Social : Innovation and cooperation
VK tech is being spread through Germany. Already we see benefits of this, as the Luftwaffe has taken steps to upgrade their Bf-109 fighters, or Werner Von Braun aiding in rocket technology. At the same time, the consolidation of the German military under the OberKommando Deutschland offers opportunities.
By coordinating development and research under the OBK, we can avoid duplicate efforts and speed up modernization of our military forces. This consolidation will not be the stiffening overbearing control as would be expected from a Soviet system, nor the uncontrolled chaos of a capitalist system, but a gentle guiding hand as seen in other sections of the economy.
Research 1: Aircraft lasers
Two ways of thoughts exist on how to develop aircraft lasers. The first is to take the full scale Laser-Werfer, rearrange the components, and use it as the main gun for a powerful attack plane. The upside of this development is that the plane is equipped with a weapon that can easily destroy tanks, so one wonders what it does to smaller aircraft. The downside is that the size of the weapon requires a rather large plane.
The second method is to take the adapted naval cannons, downscale them, remove complex and expensive lens arrangement, and other features not 100% nessecairy. This results in a weapon more comparable to a normal machine gun in effectiveness and range. It retains a significant firepower, range and targeting advantage (no bullet drop), but the most important thing is that it's tiny and affordable.
Research 2: Optical electronics
The main technical issues behind optical electronics are largely solved, as attested by the fact that German engineers have already build cameras containing thousands of such sensors. However, despite that fact there's room for improvement.
Interaction between the Optical sensor system and computer systems is currently limited to storing and displaying these images. We shall endavour to improve these systems, mostly in a series of high specific specialized systems.
An optical system sending out a specific pattern can be used to measure the distance to that object, by measuring how long it takes for the signal to return. In a more specialized situation, such a pattern can be used to encode information, creating an optical telegraph that can not be easily intercepted.
Alternatively, sensors can be utilized to automatically guide laser weaponry. Since a laser moves at the speed of light, if it fires at an object it sees it will hit (as opposed to an artillery cannon, which will undershoot or overshoot). By combining 5 sensors in the form of a cross, we can make a simple system that automatically targets an object. The 4 outer sensors tell the system in which direction to move, the center one tells it when to fire.
Lastly, the usage of alternative frequencies should also be explored. Infrared for example, opens thousands of possibilities. Another priority is to reduce cost of current optical systems. They can not be used if they weight or cost more than the plane they would be used on, after all.
Design 1: Submarine Cruiser
The Type XII Cruiser submarine is almost certainly one of the largest and most complex submarine designs ever developed. On the official papers released to Britain, it's a coastal defense submarine, a floating artillery platform intended to raise up from the seas behind an enemy landing operation, and blast them to smithereens. In reality, it's designed with a completely different purpose in mind.
It's pressure hull is made, at considerable expense, from pure VK-titanium coated in sonar absorbing rubber with a layer of VK-carbon on top to resist lasers and other energy weaponry. Power is derived from a miniaturized VK-Rankine turbine which not only propels the sub at speeds in excess of 90 km/h, but also provides plenty of electrical power for weaponry and crew comforts. Endurance of the submarine is limited only by food supply, with a modicum of facilities prepared to ensure the crew does not suffer psychologically from the long time they'd be isolated from the rest of the world.
Armament consists of 8 forward and 2 aft torpedo tubes, rapidly reloaded due to an automated loading mechanism. A maximum of 60 torpedoes can be loaded, though this is not always the case. Both VK torpedoes and conventional HTP designs can be utilized, though the former is preferred. Furthermore, the submarine is armed with 4 Naval lasers in deployable turrets. The extensible lenses allow the laser to be fired from above the surface while the submarine is at torpedo depth (in decent weather), and to carry the entire system internally when travelling underwater, heavily reducing drag. If need be, the blue-green lasers can also be fired underwater.
Sensor systems are the best Germany has available, with 2 different radars (aeroplane and ships), sensitive hydrophones (including a deployable probe that allowed the submarine to listen what's behind it) and sonar navigation( invented in WW1, so should work here). Communication is done by a build in enigma machine.
Due to it's large size and enormous value, the cruiser submarine carries a small armory and complement of elite forces for protection. It is not to be allowed to be boarded, with special forces being trained on how to overload the reactor and scuttle should this come to transpire. Emergency exits ensure this action is only moderately suicidal.
Design 2 : Digi- Codebreaker
The Digi-Codebreaker is a generic system designed to break any simple cypher code, without any knowledge about what cypher was used. The massive speed of the system should allow any simple code to be cracked in rapid order, despite the complexity of this affair. The Digi-codebreaker works by scanning the frequency of the letters of a particular message, and assembling statistics. As certain letters in certain languages are used more often than others, this provides an opening to crack the code.
While this will only work on some cyphers (enigma is immune, for example), the cracking of these simple codes will allow us to acquire a lot of information already. In addition, sometimes a message in a simple code is later retransmitted over a more secure line, allowing us to compare scrip and cyphertext to crack the more complex code as well.
The Digi-codebreaker is designed to allow for adaptions to be made to it's programming, so that it can be optimized to crack more complex codes as well.
Production 1: Arsenal of Justice
The Draka are planning to make a move on Europe, and our forces are not yet prepared. Despite the threat, it's the decision of the council to keep VK-derived weaponry hidden for the moment. In the event of war however, we need to be able to equip our forces rapidly with their new equipment.
In order to allow that while maintaining our current forces, we will utilize Germanies economic weight to create a parralel supply chain for VK technologies, with it's own anonimized factories and storehouses. Massive complexes where weaponry can be held untill it is needed.
Access to the Armory is based on state of alert Germany finds itself in.
Code Weiss : Peace, the armory is sealed
Code Gelb : Minor conflicts, special units are allowed access, VK production started
Code Orange : Escalating Conflict,elite units allowed, commence switching of conventional industry
Code Red : War , all units allowed, switch all factories to VK derivatives
Code Black : Lost conflict, open access to partisans.
Production 2:
OberKommando Deutschland has been established, but as of yet it lacks it lacks a proper Headquarters, which diminishes it's possible effectiveness. As such, construction will commence in central Germany on Complex Adlerhost, a large scale command center.
Constructed in the vicinity of and underneath the Historic Kransberg Castle, the bunker complex is completely disguised. Annex buildings, even though fortified to resist aerial bombardement, are disguised as local town buildings. Power is supplied by an underground VK generator, and communications assured by telegraph lines.
The bunker complex is protected against biological, nuclear and chemical weaponry, and disguised anti-air installations are installed in nearby areas.
Covert : The Land of the Rising Sun
Japan is currently fighting against the Draka, and they're not doing particularly well. Nuclear warheads, which Japan is capable of producing, could change the tide but have not yet been deployed. We suspect this is caused by a lack of available nuclear material, given that Japan's primary production sites are known to be primitive in comparison to ours.
As such, a squadron of 6 Type VIII-o submarines are to make their way to Japan, carrying sufficient nuclear material to create 10 nuclear warheads, approximately 600 kg of nuclear material. They will also carry schematics and models of bio fuel factories. The largely empty submarines will carry a Werewolf unit to ensure they're not captured, by Japanese or others, and will be armed with VK torpedoes, to fire back at pursuers if they happen to come under attack. In trade for the one time delivery of material and technology, we expect to gain insight in nuclear weaponry, insight in Draka tactics and examples of their tech, insight in other forces(Soviets) operating in China and their tech, and insight in the Japanese artillery and rocket plane tech (in order of importance).
As nuclear weaponry is a state secret, it's probably best to vet this with the Fuhrer first.
Military :
Under the limitations of Versaille treaty, Germany hid it's military might. Though those limitations are now gone, these tendencies still remain. While the secrecy prevents an enemy from knowing about our most advanced designs, it has dangerous drawbacks.
1) In case of an enemy who's more open about his technology, our forces may find themselves facing technologically superior foes, a situation which will persist untill new supplies arrive.
2) When these supplies arrive, teething issues and doctrinal changes will need to be applied while in active combat. This is not an optimal situation.
In order to resolve these issues, we will endavour for the creation of an elite military force consisting of experienced soldiers. These soldiers will be trained and equipped with new technology, allowing them to work out the particulars and benefits of these weapons. If war comes to pass, they can also be used as a strong vanguard to hold the line until the new weaponry can actually be deployed, rather than by showcased in a single research institute:
