Kalistani Major History

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Construction of the new Joint design F/A-10 shifts to Gendaris
KALMILINCO's Gendaris plant complete and is producing a new plane every three days
Gendaris, Odufaray
October 18, 5100


The first dozen new F/A 10 "Northern Dragons" await delivery at KALMILINCO's Gendaris Operation in August

KALMILINCO reports that the new factory built specifically to begin serial production of Kalistan's new, joint design fighter Jet, designated the F/A 10 in the Republic, and nicknamed "The Northern Dragon" is now capable of producing a new jet on average of one every three days. The Kalistani Regular Airforce has ordered 130 of the fighters, which will be fabricated at the KALMILINCO's Gendaris factory, and distributed to airbases at Eshar and Sulu, near Dahreil, as well as Naval Airstations in Gendaris, Dulnerstaad, and the strips at Bozo and Yoshimi.

"Following thousands of hours of experience gained in Indrala, our engineers have brought their technical knowledge back to Gendaris and we now make everything for the F/A 10 save munitions," said KALMILINCO spokesman Jack Olgar. "We will become the primary supplier of this fighter jet aircraft, its radar system, and its flight control system to both Kalistan and Indrala, who will be entitled to purchase the fighter at cost, same as the Republic. Meanwhile, our negotiators will continue to talk to our Indralan counterparts to transfer the munitions' technology to the Republic, or at least license the Republic with the rights to produce our own munitions, to meet our own unique needs."

While KALMILINCO sees the development of the F/A 10 as the first step toward a robust air defense of the Republic, and will seek to continue acquiring and developing new fighter craft, the first gross of aircraft will perform essential roles in the maintenance of both the Northern and Southern Limits as well as the entire Ananto Strait. "We do not have carriers, so our fleet is necessarily land based," said Olgar. "As a result, given the operational range of the plane, we can effectively conduct combat patrols over approximately sixty percent of the Strait at any given time and directly engage over 100 percent of the Strait." Having eyes on 100 percent of the Strait is a long sought after goal of the Republican Government, and the air procurement, supporting naval operations, now brings this into the realm of possibility.

The mission of the squadrons based at Sulu and Eshar AFBs will focus on ground attack and close air support, according to the Defense Ministry while those based at naval air stations will focus on air superiority and reconnaissance. It is possible that the Regular Air Force, which has never really been functional beyond limited recon and search and rescue, may ultimately be liquidated and folded into the Army and Navy, but for now, the Air Force doctrine of support of Regulars on the surface and on land will remain in place. The SP has also said that if it ever reforms the militia, it may put in orders for the plane.

The entire procurement is priced at nearly K6 Bn, and is covered under the procurement line in the Defense Ministry's budget. A separate armament budget for missiles and bombs to arm the aircraft with has already been covered with Indrala. The procurement process is expected to last for the next twelve months in both Gendaris and in Indrala.