Lodamun

[imperialpearl]

Although Lodamun has long articulated its ambitions towards the development of an indigenous “next generation” fighter, most plans and initiatives towards actualising said ambitions have always fallen short. The LFX-100 program had been launched in the 4900s and had been primarily aimed at developing a highly advanced, stealthy multirole fighter. Although progress had been made with respect to research into stealth technology, the program was ultimately abandoned by the Department of Defence as a direct result of the formal relaunch of the X-43 Program, as it became clear that procuring a ready-made design was more economical compared to pouring billions into a domestic alternative. Additionally, the Advanced Tactical Fighter Program (ATFP), launched in the 5100s, was propped up as the supposed answer to Lodamun’s critical deficiency in pure air superiority aircraft. Having taken numerous lessons from the X-43 program, it was believed that there might be a genuine effort towards developing an advanced, stealth-based air superiority fighter for the Lodamese Air Force. However, concerns related to cost overruns ultimately forced the Department of Defence to abandon the project, although much of the stealth technologies developed for the program had remained shrouded in “national security”-level secrecy.

At a joint press conference held at the Department of Defence building in Kensington, Secretary of Defence Roy Baker, Secretary of the Air Force Matthew Abbott and Chief of the Air Force Gen. Eugene McNeil confirmed that the Defence Procurement Administration (DPA) had selected a preferred bidder to lead the Lodamese Air Force’s new effort towards the development of an advanced, stealthy air superiority fighter. According to Secretary Randall, prior to the commencement of the bidding round, it had been well articulated that the project would be significantly different when compared to its previous iterations. Among other considerations, it would be primarily supervised by the Armed Forces Projects Agency (AFPA) and will possess two aerospace defence companies working together towards implementing many of the designs of the AFPA. “This is not a competition wherein the bidders present their designs. The AFPA has developed its own design, and what the bidders do is that they will work with the AFPA to realise their ambitions by utilising the AFPA’s research and using their own internal “capabilities” to develop the fighter,” Secretary Randall explained.

Hemlock-Rogway and Burrell Systems are the preferred bidders in question. Insiders have noted that the selection of the nation’s two largest defence firms was no mistake on the part of the Lodamese Government, but represented an extremely calculated decision. Here, it was noted that the program intended to utilise the clear economies of scale between the two firms alongside their extensive research and development bureaus to “fine-tune” to aircraft’s design and the functionality of much of its internal subsystems. A major concern among the DPA assessors is primarily related to the potential for the two firms to develop a truly superior stealth aircraft. It was explained that the X-43 is the only capable stealth aircraft currently in operation alongside other non-stealth air superiority fighters throughout the world; it was possible for significant lessons to be learned with respect to designing and subsequently creating the “optimum air superiority fighter”. “I think what they [the DoD] are looking for is a Lodamese 5th Generation fighter. I think that given their experience and potential of their collective research/capabilities, Burrel Systems, Hemlock-Rogway and the AFPA can develop a truly next-generation aircraft,” Arnold Bishop, a defence reporter for Heatbur News.

Secretary Abbott noted that, owing to the otherwise sensitive nature of the program, the public ought not to expect much in the way of routine updates on the aircraft development, much less on the progress made in developing much of its subsystems,  including the stealth technology to be integrated into the aircraft itself. “Let me clear up something which I think will become important later. Owing to the sensitive nature of this program, the public should not expect much of the way of routine updates. This program is fundamentally different from its predecessors in that we [the Government] will not share information beyond that we believe is necessary,” Abbott explained. Details surrounding the project’s cost have also been sealed from the public, with the Office of Fiscal Responsibility noting that requests for information related to the project’s broader financial details would be directed to the Department of Defence.