Earth II [ARCHIVE THREAD #1]

[Drvarska]

Apologies for my inactivity the past week. Had a hiking excursion and just got back. I will try to update my RP sometime soon. Cheers.

[Cotland]

Air Force Place Order for New Transports, Gunships
___________________________
FIOLA OLSSON (folsson@aftenbladet.cot)


ILAF C-32A Atlas during take-off tests

LAYARTEB CITY (Aftenbladet): Following the recently ended Great Patriotic Fatherland War in the Eastern Territories, and after realizing the urgent need for replacement aircraft for its fatigued and over-used C-130 Hercules aircraft, the Royal Cottish Air Force has today signed a contract with the Layarteb Defence Corporation's Aerospace Division for the delivery of 240 C-32A Atlas tactical transport aircraft to replace the 240 C-130H/J Hercules currently in service.

Cotland's Hercules fleet has been in continuous operation for the past 15 years, and have been extensively used to ferry troops, supplies and equipment in the recently concluded Great Patriotic Fatherland War against the now defunkt Nerotikan state. The ongoing operations in extreme environments without much needed extensive maintenance has caused unrepairable stress to the wings and fuselage of the aircraft, forcing an early retirement of the Hercules aircraft. The Hercules' replacement, the Atlas, is a versatile, rugged, heavy-duty, turbo-prop transport aircraft that promises to deliver to the Royal Cottish Air Force all the benefits of the Hercules, combined with better fuel efficiency, higher cargo capacity, and higher survivability.

Additionally, the Royal Cottish Air Force's Special Operations Wing has placed an order for 24 AC-32B Atlas gunship aircraft, which are modified C-32A aircraft fitted with a 120mm mortar, one 45mm autocannon and two 30mm autocannons for providing close air support to among others Special Operations Forces on the ground.

The Special Operations Wing had the option of several different types of gunship aircraft, but chose the AC-32B due to the better weapons package fitted to the aircraft and for commonality reasons, allowing the Special Operations Wing to draw on the spare parts supplies and flight training facilities available for the C-32A, thus sparing the Air Force the need to set up a seperate logistics chain to support the gunship aircraft.

The contract for the 240 C-32A Atlas transport and 24 AC-32B Atlas gunship aircraft has been valued at $38.2 billion, which includes purchase price for the aircraft, spare parts, flight simulators, and training costs of initial aircrews on the new type.

The first of the aircraft are expected to be delivered as early as January, being drawn from existing factory stocks.

Last updated 21:01, 21.11.2009
AFTENBLADET (c) WORLDWIDE COPYRIGHT 2009

[Layarteb]

I've been debating doing the same thing with my C-130s but I love them so much.

[No Taxes]

Here's the link to my RP:
http://forum.nationstates.net/viewtopic.php?ns=1&f=5&t=25550
It is starting off rather slowly, but will pick up soon.

[Cotland]

I typed up and posted a post of my own in your thread, but I deleted it after re-reading your post. I imagine you'll want to get things going a little more before people start reacting, so I'll save my post till then.

[Layarteb]

A Zeus bomber being used for CAS? Oh noez!!!!

Plus a new Cluster Bomb CBU-110

It'll have (for the anti-airfield variant)

10x BLU-106/B BKEP (anti-runway)
50x BLU-91/B Gator (anti-tank)
50x BLU-92/B Gator (anti-personnel)
50x M74 (APAM)
65x M85 DPICM (APAM)

It weighs just 1,500 lb. total but has a usable storage capacity of 1,125 lb. or 22,619.47 in³ and it is 24 in diameter and 10 feet long. Oh yeah and it's WCMD so you know it can hit hard. Each B-11C Zeus can carry 240 internally and another 54 externally (total warload: 441,000 lb.).

[Neo European Union]

Hello, I would like to join this small fraternity, wouldnt mind a small patch of land in Russia (Smolensk Oblast) should I do an R.P first? standard proceedure right?

[Layarteb]

Hello, I would like to join this small fraternity, wouldnt mind a small patch of land in Russia (Smolensk Oblast) should I do an R.P first? standard proceedure right?

It's all in post #5. How come nobody reads it? W.T.F. Man... I need more alcohol! Well maybe not..

[Cotland]

Hello, I would like to join this small fraternity, wouldnt mind a small patch of land in Russia (Smolensk Oblast) should I do an R.P first? standard proceedure right?

READ THE FIRST PAGE BEFORE POSTING CLAIMS AND/OR ASKING HOW YOU GET INVOLVED GODDAMNED IT!!!

How many times do one have to say it?!

[Cotland]

Ambitious Naval Buildup Announced
___________________________
GORM CRUTE (gcrute@aftenbladet.cot)

In a press conference at the Ministry of Defence today, Defence Minister Irene Danielsen announced the new expansion plans for the Royal Cottish Navy. Minister Danielsen presented a broad and ambitious plan, designed to increase the size of the Royal Cottish Navy from a relatively small naval force designed to protect the Cottish coast and waters back to the large, oceangoing fleet the Navy used to be not more than a decade ago.

Minister Danielsen's plan called on the Navy to expand the low-key construction of the Future Aircraft Carrier (CVF) from two ships to six, and renamed the project into the "Sharya Class," marking a turning point in carrier naming tradition away from naming the aircraft carriers after territories or major cities and over to naming them after major battles fought by the Armed Forces. The lead ship of the class, up till now called the Helsingfors in honour of the capital of the Finland Province, has been renamed the Sharya in honour of the city in Kostromaland where three savage battles have been fought and won by the Army, most recently last November.

The Sharya is currently undergoing sea trials in the North Atlantic, and is expected to be commissioned into the Navy in late December if all goes according to plan. The second ship of the class, the Svolder, will join the Combat Fleet sometime next year, with the four remaining ships expected to join the Fleet within six years. The total cost for the six aircraft carriers in the Sharya class is expected to cost the tax payers CrK42 billion.

The six carriers in the Sharya class will complement the four aircraft carriers in the Odin class, and support the amphibious force of two amphibious carriers, six amphibious landing platform ships and eighteen landing ships that is currently being built in Norwegian and Finnish shipyards at a cost of CrK29 billion. In order to safeguard the amphibious vessels, the Defence Minister revealed that the Navy has placed an order with the Finnish shipyard Crichton-Vulcan for two new anti-submarine helicopter carriers. The two anti-submarine vessels, called Nornen and Fenris, are revolutionary in design as they will incorporate the Ulstein Xbow design, giving them superb handling and higher efficiency at sea. The Nornen class will cost CrK2.1 billion each, and carry up to eight anti-submarine helicopters and four UAVs.

Additionally, Minister Danielsen announced the intention of the Navy to recommission thirty-six Mjelde class frigates.

The Mjelde class was built between 1979 and 1991, and the last of the production run of 72 vessels was decommissioned and placed in reserve in late 2004. The recommissioning of the Mjelde class is meant to quickly bolster the Navy's escort numbers and supplement the Dristig class destroyers and Sirius class heavy frigates. The recommissioning of the old frigates instead of constructing new frigates are justified by Minister Danielsen by pointing to the fact that recommissioning the newest vessels of the Mjelde class, the oldest of which is 22 years old and have only six years of active service under its belt, is "the most sensible use of the resources available."

The warships in question are virtually unused, and have been properly maintained by the Naval Auxiliary Service during their tenure in the Polyarny Fjord Reserve Fleet, meaning that they require little more than a fresh coat of paint, a systems upgrade, and personnel to man the ships, as well as filling the fuel tanks and magazines with fuel and munitions, respectively.

Minister Danielsen said in the press conference that the per unit cost of returning the Mjeldes to service would cost the tax payers no more than CrK90 million, meaning that the total cost of returning the thirty-six frigates to service will cost only CrK3.25 billion, as opposed to CrK32 billion, which is the estimated cost of thirty-six newly built frigates.

As part of the Naval Plan, the existing naval facilities at Karljohansvern, Severomorsk, Karlskrona, Muskö and Paldiski would be expanded at a combined cost of CrK7.2 billion in order to meet the needs that the naval expansion will place on the facilities.

In order to crew all these new ships, the Minister reported that over the next ten years, the conscription levels and the admissions to the Naval Academy and the Non-Commissioned Officer Schools would be gradually increased starting from next year, in order to meet the Navy's need for manpower to man the new ships.

In total, the Royal Cottish Navy has been allocated CrK99 billion outside the Defence Budget by Stortinget, drawn from the oil and natural gas revenues, in order to finance the expansion of the Navy. This includes the cost for constructing and commissioning the warships, expanding existing naval facilities, increasing classes in the Naval Academy and NCO Schools, and purchasing a total of 400 new helicopters and aircraft for the Naval Aviation, which will be operated off these vessels.

Additionally, the Defence Budget will be increased by 1.35% annually in order to fund the operating costs and salaries for the Navy. This increased annual funding comes primarily from cutting development aid to foreign third-world countries.

The opposition parties on Stortinget are divided in their response to the Government's buildup plans. Defence spokesman for the Nationalist Party, Krølle Figgmark hails the buildup as "long overdue" and "of paramount importance for our national defence. With the rise of aggressive foreign nations like the Germans or the Nerotikans, we need a strong military to defend ourselves against these barbarians." Others, like Socialist Party defence spokesperson Inga Örebrekk denounced the announced buildup as "[an] imperialistic and aggressive move that will work only to alienate us from the rest of the world. I thought that we had learned from our past that in the long run, imperialism and military power projection does not serve Cotlands best interests. If anything, we should disarm ourselves and remove all aggressive elements from our military, which in the end has as its job to defend the country, not invade others."


Last updated 13:56, 22.11.2009
AFTENBLADET (c) WORLDWIDE COPYRIGHT 2009

[Layarteb]

SUU-68 Advanced Tactical Munitions Dispenser (ATMD)

Overview

The SUU-68 Advanced Tactical Munitions Dispenser (ATMD) was developed in conjunction with the WCMD program for the SUU-64/65/66 Tactical Munitions Dispenser. The original aim of the ATMD was to create a heavier and larger munitions dispenser for increased payloads. While deployable through fighters and attack aircraft, the ATMD was originally developed to be used in long-range bombers, where the heavier weight of the bomb wouldn't necessarily limit their carriage capabilities. Tests of the ATMD began in the early 1990s when the WCMD program was initiated, originally aboard B-1B Lancer bombers, which carried forty-eight bombs. In live-drop tests, the ATMD was found to be extremely capable, especially as it was fitted with the WCMD kit. It was immediately put into service with the WCMD program. In the early 2000s, when the WCMD-ER program began, the SUU-68 was a likely candidate but thus far no WCMD-ER versions of the SUU-68 have been put into service.

Dimensions & Structure

The SUU-68 ATMD is nothing more than an enlarged SUU-64/65/66 TMD. Its total length is 10.00 ft. (3.05 m) and it has a diameter of 24.00 in. (60.96 cm). It is equipped with slightly larger WCMD tail fins that have a span of 29.00 in. (73.66 cm) retracted or 57.00 in. (144.78 cm) when extended. When it is fitted with the LongShot WCMD-ER kit, the ATMD has a wingspan of 52.00 in. (132.08 cm) with the wings extended. When they are retracted, they have no span. The LongShot kit is an additional 25.00 lb. (11.34 kg) in weight. Empty, the ATMD weighs 375.00 lb. (170.10 kg) without the LongShot kit and 400.00 lb. (181.44 kg) with it. It has a maximum weight of 1,500.00 lb. (680.39 kg) and a payload capacity of 1,125.00 lb. (510.29 kg). When fitted with the LongShot kit, this is reduced for the weight of the kit to just 1,100.00 lb. (498.95 kg). It's total payload volume is 22,619.47 in³ (370,666.70 cm³).

Performance

The SUU-68 ATMD is a high performance bomb meant to be used on high performance aircraft just as easily as on low performance aircraft. It can be deployed by aircraft moving at up to Mach 1.8 and at an altitude of 40,000.00 ft. (12,192.00 m). The standard variant is capable of a range of 10.00 mi (16.09 km) but with the LongShot kit that is extended to 40.00 mi (64.37 km) thanks to a glide ratio in excess of 8:1. The weapon is a spin-stabilized, freefall bomb with minimal guidance. It is equipped with a WGU-137A guidance kit that combines GPS and inertial navigation, which is fed into the bomb prior to its launch. This allows the weapon to get to within just 10.00 meters of its computed impact point. Because of the wind correction, this accuracy can be achieved at all times. The TMD, on the other hand, had a CEP of 26.00 meters. The ATMD can be carried externally and internally by all fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft capable of supporting the weight of the bomb. It can be carried on single, double, or triple ejector racks; although, triple ejector racks may put unnecessary stress on a hardpoint due to the weight of the bomb and its rack system.

Variants

The ATMD is available in two variants. The SUU-68A/B ATMD is the standard WCMD variant while the SUU-68B/B is the WCMD-ER variant. The A/B costs $25,000.00 and the B/B costs $35,500.00 by themselves.

Munitions

The SUU-68A/B is the basis for the CBU-110 Cluster Bomb. The CBU-110 is available in nine variants, each with a different payload. The CBU-110A/B, B/B, D/B, E/B, and H/B have a weight of 1,500.00 lb. (680.39 kg). The CBU-110C/B and I/B have a weight of 1,480.00 lb. (671.32 kg). The CBU-110F/B has a weight of 1,415.00 lb. (641.83 kg) and the CBU-110G/B has a weight of 1,399.00 lb. (634.58 kg). There are no CBU-110 variants with the SUU-68B/B dispenser. The CBU-110 costs $65,000.00.

The CBU-110A/B is specifically for anti-airfield duty. It carries 12 BLU-106/B BKEP anti-runway submunitions, 50 BLU-91/B Gator anti-material submunitions, 50 BLU-92/B Gator anti-personnel submunitions, 90 M74 APAM bomblets, and 105 M85 DPICM bomblets. The BLU-106/B BKEP is a penetrating munition that uses a parachute to achieve a descent angle of 65° after which the parachute disconnects and a solid-fueled rocket is used to drive the weapon into a runway. The high-explosive warhead detonates underneath the runway, much like the Durandal weapon, cratering the runway from underneath, increasing repair time. The Gator submunitions are mines that electronically armed on impact with the ground and include a programmable delay before they are armed. The BLU-91/B uses magnetic influence sensors and electronic logic to detonate underneath the belly of a tank while the BLU-92/B uses trip-wire and anti-disturbance sensors to fire fragments horizontally. Both are used to discourage clearing of an area as well as repair of a cratered runway in this instance. The M74 APAM and M85 DPICM bomblets are grenades that explode in mid-air. The M74 APAM is for use against infantry and soft vehicles as it cannot penetrate the armor of a tank. The M85 DPICM bomblet is used effectively against vehicles and infantry as well.

The CBU-110B/B is an incendiary variant. It can carry up to 225 BLU-127C/B IISM bomblets, each of which holds up to 4.60 lb. (2.09 kg) of Thermate TH-3 incendiary gel. They are released from the weapon and are parachute stabilized allowing them to fall to the ground at angles of 65° to 90° allowing the incendiary gel to be released downward onto its target. The bomblets can also contain napalm or phosphorous incendiary but these are not standard carriage on the CBU-110B/B.

The CBU-110C/B is the primary anti-armor variant. It carries up to 17 BLU-108B/B Sensor Fuzed Weapons, each of which carries four "Skeet" munitions designed to destroy armor from above. After release, the BLU-108B/B uses a parachute to slow its rate of descent until a pre-determined altitude. The munition deploys a small rocket that drives the weapon upwards and into a spin, which allows the four Skeet munitions to be deployed. They fall independently to the ground where they use an IR sensor to detect armored vehicles. When a target is detected, the Skeet fires a explosively formed projectile (EFP) downward onto the top of the tank, penetrating it. As a fail safe, the Skeet will self-destruct over the ground if no target is detected. The BLU-108B/B is the improved variant that allows the weapon defense against countermeasures, higher altitude deployment, and a new seeker for active and passive detection. The CBU-110C/B carries sixty-eight Skeet projectiles.

The CBU-110D/B is for anti-powerplant operations. It uses the same BLU-114/B submunition that the CBU-94/B Blackout Bomb used except it carries 375 of them. Each BLU-114/B falls to a preset altitude and then detonates, filling the air with long, thin, carbon (graphite) filaments. Electrically conductive, when they land on power lines or electrical transformers, they can immediately cause shorts and failures. This is a non-lethal system that can be used to disable powerplants in civilian areas without damaging them or causing collateral damage.

The CBU-110E/B is a specific anti-personnel and anti-material variant. It carries 65 BLU-87/B submunitions, 108 M74 APAM bomblets, and 105 M85 DPICM bomblets. The BLU-87/B submunition is a fragmentation bomb designed to fill an area with fragments of metal for anti-personnel effects.

The CBU-110F/B is a thermobaric variant. It carries 8 BLU-73/B Fuel-Air Explosive submunitions. Each FAE contains 72.00 lb. (32.66 kg) of ethylene oxide and detonate an initial charge just 30.00 ft. (9.14 m) above the ground. It uses a drogue chute to retard and stabilize its descent. It is detonated using a proximity fuze, forming a fuel-aerosol cloud. A fuze on the bomblet, extending 4.00 ft. (1.22 m) is used to detonate the second charge. It only does so when the fuze contacts the ground, igniting the aerosol mixture. It can be used highly effectively against mine fields and personnel.

The CBU-110G/B is a non-lethal variant equipped with 8 BLU-98/B Smoke bombs. Identical to the BLU-73/B, each bomb contains 72.00 lb. (32.66 kg) of red phosphorous. It is used to create a thick smoke screen for advancing soldiers and for hindering an attacking force.

The CBU-110H/B is the CEM variant. It is equipped with 330 BLU-97B/B CEB submunitions. The BLU-97B/B is used primarily in the CBU-87 CEM bomb but in the CBU-110, it has the same role. Each bomblet is an anti-personnel, anti-material, incendiary submunition that detonates at a pre-determined altitude above the ground. The BLU-97B/B has a low dud rate.

The CBU-110I/B is a chemical variant. It is equipped with either 17 BLU-136A/B or BLU-136B/B Chemical Submunitions. Identical to the BLU-108B/B SFW, each BLU-136A/B contains up to 55.00 lb. (24.95 kg) of Agent 15, CN, CS, Kolokol-1, Mustard, or Phosgene, in a non-binary system. The BLU-136B/B contains up to 45.00 lb. (20.41 kg) of Novichok, Sarin, or VX in a binary system. The BLU-136 uses a parachute like the BLU-108 but instead of a rocket motor it bursts at a pre-determined altitude but uses spin-stabilization to mix the binary agent. It is highly effective against cities and personnel giving each bomb either 935.00 lb. (424.11 kg) of non-binary agent or 765.00 lb. (347.00 kg) of binary agent.

A B-11C Zeus can carry up to 240 of them internally and 54 externally.

[Veyska]

Combined they're 71,853 mi² over the 50,000 mi² limit. You could do Armenia / Azer or Armenia /Georgia and then work on the third one when you get to 101 million people. RP required. Good luck!

Sorry I've been kinda quiet lately, I have been waiting to finish my RP when I have the population to get Azerbaijan. And now that I have the population, I will be finishing my RP with taking Azerbaijan.

Here is my RP again: viewtopic.php?f=5&t=20182

[Rhodesian States]

Hello, I would like to join this small fraternity, wouldnt mind a small patch of land in Russia (Smolensk Oblast) should I do an R.P first? standard proceedure right?

READ THE FIRST PAGE BEFORE POSTING CLAIMS AND/OR ASKING HOW YOU GET INVOLVED GODDAMNED IT!!!

How many times do one have to say it?!

be nice cotland he is new plenty of smallish land in africa, Cotland has ambitions in Russia

Speaking of Ambitions how are we going in our little dispute brinky?

[Layarteb]

The Lost Boys = good movie

[Hi No Moto]

Bit of updating here for my spreadsheet; I'll be changing my military from 350,000 all the way up to 2,000,000 which is 2% of my total population.

I've also noticed that I have no head of state after the unfortunate capture and murder of the late Emperor Kosho. Because of this the new Emperor will be of the same dynasty and is named Yamatotarashihikokunioshihito no Mikoto, or his official name of Emperor Koan.

For ease in the spreadsheet you may just want to put Emperor Koan.

[Layarteb]

Bit of updating here for my spreadsheet; I'll be changing my military from 350,000 all the way up to 2,000,000 which is 2% of my total population.

I've also noticed that I have no head of state after the unfortunate capture and murder of the late Emperor Kosho. Because of this the new Emperor will be of the same dynasty and is named Yamatotarashihikokunioshihito no Mikoto, or his official name of Emperor Koan.

For ease in the spreadsheet you may just want to put Emperor Koan.

[Hi No Moto]

Bit of updating here for my spreadsheet; I'll be changing my military from 350,000 all the way up to 2,000,000 which is 2% of my total population.

I've also noticed that I have no head of state after the unfortunate capture and murder of the late Emperor Kosho. Because of this the new Emperor will be of the same dynasty and is named Yamatotarashihikokunioshihito no Mikoto, or his official name of Emperor Koan.

For ease in the spreadsheet you may just want to put Emperor Koan.

For pulling that face I want his full name on the spreadsheet now, and when referring to him in the future you must all now use his full name!

See how evil I am! Even the names of my people make you hate me

[Layarteb]

We can just refer to him as "That Japanese Guy Who Wants War"

lol

[Costa Paz]

Just dropping by. I know (I hope) that EII is often a slow-paced arena, but with me being new to it I thought it'd still be best to say that my own sloth isn't an indication of my having joined and then immediately lost interest. I'm just not finding myself spending as much time in NS as has sometimes been the case, but I assume that's just a temporary condition. It usually is, eh?
Will continue soonish, and I should be still reachable through telegram if anyone desperately needs interaction with two former Mexican states

Hm. Maybe I need some 'better' character names, too. Maybe time to get some Nahua into office. Or the ELN, at least.

[Layarteb]

Just dropping by. I know (I hope) that EII is often a slow-paced arena, but with me being new to it I thought it'd still be best to say that my own sloth isn't an indication of my having joined and then immediately lost interest. I'm just not finding myself spending as much time in NS as has sometimes been the case, but I assume that's just a temporary condition. It usually is, eh?
Will continue soonish, and I should be still reachable through telegram if anyone desperately needs interaction with two former Mexican states

Hm. Maybe I need some 'better' character names, too. Maybe time to get some Nahua into office. Or the ELN, at least.

INVADEZ!!!!

[Rhodesian States]

Sweet....... the Congos MINEZZZZZZZZZZZZ.

pending my r.p (anyones free to interject here if they so wish, mix things up a little)

[Hi No Moto]

We can just refer to him as "That Japanese Guy Who Wants War"

lol

lulz, but doesn't all of my japanese guys want a war

Oh and Brydog I was wondering is you could perhaps give me a rough estimate of your naval power, I.e how many ships you have, I'm not too worried about each class of ship but if you could tell me how many of each class you have that would be a real help. Thanks.

[Brydog]

My navy is made up of patrol boats, missile boats, and diesel-electric subs.

30 Type 143A Gepard class FAC
20 Type 13 class OPV
10 Saint Petersburg class SSI
5 Type 212 class SSI
30 MWCs

[Hi No Moto]

My navy is made up of patrol boats, missile boats, and diesel-electric subs.

30 Type 143A Gepard class FAC
20 Type 13 class OPV
10 Saint Petersburg class SSI
5 Type 212 class SSI
30 MWCs

Thanks very much. You wouldn't happen to have any specs for them would you? Don't worry if you dont.

And Germany hurry up with the E2 version of UN!

[Layarteb]

My navy is made up of patrol boats, missile boats, and diesel-electric subs.

30 Type 143A Gepard class FAC
20 Type 13 class OPV
10 Saint Petersburg class SSI
5 Type 212 class SSI
30 MWCs

Thanks very much. You wouldn't happen to have any specs for them would you? Don't worry if you dont.

And Germany hurry up with the E2 version of UN!

They sound like real-life equipment. The Type 212 is an AIP-DE submarine manufactured by Germany and the Saint Petersburg could be the new AIP-DE class by the Russians. Type 13 might be British and Gepard sounds German. MWC is well MWC duh! (whatever that means)