Hi BobfromSidney,
Kudos for some excellent points.
However, I suspect the transtellar defense contractors will have a few problems before responding to the probable increase in spending by SDF's.
First, the the time to send orders has increased rather considerably unless the GA permits access to the wormhole network.
Secondly, those contractors may head the list of GA targets because they're probably also major contractors with the SLN [Technodyne of Yildin comes to mind], so their capability to fill orders may soon be worse than the SKM's after OB, which is beginning to look more and more like a major mistake, since the SKM will soon have the best protected infrastructure of any system.
Thirdly, I suspect such contractors will probably have permanent GA detachments in system reviewing past sales and current customers, given their flexible attitude regarding pirates etc.
For example TIY may have been reorganized, but when the GA visits, I expect more whistle blowers will be very willing to share what else they know in the aftermath of learning the BF is being systematically destroyed and the SLN largely eliminated, NTM Mesa occupied.
When the full Mesa connection becomes well known, TIY even if it still had shipyards etc, might have trouble finding customers.
The main problem for the GA will be what to do with the R&D staff, leave it or send it someplace to be watched over, or given only civilian research contracts.
Your insights are quite welcome.
L
BobfromSydney wrote:I suppose quite a lot of the SDFs that have not planned ahead for the SLN break up have ships that are "equipped for but not with" better modern weapons and missiles.
Getting those better weapons, sensors, decoys and missiles installed before the security environment disintegrates will be quite a challenge I think.
I agree that the most important factor will be political will - being able to authorise funding for a full fleet upgrade on an emergency basis would not be easy in most polities.
The other factor is technological capability. Launching an effective military R&D apparatus from a cold start would be a really big challenge. I think the transtellar defence contractors will be receiving more contracts than they know what to do with very soon.
I have a feeling that they will permit their most basic designs to be produced locally under contract and produce their more advanced models themselves.
I also imagine that their primary shipyards will be full of ships in various states of construction most of the time as well. Not just manufactured for the SLN, but SDF's as well. Maybe there will be a start of WWI situation where Great Britain commandeered all the battleships it was building for other countries that were still in dock.
There is one very good reason for the transtellars not to do that though - trust. If they breach a contract in such a fashion they might not be getting many contracts in the future.