[ VMK Defence & Steel Works ][ 11 April ] — Astuana’s government has signed an agreement worth 21.4 billion Quertz russling (two hundred million NationStates Dollars or Universal Standard Dollars) with VMK AG to procure tanks from a consortium of Yohannesian and San-Silvacian arms manufacturing and engineering companies, internal sources involved during its negotiation revealed yesterday.

Responding to media inquiry this morning, officials of the Astuanan state department have confirmed that President McHale has signed the agreement to buy ten AY2-1L and T2009A4 main battle tanks, with Halstenmetall, Maschinenfabrik Halsten, Alexandros Babcock und Dampfkessel Werke, and Vickers Heavy Industries acting as primary contractors. Production is expected to start by next month, with the last tank included under the agreement to be delivered by July next year.

Details concerning the mostly cost plus incentive agreement, including the number of tanks that will be procured and their electronics, are originally meant to be kept out of the public eye. In light of its revelation, however, Robert Griffin, a company spokesperson for Vickers Heavy Industries, says that he had full confidence in the diplomatic reputation of the Astuanan government.

“I am fully confident of the foreign policy of the [Astuanan] government. During the negotiation I personally went to meet President McHale, who, I must add, is a very charismatic person.”

According to Astuana’s news agency, the deal was officially signed with the condition that other Astuanan contractors will be included to act as domestic partners and suppliers. It coincided with an announcement made by Vickers Heavy Industries that it will sign a 1 billion Quertz russling (10 million NationStates Dollars or Universal Standard Dollars) agreement with at least three Astuanan subcontractors. The five AY2-1L to be delivered will be equipped with domestically produced diesel engine and transmission system, the company website said. “They [the companies] have guaranteed that propulsion and transmission will run without problems for thirteen days’ worth of operation, which was the requirement set by Astuana’s military”, Griffin adds.

The King Tiger and San-Silvacian both feature advanced combat networking and fire control systems which can identify their target from nine kilometres ahead using their infrared thermographic camera. King Tiger is armed with a 140/L50 electro-thermal chemical smoothbore gun, whilst San-Silvacian is armed with a 120/L55 conventional propellant smoothbore gun, both designed by Halstenmetall AG, originally inspired by the Federal Republic of Germany’s Rheinmetall designs.

Both tanks can travel at speeds of up to seventy kilometres per hour on road surfaces, though it is not advised to go past speeds over fifty due to elevated risk of injuries and wear of parts.

Members of parliament will debate this latest issue of nation state significance next month.

Today’s exchange rate: According to the International Securities and Exchange Commission, 1 NationStates Dollar or 1 Universal Standard Dollar (NSD/USD; $) (World Assembly and International Standard) is enough to buy 107.09 Quertz russling (Yohannesian; §); that is, a Yohannesian needs to spend at least §107.09 to be able to afford $1 NS.

Published by The Imperial Herald