External Politics
Fighting a bitter primary against Goldwater, the Republican party has moved ahead with Ashbrook, advocating for a harder foreign line and a return to law and order domestically. The democrats for their part have chosen to run Humphry again with predictable results as several down-ballot races have seen their hold of the government reduced to a mere majority in the Senate. With the election concluding with the first Republican presidency in more than forty years radical changes were expected for policies but little has come on the domestic front. The Americans are currently focusing on increasing the impact of markets in several sectors as the current economic slump has progressed into something of a long period of untamed inflation. Ashbrook for his part has blamed Democratic unwillingness to let go of wasteful programs and has promised to make the government run more efficiently.
In foreign policy President Ashbrook has taken a far more aggressive stance, moving to back the French defense of France, freeing more units for the Algerian occupation. This has seen the expansion of US forces in France itself along with the deployment of several divisions abroad to protect their influence network. Further, measures to reduce market access have already been taken, using the excuse of mild domestic repression he has advocated for the placement of tariffs for humanitarian reasons. The likely actual factors are the pressure placed on American industries by more competitive Soviet ones, especially in mass manufacturing sectors. Further, he has stepped up the armaments confrontation with an increase in debt-backed foreign orders formally signed, if only to be followed up in the next few years.
American movements against Chile have returned to the normal standard with a near-total economic blockade effectively declared despite Humphry likely wanting to take a softer line. The expected and predictable consequences are a likely economic collapse along with a reversal of domestic policies to bring it more in line with American standards for its sphere of influence. It is unlikely for them to move directly as it is almost certain that the blockade itself will achieve most of the direct goal of a more aggressive intervention in a few years. Further consolidation of the Brazilian regime is expected as more favorable transfers of American expertise have proceeded along with a series of expanded military sales to reinforce the nation as a bastion in South America. Increased pressure on the Argentinian government has already started, with effective demands towards absolute market access along with conformity to a more aggressive policy of anti-communist containment.
The escalation of the South African war has been expected as superpower competition increases, with the conflict previously left alone to avoid the escalation of tensions. Working closely with Korean volunteers in the area along with expanding the transfer of arms to anti-colonial forces has seen significant Western reactions. France has made its excuses for protecting its interests and defending against the barbarism of the anti-colonial struggle, effectively sending volunteers and trainers to counter current developments. Information leaked over the elements of the Rhodesian chemical and biological warfare program has led to a UN investigation, but effective monitoring much less involvement in the conflict is almost certain to be vetoed along with being significantly influenced by the Congo situation.
Algerian partisans have continued to strike at French forces with a determination and ferocity unexpected by most analysts. Original expectations put the movement as having collapsed over two years, but instead, fighting has continued. Arms and training supplies through Libya are essential for the conflict with much of the heavy equipment needing to be smuggled across the border. Libya for its part has continued to support the Algerian forces, allowing the establishment of training camps and ensuring that fresh combat power continues to be cycled into the conflict. Gadafi for his part has made his demands of what he needs to continue the support, with anything short of significant missiles provided to ensure that he does not start a global confrontation over a bush war.
To counter the increase in NATO forces across the European theater the rearmament of Germany has been given a near total allowance with several combined training and development programs put ahead. It is expected that Germany will be able to supply nearly a million men of immediate combat power of adequate quality along with a significant submarine force. Current development programs are focused on increasing the land power available to allow France to be pushed further into a corner through the necessities of a complex mobile defense. Further, the development of a new generation of German diesel-electric submarines combined with sea-launched missiles is expected to see deployments of up to a hundred hulls to reinforce bastion zones and enable the rapid destruction of American sound systems across the northern gap to interdict any supply movement.
Tensions across the Middle East have only increased with the assassination of the current Saudi monarch. The man was something of a moderate, trying to thread the line between the modernization of his nation and more traditional religious influences. With Khalid taking the crown a more aggressive path towards modernization is expected along with a strong development of the petrochemical sector to hedge against increasing oil prices. The Republic of the Levant has experienced a government stall with little compromise available, as development and land issues have boiled over to significant conflicts in parliament along with the drive to have two independent nations only increasing. The conflict has remained mostly civil with both the Palestinian and Zionist paramilitary wings avoiding engagements but that is unlikely to last.
Libyan Situation:
Tensions of shipping arms to Libya have always remained a constant of the convoys transiting towards it, with a significant escort in the form of diesel-electric submarines and frigates generally present. Several times French forces have pushed to interdict the convoy but more capable and committed naval personnel have deterred their movements through all available methods up to the use of ramming to prevent any unsanctioned illegitimate inspections of cargo heading to Libya. In October the Bratstvo was detected by a French task force operating in the region, forcing her to depart and return to the Union from a critical shipment of arms to Algerian partisans. Continued efforts are only expected to be more interdicted as a single failure is only likely to lead to French ideas that a blockade may be possible to ease their imperialist conquest.
If the initiative is surrendered here enlarged partisan operations may not be possible and France may even be able to start crushing resistance in Algeria or scaling up massacres to such a point that there is no option but to surrender to preserve some form of Algerian identity. This is an unacceptable state of affairs despite the insistence of Seymonov and several diplomats who are determined to surrender the gains of socialism for international appearances of complying with weapon export agreements. France has no rights to interdict Soviet trade, nor the ability to infringe upon a sovereign country and how it conducts business in the Mediterranean.
Obukhov, Belik, and Nikolaev are insistent that with a full escort along with clearly visible freedom of navigation exercises, France is certain to blink first. Some frigates may have to be rammed away while the fleet continues escorting essential Soviet trade but France is unlikely to start a global confrontation over arms shipments, especially since some diplomatic fiction exists on their exact nature. A further step that could be taken would be the provision of heavier arms to Algerian partisans as French warships generally lack sufficient anti-missile defenses, leaving several opportunities for inflicting even larger casualties on French forces. Further, increasing the pressure on France now is the perfect time as the regime is struggling to deliver growth while facing several protests, a masterful blow now along with increasing pressure and it may be possible to force an effective geopolitical surrender at the polls.
[]Avoid Escalation: The direct use of warships to protect merchant shipping formally and forcing through any blockade could be taken as close enough to an act of war to trigger an actual war. It would not be the best geopolitical decision and would force the alternative routing of arms to Algerian partisans, but it likely would not compromise the entire effort. Further Seymonov and the various doves have advocated for the path as they believe there is no reason to risk ending the world over a secondary colonial conflict that France is effectivly losing.
[]Send a Force: Pushing through the illegitimate French blockade with a significant number of fleet assets is going to be the best compromise to keep supply lines functional. The French are deeply unlikely to start shooting at a full Soviet-flagged force unless their operational posture has been significantly misjudged. The Union is conducting free international trade and any action by French forces would be in flagrant violation of the very international law that they claim to uphold. If a naval engagement does start, significant casualties are expected from the range of contact but as long as the Americans are not involved that is not expected to pose a significant problem. (Chance of Nuclear War)
[]Allow Libyian Self-Defense: Gadafi is not reliable but he can be squarely pointed at the French more than anyone else in the region. Transferring several batteries of anti-shipping missiles for the protection of coastal waters along with more formal ties and basing of Soviet warships will show a strong commitment towards security in the region. Daring France to respond will put the initiative in their corner but that in itself is likely safe given the significant stress placed on the French government. Current domestic policies will force the French regime to do something to hold its dominance all while pressure across West Africa increases for the total expulsion of French regime elements. (Chance of WW3) (Chance of Nuclear War)
Military Developments Pt2 Aviation:
The next generation Mig-21bis for domestic and export use has been largely shaped by air combat developments in Algeria with a significant overhaul made of the airframe itself. The already planned R25 engine with a 100kN wartime emergency thrust has been chosen to replace the aging R13, enabling unparalleled acceleration in emergency combat conditions for up to two minutes. The radar system has been removed and replaced with an IRST derived directly from the Mig-23, incorporating missile integration and close-range combat modes for faster general acquisition. Compatibility with the R13T, R13MT, and R60 missiles has been included, allowing two long-range and four short-range missiles to be carried in standard interception configurations. The largest changes, however, have come in the airframe with an updated structure of aluminum-lithium alloy along with a new double delta wing wing form. This lifespan extension of old tooling is not expected to make a competitive front-line fighter, but a capable export craft more than able to compete with and destroy American export fighters.
One of the largest issues facing the new generation of Soviet fighters has been the lack of an adequate engine system for propulsion. For all of the thrust and promise of the AL-21F reliability across the force has been poor with both the 23 and 25 suffering from severe maintenance issues. Further, the AL-21 engine is severely fuel inefficient, limiting range and causing several concerns for long-distance carrier operation. This has been made all the worse by shortages of engine production from the plant with prioritization split on what is to receive them. The Aviadvigatel offering of the re-engineered and modernized D-20 engine, now designated the D-30 and in a low bypass configuration has been selected as the replacement. Since significant capacity has already been developed the less reliable AL-21 engines can be pushed into alternative applications. Second-generation aircraft of both the Mig-23 and Mig-25 families are expected to be constructed with the new engine before 1974, allowing significant range and capability extensions for both aircraft.
Frontline units across the German theater have started to receive the new Mig-23 in quantity while the new Mig-23K has started to replace the obsolete subsonic air wings used on the Kharkov Class. The immediate issue with the plane has come in the form of the engine and some specifics of the missile-radar complex. Close-range engagement profiles for the R13 and its variations are inherently limited with the R60 compensating somewhat but proving to be limited due to poor kinematic performance. The airframe itself also suffers from several minor avionics issues as the performance of identical systems against enemy air defense has been universally poor and the simple radar warning system used in both the Mig-23 and Mig-21 are insufficient for an accurate battlefield picture. Countermeasure pod evaluations in place of a drop tank have proven viable to improve survivability through the use of thermal flares and chaff, and one has been designed to replace the central drop tank as a temporary measure until adequate second-generation models can be produced.
The primarily used model by the army is expected to receive the main focus of modernizations with a higher agility R13M of both radar and heat-seeking variants developed for the fighter. The primary performance improvement is expected to be a shorter intermediate phase, allowing for its use in a far closer minimum range envelope. Further, the IRST is expected to be improved with provisions made for mounting the Mysl HMD system for close-in combat. This is to be paired with a more advanced directed radar with a high off-boresight tracking and locking mode, reducing pilot load in combat situations. Automatic slats have been added to the wings along with a computerized control system, improving stability under all flight conditions. Long countermeasure rails are to be incorporated into the airframe, with current standards divided into the specific dimensions of optimal countermeasure release patterns. A fully integrated RWR system with specificity to 30 degrees outside vertical threat profiles and small blindspots outside the main axes has also been developed to be integrated into the new second-generation Mig-23M.
For the Mig-23MK the same modifications are expected to be incorporated along with the ability to mount for the newly developed Kh-15 missile system with an active radar anti-shipping seeker head. Further hardening of the landing gear and provisions for the mounting of twin R13M mounts on the inner pylon have been approved for the design, allowing a total of eight missiles to be carried for interception duties against likely far larger bomber waves. Multiple target tracking on the lighter Saphir system is not expected neither is TWS functionality, but the presence of more ordinance is expected to significantly improve fleet defense capability. The more limited navelized version does have worse agility and capability due to the heavier and more reinforced airframe, but that can be compensated for with lower fuel loads as the D30 engine offers considerable range extensions over AL21F-equipped Mig-23s. In all of this, the lack of performance of a single pilot for guidance, tracking, acquisition, and engagement has left the ground attack variation effectively canceled with developments made in the Mig-23B program transferred to the Il-42 and Su-24.
To accompany the general modernization of the Mig-25 to the D-30 engine system an avionics upgrade has been planned out. New production integrated circuits are expected to significantly improve the processing capability of the aircraft along with some improvements in detection. Dedicated hardware for the precise location of radar threats has been incorporated along with improving the capacity of the underwing pylons to carry all variations of the Kh-15 or 1500kg on each pylon for use as a light tactical bomber. The fuselage mounts for R40s can be directly replaced by 500kg bombs of any variety, but the configuration is inherently limited. Countermeasure systems are currently in development with a temporary modification made to provide a limited capacity for thermal countermeasures on first-generation airframes. The new Saphir-25M radar system is effectively a total overhaul of past systems, introducing strong chaff rejection with the R13M system. The new system further incorporates improved missile compatibility, allowing the use of the R40A equipped with terminal onboard radar guidance.
The Su-15bis has gone ahead with plans made to eventually replace all older PVO aircraft with either it or more modern Mig-25s for long-distance patrols. A reworked wing form has enabled the mounting of a single R60 missile on the wingtip to provide some limited provisions for close combat. Compatibility of the new system with the R40A has been limited due to the lack of additional capability brought on by the system along with the added expense. The new radar system is still expected to provide ground clutter rejection capability and greatly enhance combat against low-level targets. The R25 engines themselves are not the most reliable or capable but in case of full-scale PVO deployment, the additional emergency power mode is sufficient. Modernization of old airframes to the new standard will take full factory overhauls but they are expected for much of the Su-15 fleet over the next decade.
Ground attack capabilities for the entire force have been effectively consolidated into two airframes to provide weapons officer targeting capability while ensuring a stable platform. The Su-24 has been advanced with the unmodernized Al-21F engine that is set to run at a less aggressive thrust profile at a lower altitude to minimize wear. Integrated tracking systems from the canceled Mig-23B program have been added as an under-cabin pod providing full tracking capability on the front aspect along with enhanced loiter designation capacity after ordinance release. The plane itself is expected to carry its ordinance across nine hardpoints with five on the fuselage, two heavy, and two light hardpoints on the wings. The central and inner wing points are made for carrying the heaviest ordinance while the rest are designed for Kh-25 or 500kg bomb mountings with the option for twin R60 mounts on the outer light wing pylons. The tracking system itself is still unreliable but it is likely to be pushed given the inadequacy of other supersonic attack aircraft.
An Il-40 type design have been proposed by Ilyushin and heavily modified by the army before acceptance. The new Il-42 is a significantly modernized Il-40 with the rear turret and gunner removed and a subsonic-optimized wing form. Electro-optical systems from the Mig-23B program have been integrated into the craft allowing the flexible use of laser-guided Kh-25 missiles. Rocket pods along with more conventional bombs are expected to be the primary weapon system of the plane or up to eight tons of ordinance carried across all pylons in a conventional configuration. New turbofan RD-33's are to power the plane allowing it to have an acceptable agility and thrust to weight despite heavy ordinance and armored protection for the pilot. Radar detection and countermeasure systems are expected to be pioneered on the airframe, making it possible to operate in frontline roles to an adequate degree of safety.
Design and testing of the new Object 200 complex for the replacement of obsolete M-3 and M-4 bombers has advanced rapidly with the near total obsolescence of subsonic bombers. Adapting a lifting body airframe along with a new generation of jet engines Suhkoi has designed a combined fuselage meeting all current specifications on paper. The use of a variable geometry wing was necessary to meet operational requirements with the development of the improved RD-36 or NK-32 engine for a quadruple mount to provide enough thrust. The principle goal of the program is effectively a nine thousand-kilometer range at a three thousand-kilometer cruising speed necessitating a large number of adaptations. Sukhoi has also claimed that the bomber will be able to carry two heavy Kh-45 missiles internally and two externally for both anti-shipping and nuclear roles. For lighter antishipping work it is expected to carry sixteen Kh-15s internally and eight externally allowing a significant increase in saturation against heavy carrier targets.
The Yak-38 has had its first flight with evaluations centered on assessing the aircraft as a capacity addition and modernization of the Kiev-Class. The first flights themselves have proven disappointing as while the plane is capable of VTOL operations its payload is limited in the extreme. Under good conditions, two Kh-15 missiles can be carried, but even that requires considerable weight shedding to allow. Using lift jets to achieve some aerodynamic stability along with several improved systems to reduce the load on the pilot has still resulted in a questionable temperamental frame. The test pilots have found the craft challenging to operate in a pure VTOL configuration and it is currently believed that a small STOL craft would be a better improvement. A lot of one hundred of the fighters are still going to be ordered as they offer a massive improvement over the obsolescent Yak-30 but even then the gains are far more marginal than they should be.
Combat experience with the R60 has shown several deficiencies in the range of combat along with lacking launching discipline. The sensitive seeker head does allow front aspect shots under some limited conditions along with longer-ranged side aspect shots but the kinematics of the missile are lacking. Many pilots have been trained to release as soon as a side aspect tone is available but this has proven questionable due to both the seeker and the missile itself. Against fast-moving targets, the motor is insufficient to achieve an intercept and if the profile is significantly changed the missile can be turned into an evasive maneuver. While not an issue early on in the war the lack of any measures for countermeasure resistance has limited the system as the seeker is easily confused by thermal countermeasures. Improvements toward the fidelity of the seeker and a disengagement of the seeker for a few seconds on the detection of countermeasures, and a kinematic overhaul will come on the updated missile, significantly improving performance.
Using a higher bypass development on the D-30 engine the Il-76 prototype has had its first flight. The transport is effectively developed as a replacement for the An-12 along with being pushed into several auxiliary airforce roles. Progress on the prototype has effectively been directly copied over from several bomber programs that have been rejected allowing a simple continuation of performance even if the fuselage is improved. Most of the avionics and cabins have been cloned directly from the M-3 to keep the continuation of production while the fuselage itself is built from modern aluminum alloys. Once entering into production the Il-76 is expected to deliver up to forty tons on rough dirt fields and provide forward resupply along with modernizing airborne forces. Four thousand kilometers of range is expected to be enough to entirely replace the An-12 in all frontline and rough field roles.
Western Passenger Rail Expansion: Proposals for improving passenger rail access towards Sevastopol and several Northern cities were made in the original project, but were later dismissed. This program would be split into the construction of a loop originating from Leningrad and going to Moscow through a Volkhov-Cherpovets-Volgoda direction with a small diversion to Gorky. In the South, a route from Dneiprovetsk to Sevastopol can be made with the line itself continuing to Krasnodar to provide further interlinks. Both projects are far smaller-scale constructions than the system as is but will expand services and ensure that experience in the construction of new rail is maintained. (160 Resources per dice 110/150)
The highest priority expansion of the High-speed network has been around Gorky despite the city's immense industrial priority. To accomplish the improvement the easternmost cities that have not yet passed the Urals have received a double track line out providing for increased passenger capacity. For the Southern loop work has just now started towards expanding the network and ensuring that development can continue. Passenger saturation for routes outside the core ones has only been enough to offset the cost of operation rather than construction but the current operation of the HSR has stimulated economic activity effectively across cities along the route. Most of this growth has come from professional and conventional services rather than industries but that cannot be discounted. A further advantage has come with the reduction of urban packing density as commuting by train has allowed workers to come in from smaller regional urban centers while further greatly increasing the desirability of land near stations.
Civilian Airports(Stage 3/5): Work on an enlarged system of airports has proven to be problematic as the immense promises of the HSR system have only applied West of the Urals. Building up more airports for remote destinations and areas outside the grid is immensely necessary to ensure the regularity of passenger flights and continue the general development of the Union. Many are willing to take the slow line across the entire nation to travel, but vacation days are limited. Business integration severely benefits from a developed air-transportation system allowing for faster meetings and significant improvements in organization. Mail delivery can also be sped up considerably as the air service is expanded, bringing far faster delivery times to every corner of the Union. (146/125 Stage 3 Complete) (21/175 Stage 4)
Large-scale paving projects have begun the decisive modernization of the airport network that has been available to the Union. The situation has been terrible in the East but a bit better in the West, if not by much. Rough field capability is only expected on the smallest of the next-generation designs effectively limiting their routes unless a total overhaul of the airport network is underway. Current programs have focused on remote destinations with no other options for access but a total Union-wide overhaul will be critical for the continued development of the services sector. Current plans have accomplished the construction of small-scale runways and passenger facilities but larger ones in central sites now must be built to utilize the additional "spoke" capacity.
Rough Airstrips and Their Historic Impact on Soviet Aviation: The use of rougher and shorter airstrips than in the West especially at secondary and tertiary airports has been one of the defining factors that developed much of the Soviet aviation of the 1960s. Shorthaul aircraft were built first for rough field landing and short stopping distances with all other concerns secondary, making the flights some of the least efficient in the world due to lacking infrastructure development. The trend would only reverse through the early 70s as an increased focus on the aviation industry led to investment coming into airports, necessitating a new generation of soviet aircraft that could now focus on passenger transport and efficiency then almost military adjacent technical concerns. -Book, History of the Soviet Aviation Industry
ESA: Improving ministry capacity has always been politically challenging, but with the incorporation of several of the latest machines a narrowing of personnel is possible. The full digitization of records remains impossible but several aspects can be improved. Calculating power will be made universally available through the procurement of a massive number of desktop units, automating significant amounts of labor. Further work towards improving the ministry will involve the purchase of almost ten thousand facsimile machines. These will primarily take over from the old system of sending letters, enabling every branch of the ministry to work more efficiently. (247+15 Cannon Omake/250) (Completed) (+2 Free Dice, +1 Infrastructure Dice) (+2 Educated Labor) (+50 RpT)
KR580 integrated chipsets have become available in sufficient quantities to overhaul the calculator industry even if several other factors are still more limited. An effective PCB calculator has still been procured as the logical extension from past programs, allowing a simple plug-in unit to be procured in large quantities and more importantly cheaply. General purpose tabulation machinery has further been brought in, modernizing the ministry's mainframes to the Erbrus-M standard, radically improving calculation performance. Core memory is still expected to be used for the rest of the decade as the production of MOS memory units is still problematic, but that can be solved in time. With the previous development of telefax machinery, new units have been pushed to all ministry buildings, enabling the instant transmission of documentation over the phone. In practice, this increases the paper burden but has ensured that documentation can be sent at the touch of a button rather than painstakingly delivered by letter.
Kursk Steel Mills(Stage 2/2): The maximalization of the KMA represents the last high-yield easy iron ore that can be domestically brought into exploitation and extraction. There are lower-grade deposits scattered all over the Union but soon enough further expansions to the steel industry will take imports of ore. The current mills are expected to form an expanded metallurgical complex on the site, increasing the production of steel and supplying the rapidly growing Western automotive industry. Shipbuilding is expected to further increase demand for steel as the Union grows, with more production necessary to keep domestic prices stable. (257/200) (-32 CI6 Electricity -9 Steel +2 Coal +1 General Labor +1 Educated Labor) (+40 RpY) (Completed)
Large iron ore works on the Kursk deposit have been constructed to keep up with the massive demand for steel in the West of the Union. Continuous programs towards increasing production have been incorporated into the construction of the expanding plant with larger converters effectively made standard for the current generation of steel mills. Local coal production has steadily been shifted overwhelmingly to supplying local industries that require a higher grade of coal rather than other uses. Coal moved West from the Eastern deposits has increasingly supplanted that in the West as it is far cheaper and still more than adequate for most uses. Steel production is certain to rely on local anthracitic coals for some time yet but already several prototype systems for reduction through the use of natural gas have entered evaluation.
Kansk-Achinsk Basin Exploitation(Stage 3/5): Semicoke production is at this point a mature technology for the processing of sub-anthracitic coals and can be implemented without significant issues. The heaviest hardware will have to be deployed to further increase production but that is also a mostly solved problem for the extraction of coal. Much of the yields are too poor for direct metallurgical use but the simple production of tar-bound briquettes through a unified process eliminates most of the issues inherent to coal production. Gasification experiments are expected to start for further use in the chemical industry, but those are expected to be of secondary priority. (327/150 Stage 3 Complete) (176/175 Stage 4 Complete) (1/200 Stage 5) (-100 CI5 Electricity -22 Coal +2 General Labor)
Shock programs for raising domestic coal production have more than paid off with a rapid increase in the yields of brown coal and its processing. The transformation of the coal itself into effective semicoke bricks has been enabled by the low ash but high water content, allowing for the efficient transportation of coal that has effectively approached anthracitic grades. This is still inadequate for metallurgical uses but for most applications, it is more than sufficient. New generations of heavier extraction machinery have further served to reduce demand for workers while raising extraction, allowing surface mining to be conducted at previously impossible scales. The deposit itself also runs deeper than expected, forming a new great basin for extraction and powering Soviet industry, if one that is dependent on cheap electricity.
Atomash(Stage 1/3): The development of a dedicated center of reactor manufacturing has been theorized through much of the past plan with little concrete work done on development. Now that the nation has mobilized massive industrial and technical resources the project itself can be made into a reality. The plant itself is meant for the series assembly line production of VVER-1000 cores along with several facilities for the production of associated turbines and machinery. The project represents one of the largest economic investments and is going to be definitive for the economy of Rostov. Initial production lots will take at least two years to improve production to scale from completion with current plans calling for the capacity to produce four nuclear cores per year. (406/300 Stage 1 Complete) (106/200 Stage 2) (-104 CI10 Electricity +2 Steel +1 Non-Ferrous +2 Educated Labor) (Unlocks Power Plant Construction(Nuclear VVER-1000): (-360RpY, +90 Electricity/y, and +20 RpY Post Construction))Atomash
The initial construction of the massive assembly hall for reactors has been one of the largest and most technical initiatives the Union has undertaken. The VVER design effectively calls for a large monolithic pressure vessel to be produced and this takes up the majority of fine machining effort. Previous cores have been built in a greater number of parts, greatly increasing costs and making them prone to overruns but the new generation is more than capable of economic production. Current efforts will take more time to be entirely completed but a current production of four 1000MWe cores per annum is expected without further expansions. Plans for the further expansion of the facility have already been drafted to decisively overcome the energy crisis through industrial construction, providing twelve GW of grid power every year, effectively compensating for a third of power demand growth.
The massive reactor industrial complex is one of the most technical and largest metal processing sites in the USSR. Here massive reactor vessels are machined and forged to resist the conditions inside an atomic core at scale with large and specialized machinery developed just for the task. Each of these cores is directly based on the common VVER-500 reactor already in utilization with a far higher reactivity and energy density, bringing power production to almost a GW per core. In the first assembly hall over four hundred workers are expected to handle the massive core as it starts being formed, inspecting the metal first before… -First Channel, Television Documentary on Atomash
Saratov Machine Building Plant: Petrochemical extraction has only gotten more complex in the last decade with simpler drilling rigs becoming both outdated and inefficient. Rather than resorting to an increase in secondary recovery techniques, deals can be made with the Americans to import both expertise and technologies for increasing oil extraction. The industry itself is considered to be secondary to direct defense applications and the current relations offer a window where some technical exchanges can be conducted. The item most of interest is the production of new generation slant drilling equipment along with expertise in its operation, as domestic production will be able to learn important lessons and develop its innovative industry in the field. (168/150) (Completed) (-46 CI5 Electricity +2 Steel +1 Non-Ferrous +1 General Labor +1 Educated Labor) (Cost Changes)
Expanding production of licensed American designs with American experts has been done before the war and it will be done now. Large-scale experience transfers from Exxon along with several Western petrochemical enterprises are underway with an effective improvement of recovery techniques expected. The current industry is a decade behind but with a new generation of equipment and more capable workers, it is rapidly closing the gap both on recovery capability and the tapping of new deposits. New drillheads are expected to be soon necessary for deposits in the West as the depletion of easy oil is to an extent inevitable. Continued programs for improving our domestic production further are already underway but the equipment and expertise transfer alone have accelerated the timeframe by at least five years.
Gorky Automotive Plant Modernization: With a specialization in the production of different models of cars and providing direct competition to VAZ, the modernization of the Gorky plant is also essential. Industrial automation is expected to significantly improve production with a new generation of cars already developed incorporating several major improvements. A strong increase in automotive manufacturing in Gorky is expected to help local employment, providing tens of thousands of high-paying jobs with new automated lines. (226/175) (Completed) (-79 CI5 Electricity +5 Steel +1 Petrochemicals +1 Educated Labor) (+100 RpY)
The automation of the Gorky production lines in concert with the increased funding for automobiles from incentive funds has put the plant at the forefront of the domestic automobile revolution. Prices for production have rapidly decreased for even the largest cars all while fuel prices have stayed sufficiently low for the large-scale adoption of the automobile. Domestic demand growth is incredibly strong with large incentives made for increasing production even further. The plant itself has introduced near full line automation for the production of basic vehicles, forming much of the frame and paneling to a minimum degree of on-floor labor. The arrangement is not ideal for further modernizations of production but costs per vehicle are cheaper than ever before. To accompany the revolution in manufacturing, a general modernization of mainline sedans was pushed ahead for release in 1974, improving safety and fuel efficiency considerably for the soviet consumer.
Inflatable Section Experiments: Launching an FGB-VA with the VA vehicle carrying an inflatable habitable section on its adaptor can prove the concept for future orbital work. The effective section itself will be a balloon designed to provide expansive living space for a theoretical crew with the conditions inside measured and monitored. If the test system works it can form a basis for the development of more advanced habitats, saving launch weight for a station program and enabling the construction of far larger experimental setups. Further, if the concept proves viable larger structures along the lines of centrifuges can be built to allow for more permanent orbital habitation in a decade. (-5 RpY) (91)
Development work on the new generation of inflatable habitation has to solve several major technical challenges inherent to the technology. Primarily the development of a flexible coat that can resist micrometeorite impacts, keep pressure, and provide some rigidity to make the volume useful. Being able to make an expansive habitat is one thing, but that space then needs to be used for experiments or crews. Current proposals for evaluation effectively call for the utilization of an inflatable module weighing up to one ton along with flat-pack light furniture and construction materials. The goal of the program would be to form a large scientific section attached to an FGB-VA, allowing its operation as a temporary station. Afterward, the module is to be ejected with the rest of the FGB on the re-entry of the VA capsule, burning up in a conventional mission profile.
Station Program: The development of long habitation stations is something that the Union is significantly behind in compared to the Americans. The current expanded RLA-FGB system has functioned for performing experiments of up to a month in duration but the module itself is comparatively cramped and cannot perform the full functions expected of a longer duration station. Designing a single rendezvous capable module launched by the RLA-3 and with significant internal volume will provide a massive expansion to capability and open the door to hundreds of new experiments. (-20 RpY) (6)
The development of a dedicated station will inherently come from the design of new hardware for the RLA-3 platform, incorporating the lessons learned from the PKA project. The goal of the program is to make a single module that can provide crew resources and support a crew of three for a three-month mission duration before being de-orbited. The program itself is a case of extending previous scientific programs performed in the FGB-VA and scaling them to a larger size. Once stability of habitation is proven longer-term modules can be sent up with separate crews greatly expanding the capacity for space exploration.
RLA Block Modernization: The RLA has served well in its role as the primary launch vehicle for the space program but it can still be refined. Continued technical work on the single core configuration along with the lengthening of engines can allow it to carry more weight into orbit on the same production machinery. Further, a modernization of avionics promises to both improve reliability and enhance the precision of orbital launches. The largest of the improvements is the provision for an expanded six-meter fairing, allowing previously impossibly sized payloads to be carried to orbit. (-10 RpY) (25)
The primary route to improvement of the RLA is expected to come from the enhancement of the first stage. Current engines can be increased in pressure and burn time to allow for a stretched first stage, improving weight to orbit without significant cost increases. Fuel efficiency may be reduced slightly but that is one of the cheapest components of the overall launch infrastructure. Further, a whole new generation of avionics has been made available through electronic developments, allowing more precise control and reducing the quantity of dead mass in all stages. Both programs do not offer a radical upgrade to the RLA as it is or a new configuration but the continued expansion of launcher capacity will continue to reduce the price of orbital launch.
Mixed Textile Industries(Stage 1/3): Expanding the production of mixed textile fabrics with incorporations of both synthetic and natural fibers is essential for raising domestic standards. The current clothing production is adequate to meet the needs of Soviet consumers but far larger plants are required to keep up with demand. Current inventories of clothing are limited in design and type with only a few dozen enterprises dominating much of the market segment. By developing several new specialized enterprises for the production of a new generation of clothing products the demand for synthetic fibers can be increased while improving domestic clothing inventories. (228/150 Stage 1 Complete) (78/200 Stage 2) (-38 CI5 Electricity +3 Petrochemicals +3 General Labor) (+40 RpY)
The use of the newest production methods along with the ease of supplying new and improved textiles has ushered in a new era for the textile industry. Mixed fiber work has become somewhat standard allowing for more durable and cheaper clothing to be made compared to the use of cotton alone. Improvements in designs and a general update towards modern aesthetic standards have proceeded alongside improvements in production allowing the newest designs of several designers to enter mass production. Keeping up with fashion itself is unlikely to be possible from a central level and has been left to the enterprises. As incentive funds are allocated towards all clothing producers it is expected for them to independently allocate what needs to be produced to meet consumer demand.
Engineered Wood Production: Developing more advanced processing methodologies for wood products has been instrumental in improving furniture production. Composite and reinforced wood have solved several issues involving insect attacks and offer a stronger and more consistent construction material. Increased logging programs will accompany an expansion of chemical industry feedstocks to provide for the new industry. Initial production lots are expected to be used only in specialty production but the technology will likely spread to the furniture industry well before the end of the plan. (292/175) (Over Completed) (-42 CI4 Electricity +3 Petrochemicals +3 General Labor) (+40 RpT)
Expanded production of engineered wood is a promising and novel application for plastics and polymers allowing the massive wood resources of the Union to be used in a modern context. This has involved the parallel production of more reinforced engineered woods along with composite wood production through the use of typically discarded shavings. Both are expected to play an increasing role in the construction of furniture and housing as they are essential for improving material properties and workability. Current generations of furniture are expected to steadily shift towards the use of more advanced materials to reduce costs and improve efficiency. Further development for the modernizing furniture industry is unlikely to be necessary as new material production will compensate for any deficiency.
Second Generation Calculators: As chips have rapidly modernized and previous assumptions on the density of circuits have proven entirely erroneous further modernizations have been demanded for the calculator industry. A true pocket calculator can be made with few issues as high power batteries and sufficiently efficient circuits can be produced. The processing unit for the new calculators is effectively expected to be in the form of a single integrated circuit eliminating size, power use, and consolidating thousands of transistors to a single chip. (200 Resources per Dice 79/100)
The calculator-on-a-chip concept has already been developed and pushed into production but efforts toward the miniaturization of the PCB and display are more challenging. The techniques for reducing power demand have proven complicated despite their simple nature as even advanced nickel-cadmium batteries struggle to provide enough power. All of these issues are primarily engineering programs rather than technical ones leaving the prototypes on an accelerated development track. First production models are already expected by early next year with just a small amount of funding necessary to scale production to a proper extent. Their batteries will likely not be enough for long-term operation but recharging a battery is still far more efficient than being tied to a power cord.
Gas Infrastructure: The massive Eastern gas fields are stuck with an inadequate connection towards the west with a new pipeline essential for keeping up with the demand. Construction needs to start in the short term as future production increases will be necessary to keep pace with the demands of the power industry. The line itself will focus on the primary route with fields built up and attached later as they are developed. Current pipelines will effectively be built around a high-diameter new system spanning from East to West to supply an increasing gas fraction across the Volga region and Moscow. (233/150) (Completed) (Gas Price now Tracked, No CMEA/International price as the transfer is not possible)
In preparation for the utilization of the massive newly discovered Yamal gas fields a new West Siberian pipeline has been funded that can carry almost fifty billion cubic meters of gas west. That full capacity is unlikely to be used in the near term but as the gas fields are utilized the load on the pipe network is expected to significantly increase. Current programs only call for a moderate loading on the pipe but with the rising need for gas, the entire capacity is likely to be used before 1985 if the economy continues on its expansionary track. Gas extraction in the field can start now as the economy has already become short on power with far greater dedicated efforts necessary to keep things stable in the next plan.
West Siberian Petroleum Fields(Stage 2/6): Now that initial settlement has established several northern communities further extraction of oil can continue. The Union's demand for petroleum has at the current moment been fulfilled but it is expected to strongly increase over the current plan. Expanded drilling programs are going to be needed to keep the Union supplied with enough fuel to continue economic growth as energy markets make up an essential part of any economic increase. Current drilling programs call for a general increase in the number of wells drilled, providing gains to production at a comparatively mild cost increase as the technology is long-proven. (179/125 Stage 2 Completed) (54/150 Stage 3) (-29 CI6 Electricity -8 Petroleum Fuels +1 General Labor +1 Educated Labor) (+60 RpY)
Expansions in drilling have pushed towards deeper reserves with recovery fractions steadily improving as technology has improved. The current program has massively increased extraction of the massive easy deposits to keep domestic oil prices stable despite the rapid increase in automobiles and truck transportation, allowing the Union to remain an oil exporter. With extraction increasing from the Middle East, the blunt reality will soon come that domestic oil cannot be made competitive in price even with OPEC extraction limits. The easy deposits will of course remain competitive but those are not responsible for all production currently underway as more marginal deposits are increasingly tapped. Price issues are not expected to strike through the course of this plan but the next plan will likely see CMEA buy more from the Middle East.
Plastic Industries(Stage 3/5): The demand for conventional and harder plastic fibers has strongly increased in the last year with the industry fully coming into its own. Current decisive production increases are to focus on the production of more conventional chlorinated plastics for use in several applications. The improved chemical and physical durability of PVC has rendered it a preferred composition for several components and the current balance of PE and PP are technically in excess. More production will still be needed in a year or two, but there is some time for that. (261/250 Stage 3 Completed) (11/250 Stage 4) (-60 CI5 Electricity +2 Petroleum Fuels -6 Petrochemicals +1 Educated Labor) (+90 RpY)
Direct expansions of PVC production have continued to improve domestic competitiveness and drive costs lower for the material of the future. Where previously would go far more expensive metals plastic can now replace them without much issue. A strong increase in the plastics industry has also seen further expansions to the synthetic fiber industry as the production of more domestic materials is rapidly expanding. The chemical industry is one of the strongest growth sectors for the Soviet Union with employment and wages rising rapidly to meet the demand of soviet consumers. If the fifties industrial growth was built on cheap steel at the current rate the 70s will be built on cheap plastic and chemical products.
Pharmaceutical Industry Modernization: The development of large quantities of new medications along with consistent breakthroughs in medical practice brought on through both licensing and expanded training have demanded a modernization of the industry. Domestic production is still sufficient for now but far more production is needed to compensate for their expanding use to avoid imports. Domestic stocks of specialty medications have always been questionable but with current initiatives that can be addressed. Several licenses will have to be purchased and will be dependent on the diplomatic situation, leaving the industry in a questionable state depending on American positions. (225/175) (-42 CI6 Electricity -1 Petrochemicals +2 Educated Labor) (+60 RpY)
Purchasing the patents for several medications along with bringing domestic developments to large-scale production has yielded massive improvements in development and treatments available. Primary psychiatric medications to cure several conditions that were previously considered intractable have been combined with increased production of more conventional medications. Cardiac management medications have further increased in issuance, allowing for the management of several conditions that were previously far more questionable. The largest change has come with the coming of mass-produced hormonal medications to the Union, allowing women to claim some authority over their bodies, if possibly at the cost of birthrates. At this point, more than half of the projects have been domestic developments that were amplified, allowing local scientists to take on an ever greater share of domestic markets through four organized state enterprises.
Stabilization of Agrochemicals(Stage 1/2): Third-generation pesticides have made agriculture safer and cleaner than ever. Precision destruction of insect hormonal systems allows for a near elimination of toxicity for farmers along with improved consumer safety. Improved targeting with highly specific auxin growth regulators promises to improve the precision of herbicidal agents along with several compounds specifically made to target broadleaf weeds. Increasing production of both will be a significant process but it can be done and will be essential to ensure that the agricultural sector can move away from more dangerous and less effective compounds. (180 Resources per Dice 107/150)
Increasing the yields of nitrogenous fertilizers has been the primary goal of modern programs as it represents one of the most challenging components to source in significant quantities. Potassium and phosphorous can be directly extracted through mining or partially imported but with the presence of cheap local gas and electricity, there is no reason not to strongly increase the production of ammonia. Current efforts have seen the expansion of over a dozen enterprises with the addition of several further reactors while establishing seven new enterprises near primary hydroelectric installations to further increase production and aid agricultural intensification.
Water Management Programs: Officially admitting that water resources are limited and that no radical programs are coming to solve the problem is a monumental step. Limiting water itself is an open question and is almost certainly politically impossible but simple hardening and ensuring that catchment basins can be preserved can slow down the losses. An assessment of current irrigation works can be started to pioneer methods of reducing evaporation and increasing retention. Water savings are unlikely to reach even a fifth of required standards but buying more time for more effective measures is still worthwhile. (285+15 Cannon Omake/300) (Completed)
Evaluations of drip irrigation systems have proven logistically challenging, if possible through the commitment of significant technical effort. Advanced polymer rolls have allowed for the irrigation of wide swaths of soil without excessive difficulty or soil pollution of water channels. Deployment of new systems is expected to be gradual and primarily focused on the parched areas of the Union, favoring crops that do not utilize excess quantities of mechanization and those that can be placed into static rows. The immense promise of the program has broadly failed as current technical limitations prevent its use for primary caloric crops, but the effective water impact of several vegetable cultivars has almost been more than halved.
The large promise offered by solving the water issues in the USSR through a single technique has failed but the facilities rapidly developed for it can still be brought to use. New irrigation system developments are usable across many cultivars of fruit with current recommendations for the shift of virgin land areas in hot zones to the planting of fruit trees and selective vegetable cultivars. Increased transport across the deep water system promises a further reduction of prices and even if the land cannot become a second breadbasket it can become a second North Caucuses. -Report by the Agricultural Water Commission
Transportation Enterprises(Stage 3/5): Continuing the large-scale drive towards improving the transportation industry will be essential for continuing economic development. Previous programs have considerably improved transportation, reducing overall prices and stimulating the private sector. Increasing the scope of the program and integrating it with a general stores program can provide further improvements of transportation capacity all at the cost of founding some small enterprises. Continued truck imports are going to be needed to keep pace, but the funding exists to more than complete the program. (238/200 Stage 3 Complete) (38/225 Stage 4) (+3 Petroleum Fuels +3 General Labor) (+60 RpY)
The foundation of sixteen generalized trucking enterprises along with four additional effective nationalizations of private sector concerns has continued to grow the domestic industry. The supply of cab-over trucks is still insufficient with domestic and block manufacturing but rising production has steadily narrowed the import gap. The current political environment has moved enterprises to other sources of machinery than the West, with significant automotive exports from Japan starting to substitute more expensive Western models. Non-cabover and bulk haulage trucks have been bought in increasing quantities but the market for them is limited as containerization has consolidated goods that would otherwise be hauled in bulk carriers. Further gains in trucking tonnage are still likely to be economical and profitable but that is only due to the absolute lack of capacity inherited from the last two plans.
Localized Transport Services: The development of localized bus networks has been deprioritized due to the state of roads but that can be more than fixed. Committing a massive quantity of funding towards establishing regional and local bus lines to enable low-density commuting is an essential priority. Effective transportation to and from most remote villages will be the priority along with some expansions in local transit. For smaller locations, just a single looping route will be established but for those approaching the size of a city, a fully interconnected system can be made. The actual buses will only cover the fares cost with some loss expected but economically stimulating effects will more than compensate. (200/200) (Completed) (+2 Petroleum Fuels +2 General Labor)
Effectively putting into motion to achieve a thirty percent increase in total bus transportation capacity has been funded even if achieving it will take more time. Current models have steadily displaced lower capacity offerings while increasing transportation throughput and fuel efficiency. Most of the funding has been allocated to small towns and towards the establishment of slower if more comprehensive routings for general transportation. Most are unlikely to get anywhere quickly but even a thirty-minute bus trip with a fifteen-minute wait time is still better than walking. As a part of the program and to avoid significant accidents new licensing requirements have been introduced to increase driver standards along with the foundation of several training courses.
Pension Modernization: Updating the pension system has always been an inherently political and challenging matter with the current changes to the Supreme Soviet it has been made something of a priority. Current pensions have been stagnant for a prolonged period, limiting the spending of pensioners and providing little benefits. Current plans call for the integration of pensioners into basic allowances for food, ensuring that spending directly enhances domestic production and provides a universally stimulating effect on the economy. (68) (Supreme Soviet)
The movement of pensioners onto the food allocation system has gone without much controversy, with many of the rural delegates strongly supporting the decisive step towards improving local production. This has effectively moved meat to a good that must be purchased through pensions rather than direct allocations but basic foods can now be provided far more easily. Some opposition has come outside the governing blocks, agitating either for a need for a market-based system of some type in addition to basic pensions or arguing for directly increasing payouts. Neither is at all capable of any opposition and has effectively been ignored, allowing the full modernization of pension payouts by 1974.
Restructuring of the Passport System: Programs for internal movement have been formally deregulated for the last twenty years with only local services in the largest cities limited. Instead of focusing on the access to services requiring a complex system of internal passports a far simpler unified system has been proposed. A single card with a database of numbers for ease of identification is to be steadily made compulsory for all citizens with address information for ease of access. This is expected to provide easy identification and would fully reform the internal ID system away from the use of more cumbersome passports. (78) (Supreme Soviet)
Modern new identification has been made to broadly replace the previous system of internal passports and residence documentation by combining both into a single card. To reduce previous fraudulent practices a photograph has been integrated into a hard-to-alter laminated plastic card with several features along with listed name, demographic, and address information. Registration for the new cards is a simple process from proof of address, allowing for a ready system of citizen identification that can be flexibly used, further work towards creating a unified numbered database has started to provide an accurate image of the general public. Work towards fully utilizing the system is likely to take until 1980, but critical steps have started to eliminate fraud and incorrect accounting.
Fuel Oil Reduction Plans: Eliminating the use of high-viscosity fuel oils in power production will take time, but as a measure, it can reduce the impact on the petrochemical industry. The heaviest of oils effectively require heavy refining to be made into useable fractions but they still can be at affordable rates. Current coal power stations that are running on fuel oils will be presented with a plan for use reduction to eliminate its use by 1980. Accompanying programs for its cracking and refinement will be put underway to finalize the transition away from wasteful uses of limited oil. (63) (+2 Coal Use until 1980, Two -6 Petroleum Fuel Projects Available)
Initial plans for the ecological transition towards coal power have begun to spare petroleum for other uses. The heavy fuel oil itself is of a grade poor enough to be used in some naval vessels but the majority of it is closer to bitumen than usable fractions. Dedicated cracking infrastructure has been pioneered if not yet fielded at a large scale to sufficiently process the petrochemical product. The economics of the matter are further deeply questionable as it is expected for the state to take a significant loss processing the heaviest of oils. Some have advocated for the use of refinery infrastructure to process imported heavy oils, but those comprise a tiny share of the market and are primarily from the Americas.
Minimal Ecological Standards: Most industries have effectively followed the loosest ecological standard leaving several limitations. The river fisheries have shown a strong decline across the Eastern basins, pushing the industry into a decline. Catfish populations have done well, but they are some of the few that have done well. Further, increased construction of hydrological cascades has limited local production, concentrating runoff to unsafe levels in some reservoirs. Working to update these standards and eliminate toxic runoff will be politically challenging, but can be enforced as a bare minimum. (7)
A governmental ecological assessment commission has been formed to create a common line of regulations on ecological matters and determine where the best funding would be spent on damage mitigation efforts. Current reports indicate that several new species have naturalized in Lake Baikal along with certain biological transitions being a natural symptom. Human development has of course sped them along but it is clear that the ecological damage was inevitable from the natural competition of species. Further, competitive pressures introduced by industry have been deemed acceptable as long as measures to limit the impact on the population are taken. Balakirev bluntly believes the commission to have been assembled by industry personnel who are keen on their enterprises, but it does provide a convenient excuse for a few years towards accelerating infrastructural development further.
[]Popularize the Report: Industry advocates have given every excuse necessary for further accelerating development in an easy-to-defend framework. Continuing with the excuse provides something of cover for the ministry when inevitable ecological consequences crop up and would allow a further expansion of industry. If in the next plan, radical ecological measures are taken this will unquestionably make them cheaper both politically and economically.
[]Reform another Commission: If a commission has produced erroneous results one can be formed from a series of academics that are at least neutral towards industrial concerns. These would effectively be raised from university students to take a second more impartial look. As this would be less known scientists taking a view, and worse student scientists their line is unlikely to be listened to until something inevitably goes wrong but a more accurate policy picture can be made.
[]Throw the Matter to the Supreme Soviet: Several representatives are willing to agitate strongly for their districts having major ecological issues. Consistent discoloration and downstream combustion near Saratov along with water problems near sites of intense petrochemical development are just a small factor. Significant farming runoff areas have caused significant issues for urban water supplies with low pressure and filtration interruptions consistently resulting. It's unlikely to produce massive results but getting the Supreme Soviet arguing about it will at least force a compromise.
Educational Attainment Reforms: Current problems in education have shown themselves with almost an eighth of Soviet Students unable to progress adequately in a standard program despite their best attempts. Most of these students are trying their best but need special instruction unavailable in conventional tracks. By establishing the guidelines for a secondary track and encouraging several schools to offer it, some of the problems can be addressed. This is only an initial reform and one that is to be done without much additional funding, but if it works the model can be applied at a far larger scale. (25)
With the demands placed on the supply of adequate teachers from the current educational extension, there are neither the funds nor capable instructors to serve students who cannot manage in tertiary tracks. Funding has been allocated towards increasing the current system of boarding schools but everything is going to have to be focused on ensuring that students can resume conventional educational activity as there are no spare qualified educators. Several schools have still been founded and expanded for the worst of students with disabilities that make them unable to navigate the curriculum entirely but further funding is unlikely given the necessary improvements that still need to be made to conventional tracks.
12 Hour Moratorium
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