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Security Level 3 - Restricted
TO 38th/Command CC LCDR H’ajah FROM LCDR Duncan MacLean SUBJ Proposal for Field Testing Of Azedi Countermeasures |
On stardate 93707.7, the U.S.S. Gainsborough, U.S.S. Caelian, and U.S.S. Damocles encountered two unidentified vessels, one Dreadnought, and one smaller ship. Both unidentified ships attacked with no warning, using powerful Verteron beams. The Caelian and Damocles were both lost with all hands, and the Gainsborough was destroyed shortly after all hands abandoned ship. The smaller of the aggressor vessel was apparently disabled by concentrated weapons fire mixed with a collision from one of the Damocles’ vectors, however our weapons were largely ineffective against the larger dreadnought.
This was our first contact with the group known as the Confederacy of Azed. Since that time, the Azedi have made numerous attacks against Starfleet ships and personnel, only briefly entertaining peace talks. This string of aggressions culminated in a large scale offensive at Deep Space 13, which resulted in countless injuries, and the loss of the station itself.
We began work on a defensive system in order to protect Starfleet from further attacks by the Azedi. Silithium chaff showed promising results in testing, and so we moved forward with the design process on a deployment system. Recently we completed the first functioning prototypes, and we await field testing so we can begin mass production.
PROPOSAL
Prototype silithium chaff countermeasures should be mounted on a few test ships. These ships should run drills and simulations against holographic Azedi Dreadnoughts, recording data on chaff deployment efficiency, targeting trajectory, and beam vector prediction. Ease of use, reliability, and ease of maintenance should also be noted.
Once we have received data from these preliminary tests, we may need to make adjustments to the system. Therefore test ships must have a scheduled return to DS13 within 1 month of being fitted with the prototype system so that alterations and improvements may be made.
The final phase of testing will require live fire, therefore the test ships should be placed in areas where Azedi activity is predicted. The existence of systems like Teleraptor and the new countermeasures should provide us with the flexibility to be somewhat more aggressive with our deployments in the Azedi sector. While I recognize the risk these ships would be taking, active combat data will be invaluable to the continued development of Anti-Azedi systems.
This final phase is by far the most dangerous phase of the devices testing, and I wish to make it known that I would not propose it if I were not willing to take the risk myself. I volunteer to be present on the first ship that is sent to Azedi territory with one of these countermeasure systems.
It is my hope that this system will blunt the blades of the Azedi, and will allow us to move towards a lasting peace.
//SIGNED//
LCDR Duncan MacLean
R&D | DS13
//ATTACHMENT// Silithium_Chaff_ENG_rpt.log