To: Bristol Procurements ; CC: [RM]

[iiLeRoss]

► Source: KKS-Kaiser, Lüneburg
► Encryption: port RM-MAS-1NTS-TMD-TRM
► Submitter: Konteradmiral Erich von Richter
► Recipient: Bristol Procurements
► Subject: Contract Tender: Next Generation Fleet Transport

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To the Bristol Corporation:

We intend to issue a joint procurement project with the BDM and Rheinwehr. It will be integrated into a larger program upcoming for release, the Next Generation Fleet Program. Your corporation has been invited to submit the "Bulwark" to the Next Generation Fleet Transport segment of the program, along with other corporations pending contracts to compete. This will be done separately from any individual contracts BDM issues and will require separate vessel construction as a result. Regardless of program outcome the BDM are free to opt out of purchase for their own fleet, in which case only the Rheinwehr will submit a mass production request.

The basic tender is as follows:


Next Generation Fleet Transport:


Summary: This project aims to create a transport vessel capable of operating within contested space, replacing the current Uruz transport. Expected opposition includes guerilla snub craft, light gunboats, and light naval mines. The transport must be able to operate within the confines of the military system effectively and provide logistical support to naval elements up to the fleet level. The contractor must provide at least one demonstration vessel for testing at the Juist Testing Range in the Lüneburg system. One design will be chosen to enter mass production for the Kaiserliche Rheinwehr.


Overall Role/Background: The Next Generation Fleet Transport was borne out of the heavy losses in the Rheinwehr's logistics train during the Saigon and Rheinland Civil War. Attacks from GMG and KOI snubs in the former as well as Bundschuh irregulars in the latter war proved highly costly for Rheinland's war effort and in the case of the Saigon War may have prevented a decisive Rheinland victory. As a result, a transport capable of navigating extremely contested space has been proposed. The role of this ship should be to conduct heavy logistics while capable of fending off or destroying hostiles ranging from snub squadrons to cruiser commerce raiders. To reduce fleet operating costs it must fulfill several roles in addition to basic logistics capabilities. Ease of cost and modularity will ensure it can meet these roles effectively and be ready for wartime use and replacement. This will also aid in its supplantation of the Uruz as the primary heavy transport of the Rheinwehr.


Design Requirements:


Requirement A - Heavy Defensive Weaponry: The vessel will be required to operate in heavily contested space. It should be able to survive brief engagements with ships ranging but not limited to, bombers, gunboats, frigates, light cruisers, and militarized transports. A point defense screen capable of successfully engaging hostile snub formations with potential terrain advantages should be emphasized. An additional secondary capability to engage capital ships, with a particular focus on gunboats and light cruisers is encouraged.


Requirement B - Protection: Both the vessel and its cargo must be durable against combat conditions. Partial resistance to torpedoes and naval mines, heavy proofing against fighter-grade weapons, and the capability to withstand gunboat and cruiser-grade heavy weaponry are sought. The ship should be adequately capable of operating in radiation zones, volatile gas pockets, extreme temperature zones, and asteroid fields. Physical access or breach of the cargo holds should be difficult, provisions for remote or automated anti-personnel turrets within the ship are sought, as are alarms, motion sensors, highly reinforced entry points, and particular attention to external plating to prevent rapid theft or destruction of cargo contents.


Requirement C - Modularity: As this vessel is intended to be the primary heavy transport of the fleet, modularity in both cargo and in some cases, capabilities is highly desired. Contractors must present a ship capable of carrying out at least 3 of the following roles with moderate refit: H-Fuel transport, general cargo, heavy/volatile munitions carriage, naval minelaying, automated defense platform deployment, minesweeping, personnel transport, marine combat operations, fleet hospital duties, VIP transport, special sensor/exploration duties including reconnaissance, prisoner transport, electronic warfare, and possibly more as needs are evaluated. The first three requirements listed are mandatory. All personnel transport requirements except VIP transport do not need to be beholden to the commonly accepted standard set for Sirian Liners. Precise details on this and the needs required to carry out all requirements will be addressed in further detail.


Requirement D - Cargo Capacity: With exception to modules/refits listed in requirement C preventing this specification be met, the vessel must carry at minimum the 4200 Sirian Standard Cargo Units carried by the Uruz transport currently in use as the heavy transport of the Rheinwehr fleet.


Requirement E - Speed/Maneuverability: As a vessel expected to enter combat zones this vessel must meet a series of agility requirements. A desired cruise speed of 400-415 and maneuverability or thrust speed capable of achieving 80% simulated avoidance against the MD-4 "Rage" class torpedo launcher commonly employed by dissident forces is sought. Specifications and test examples of this weapon will be provided as needed or at request.


Requirement F - Cost, Ease of Construction/Maintenance: As a vessel intended to be the backbone of the Rheinwehr logistics fleet, several defense economics requirements must be met. A maximum construction time of 1 Sirian month is sought. Contractors must be able to provide adequate yard space to do so or license out such space to Rheinland corporations. Annual maintenance costs should not exceed 10 percent of construction costs, with basic repairs and refits, particularly module refits not exceeding a week, and major overhauls not exceeding a month of vessel yard time.



Expected Costs:

Prototype Construction - 10 to 20 Million Sirian Credits

R&D Work - 40 to 100 Million Sirian Credits (New Designs), 10 to 15 Million Sirian Credits (Existing Designs)

Trial/Exercise Costs - 3 to 5 Million Sirian Credits

Mass Production - 5 Billion Sirian Credits Max



Expected Output:

At least one prototype model demonstrating all requirements must be submitted for testing to the Juist Testing Range in Lüneburg. The winning design will enter mass production upon review by the Reichstag.



Initial/Final Delivery: Initial delivery is expected in late 834 to early 835 AS for existing designs, with new designs anticipated in 835 or 836 AS. Final delivery of all ships is anticipated in 844 AS at the latest. The accepted ship will be slated to supplant the Uruz and other similar capacity vessels in the Rheinwehr, with the BDM maintaining the right to not accept



Testing/Trials: At the Juist Training Range, a series of military exercises will be conducted with the submitted vessel to determine whether or not it meets the set requirements. In the case of ships already in service, data on combat, flight, and other outlined areas of performance will be accepted and considered in the final selection process.


END


Provided you accept this contract I am willing to personally authorize the deployment of the Bulwark-class vessel by your corporation within Rheinland space. While overall costs can be negotiated, this will come under the requirement that you transfer any combat data and records to my staff, as well as detailed flight logs (with allowance for corporate privacy where needed), and other miscellaneous data.

As previously noted, any individual contracts with the BDM (or KPR) are separate from this specific program. This is a joint procurement program with the BDM however, and success in any individual contracts may be reflected in the success of this tender. Testing will in this project be primarily conducted by the Rheinwehr.

We are willing to negotiate on the overall price of the demonstration vessel and any modifications you see fit to meet the contract, so long as it remains within reason. Payment will of course be made for the vessel and for any R&D costs incurred regardless of whether you win the project competition or not.

I would strongly advise you to consider this deal in full and accept it. I am a reasonable man, others may not give such mindfulness to a non-Rheinland corporation. I look forward to hearing your reply.

Für den Kaiser! Für das Volk! Für Rheinland!

Hochachtungsvoll,
Erich von Richter
Konteradmiral der Kaiserlichen Rheinwehr

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