09-11-2025, 07:51 AM
Increased military spending: green light for new jets and nuclear naval program
Cantalamessa mediates between internal resistance and pressure from the Armed Forces. Istalia will invest in Hutorian stealth jets and a new generation of attack submarines
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October 5686
ROMULA - The Government, barely meeting the deadline, approved the new appropriations for the Armed Forces to be included in the next Budget Law. The measure, strongly supported by the Ministry of Defense and the Defense Staff, initially encountered resistance from the New Communists, who opposed such a significant increase in military spending, which was not "budgeted" for during negotiations, whether before or after the elections.However, after intense negotiations led by Minister Secretary Cantalamessa, and under increasing pressure from the Armed Forces, including the military parliamentarians of the PNC, the most reluctant members of the majority finally gave in.
The new appropriations, identified by the Ministry of Defense as crucial for the "Defense Program 5700", will primarily be used for the purchase of STOVL stealth jets from Hutori, which will finally allow the LHD Invicta to be equipped with squadrons of carrier-based multirole fighters. The development of a naval version of the Istalian F-60 has long been hampered by design problems, delays, subcontractor errors and uneven funding. Exasperated by the constant delays, the Defense Staff, which nevertheless launched an internal investigation, decided to opt for foreign-made aircraft with proven reliability and effectiveness. The Hutorian government, long informed of this possibility during bilateral discussions, immediately demonstrated its willingness to conclude such an agreement. Today, with the official approval by the Istalian Government, the order has materialized.
The new funding will also be used to finalize the procurement of the Ajax AJ495 tankers, derived from the commercial wide-body AJ450. The latest prototype, essentially the final version of the aircraft, has been tested with excellent results in recent months. The funds will therefore accelerate the development of the national hypersonic cruise missile, a program that has been in development for many years and is now approaching the operational phase.
The other main item of the new allocations will be dedicated to the Navy, which will be able to launch a new nuclear naval program aimed at re-equipping the Navy with a fleet of nuclear-powered attack submarines, significantly expanding Istalian Navy's operational area. All projects will concern exclusively attack vessels, as the country has not possessed a nuclear arsenal for some time, and there are no signs of any intention to develop one.
The "Defense Program 5700" is, however, already showing the results of years of investment, research and development of the various planned projects and programs. In recent years, new technologies, tactics and weapons systems have gradually entered service among the ranks of the Armed Forces, deployed and showcased in major annual exercises, as well as during the traditional Empire Day's Romula parade. During the latest edition, particular attention was drawn to the Air Force's new drones, which flew over the skies of Rome above the cheering crowds, as well as other robotic systems for reconnaissance, exploration and rescue missions for both the Army and Navy.
However, the Defense Ministry's requests appear to be expanding, dictated by the progressive evolution of the Istalian foreign policy. According to sources close to the Ministry, the proposal to build a second multi-role amphibious naval unit with embarked aircraft, a "sister" to the LHD Invicta, is gaining increasing support. This proposal is now deemed necessary to ensure the security and strategic projection of Istalia, whose geopolitical center of gravity has shifted toward the center of Majatra, close to tensions in the western part of the continent.