[Erax]

CODED TRANSMISSION
From: Commodore Telar, Sector Starfighter Force
To: Admiral Wiers

Gesaril II, 2404.9

Admiral,

We have analyzed the footage and shipscans transmitted to us by the Fleet and formed a reasonably clear picture of Alliance capabilities.

Their carriers are much larger than any of our current vessels, but rely solely on their fighter loads - the carriers themselves have no weapons. Each carrier has 16 launch bays distributed along its length; their bays launch fighters at half the rate of ours.

The remaining space is taken up by cargo bays, which are 50% more efficient than ours. Each carrier can therefore hold an estimated total of 128 Alcestis light fighters, the only model we saw them deploy at Aram I. In that engagement, one carrier released 80 fighters and the other 72; we believe this was their entire load at the time.

Their carriers can release 16 fighters at a time. We believe this is also the size of their squadrons - 16 fighters in 4 flights of 4 craft each. Each carrier is probably designed to carry a total of 8 squadrons, organized into 2 wings.

The technology employed aboard the Alliance carriers is on a par with ours, but when it comes to the fighters we are completely outclassed. The Alcestis light fighter is larger than a TIE bomber, but its speed is comparable to that of a TIE fighter. Its twin projectile cannon make it five times as deadly as our fighters, on an equivalent tonnage basis. Our lasers outrange their weapons, but that is a small advantage. At the moment, their space fleet is far superior to ours.

I recommend we raise TIE bomber defense squadrons along the border with the Alliance. In our simulations, the bombers fared better against the Alcestis than our fighters. This will strengthen our position in the short term, but we must develop anti-fighter ships and larger carriers if we want to match and counter Alliance capability. The gap is large and we must try to narrow it.