The Federal Empire and Novus Roma de Italia are shortly to begin work on a join defence project, the "Alliance" class conventional aircraft carrier. The Federal Empire will purchase two of these carriers, with the NRI taking a further two hulls.
ALLIANCE CLASS AIRCRAFT CARRIER
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Construction: Imperial Defence Systems Ltd., NRI Defence Agency
Displacement: 65,000 tonnes
Length: 310m
Beam: 75m
Complement: 1100 officer and ratings
Propulsion: Fully integrated gas turbine
Max Range: 12,000 nautical miles
Max Speed 28 knots
Aircraft: Maximum of 40 fixed-wing fighters + 18 helicopters
The two ships we are procuring will replace our current two small VTOL carriers, INV Victory and INV Vengeance.
The standard air group on board each carrier will consist of:
8 Sea Vulture Jump-jets
30 Sea Badesh Interceptors
2 AEW Cobra Helicopters
3 ASW Cobra Helicopters
10 Jaguar Transport Helicopters
The Sea Vultures and Cobras are already in service aboard the existing carriers. The Jaguars will be transfered from the Imperial Air Force. 30 Badesh Interceptors from the Air Force will be converted to Sea Badesh standard and transferred to the Fleet Air Arm, while a further 30 Sea Badeshes will be purchased new.
The total cost of the Alliance project will be $8 billion, including $6 billion for the carriers and $2 billion for the additional aircraft required.
The Defence Minister will now take questions from the Senate.
Defender of Badesh: What will happen to the existing VTOL Carriers?
Defence Minister: INV Vengeance will be paid off and likely stripped of its weapons systems and sold to the highest bidder. INV Victory may be converted into a large troop transporter, although this is only in the early stages of planning.
Deputy Defender of the Holy Silk: Does the Minister not believe that taking 30 Badesh Interceptors from the Imperial Air Force will be detrimentantal to operational efficiency?
Defence Minister: The 30 Badesh Interceptors being converted to Sea Badesh standard are currently assigned to naval protection duties. Our lack of carriers has meant this had to be a land-based force, but we are now able transfer them to the Fleet Air Arm. At the end of this upgrade there will be 30 more fixed-wing aircraft then there are at present in the armed forces.
Senator for South Metropolis: Does the Fleet Air Arm have the personnel required to operate these large air groups?
Defence Minister: No. Pilots and support crew will be transferred from the Air Force with the Badesh Interceptors.
Senator for South Dunnerland: Would this $8 billion not be better spent on increasing the man-power in the army, which has now slipped to 110 000, including reserves?
Defence Minister: The $8 billion is a one-off cost which will provide the Imperial Navy with force projection capabilities for the next 40 years. Once the carriers are in service they will cost little more to maintain than our current VTOL carriers. If the money was spent on forming an additional infantry division, more money would have to be spent every year.
The geography of the Federal Empire makes a land attack almost impossible. Any wars we are likely to fight in the future will require a first class navy - that is what we are creating here. These two carriers will help to make the Federal Empire totally secure.
Defender of Metropia: What will the two carriers be named?
Defence Minister: Nothing is confirmed yet, but it is likely that the carriers will be called INV Invincible and INV Indefatigable.
