DoD redirects investment into strategic airlift capabilitiesAmidst logistical concerns, DoD redirects investment into armed forces strategic airlift capabilities.Kazulian Air-Force set to re-organise air mobility squadrons for expeditionary role in preparation for expeditionary force projection.11th August, 4525.The Department of Defence, after decades of declining investment and procurement, has decided to redirect investment towards the maintenance and re-organisation of the Kazulian Air Force's airlift and mobility squadrons. An organised and efficient airlift and mobility capability is extremely important to a nation's expeditionary capabilities as it enables it to conduct sustained operations. It is no secret to the international community that Kazulia has had some issues with its logistical supply train, mainly its ability to respond on a massive basis and its ability to support Kazulia's allies. A report by the Kazulian Army Logistics Corps highlighted the fact that Kazulia did not have enough strategic airlift aircraft to sustain its expeditionary efforts and Kazulia's allies simultaneously. The Army Wartime College stated that the Kazulian Armed Forces had to ensure its edge in rapid mobility. Rapid global mobility is the timely deployment, employment, sustainment, augmentation, and redeployment of military forces and capabilities across the ROMO. It provides joint military forces the capability to move from place to place while retaining the ability to fulfil their primary mission. Rapid Global Mobility is essential to virtually every military operation, allowing forces to reach foreign or domestic destinations quickly, thus seizing the initiative through speed and surprise
The Kazulian Armed Forces has, since its initial organisation, has placed a heavy emphasis on rapid mobilisation and deployment of forces within various theatres. Currently, the Air Force possess x30 HC-17 tactical airlift aircraft and x50 HC-130 transport aircraft. These two variants form the backbone of Kazulia's airlift and mobility capabilities. Director of the Defence Material Agency, Lt. General Tomas Carstensen stated that for Kazulia to be able to effectively sustain combat on a theatre outside of the Northern Hemisphere, the Air-Force would be need more transport aircraft and refuelling aircraft. Lt. General Cartensen cited the fact that a lot of Kazulia's allies in their international operations are supported by Kazulian transport and refuelling aircraft. Kazulia's fleet of AV-177 aerial refuelling tankers patrol the skies of Northern Hemisphere provide an active refuelling train for friendly aircraft operating in the area. However, the Army Wartime College stated that in the event of a potential global conflict, if Kazulia were to support its own operations alongside its allies, it will need to dramatically expand its airlift and mobility fleet, citing the fact that current numbers are already stressed.
The Department of Defence announced the "Strategic Airlift and Mobility Procurement Programme (SAMPP)" as a means of garnering competition for the construction of around an additional 120 strategic airlift aircraft and 50 aerial refuelling aircraft for the Kazulian Air-Force over a 10-25 year period. Chief of Defence of the Kazulian Armed Forces, Admiral Önde Heidenstam stated that under the next century, the Kazulian Armed Forces will be a major organisation of its forces and the reorientation of its combat capabilities towards multi-role formations, this comes as the Department of Defence is preparing the Armed Forces in anticipation for a potential global conflict.
Asvald Gruppen and EDD launches joint venture into IFVAsvald Gruppen and EDD launch joint venture to produce IFVs for Kazulian and Lourennais Armed Forces.The Hygenhund IFV, the proposed future IFV of the Kazulian and Lourennais Armed Forces.11th August, 4525.Asvald Gruppen and Enterprise des Défenseurs (EDD) have signed a cooperative agreement to construct an infantry fighting vehicle which will be integrated into the battle-formations of the Kazulian Armed Forces and the Lourennais Armed Forces. The agreement comes amidst Asvald Gruppen's proposed Hygenhund Infantry Fighting Vehicle (IFV) for the Kazulian Armed Forces. The Lourennais Government, which had expressed interest in the project, allowed for Enterprise des Défenseurs to construct the IFV alongside Asvald Gruppen as a means of obtaining rights and experience from the project. The Kazulian Armed Forces had expressed interest in around 200 units of the produced Hygenhund IFV, which it intends on integrating into its Dovanian and expeditionary formations. The Department of Defence has been searching for a vehicle capable of operating in Dovani's battlegrounds. Kazulia's involvement in various conflicts in Dovani had enabled it to garner experience and lessons on effective combat in woodland and tropical areas. Specific to Dovani's battlefields, high mobility operations are the most expected of operations to be carried out. Large tank engagements in Dovani are extremely rare, the most common combat involves forces which are widely dispersed and lightly armed. Armoured vehicles which the Kazulian Armed Forces will deploy in the Dovanian theatre possess V-shaped hulls in anticipation for mines.
Under the agreement between the two companies, Enterprise des Défenseurs will construct the majority of the units whilst Asvald Gruppen will work towards enhancing the vehicle's combat systems beyond the proposed variants. The Hygenhund has an over-pressure system to maintain constant over-pressure in the armoured troop compartment to protect it against chemical, biological and radio-logical threats. The vehicle is built with Level 4 armour protection, giving it defence against 14.5×114mm armour-piercing rounds, 155mm artillery shell splinters, and 10 kg (22 lb) mine blasts. Electronic defences on the IFV include the Viserby Systems Port active jamming device to counter IEDs, missile warning alert systems, an active blocking system, and a roof-mounted gunfire locator. The Hygenhund's primary weapon, mounted in a two-man turret, is the Kimberly International cannon firing 40mm ammunition. Two spike anti-tank guided missiles are fitted to the turret launcher.
Gasstrien and KNOC discuss cooperation in global oil marketGasstrien and Kafuri National Oil Company discuss strategic cooperation in global oil market.The Blue Wave Oil platform off the coast of Ntoto. 11th August, 4525.Chairman of Gasstrien, Gideon Reid is currently in talks with the Chairman of the Kafuri National Oil Company, Rafeeq al-Kazemi on the formation of a oil-cartel set to dismantle the dominance of previous formations. According to research from the Central Statistical Office, petroleum from Kazulia and Kafuristan accounts for around [Insert figure] of global production, with the former nation being the account for around 15% of global oil consumption. It is petroleum and natural gas dependent economies like Kazulia's and Kafuristan's is what are forcing these nations towards closer cooperation. Global oil prices have experienced major and quite dangerous fluctuations in the past decade with only a handful of the world's major oil companies moving to curb the clout of these fluctuations, Chairman of Gasstrien, Gideon Reid stated that it was time for like minded companies to work together on controlling the movement of said prices in prevention of the total collapse of oil prices. The Chairman notes the valiant efforts of Neftkomp, who has for centuries reduced its production of oil and natural gas in an attempt to mitigate the fluctuations in the oil prices of the Northern Hemisphere.
Kafuristan and Kazulia are the two largest producers of oil and natural gas, with the former extracting the majority of its resources within its own shelf and the latter extracting the majority of its resources from its own shelf and fields across the world. The petroleum cartel being upheld by nations such as Valruzia and others is at risk of being outright dismantled. Kazulia is a leader in renewable energy solutions. Currently, renewable energy makes up around 75% of Kazulia's power generation pie, with minor involvement from coal and natural gas, although the government is actively making moves to distance the nation from both resources. Kafuristan is without a doubt, the world's largest producers of oil, natural gas and petrochemicals. According to the National Geographic Research Institute, Kafuristan's oil has a high sulphur content as a result of this, whilst it refines its petroleum, it also extracts and refines sulphur alongside it. Whilst Gasstrien is a considerable player in this area, the oil being extracted from the northern hemispheric shelves have little to no sulphur content. Thus, Kafuri oil has a slightly richer quality than Northern Hemispheric oil.
Chairman Reid stated that the formation of a prices management group between nations like Kazulia and Kafuristan would allow for better control of oil and natural gas prices as the nations could now discuss and negotiate the schismatics behind either increasing or reducing oil and natural gas production. The global markets are still recovering from the large flow of cheap oil from Dovanian nations and Neftkomp's emergency "action plan." Reid warned other oil and natural gas producing companies that by flooding the markets with cheap oil will only damage their nation's economies as he cited the fact that Gasstrien had prepared for future fluctuations. Currently producers can be profitable around $50 a barrel, with Gasstrien being capable of profiting with even lower prices. He stated that whilst companies may believe they are doing Gasstrien and KNOC harm oil will reach a plateau before the price ceases to fall and starts rising again.