Strength in Unity

[TheShammySocialist]

The South African Foreign Service, being the middleman in any international arms sales for South Africa, would process the down payment into Damen's accounts that arrived from the government of Para. With the payment in hand, Damen would get under way with the construction of the four vessels at two of its' major yards, with construction expected to be accelerated due to factory tooling already available. As the Citadel-class was an active class for the South African Navy, components were quite plentiful, and it was expected that, without any major delays, the production would take up to five fiscal quarters to be finished.

 

Damen South Africa, as well as the South African Navy, would encourage the hierarchy of Para's Navy to take regular trips to the yards to view the vessels under construction, as well as provide training for Para's senior naval maintenance personnel in the upkeep of the vessel, as well as notable stress points and areas of interest to keep an eye on. Staff from the naval engineering crews that served on the active duty Citadel-class vessels would be on hand to discuss troubleshooting techniques, as well as point out what their own experiences with the vessels had garnered them.

[TheShammySocialist]

South Africa had much to celebrate in the time since its' independence, and with the completion of its' high speed rail network, the new found power was also gaining increasing economic clout. The introduction of South African Atomics' first fusion reactor (meant for actual electrical production) at Bloemfontein was also an important feather in the nations' cap. South African Atomics had decided to introduce its first fusion reactor in a bid to support the large scale electrical network needed to power the high speed rail network, as well as fuel the growing power needs of the nation at large. Although other renewable sources of energy existed, including a bid to build more solar energy plants in the Kalahari, much of South Africa's power needs would be received from South African Atomics' construction of a number of reactors.

 

South Africa's premier shipbuilder, Damen, was also recording astronomical profits, with foreign orders being recorded that amounted to hundreds of billions for its products, primarily from the newly-founded USCA. This would fuel a decision by Damen to develop a new shipbuilding facility in Durban, modeling itself on that of the classic designs of the Hyundai Heavy Industry shipyards in Samho-eup, Korea, with the ability to construct up to twenty major vessels (both military and commercial) at the same time. Covered buildings would give the ability to conceal construction projects, up to the size of the South African Navy's Trekker-class cruiser. The up-and-coming yard would include anything needed to build, outfit, or repair any ship of commerce or war, with sophisticated machine shops, independent component production facilities, and easy access to nearby steel production facilities in Phoenix.

 

Known as as the Millennium Yard, Damen's newly-built shipyard would be its crown jewel, and was expected to directly bring nine thousand jobs to Durban, and the Chancellor of the Exchequer was predicting at least fifteen to twenty thousand more jobs would be indirectly created by the yards' inception.

 

This report of economic activity would also come with a flurry of news from Parliament of the ratification of a list of countries that were dubbed preferential trading partners of the Union of South Africa. On the list, the American Commonwealth, Para, Chile, United States of Central America, and Faraway would be given special preferential trading status at ports and in import/export tariffs. In recognition of Selenarctos' granting South Africans expedited visas, similar legislation was passed that would make exchange of internal criminal and security risks on South African citizens easier for Selenarctan customs officials. Selenarctos would also receive a most favored nation status with the Chancellor of the Exchequer, which opened the door for significant investment between the two countries.

 

These developments would also come at a time that saw South Africa's hold on its protectorate territories toughen with harder crackdowns on violent local militia groups. Tier 1 SO Forces were operating actively within the protectorate areas, engaging in direct action with elusive criminal gangs and local warlords on a weekly, if not daily basis. Foot and mobile patrols were becoming more aggressive, whilst local police forces were becoming more competent in responding to and engaging criminal activity as well as providing a first-responder role against armed gangs. The conflict was also giving the South African Armed Services a chance to test new equipment; SIGINT aircraft, new and improved pinpoint tactical munitions, and the newly-upgraded Rooivalk attack helicopter, which had received a fire control system similar to the AN/APG-78 Longbow FCR, as well as advanced chaff and infrared countermeasures. New engines allowed the helicopter faster speeds, as well as better handling and payload options, and it was proving itself a deadly asset particularly in the restive regions of the East-Central Congo.

[TheShammySocialist]

[b]Classified[/b]

 

Due to an increase in naval traffic in the Southern Atlantic Ocean, South Africa has dispatched the Transvaal Battle Group from its reserve rotational status at Simon's Town to 'Tombstone Station', approximately five hundred kilometers west of St. Helena. To support the battle group, the amphibious assault carrier [i]Stalwart[/i], stationed at St. Helena, would be equipped with a sea control mission package and equipped with large numbers of ASW helicopters. South Africa's Air Force would also contribute a group of variable-mission electronic intelligence, naval patrol, AWACs, and refueling aircraft that would be flown into St. Helena and establish regular support of the battlegroup as it massed in the region.

[Captain Enema]

 

 This report of economic activity would also come with a flurry of news from Parliament of the ratification of a list of countries that were dubbed preferential trading partners of the Union of South Africa. On the list, the American Commonwealth, Para, Chile.....

 

As Chile already has afforded South Africa most favored trade status this move is greatly appreciated. A special order is given to all Chilean Coast Guard and Customs stations to expedite, without compromising national security, the flow of South African goods into Chile.

[TheShammySocialist]

[b]Classified - Quartermaster's Standardization Report[/b]

 

"In response for a detailed report from the Joint Chiefs of Staff on the standardization of aerial munitions, the Quartermaster's Corps has issued a report on the current inventory and purpose of available traditional missile/bomb armaments for aircraft."

 

[b]Air-to-Air Weaponry[/b]

 

• "Voodoo" ASRAAM - South Africa's premier dual-color infrared-guided short-range air-to-air missile, with advanced counter-countermeasures, utilizing imaging infrared and 128x128 focal plane array, with the ability to target specific parts of the aircraft. LOAL-capable for terminal phase, upgraded with initial phase inertial guided with possible midcourse datalinks course updates. One-eighty degree look angle at short range engagement, utilizes thrust-vectoring control with the ability to perform maneuvers at one hundred times the force of gravity. Utilizes non-aluminum powder in fuel to inhibit the production of a smoke trail, making visual recognition near impossible and making infrared EO systems detection methods difficult.
  
  The Voodoo also has a ground-based variant assigned to most brigade-sized formations in the South African Army.
   
• "Iklwa" MRBVR - South Africa's choice for a beyond-visual-range (BVR) medirum-range air-to-air missile, the Iklwa utilizes semi-active radar homing during its terminal attack phase, "going hot" around a quarter of the way through its flight towards intercept point. Utilizing global positioning system and targeting information programmed in right before its launch, it illuminates its target with its onboard radar before going terminal, giving little response time to its impending attack. Encrypted datalinks can be opened between multiple missiles during flight, and course adjustments made if the missiles pick up additional contacts in the intercept zone. The use of SARH also prevents targets from utilizing certain jamming techniques and countermeasures from distracting the missile from its target.
  
  The Iklwa also has ground-based variants, as well as an air-to-air anti-radiation variant, to pick up on high-intensity radiation targets (AWACs, active radars) during terminal phase.
   
• "Assegai" LRBVR - South Africa's premier choice for long-range BVR targets, the Assegai is a fast, ramjet-powered missile with a speed that tops out close to Mach 4.5, utilizing a ducted rocket with high-maneuvering capabilities against agile targets. Inertially-guided through its intercept course, with midcourse datalink updates through a secure transmitter and receiver, the Assegai then "goes hot" with its radar seeker to illuminate the target. Utilizing a four-antennae system for proximity detonation, the missile determines at a precise moment when to detonate for maximum lethality.
  
  Network-enabled for retargeting capability as well as sharing data with other airborne missiles, a series of missiles can network amongst one another which target to engage, and can autonomously-assign multiple missiles to targets unless manually overridden. Anti-radiation terminal seeker variants are available, as well as long-range, INS-guided, infrared-equipped seekers, which can network with other missiles to follow them into a long range engagement.
   
• "Marksman" ELRBVR - South Africa's missile of choice for engaging at extremely long range, mainly to destroy support aircraft and target high value targets, the Marksman is capable of engagement ranges of up to two-hundred-twenty nautical miles with a jettison booster. Utilizing mid-course datalinks updates to its inertial guidance, the Marksman will home in with either a SARH or ARH system to illuminate the target in terminal approach. The missile also has a limited anti-radiational homing device built in, which will activate if it believes it to be jammed, which will allow it to engage the closest, highest-intensity radiation-emitting device.
  
  Like the Assegai, the Marksman also utilizes a four-antennae array to determine the best location to detonate at, and has a limited ducted venting system, to allow for some high-G maneuvering, but at a cost to range and speed if activated.

 

[b]Air-to-Surface Weaponry[/b]

 

• "Firecracker" SDB - The Firecracker is one of the most utilized weapons in the South African Air Forces' armament. With aircraft able to carry a large number of these small diameter weapons, and their usefulness in low-intensity conflicts with a small, focused warhead, they have been used to great effect in Central Africa against militia forces. Able to glide for extended distances, as well as utilize various homing mechanisms, they are accurate, hard to counter, and provide a variety of warheads for a variety of tasks.
   
• Mk.56/57 GP Bomb - These general-purpose bombs, weighing in at a quarter and half a ton respectively, are used for general air strikes, typically in a carpet-like or targeted-cluster fashion. With a variety of fusing options, drag-retarders, and fin kits for accuracy assistance, as well as munitions effects, the Mark 56s and 57s are relatively cheap to make as well as deploy by SAAF aircraft.
  
  The Mark 56/57 are also a base model for the laser-guided Marks 56L/57L, as well as the Marks 56G/57G all-weather inertial/GPS guided Directed Attack Munition.
   
• "Blinder" TARM - These advanced anti-radiation missiles are at the heart of the Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses (SEAD) strategy of the South African Armed Services. With a high resilience against countermeasures, the Blinder locks in on the location of the radiation emissions that it detects, and even if the radar is turned off, it is likely to strike its target before it can move out of the way. With a warhead with a munitions dispenser, it blankets the target area with cluster bomblets, which can cause additional damage to air defenses that are accompanying the radar systems.
  
  The SeaBlinder is an advanced long-range anti-radiation missile with an anti-ship focus, based on its smaller cousin, it carries a larger warhead with direct impact or proximity fuses that are set pre-launch. Homing in on ships utilizing its anti-radiational seeker at a terminal phase, it is helped along by intertial and datalinks/GPS guidance, which adjust for target heading. It is essentially all but immune to traditional chaff and flare decoys deployed by ships, and has a speed of up to Mach 2.5.
   
• "Longbow" MALCM - These air-launched, low-observable cruise missiles are the workhorse of the heavy stand-off munitions possessed by the SAAF and SAN's Naval Aviation. Utilizing a variety of guidance of warhead modules to guide themselves to their targets, including anti-radiation and target-recognizing terrain-following SAR, as well as traditional frequency-modulating GPS and inertial guidance, they are quite immune to jamming techniques if modules can be utilized together. With a variety of warheads, including standard high explosive, ground penetration, combined-effects, and variable shape charge (VSC) bomblet warheads, it is a heavy hitter when it reaches its target.
  
  These missiles can also be used in an anti-ship configuration, with differing seeker heads, as well as armor-piercing, or high explosive warheads.
   
• "Hyena" LALM - These air-launched missiles are small, short-range air-to-surface missiles that can be carried in groupings on most hardpoints of existing SAAF/SAN aircraft. Built for anti-personnel and anti-tank work, they incorporate semi-active laser, infrared imaging, and millimeter-wave radar to home in on their targets. With differing warheads, the missile can deploy blast fragmentation or shaped charged warheads, the latter being effective enough with its kinetic energy to destroy a main battle tank with a single shot.
   
• "Digger" ABALM Family - These air-launched missiles are meant specifically for targeted strikes against dug in positions, particularly steel-reinforced concrete bunkers and caves. Utilizing a delayed reaction tail fuze to time the explosion correctly, as well as the force of the missile impacting the ground to create its penetrating effects, some missile warheads include thermobaric-effect explosions.
   
• "Shooting Star" SALCM - These air-launched supersonic cruise missiles are effective as both land attack, as well as anti-ship configurations, with initial INS/mid-course datalinks/GPS guidance, and terminal infrared guidance with focal point arrays like those found on the Voodoo. This makes it highly lethal as it can be preset to identify certain structures on a ship, or the features of a certain target, and target them specifically, making it a pinpoint weapon for mauling enemy fleets, and is highly resistant to infrared countermeasures.
  
  With the ability to top out at Mach 3, there is a hypersonic variant in development for anti-ship work by Denel, making the sleek low-observable nature of the missile a tough opponent to track, especially flying at low altitudes. Attacks also give it the ability to "top-down" attack a target, gaining altitude as much as twenty kilometers before coming straight down, giving it added defense against ship-based defenses.
   
• Upgraded [url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mokopa]Mokopa[/url] Variable Target Air-to-Surface Missile

[TheShammySocialist]

Semi-Classified

 

With the ongoing low-intensity conflict in Tanzania, as well as operations in Central Africa, and maneuvers abroad that have seen forces from the Union of South Africa deployed in an intercontinental fashion, the Defense Ministry would get budgetary approval from Parliament to conduct a new series of procurement projects. These projects would find approval throughout the four branches plus South African Coast Guard, all of which would benefit from the new large procurement projects, which would also pump funding into the economy, particularly in small shipbuilding industries.

 

With the completion of Damen's Millennium Yard at Durban, and orders continuing to be fulfilled for the USCA, it would receive a new contract for the replacement of the Citadel-class Arsenal Ships. The reasoning behind the early-mothballing of the Citadel-class being its relevant size in comparative size to those of regional navies, as well as its questionable capabilities and role fulfillment for the Navy. The Naval Service was particularly under pressure about its ability to project naval gun and missile support inland, and the early replacement of the Citadel and her sisters would be part of an initiative to increase the capabilities of South Africa's fleet in a brown/green water AO.

 

To replace the Citadel-class, which would be serving until the newest ships were delivered, the Navy would select one of Damen's more [url=http://i1192.photobucket.com/albums/aa325/VictorDeltaRomeo/CitadelDuex_zpsaf9d1b78.png]expansive designs[/url], known formally as Project 635, but would be known to the Navy as the Redoubt-class Guided Missile Battleship. Unlike the relatively lightly-armored Citadel-class, the Redoubt and her sisters were quite heavily armored, with torpedo bulges and belt armor above the waterline that was upwards of 16.5 Inches thick. Utilizing a similar composite makeup to that of contemporary tank armor, particularly around critical areas, the Redoubt also had turret and deck armor, the latter of which was ten inches thick of steel plate.

 

The Redoubt also carried a larger missile battery than its smaller cousin, boasting a tube count of five-hundred twenty, with a thirty-two enlarged-tube forward battery that could launch extreme-range strategic surface-to-air missiles against a number of threats. Whilst part of its main missile battery was encased in the center of the ship, protected by its heavy armor as well as armored bulkheads, a number of missile batteries were located in four-missile pods that lined the peripheral of the ship. These pods were externally-armored, but their internal armor was part of the main belt of the battleship, and the breaking down of the main missile battery ensured that even if part of the missile launch systems went down, the battleship could still function additional weaponry. The Redoubt would also be the first ship to be armed with two 84 MJ Denel/Albatross Aerospace railguns in forward stealth turrets that could be retracted, which gave the Redoubt and impressive inland range, with the ability to support troops with naval gunfire far better than the Citadel could.

 

The Redoubt would also carry a larger sensor system than that of its smaller cousin, boasting a new top-of-the-line combined air and missile radar, dubbed by LionRoar as the AMR/5 - "Hoplite". Featuring a combined suite of S and X Band Radar, with multifunction capability including tracking and engaging hostile threats, both surface and aerial, as well as missile guidance and fire control, the Hoplite was only one part of the missile defense system. The other parcel included on the Redoubt was the D-Band radar which was featured on a number of other South African Naval vessels, with digital beamforming elements and integrated IFF components, it was able to contribute to ballistic missile, as well as air and missile defense. These systems would help the vessel's quad-pack CIW systems, featuring a gatling-style cannon, reloading rolling airframe missiles, focused microwave initiator, and a tactical laser to function against a wide variety of threats.

 

The Redoubt would be joined in the Navy by a new set of landing craft that could dock with South Africa's Afloat Forward Staging Bases, as well as its variety of amphibious assault carriers. The [url=http://s1192.photobucket.com/user/VictorDeltaRomeo/media/LCU3000C_zps61a14bfe.png.html?sort=3&o=41]LCU-3000[/url] could operate autonomously in most coastal and offshore waters out to a certain point, whilst being able to undertake a variety of roles, which could extend beyond military operations. To assist with the ability to project power in coastal areas as well as along large inland waterways, the South African Navy and Army would also jointly begin the procurement of the CB90 Fast Assault Craft, as well as an redesigned version that could carry a dual 120mm mortar turret for direct and indirect fire missions.

 

In a move that shocked many, the South African Armed Services also announced the beginning of the retirement for the entirety of the Oryx Utility Helicopter fleet. Citing that the design was beginning to age, and some helicopters had been soldiering on for several years, and increased maintenance costs, the SATH-90, built by Atlas, but only on a limited production run, was being fingered as the utility helicopter replacement after a large amount of deliberation. To split the Oryx's extensive duties, the SATH-90 would also be procured alongside the Albatross Aerospace AA159 Wildcat Light Utility Helicopter, which would give the military a flexible option of which helicopter to employ in certain missions. With both helicopters able to provide direct penetration options for the South African Army's airmobile forces, the SATH-90 and AA159 would be a welcome addition to the somewhat cumbersome Oryx.

 

The South African Coast Guard was also a beneficiary of the new budgetary allocation, along with the Rudder Group, which constructed luxury yachts as well as was getting contracted for the CB90. The Rudder Group would begin the construction of several [url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fast_Response_Cutter]Equality-class Cutters[/url], which would provide the SACG with a fast-moving, high-endurance cutter which could be used in offshore constabulary, search-and-rescue, and interception missions. Further acquisitions included the [url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamina_class_missile_boat]CDV-1 Class Missile Boats[/url], with twenty-five vessels planned, with crews being drawn from the Naval Reserve that would serve on rotational basis. South Africa's Naval Auxiliary was also in the process of installing mission-flexible modules on its Heavy Corvettes, which would include mine warfare modules, additional support to these vessels would be found in the commissioning of additional vessels to the Navy, the ten [url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avenger-class_mine_countermeasures_ship]Legend-class Mine Warfare Vessels[/url].

Edited June 8, 2013 by TheShammySocialist

[Evangeline Anovilis]

An encrypted message would be sent in analogous format (aka letter) to the Faraway embassy in Cape Town, for the ambassador to decrypt and deliver to the South African partners.

 

Confidential!

To: Union of South Africa Ministry of Foreign Affairs

CC: Damen South Africa

From: Ministry of War of the Faraway Realm

 

To whomever it concerns,

 

As Fraraway considers the current partnership in armament procurement between the Union of South Africa and Faraway in a very favourable light, her Majesty's government has concluded that we would like to offer a contract for the construction of four new fleet carriers to South African shipyards, in order to replace our most recent losses in the War of Southern Aggression. As our country lacks domestic shipbuilding capabilities for ships this large, we would hope the South African government and industry would accept such an offer to build for her Majesty's fleet four state-of-the-art carriers, with a crude design attached to this message.

 

Advice on alterations to the design are welcome, if any come up, as we value the expertise of our South African partners.

 

With regards,

Adéle Valmy,

Minister of War of the Faraway Realm

 

[hr]

 

Classified attachment:
 

Pastillage-class Fleet Carrier

 

 

Displacement: 75,000 metric tons

Length: 280 metres

Beam: 73 metres

Draft 11.5 metres

Propulsion: preferably nuclear, alternatively gas turbine, azimuth thrusters for improved steering capabilities

Speed: maximum speed in excess of 25 knots, preferrably higher

Range: in excess of 9,000 nm

 

The Pastillage-class is intented to replace the aging Biscotti-class design. While they will be slightly smaller, this will mostly reduce their ability to carry helicopters. A standard air wing of over 30 fixed-wing aircraft is still considered minimum, with a CATOBAR version of the Tawny multirole fighter as backbone of the Royal Faraway Naval aviation Corps (RFNAC). CATOBAR configuration is considered to be preferential, due to the possibilities of closer cooperation with regional partners utilising CATOBAR designs.

 

While the Realm has quite some expertise in the usage of naval nuclear reactors, due to the extensive use in many larger vessels, the lack of capabilities for building ships as large as the Pastillage-class has led to the opinion to leave the propulsion system to South Africa, in order to increase the designs efficiency by keeping design criteria liberal and avoiding too imposing limitations to the shipbuilding industries. Due to the availability of uranium within Faraway, nuclear propulsion puts little risk of running short on supply, though the Realm also considers its supply routes for oil and gas secure enough to consider gas turbines, should a nuclear reactor be unsuitable.

 

On the electronic systems, Faraway would hope that a capable suit of radar is installed, alternatively Faraway can work on this itself. Tracking of aircraft up to very long ranges should be possible, as should be the tracking of incoming missiles to improve the survivability of the ship. Especially given the fate of the predecessor at the hands of Confederate missiles, it is important to equip not only escort ships, but also the capital ships with capable systems. Also we would hope that computing systems are of good quality and fairly resistent to interference and that the ship will be able to easily exchange information with other ships in the fleet. Measures to improve the performance of the catapults, like electro-magnetic ones and optimisations to onboard logistics to ease the workload for crew and shorten response times would of course be welcome.

 

At last, the weapon systems of the Pastillage-class should include an adequate number of surface-to-air missiles to defend the ship against aircraft and missile attack, as well as maybe CIWS systems for last-ditch defense. While we assume it being impossible to counter a strategy of saturation fire, we would prefer the amount needed to overwhelm our fleet to be larger, rather than smaller. Of course, the main armament will still be the airwing, which, as described above, should include at least 30 fixed-wing fighters, space for at least two carrier-based AEW&C aircraft and two ASW helicopters, preferably more than that.

 

The cost is hoped to be within 3-4 billion Faraway Pound per ship, as we expect the ships to be at the very core of a modern Faraway surface fleet. Increases that raise the costs above this level may be accepted, if an argument can be made that the improvement in capabilities justifies the costs carried.

[TheShammySocialist]

Within a few hours of the decrypted message having been received and with some backroom phone calls between the South African Foreign Service and Damen South Africa, an encrypted letter would be flashed to South Africa's Embassy in Faraway. The letter would be then decrypted and delivered to Rideau Hall under the protection of an escorted diplomatic courier.

 

Confidential!

To: Ministry of War of the Faraway Realm

CC: Damen South Africa

From: Armaments Import and Export Division, South African Foreign Service

 

Mme. Valmy,

 

After discussions between the Armaments Import and Export Division and Damen SA, both parties have decided to accept your order for four new fleet carriers with a design emphasized on regional projection. Given South Africa's extensive experience in nuclear reactors in a maritime environment, as well as providing the proper systems and equipment to efficiently (and safely) run and maintain them, we are more than happy to install such power sources on your vessels. Albatross Aerospace has worked in concert with Damen SA to design and implement electromagnetic catapaults on our own carriers, and will be more than happy to provide such systems as these on your own vessel.

 

Unless you would like to install your own defensive systems, we are more than happy to install Castle-class Triple-pack Close-in Weapon Systems on these new carriers, featuring a gun/missile system, as well as microwave emission system designed specifically to engage missile electronic systems. These microwave emission systems are also useful in a short-range weapons role against small vessels like suicide craft, whose crews could be dissuaded from attack by focused microwaves and the effects to their body. The carrier would also be equipped with launch mounts for medium range surface-to-air missile batteries, that can be installed by Denel, or by yourselves.

 

To provide your carrier with early warning capabilities, particularly in area air defense and providing direction to escort units, LionRoar Electronics suggests the installation of its AMR/5 "Hoplite" dual-band radar system, which can provide a wide variety of roles. This includes surface and horizon searches, semi-OTH search patterns, missile control, ballistic missile defense, and IFF modes, amongst many other modes. The latest in anti-torpedo defenses can be installed at your request as well, including fan-tail based advanced acoustic decoys and noisemakers, as well as air-to-surface, and surface-to-surface missile defense countermeasures. Through some early estimations, Damen SA believes that your vessel could sustain a top speed of close to 30 knots, and will be provided with azimuth thrusters to improve evasive maneuvering.

 

We look forward to hearing from you further on this purchase order, which we are estimating at this moment to amount to a total of 3.95 Billion Faraway Pound per vessel at standard exchange rates.

 

Best of Regards,

 

Benjamin Tutso
Armaments Import and Export Division
South African Foreign Service

[TheShammySocialist]

Public Statement

 

"The Union of South Africa has become increasingly concerned over the state of the growing geopolitical crisis that is beginning to grip Eurasia, and the potential for this regional conflict to escalate. We are therefore assuring the citizens of South Africa here and now, as well as the South African Autonomous Protectorate Zones, that the Union is taking all steps necessary to protect their lives, and South Africa's interests regionally."

 

Adolph Paton

President of the Union of South Africa

 

---

 

The words of Adolph Paton only underscored what all military forces were quite aware of, with increasing tension growing in Eurasia and the potential for spillover conflict to erupt, the South African Armed Services were ordered to go to ALERT CONDITION (ALERTCON) BRAVO. This would precipitate a flurry of activity for the SAAS, whose communication networks would immediately tighten up, and increased encryption measures would be immediately enforced. The Botswana battlegroups' reserve rotation was immediately canceled and the battlegroup was ordered to sea immediately, along with the South African Navy's submarine fleet, which would begin slipping from its covered moorings throughout the next twelve hours as crewmen were brought back from their leaves.

 

All reserves were put on twelve-hour alert, and were told to remain within fifty miles of their bivouac points at all times, until further notice was granted. All leaves and passes were revoked and remanded for a later date, with all regular duty forces ordered out of their bases to their field battalion bivouacs around the country. Troops would disperse from their bases in long streams of trucks, armored vehicles, and light utility vehicles, helicopters tearing through the sky above as air mobile forces were also ordered from their bases, particularly around the city of Bloemfontein. Air Force patrols would be reinforced, whilst radar activity would not see any marked increase, although more AEW/AWACs aircraft would be ordered into the air.

 

Munition and spare part depots, their locations quite ambiguous and not entirely easy to locate or pinpoint, near their respective airbases were ordered to prepare for emergency restocking measures, and enforcing measures to ensure the security of their facilities. Atlas, and Albatross Aerospace were immediately ordered to begin the prioritization of production of spare parts, as was SAMIL, whilst Denel and its subsidiaries were ordered to focus on ammunition production.

 

To ensure the adequate protection of the nation, with one of its carrier battlegroups already in the American Commonwealth on an extended deployment for training exercises, a surface action group would cover a region south of the Cape. Two carrier battlegroups would be assigned to the Indian Ocean, with one covering the Comoros and Northern End of the Mozambique Channel, and another east of Madgascar. Two further carrier battlegroups would cover the Atlantic Coastline, roughly dividing responsibility of South Africa's Atlantic Coastline between the two. Submarines would be doled out roughly equally to the battlegroups, with a wolfpack of five submarines, a mixed force, would sail for the Central Atlantic.

 

Last but not least, the South African Army would activate the 1st South African Army for the first time, with its headquarters being secretly relocated from Bloemfontein to the City of Kisangani, in the Central Congo Autonomous Region. Its communications would be done by bundled fiber-optic landline back to Central Command in Pretoria, recently-promoted Lieutenant General Hiram Kestler, being put in command. The 1st South African Army was to ensure the protection of the wide-ranging protectorate regions, and direct the efforts of the II and III South African Corps, alongside the deploying VIII Corps which would move to reinforce units in the region with four divisions. Additional units were being assigned to the II and III, with the Army enjoying a plethora of independent support units as well as a full Marine Division under its command.

 

Other deployments would include a Marine Division that would begin embarkation for Madgascar, to reinforce security forces and Infantry on the ground there, as well as the reinforcement of Mozambique State with elements of the V South African Corps.

Edited June 12, 2013 by TheShammySocialist

[Evangeline Anovilis]

Confidential!

To: Armaments Import and Export Division, South African Foreign Service

CC: Damen South Africa

From: Ministry of War of the Faraway Realm

 

Mr. Tutso,

 

After careful review of the design proposed, the Royal Faraway Navy has decided to approve of it and to order 4 such ships from Damen SA. The capabilities outlined seem good enough to us and the Faraway Realm trusts in the final project being nothing different of what you described in your last message. However, we would like to know what kind of surface-to-air missile is used, as we are not sure whether a ready supply of these is available in the Realm. Most of our ships tend to use the Aster 15/30 missiles fired from VLS cells that are able to use that missile. In case South African systems are different, we would hope that either a contract could be made for a supply of anti-air missiles, or that they could be adapted for the Sylver 70 VLS. Additionally, we would like to ask what caliber the CIWS uses, the amount of aircraft carried (fixed wing and rotary wing) and last, but not least, the estimated construczion time of these vessels.

 

With regards,

Adéle Valmy

 

 

Edited June 13, 2013 by Evangeline Anovilis

[TheShammySocialist]

Confidential!

To: Ministry of War of the Faraway Realm
CC: Damen South Africa

From: Armaments Import and Export Division, South African Foreign Service

 

Mme. Valmy,

 

We can outfit your carrier with modular Sylver VLS armored pods that would give you access to such a system that you use, these systems would be able to be mounted on specially-designed rails that would be mounted alongside the ships' hull. These systems would be angled in a diagonal fashion that would ensure their ability to engage without causing damage to the ship itself, but would be quite effective nonetheless. The armored interior of these pods would ensure that if problems were to arise or a hot-running missile, it would deflect an explosion away from the ship itself were the missile to go off. Our close-in weapon systems cannons typically run at a caliber of 20 millimeters, but this caliber can be alternated and systems readjusted for a different caliber of your choosing, that is below that of 35mm.

 

As of current, your carrier will have a surge aircraft capacity of just over forty aircraft being able to be handled at once, without interfering with flight operations. Given the Damen SA's Millennium Yards' current schedule, it is quite likely that three of four vessels will be handed over you for initial sea trials between twelve to fourteen months with no delays.

 

If this outfitting is amenable with your government, we can get started on construction almost immediately.

 

Best of Regards,

 

Benjamin Tutso
Armaments Import and Export Division
South African Foreign Service

[TheShammySocialist]

With the fall of Vietnam, it was decided to act on its possession of Principe, with the possibility of this extending beyond said island if the opportunity arose. The South African government would dispatch a reinforced Marine Regimental Combat Team from the South African Navy station at Libreville, escorted by heavy corvettes and coast guard patrol vessels. The South African Marines would be loaded on board a group of Large Landing Craft Air Cushion L-LCAC, with extra provisions and supplies for the islands' inhabitants.

 

Alongside the Marines, a joint civilian administration team, consisting of officials from the Interior Ministry and Foreign Service, would be dispatched to the island, and would land in the first wave. A team of South African National Police advisers and officers would also be part of the occupation force that would make for Principe on the large air cushion craft. A reinforced squad of South African Naval Commandos would be the first units on the island however, with a transport aircraft setting up a HALO water insertion on the lightly populated southern end of the island. If all went well, the Naval Commandos would arrive several hours before the Marines.

 

A statement of intent would be issued internationally by the South African Foreign Service.

[TheShammySocialist]

[b]Classified[/b]

 

As part of a reinvigorated effort to improve early warning systems throughout the Union of South Africa, the Parliament has approved funding for a new system of powerful over-the-horizon radars to eventually replace the existing systems. Existing transmitter systems currently run at a total power output of 600 kW, a total that includes all of its elements, but a newer system is expect to increase the power up to 1 MW, through the increase in power to the elements of the transmitter system. This is expected to increase the detection range and sensitivity of the radar exponentially to a level that is quite needed for the long range duties that need to be performed. Frequency band output is still expected to be between 5-45 MHz, far lower than most civilian and military radars in the microwave frequency band.

 

Additional funding would also be allocated to the South African Navy to fund the construction of forward operating bases that would allow additional fleet basing options, as well as naval refueling, maintenance, and rearmament stations. To undertake this effort, two locations for large fleet bases were selected, one being at Libreville, in the Gabonese State Protectorate. The other would be a huge fleet base that was to be built around the expansive bay of Antisiranana, in northern Madagascar. These bases would both have ample amounts of protection against air and surface attacks, whilst also boasting large naval aviation facilities and onshore barracks, machine shops, weapons bunkers, and more.

 

The construction of the facilities at Antisiranana would be accompanied by a permanent naval station with increased facilities at the already-utilized Aldabra Atoll, northwest of Madgascar, which already served as a forward operating post for the South African Navy. To accompany this new naval base construction, there would also be greater attention paid to increasing the capabilities of underwater detection throughout the Indian Ocean. This attention would culminate in the beginning of the Navy's interest in developing and deploying a permanent string of underwater listening posts to detect submarines and track their movements throughout the region.

[TheShammySocialist]

Semi-Classified

 

As part of a new intensive effort on the part of South Africa to rejuvenate itself and ensure the populace knew that home defense was a still a primary goal of the Armed Services, the SAAS, with the blessing of the parliament, was given supplementary funding for the 'Safe Homestead' Initiative. Taking a leaf from the tactical expertise of the Boers that was very appreciated by many modern militaries, the Initiative sought to create a series of Commandos that would serve as reserve forces and defense units in various regions throughout the Union. To staff these units, volunteers would be called upon to serve in standard basic training, with fellow members of their region, and would participate in at least a standard of seventy-two hours of training every month thereafter.

 

Most volunteers would also receive requested training in various technical and specialist crafts, including field engineering, carpentry, electrical, communications, and technical support. Almost all individuals would be trained in basic fire support reporting and targeting, to give the units a strong edge in being able to call in support weaponry. This would provide the men and women with skills that could be used in the field, in a support role, or in their daily lives. Unlike the Boer Commandos of old, these units were coed, and had men and women ready to take up arms in both support, as well as frontline roles. Typical Commandos were made up of around four to five hundred soldiers, with at least two companies of infantry, as well as a small allotment of artillery (usually the phased-out Valkyrie MRLS or heavy 120mm mortars), a NLOS missile truck-mounted battery (with multiple reloads), anti-aircraft weaponry (including a tactical radar trailer), field police, and two reinforced multipurpose combat engineer platoons. Units had access to standard small arms, as well as well as heavy handheld infantry weapons including Anti-Personnel and Anti-Tank Guided Missiles, automatic grenade launchers, and autocannons.

 

Units would utilize a mixture of both military-supplied surplus tactical transports, as well as personal vehicles that the government would subsidize for services. Most units would have a core of ten regular duty staff who would maintain equipment as well as lead training exercises, and the Commandos had to have at least one regular duty officer that was third in the line of command.

 

Some Commandos would also have access to anti-ship missile equipment, including land-launchers, with Commandos sharing the responsibility of overseeing the coastal defense of South Africa. With the overlapping areas of responsibility (AoRs) Commandos would typically rotate on-duty anti-ship missile duties with other Commandos, and they were expected to change position at least once every forty eight hours, typically around the cover of darkness. The Commandos could also be expected to be called up for regular service in the event of an 'Act of Emergency' issued by the government, which meant that they could be used outside the Union itself, and broken down into units as replacements. The Safe Homestead Initiative wasn't just about making sure the home shores were protected, it also provided a ready-made core of reservists who could be counted upon for mainly the Army.

 

The Safe Homestead Initiative also included increased funding for the Coast Guard Reserve, and Naval Auxiliary, which would both enjoy increased recruitment campaigns to draw in young individuals to earn money for education, whilst serving their country in capacities other than the land force. The Air Force's Civil Air Patrol would also enjoy a piece of the pot, which in turn was allowing more and more younger South Africans to enjoy the privileges of attaining Pilot licenses for light aircraft and helicopters. These young students in the Civil Air Patrol also included extensive experience in gaining important experience of maintaining aircraft, including helicopters.

 

---

 

On a highly classified level, the SAAS were also streamlining the South African strategic strike capabilities, determining that pinpoint nuclear weaponry, mainly cruise missile-delivered munitions, with a yield around two to three hundred kilotons was sufficient. These warheads were to make up the bulk of the South African strategic counterstrike/nuclear deterrent, with the ability to be mounted on vehicles, aircraft, and even on the heavy corvettes and stealthy diesel submarines of the Navy. The South African Government also determined that maintaining intercontinental ballistic missiles would play a small role in the strategic strike capabilities of the nation, with both mobile, concealable, truck-mounted TEL systems, as well as spread-out silo bases, many of them constructed under strict security measures. Much of these larger weapons, however, were deemed to be to costly to maintain, and had lost much of their usefulness against conventional weaponry of the day.

Edited June 25, 2013 by TheShammySocialist

[TheShammySocialist]

[b]Highly Classified[/b]

 

As part of an addition to the South African Intelligence Services, Interior Ministry, and Special Forces Command, the South African National Security Council has approved covert funding for the formation of Joint Task Force 34. As a civil-military operation, JTF 34 will operate as directed by the various agencies that ensure the continued sovereignty of the Union of South Africa and to ensure the sanctity of her covert affairs and operations. Instead of being a special operations force, JTF 34 will have civilian and military operators, who work as engineers and laborers in heavy covert construction. This includes complete intelligence blackout deception, planning, logistics, and operations, with JTF 34 performing all the work.

 

The unit of four hundred individuals, will be hand selected by military and civilian authorities based on their aptitude in various disciplines, as well as their dedication to the protection of the Union of South Africa. They will be expected to perform any and all construction tasks assigned to them, and will have a full unit of logistics personnel from the SAIS provide them with materials and equipment at job sites. As part of a front for their operations, the construction company will run operations as Cape Construction Specialists in the public sector, with specializations in heavy construction and mining. To complete the facade, the construction company will bid on civilian jobs as well, and utilize the cash made from jobs to partly fund themselves.

[TheShammySocialist]

Classified

 

As part of the South African Armed Service's ever-changing, ever-continuing global policy of maintaining balance, naval forces surrounding the Botswana carrier battlegroup have been ordered home from their long-term deployment with the American Commonwealth. Auxiliary naval vessels will continue to undertake supply missions in ongoing support for the North American cleanup after the catastrophic floods that have plagued the eastern and middle portions of the continent. Ground forces on deployment will remain on station, but all combat vessels of the South African Navy have been ordered back to Simon's Town to be put on rotational reserve status as force restructuring continues to persist.

 

Included in this force adjustment, a direct action and support element of the elite 87 Battalion has been ordered from Fort Kruger in Transvaal to reinforce the South African garrison at Camp Selous, adjacent to Julius Nyerere International Airport in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

Edited July 9, 2013 by TheShammySocialist

[Greywall]

To the Union of South Africa

 

 

We the people of Zambia ask respectfully to be an independent nation, under a federal republic, headed by people of our choosing. We ask that the Union grant us sovereign right over our lands, and that they respect our laws and customs. In return we the people of Zambia will keep close ties to the Union and work together in creating a better Africa. We hope to hear

from you soon.

 

Respectfully 

William Foster, Head of the Republic Party of Zambia

[TheShammySocialist]

To: William Foster

CC: Office of the Governor of Union Zambian Protectorate

 

From: Lawrence Tenerife, Foreign Minister of the Union of South Africa

 

We are quite encouraged to see a new independence movement arise in Zambia; it has been some time since there has been requests for sovereignty within the African Community. As with all requests for state sovereignty, the Union reminds that we hold the new government responsible for the formation of a society that will ensure basic human rights for all its' citizens. We have done much work to ensure that the people of Zambia and all of our protectorates are safe and secure, as well as giving them opportunities to have prosperity by linking their economies with our own with only modest import/export tariffs. If you would like to continue such links, we are quite open to doing so, provided they do not undercut our own corporations or industries.

 

As per our experiences with Tanzania, we also ask that the Union of South Africa is allowed to continue security and economic advisory assistance through the creation of the Zambian Transitional Force (ZTF). This will be a cooperative civil-military operation that is overseen by the Ministries of Interior and Defense, the South African Attorney General, the South African Treasury, all being coordinated by the South African Foreign Service. The ZTF will assist with providing local educational, financial, and economic advice free of charge, assist in providing education up to the age of ten, as well as train and advise local police and security forces. The military contingent, mainly based around an infantry divisions' worth of troops that are spread evenly across Zambia currently, will help with providing military training for Zambia's security forces as well. As the nation develops, these augmentations and special assistance programs will slowly allow for Zambia to take on the burden of governing at a steady pace. It will also provide assurances and not leave the nation without the ability to defend itself against internal or external threats.

 

I hope that these terms are to your liking, and I look forward to hearing from you again.

 

Lawrence Tenerife

Foreign Minister

South African Foreign Service

[Greywall]

To: Lawrence Tenerife

From: William Foster

We would gladly accept any help from the Union, we welcome this ZTF to help progress the people of Zambia. We also welcome your ambassadors to an embassy within the capital to strengthen relations and starting immediately our borders will be open to citizens of the Union. We also plan to open relations with the Tanzanian Federation, Athens and Sudan to expand our economy. We will keep the Union close and we thank you for allowing our people gain independence through peaceful means. 

 

Once again, thank you

William Foster, Head of the Zambian Republic Party

[Ayatollah Khamenei]

 

The Empire of Merina

 

 

The People of Merina formerly South African Protectorate petition the South African Union for the right

to self determination and sovereignty.

 

 

The Empire of Merina shall be a constitutional monarchy with sovereignty over all of South African Protectorate and Tromelin Island.

 

The Emperor of Merina of Merina shall be the head of state and shall appoint a Chancellor based on the advise of the Parliament of Merina.

 

The Chancellor shall run the day to day affairs of the nation and implement the broad goals set by the Emperor and shall enforce any legislation approved by Parliament.

 

Parliament shall consist of representatives elected by the people two from each Province. Tromelin Island is uninhabited and shall be run exclusively by the royal family.

 

Andry Claudius Merina II

 

 

HRH Emperor of Merina

 

HRH is the nations Supreme Commander and has final say in all matters regarding the legality of issues. His office 

is the nations most powerful setting the direction of foreign policy, military doctrine, and settling budgetary issues. The royal family has a net worth exceeding 100B dollars.

 

Omer Beriziky

 

 

Incumbent Chancellor of Merina

 

The Honorable Omer Beriziky is the current Chancellor of Merina. His party the United Coalition of Monarchist currently rules the Parliament of Merina with an absolute majority thus securing him the Chancellorship. His close ties with the imperial family and good relationship with the people of Merina means he will be an effective liaison between government and citizens.

 

 

 

[TheShammySocialist]

"The Union of South Africa grants recognition to the Empire of Merina, on the stipulation that the government has provided a plan for independence that includes the representation of the people. Certain South African military facilities will remain in place throughout Merina in the interests of providing security for the fledgling nation, as well as serve the Union's strategic interests.

 

South Africa will maintain an embassy in Antananarivo, and consulates in Antisiranana and Toliara, and advises Merina to be open to the reception of other nations' embassies and diplomatic staff.

 

Furthermore, we hope that the new Empire will also follow South Africa's lead in continuing to promote stability and prosperity throughout the Indian Ocean and South Sea rims."

 

Adolph Paton

President of the Union of South Africa

[TheShammySocialist]

[b]Classified[/b]

 

In response to seemingly heightened tensions in the region for no apparent reason, the Union of South Africa has elevated its ALERTCON to Delta Level Status, and ordered a reinforcement action element force to bolster the standing carrier battlegroups in the Indian Ocean. South Africa's reserve carrier battlegroup has once again been ordered out of refit rotational status to reinforce the Southern Atlantic Fleet. To complete the ensemble of naval reactions, the submarine force has been assigned patrol areas that are conducive with assuring the protection of the region and South Africa's interests within it, with submarines also deploying to screen for the carrier forces. CDV-1 Missile Boats would also deploy into the region, operating from small bases in the northern Mozambique Strait and eastern coast of Madagascar, with one squadron of four boats forward operating with the assistance of a surveillance vessel and replenishment ship out of Aldebra Atoll, north of the Glorioso Island, along with a similar organization being arranged in the Farquhar Atoll.

 

To reinforce its position on Madagascar, with respect to the Merina Empire, the South African Army and Marine Corps would reinforce its positions on the island nation with three full divisions, attached to the XII South African Corps, reinforced with extra independent fire support and air defense units. South African Air Force units would also go on heavier patrols throughout the region, with more units dispersed to regional air facilities, and off-base parts and weapon storage facilities readied for potential conflict. The South African Government would issue a public edict stating that the increased visibility of military movements were standard annual exercises, as small numbers of strategic stealth bombers with standoff payloads would be put on round-the-clock rotation as per standard protocol.

 

There would be an uptick throughout the Southwest Indian Ocean of South African maritime and electronic surveillance air patrols, with long range patrol aircraft operating out of various bases situated throughout the Southern Indian Ocean. ELINT and SIGINT aircraft, both unmanned and manned, along with satellites would be rotated in to cover the South Indian. The territories throughout the Indian would also see Marine expeditionary units reinforce standing army and security forces already posted on the outlying territories.

 

To protect South African interests in Tanzania, the Tanzanian Transitional Force would see itself reinforced once again by the full weight of the IV South African Corps, with Tanzanian officials being kept abreast of deployments of South African units into the region. The Commando Volunteer Regiments would be mobilized for additional training exercises along the coastline, which would be scheduled to last the better part of a fortnight. The Regiments would also become acclimatized with area denial operations that would utilize joint cross-branch operations to protect the sovereignty of the Union itself. Additional regular and reserve formations would be kept on a heightened alert status that would be ordered to last throughout the next calendar month with the possibility of extensions should the situation warrant the need to do so.

[Ayatollah Khamenei]

The Merinan Ministry of Defense confirms the deployment of S.A.U military units on its territory and is preparing to announce Merinan deployment figures.

[TheShammySocialist]

The Merinan Ministry of Defense confirms the deployment of S.A.U military units on its territory and is preparing to announce Merinan deployment figures.

 

"The Union of South Africa thanks the Empire of Merina for their understanding of the current situation. On that same token, we ask that the Empire of Merina refrain from making further offshore claims on land that were not immediately included in the initial request."

[Ayatollah Khamenei]

We respect this request and will refrain and withdraw from any new claims.