SRA Military Developments and Projects

[Markus Wilding]

At the most recent Joint Chiefs meeting in Atlanta, Secretary of Defense Phillip MacWilliam and Army Chief of Staff General Jared Daniels identified several key issues facing the Socialist Republics of America.

• Potentially hostile state actors in the form of the Empire of Mexico, the Rocky Mountain Federation and Cascadia
• Old, outdated small arms that require either refurbishment or replacement
• Untested and untrained soldiers
• Insecure borders to the North
• No provisions for surveillance beyond the borders of the Republics

Therefore, with President Wood's approval, the Infantry Board has begun commissioning small arms designers across the Republics to submit potential new infantry rifles and machine guns for the Socialist Republics Army. It is expected the path to find a new main line infantry rifle is to take at least four years, if not longer. Most early submitted designs build on the already successful M1 Garand rifle, including magazine-fed variants from Winchester, though no viable candidates have been seen yet.

In order to ensure the Republics will never be caught off-guard, Congress has approved the construction of an OTH radar, with plans for more in the future to look inward. For now, Atlanta looks to the sea, wary of an amphibious invasion. Simultaneously, a VLF antenna was ordered so as to ensure communication with the Republic's many submarines.

Military exercises were also ordered, with wargames organized between the 4th Army and 3rd Army in Alabama to train up the troops there. The 1st Marine Division and 27th Infantry Division also organized wargames against one another, ensuring the Marines still remembered their experience from the World War as they taught the newly-formed Army division how to fight.

[Markus Wilding]

By order of President Wood, the 1st Infantry Corps has been sent to Florida to assist state police in disarming groups of insurgents that are operating around the Everglades. These insurgents are suspected to be die-hard radicals who do not see the wisdom in disarming and integrating back into American society based on unfounded fears of oppression and lack of knowledge of American communism. Orders have been handed down to corps commander Lieutenant General Walker that they are to find a way to peacefully disarm the insurgents. If this is not possible, or if the Army is fired upon in their attempts, the corps is to use any and all means available to it in order to pacify the region.

As this is ongoing, the Armor Board has begun initial research into a new armored personnel carrier to serve the Socialist Republics Army as the M5 and M9 half track platforms begin to show their age. Armor Board has proposed initially an entirely tracked vehicle instead of a half tracked design as was common in the Second World War. Issues with reliability and cross-terrain capacity far outweigh the benefits half tracks tend to give to the armed forces, though some elements of Armor Board still propose a half tracked or even wheeled vehicle for use in the Socialist Republic's military.

[Markus Wilding]

Classified - Top Secret!

The Socialist Republic Army has begun the planning stages for Operation Tar Heel, and has assigned the 4th Army to the operation. This operation is being planned under the assumption that the former American states of Tennessee and North Carolina will not willingly join the Republics. As it stands, dissident elements from the Socialist Republics can potentially make their hideout there, and the unsecured border makes slipping through the hands of the Republic's justice incredibly easy. Therefore, it is paramount that the Socialist Republics bring this area under heel, both to expand the economic base of the nation as well as ensuring radical elements have nowhere to hide.

Pending future developments and a comprehensive recon of the area in question, another army may be assigned to the Operation.

[Markus Wilding]

The Socialist Republic Army is in desperate need of improvement and modernization.

The path to finding a new infantry rifle has taken longer than expected. The Army has refurbished scores of M1 Garand rifles, supplemented by new production weapons, however the Army has reported dissatisfaction among the ranks with the old weapon. Senior Army officers have promised the troops a new rifle, meant to give them an edge on the battlefield - yet their rifles date back to before the Second World War. The archaic rifle must go, and despite fielding samples of developments from France, the Soviet Union, Belgium and other countries, the Army has not found a satisfactory weapon. In the interim, the Socialist Republic Army has elected to adopt the FN FAL on a temporary basis, designated in Army inventory as S.R.A, rifle, caliber 7.62mm, M54. Work continues to find a suitable replacement for the M1 Garand which hopefully utilizes a similar operating system to ease the transition. The new M54 rifle shall be introduced to Army units once production begins in 1954.

Armored developments have allowed the SRA to be at the forefront of new vehicles. The previous M46 Patton, a venerable tank in its own right, is beginning to show its age. Seeking constant improvements, the Army has ordered 525 new M48 Patton tanks, featuring a new turret, redesigned hull, and improved suspension. These tanks should be ready by 1954. Likewise, the M5 Halftrack shall be phased out, to be replaced by the M59 armored personnel carrier, of which the initial production run of 2,625 vehicles shall be ready by next year.

The 12th, 13th, and 14th Fighter Wings shall have their F-86 Sabre fighters replaced by F-84F Thunderstreak planes, which shall be ready for active service next year.

[Markus Wilding]

With the new year beginning, the M54 rifle has officially entered service as the first production run of rifles enters the hands of the 1st Infantry Division. Reports have shown positive feedback on the weapon, though the Infantry Board remains skeptical of replacing the M1 Garand wholesale with the M54. Half of the military's stocks of M5 Half Track have been replaced by the M59 APC, while nearly six hundred M46 tanks have been replaced by the new M48 Patton.

As part of a general reorganization effort following Operation Tar Heel, several divisions have been deactivated. The 7th, 11th, 12th, 19th, and 25th infantry divisions have been deactivated, while six new armored divisions have been raised up. In order to expand the Army's capabilities, the 101st Airborne Division has been raised, made up of a highly motivated cadre of experienced soldiers, who are currently underground airborne training. Once they have finished airborne theory, Camp Toccoa will reopen for Socialist Republic Army AIrborne School training in the future for the 101st Airborne Division.

Meanwhile, the SRAAF has introduced the new F-100 Super Sabre into service alongside the F-86 Sabre and F84F Thunderstreak.

OOC: Building one point each of armor, artillery, mechanized and infantry.

[Markus Wilding]

Classified - Top Secret!

In anticipation of a possible unfriendly or negative response to the State Department's request for immediate ceasefire and withdrawal, Congress has authorized the First Fleet to set sail for the Russian Empire, with elements of the Socialist Republic Marine Corps in tow on board the three Haskell-class transport ships attached to the First Fleet.

[Markus Wilding]

The Socialist Republics has formally finished training, procurement, and replacement of the 101st Airborne, replaced several thousand M5 Half Tracks with the M59, and has also replaced six hundred M46 Pattons with the new M48. 1,200 more M48 tanks have been ordered for the Army, alongside several thousand new M59 APCs.

Meanwhile, the Navy has ordered a new aircraft carrier, the SRN Forrestal, and three new cruisers, an experiment with guided missiles. Designated Heavy Cruiser, Guided or CAG, these three ships will prove a useful experiment in future naval combat.

Meanwhile, three new OTH radars have been ordered to be constructed in the SRA. One is aimed towards the Gulf States, another towards the north, and the final will be directed to the Atlantic for the purposes of surveillance.

(OOC: Building a Carrier, Heavy which will be done in 3 rounds, and 3 Warships, Heavy which will be done in 2 rounds. Building 3 OTH radar stations which will be complete in 2 rounds.)

[Markus Wilding]

By order of President Wood, the SRA's army and Marine Corps has expanded, in addition to several projects under heading of Army leadership.

First, the 82nd Airborne Division has been established, to be formed by a cadre of 101st Airborne volunteers to train a new division's worth of new soldiers. The SRMC has also approved the formation of the 2nd Marine Division, which is to be based out of Tampa Bay, Florida. It is expected that these two divisions, with their accompanying artillery, shall be completed by the end of the year. The training of these divisions has necessitated the lateral movement of the 4th Infantry Division to a new corps to make room in the 1st Reserve Corps for the 82nd Airborne Division, serving in its corps alongside the 101st Airborne.

The SRN has also received a general funding increase, leading to the commissioning of a new class of destroyers, the Forrest Sherman-class. Thirty six of these new ships have been ordered, with the first twenty four expected by the end of the fiscal year.

Under the oversight of the Socialist Republic Army, construction has started on two new top secret facilities. Intended to assist in unlocking the secrets of nuclear technology, these two sites - one in Florida and another in Georgia - shall be used to gather the greatest minds of the nation to seek to break through the secrets of the atom. More than just a way to build new weapons, the atom can be useful, researchers predict, to also provide a new, unlimited source of power to the nation and the nation's ships. Perhaps in the far future, it may even be possible to use nuclear power to drive a car, or a tank.

Less excitingly, the SRA has ordered a new hidden sub pen to be built in Florida near Miami, in order to protect the SRA's submarine fleet for active observation. Two hardened hangars in Georgia are also underway to protect the SRAAF's bomber corps.

[Markus Wilding]

The SRA has begun replacing old, outdated F-86 and F84F planes with new F-100D Super Sabre planes. 160 of these planes shall be available by the end of the year. The SRAAF has also ordered sixty new B-52 Stratofortress strategic bombers to replace older B-29 Superfortress designs.

The SRN navy, in addition to new ships it shall be receiving under the naval expansion plan, shall be decommissioning the old WWII-era Tench-class submarine in favor of the Barbel-class, which is a revolutionary design in the SRN alone owing to its unique teardrop-shape hull design.

Furthermore, the First Fleet, alongside the 1st Marine Division, have been recalled from Europe.

[Markus Wilding]

By order of Congress, and after much confusion within the SRA's high military brass, the 4th Infantry Corps has been reinstated and reintroduced to the Order of Battle, but with the 5th Infantry Division "Red Diamond" and 7th Infantry Division "Hourglass" having been called back up from reserve.

In addition, per the needs of Operation Hammerhead, the 1st Reserve Field Army and the 1st Field Army have been transferred to Virginia and are undergoing active wargames and rehearsals, including bringing the 2nd Marine Division up to operational standards for conducting amphibious landings.

The 2nd Field Army has been deployed to Tennessee and North Carolina in order to suppress local partisans.

The 3rd Field Army has been stationed on permanent basis to Georgia and South Carolina.

The 4th Field Army has been stationed on permanent basis to Florida in order to protect the nation's space program assets.