Lodamun

[imperialpearl]

In a move some defence analysts have noted should have been the Lodamese Navy’s initial move in Malivia, Azuron (Triton) maritime patrol drones have arrived in Luthori following their long trip across the Artanian Sea from Berkwaki. The drones, now attached to South-Western Command (Majatran Command - MAJCOM), will become the focal point of the Lodamese Navy’s operations in the Migrant’s Pass. The withdrawal of the Expeditionary Action Group to Naval Station Monkwall has nonetheless tempered tensions between Lodamun and the various states with clear interests in Migrant’s Pass, namely Beiteynu, Pontesi and Narikaton & Darnussia. Via a press statement issued earlier this morning, Commander of MAJCOM, Admiral Eliab Pymer confirmed that the Lodamese Navy would continue to operate within the area, albeit with a dramatically reduced force, underscoring Lodamun’s continued mistrust of both Beiteynu and Narikaton & Darnussia in not only protecting Harrington Company traffic through the area but also keeping this economically crucial artery open to all nations. “Although the Expeditionary Action Group has been withdrawn for a tasking elsewhere, we are nonetheless compelled to ensure a presence in this region as is our right as a nation with very clear vested interests in open access,” Admiral Pymer’s statement read. The drones, which will be operating from Luthori will follow a similar operational structure to the Lodamese Navy’s drone patrols in the Mad Dog Ocean and parts of the arctic alongside the Lodamese Coast Guard. “Intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition, and reconnaissance (ISTAR), will underpin these drones’ operations in this space. The sensor suite employed on these drones provide the Navy with unique capabilities compared to our conventional aircraft-based maritime patrol sweeps in the South Ocean and Artanian Sea,” Admiral Pymer noted. As the drones are largely unarmed and specifically built for high-altitude long-endurance operations, their deployment to the region nonetheless represents a major departure from the previous concept of a “physical presence”. The existence of open skies treaties, and patrols in international airspace, according to a former Azuron pilot provides the patrols which they will be conducting with a degree of “openness”. “Obviously the information garnered from these patrols will be shared with our Luthorian counterparts as that is a caveat of our basing from Luthorian airforce bases. We will be able to deploy a powerful sensor to the region (through the drone) which would grant us near persistent monitoring of maritime traffic through the strait (via radar) which leads to the Lodamese Navy and Armed Forces’ borders ambitions for information dominance,” the former pilot explained. The MAJCOM statement has noted that a complement of two (2) Azuron drones will form the basis of the operation and will likely be on a rotation such that one drone is deployed to the area at all times. Admiral Pymer has ruled out potential Poseidon maritime patrol jet sweeps of the region pointing to the potential risk of miscalculation at the hands of historically inept Narikaton & Darnussian Armed Forces. “There is truth to the rumours surrounding Narik drunkenness. All it truly takes is one weapons operator drunk on cheap schnapps amidst the despair of actually being a citizen of that country to down one of our manned jets.”