital population centers and military facilities.  Weapons and munitions would be secured on site to await removal or reactivation by Commonwealth forces.  In the cities order would be restored as troops enforced a temporary curfew to improve the security situation while restoring vital utilities and public services.  Once the initial operations were complete, and the region secured, an public announcement would be made on the situation.

[MostGloriousLeader]

Classified

With the announcement of the Japanese exercises in the North Pacific, the Commonwealth Pacific and Northern Commands would adopt an increased readiness posture in accordance with standard operating procedures when such things occurred near Commonwealth territory or forces.  Satellite coverage of the area would be increased in addition to an heavy increase in long range UAV and aircraft patrols, with UAVs being ordered to shadow the Japanese ships at a comfortable distance.  In the meantime dozens of combat and support squadrons were being redeployed to bases in Alaska, the West Coast and Western Canada.  Ground forces in Alaska were also put on alert and additional air defense and surveillance assets would be brought in.