Kalistan

[Doc]

Defense Ministry, Major Oscar Bonaventure proposes 5th Fleet
"Aim is to guard Northern Approaches", said Defense Minister
Kaliburg, Grand Duchy of Ananto
August 5638


Major Oscar Bonaventure in Formal Hearings at the National Assembly

Her Imperial Majesty's Minister of Defense, Major Oscar Bonaventure has informed the National Assembly that the Government has authorized the formation of a Fifth Regular Fleet. "This fleet will perform important service in the Sea of Lorna as the primary cold weather fleet of the Kalistani Regular Navy," said Major Bonaventure, in hearings before the National Assembly, who is expected to pass the bill to begin procuring the ships that will form the fleet. "It will be a predominantly subsurface fleet, supported by a small contingent of rapid response surface ships and will lean fairly heavily on an ASW component"

The fleet will consist of the following components:

• 2 Kaliburg-C Class(RLE: Arleigh Burke Class) Destroyers
  
• 1 Luxon Class (RLE: Ticonderoga Class) Guided Missile Cruisers
  
• 2 Ontiveros Class(RLE: De Zevon Class) Frigates
  
• 18 Victor Class (RLE:Walrus-Class) attack submarines
  
• 24 Indica-C Class (RLE: Type 212A/Todero Class) Defensive Submarines
  
• 8 Sulari Class (RLE: Braunschweig Class) Corvettes
  

"These ships will be built in Kaliburg and Gaduridos over the next six to eight years, and will cost the Empire about K9.2 Billion Rubles a year to manufacture," said the Defense Minister. Maintaining the fleet will require a 8.2% increase in military budgets over all, but that cost will be phased in as more ships take their place on the line, according to the Minister. The fleet will be based in Bozo River and will share the facility until either a new one is built or Kalistan can secure a lease for a base further north of Ananto.

Noticeably missing from this fleet is any semblance of air power once again. "Kalistan, for her part would rather produce a dozen submarines than invest in one air craft carrier," said Major Bonaventure. "Aircraft carriers are incredibly expensive, easily damaged, and often become the target of offensive naval capabilities. They are not the panacea to every single wartime situation, as we demonstrated in the Artanian Sea. Consequently, Kalistan will maintain its tactical advantages under the waters and let surface borne ships defend against incoming threats from the air, if they appear."

The Defense Minister justified the need for a fifth fleet. "There are three approaches to Kalistan via the ocean. One is the choke point at Karzon (Dolgava), one is between Gaduridos and Indrala, and one is the Lorna Sea between Keris and Dovani. We have long assumed that the Northern Approach was a kind of sally port, as the main threats were generally from the west in Artania and Majatra. Closing the third point has been on the agenda for a long time, and now that Kalistan has ended its involvement in Artania, we can focus on closing this last important avenue right into the heart of the Empire." The Defense Minister said that Ananto always has two fleets between it and the Island except in the north, and the creation of the Fifth Fleet will resolve that deficiency.

The new V Fleet is expected to be configured in the same way that IV Fleet is configured, with a main body composed almost completely of surface ships stationed closer to the Empire, while the Submarines form two main groups to screen well out into the Lorna Sea. "It makes sense to have a smaller surface fleet in the 5th Fleet," said Bonaventure, "Because in instances where the surface fleet would be needed, the smaller, more agile surface group of the Fifth Fleet will always be supported by the much more surface heavy 1st Fleet which patrols the ocean between Ananto and Keris. In this sense, the 5th Fleet and the 1st Fleet, whose patrol areas will overlap north of Lourenne, will form more like a reinforced Corps, rather than two separate elements. But with a smaller command element, while not at war, the Fifth Fleet can theoretically respond faster to emergencies and hold until they are reinforced."

The Defense Minister also hinted that Kalistan is beginning to work on improved targeting for its missile frigates. "We are working with Spencer to develop new tech that will allow us to use satellite data to guide our missiles. Doing this isn't as easy as it may seem, but it could lead to a number of things, including incoming projectile defense, like missile defense, and land based anti-missile missiles. Kalistan's space program has not been used to develop offensive weaponry: It has focused primarily on peaceful civilian space exploration. But: as our neighbors like to focus on specific projects, we feel like it is possible that Kalistan will be left in the dust when it comes to mitigation of strategic and long range tactical weaponry." The Defense Minister said his department would be approaching Lodamun, who is known to have developed and tested missiles and weaponry along these lines.

The Minister remained for questions after his brief was completed, and provided more details about the program in executive session which was closed to the press due to security needs.

@TheRepublic