Lodamun

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I Corps’ and the advance into Likatonia continue to make progress, even as intermittent reports point to the presence of supposedly battle-hardened Kundrati troops in the AO (Area of Operation). Amidst their advance into Likatonia wherein the speedy armoured advance spearheaded by the Lodamese Marine Corps’ 1 MECF which sought to sow confusion among Likatonian frontline units and the capture of the town of (Insert), the DoD has noted that the advance into central and soon western Norwalk begins taking shape. At the afternoon briefing held by the DoD, BGEN Micheal Smith, a spokesperson for the Lodamese Marine Corps noted that although the 1 MECF and its counterparts in 1 Corps (AotH) had been largely successful in capturing North Bend, a detachment of some 4,000 troops are expected to remain behind the western advance where they will remain to “completely pacify North Bend. 

“Our forces have been largely successful in their initial advance into Likatonia. We have captured and pacified numerous minor border towns/villages, however the pacification of North Bend, the first major population centre we had encountered in our advance remains largely incomplete,” BGen (Smith explained. He noted that given the nature of the urban environment, a simple concentration of armoured forces followed by a “thunder rush” into the centre of the city itself would be largely disastrous as armoured vehicles, particularly the main battle tanks and infantry fighting vehicles which make up the vast majority of the punching power of the western advance, are largely ineffective in such an environment. “I think it is reasonable for us to note that although our armoured offensive continues, an advance into the town itself would have placed our assets (i.e. main battle tanks, infantry fighting vehicles etc) at a unique disadvantage compared to entrenched infantry units. It goes without saying that in the tight corners and alleys of the urban environment, armoured vehicles struggle,” BGen Smith added.

With some 4,000 troops set to remain in North Bend, even as the offensive continued westward, BGen Smith noted that the pacification of the city was likely to be brutal. The town, which has been garrisoned by some battle-hardened Kundrati units, but which is largely comprised of Likatonian formations, would likely see a major concentration of artillery fire and airstrikes. Dismounted marine units are reportedly sweeping the city’s outskirts with the intention of gradually moving closer to the city’s centre, where they predict heavier fighting might occur. Earlier this morning, the city had been pounded by Lodamese airstrikes. “We’ve been bringing up artillery units including howitzers and MLRS (tactical ballistic missiles) closer to the town. With the main battle tanks having simply avoided the town altogether, we’re currently sweeping through the outskirts where we’d gradually make our advance into the city centre. All the while, we are hammering suspected garrison positions. Although these artillery strikes have been indiscriminate and far from being based on actual intelligence, as we get closer to the city centre, these strikes will become deadlier as we begin to laze position and provide better intelligence to the airforce and the artillery units,” Captain Aidan Gardner, a company commander for one of the marine units currently fighting in the North Bend outskirts reported.

 Attack helicopters have been rotated to assist in North Bend’s pacification, however, some crews have noted that the urban environment makes it extremely difficult to discern between civilians and combatants, especially given the helicopter’s relative distance from the targets themselves. This, alongside the fact that there have been reports of MANPADS hiding in key parts of the city ultimately restricts the attack helicopter’s roll to a “call if needed” basis instead of their conventional loitering over the area itself. “It’s like playing “peek a boo” with manpads and anti-air vehicles. We’ve had to alter our complement to support operations in North Bend. Whereas previously we’d be carrying ATGMs only, we’re also carrying a complement of unguided rockets. The reason is sometimes the unguided rockets provide a better area of effect compared to the ATGMs, especially if perhaps the enemy is playing “peek a boo” from an above-ground parking lot.”

With North Bend encircled and the noose around its neck soon to be tightened by the Lodamese Marine Corps, the western advance has supposedly run into its first major issue: a river crossing. Of the many concerns related to Likatonia geography, the existence of numerous rivers and other inland waterways flowing from the nation’s interior out to the Mad Dog Ocean had been identified as a major cause for concern among Lodamese commanders as they noted the inherent vulnerabilities associated with bridge/river crossing. Intelligence reports note that some Likatonian units have contemplated an early slowdown of the offensive via the destruction of the various bridges which run across Norwalk. With this in mind, frontline Lodamese formations have sought to hasten their advance towards the key bridges, turning the western advance into a partial race to capture bridges before they are destroyed by retreating Likatonian forces. “With our offensive literally hugging the coastline and some distances to the south, it is imperative that we capture key bridges that would allow us to move further west. Although we have the capability to construct make-shift bridges, our use of the civilian infrastructure already present would ultimately allow for us to speed up our timeline,” BGen Smith explained. 

An M1A1 Connelly attached to the 22nd Armoured Battalion, 1st Armoured Division

Marine Corps AAVPs have been at the forefront of our efforts to capture these key bridges and dislodge the Likatonian/Kundrati forces defending them. While the main battle tanks hold out, AAVPs (with some marines in tow) have been diving into the rivers to engage combatant forces on the other side of these rivers. Once the opposing end of the bridge had been captured, then would the main battle tanks and infantry fighting vehicles be called to continue their advance. However, the advancing force did not have smooth sailing. Some bridges had been destroyed via pre-planned explosions whilst others had been destroyed via artillery strikes. In one reported instance, an M1A1 Connelly and its M2A3 Brock IFV reconnaissance had been knocked out after an unexpected MLRS attack on the bridge that they were crossing.

There have been mixed responses to Lodamun’s invasion of Likatonia. Frontline units have reported that what civilians do remain have, in some instances expressed both their disgust and relief amidst the presence of Lodamese and Kalistani troops. BGen Smith noted that Lodamese forces had been hailed as supposed liberators at some of the border hamlets adjacent to the Lodamese-Likatonian border, however, as the force moved more west and towards the more urban population centres of eastern Norwalk, Likatonian citizens made their hatred of the Lodamese invasion force known. “Our forces were welcomed in some of the border hamlets, however as our advance continues into Norwalk’s interior, the positive reception of our presence diminishes,” Smith explained. 

Secretary of Defence Andrew Jordan noted that although the reception of the Lodamese invasion of Likatonia had not been welcomed positively by the broader Likatonian population, it did not alter the objectives of the conflict. He noted that Lodamese troops have been issued strike orders to avoid action against Likatonian civilians and to provide help wherever possible. BGen Smith noted, in answering a question related to the possibility of a low-intensity insurgency developing under the nose of the invasion force, that the mode of Likatonian forces, for now, favoured a conventional conflict, pointing to prior notions that the Commonwealth Guard may have to become involved should the broad insurgency being predicted by some were to materialise.

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Amidst the lack of a defence in depth in the eastern portions of Norwalk, Likatonia’s defensive posture in the region is rapidly crumbling notwithstanding mounting resistance in the western portions of the state. “It is clear from the advance of our force in Eastern Norwalk that when the Likatonian media spoke of “entrenched” and “prepared” forces with supposed prior knowledge of the invasion, that preparedness seems to have only been a state of mind,” DoD Spokesman Colonel Oscar Mcdonald said, during the afternoon brief. Colonel Mcdonald revealed that the DoD’s internal analysis of the Lodamese-Kalistani advance, particularly along the coastline and adjacent to the major towns and urban centres pointed to a lack of competent planning at the hands of Likatonian commanders and their Kundrati advisors. 

Having captured North Bend, Lodamese forces continued their westward advance, albeit with very little neer-peer competition/resistance. Having crossed the North Bend river, both along the coastline and in the foothills south of the city itself, Lodamese commanders have noted that they expected defence in depth by Likatonian and Kundrati forces, given the previously vaunted prowess of the combat formations being fielded by the nations. “I was expecting that once we crossed the North Bend river our advance would slow down because we’d be running in the first layer of what ought to have been a layered defence of Norwalk,” Cpt. Robert Watson, a commander for a M1A1 Connelly main battle tank, remarked. “I mean you read the newspapers and you see how much time these troops were given; the virtue signalling we [Lodamun] did way before the offensive began and one would have thought that it would have transformed itself into a more organised effort.”

“From what I’ve surmised, when we see the Likatonians and their advisors talking about a stalwart defence, it’s mainly of their major urban centres,” Zac Howard, an analyst with the Centre for Geostrategic Policy and Research noted. “As we saw with North Bend, the formidable defence of that city pointed to the openings of a competent defensive tactic at the hands of the Likatonians, however, granted that the city could simply be enveloped and the forces garrisons in bled slowly, there seemed to be no clear, broader strategy to hold back a Lodamese advance.” Since crossing over into Likatonia, armoured and mechanised formations have reported piecemeal resistance, likely as their advance has been along the coastline and between the intervening space between urban centres. “The modus operandi has been, the armoured offensive happens upon a settlement, based on its size the heavy armour continues whilst dismounted mechanised troops sweep the settlement and formally capture them. When they happen upon a major centre, they avoid it entirely and continue their advance in the intervening space. It was our assumption that in this intervening space, we would have crashed into Likatonian defences,” Sgt. Tommy Hawkins, a reconnaissance serviceman noted. 

“We’ve been conducting reconnaissance of the intervening space, the hinterlands and foothills and whilst we have reported some defensive positions, they’ve mainly been formations we could eliminate with a simple air or artillery strike.” Even as fighting continues in North Bend, the Lodamese Marine Corps has noted that it is seeming to gradually progress towards the town’s eventual pacification. “As predicted, we are seemingly the makings of defence in depth as we move deeper into the city. We’ve had to ask a company of main battle tanks and infantry fighting vehicles to wheel back to North Bend from their westward advance because we were having significant trouble dislodging entrenched positions. We did sadly lose a tank crew after they ran over a series of mines, but we are making progress nonetheless,” LtCol Jude Atkinson, a battalion commander attached to the forces currently fighting over North Bend.

With there seemingly being a lack of a defence in depth, Lodamese Commanders have noted that an advance on St. Jackson, by light infantry formations remains the next core objective. In the foothills to the east of the city, Kalistani and Kundrati formations have locked horns as the Kalistani-led advance continues. Lodamese special operations teams are reportedly providing both deep reconnaissance of the region alongside direct action with the hopes that they could eventually find routes for light formations to break out of the salient. As the mountainous terrain ultimately allows wheeled and tracked artillery units to be moved into the area, formations have largely lied on coalition airstrikes to destroy entrenched positions in support of their advance. “We’ve conducted more sorties in the foothills and mountains than we have in advance of the armoured offensive on the coastline,” Cpt. Franklin Peck, an F-16 pilot attached to the light infantry advance east of St. Jackson. 

Four A-10s prior to take off at Sunderwell Air Force Base

The slow-moving A-10 has been the backbone of close air support strikes in the area, even as the fighting begins to morph into that of an insurgency. “Man, the A-10 is fucking awesome. That 30mm cannon is devastating against entrenched formations,” PFC Dominic Barrett exclaimed. Some Lodamese light infantry formations have noted the dangers of moving through the region, especially as they have to keep to the roads to maintain momentum. “It’s like we’re fighting an insurgency here. We’ve had to advance along the road to keep momentum but that comes with its own dangers because it’s the perfect position for an ambush. They’d engage us, we’d respond on kind; call an airstrike in the suspect area; hold for a bit and then continue,” Rhys Wells, a mountaineer attached with a brigade tactical unit of the 1st Mountain Division, recalled. Some 300 Lodamese soldiers were killed last week following a devasting ambush alongside a mountain pass. The ambush, which intelligence forces believe to have been birthed by Kundrati forces, stands as the single deadliest engagement between Lodamese and Kundrati forces since the war’s beginning.

On the logistical side of the advance, both along the coastline and in the mountains/foothills, strategic airlift operations have doubled as a grind builds with the western advance. “I think one way we can gauge whether there is growing resistance is through the scale of the supply missions being undertaken by transport/supply force. Engagements, although still sporadic, are becoming longer,” Colonel Mcdonald commented. Supply missions are still being flown from the Lodamese Armed Forces’ central logistics hub in Cranston, however, there have been rumours that once North Bend has been pacified, a secondary logistics hub could be set up some distances east of the city, thus shortening supply lines between frontline units.

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The Lodamese Marine Corps has declared that the city of North Bend, the urban centre which had gripped the attention of commanders and Lodamese citizens of the like, had been completely liberated, with resistance in the city and its environs pacified. Colonel Oliver Perry, the overall commander of the operation to liberate and pacify the city proclaimed victory earlier this morning after Likatonian and Kundrati forces, who had been entrenched in the city’s public library, surrendered to Lodamese forces. The Lodamese and Kalistani flags were raised above the bombshelled building as soldiers relished in the victory. “Our marines have fought valiantly in pacifying resistance in the city. Their methodical advance through the city from the suburbs and into the inner city placed significant pressure on the enemy, whose resolve, although similarly valiant was not enough in the face of starvation and a complete encirclement of their position,” Colonel Perry told reporters. 

There had been numerous attempts by the Likatonia-Kundrati garrison to break out of the city and rendezvous with their forces in St. Jackson, however, the Marine Corps’ capture of the suburbs and the main highway which runs through the city and connects it to Saultello, St. Jackson and Dolores shattered any hope of such a breakout happening. Airstrikes against the city intensified as the Marines expanded their advance into the inner city, with North Bend city hall being seen as a major point in their advance. The building sits on a plateau with a near commanding view of the city below, and it was from this position that Likatonian and Kundrati formations held their own against the Lodamese advance. According to Col Perry, ATGMs, mortars, and armoured vehicles in some instances had been positioned on the plateau with the intent of engaging Lodamese forces as they advanced from the suburbs. “From city hall, they could see almost everything. They could see parts of the suburbs, the main highway and some parts of the inner city. It’s no mistake that it was the temporary command centre for their operations in the city,” Col Perry explained.

The capture and subsequent pacification of North Bend represents the Lodamese invasion forces’ first major victory since the war began. With some 4,000 marines alongside accompanying armoured and air support being committed to the operation to capture the city, which has now been revealed as Operation Pollard, some analysts noted that the city’s pacification was not many of if, but when. Likatonian-Kundrati units had been virtually cut off from resupply lines moving from western Norwalk and into the city itself. Troops largely relied on scouting missions wherein they raided supermarkets, homes and gunstores for supplies and ammunition. It had been proposed that the Lodamese Air Force strike the city’s wastewater treatment plant alongside its only remaining power generating facility, however, such a strike had been rejected by Colonel Perry who noted that although completely disrupting public utilities in the city would be a worthy strategy for bleeding the entrenched forces, the destruction of such assets may be to the disadvantage of Lodamese forces in the future. “I think it is reasonable to conclude that such strikes were not approved as they would have jeopardised our future operations. If it came to it, we may have to use those facilities,” Col Perry explained.

 These sentiments were not, however, shared by Col Perry’s Kalistani counterparts, who noted that in excess of destroying civilian public utility infrastructure in the city, contaminating the city’s water courses would have been the calling card, had they been at the forefront of the assault. “These people deserve no quarter and they would have been given none had we [Kalistan] been responsible for the city’s capture. From poising the water courses to crippling airstrikes on utility infrastructure, life for those fascists both the soldiers and the citizens would have been solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short,” Lt. Jordyn Hernandez, a adjutant attached with Kalistani forces in the city’s suburbs. The battle claimed the lives of some 1560 marines over the past three months, most of which had been either killed in improvised explosions or via direct contact with the enemy.

Elsewhere, along the coastline, armoured units have reported increasing engagements with Likatonian armoured units. Where it has been previously lamented that engagements with the bulk of the Likatonian force had been sporadic, the armoured engagements fly in the face of these earlier assessments. Having advanced a reasonable distance from the North Bend River, Paasat observation and reconnaissance helicopters began to report sightings of Likatonian armoured columns during this deep reconnaissance mission ahead of the Lodamese armoured assault. Frontline units are reporting an interesting phenomenon among their engagements with Likatonian armoured units. Given the fact that Likatonian armoured formations primarily comprised of inadequate tanks and armoured vehicles, the more modern M1A2 and M1A2 Connelly main battle tanks fielded by Lodamese formations are reportedly slicing through these units without much resistance. 

“We were aware that the Likatonians were fielding some really substandard equipment, but it was only when we happened upon the units themselves that I came to realise just how inadequate the formations are,” Cpl Jonathan Jenkins, a gunner for a M1A2 Connelly attached to the armoured offensive. “I can’t tell you the last time we’ve had to engage these tanks with anything beyond MPAT (M830), APFSDS is sort of overkill for those Likatonian tanks.” General Dave Sullivan stated that armoured crews should temperate their scuffs at Likatonian armoured formations, especially given the fact that the nation’s premier armoured forces, those which possess the Kundrati-made Altay II (T-72 MCZ) are yet to be spotted, either via satellite reconnaissance or airborne reconnaissance. Nonetheless, the presence of armoured formations along their western advance has queued Lodamese Commanders onto the ever-increasing nature of Likatonian resistance.

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At 0600 hours earlier this morning, General Dave Sullivan, Commander of SELCOM (Seleyan Command) and the overall commander of the joint Kalistani-Lodamese war effort in Likatonia declared an operational pause to frontline activities, thus grinding much of the momentum the campaign had developed over the past couple of months to an abrupt halt. Throughout the various tactical channels, from squads to the divisional level, it had been ordered that units were to cease their advance and begin entrenching their positions. At an impromptu press conference held at the SELCOM’s operational headquarters in Cranston, General Sullivan stated that as a result of negotiations between the Likatonian and Lodamese Governments, a pause to all frontline/offensive operations was necessary in order to progress talks beyond their current level. General Sullivan revealed that since the initial capture of North Bend, the Lodamese and Likatonian Governments had been engaged in intense rounds of negotiations related to the future of the conflict and a potential end to hostilities. General Sullivan noted that although he had been queued into the broader details of the negotiations at the eleventh hour, the idea of negotiations was ultimately welcomed. “Notwithstanding the fact that I had been only queued into these negotiations at the eleventh hour, I think it is important for us to use this as an opportunity to pause and take stock of our progress thus far,” Sullivan said. Throughout the conflict, the Lodamese Army and Marine Corps have suffered a combined 8,000 casualties, with some 11,000 wounded and/or missing. While the conflict’s principal objectives have been accomplished (i.e.) creating a necessary buffer between Lodamun and Likatonian/Kundrati combatants, numerous mishaps in both planning and communication have ultimately stymied the war’s swift conclusion.

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With the hopes of ending more than a year of conflict between the two states that has left parts of Norwalk unrecognisable and some hundreds of thousands of Likatonian citizens displaced, the Lodamese Government has signed a peace agreement with the Likatonian Government. The peace agreement came following an operational pause by the Lodamese Armed Forces, wherein frontline operations, primarily offensive operations, were halted after it became clear to commanders that the Lodamese Government had made headways with the Likatonian Government in a series of clandestine peace talks. At the time, Secretary of State Debrah Lahey revealed that the Likatonian Government had reached out to the Lodamese Government, via backdoor channels, to resolve the conflict, after it became clear that further advances into Likatonian territory were actively being planned by Lodamese commanders. The overall commander of Lodamese and Kalistani operations throughout the conflict’s duration and the Commander of SELCOM (Seleyan Command), General Dave Sullivan, stated that the operational pause came as a direct result of requests from the Likatonian Government for a ceasefire/halt. “This operational pause came at the request of the Likatonians, who believed that the losses they would have incurred had we continued would have ultimately weakened their already shaky position at the negotiating table. We [Lodamun] relented, and thus, President Tabner ordered a halt to all offensive operations, which I subsequently reiterated,” General Sullivan said in an interview with a documentary team. The negotiations had been led by former Whitehall Chief of Staff Thomas Stevenson, who acted as Lodamun’s “Special Representative”. According to some insider accounts, the Lodamese delegation had insisted from the offset that any moves by Likatonia towards expanding the scope of the conflict would likely result in Lodamun’s permanent withdrawal from the otherwise secretive negotiations process. This came amidst concerns related to Likatonia’s paradigm shift with respect to its relationship with Kundrati, wherein the former abandoned its relations with the latter to pursue a new relationship with Badara.
The articles of the peace agreement between Likatonia and Lodamun were as follows:

1. Likatonia does not associate itself with the fascist putsch regime in Kundrati and/or any other state that endangers the interests of the Seleyan continent, alongside banning the hosting of Kundrati personnel and equipment on Likatonian soil
   
2. Likatonia submit itself to an international inspectorate to determine its progress via the development of chemical and biological weapons as a result of its prior relationship with Kundrati.
   
3. A peacekeeping force (comprised of Egelion, Dundorf, Deltaria, Dorvik and Dankuk) will be dispatched to the Likatonian side of the Likatonian-Lodamese border to oversee the withdrawal of Lodamese & Kalistani forces.
   
4. Likatonia cease its relationship with Luthori and bans the hosting of Luthorian and other Luthorian Commonwealth personnel and equipment on Likatonian soil.
   
5. Lodamun shall pay to a fund (supervised by a committee of individuals to be named later) 10 billion LOD for reconstruction of Likatonian CIVILIAN Infrastructure.
   

On the peacekeeping mission, Secretary of State Deborah Lahey stated that it was imperative that an international peacekeeping force oversee the withdrawal of Lodamese forces from Likatonia, the transfer of prisoners of war and the re-integration of once Lodamese-occupied territory back into Likatonia. She has noted that the State Department has made the necessary communication to the governments of Egelion, Dundorf, Deltaria, Dorvik and Dankuk to facilitate such a peacekeeping mission in the absence of the World Congress. “Notwithstanding the clear advantages of the World Congress Peacekeeping Office in this instance, we have communicated to the necessary authorities in those nations whom we believe should form that peacekeeping force. It is still our intention to approach the WCPO to organise the operations in its entirety,” Secretary Lahey said via a press statement. Finally, on the reconstruction fund, Secretary Lahey noted that such a fund would not be managed by the Likatonian Government, but would be administrated through the joint efforts of Egelian and Dorvish administrators who will be responsible for the fund’s management including working with the Likatonian Government in determining where the 10 billion LOD set aside for civilian infrastructure reconstruction ought to be invested/spent. “It is our hope that the co-administrators of this temporary fund will not run into any trouble with the Likatonian Government and that Clovisport will cooperate with the administrators in making actual investments for Norwalk,” Secretary Lahey said.

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The Harrington Company’s role in facilitating the vast majority of Lodamese trade (be it imports and/or exports) is such that the company must remain abreast with rising demand from domestic exports and importers. It is natural to conclude that as the economy reawakens and roars back into action, the demand for imported goods will undoubtedly increase and so too would exports to established markets increase. With greater emphasis/attention being placed on Berkwaki’s downstream petrochemicals industry, the demand for imported crude oil and natural gas, for which the sector in dependent on, makes it incumbent on the Harrington Company to meet demand. Beyond this, attempts to expand Lodamese exports to newer, more distant markets, including Artania, Majatra and parts of Dovani, put much of the HC’s work into focus as the entity balances the otherwise complex logistics of transnational shipping. As mentioned prior, the Harrington Company accounts for around 80% of all commercial maritime traffic into and out of Lodamun, with the remaining 20% being shared among various medium-sized companies, both domestically and internationally. 

It is underscoring this, the behemoth task of keeping trade into and out of Lodamun as seamless as possible comes into perspective. The HC must, by virtue of its quasi-statutory monopoly on commercial shipping, maintain a fleet of various commercial ships ranging from containers to bulk carriers. Similar to the Lodamese Navy and Coast Guard, the Harrington Company must submit a shipbuilding program to the National Congress wherein it details its plans to either expand or reduce the size of its fleet of ships and the reasoning behind these decisions. Such a document ultimately details the entity’s plans to decommission old vessels, expand research/development into newer technologies and, most importantly, construct new ships at a rate of replacement such that it is capable of meeting ever-growing demand. At a substantive press conference held at its headquarters in Harrington, Merchant-General Charlotte Farr and Chief Factor Dr Robert Cowan spoke to the finer details of this programme, which had been recently released for public scrutiny.

The document recognised that given the fact that the Lodamese Navy and Coast Guard had submitted their shipbuilding orders ahead of the Harrington Company, the entity would ultimately have to tussle with the Department of Defence on sharing the various spaces at the nation’s shipyards going into the next half-century. It noted that with the Lodamese Navy switching towards a staggered shipbuilding timeline (i.e. back-to-back shipbuilding), it may be reasonable for the entity to look beyond Lodamese shipyards to fulfil its orders. The Harrington Company has been no stranger to relying on foreign shipyards to meet shipbuilding orders, having previously contracted Kalistani, Kazulian and Luthorian shipyards to construct bulk carriers and container ships. “As was outlined in the report, I think it is reasonable for us to begin looking at foreign shipyards once more to fulfil these orders,” MG Farr proposed. “Whilst we recognise the importance of maintaining domestic shipbuilding capacity, we will ultimately have to change the ratio of domestic-foreign contracts.” 

The ratio in question relates to the formula set by the HC, which mandates that 70% of all Harrington Company shipbuilding orders be produced within Lodamun, via Lodamese shipyards, with the remaining 30% being built either domestically or through foreign contractors. However, as most Lodamese shipyards are likely to be pre-occupied with Department of Defence orders, Farr has noted the HC is looking into altering the ratio to 40% domestic and 60% foreign. This change is likely to have major implications for shipbuilding throughout the globe as Farr has also noted that whereas previously the HC had looked at shipyards on each continent, improved relations between Lodamun and other nations has made it such that orders will likely be handled by Kalistani, Gaduri, Dorvish, Dolgavan and Egelian shipyards. “I think that this would undoubtedly become a major boon for shipbuilding on the Seleyan continent as our order is immense and on a long-term programme,” Farr noted. These orders, which amount to 165 ships, will be weighted towards Kalistan, which is the only nation on the continent which maintains the capacity to construct large numbers of vessels outside of Lodamun.

The vessels to be constructed range from the rudimentary container ship to oceanliners. The document disaggregates the shipbuilding order as follows: 42 container ships, 35 tankers (15 Oil Tankers, 12 LNG Carriers and 8 Chemical Carriers), 25 Dry Bulk Carriers, 20 Roll-on/Roll-off Vessels, 15 General Cargo Ships, 10 Reefer Ships, 8 multipurpose vessels and 5 oceanliners. The order of 20 Roll-on/Roll-off vessels is unique for the Harrington Company as the company has not previously operated such vessels and has traditionally relied on other private-sector firms through sub-contracting. However, amidst growth within the domestic automotive industry and growing interest by the various automakers to export their cars to markets outside of Lodamun, the vessels were included in the order book. The 42 container ships have been identified by the report as being of particular interest in that, compared to their contemporaries currently operating under the HC throughout the world, 13 vessels will be expanded to take full advantage of the additional space granted by the Aldegar Canal (Aldemax) following its widening. Although Harrington Company ships have historically never traversed the Canal, Farr noted that it would be beneficial to take advantage of greater bulk space should there be a time HC ships traverse it. The 5 ocean liners are connected to Harrington Lines, the passenger/luxury line connected to the Harrington Company. Although the subsidiary’s operations have not kicked off, Managing Director of Harrington Lines Isaiah Moffett confirmed that many of its future routes could take persons as far as the White Ocean and some sub-regions of Dovani.

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Via a press statement issued earlier this morning, the Office of Atomic Energy (OAE), the principal agency responsible for the construction and maintenance of the nation’s future nuclear powerplants, announced that it had signed an agreement with the Kregon Platueau Authority on the construction of the nation’s first nuclear powerplant in centuries. Although the OAE was conceptualised a mere 50 years ago, the agency has made little progress towards the construction of nuclear power plants throughout the country. At the time of its creation, it was anticipated that the agency would have, by 5550, constructed some 10 nuclear power plants, with plans for the construction of more advanced units being contingent on the success of this target. Director of the OAE Dr Alden Cunningham stated that in the years following its creation, the OAE (formerly the FAEC - Federal Atomic Energy Commission) had spent much of its “energy” and effort in securing agreements for uranium deposits. As Lodamun lacks significant uranium reserves, the sustainability and viability of nuclear power in the nation are largely contingent on a stable supply (be it processed or raw). Following an intense round of negotiations involving the Harrington Company, the OAE secured long-term supply agreements with Aldegar, Malivia, and Saridan, nations with major uranium reserves. 

At the time, Merchant-General Charlotte Farr underscored the importance of Lodamun maintaining a diversity of import streams, saying, “We must ensure that the supply of uranium to Lodamun is uninterrupted or at the very least capable of continuing even if we were to see a decrease in supply from one of our partners.” The OAE statement noted that negotiations between the two entities had been ongoing for the better half of a decade, as it became clear to the OAE that its initial plan for wholesale ownership and management of future nuclear power plants would be largely unfeasible. Here it noted that it ultimately lacked the capacity to manage and operate future sites independently, and thus concluded that it was essential to involve the Civil Projects Administration. Lodamun’s foray into nuclear energy began as a result of concerns held by the Government related to the nation’s dependence on imported natural gas within its domestic energy mix. At the time, imported natural gas accounted for around 70-80% of electricity production, with the vast majority of said resources originating from nations including Trigunia, Kalistan/Lourenne, Dorvik, Aldegar, Hutori and Kafuristan.
 
The OAE noted that the proposed Stonecord Nuclear Power Plant is to feature three pressurized water reactors, each producing some 1,117 MW of power. The design had been developed by the OAE-RD (the research and development section of the OAE) with assistance from technical experts from Kalistan. With it being clear that construction of the power plant will begin soon, some environmentalists have lamented the lack of a comprehensive policy on the waste generated from future power plants. The Director of the Anti-Nuclear Trust, Dr Riley Gibson, stated that nuclear energy remained one of the more dangerous forms of power generation owing to the potential for disaster associated with its general operations as well as the storage/disposal of waste. “The lack of a comprehensive strategy to even address how do we tackle the radioactive waste which will undoubtedly be produced from this plant and the other to be constructed ultimately points to the nature of nuclear energy itself: uncertain and largely left up luck.” 

Secretary of Energy and Natural Resources Matthew Burns stated that an agreement had been negotiated between the OAE and Federal Repositories of St. Christopher. Federal Repositories is the special agency established under the Neilson Administration to manage the storage of strategic assets ranging from the nation’s crude oil and natural gas stockpile to important minerals essential for certain aspects of the national economy including REM for semiconductors and uranium for energy. Part of the agreement between the OAE and FR-SC was that the latter would be responsible for the storage of nuclear waste. According to Secretary Burns, FR-SC would store nuclear waste in a purpose-built facility within the Kregon Plateau within relative distance to the plant itself, noting that concerns related to the transportation of nuclear waste throughout the country had been identified by the OAE as a cause for concern. “Federal Repositories has and will continue to provide these services to the OAE as long as there is an understanding between the two entities. The Department of Energy and Natural Resources will continue to monitor both the plant’s construction as well as future plans by the OAE and the regional utilities, especially as it pertains to nuclear energy in Lodamun.

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Although the nation has maintained ambitions towards conquering a new frontier, these have largely fallen out of its reach. Whether it be complications related to the structure of the nation’s space agency or a lack of political willpower to see to the redirection of significant financial and manpower resources towards attaining such a goal. Lodamun’s lunar ambitions have always been tempered by sudden punches back into reality. Yet, even as the Lodamese Space Administration (LSA) had previously set itself out as an entity aimed at supporting/enabling the efforts of others, there had been growing interest within public policy spheres related to the nation’s pivot to space. An executive committee appointed by the President to report and make recommendations related to the concept and practice of “Lodamun in Space” has recently had its final report declassified by Whitehall and the Department of Defence. The report details numerous key objectives for the concept of Lodamun in space, opening with commentary on the importance of maintaining space as a zone of peace and committing to the broader global consensus against the use and deployment of armed assets in space.

 “The Commonwealth of Lodamun herein commits to this consensus, recognising its importance towards the advancement of scientific research and discovery,” an excerpt from the report reads. Beyond this commitment, the report also highlights numerous public and private ventures which have been unfolding behind the scenes even as the LSA has been focused elsewhere. Pointing to prior, but ultimately sidelined ambitions for Lodamun to maintain its own, independent satellite navigation systems, an independent environmental satellite network alongside other projects, the report notes that a Lodamun in space will have the opportunity to collaborate with other nations in actualising these ambitions towards independence of information. The report underscores the importance of Lodamun developing a capacity to not only develop and launch rockets and advanced scientific systems but also maintaining such systems in through a sustained programme of launches. “Where possible, the Lodamese Space Administration must maintain a near-perpetual state of rocketry, learning from the lessons of the Lodamese Navy and the Harrington Company in their perpetually scaled shipbuilding programme,” the report read.

At a substantive press conference held at the Department of Science and Technology building in Kensington, Secretary of Science and Technology Dr Lydia Alexander, speaking alongside the Administrators of the Research Projects Administration (RPA) and the Lodamese Space Administration (LSA) and the Director of the Strategic Defence Agency (SDA), Secretary Alexander announced that the Lodamese Government through the DoST would commit some 100-200 billion LOD, over a long-term period to see the idea of Lodamun “confident and active” in space come to fruition. She noted that although the report had been recently declassified, the DoST, alongside its subordinate entities, have been hard at work acting on its core recommendations. Highlighting one such recommendation, she noted that the DoST alongside the RPA and the LSA have engaged a cross-disciplinary team of experts from the various universities of Lodamun, including the Newchester Institute of Technology, Drumford University and the University of Berkwaki on design concepts related to the development of advanced, yet cost-effective rocketry. 

She noted that Lodamun’s leap into rocketry as the basis of its space programmes underscores the importance with which the nation is placing on actionable systems. “By initiating our pivot into space by leaning heavily into rocketry, I believe we are sending a clear message to all our potential partners in the private sector that we are searching for actionable systems. Things with which we can deploy and develop today,” Secretary Alexander noted. When asked whether the development of an indigenous class of rockets would be the endpoint of this focus on rocketry, Secretary Alexander explained that although there is no need to reinvent the wheel and that Lodamun could learn lessons from other nations, the development of indigenous systems will be the programme’s lodestar. “Obviously, where developing a domestic system will be more expensive than utilising something developed else, the LSA and its partners will of course lean towards the least expensive option, guided its lower price does not compromise the quality of the product itself,” she concluded. LSA Administrator Dr David Wilkinson confirmed that some 25 billion LOD has been earmarked for the LSA’s rocketry programme.

The Strategic Defence Agency’s involvement in the space programme is unsurprising. As its core mission statement, the agency denotes the defence of Lodamun from threats in all domains, with space being an important part of said domains. Although subordinate to the Department of Defence, it has been “detailed” to the space programme with the intent of being the Lodamese Armed Forces’ representative. ADM. Richard Ebaugh, Director of the SDA, underscored the importance of satellite technology in the agency’s operations, offering that without the ability to track the movement of certain airborne targets in space, such as ballistic and hypersonic missiles, Lodamun remains extremely vulnerable to attack. “The proliferation of hypersonic weapons and intercontinental ballistic missiles nonetheless complicates the outer space environment. Although these weapons do not constitute “space weapons” (nor should they), they nonetheless undergo key processes in their time on target in space. Ballistic missiles separate from their boosters and become extremely volatile in space as they begin to accept data on targets before they make their descent back into the atmosphere. We [the SDA] want to be able to track the targets from launch to target. We do not want a situation which would give us little room to respond, although currently the AEGIS combat platform and the SM-3 on most of our guided missile destroyers are what stands between us and these types of threats. We want to be able to possess satellite technology to track these targets to give us more time to develop firing solutions against these targets, potentially destroying them in orbit instead of on their final descent.” ADM. Ebaugh explained in great detail. The Research Projects Administration has stated that it intends to work with the LSA, SDA and the AFPA (Armed Forces Projects Agency) on specific military satellite technologies, alongside civilian satellites. “Our role in this programme is to work with our partners in developing the satellite technologies, which are the endpoint of this entire programme. From satellite navigation to geospatial and environmental satellites.” Dr Edward Elder, the Administrator of the RPA, explained.

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Although the agency governs over what is increasingly becoming one of the largest budgetary allocations for a singular government entity since the creation of the Civil Projects Administration, the Lodamese Space Administration and its recent 30 billion LOD budgetary allocation is said to be in the openings of what could be a fundamental milestone in the scientific development and research within Lodamun. At a press conference held at the LSA’s headquarters in Kensington, LSA Administrator Dr William Redman speaking alongside Secretary of Science and Technology Dr Lloyd Gilmore, confirmed that the Department of Science and Technology had approved the ceasing of public and private land for the construction of what will be the agency’s future space centre. In building out much of the infrastructure necessary to house the various sections of the Lodamese Space programme, Redman and his predecessors envisioned a singular, expansive piece of real estate wherein they could house a research and development centre, vehicle/shuttle assembly, conventional landing facilities, etc. Since the programme had been initially announced years prior, there have been numerous considerations related to the space centre’s location. It is often proposed that where space ports of launching rockets are constructed that they be closer to the equator as this provides the rocket with the ability to take advantage of the planet’s rotation. Additionally, access to unpopulated bodies of water or open land is necessary as rockets launch and undergo the various stages of separation, it is safer/more feasible that these separated parts fall back/crash into the ocean or an unpopulated landmass. It is these considerations which were essential in the selection of Venfield, Barrington as the site for the “Venfield Space Flight Centre”. According to Dr Redman, the proposed site, which rests on the southernmost coast of the state, has numerous advantages. “The site is a safe distance from Venfield, and allows for boosters and other elements of the rocket to be jetisended into the Anantonese Ocean for recovery. Additionally, it is the southern-most point for which we can construct such a site, as our natural limitation remains that we are not Kalistan, whereby we are geographically closer to the equator.” Redman explained.

Technical advisors for Dorvik, Kalistan and Hutori are reportedly being flown in to assist the LSA in building out numerous facilities. According to Secretary Gilmore, the Bureau of Land Use and Reclamation (BLUR) has initiated discussions with a local cattle rancher whose ranch is against the property line earmarked for the space centre. The BLUR is a subordinate agency of the Department of the Interior, primarily responsible for the management of idle federal lands. It is also the quasi-responsible authority for eminent domain claims for lands parallel/adjacent to federal land. “I have had numerous discussions with Secretary John Riley [The Secretary of the Interior], who has made guarantees to both the DoST and the LSA that the site will be surrendered to the LSA via the usual, legal channels. It is my understanding that the rancher has responded positively to the proposal made by the BLUR,” Secretary Gilmore explained. Construction of the site is expected to cost in somewhere around 20 billion LOD in real dollar terms. The surprising price tag primarily relates to the logistics required to construct the various sections of the centralised space centre. Not only will the site house much of the LSA’s operations, but it will also house the future operations of the Strategic Defence Agency (SDA) and the Lodamese Air Force (LAF), which are expected to contribute in massive portions towards its construction as two entities will be granted their own separate “quadarants” to conduct their often secretive research and development.

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Former Director of the National Institutes for Health Research (NIHR) and acclaimed epidemiologist Dr James Forrester has been chosen as the nation’s next Administrator-General, essentially elevating the reclusive scientist to one of the nation’s most substantive political positions. At a press conference held at Mount Plainly, the official residence of the Administrator-General, President George Menkyn stated that following a rigorous debate within the National Congress between the DPL (and its various factions) and numerous independent representatives, the assembly had agreed to approve Forrester’s nomination, having secured a sizeable majority in a rare joint session of the houses of congress. Dr Forrester’s appointment would, by virtue of Lodamun’s only recent ascension to the Anantonese Empire, make him the nation’s 2nd Administrator-General, following Sir Eric Davenport’s resignation. “It is certainly a humbling experience as well as an immense honour to serve the people of Lodamun and the Anantonese Empire in this capacity,” Dr Forrester said, speaking to members of the media. Sir Eric Davenport’s resignation, owing to his deteriorating health, had been the principal factor behind the National Congress’ decision to nominate and subsequently appoint a new Administrator-General.

For the better part of three (3) decades, Davenport had remained in the substantive position, however, a recent diagnosis related to the onset of dementia prompted the inaugural titleholder to resign. In his resignation statement, Davenport noted that, granted his deteriorating mental condition, the nation and the President may not benefit from “tainted judgment”, adding that it was “impossible” for him to provide sound/competent advice or to effectively carry out his daily functions given the diagnosis. “I have always maintained that as Lord Protector of Lodamun, it is my responsibility to provide the President and members of Cabinet with sound, competent advice, especially in those instances where the interests of the population are being cast aside. However, I believe that owing to this diagnosis, I can no longer continue as eventually this illness will affect my ability to fulfil the demands of this office,” Davenport’s statement said.

A native of Newchester, he recalled living in poverty for the better half of his younger life, noting that he always had aspirations for scientific research. It was through the pursuit of these aspirations and persistent encouragement from his parents that landed Dr Forrester a scholarship to study biology and public health at the Newchester Institution of Technology (NIT). He completed his Bachelor's, where he went on to become a PhD candidate, studying under a similarly famed public health expert and former Secretary of Health and Social Services, Dr Samantha Scott. Much of his research primarily focused on disease causations (i.e. the means by which diseases are developed). Prior to entering the NIHR, he held several positions, including as an Assistant Professor of Public Health Research at NIT and a Professor of Public Health Policy at Barrington State University (BSU). During his tenure as Director of the NIHR, he became an instrumental figure in the advancement of evidence-based public health policy, where he advocated for an end to the influence of private equity in public health matters. 

During his opening remarks at Mount Plainly, Dr Forrester stated that it was the nature of the Lodamese system that a boy born into poverty could graduate from one of the nation’s foremost universities, work at one of the world’s foremost centres for health research and later become Administrator-General. “It is truly a testament to the Lodamese systems that someone can be born into poverty and could eventually be elevated to one of the highest offices in this country. I am beyond humbled by my nomination and subsequent appointment. I hope to continue the spirit of humility and civility for which Sir Eric Davenport had demonstrated,” Dr Forrester said. Forrester had been nominated by President Menkyn after he stated that the office ought to be helmed by individuals who have placed the service of Lodamun over all else and should be a reward for their decades of sacrifice. “This office and more ought to be the means by which we show our appreciation to those who have placed country above self,” Menkyn said, prior to his nomination of Dr Forrester.

As Dr Forrester had been the first Administrator-General to be elected to office, it had been the first time a joint session of the National Congress had been called to decide on the position. The reformed constitution mandates that the President (assisted by a fact-finding committee appointed by the National Congress) nominate an impartial individual to the position of Administrator-General, upon which said nomination must be debated and voted upon by both the House of Representatives and the Senate. Through a joint session, members vote on the nomination, wherein a supermajority vote is required for the nomination to be approved. Some constitutional experts have noted that the system ultimately provides a loophole for purely political appointees to be nominated and subsequently confirmed, especially in those instances where the governing party (in this case, the DPL) maintains a near absolute majority in both the House of Representatives and the Senate. However, William Jackson, a constitutional lawyer noted that the created of a fact-finding committee comprised of members from all parties represented in the National Congress (regardless of whether they are party-aligned or independent), ought to prevent such an occurance as they are responsible for vetting and finding individuals nominees worthy of the position). 

The Administrator-General possesses numerous powers and responsibilities including offering (as mentioned prior) impartial advice to the President on matters of national unity and governance, acting as a mediator between the National Congress and the Executive or the federal government and state governments in serious political disputes, Overseeing the granting of national honours/awards, overseeing transparency and accountability watchdogs for both the executive and the legislature, appointing the Territorial Administrator of the Native Territories, and appointing judges to the Supreme Court among others. Dr Forrester will soon travel to Kaliburg, where he will meet with Empress Mary I to be formally appointed. Here, he is expected to hold a lengthy discussion with the Empress, whereafter he would be inducted into the Ancient Order of the Grey Smoke as a knight. There has been speculation as to whether Dr Forrester would retain his “Dr” title, as the knighthood would confer the title of “Sir” onto him. Forrester noted that in formal events, especially those pertaining to the Anantonese Empire at large, he’d be referred to as “Sir James Forrester”, but in Lodamun, “people can just call me Dr. Forrester, Mr. Forrester or whatever seems comfortable for them, it’s no big deal.”