Lodamun

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As names such as Digital Instruments and Stockham Electronics continued to make headlines as the nation’s semiconductor industry has been reportedly jolted back into action by the Department of Science and Technology, there have been teething questions surrounding the future of semiconductor research within the country. Concurrently, the vast majority of microchip research within Lodamun is conducted by companies largely involved in the manufacturing of semiconductors. Seeking to revolutionise semiconductor research, a new startup has exploded onto the state’s highly competitive microchip scene: Cox Technologies. Via a press statement, the company announced that following discussions with the Newchester State Government and the Research Projects Administration (RPA), it had secured a 2 billion LOD grant to construct what it hopes will become a revolutionary research and development hub. Investment into semiconductor manufacturing has been steadily increasing within Lodamun throughout the better half of the past half-century, in no small part due to the efforts of Digital Instruments, which has led the pack. Although it has remained largely reserved as it pertains to its boasting of the nation’s accomplishments within the semiconductor/microchip sphere within Lodamun, the RPA notes that Lodamun leads the Seleyan continent and potentially the Northern Hemisphere in semiconductor/microchip manufacturing. It chalked much of this conclusion up to the billions of dollars of investment which has gone into the sector. Cox Technologies’ 2 billion LOD grant is set to reinforce the RPA’s efforts towards developing a vibrant microchip ecosystem within Lodamun, particularly within Newchester as the proposed facility will likely lead the charge in developing newer, more efficient microchips.

Research from the Newchester Institute of Technology (NIT), notes that among the major challenges to semiconductor/microchip manufacturing within Lodamun including the per unit cost to manufacture and the time it takes to manufacture a singular unit, miniaturization remains the sector’s most pressing issue. For all their manufacturing prowess and advanced research units, companies such as Digital Instruments remain hamstrung by an innate inability to efficiently miniaturize their microchips without sacrificing performance. The NIT study notes that although yeomen work had been done in enhancing the efficiency of existing models, future systems would undoubtedly require greater miniaturization and performance recognising current trends. “The paramount objective for any firm involved in this sector is to develop a microchip small enough that its manufacturing becomes cheaper whilst also becoming more efficient,” the report explains. CEO and Co-Founder of Cox Technologies, Edward Cox stated although the company had great intentions to pour the 2 billion LOD grant into the development of the aforementioned research and development facility, there was certainly room for the company to enhance its partnership with the Newchester Institute of Technology and Newchester State University in encouraging graduates to work with the company either via internship programmes or graduate programmes. Interestingly, both Edward and his brother Aidan Cox (the company’s CFO) are not graduates of the Newchester Universities Network (NUN) but are graduates of the University of Barrington; specifically its Computer Engineering programme and Financial Economics programmes respectively. The company’s proposed facility is expected to employ some 1,000 persons during its initial construction phase and it is expected to employ some 200 persons on a more permanent basis once construction is completed.

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Building on its broader commitments to enhance investment into green energy technologies, seemingly spurned by fluctuations in the global energy market (crude oil and natural gas), and eager to reduce the importance of imported energy in Lodamun’s energy mix, the Lodamese Government via the Department of Energy and Natural Resources ordered a moratorium on the construction of new gas-fired power plants, pausing for an indefinite period the nation’s continued reliance on imported fuel for power generation. At a substantive press conference alongside the Director of Resource Information Bureau, Secretary of Energy and Natural Resources David Morin confirmed that a directive had been handed down from the Department to state and local authorities on the federal moratorium, which would essentially force said bodies to either pause or deny ongoing RFPs and other proposals to construct gas-fired powerplants within the nation, noting that for the period of the moratorium (which lasts for 5-10 years), approval for the construction of new plants would ultimately rest in the hands of the Secretary and the Department of Energy and Natural Resources. Concurrently, 26 gas-fired power plants contribute to around 78% of all power generation in Lodamun, with the vast majority of these plants being centred in Berkwaki, where the Lodamese downstream petrochemicals industry was born. According to Secretary Morin, the federal government’s decision to impose the moratorium came amidst growing concerns related to the nation’s carbon footprint, primarily as the Toule Administration through the Civil Projects Administration continues to make yeoman steps towards transforming infrastructure throughout the country. Having observed the innovative projects coming out of Millford, the federal government has directed the CPA to develop a comprehensive plan which would see the construction of numerous legacy energy projects most notably hydroelectric dams throughout the country whilst also alluding to the administration finally releasing its plans for Lodamun’s relationship with nuclear/atomic energy. However, public commentators note that the federal government’s decision to halt the construction of more gas-fired powerplants was purely economic and that there was no correlation between the moratorium and the administration’s “sudden green thumb.”

Professor of Energy Economics and Sustainable Engineering at the University of Berkwaki, Dr Richard Stevenson noted that the Federal Government’s decision mirrored that of the Millford State Government. Last year, the Millford State Government commissioned the construction of the state’s first of many green energy projects, through the CPA against the backdrop of mounting costs associated with importing fuel from Berkwaki. Dr Stevenson surmised that the administration is seeking to reduce the amount of money spent on importing fuel from external sources for power generation, as it may have determined that said imported crude oil and natural gas would be better served to fuel Berkwaki’s energy sector. According to the RIB, around 80% of all crude oil and natural gas imported from external markets go directly to power generation with the remaining 20% being left to feed the downstream petrochemicals sector. Dr Stevenson notes that by reducing the amount of crude oil and natural gas in Lodamun’s energy mix, the federal government essentially opens up more feedstock for Berkwaki’s refineries and processing plants whilst also potentially reducing the burden on the nation’s foreign exchange reserves. “This moratorium is simply a stop-gap to what should have otherwise been a more comprehensive plan to address energy efficiency in this country. We should be leveraging the might of the CPA and the Department of Energy and Natural Resources to transition our energy mix away from expensive crude oil and natural gas,” Dr Stevenson lamented. He nonetheless states that the moratorium could potentially lead to major challenges recognising that the Lodamese economy continues to grow and demand for energy will continue to increase and that the pause on the construction of additional generation capacity could potentially lead to load-shedding which could be detrimental to the nation’s economic growth prospects.

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The Lodamese Air Force is set to undergo a major transformation as a joint statement by the Defence Procurement Administration (DPA) and the Office of the Chief of the Air Force confirmed that the Hemlock-Rogway F-15EX will become its new multirole (air superiority and strike) aircraft. Although the two parties are set to discuss the finer details of the project, the Department of Defence has confirmed that the Hemlock-Rogway had been awarded the contract to construct 200 fighters, firmly setting the Air Force on its way towards regaining control of the aerospace domain within the Lodamun from the Lodamese Commonwealth Air Guard. For the better half of the past century, operations which are usually tasked to the airforce had been largely handled by the State Air Guard formations which make up the Commonwealth Air Guard. Recently declassified documents from the DoD confirmed that it had been planned that the Lodamese State Air Guard’s F-16s be the temporary backbone of Lodamun’s aerospace operations in lieu of the branch's lack of combat aircraft. The programme which brought about the F-15EX design, the Future Combat Programme (FCP), reportedly oversaw the proposal process alongside officials from the DoD. Hemlock-Rogway’s design is a modernised variant of the Excelsior-designed F-15, with officials making the clear distinction that although it shares similarities to the Luthorian design, the jet is far more advanced. Among the aircraft’s features, Hemlock-Rogway has noted that the jet contains an advanced electronic warfare suite which enables it to work alongside/in tandem with the more advanced stealth fighters currently in operation. The Lodamese Air Force made it a priority that the aircraft be equipped with an electronic warfare suite which would enable it to conduct a broad range of operations in anti-air “heavy” environments. “Similar to systems currently in operation on the F-16, the F-15EX’s electronic warfare suit enables the aircraft to disrupt the lock sequences on combatant missiles, albeit on a broader scale.” Secretary of Defence Ava Gallagher stated that the DoD’s commitment to modernising the Lodamese Air Force was “real”, as she explained that the DPA was currently working with Air Force officials on potentially adding the F-16s as an additional aircraft to form part of the LAF’s future combat air wings. The LAF is set to receive delivery of the first batch of jets in the coming years wherein they will likely work alongside the State Air Guard formations in patrolling Lodamun’s aerospace.

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Heralding a new era for Lodamese politics, former Attorney-General of St. Christopher, Eric Carver has been elected the new President of Lodamun, leading with him a stunning victory against the conservative Lodamun National Party (LNP). In an election which many thought would have been close recognising the supposed growing popularity of conservatism within Lodamun, President-elect Carver defeated the LNP candidate by the largest margin since the Neilson era. According to the Lodamese Electoral Commission, Carver defeated John Kerrick by a landslide, securing 99.73% of the vote (55 million Lodamese citizens voted). Yet, historic as it was to have resoundingly defeated a conservative candidate, what sets Carver’s victory apart from all since is that he will be inaugurated as the commonwealth’s first black President. Since the Commonwealth’s initial reformation in 5130, Lodamun had been primarily led by Artanian-Lodamese presidents, however, Carver’s election ultimately puts to rest speculation as to the DPL’s thoughts on multiculturalism. Since the election, news from the Kerrick camp has been lacklustre with reporters noting that the LNP has not reacted to the electoral result nor has Kerrick issued a statement regarding his continued presence at the head of the party. Exit polls pointed to Carver’s economic agenda as a major determinant in his victory over Kerrick. Numerous voters noted that whereas Kerrick had attempted to brand himself as a “reasonable alternative” to the DPL, the party ultimately fell short of delivering key details surrounding what their term in office could have looked like.

In stark contrast, Carver campaigned fervently on the revitalising of the Lodamese welfare state, noting that numerous presidents before him had dodged the issue for far too long. In lamenting the state of welfare within the nation, Carver proposed an aggressive transformation of the welfare state, proffering the creation of an independent agency to manage all matters pertinent to social welfare and public assistance. “As an advanced economy, we cannot fall into this hole of depravity wherein we abandon the betterment of society as a whole for individualism. We owe it to ourselves and to our children to carve a path that is both safe and which brings “gattungswesen” and fulfilment to our lives. We must build a better society for all.” Carver said on the campaign trail. He noted that he had every intention of continuing the yeoman work done by former President Richard Toule in enhancing the Lodamese Armed Forces and the nation’s domestic security apparatus. However, he noted that where Toule fell short particularly as it pertained to external trade, he intended to channel his inner Adam Runt/David Teller and lead a revitalisation of the Harrington Company. It has been speculated that former CEO/Chairman of Jackson Energy Doug Halleck has been tapped to become Carver’s Merchant-General.

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As part of a broader commitment to enhancing the nation’s ability to respond effectively to emerging threats, particularly as it relates to cybernetic threats, the Department of Domestic Security earlier this morning approved the restructuring of the Strategic Services Agency, the nation’s premier national intelligence agency, which specialises in foreign, signals and “strategic intelligence”, which would see the creation of a new agency wholly responsible for cybersecurity/defence. According to a statement from the Office of National Assessments, the DoDS has approved its recommendation to transform the SSA into a wholly foreign intelligence-based agency, virtually transferring much of the agency’s responsibilities for cyber defence and security into a new agency under the purview of the Department of Domestic Security. The recommendation is part of a 300-page document which has been circulated throughout the security and intelligence community which notes that the numerous administrative and technical challenges had arisen out of the SSA (an agency under the Department of State, and whose primary focus is related to foreign intelligence) being wholly responsible for a core domestic security issues such as cybersecurity. The ONA statement notes that the recommendations of the 300-page document outlined that cybersecurity should be transferred from the SSA into an independent agency under the Department of Domestic Affairs. “Owing to growing activity within the cybersecurity sphere throughout the world, it is extremely important that we maintain a competent and prepared capability to respond to emerging cybersecurity threats. Attacks from both state and non-state actors are becoming more pronounced and are certainly blurring the lines,” the ONA statement read.

The agency set to be born out of this restructuring exercise has been coined the Government Cryptography Office (GCO), and although subordinate to/under the purview of the Department of Domestic Security, it will be wholly responsible for cybersecurity and ensuring communications systems are secure against internal/external attack and/or intrusion, throughout the Lodamese Government. Additionally, it will be responsible for developing policy and making recommendations to the DoDS and the National Congress on enhancing the nation’s cybersecurity and encryption legislation. The GCO, according to the ONA statement will also work with state and local bodies in enhancing their cybersecurity policy, as a report from the Office of Digital Policy and Governance notes that the vast majority of cybernetic attacks, especially those aimed at penetrating the federal government’s networks sought to gain access via networks owned and managed by local bodies. “In an era of rising uncertainty especially as it relates to the nature of these attacks, we must pay more attention to ring-fencing ICT networks. The GCO is set to be created for that intended purpose,” the ONA statement explains. In recognising the almost gigantic task of ringfencing the Lodamese bureaucracy against cybernetic attacks, and also cognisant of the need for state and local bodies to develop their own cybersecurity solutions in accordance with standards set by the new agency, another core recommendation from the 300-page document include the creation of a National Cybersecurity Coordinator. The NCC, if constituted, will become the federal government’s virtual advisor on matters related to cyber security and will also be the singular department responsible for coordinating the cybersecurity response in national attack situations. The NCC will be reportedly appointed by the President and will be subordinate to the DNA (Director of National Assessments).

Additionally, seeking to harmonize signals intelligence bodies within the Lodamese Government (outside of the Armed Forces), the restructuring exercise also causes the creation of a new Office of Strategic Intelligence (OSI). The OSI, according to insiders, will be responsible for collecting and assessing new forms of intelligence namely signals and electronic intelligence. News of the agency’s creation had initially caused significant confusion among executives within the SSA, who believed that it would have signalled the end of the agency’s management of SIGINT and ELINT. However, the agency is reportedly simply a new sub-agency of the SSA, which will be under the joint purview of the Department of State and the Department of Defence. The new “Director of Strategic Intelligence”, will be subordinate to both the Director of Strategic Services in the SSA, and the Director of Defence Intelligence in the ODI. In a press statement issued hours prior, Director of National Assessments Richard Elder confirmed that the restructuring exercise would not focus on downsizing any of the entities of Lodamun’s security and intelligence community, but “simply creates new agencies”.

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Although the company had not made many headways within the state for the better half of the previous century, buoyed by the overtures from the State Government, Methanco, one of Lodamun’s major methanol production companies has announced its intention to establish the nation’s first major ammonia plant in a move which could potentially spur a domestic fertilizer “revolution”. In a press statement issued yesterday, Methanco CEO Rylan Rodgers stated that following discussions with the Berkwaki State Government and the Federal Industrial Finance Corporation, the company had secured a 60 million LOD loan to construct an ammonia plant alongside a fertilizer processing facility in order to take advantage of the relative lack of interest in such plants throughout the world. The press statement noted that the company had mulled the question of constructing such a facility in the past, however owing to financing issues said plans were shelved to focus on the company’s legacy assets, more specifically, the development of its core methanol brand. As mentioned previously, Methanco is the nation’s largest producer of methanol and has been considered by the Resource Information Bureau as one of the nation’s top consumers of natural gas (outside of power generation). Much of the methanol produced by Methanco is made from natural gas via a process known as steam-reforming. The proposed fertilizer processing facility is expected to be constructed alongside the ammonia plant, with ammonia generation from said plant being fed into the fertilizer facility alongside natural gas to produce ammonia-based fertilizer. Governor of Berkwaki Andrew Gardner stated that the ammonia and fertilizer facility’s construction could potentially spark a fertilizer revolution within Lodamun wherein the nation would be able to reduce its dependence on imported fertilizer, wherein the vast majority comes from Kalistan and Lourenne.

As part of the 60 million LOD loan from the FIFC, Methanco had entered into an agreement with the Federal Repositories of Berkwaki on the construction of an ammonia storage facility which would be partially owned by Methanco (30%) and FRoB (70%). Rodgers stated that the storage facility would be the first of its kind within Lodamun, primarily speaking to its scale. As Federal Repositories is the principal arm of the federal government responsible for fuel trading and key resource storage, the ammonia storage facility will simply be an additional strategic asset of the Lodamese state in ringfencing the nation against external demand/supply shocks. Rodgers stated that he hoped the company would be able to contribute positively to the development of a vibrant ammonia and fertilizer market within Lodamun and potentially the wider region. He notes that although most nations are involved in the crude oil and natural gas business, not many can speak to the diverse downstream economy which the State Government and the Federal Government have been incubating within Berkwaki for the better half of a century. “The addition of ammonia production to that downstream petrochemicals ecosystem will only add value to this very interesting experiment,” Rodgers explained.

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Today seemed like a busy day for the Lodamese Navy and the Lodamese Shipping industry as both the Andrew Neilson-class destroyer LCS-Andrew Neilson and the Protector-class frigate LCS-Toby Gray were formally launched from their respective drydocks and are now set to commence their respective sea trials. At the commissioning ceremony at Harrington Dynamics Maritime Systems’ shipyard in Portswood, Secretary of the Navy Gabriel Lane, stated that the vessel’s launch represented the beginning of a new era for the Lodamese Navy, pointing to the vessel’s capabilities as the “cutting-edge” of the LN “at-sea” arsenal. Having been described by Secretary Lane as a floating fortress, the Andrew Neilson-class destroyer provides numerous capabilities which were noticeably absent from the Lodamese Navy’s “operations dynamic”. Armed with a 127mm gun, 90 VLS cells carrying various ordinances ranging from anti-air to land attack missiles, torpedos and HD’s advanced AEGIS combat managed suite, the vessel had been designed and constructed with the intention of being the virtual workhorse of the Lodamese Navy denoting that in future scenarios, the Lodamese Navy hopes and excepts that these vessels will be the first to respond to emerging threats anywhere throughout the world. Offering an update on the future vessels of the class, recognising that the DPA and the LN’s initial order from Harrington Dynamics stood at 15 ships, Secretary Lane stated that the LN will remain with its 15 ship request and following the completion of the order, the DPA will conduct a review alongside the navy as to determine whether additional purchases should be made.

Just across the harbour at Cowgill-Masterson Maritime Engineering’s shipyard, Secretary of Defence Ava Gallagher was present for the commissioning of the LCS-Toby Gray, Protector-class frigate. She noted that although the vessel was not as capable as the Andrew Neilson-class guided missile destroyer, it would nonetheless play an extremely important role in fleet defence and the Lodamese Navy’s green water operations. “This vessel although built with the idea of being flexible, is ultimately an anti-air frigate in all but name. It’s purpose, when folded into our future surface operations, will be to protect fleets and other vessels against anti-air attack alongside being a central hub for information between a task force,” Secretary Gallagher explained. It is likely that the vessels will be working alongside existing units of the Lodamese Coast Guard in their patrols along the Seleyan Coastline and along the major routes which Lodamese shipping frequent. Similar to the Andrew Neilson-class, Secretary Gallagher noted that once the complete order of 15 frigates had been achieved, a review would be conducted and the Department of Defence would determine whether it was necessary to continue procuring more vessels of the class. The vessels are expected to conduct their sea trials in the Mad Dog Ocean and the Karzon Strait and potentially the White Ocean. Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Seth Doras expressed excitement at the launching of the two vessels as he explained that the vessels ultimately meant that the NMP (the Naval Modernisation Programme) had entered its greatest phase yet: operationalisation.

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It is no secret that the Native Territories have been largely forgotten by the federal government and the successive political administrations (including the DPL) which frequented the halls of power in Kensington. This “betrayal” of the dream of former President Andrew Neilson of the mashacara people of Lodamun being wholly independent, yet connected to the idea of the Commonwealth is no better encapsulated than the state of education within the NT. Recent statistical data from the Bureau of Native Affairs denotes that compared to their Artanian-Lodamese and Esinsundu-Lodamese counterparts, Mashacara students were 65% less likely to be able to enrol in college/university and were 78% less likely to graduate. The BNA chalked these statistics up to various factors including poorer-than-average academic performance among university-age persons within the Native Territories and a lack of resources among schools within native communities to enhance student performance and build well-roundedness among individuals. Although some have come to agree with the BNA’s sentiment, the vast majority of tribal and community leaders have countered, proffering that the state of education, particularly higher learning within the Native Territories was not only as a result of poor academic performance and a lack of resources but was also as a result of discriminatory practices by major Lodamese universities both on the national and state level. Noshi Aldrich, who has been a vocal advocate for social issues within the Mirowak Nation, particularly on education noted that compared to their Artanian-Lodamese counterparts, Mashacarans were less likely to come from households making over $50,000 a year and were more likely to be living in conditions which could otherwise be categorised as “on the brink of poverty.” He added that the nature of poverty, destitution and the general “forgottenness” of the Native Territories was such that it was often overlooked by wealthy private-sector endowments which instead went to Artanian-Lodamese students. “I mean, there are no programmes to support Mashacaran students financially. The clear elitism of some of this country’s more prestigious institutions virtually locks people like myself out of the system. Compared to everyone else, we are forced to pay higher tuition fees by the state universities for some unknown reason. The system has been set against us making any meaningful improvements to our own material conditions. They [the system], want us to remain wholly dependent on their charity and goodwill,” Aldrich lamented.

Sted fast in its determination to become wholly independent of support from the Federal Government and the State Governments wherein the vast majority of its communities intersect, the Native Territories is laying the foundation for a transformation of the way in which education is managed throughout the territory and its subordinate communities. At the most recent conference of the Tribal Economic Forum (TEF), tribal leaders and delegates representing the various Mashacara nations signed onto the “Charter of the Sovereign University of the Native Territories” and the “Common Education Policy (CEP)”, in a move which has kickstarted fervour surrounding the state and nature of education among mashacaran-lodamese citizens. In ratifying the charter, tribal leads and the Governor formally constituted the Native Territories’ own public research university, which once fully established would be able to serve the higher education needs/requirements of native students. The charter was the brainchild of Governor Kono Stone, who stated that the idea had been proposed to him during a meeting with the Director of the Bureau of Native Affairs who stated that the Native Territories should develop its own higher learning network similar to the highly acclaimed university networks in St. Christopher and Barrington. Although the Director of the BNA Thomas Kincaid, was not present during the TEF summit, Governor Stone stated that he was nonetheless a major proponent of the university’s creation, going as far as to designate the university as a land grant university wherein it will be capable of securing land from the federal government to construct the university. The charter’s signing was met with resounding positivity among those present as it alongside the CEP became the highlight of the event. The NT’s Secretary for Education and Cultural Preservation, Wayne Swiftwater stated that the University granted the Native Territories a unique opportunity for human capital development, pointing to the fact that numerous disciplines including Tribal Economics, Indigenous Architecture and Indigenous Arts could become fully accredited degrees within Lodamun and potentially the wider Seleyan continent.

The Common Education Policy (CEP) as explained by Secretary Swiftwater seeks to establish a degree of standardisation among schools within the various tribal territories. He noted that although it was important for the tribes communities to maintain a degree of uniqueness/independence in what is taught to their cohort of students, the only way in which education in the Native Territories could make any meaningful progress towards potentially matching the quality of education seen throughout Lodamun was to adopt and adhere to pre-determined principles. He pointed to four (4) core areas in which education in the native territories should be advanced, namely language, history, culture & arts and technology. The CEP promotes/encourages the revitalisation of native languages particularly those used by the various native tribes including the Inuwatu, Mirowak, Ilutat, Sarnaaq, Paasat and Paluk. Part of the policy mandates the establishment of an online dictionary and translation software for these languages. Swiftwater noted that the Department of Education and Cultural Preservation continues to engage the Office of Digital Policy and Governance on technical assistance in building out such a library. The CEP also notes that Mashacara history must be taught to all children entering the Native Territories’ education system, as it points to the fact that the vast majority of children within the NT are either not aware of their history or are not appreciative of the sacrifices made by their ancestors. The CEP ultimately mandates that communities work with their respective libraries, elders and museums in crafting historical curricula specific to their culture. On technology, the CEP notes that students throughout the education system must be technologically competent and digitally literate. The NT’s Department of Education and Cultural Preservation is said to be working with the Department of ICT and Digital Innovation on building out an advanced ICT curriculum which could rival that taught in even the most well-funded schools in Lodamun as well as granting each high school and university age student with their very own laptop.