The Armed forces of the Republic, specifically the Naval Air Arm, have submitted a procurement requirement to urgently replace the existing STOL aircraft fleet inventory with a more modern and capable solution to the shortcomings of existing airframes as made evident by recent operational stresses. The MOD has approved the requirement for an V/STOL or STOL-capable aircraft with strike capability to be rapidly acquired and integrated within the NAAS.


Submitted bids may have leeway in contractual criteria depending on other factors, available budget for this acquisition is stated at 3BN $Equiv however budget is subject to negotiation dependent on fulfillment of the desired criteria laid out. (criteria is ideal based on availability of assets from potential applicants, availability requirement states sale of existing assets being immediately available)

The Naval Air Arm has laid out a requirement for at least 45 units to be operationally ready for transfer upon successful negotiation of contract.

After several months of intense battle between the Republic Armed Forces and the PAFK and their aligned militias, the RNS was able to get access on the ground near the frontline. RNS Reporter Pedr Greenway can be seen walking through a system of abandoned trenches, now declared safe by the army after the PAFK retreated further into urban areas of Don Sak.

We asked Pedr what the current situation is and how Republic Forces are handling it:

"I'm here with Lt. Colonel Arwel Lace, current commander of the 3rd Rifle Battalion. Which has seen the heaviest fighting during the recent advance and has currently been rotated back to the Forward Operating Base. We understand that progress is still being made, despite the continued resistance from local militias. Republic forces have begun entering the outskirts of Don Sak to meet what is being rumored as heavily entrenched opposition. Colonel Lace, what can you tell us about the challenges currently facing the Army here?"

"I can only commend the men I have been working with for their courage and professionalism thus far, we have been able to maintain an aggressive posture and have made solid gains in the past month. The PAFK forces in this area have put up significant resistance but we continue to gain ground. Morale is high and we are confident that our mission will be successful. Of course the biggest challenge will always be ensuring restraint. Despite the fighting civilians still live and work here, we are fighting over their homes and streets and we must ensure our approach is made with due consideration to their safety."

"What considerations are being taken?"

"Our commitment to ensuring that civilians are safe is one of the core tenants of our strategy here. Our rules of engagement have been adjusted appropriately with regards to available intelligence and our personnel have and continue to receive the appropriate training and updates. We have made attempts to evacuate as many as possible away from areas where hostilities are still in progress or expected, and are providing aid and relief to any who need it. We are confident that our current practice minimizes the risk of collateral damage and infrastructure not being appropriated by PAFK forces. The natural thing for soldiers is to give heaps back if they come under fire, but now we look to manoeuvre instead if we can, because it is crucial not to jeopardise a single civilian life."

"Of course, however we know from the MOD that recent casualty figures have been the highest since the operation began with 22 personnel killed in action."

"It is an unfortunate reality of any kind of military operation that we will sustain casualties. We still have to conduct strikes against positions held by PAFK forces and move through hostile territory. We have taken the appropriate steps to minimize risk to our own forces when conducting operations in contested environments. Our equipment is adequate for the challenge and our personnel remain confident. Operating more indiscriminately would not yield more positive results. We can only focus on continuing to make progress."

We are thankful to Lt. Col Lace for providing this statement.

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The Democratic Labour Union would need a record swing in votes at the next general election to win a majority in the House of Commons, according to analysis of the new electoral map. The next election will be fought on new constituency boundaries, redrawn to reflect population changes and to try to even out voter numbers in each area. An analysis of these changes for suggests the DLU needs a national swing of 7.5% to win with just a small majority. That's considerably lower than the 10.2% achieved by Marcus Austin in 2008, the last DLU government and current electoral record. This gives hope to current DLU and opposition leader Graham Bradshaw as the party seeks to close the gap before the general election in April.

When asked a part official was able to provide a response. "It is still the position of the DLU to run against the policies carried out by PM Conway these past 8 years. Which have left many communities on the brink, and seen a serious lack of investment in the Islands in favour of repeated military expansion and now recently the catastrophic decision to invade Kalasin, which will only take more money from the pockets of social services and continue to see an erosion of support to our most vulnerable."

The DLU has recently stood by largely peaceful protests launched nationwide since late last year by people sympathetic of the Kalasin independence movement and opposed to Preorian military involvement in the region. The National Republican League, the current incumbent party, has not responded to the demands of the movement but continues to emphasize that the current deployments overseas are necessary to ensure security in the region as people take to social media to voice their views.

The National Republican League will also see Prime Minister and party leader Einon Conway step down from politics this year. As he is set to retire after his term expires. The new candidate being proposed by the party, Owen Pendry, the current Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, has been making significant moves across the country to ensure that his party retains their current majority in parliament. However his own constituency of West Lindow is hotly contested by both the DLU and Alliance Party in what is anticipated to be a very close vote based on current polling.

We will continue to report as news progresses in what is heralded as a landmark election in the future direction of the Republic.

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The RAF's mission is to support the objectives of the Republic's Ministry of Defence (MOD), which are to "provide the capabilities needed to ensure the security and defence of the Republic, including against terrorism; to support the Government's foreign policy objectives particularly in promoting international peace and security". The RAF describes its mission statement as "to provide an agile, adaptable and capable Air Force that, person for person, is second to none, and that makes a decisive air power contribution in support of the Republic's Defence Mission"

The professional head and highest-ranking officer of the Royal Air Force is the Air Marshal. He reports to the Chief of the Defence Staff, who is the professional head of the Republic Armed Forces. The incumbent Chief of the Air Staff is Air Marshal Talfryn Wren, who was appointed in July 2020.

The management of the RAF is the responsibility of the Air Force Board, a sub-committee of the Defence Council which is part of the Ministry of Defence and body legally responsible for the defence of the Republic and . The Chief of the Air Staff chairs the Air Force Board Standing Committee (AFBSC) which decides on the policy and actions required for the RAF to meet the requirements of the Defence Council.

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Greetings, leaders of Aranye.

I am dispatching this open letter as my government has been granted the funding to begin work on an Infrastructure Megaproject that I personally believe can be beneficial to more than just the Republic. I speak of a dream to unite the nations of this continent overland by way of a High Speed Rail system which promises to bring greater cooperation and prosperity to all nations of Aranye.

This project has been titled Trans-Arayne Railway. It is our vision to see an infrastructure investment that will be able to see a transport system that will bring us closer together, making travel and trade more open and capable between us all. No doubt this will be a significant project that will require a great deal of mutual funding, however I believe that the benefits of such an investment will greatly outweigh any costs, provided we are all able to cooperate and bring together the will to see a more interconnected Aranye that doesn't need to solely rely on air travel, and it's significant environmental impact, to bring us all closer.

Hence I am issuing an open invitation to attend the Falcree Convention Centre in Caerfyrddin, where we will be hosting a meeting aimed at producing an actionable plan to deliver on the goals of this proposal.

I look forward to hearing your responses.

Issued from the Desk of the Prime Minister
Signed: Einon Conway

The Republic of Preoria has four distinct geographical regions, the northern area is referred to as the Highlands, it is an area scarred by glaciation with many hills and small mountains sitting at relatively high elevation. The highest point in the country lies here, Mynydd yr Eryr, a mountain with an elevation of 1450m. The majority of the country lies in the Central and Coastal Lowlands, this is where the majority of the Republic's large cities are and where the majority of it's agriculture takes place. Then there are the two Islands, Arryant, to the immediate south of the mainland, which is similar to the Lowlands in it's geographic disposition, and the Isle of Gwylan, further out to sea in the Krimeon, a heavily forested island dotted with extinct-volcanoes.




Caerfyrddin is a coastal city and capital of the Republic, it is the seat of the Republic's government and is both it's wealthiest and largest city at 6.7 million people. It lies at the mouth of the river Wyeden which feeds into the Eastern Channel, part of the Krimeon Sea. Caerfyrddin can trace it's founding back to the historic town of the same name, originally settled in 765 by the native Deceangl people. It was primarily a fishing town up until the year 1049, when the territory was taken over by the Kingdom of Llywnbeli after their armies crossed the channel from the Island of Arryant. In 1140 the Llywnbeli King Edris II decided to move his capital to the town which resulted in it seeing a major boom in population and investment, Cadogan Castle was raised in the city to command the primary river crossing which also served as the residence of the Monarch until the similarly named Cadogan Palace was built in 1309 after the Union of Crowns in the previous century which saw the nation renamed as the Kingdom of Preoria. 

The city eventually suffered from a major fire in 1452 which raised much of the original settlement, however over the next 50 years saw many of it's buildings rebuilt in brick and limestone with the new layout of the city built around the great Caerfyrddin Stones, a circular temple that had survived the fires built to honour Glyndwr, chief of the pantheon of the unique branch of Celtic faith that had been established in the region for centuries before the coming of the Llywnbeli. The city did not see another major catastrophe until in 1683 where Griffith's Rebellion, a major uprising of the peasantry which, sacked the city after defeating the Army of King Pendry VI.

It wasn't until the late 1700's where the city began undergoing a major transformation from the burgeoning industrial revolution, factories replaced many ancient crumbling structures and a series of dockyards sprung up along the river Wyeden. The city also began to become home to many groups who were beginning to embrace ideas such as Republicanism and other fledgling ideas. These thinkers eventually inspired the Great Upheaval of 1822, where the commoners revolted against the increasingly unpopular monarchy, which had since fled from their historic seat of power in Caerfyrddin, back over the sea to Llywnbelan in the previous decade. Northern Armies from the Highlands entered the city as part of their Coastal Campaign in 1827 and routed the last Monarchist forces from the mainland, converting the former Cadogan Palace into the People's Palace, which is still a popular modern attraction of the city.

Modern Caerfyrddin is a highly developed city, keeping it's position as a central hub for many industries and businesses. It still retains many ancient landmarks from throughout it's history and is home to several large Museums such as the Preorian Museum of Natural History.


The most northerly and fourth largest city in the Republic, Dungannon is firmly rooted in the Highlands of Preoria. It is unknown when the city officially was founded, as it was periodically used as a gathering point of many Highland tribes, but from 790 onwards it was recognized as being the site of the capital of the former Kingdom of Durcáinuntil until it united with the Kingdom of Llywnbeli in 1237 after Durcáinian King Braon died and Prince Carwyn of the Llywnbeli inherited both kingdoms as the only eligible heir of either, resulting in their union.

Dungannon has always been known for it's many castles and fortresses that are located in it's suburbs and the city proper, subsequent generations of Monarchs built many such structures in the North to deter rebellion due to the difficulties in communicating through the mountains, and now many of the ruins are celebrated cultural heritage sites of the Highland people despite their origins as a tool of suppression.

Dungannon, despite it's position far from any seas, still managed to establish itself as a major source of natural resources, being known as the "Granite City" for both it's grey appearance from the usage of the stone as a building material and for it's natural wealth. The city suffered many uprisings in it's history as a result of this however, as many locals for centuries saw the Monarchy in the south as sapping resources and wealth from the North to enrich itself, eventually culminating in Dungannon being the first city to declare independence from the Kingdom of Preoria in 1821, the resulting instability saw a Royalist Army attempt to regain control and it's subsequent defeat sparked the Great Upheaval the following year, where the newly declared Republic of Preoria drove the Royalists south and eventually off of the mainland entirely.

To this day Dungannon is honoured as the 'spiritual capital' of the Republic, and many monuments to the Upheaval can be found in the city today. 

The Armed Forces of the Republic are the military forces responsible for the Defence of the Preorian Republic. They also promote the Republic's wider interests, support international peacekeeping efforts and provide humanitarian aid.

It can trace it's origin back to the Great Upheaval over 200 years prior, where the commons rose up against the King and overthrew the Monarchy, replacing the previously established Royal Army and Navy. Today it is a professional force made exclusively from volunteers. It answers to the civilian government and is formally headed by the Secretary of Defence, with the Prime Minister acting as Supreme Commander.

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The Caerfyrddin Security Exchange (CSE) is a Government sponsored agency which works to promote the interests and regulate the activities of international and domestic based firms that provide armed security services and those that fulfill private military contracts. The goal of this organization is to provide a recognized body which provides legitimacy and standards for Private Military Companies.

The CSE aims to raise the standards of operation of its members and this emergent industry and ensure compliance with the rules and principles of international law and human rights standards.
As the need for armed security grows the CSE and its members recognise that their objectives will best be achieved through effective self regulation in partnership with Governments and International Organisations.

The CSE works towards the following objectives:

The promotion of transparent relations with governments and international organisations.
Compliance with the laws of countries in which its members operate.
The provision of guidance on the substance and requirements of international statutes.
Understanding the need to balance the provision of security services with the legitimate concerns of those affected by the delivery of those services.

The formation of this association stems from the realisation amongst a number of leading Preorian private security firms that there was an urgent need to raise standards of operation and advocate industry regulation.

The recent rapid growth in demand for private security services overseas has created an emergent industry. Private security companies now play an essential role in areas of capability augmentation, operational support, post-conflict reconstruction, nation building and security sector reform, in addition to the provision of traditional services to the private sector.

Membership within the CSE is extended to any Private Security Company, Private Military Company and any other entities that are active in the international security trade. It ensures that any prospective parties who wish to contract the services of these companies can be secure in the knowledge that they are employing professionals who adhere to international conventions and are transparent in their operations.
The CSE also operates as a bonding commission, brokering and arbitrating security contracts on behalf of its members using its in-house legal service.

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Any company seeking membership with the CSE must fulfill the following criteria:

1: The company must not be currently recognized as a terrorist organization under Article 1.5 of the Uppsala Convention
2: The company must be currently operating legally in the state where its head office is based
3: The company must not currently employ any actor recognized as a war-criminal nor subcontract to any entity or group proscribed as a terrorist organization.

Given the Membership commitment to enhance and promote the interests of the industry, members must agree to be governed by the following principles in particular:

I: Ensure that all appropriate staff shall have been trained to the standards commensurate with each assignment and in accordance with applicable laws of the appropriate country.
II: Ensure that all reasonable precautions are taken to protect relevant staff in high risk and/or life threatening operations including the provision of protective equipment, adequate weapons and ammunition and medical support.
III: Decline to accept contracts for the provision of security services where to do so will conflict with the MCUR.
IV: Decline to provide security services where there is a likelihood of the provision involving criminal activity.
V: Decline to provide security services where there is a likelihood of violating Uppsala Convention
VI: Decline to provide lethal equipment to governments or private bodies in circumstances where there is a possibility that human rights will be infringed.
VII: Submit to the rules and regulations of the CSE and to sanctions imposed by the Association for breach of said rules and regulations.
VIII: Commit to provide a membership fee determined by the CSE to enable the CSE to carry out its activities.
IX: Ensure that operations within a territory are sanctioned by either the governing body of that territory, or another governing body legally present within that territory.
X: Ensure that members have an obligation to report any violation of international conventions applicable to the area they operate in.

In return for compliance with these principles the CSE offers the following benefits to any member:

1: Provision of a insurance body which provides appropriate coverage for members during operations.
2: Provision of an exclsuive trade-service where members can purchase and receive delivery of assets relevant to their needs.
3: Provision of a legal service which will provide representation to any member that requires it.
4: Provision of a brokerage service where members can receive contracts negotiated on their behalf by the CSE.
5: Provision of in-house mental health support services for personnel of any member company.

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Any company wishing to become a member of the CSE must submit a membership application, the template for which will be provided:-

Trading Name:

Name of CEO:

Country of Origin:

Company Description:

Services Provided:


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This document may be filled in by any prospective group wishing to seek services of CSE Members:

Representative Name:

Country/Organization of Representative:

Services Required:


2000 Hours, Kalasinese Coastline
Black Talon 1 - Operation Kingfisher
32 Hours Until Deadline Ends

A splash kicked up as the first set of boots landed in the shallow surf, followed by several more. The RHIBs had made landfall within the acceptable timeframe. Three of the boats from the RNS Gleidhidh had landed here, on an empty stretch of the Kalasinese coastline. It was never going to be a great idea to try and insert special forces from a hospital ship, but even at that they had never anticipated that the locals would launch a pair of missiles at it. The Directorate knew best, they supposed. Helicopters would be too much of a risk, and any military vessel nearing the coastline would draw the wrong kind of attention. Here only the sound of seabirds and the waves breaking against the sand were audible, no human presence. That being said Gleidhidh being hit wasn't part of the plan, they still had a legitimate humanitarian mission to carry out and that action had escalated their mission from simple intelligence gathering to risking drawing the Republic into a proper conflict. That is of course unless the higher ups knew that they were putting the Gleidhidh into the line of fire to justify going in.

Captain Crowle quickly assessed his situation. He had fourteen other men under his command and they were busying themselves dragging the boats up the sand, they had to be hidden of course and no one would have been expecting them in this area anyway. Most of the opfor would be occupied further inland.

His second stopped just short of him, a Warrant Officer by the name of Kildare. "Captain, the lads are ready to move on your go."

"Good work Kildare, I want everyone to check their kit and be ready to move in five, we're on the clock now." The Captain said, his attention focused on the map he had slipped from his admin pouch. They knew the rough area of their target but it would be quite the hike inland, through hard terrain and with no support. But his orders were clear, there were several intelligence assets in-country when the hostilities kicked off and it was of the utmost importance their intel be extracted. The Republic had no intention of walking into this blind, especially after that dirty bomb went off, and the satellites just couldn't get enough information, these assets had significant intel tucked away but for whatever reason they just couldn't transfer it out. That's why they had to use the Hospital Ship as a front to insert their team quietly to grab it. It would be invaluable to the Intelligence Corps and ensure that if the Armed Forces were going to commit then they'd have the best possible picture of the situation on the ground.

The Captain waded through the surf and sand up to his section, they were already taking cover under the foliage. "Alright people, asset pickup is a 55 click Northeast from where we are now, we need to grab this intel fast and get back before the deadline hits. Command wants that intelligence badly before the regs come in and we are here to get it for them. Let's move out."

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0255 Hours
25 hours until Deadline

It had been nearly seven hours since they left the beach. The section of fifteen had been advancing single file through the Kalasinese countryside without having encountered anyone, of course they had kept away from the roads and villages, their route had been planned specifically to minimize this risk. But now they were advancing on their first target and that was about to change.

Captain Crowle signalled his column to regroup around himself, a few quick flicks of his hand and they knew immediately he wanted two volunteers. Two of the men put themselves forward. "Right, Grey, Hagen, the first pickup is holed up in a settlement just half a click south of us. Asset's name is 'Mnaddo', you still remember the description from the brief?" The two men nodded. "Good, it's an old army outpost, we don't expect much resistance but I'll get Teague to send the drone up ahead of you. Kildare's fireteam will set up just outside to support you if it kicks off. The VIP should be waiting in a garage not too far from the perimeter fence. In and out, no noise."

For the briefest moment the jungle around them clicked and clacked as the section prepared and checked their weapons. Seven of them advanced quietly through the foliage ahead, a small quadcoptor drone buzzing over their heads as it rapidly gained altitude into the night sky. Five of the men took cover in the foliage, setting up their positions to offer the best view of the compound ahead, whilst the last two continued ahead carefully, keeping low to the ground as they moved up to the fence.

The compound ahead of them wasn't exactly bustling with activity, but it wasn't as dead as they had hoped for, the drone's FLIR camera had picked up at least seventeen heat signatures roaming the area. Though they were dispersed and seemingly just ambling around aimlessly. Two more signitures were quickly picked up approaching the fence just on the edge, the IR strobes from their helmets identifying them as friendly. Corporal Hagen's radio clicked. "We're at the fence, enough holes we can get through. What's the sitrep?" he asked in a hushed tone.

His headset crackled back, "Drone spotted three X-rays between you and the first building, they appear to be sitting around a small fire, take the path to the right and move along the wall, they wont see you."

The two men quickly began moving, stepping through a wide gap in the rusted and decaying fence. They raised their carbines, both of them had C35A2's chambered in .300 blk, that and the monolithic suppressors on the end of them would ensure even if they did had to pick someone off they could at least do it quietly. Through their WP filtered NODS they could see their lasers cutting through the dark, one facing forward and the other firmly fixed in the direction the drone had reported possible hostiles.

Taking every step with caution they continued, a dim light from a fire was radiating from their left and they began to pick up voices, casual conversation, nothing to indicate they suspected any infiltration. Still, best not to stick around. Once they had reached the wall their radio came back to life. "Armed X-rays ahead, drone counts two, they are facing away from you but are in the way. Drop them quietly and hide the bodies. Once you've taken care of them proceed across the road and take the gate, it leads into the garages."

Hagan clicked his PTT button twice to confirm before nodding to Grey. Advancing along the wall they spotted their targets, two men casually dressed and having a quiet chat, one was busy trying to light a cigarette with an old lighter. The two operators silently drew their knives and advanced in unison, hesitating for only a moment to sight any potential onlookers they jumped them. A short struggle ensued as they were simulataniously pulled backwards by the operators and out of sight, gloved hands muffled any calls of help before it went quiet again. As quickly as it started it was over, the two men quickly advanced across the dimly lit road and pushed against the gate.

Entering the open-air garages was simple, the drone hadn't spotted any opposition aside from the single heat signature standing next to it's own IR strobe. The asset. Weaving between broken down cars and old toolboxes they approached him, guns still up. 'Mnaddo' was simply leaning against one of the cars, a cigarette in his mouth and a large revolver at his hip.

"What took you so long?" He asked, "I have what you want, but these paramilitaries will notice I've been gone for a smoke for a while. Anyway, everything you want is in here: capabilities, which group operates where, even the specs on those missiles that hit that ship. Everything my network has gathered till now." He stated dryly, pulling a satchel from inside the vehicle and offering it. Hagan snatched it from his hand before pressing three times on his radio. Asset secured. "Get back to them then." the soldier whispered, drawing a small envelop from a pouch on his hip and tossing it over to him. "Payment for goods recieved."

Mnaddo smirked, "I'll see what I can drum up next time for you, I have to warn you though it is getting harder to move around. They still think I'm just here to sell them alcohol and cigarettes but they are getting bolder, robbing people outright now that they think they have carte-blanch to do what they please."

Suddenly Hagan's headset crackled. "Corporal, you have five x-rays moving into the area, all armed. They are about to enter the garage area. Go to ground now."

"Get out of here, company." He snapped. Mnaddo stubbed his cigarette and shrunk back into the darkness, naturally he had his own way out but that wouldn't work for two special forces operators, they couldn't just walk brazenly out of there. The two soldiers were quick to drop down into an inspection pit. Weapons ready as the gates squeaked open, they could see five pairs of legs from under the car. The five men quickly dispersed around the pitch black garage, unaware of the transaction that had just occured and the two Preorians hiding infront of them. One of them produced a few bottles from a backpack as the others spoke in their native tongue, laughing between one another as they pulled up seats.

"I'm only seeing five, they haven't noticed their friends are missing and I'm not seeing any unusual increase in activity, they still don't know you are there. Can you make it out?" Captain Crowle's voice crackled through Hagan's headset. He clicked it once for 'no'.
"Is that lot setting up for a while?". Two clicks, Yes. "Damn, has the asset been secured?". Two clicks again. "Good, do not engage unless you are spotted, we'll have to see if we can't wait till they move on. If they don't budge then We'll get you out. Just sit tight for now." Another two clicks confirmed the order.

An hour or so had passed, the group of men had taken up some kind of card game and were very invested in it, they had set their rifles down to the side. Hagan and Grey were still crouched underneath the car, their focus had to be total, any small move could give them away. Even just trying to sit down would make too much noise. Time was running out for them, light would be approaching soon and they would be too easy to see where they were. One way or another they would be compromised and forced to go loud.

The radio came back online, "Corporal, we can't pull you out in any way that wouldn't compromise us, Mclusky's drone has also spotted two trucks full of potential hostiles making their way along a road towards the compound. He estimates ten minutes before they show up. We need to go now, you have permission to engage, get back here.". Hagan looked at his fellow, they both knew what to do.

He carefully produced a small cylinder from one of his pouches, a flashbang. He couldn't pull the pin without setting his carbine down, so he held it backwards towards Grey, who obliged with his own free hand. He held the spoon tightly, slowly releasing pressure until it triggered, it was quiet enough the men didn't notice it as he rolled it towards them.

The flash of light was the last thing they had expected, the operators at least had noise-cancelling headsets to muffle the bang. They were sent reeling immediately, dropping to the floor and yelling, trying to grap at where their weapons had been or rolling around on the ground clutching their eyes. The two Preorians rapidly emerged from either side of the inspection pit, they had relentlessly trained for this kind of close quarters engagement, with no hesitation they had opened fire, one muffled shot into each of the five men as they struggled to rise, then another to ensure they were neutralized.

Hagan quickly turned on his radio, "We've engaged, clear a path for us, we're coming back through the alley."

"Copy, we'll get their attention." The voice of Kildare returned. Almost immediately they heard the sound of rapid-fire. The distinct sound of the C102 SAW, even suppressed it was still loud.  "Looks like Mnaddo exfilled, anyone you see left in there is a hostile, engagement rules are free." The Captain shouted down his radio.

The two operators shouldered the gate into the garage open, weapons raised they scanned the immediate outside, three men clad in old webbing and clutching even older rifles were running down the road to the source of the sound, for a moment they hesitated, expecting their friends to be the ones coming out of the garage. Instead they were met with two men in full-gear. Hagan opened fire, the first of the three fell immediately, as they struggled to come to a stop and raise their own rifles. Grey had the second before they could, the third fell to both of them.

They rushed across the road, dirt kicking up at their feet as several more hostiles tried to take aim at them. Both of them made it to cover unscathed, back to the wall they had initially moved along, the sound of gunfire was now rife around the entire compound, the crack of AKM rifles joining in as the paramilitaries fired relentlessly into the treeline where the rest of the unit was dug-in.

The two operators were running full-pelt at this point, it was only 50 metres to the trees where the rest of them were providing suppressing fire to cover their withdrawel. Regardless of if it was open ground they had to move, there was no time before potentially dozens more hostiles flooded in.

They could feel the snap of bullets whizzing past them as they ran, they had almost made it to the treeline when Grey stumbled, three shots had found their mark in his back as he fell forward into the brush. Breaking his stride Hagan dropped his rifle onto it's sling and grabbed his friend's plate carrier by the shoulder-straps, hauling him into the undergrowth.

"Grey is hit!" He yelled into his headset, "Get me backup!", two more of his unit broke cover and ran out to help him, returning fire against the paramilitaries as they pulled their casualty to saftey.

The trees around them splintered and clumps of mud were kicked up, they took cover in a shallow pit. Quickly flipping Grey around to find where the shots had hit. "No blood, he took it in the carrier and it looks like the plates held up"" One of the soldiers shouted. "Get him back up then!" Hagan responded. They lifted the downed man to his feet and checked him over again. "Looks like he was just dazed by the fall, let's get him back."

The four men now retreated deeper into the foliage, Captain Crowle was waiitng for them.
"Do you still have the assets?" He asked. Hagan nodded, Grey was back on his own footing now. "Good", He spoke into his headset. "All fireteams, disengage and withdraw, we've acquired the intel." He turned back to his men. "I hope he can still run, we need to get as far away from here as possible." Grey shook his head. "I'm still in the game, sir." "Good man." The Captain replied.

The section started filtering in, all fifteen accounted for. "Let's move out, Kildare take the rear. These bastards will be on our tails so we need to move fast." Crowle ordered. Almost immediately the section broke into a sprint, beating a hasty retreat as the paramilitaries still fired into the trees.

---

1303 Hours
13.5 hours until Deadline

It had been around ten hours but the unit had made it back to the beach, they were ragged, exhausted but all of them were alive. The trek back had to be taken carefully, once they shook the paramilitary forces chasing them they had to navigate around any patrols they encountered. Even taking the longer, but safer, route was risky. But they had made it back with the intelligence intact, a satchel containing a laptop and a half-dozen memory drives.

The exhausted men busied themselves dragging their boats back out of cover towards the sea. Captain Crowle grabbed a sattelite phone that was stowned in his rucksack, dialing in he was quickly answered. "This is BT 1-4 to Seagull, Rickshaw, I repeat, Rickshaw."
A voice came back down the phone, "This is Seagull, we copy, dispatching Seagull-Minor to EP 'Checkmate',  RV in 1.5 Hours.", "Understood, we are moving to EP 'Checkmate'."

He hitched the sat-phone back into it's pocket and signalled for his second. "Kildare! Checkpoint, one and a half!." He shouted over.

The Warrant officer nodded and turned to the rest of the men. "Let's get these boats ready, I don't doubt they'll leave us if we don't get there on time."

Once the boats were in the water they wasted no time, embarking and powering away from the shore as quickly as the RHIBs could carry them. It would be a 45-minute ride to the extraction-point in open water, their GPS would take them there but the danger was the slightly longer wait until they could be picked up. But a successful mission was a successful mission, and the intelligence they secured would be a major-asset in planning what was to come. And they still had 12 hours before the deadline would expire. Plenty of time to extract the data, of course there would be no doubt that this information would be shared with the Daitōjins, even if they had their own intelligence in-country it wouldn't hurt to be as open as possible with them.

After the shocking turn of events within the state of Kalasin, which has seen armed groups and political rivalries flare up after a recent declaration of independence against the confederal government, the Prime Minister's office has released an official statement after an emergency cabinet meeting.

"Regarding the sudden outbreak of political instability and reports of armed skirmishes within the nation of Kalasin, this Government has acknowledged that there is now a possible strategic threat emerging within the Matilda Channel. As this is an economically vital region for our government, we have decided to dispatch a small naval task group to the international waters surrounding it to ensure that civil shipping does not come under threat of attack in the event of further escalation. Our allies within the Krimeon Naval Coalition have also been notified of our intention to deploy these assets.

We have also approved the dispatch of the hospital ship RNS Tròcair and a crew of expert staff at the approval of the Union Government to assist in a humanitarian intervention to provide aid and resources to any who require them.

Furthermore the Foreign Office is issuing the following advice to any Preorian citizens currently in Kalasin or considering travelling there:

-All citizens should make any reasonable effort to leave the country if possible
-If leaving the country is not possible citizens should either A: attempt to report to the Preorian Embassy, where evacuations will be organized or B: Report your location to Preorian authourities if possible by email, telephone or social media and shelter-in-place. With the approval of the Union Government Preoria has been granted the right to dispatch military and affilated-personnel to rescue and evacuate any stranded citizens and diplomatic staff.
-Any citizens who find themselves detained by local authourities or armed groups should not resist and advise contact be made with the embassy to discuss release
-Any citizens currently booked for travel to Kalasin are encouraged to cancel any plans, safety in-country cannot be guaranteed
-The Preorian Government also prohibits travel to Kalasin for purposes of participating in armed conflict, paramilitary training or accepting a contract from any foreign military body with a presence in the country"

This statement has come from a government press officer who hosted a public panel after the meeting was concluded.

The Ministry of Defence is thankful for the input of valued industrial representatives during this tender process, we appreciate the significant number of bids and thoroughness of the applications in understanding the needs put forward by our Naval Air Arm.

With that said finalizing a decision on this process has been a difficult task, requiring both decisions from our Requisitions Team as well as the advise of an expert panel of independent industry representatives hired to ensure that the decision-making process would genuinely suit the needs of the Ministry of Defence and act fairly towards those who have submitted bids.

After thoroughly deliberating the qualities and pricepoints of the submitted bids we have come to a decision. This has been attached below:-

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The Ministry of Defence, after reviewing the options presented has selected the following two bids for proceeding to stage 2 of the tendering process and will offer to purchase the quantities laid out as well as the expected timeframe for delivery of any purchased assets:

1: Negishi Aerospace - J/G-28A/B Eclipse

The Ministry of Defence would like to extend an offer to Negishi Aerospace to purchase 50 units of J/G-28A/B Aircraft, capital has been earmarked to fund the acquisition of these assets over a timetable of 3 years, we would also like to extend an offer to dispatch Development Group personnel to investigate the possibility of making specific alterations of equipment and capabilities to better suit the needs of the Naval Air Arm.

2: Zayasu Heavy Industries - J-24 Tiger II

The Ministry of Defence would like to extend an offer to Zayasu Heavy Industries to purchase 30 units of J-24 Tiger II Aircraft, initial project funding has been allocated to purchase 30 units for an immediate transfer process to provide an intermediate replacement option whilst the J/G-28A is acquired to fill the current capability gap in the NAA equipment park under the Emergency Operational Theatre Requirements Act.

Project Runner-Up Pick:

3: Clysperis - F-32

Whilst the F-32 does not meet all the necessary criteria for this contract, the Ministry of Defence, upon reviewing other needs of the Naval Aviation branch has decided that there is sufficient funding within the current budget to allocate a second, smaller contract for an STOL-capable aircraft to replace the current M-21V fleet and would like to directly invite the Clysperi government to sustain their bid for a second tender-application for this additional project as it is understood an STOL-capable variant exists.

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The Armed forces of the Republic, specifically the Naval Air Arm, have submitted a procurement requirement to replace the existing fleet of Naval Aviation assets for carrier-based operations. The requirement is based upon the following MOD-authourized capability requirements for a servicable 5th Generation carrier-based strike aircraft with the following criteria:


Submitted bids may have leeway in contractual criteria depending on other factors, initial available budget for project is stated at 4BN $Equiv however budget is subject to negotiation dependent on fulfillment of the desired criteria laid out. (criteria is ideal based on availability of assets from potential applicants, project is seeking assets with production or sale of existing assets being immediately available within the stated timeframe)

The Naval Air Arm has laid out a requirement for at least 50 units to be operationally ready within a period of 3 years, (objective stated within MOD Emergency Procurement and Capability Acquirement Paper 2022).

The RNS reporting, Secretary of State for Defence Graeme Harforde cut the ribbon at the gates of the former RNB Llywnbelan today, the base being officially reopened in preparation for transfer to the Daitōjin Navy. MOD Contractors have been at work for weeks preparing the facilities on the base for reactivation after the Prime Minister's landmark deal on Maritime Security to ensure that the Republic's fleet can deliver it's security objectives stated under the Naval Operational Reform 2022, which involves the two nations exchanging Naval Bases in order to mutually ensure their naval forces are able to project a secure environment for shipping.

The Secretary of Defence was quoted as stating: "It is with great honour that I rededicate this facility to our allies, our mutual mission to ensure peace and security on the world's oceans has made a great leap forward in progress."

RNB Llywnbelan was formerly a deep water harbour utilized by the Navy for it's advantageous access to the Krimeon, located in the southwestern area of the Isle of Arannant it was historically significant as the Arsenal of the former Royal Navy during the last century. However the base fell into disuse after the review of MoD facilities some years ago, alongside a general downsizing of active properties and consolidation of MoD resources. It possesses accommodations for multiple large vessels and a significant quantity of personnel, and it's closing was cited by many in the local region as being the main factor in the economic decline of many towns that used to rely on the base as a major factor of their economies. Given the reactivation of this facility many local residents are eager to see the return of business and opportunity from personnel stationed there.

As part of this exchange the Republic Navy is preparing to assume control of NS Hirado, an equivalent facility on the island of Tsukishima, previously operated by Daitō. First Admiral Royce Dyere who helped pen the agreement stated in an MoD press statement that as part of this agreement, the Republic Navy 2nd Battlegroup, consisting of the LHD RNS Annwn, Battlecruiser RNS Dungannon, Cruiser RNS Gwydion and an accompanying escort of destroyers and frigates, as well as two submarines will depart from their bases under the command of Admiral Gareth Stone when NS Hirado is ready to be handed over to the Republic Navy. Alongside this the Army has announced the formation of a new independent force "Republic Forces Tsukishima" to manage security and assist in management of the base's facilities.

In related news, the opposition council has criticized the move to allow the Empire of Daitō access to facilities on Preorian territory, citing that the current global security situation does not justify the agreement being made, with the Chief Councillor referring to it as "A dangerous flirtation with territorial expansion and needless militarism which may only inflame tensions with other powers in the Sea of Kyne." and further stating that "The Republic Navy should remain in it's home waters of the Krimeon, as there is no justifiable threat present to press our forces into overseas territories beyond the need for this Government to make itself look like a major military player on the world stage."

The Chief Councillor as part of his election pledge has promised a major reduction in funding to the Armed Forces, particularly the navy, should his Democratic Labour Union win the upcoming 2024 general election. With further promise to redirect the budget towards what he has previously referred to as "forgotten communities" in the Upper Highlands and pressing more money towards Education and the Republic Health Service.

Conway nodded, "That would be an acceptable adjustment, Admiral, please pencil that in." He stated, the officer to his side quickly complying with a quick modification to the summary document with his pen.

Framework for the Mutual Maritime Security and Basing Proposition

This document sets forth the key aims of the Preorian Republic in it's engagement with the nation of Daitō in seeking an agreed security arrangement:

• 1: Each state shall agree to allow the other access to pre-existing maritime and naval infrastructure which is not currently in use.
• 1.1: The receiving state agrees to responsibility for any costs bringing the agreed facilities to the standard they require to operate successfully
• 1.2: Once transition of ownership has been carried out, the territory which the facilities occupy shall temporarily be ceded to the receiving state to act as sovereign territory for a term of three years.

• 2: Vessels flagged to the receiving state shall have guaranteed right of access through territorial waters where it permits them to access and leave the facilities by sea.
• 2.1: Vessels flagged to the receiving state shall be granted immunity from search and seizure whilst transiting between the agreed facilities and international waters.
• 2.2: States shall share detailed topographical mapping of the sea floor in the vicinity to the agreed facilities to ensure safety of travel, including mapping of any undersea infrastructure.

• 3: Personnel and Citizens of the receiving state bound for or working within the agreed facilities shall be guaranteed working visa status.
• 3.1: Goods entering and leaving the agreed facilities shall enjoy tax-exempt status with regards to tariffs on goods transiting borders provided the destination of these goods is exclusively between the agreed facilities or host-state.
• 3.2: The receiver shall be responsible for checks on goods entering and leaving the facilities to ensure no prohibited goods transit.
• 3.3: The receiver shall hold autonomy for law enforcement within the agreed facilities with regards to their own citizens, any incidents involving citizens of the host state will be jointly investigated by both authourities.

"If we both find this arrangement agreeable then I believe our work here is done, I shall have my team forward the proper bulk of the legal documentation over to your office to have it properly signed once it is fully prepared, I estimate this should take no more than a week to ensure that it is watertight. But otherwise I thank you for your time and your shared dedication to ensuring we can both project the necessary force to ensure security of our maritime assets." The Prime Minister commented, clasping his hands. "This has been a productive endeavor."

The Prime minister smiled, brushing a hand through his greying hair. "Then we both have acceptable locations that ensures our strategic and economic aims are met." He nodded to the Admiral at his side who promptly produced another body of paperwork before placing it on the desk. "What we have here is the framework for a potential agreement, it mostly covers the addressed points, though it brings a new issue to the table. But given how simple the process has been thus far we don't think it will pose a problem. We must agree on the leasing rights to these bases. I propose an initial period of three years to determine the success of this endeavour followed by a renegotiation period in which we can review and reassess to ensure we are both getting the best deal for our respective governments."

The Admiral slid the paperwork across, just like the others it was a simple and direct document containing basic points on which the agreement would ideally be based on.

Framework for the Mutual Maritime Security and Basing Proposition

This document sets forth the key aims of the Preorian Republic in it's engagement with the nation of Daitō in seeking an agreed security arrangement:

• 1: Each state shall agree to allow the other access to pre-existing maritime and naval infrastructure which is not currently in use.
• 1.1: The receiving state agrees to responsibility for any costs bringing the agreed facilities to the standard they require to operate successfully
• 1.2: Once transition of ownership has been carried out, the territory which the facilities occupy shall temporarily be ceded to the receiving state to act as sovereign territory for a term of three years.

• 2: Vessels flagged to the receiving state shall have guaranteed right of access through territorial waters where it permits them to access and leave the facilities by sea.
• 2.1: Vessels flagged to the receiving state shall be granted immunity from search and seizure whilst transiting between the agreed facilities and international waters.
• 2.2: States shall share detailed topographical mapping of the sea floor in the vicinity to the agreed facilities to ensure safety of travel, including mapping of any undersea infrastructure.

• 3: Personnel and Citizens of the receiving state bound for or working within the agreed facilities shall be guaranteed working visa status.
• 3.1: Goods entering and leaving the agreed facilities shall enjoy tax-exempt status with regards to tariffs on goods transiting borders provided the destination of these goods is exclusively between the agreed facilities or host-state.
• 3.2: The receiver shall be responsible for checks on goods entering and leaving the facilities to ensure no prohibited goods transit.
• 3.3: The receiver shall hold autonomy for law enforcement within the agreed facilities.

"These are the key points we believe should form the basis for this agreement, I would like to extend this to yourself to ensure that your government has the opportunity to review it and propose any amends." Conway stated, "Bear in mind these are only key points we feel should be agreed on before we move to any more thorough treaty on the matter."

"We would be happy to accept whatever facilities you have that are available. The majority of vessels making this trip to the available site would be no bigger than Destroyers and the occasional visit by one of our carriers or battlecruisers. The position itself it valuable to ensure our ships can resupply and reach out further south and east and we would be happy to both contribute additional funding to reactivate it appropriate to our needs." The admiral answered before placing a small stack of paperwork onto the table and sliding it across to his counterpart. The topmost paper on the pile was a map, allocating locations of currently decommissioned naval bases in Preoria, with the sheets beneath it containing brief descriptions of each base, it's capacity, port depth, housing and other facilities.

"Feel free to look through what the Republic can offer you in return, we would however recommend RNB Llwynbelan. It is located on the the Island of Arannant at it's southernmost tip. The facilities themselves are modern, and the base was only decommissioned last year in our last defence spending review. It would be the best option for vessels transiting through the Krimeon due to the lack of need to navigate the strait between our mainland and the Island. And I am of course pleased to include the services of nearby towns, it is of interest to our government's economic policy to have that base reactivated as it provided a much needed lynchpin of the local economy when it was still operational. However you are free to look over the other four bases and choose any that are suitable for your purposes."