The Kingdom of Cochin

Operation Grand Master - 12 - Battleground Rio

2015-02-04T09:53:00.002-08:00

Within a few days of the start of Operation Grand Master it was apparent that it would be nearly impossible to conduct large scale infantry operations in the South American continent without a thorough analysis of the vast spectrum of Nuclear, Biological and Chemical agents spread all around the region. At all the landing points of the Airborne troops several soldiers had fallen sick with infections and hundreds of them are now quarantined in a secure hospital at St Helena. It was decided that any combat activity would have to be done mostly by mechanized units for the time being, an option that was proving to be more and more difficult in the apocalyptic and rubble strewn cities of the continent which turned out to be more or less centers of hostile activity.

A week after the invasion it was found out that all the cities of South America fell into either of two categories – absolute depopulation due to massive WMD attacks or centers of extreme militant activity, survivors of decades of the most intense civil war human history has ever seen. Literally hundreds of S-RECOs are now flying across the skies of South America with special packages to detect trace amounts of NBC agents in the atmosphere. The abandoned Dois de Julho International Airport was reclaimed by the Quarter Master Command after a thorough Cleanup by one of several NBC Cleanup teams that are flying in now from the Kingdom. A massive warehouse inside the airport compound has been sanitized by Quarter Master Command to be a quarantine center where the hundreds of S-RECOs and its sensor pods would be analyzed. A massive contingent from Center for Biological Warfare Defense and Center for Chemical Warfare Defense have also arrived to take station at this quarantined base to study the spectrum of diseases and agents that is wreaking havoc on the land. CBWD and CCWD have over the years done a wide variety of highly sensitive research and all the experience in Falklands assisting HAE in routing out the contagious diseases there would prove its value now. Already mass inoculations of special vaccines and antigens are being carried out at all Task Force Headquarters for incoming troops with thousands of tonnes of inoculates being mass produced back in Cochin. Even so it there are possibilities that hitherto unknown NBC agents are also in work in the area. A conflict zone of this zone has after all never ever before seen in the world. However no recuse is still possible for the several cities and areas that have become nuclear wastelands though certain attempts are being made by Strategic Command to conduct cleanup operations there too.

However it is not just diseases, radiation and chemical weapons that are inflicting a death toll on the Cochin forces, the city of Rio de Janeiro, the landing site of Task Force Khampa is turning out to be a battlefield of the most heinous sort. Though only 10% of its pre-civil war population, the city is full of vast bands of heavily armed militia and replete with internecine inter favela warfare. Rio is in fact a city over run by the favelas surrounding it. S-RECO reconnaissance showed images of the once booming Centro and South Zone districts laid out to absolute ruin. The threat from the favelas were found to be so severe that the Task Force Khampa was forced to shift its landing site from the coast of Gavea to Santa Cruz after a week of heavy attacks and excessive casualties. It was decided that a better tactical strategy would be to encircle the city before pacifying it. This decision came after the loss of almost 1400 soldiers in the week of fighting to secure the beaches. During this week the other brigades of the 8th Marine Division and 9th Marine Division landed at Santa Cruz and secure a defensive perimeter. The fighting retreat of the lead battalions of the 8th Marine Division was secured through ample fire support from the Arsenal Ship CNS Genghis, Cruiser CNS Talwar and the Metac Aerial Artillery Platforms of the RM05 squadron. With the securing of second landing site Santa Cruz, the heavy divisions of Task Force Khampa are being landed especially the Fifth Mechanized Division and the 6th Armored Cavalry Regiment, whose firepower would be vital in the battle to conquer Rio de Janeiro.

However as in other parts of the continent this war is first being waged by the S-RECOs flying over the city in droves to detect NBC agents. Only after inoculating the soldiers for the agents awaiting them in this once beautiful city would the Battle for Rio begin.

Operation Grand Master - 11 - Battle In The Mountains

2015-02-04T09:50:00.002-08:00

The fire team 25BD had laid out fully three layers of defensive perimeters, each with successively shorter circumference. They had got information that a 1st Airborne Division GH44 was coming their way carrying a squad strength of combat infantry to relieve them. It is apparently only an hour or two out, flying at maximum speed towards them. Till then they had to hold the ground. Between the four commandos they have 2 CS56AR Assault Rifles, one CS76AR Assault Rifle, one CS76AW Squad Automatic Weapon, four CS90SM Sub Machine Guns and one CS40GL Grenade Launcher. Each commando carried 500 rounds each of 5.56 x 45mm and 7.62 x 51mm rounds and ten 40 x 46mm grenades and 15 each of fragmentation and smoke grenades. Their stocks of MNP Anti personnel mines were already laid out in the defenses. As they distributed their ammunition stocks in preparation for the assault, the militias could be seen approaching from around 4 kilometers out, they mentally prepared for the impending fire fight.

Hunkering down at the outermost perimeter where they had all dug their own foxholes, the fire team started shooting bursts at single shots at the extreme range of their CS56AR Assault Rifles. The rifles with their silencers were being silently effective driving the horde in a very planned fashion towards the mine traps. After a sufficient number of militia had crossed the first minefield, the mines were remotely triggered and in a massive crump several of the militia fell down. This however only enraged the militia further and they started running towards the team shouting and screaming, with several of them firing guns at them, albeit with a relatively poor aim. The team started firing in volumes at the approaching hordes but soon realized that their outer perimeter is untenable. Triggering smoke grenades they grabbed the remaining munitions from that defense line and raced to the middle line hoping that the distraction of smokes and triggered grenades that would explode in a few seconds would buy them enough confusion in the enemy ranks for them to settle securely in their second firebase which was in a skewed axis from that of the approach towards the outer defensive line.

However as the smoke cleared the commandos were in for a shock themselves. Contrary to all aspects of common sense and intelligence the militia had run blindly through the smokescreen and exploding grenades to be only a few yards in front of them. In a controlled panic the fire team started firing at the approaching militia many of them apparently injured already from the numerous blood stains all over their body. Several of them even seemed to be injured in the face but still keeping on fighting, their faces also bloodied. As the firefights soon turned into close quarter combat the commandos all switched to their sub machine guns and laid out a massive volume of fire on the rampaging horde of militia. Crouching shoulder to shoulder in a tight arc, they had realized earlier on that the militia were not very proficient in small arms and did not seem to have any explosive munitions, they as one increased the tempo of firing and laid out a volley of grenades from the under slung grenade launchers of their rifles. In the devastative lull caused by this intense volley they made their run towards the last defensive line. Immediately after reaching this line they triggered the rest of their mine traps, hoping against hope that the devastation caused by this round of attrition would make the militia retreat. As they watched to their horror that the militia though depleted severely in numbers were still approaching with a mad fury, the Team Lead, a Major in RCSF called to the GH44 which should have been at their position almost 15 minutes back. However there was only static in the comms codes corresponding to the GH44 sent to them. As he switched around to the base frequency of Task Force Rajput he finally made contact and he shouted, " This is SpecFor Two Five Bravo Delta! Where is that bloody relief you promised us."

To this after a tense two seconds came the reply, "Bad news, the GH44 crashed on the way at El Tuparro National Park, causes unknown. You are on your own. You are advised to escape and evade from the location as soon as possible. Sorry."

The Major had only one response to that, an expletive of four syllables.

"Team, we are on our own, we have to fight our way out. No alternative. Rescue team has crashed and no one is coming now," the Major screamed to the rest of his fireteam.

"Well isn't that just wonderful? They have got more numbers than we have bullets left and they seem too hyper aggressive to even care about attrition," The Squad Sergeant said derisively while wiping dirt, sweat and grime off her forehead.

"So basically we are screwed?" The Lieutenant asked while shooting another 3 round burst at two approaching militia from his CS76AR.

"Oh yes Sir, we are definitely dead here. Well at least let us take more of them down before they take us down. After all by numbers we are certainly way ahead of them. I have a count of 58. How many have you tagged, Lieut?" the Lance Corporal asked.

"I think I have tagged around 49, but the champ is the Sarge, with her Machine gun. Sarge, how many have you tagged?" The Lieutenant asked.

"Shut up and kill more of them instead of counting. And knowing you Corporal, I am amazed that you even know to count up to 58," the Sergeant scolded the two team mates before laying another swathe of fire at the approaching militia whose gunfire were now becoming actually dangerous enough to matter, because of proximity. "Also, I believe 145, " the Sergeant replied with a rare smile.

"Well, well, well. We have had the miracle of our lifetimes. The Sergeant has cracked a wit. Now let us get on with it, friends," the Major said bayoneting a militia who had jumped rather close to him and shooting through him to take out two other militia. The four commandos of the Royal Cochin Special Forces carried on firing at the militia, not unmindful of the fact that death is but a few minutes away but determined to embrace it blazing and with panache as is traditional for the "Invisibles" of the 25th Special Forces Regiment.

Operation Grand Master - 10 - Order of Battle

2015-02-04T09:45:00.003-08:00

COCHIN EXPEDITIONARY FORCE SOUTH AMERICA - ORDER OF BATTLE

CEFSA based from Royal Cochin Naval Base St Helena is primarily divided into three Task Forces

Task Force Rajput

Task Force Headquarters: Georgetown

Objectives:
To secure northern Brazil, Guyane, Guyana, Suriname, Venezuela and Colombia. 3MAR to proceed to Bogota and Maracaibo via Caracas along the coast but not to cross the Andes Mountains. 4MAR to secure Guyane and proceed to Manaus via Macapa along the banks of Amazon River. 1AD to proceed to Boa Vista and then to Manaus and Bogota. 8MD, 7ACR and 7IR to be reserve units. TF Rajput not to conduct any operations in Caribbean region.

Royal Cochin Army
3rd Marine Division
4th Marine Division
1st Airborne Division
8th Mechanized Division
7th Armored Cavalry Regiment
7th Infantry Regiment

Royal Cochin Navy
A01 CNS Sakthan
DS01 CNS Amindvi
DS02 CNS Trinity
FR01 CNS NIlambur
FR04 CNS Patton
CR01 CNS Kavaratti
CR03 CNS Horemheb
BS01 CNS Kannur
BS02 CNS Cariappa
CV02 CNS Cutlass
CV03 CNS Kirpan
H02 CNS Rokossovsky
H03 CNS Kirov
MOB3

Royal Cochin Air Force
RF01
RF02
RF03
RF05
RF06
RF07
RS03

Task Force Jhansi

Task Force Headquarters: Salvador

Objectives:
To secure Central Brazil. 5MAR to proceed along the coast and via Maranhao to secure Belem. 7MAR to proceed via coast and via Barreias to secure Brasilia. 4MD to proceed to Palmas and from there to secure Mato Grosso and Para regions. 8IR, 9IR, 1ACR, 2ACR, 4ACR to be reserve units.

Royal Cochin Army
MAR
7MAR
4 MD
2AD
8IR
9IR
1ACR
2ACR
4ACR

Royal Cochin Navy
A02 CNS Cochin
DS03 CNS Hannibal
DS04 CNS Nelson
FR05 CNS Billiere
CR04 CNS Excalibur
BS03 CNS Rommel
BS04 CNS Asoka
CV04 CNS Katara
CV05 CNS Khadga
H04 CNS Vatutin
H05 CNS Emden
MOB2

Royal Cochin Air Force
RF09
RF11
RF12
RS02
RM03
RA01

Task Force Khampa

Task Force Headquarters: Rio de Janeiro

Objectives:
To secure Southern Brazil. 9MAR to secure Vitoria and Cuiaba. 8MAR to proceed towards Asuncion via Porto Alegre. 5MD to secure Rio Verde and from there assist in securing of Asuncion and Cuiaba. 6AD, 11IR, 12IR, 5ACR, 6 ACR to be reserve formations.

Royal Cochin Army
8MAR
9MAR
5MD
6AD
11IR
12IR
5ACR
6ACR

Royal Cochin Navy
A06 CNS Venad
DS06 CNS Hunter
FR06 CNS Sekhon
CR06 CNS Talwar
BS05 CNS Genghis
CV06 CNS Urumi
H06 CNS Rapier
H07 CNS Swift

Royal Cochin Air Force
RF14
RF16
RF17
RM05
RS03

At all the Task Force landing points massive logistical facilities are being built and the operational reserve units are rushing in to secure the territories. Considering the massive NBC wastelands that is most of South America special precautions are being taken.

A Maritime Exclusion Zone is also being declared by Royal Cochin Navy where no foreign vehicles, aerial or maritime are being permitted. The MEZ is a temporary measure to secure the continent and to ensure that no criminal entities venture into the continent.

Operation Grand Master - 9 - Scout Reports

2015-02-04T09:42:00.002-08:00

Of the eleven commando teams that had infiltrated into South America before the full fledged invasion, three teams had completed their tasks. The recon teams which had lied in wait and had been transmitting on the ground tactical intelligence to the Task Force commanders at Suddie near Georgetown, Camacari near Salvador and at the Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro are being extracted now.

The team at Suddie had laid in wait at the extremely think coastal woodlands for the weeks upto the invasion in their camouflaged poncho tents. Venturing out only at night in teams of two the commandos had ensured that no combatant activity was being taking place in the region. Though they were protected by their NBC protective gear the stench of the dead all around them had still been overwhelming. It was indeed a ghastly chore for them during their mealtimes when they took their sustenance trying to blank out the stench of the dead. However they held on with their tasks until they heard the sounds of the invading forces of Task Force Rajput landing at the beaches of Georgetown. A day later as a GAL Blackhawk came to collect these commandos it had been a very relieved fireteam which jumped into the helicopters to civilization and life.

At Camacari the arriving commandos had learned within a day that landings here would be a trivial matter. However they waited for fully three days to ensure no human activity was going on in the land before they ventured out of their camouflaged shelters. Walking south to the ghost town of Camacari the seasoned commandos of Royal Cochin Special Forces were appalled at the brutality meted out to the civilian settlements. The senior most of the fireteam, a Chief Boatswain's Mate commented that this would be an expedition that would give an added measure of combat tested strength to the Royal Cochin Defense Forces. They commandeered a more or less uninfected truck which was surprisingly in working condition and drove around the ghost town of Camacari. A few days later as the Task Force Jhansi made landfall at the beaches to the South East the fireteam waited for a few hours for the adrenaline of the landing forces to die down and then walked towards them waving a white flag. Then to the shocked Marines the commandos described the purgatory they are entering to for a few hours before a Blackhawk landed at the beachhead to collect them back for debriefing.

The Blackhawk that was sent by the 8th Marine Division to relieve the recon team at the statue of Christ the Redeemer in Corvocado mountains outside of Rio de Janeiro were in for a bitter surprise. Hovering in from the east of the massive statue the crew of the helicopter were aghast at seeing what looked like the remnants a battle. Several bodies were strewn along the grounds in front of the mammoth statue and several blackened pockmarks evident of a fiery firefight. Fearing the worst the Blackhawk swiftly disgorged its squad of 8 Marines who ran around looking for the RCSF commandos. Two dead bodies of RCSF commandos were found amidst grenade rubble at the base of the steps to the Christ the Redeemer and one other body was found at the top of the pedestal, the commando's fingers clenched tightly into the trigger of his sniper rifle and a bullet having destroyed his communications pack. The fourth commando was nowhere to be found. Two Scorpion gunships had arrived by that time to the station to provide offensive over cover to the exfiltration as the Marines radio'd back the information about the missing commando and the three dead commandos.

It was as they were about to leave for the beachhead that one of the Marines saw a clump of bodies on the western side of the statue, behind its right foot. Walking over there to examine it the soldier saw around four or five bodies lying in a huddle. The bodies all seemed to be wearing dresses similar to that of the attackers below but one of the bodies was that of the fourth commando. The Marine tentatively checked his pulse to feel it beating, albeit faintly. He immediately shouted for his team mates and in a few minutes the barely alive commando was hauled aboard the Blackhawk which took off immediately towards the Aircraft Carrier CNS Venad stationed 50 km off the coast of Rio de Janeiro. It looked like the fireteam of 4 commandos had taken out a group of almost 64 rebel militia for the loss of three of their own. The squad of 8 soldiers were ordered to secure the area and realizing that the pacification of Rio de Janeiro wont be the bloodless invasion it had been so far at other landing sites across South America, additional reinforcements were ordered to be sent to the Christ the Redeemer area. Within a day, the area would have a Company sized force which would secure the entirety of Corovado Mountain . Some isolated encounters had already started at the beahhead at Vidigal favela where despite initial lifelessness, bands of guerrillas were starting hit and run attacks against the Cochin forces. So far the attackers had all been destroyed thoroughly but it was clear to the commanders of Task Force Khampa that the complete pacification of Rio de Janeiro would require significant forces.

Meanwhile at Viamao, Brasilia, Macapa, Rio Preto da Eva, Cayenne and Caracas the Royal Cochin Special Forces commandos were reporting status varying from complete depopulation to intense combatant activities. The teams themselves had secures positions of relative safety as they continued relaying tactical information that would be of invaluable benefits to the CEF forces advancing across South America. However messages from Bogota were of another nature entirely.

The Commandos that had landed at Ubaque, South East of Bogota had learned quite early on that their mission intelligence briefing had been flawed. There was no line of sight from their position to the city of Bogota. After duly appraising the Task Force commanders they started trekking towards the Chorro la Palma. They had already seen several bands of apparently deranged hyper aggressive militia roaming the country side so it was with extreme care that they started trekking towards the new Reconnaissance Station. Despite their several precautions their covert trek of around 15 kilometers was not without incidents. At several times they happened across the bands of deranged militia and several short firefights occurred all of which the Cochin commandos prevailed through. However as they crossed the crest and reached Chorro la Palma they noticed a large group of militias approaching them from the direction of Las Tapinas. They had only one alternative, defend their present elevated position from the oncoming onslaught. They immediately set out deploying their mines and grenades and started preparing a defensive perimeter. An immediate call for assistance was also placed with the CEF Command in St Helena however they knew that even if a rescue mission is launched it would take several hours for them to reach their positions, during which time they would have no alternative other than to fight these crazy militia with what weapons they were carrying.

Operation Grand master - 8 - Land of the Dead

2015-02-04T09:38:00.002-08:00

The presence of an active radar popping up was a surprise to Brigadier General Prakash Bhosle. Standing in an NBC protected field tent at the Pernambues area of Salvador Brig. Gen. Bhosle already had a couple of scores of seriously infected soldiers who were evacuated to the warships of Task Force Jhansi. After these early few who had ventured into the near dead city without protective gear had come down with biological agents, the remaining troops had donned their NBC gear in a hurry. As the T150 Main Battle Tanks and the Armored Personnel Carriers of the Fifth Marine Division across the bay region the Cochin Expeditionary Force had changed orientation from an invading army to a disaster relief force. It was apparent that any semblance of governance is extinct in the continent. Seeing the putrid piles of corpses strewn haphazardly all over a once booming town, it seemed that a population to govern was extinct too. However chances are there would be isolated pockets of extremely lucky people who would form the basis of a whole new society and those people had to protected from scavengers from across the world.

It seemed that some of those very same lucky persons had revealed themselves. The radar signal seemed to originate from the locales of a military base thought to be abandoned and unmanned some kilometers outside of Salvador. Perhaps at least some living souls could be savaged from this hell. Brig. Gen. Bhosle immediately ordered one of his battalions in the vicinity to make way towards the military base, to secure it and to offer relief to the beleaguered souls in there.

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With the combat action that they were being promised non existent the soldiers of the 3rd Battalion, 1st Brigade, 5th Marine Division had been tasked to move towards the city of Feira de Santana. The First Brigade is assigned with the task to securing the land till the city of Petrolina and the third Battalion is currently in the lead of the columns. Conducting their flag march from Camacari along the BR324 the battalion is led by its BTR99s configured for engineer operations since most of the roads and pathways were filled with rubble and overgrowth. As the core group of the Battalion's heavy vehicles kept to the main roads the GAL Blackhawks assigned to the battalion were flying further inner scouting for any human inhabitation along the areas. Wherever settlements are seen The BRDM6s and Axes would scout for any living humans. For places further inroad the Blackhawks would land and do the recon with their own infantry squads.

It was then that the Lieutenant Colonel commanding the Battalion received the orders from Brig. Gen. Bhosle. Quickly discussing his new orders with the other Battalion commanders of the Brigade and the Brigade commander, Lt Col Pyotr Shevchenko ordered his battalion to change course towards the former HAE Imperial military base. As the ground units swerved off the BR324 highway towards the base the ten GAL Blackhawks and five Piranha attack helicopters raced off to do the recce. While feeds were starting to come from the scores of S-RECO surveillance and reconnaissance UAVs that were launched all over the region the past few days the reconnaissance net was still not fully secure.

The Blackhawks would approach the military base from the south, the lead Blackhawk with its radar active and painting the military base with a mega horn on the helicopter announcing these words.

"Imperial soldiers of Holy American Empire, this is the Royal Cochin Army speaking. We are here to assist you. We request your officers to come out and open your facility for inspection. You are being offered food and medical supplies. Please cooperate with us."

As the Blackhawk circled around the military base waiting for human presence its sensors were working to trace any amount of NBC agents present in the atmosphere. The other Blackhawks would take station a few hundred meters away with the Piranhas providing defensive overwatch. Some of the Blackhawks would disgorge its combat infantry who donned in their protective NBC gear would first test the soil for contaminants and then proceed towards the gates. The 4 squads of soldiers, 32 in all would approach barrels down to give a non hostile impression but the safeties are off. Private Bayanchur Bagha looked apprehensively at the massive doors of the military base but was even more apprehensive about the funeral pall of silence that surrounded the region. Belatedly he realized that there was no sounds even from the countryside.

Operation Grand Master - 7 - Assault Begins

2015-02-04T09:34:00.003-08:00

Pvt Bagha is holding on to his assault rifle with whitened hands as the Amphibious Fighting Vehicle is approaching the beaches of Salvador. Just an hour earlier the lead units of the 5th and 7th Marine Divisions had conducted an airborne invasion of the beaches of Salvador assisted by the countless fighters, bombers and Close Air Support aircrafts from the Task Force Jhansi. The Marine Private knew as lead echelons of the first wave of amphibious reinforcements he and his comrades would have a tough time to secure the beachheads the airborne troops would be trying to hold now. Though he had trained for this in several amphibious assault exercises, the prospect of actual combat was quite daunting. Several hours of videos and documentaries the troops had been shown of the Normandy Invasions of World War Two had also acclimatized them to expect a substantial measure of attrition.

Through rolling waves the AFVs carved a way through jostling the combat infantry inside, waiting to be shot at, waiting for the defenses of Holy American Empire to tear through their ranks. Though the batteries aboard the warships of the Task Force and the combat aircrafts patrolling above would ensure that any hostility would be suppressed effectively, it was the norm to expect casualties. However the only roar the soldiers heard were those of the AFV’s own massive engines and numerous aircrafts screaming overhead.

“Prepare yourself for the landing, just 100 meters out, “ the AFV driver announced and the platoon sergeant shouted, “Brace yourself, men, this is it.” With a loud thud the AFV’s tracks made contact with the soil of the beach and started churning it to mud as it raced forward, its turret mounted heavy machine gun scanning for targets and the combat infantry inside pointing their rifles out through the reinforced gunsights. Pvt Bagha who was at the front of the vehicle and the last to leave the vehicle braced for the rear doors to open and the attack to start with fury. The rear doors were thrown open and as the light of breaking dawn ventured into the vehicle, Pvt Bagha ran out of the vehicle following his squad to take firing positions.

It was a mad dash to reach the clearly visible beachhead occupied by the airborne troops and only after he reached the beachhead lines and let his adrenaline be overcome by other senses that he was aware of the most unseeming quietness. No defense. No attack upon them. In fact there seemed to be no human presence at all.

It was then that the stench hit his nose. The most revolting and evil smell that he has ever experienced. The smell of charred and putrifying human remains. It was coming mostly from the South West where the town of Salvador was supposed to be. The Uighur lad prayed a silent prayer to Allah to give him strength to face the horrors he realized he had in store for him.

The same was the story across the Eastern seaboard of South America as the landing units of Task Force Rajput, Jhansi and Khampa arrived at vistas of apocalyptic destruction. The Third and Fourth Marine Divisions had landed north of Georgetown in Guyana and the 8th and 9th Marine Divisions landed South of Rio de Janeiro. Following the Marine Divisions the three Airborne Divisions would be landed at the beachheads as the engineers established logistical pathways for the heavier units to come. The Marine Divisions would start moving along the coastline to secure the continent to be replaced by the Armored cavalry Regiments and Mechanized Divisions as they disembark.

Operation Grand Master - 6 - Covert Beginings

2011-09-30T00:49:00.000-07:00

This would be the last covert action before the Cochin invasion began in strength. In the early hours of the dawn a flight of Merats took off into the skies from FAB Barra and NAS Crozet. Flying with transponder signs of commercial freight airliners, these four Merats are however carrying cargoes of a different sort. Flying at a continuous altitude of 30,000 ft the courses of these aircrafts have been specially designed to take them over a few select regions in South America. The course would be selected that these skirt the actual target location by roughly 150 kms so that even if a random radar tracked them they would be none the wiser as to the objective of the flight. In all 11 target locations would be visited by 11 Tactical Teams of Royal Cochin Special Forces.

As the aircrafts reach the designated jump points the teams of four Commandos would jump from the aircraft from an altitude of 30000 ft wearing their Gryphon wingpacks. The Gryphon wingpacks with their special miniature jet engines would assist the commandos to cover the 150 kms of distance to their target with ease and at the correct altitude they would release their Gryphon and land assisted by their own heavy parachutes so that the Gryphon lands ahead of them. The commandos from the 25th Special Forces Regiment, the “Invisibles” based at Nilambur are specialized in jungle and mountain warfare and would be the advance scouts for the soon to be invasion.

Each of the location chosen to send the Commando teams is of strategic importance in the upcoming invasion, Suddie near Georgetown, Monte Alto near Caracas, Ubaque near Bogota, Tamanredjo near Paramaribo, Escol near Cayenne, Mazagao near Macapa, Rio Preto da Eva near Manaus, Camacari near Salvador, Botanical Gardens in Brasilia, Viamao near Porto Alegre and finally one team near the location of the statue of Christ the Redeemer in Rio De Janeiro. Arriving at their well recon’d target locations before the break of dawn, the 4 man tactical teams would blend into the surroundings camouflaged and set up observation posts. With sufficient resources carried for several weeks of independent operation they also have sufficient weapons to ensure that they can survive a combat action if things turn out bad. Their main objective however is to provide on the ground tactical intelligence which is invaluable before the upcoming invasion.

As the aircrafts are now starting to get feet dry over South American landmass the commandos finish the suit up and are getting ready for their mission. As the first Cochin soldiers going into combat in the theater, their jobs are infinitely dangerous. No knowing if any SAM batteries would engage their aircrafts before the jump is accomplished, no knowing if the jump would be safe, no knowing whether their recon intelligence would stand the test of reality or whether they would be landing into the midst of a major militia encampment. However the first stone in Cochin expedition to South America starts now.

Operation Grand Master - 5 - A glimpse into hell

2011-09-28T06:43:00.000-07:00

Major General Sharanya Kreszenz is not having the best of days. For one thing as the Commander of Air Combat Group Atlantic, she has to oversee the still continuing forward deployments of her massive Air fleet. She has command over 57 combat squadrons of Royal Cochin Air Force, almost 700 planes apart from nearly 4 or 5 times as many Auxiliary Support planes. For the 96 or so hours except for a few intermittent hours of sleep snatched during transit, she has been reviewing one of the largest War time deployment of Royal Cochin Air Force since the Second Tahoe War in support of Greater Pacifica. She has had to juggle the basing requirement for the massive air fleet between a limited number of Forward Air Bases, ensure logistical connectivity to the massive Cochin Armada stretched across the South Atlantic Ocean and also check through the Air Neutralization and Air Superiority operations that are being planned out by her command staff.

Apart from all this what has really made her irked up today is the fact that her personal Jadayu Mark 4 had developed a landing gear trouble and has to be grounded for 12 hours. So she has to depend now on one of the larger bombers to do an Aerial Reconnaissance which she has been wanting do for some days. Far from being able to fly and relax herself, now she is destined to be a passenger for the next couple of hours.

The only consolation is that she is travelling at Mach 2.

The Major General had appropriated for herself a jump seat on an ASPER stealth bomber that was scheduled for coastal ELINT mission. Taking off from FAB St Helena the RS0206 Asper configured for ELINT mission had a programmed track towards Rio de Janeiro 10 NM from which it would angle North East to follow the terrain contours of South America maintaining a distance of 10NM from the coast all the way till Natal from where it could angle South East to return towards St Helena. A routine mission which the Aspers have been doing for the past several days. The Holy American Empire may be a battered nation but there are bound to be some surprises waiting in reserve for the Cochin Expeditionary Force when it makes landfall in a few days and the aim of the Aspers is to reduce the element of surprise . Flying at an altitude of 60,000 ft the Asper expects to be out of the combat envelop of most Surface to Air Missile systems but even if a more capable system engaged it its top speed of Mach 2.5 and active defense measures would enable it to escape unscathed. Besides the Asper has yet to meet a radar system apart from Cochin Air Defense Network which beats its stealth.

As the technicians monitored the readings of the ELINT instruments Major General Sharanya Kreszenz, the daughter of a Tamil father and a Kazakh German Mother, and one of the finest tacticians in Royal Cochin Air Force surveyed over the skies that could spell triumph or death for her Air Warriors in the coming few weeks.

Operation Grand Master - 4 - Preparing for Hell

2011-09-27T23:35:00.000-07:00

The first of several Aerial Reconnaissance Missions has been launched over the territory of the Holy American Empire. Volumes of data are already being assimilated via satellite and SKINT intelligences however the importance of true real time reconnaissance is not be downgraded which is why 3 RAVEN Stealth UAVs each took off from MOB1, MOB2, MOB3 and FAB St Helena. Flying at close to 70,000 ft of altitude these stealthy UAVs are designed for 36 hours of flight endurance. They would also be finalizing final target lists for the Air Support Missions that are soon to be launched.

The feeling of most of the RAVEN Controllers aboard the various warships of the Cochin Expeditionary Force is shock, absolute shock. They had file satellite imagery of the Holy American Empire before its civil war and comparing the landscape of that magnificent country to the apocalyptic landscapes they are watching now makes all of them have a slight shudder.

The General Officers Commanding the various Regiments and Divisions readied either in forward deployment or in theater reserve are also steeling themselves for the hell they are about to venture into. Holy American Empire was at a time one of the most powerful nations in the world, a veritable super power with Global reach, a technological giant and a military hegemon. The battles waged here were undoubtedly of a Darwinian process of the most brutal kind, the kind of perdition from which only the toughest and the most brutal survive. The Kingdom had taken upon itself the mandate of providing a measure of stability and peace in this conflict torn region, but the Royal Cochin Army would be going up against some of the toughest and war hardened militias in history. The wars that happened here were not the cosmetic rollings of sheer numbers that defines most of the wars in this planet's recent history. These were not the puny wars in which defenders rolled over dead at the first sight of trouble. No, these were real wars, those embers are the remains of real warriors pitting equal technology, equal numbers against one another when wit, courage and sheer Darwinian luck is the only thing that decided whether one would survive to see another daylight or what passed for daylight in a landscape torn asunder with a thousand fires.

The real time imagery seen by the RAVENs are being distributed to all the warships. Two days after the last soldier is permitted to talk to his family back in the Kingdom these imagery would be streamed in all the communal TVs in all the dormitories, the bunks and messes in all the warships, transport ships and bases of the Kingdom in Atlantic Ocean. The sheer brutality of the war zone they would be entering would be shown to all the soldiers so that they can get acclimatized to it, so that the first soldiers landing on shores of South America would not be benumbed by the inhospitable region. The CEF command would let two days of these videos to sink in thoroughly before the Officers start briefing the soldiers about Operation Grand Master.

Operation Grand Master - 3 - Sailing to War

2011-09-27T02:21:00.000-07:00

Private Bayanchur Bagha puked for what he hoped to be the last time at the communal toilet in their dormitory. Hailing from the steppes of Xinjiang, the young soldier is more used to galloping on top of ponies than the rolling motion of a warship at sea. While the initial days were horrible, he and the rest of his fellow soldiers had gotten pretty much accustomed to the seas by now. As they should, after all they are the soldiers of the Royal Maratha Marines, aka 7th Marine Division.

It has been an interesting couple of months for Pvt Bagha starting with his signing up for Royal Cochin Army at the recruitment post near Shihezi. The rural pastoral life of the great Xinjiang plains had naturally toughened the lad and the physical tests were only trivialities. As he boarded the train to Qiemo, the first of many train rides in his life Bayanchur was reveling in the excitement of embarking on a career of adventure and excitement.

However the Basic Training Course at the Regional Training Center, Qiemo dispelled any notions that life in Royal Cochin Army would be casual. Six months of tough training saw many weaker recruits dropping out and of the 48 men who started the train journey with Bayanchur from Shihezi only 13 passed the Basic Training Course and were formally given the rank of Private.

It was indeed a proud day for Private Bayanchur Bagha as he marched past the dignitaries and his father in the visitors’ stands on the day when he was recruited into the service. However the journey in his Army career had only started. Assigned for service with the newly raised Royal Maratha Marines, Pvt Bagha spent several months at NTC Bhuj as the various Brigades and Battalions of his regiment were being organized. It was indeed a unique experience starting out in a Regiment whose very history was yet to be written. A Regiment whose future legends would most likely involve the actions of him and his fellow soldiers as the first soldiers of the formation. It was a very heading feeling for all of them as their entire Regiment, as one, deployed to the NTC Jaisalmer.

It was from then on that Pvt Bagha realized what the career in army is all about. Days passed by and in no time he was marching past the King himself during the commissioning ceremony for his Regiment at the Capital city, Cochin City. Then it was while waiting for the final regimental headquarters that the clarion call for on sea deployment.

Seeing the vast Arabian Sea for the first time at the ports of Kandla was an awe inspiring moment, but then the sea sickness started. He lost count of the numerous times he puked by the time his ship passed Crozet Islands. However the lad from Shihezi got himself accustomed to the seas and in fact even started to revel in it as a proper Marine should, assisted by wise advices from his Sergeants, all veteran Marines from the older Marine Divisions.

It was as they reached the island fortress of St Helena that the full extent of their deployment was made aware to them. Brigadier General Prakash Bhosle, the General Officer Commanding himself had addressed the troops in every warship and auxiliary transport. The Regiment, and the Kingdom itself is embarking on a mission of monumental nature about which Bayanchur felt both excited and scared at the same time. He was finally sailing towards a war, a real war. Though he was quite hardened by numerous combat exercises this would be a whole new ballgame altogether. However the sheer passion of his fellow soldiers and the proud expectations with which his officers exhorted them hid the veneer of fear for the time being.

Ever since his Battalion had started deployment from NTC Bhuj all communications were ceased for operational security reasons, however just an hour ago the Platoon Captain had informed him that tomorrow they would all be given chance to call home. Any information about their current position would be given only after the call periods are over. Elation at being able to call family and also apprehension at the full Mission Briefing they are about to receive jostled with one another in the minds of all the soldiers not less for Pvt Bayanchur Bagha.

However he is a soldier of the realm and his King had called him for war, calling him to fulfill an oath he swore that day at Cochin City, so no matter what his trepidations he would brave up and face his challenges whatever they may be.

Operation Grand Master - 2 - Deployments

2011-09-26T23:37:00.001-07:00

Task Force Rajput led by Aircraft Carrier CNS Sakthan comprising of warships DS01 CNS Amindvi, DS02 CNS Trinity, FR01 CNS NIlambur, FR04 CNS Patton, CR01 CNS Kavaratti, CR03 CNS Horemheb, BS01 CNS Kannur, BS02 CNS Cariappa, CV02 CNS Cutlass, CV03 CNS Kirpan and attack submarines SY01 through SY05 is escorting a force comprising of 3rd Marine Division and 4th Marine Division travelling aboard Helicopter Carriers H02 CNS Rokossovsky and H03 CNS Kirov and associated transport vessels. The Task Force Rajput is in station 200 Nautical Miles East of Port of Spain.

Task Force Jhansi led by Aircraft Carrier A02 CNS Cochin comprising of warships DS03 CNS Hannibal, DS04 CNS Nelson, FR05 CNS Billiere, CR04 CNS Excalibur, BS03 CNS Rommel, BS04 CNS Asoka, CV04 CNS Katara, CV05 CNS Khadga and Attack Submarines SY06 through SY10 are escorting a force comprising of the 5th and 7th Marine Divisions aboard H04 CNS Vatutin and H05 CNS Emden. The Task Force Jhansi is stationed 200 Nautical Miles South East of Salvador.

Task Force Khampa led by Aircraft Carrier A06 CNS Venad comprising of warships DS06 CNS Hunter, FR06 CNS Sekhon, CR06 CNS Talwar, BS05 CNS Genghis and CV06 CNS Urumi with attack submarines SY11 and SY12 is escorting a force comprising of 8th and 9th Marine Divisions aboard H06 CNS Rapier and H07 CNS Swift. Task Force Khampa is stationed 200 NM south of Rio de Janeiro.

The rest of Cochin Expeditionary Force are aboard transport ships scattered in Atlantic Ocean with some formations stationed near St Helena. The entire maritime force is being supported by an Air Combat Group comprising of RF01, RF02, RF03, RF05, RF06, RF07, RF09, RF11, RF12, RF14, RF16 and RF17 regiments of Jadayu Mark 4 ( total of 48 squadrons) and RD01, RS02, RS03, RH01, RH02, RM03, RM05, RA01, RA03 Special Warfare and Bomber Squadrons. The Air Combat Group is scattered across St Helena, NAS Crozet, MOB1, MOB2 and MOB3.

As the deployments get ready General Mahesh Varma, Commander of Royal Cochin Defense Forces send the following message to the Ceylon and Legion allies.

Quote

xxxx CLASSIFIED / SECURE xxxx

ALL UNITS IN POSITION. READY FOR CHECKMATE.

SD,

CINC,
RCDF

xxx END xxx

Operation Grand Master - Part 1

2011-09-26T04:05:00.001-07:00

The dawn of a new era started in the most casual of ways. From SLC Thumba a Yama 2 Heavy Lift Launch Rocket took to the skies. The massive rocket is carrying in its payload three satellites which are being positioned in Low Earth Orbit above South America. The combination COMSAT/RECONSATs of Strategic Reconnaissance Agency are the last piece in a massive jigsaw orchestrated over several weeks.

Meanwhile at St Helena a massive fleet of warships and transport ships are being bunkered. Squadrons of fighter planes are also arriving in waves at the Forward Air Base St Helena and moving on to the MOB2 and MOB3 further north.

Monitoring the movements via a LED console is His Highness Kerala Varma aboard the Pushpak Space Shuttle PS5. In a few hours, the Space Shuttle would start the re-entry procedures when he would be incommunicado but for the time being the King of Cochin surveyed the deployments and gave the ready order which is relayed to the RCDF GSHQ outside Cochin City. This would be the start of a new era in the history of the Kingdom of Cochin, a saga which has been in the best times been turbulent. There was no saying how this would turn out. Like all acts of ambition this too is an act of gamble. Would future generations, would his descendants, would his people condemn him for putting the Kingdom in peril or would they laud him for taking the Kingdom into heights of greatness never before dreamed of? All these imponderables are enough to sag the shoulders of the strongest of men, but he could not falter.

"Yadhaa Raaja, Thadhaa Praja" (As is the King, so would be the people)

And here he would personify the ambition, greatness and strength of the people of Cochin.

Within minutes of his Ready order the fleet of warships started sailing out as the opening moves of the Operation Grand Master played out.

Mission Moon - 01

2011-08-31T02:18:00.001-07:00

Col. Vishwanath is very uneasy as he is waiting in the corridor. Uneasiness is a quite strange effect for this man. He is always so sure of his actions with a supreme confidence in his abilities.
Col. Vishwananth wanted to fly ever since he saw the first fighter plane during an air show. The ambition drove him to excel in school and to gain selection into the National Defense Academy. As a graduating officer he got the choice of service - Royal Cochin Air Force.
At the Air Force Academy again he came within the top 5% and qualified for fighter training. His flying career started in the Marut Jet trainers followed by service in a Mig29 regiment. He was a natural aviator with an impeccable situational awareness, eagle eye vision and quick reflexes. After 3 years in Mig29s he was assigned to the RF08 JM1 regiment. His excellent service records and flying skills soon made him a Squad Leader in the regiment.

After that followed a spell of non combat assignments. He volunteered to be a test pilot for the JM2 program. Only the brightest, smartest and craziest of aviators volunteer to be a test pilot. While testing the thrills and joys of a prototype Vishwanath thoroughly enjoyed himself. Once during a flight test Vishwanathan's JM2 developed an engine failure and he had to eject. He parachuted down to a rocky field and his leg was fractured. The injury kept him out from active flying for 3 months.

But Vishwanathan took the convalescing time to certify himself on other aircraft types in RCAF. He took the time to certify for the biggest plane itself, the Halob. The quick learner that he was cleared all theoretical papers and laboratory works for Halob certification and once he regained his flight status he qualified for Halob flight. So when Maj. Vishwanath rejoined full service with RCAF he was a qualified pilot in Halob and JM1.

After another short stint in the RF08 regiment Lt. Col. Vishwanath was selected for staffing the newly formed Jadayu Mk. II regiments. He was assigned to the RF37 regiment as a Squad Leader. A year of service found him promoted to the rank of Colonel and the job of a Squadron Leader in RF37.

Now he was in the running for the job of a Regimental Commander with the rank of a Brigadier General. This was the tricky phase in any service officer's career. Far too many good men for far too less good jobs.

And now he was being called before Air Vice Marshal Praveen Kumar, the Commander of Royal Cochin Air Force.

After a seemingly long wait in the corridor he was summoned to the office of the CFO.

"Good morning Col. Vishwanath. I have heard a lot of good things about you." AVM Praveen Kumar said. Behind him a JM1 was lifting off from the Executive Air Field in Cochin City.

"Thank You, Sir." Col. Vishwanath said apprehensively. The AVM was reading through his personnel jacket, something that always brings out jitters in a military personnel.
"I see that you are qualified in Mig29, Jadayu Mk.I, Jadayu Mk.II and also Halob? You have also been a test pilot, right?"
"Yes Sir."
"Why Halob, Vishwanath? You are a career fighter pilot. Why try out on a transport aircraft, a trash hauler?"
"Sir, while I was grounded after my accident I wanted to try out something different. Halob was simply the most different aircraft I have seen from Jadayus. Also they are the biggest planes in RCAF."
"I see. Interesting. You must be wondering why you have been called before me, right?"
"Yes, Sir." Now Vishwanath was truly perplexed.
"The Kingdom has a new and secretive project. It is purely voluntary. You have been found to be the most qualified for this mission. This project would entail great personal risk. We cannot even assure your survival in this Project. Hell, we cannot even guarantee that your remains would be interred if things go awry. However the scope of this Project would ensure that your name would remain immortal in the annals of history, come success or failure. " Praveen Kumar said.
The Colonel sat tight waiting to hear more.
"Colonel, what I am going to tell you does not leave this room, whether you choose to accept the duty or not. Is that understood?"
"Yes Sir."
"Good. The Kingdom is developing a manned Space Shuttle program for manned exploration of space. The spacecraft has been validated. Now we need the crew for it. You are the best aviator in Royal Cochin Air Force. I know it, and I think you know it too. We want you to be the pilot of this space craft."

Vishwanath could not believe his ears. Was his greatest dream going to come true? To Space? He had reached the fringes of near space on rare sojourns to outer atmosphere while testing the limits of his aircraft. But a travel into outer space?

"Sir, where do I sign up?"
"I see you are already enthusiastic about this. However I must warn you you shall be subjected to a great many rigorous tests and would be living in a totally different lifestyle from now on. You also may not be allowed to do ANY sort of flying for quite some time. And as I said there is no guarantee for your life."
"Sir, I am ready for it. Where do I sign up?"

Flags of Cochin

2011-02-17T06:16:00.000-08:00

Here is a compilation of flags I created for my fictional Kingdom of Cochin based upon the historical flag of Kingdom of Cochin and the emblem of Cochin Royal Family.

National Flag

The Royal Seal - The King's personal Seal

Royal Cochin Defense Forces

The Joint Command of all the Armed Forces of the nation.

Royal Cochin Defense Forces Crest

Royal Cochin Army - Flag

Royal Cochin Army - Crest

Royal Cochin Navy - Flag

Royal Cochin Navy - Crest

Royal Cochin Air Force - Flag

Royal Cochin Air Force - Flag with Roundels

Royal Cochin Air Force - Crest

Information and Communication Security

2011-02-02T18:37:00.000-08:00

0200-0230

Thimphu, Bhutan Province

me: da whr r u?
B: home
 u?
me: me too
B: i got ligament tear da
me: how??????????
B: my right thumb....while playin basketball
me: damn now how do u write nething?
B: i cant
me: damn now how abt s8? wht u gonna do? whn will it be alryt?
B: two more weeks
 will have viva series
me: thn no probs?
ok
B: got good marks in fir

The sudden loss of connection with his friend did not worry Jibin. After all internet is not as good everywhere in the world. However when repeated attempts at buzzing his friend who is on an exchange program with a foreign university did not work Jibin raised the chat window. He tried to raise chats with some other friends who are online and it all worked out, except for those of his friends who are abroad. Jibin did not however pay much heed to it and when he came back after making some coffee around 20 minutes later, a cousin of his working abroad had pinged him for a chat. Without worrying much about the seeming loss of communications some time back, Jibin went back to his chats.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Urumqi, Xinjiang Province

The phone is ringing. The man wakes up and groggily switches on the bedlamp and fumbles to pick up the telephone receiver.
“Hello, who is this?”
“Sir, this is Mandhar Kanth calling from Jaffna Branch Office. We have a serious situation here. There has been an accident on the assembly plant and four employees are injured.”
The bad news from a major branch office of the Tatra Automative Works jolted Yevgeny Filat, the Vice President (Productions) of TAW. Sitting up on the bed he checked the time on the bedside alarm and asked,
“Yes Kanth, I am listening. What happened down there?”
“Sir, the crane for the engine block assembly yard had one of its chains break and the engine block came crashing down on the assembly floor. The four injured are the assembly line movers. Condition of one is critical and the other three also have some serious injuries. We have sent them to the hospital, however the assembly line is now halted. We have 10 more units of the order from Ceylon Tea Corporation pending which we have to deliver by tomorrow.”
“Is there no way you can speed up the schedule?”
“No Sir, we are as of now fixing the crane, however that in itself is two hours of work lost. We have also sent for replacement staffers from other shifts but they also would not be here for another three hours. It is not possible to complete the order tomorrow itself.”
“Okay, I will place a call to the Ceylon Tea Corporation myself informing about the delay, meanwhile…….”
The sudden beeping sound of termination of connection annoyed the Yevgeny however he brought up the number from caller list and dialed it again. Again no connection. By now he was getting more and more annoyed and tiptoing softly to avoid waking up his sleeping wife, Yevgeny went to his study to turn on his laptop to call Mandhar Kanth via the company intercom portal. Again an inexplicable fault is preventing Yevgeny to initiate communications with the Jaffna Branch. He then called the Tatra Corporate Communications Center in downtown Urumqi and ordered them to set up a secure satellite communications line. After an excruciating 15 minute delay, the connection was made with Jaffna branch and Filat could complete relaying the instructions to his subordinate official.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Shaukat Afzal is driving his truck carrying a consignment of vegetables from Pollachi to Palghat when the Coimbatore FM radio station he loved to listen to suddenly went off the air. Though he tried to switch to all other FM and MW channels in his truck’s radio console, all of them gave the same static. Cursing his old truck’s radio system, Shaukat switched on the rackety old tape player to listen to some Tamil film music.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Heng Bao is sleeping by the counter in the 24 hours Fuel Station on the road between New Delhi and Jaipur while the television in the corner of his booth is flickering at mute. At 2AM the scheduled news program was disrupted and only static was seen on the TV. If Bao had tried switching to other channels the same static would have been seen. Even when the channels came back at 2.30 Heng Bao did not notice anything, engrossed as he was in a very deep sleep.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Similar communication outages occurred all over Cochin. It would also be experienced by any person from a foreign country on trying to initiate communications with people in Cochin. Just as inexplicably as the communication breakages occurred, precisely 30 minutes later, it was reestablished.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Bangalore, Karnataka Province

The routine Communication Security Protocol Testing was successfully completed by the Section 323 personnel along with the National Communications Database, National Reconnaissance Agency and Strategic Reconnaissance Agency. At a single command from Gen. Mohammad Faraz of Royal Cochin Police Force at 0145, all communication channels to outside of Cochin had been blocked. In the concerted action, overrides placed with all the cellphone networks, Internet Service Providers, Landline telephone service providers, radio stations and television stations. All commercial communication satellites would also be subjected to inexplicable jamming while over Cochin airspace for these thirty minutes, seeming like a software glitch. During this thirty minute period of communications blackout, the National Reconnaissance Agency’s electronic intelligence satellites and network of terrestrial antennae would sweep for any sort of electromagnetic signal traversing the Cochin skies. Complete communication blackout would be thus enforced and ensured. After the routine test, the communication systems were reset with most citizens of Cochin hardly noticing what happened.

Section 323

2011-01-23T09:13:00.000-08:00

For years they had been working as part of different agencies with the same aim, doing similar jobs. Now for the first time a Joint Command Center for Cyber Warfare has been set up, with a deceptive name - Section 323 or Section Cyber Warfare. Composed of Cyber Security and Network Security experts from National Intelligence Agency, Central Bureau of Investigation, Strategic Reconnaissance Agency, National Reconnaissance Agency, Strategic Engineers Corps, Research and Testing Directorate, Royal Cochin Special Forces and Varma Institute of Fundamental Research and ace hackers and crackers identified from several walks of life by CBI, Section 323 would be the principal Cyber Warfare unit of the Kingdom of Cochin. Ultra secretive, Section 323 does not advertise. Its discrete office at Bangalore is tucked away amidst the sprawling Electronic City Campus ensures a degree of anonymity for its staff. The building housing Section 323 is also one of the best protected in Bangalore with its entire Security being undertaken by Royal Cochin Special Forces albeit under guise of civilian security personnel. Unknown to the other companies operating in the building even the facility management at this secure building is managed by Central Bureau of Investigation.

It is from these premises that the defenders of the Kingdom's Networks work from. With access to every principal Government Department, ISPs and the Online Service Providers Section 323 is always on the watch for attacks against the IT infrastructure of the nation. Though at any time Section 323 may not have more than 200 staff at its office in Bangalore, its personnel are assigned to IT Services department in every major Government office. These officers may not have the designation of Cyber Security Officers but their jobs would be to ensure the security of these departments. When faced with significant attacks they call in support from Section 323. Section 323 also has teams stationed at the three National Communications Databases.

The role of Section 323 is not just defense but also offense. As the Fifth Domain of Warfare, Section 323 also evaluates possibilities of attack against nations and organizations potentially hostile to the Kingdom. With the assistance of NIA and SRA they are able to hack into commercial communication satellites and with the resources of a nation state and intellectual backups of some of the brightest minds in the world Section 323 is capable of launching covert attacks against the Kingdom's enemies in such a manner that all traces relating to the Kingdom would be erased. Section 323 is capable of targeting the Infrastructure, Power, Banking, Industrial, Communication and Trading sectors of enemies. The offense team is also involved in designing worms and malware which can be implemented by NIA Officers to cripple any hostile nation's infrastructure. It also actively assists NIA in gaining intelligence from enemy targets.

National Communications Database

2011-01-18T08:19:00.001-08:00

In order to safeguard the Kingdom from cyber warfare from within and without National Intelligence Agency, Central Bureau of Investigation, National Reconnaissance Agency and Strategic Reconnaissance Agency are operating as a joint venture the National Communications Database. A redundant secure system with three parallel physical operation centers at Madikery, Shimla and Kathmandu, NCD is a depository of all electronic communications going on in the Kingdom.

All Internet Service Providers would send a duplicate parallel of their data traffic to this Signal Intelligence database. Tier I, Tier II and Tier III ISPs have to comply to this mandate. Three massive signal farms at the three NCD locations would process them using an intricate Cloud Computing Architecture with Artificial Intelligence Processing. Redundant processing of the raw data would be conducted at the three data centers independently using in house decryption teams. Geosynchronous satellites would also monitor all communications apart from NRA's own network of communication antennae to capture any data transmission from a non native ISP. Strategic Reconnaissance Agency would be tracking all LEO, MEO satellites traversing Cochin territorial space and their communications would be captured by SRA's ferret satellites, aerostats and Trisanku Space Station. Records of all internet, telephone, mobile phone, VLF, ELF, SW, MW, FM transmissions made in the nation would be captured by the National Communications Database. Any commercial and conventional communications would thus be captured. Any non conventional communications detected would by default be tracked for possible subversion.

The data received at the National Communications Database, being in bitstream would be sifted in a modular process. All routing information would be analysed for network security purposes. All open communications would be analysed for key intelligence target patterns. Secure communications would be decrypted by progressively higher decryption machines and further analysed. Each NDC would consist of 50 BDH150 , 50 PFLOP Super computers in a Cloud Computing Architecture developed by Varma Institute of Fundamental Research and an Artificial Intelligence Protocol developed by Rajendra Varma Advanced Research Laboratory. Urgent data would be immediately be sent to CBI and NIA. Every bit of data received at the NDC are stored in vast subterranean databanks. Databanks that are full are relegated to reserve status in an ever expanding database as every data is considered non erasible for future intelligence applications. The data would continue to be accessible under the Cloud Computing database however through the interface of a mirror which would screen users from direct access to data without necessary clearances.

The National Data Centers have been in operation for several years now and the operations have been streamlined in such a way that the Kingdom of Cochin is one of the most information secure nations in the world.

Local Area Attrition Defense Policy

2010-12-16T12:25:00.001-08:00

"Good morning, Ladies and Gentlemen. My name is Lt. Gen. Shankar Iyer, Chief of Army Staff, Royal Cochin Defense Forces. Today you, Municipal Commissioners of Ministry of Interior, officers of Royal Cochin Police Forces, National Defense Corps planning officers, Border Guard Brigade Commanders and staff of General Staff High Command are here to enumerate the Attrition Land Defense Doctrine for our nation."

"This week you would be creating the planning structure for our multi-layered defense structure. Currently our Border Guards are the principal defense layer. Each Border Guards Brigade has a defensive depth of 50 km during which they have emplaced adequate defenses to stop a massed assault as well as area assault. However the General Staff High Command cannot depend on a single layer of defense. We need better doctrine and systems to ensure the defense of our nation."

"War is an uncertain business. All our plans may get invalidated at the point of commencement of conflict. However that does not mean, we should not plan for those contingencies we can foresee and prepare for. Our current defense posture is designed to repulse multiple front assault by using the Border Guards to delay the invasion and then use the Royal Cochin Army formations to perform counter offense against the enemy formations. Now this doctrine is perfectly suited if and when we are invaded by an army of comparable size to Royal Cochin Army. It also lends greater thrust on high mobility warfare conducted within our borders by our premier strike forces. This doctrine was enough when Royal Cochin Army had one of the largest armies in the region and our strategic security was more secure."

"However what would happen if we were invaded by forces that grossly outnumber us? The Royal Cochin Army no longer has the absolute superiority in numbers that we enjoyed until the secession of Kazakhstan and Kyrghyztan. The Global strategic politics has also evolved in such a manner as it is possible that we may be faced with grossly outnumbering forces. In such a case depending on high mobility warfare alone would not be enough, we must prepare our nation to fight a high intensity attrition warfare as well."

"It is not possible to have defense structures like Border Guard Brigades spread out throughout the Kingdom. Such a policy would be a gross waste of our resources and man power. They would also be tactically unsound. It would spread our conventional and regular forces far too thinly, a situation that brings Napoleon's admonition on smuggling to memory. It is also pointless to create fortifications reminiscent of Maginot Line or Atlantic Line. No, what we need are more simpler, but more effective fortifications, that are easier to construct, and inexpensive in terms of men or material. This should be a defense network that can be maintained easily during peace time, with no unnecessary constraints on national economy or cause any grievance to our population."

"This is the policy as has been devised by Royal Cochin Army, Ministry of Interior and Royal Cochin Police Forces. The National Defense Corps formations in every Province and in every Municipality would be tasked to identify various potential axis of attack that could come upon their locality. City, Town and Village based defenses are what we are planning for. We should make every village as a point of attrition. Every center of population must be capable of supporting defensive operations. We must conceptualize a hostile force which would be massively over numbering us, we must slow their advance, we must be able to wage an attrition warfare so intense that they quit their invasion. For this every center of population must become a fortress in effect, complete with basic defensive structures, passive defenses and active defenses, called a Local Administrative Area Defense (LAAD)."

"NDC personnel along with Municipality Officials shall construct numerous Reserve Arsenals which shall be concealed structures with sizable weapons stores. Sizable quantities of fire arms for squad defenses, heavy machine guns, infantry mortars, Anti Tank Guided Missiles, MANPADS, Anti Vehicle and Anti Personnel Mines, field radios, demolition explosives and large quantities of infantry grade ammunition. All these weapons are to be drawn from respective QMC depots in the area. The major QMC depots could be identified by enemy and even destroyed, but the tools for defense must be scattered for ready use. Warehouses should also be maintained with structural materials for road blocks, hedge hogs, Caltropes, Barbed Wire, Sand bags and armor for pill box defenses. These stores would be maintained by the local NDC personnel along with the Municipality and Police officers of the area. These sites must also be made aware to the local Border Guard Brigades and any regular army formations. All help would be provided to conceal these depots using maskirovska. The NDC units must also prepare defense strategy so that in the event of a national emergency the required buildings in the area can easily be fortified s centers of resistance."

"Apart from these stores of local administrative area defense units (LAAD), NDC are also expected to establish District level Artillery Reserve Battalions (DARB). In every District concealed depots for the fielding of one full Battalion of 155mm Towed Guns must be established. These depots would comprise of the guns, tow trucks and sufficient ammunition and fuel for 45 days of continuous fighting. These DARB would also have integrated Air Defense Units to protect the artillery battalion comprising of a Company of Anti Air Artillery, tracked and wheeled."

"This would be the preliminary defense structure for the Attrition Defense Policy. The reserve personnel comprising the National Defense Corps wont be manning and operating these defenses, their operation would continue to be the mandate of service personnel of Royal Cochin Army. The National Defense Corps's principal duty would be as a support infrastructure for the combat operations which would be conducted by Royal Cochin Army units which would be assigned to these sectors. Only in case of incapacitation of these regular units can the local NDC units take over. The combat efficiency and tactical expertise of Royal Cochin Army units is not expected to be attained by the reserve duty personnel of National Defense Corps. However the local area expertise, tactical intelligence and terrain knowledge of the NDC personnel in these LAAD would be extremely important for sustained operations by the RCA units which is not expected to have local area awareness for effective defense. So both these formations would be mutually supportive but would have their own area of expertise."

"Now detailed information regarding tactics and procedures for this policy would be taught to you in this week. Accordingly you must supervise the establishment of these defenses in your assigned LAADs. Your dedication and work is absolutely essential for the all encompassing defense of our nation. Reserve personnel of NDC who report for their active duty would henceforth be trained in this policy so that during their weeks of service they learn how to properly integrate with regular units to mount an effective defense of their LAAD."

"So best of luck, Gentlemen. Let us work hard to secure our nation."

Mountain Warfare School

2010-12-14T04:27:00.000-08:00

Tok
Tibet
Mountain Warfare School

"Come on you stinky girls, is that all you can do? And you call yourselves soldiers. Do you want tampons my dearies? Bloody fairies, the lot of you."

The Drill Sergeant is bellowing in the faces of two elite soldiers of Royal Cochin Special Forces.

A Battalion from 23rd Special Forces regiment has been training at this facility for the past three weeks.
While the first 2 days of acclimatisation to the sheer cold and thin air of the Tibetan plateau was hell itself, the days succeeding made them think their intensive training regimen of initiation was pure vanilla.

Now the two commandos, both combat vets and with ranks of E5 Sergeants are having their backsides chewed to a pulp by a Squad Sergeant E6. The Sergeants had to deactivate a nuclear warhead. That in itself would not have been overtly taxing to these elite soldiers who between them had enough working knowledge to shame a University Professor. However the fact that they had to hack a hole in a perma frost lake and dive 30 ft under the surface to reach the warhead and they had to all that with a bare standard dive suit, no underwater breathing apparatus and only a weak penlight definitely put a cramp in their working.

This two man team attempted their first test today and it failed miserably. After 30 minutes in the bone chilling water they both were recalled to surface on the verge of hypothermia.

"You sodden fools, in a live situation by now you would have been dead and your genitals would be flying in a cloud 9 kms up in the sky. Now let us see what went wrong." The admonition from the instructor was particularly harsh for its decrease in vulgarity and forceful delivery. The Captain commanding the course took the team through video tapes that recorded their performance. Instead of alternating between one on bottom deactivating and on on surface maintaining the breach, switching positions every 50 seconds they both dived and when after 60 seconds came up for air found the breach in surface ice closed leaving only a small air gap. They had to expend a further 60 seconds to breach the ice.

The Captain then delivered the team to the hands of Squad Sergeant who would educate in a more forceful manner.

The Mountain Warfare School was set up as a joint venture between Kingdom of Cochin and Tibet. Before his soldiers could be tested this way their officers had to undergo an even tougher regimen. They had arrived three weeks earlier itself and had gone through the regimen with an even greater thoroughness. The very same Squad Sergeant had in fact questioned the very same Captain about the estimate numbers of fathers he possessed. Only after passing the tests would an officer would be permitted to command his soldiers to do the tests.

While the underwater exercises were going in one section of the lake , intense survival tests were being performed by still more commandos at an other part of the shore. Here they had to swim in the ice cold lake wearing only their uninsulated swimming trunks. They had to swim a distance of 100 meters and back and then had to pass a shooting range.

Meanwhile at some distance another group of commandos were doing a hard jog through the towering Himalayan mountains carrying a full combat load of 56 kgs. They were also being led by their officer who was packing a similar load. Shaming them and leading them were their drill sergeant a diminutive Sergeant First Class E7 who was jogging on the craggy and treacherous path carrying a non standard 60 kg path yet not breaking even a bead of sweat.

That was the standard these soldiers are aiming to attain.

For this was the toughest combat school devised for soldiers of Royal Cochin Defense Forces.

Only best units are permitted to come to the School and they must all be either combat veterans or have scored more than 500/550 in a Live fire field exercise. Even then enrolling for the program is voluntary as the School boasts a very high rate of attrition both in fail to pass as well as in deaths, for the harsh environs of Himalayan mountains test the commandos more than the craziest of the Instructors of the School.

The Mountain Warfare School is situated in a knoll of hills 13 kms west of the rustic village of Tok in northern Tibet. The lake of Dyap Tso is a perma frost endorheic lake. To further east of the school is a glacier that goes on to feed the lake Manasarovar further South.

On arriving at the rough landing strip supporting the base the recruits spend 2 full days acclimatising to the thin mountain air of Tok. During these days the recruits stay in well heated camp buildings and are fed with high protein and high fat diets.

On the third day the grueling initiation begins. Moved from their warm rooms to field tents adequately exposed to the nature they are henceforth given only standard combat rations. Each day begins at reveille at 0600 followed by a 5 mile run in the mountains. After 2 hours of running they come back for breakfast and freshing up.

At 0900 teams are assigned to various instructors for various physical tests of the day. Lunch will be at 1300 and will have to be carried to their test sites by the recruits themselves.

In the afternoon the recruits attend various lecture demonstrations and combat classes. In the evenings yet another endurance jogging is in store for the recruits now with full combat loads.

After the first week of joint training, recruits are divided into batches and tested batchwise. Their next lecture classes would be a hellish 21 days ahead.

The tests include further endurance marches, underwater weapon deactivation, Arctic endurance swimming, Arctic paradropping etc. On the 30th day of training the recruits board a couple of jeeps and are taken to a monastery nearby. There they shall be shown the spartan way of life followed by the monks. They would be taken then to several remote caves where ascetic Hindu sages would be in penance. These sages who live in the arctic conditions wearing only their bare loin clothes and swim in the freezing water and subsist on barely nothing would be visited by the soldiers. The sages had been persuaded to tolerate this interruptions by the King of Cochin himself who had come to visit them and seek their blessings when the camp was being set up.

On the next day individual commandos would be issued with a regular Special Forces combat load and paradropped into the Himalayas. They would be dropped individually at a distance of 100 kms from the base camp and have to find their way back alone. Each team of 4 shall have a particular base camp where they would have to reach successfully. They are given coordinates of base camp, a school atlas and a compass for navigation.

If a recruit found himself unable to cope with the harsh conditions or fell in some accident he could activate his alert beacon and be rescued by a team of CSAR helicopters on standby at the School.

Once the final endurance test is passed the recruits are given the Mountain Warriors Badge in a spartan ceremony at the Mountain Warriors School.

However that day is still far ahead in a distant future for these 2 Sergeants as they finally passed the test on their second attempt and moved on to the next test.

War Memorial

2010-12-08T08:47:00.001-08:00

The 21 gun salute reverberated across the Parade Grounds in the city of Cochin as a honor guard composed of all combat wings of Royal Cochin Defense Forces, fired off their guns in unison to mark the start of the ceremony.

In the chilly morning of this somber day the King of Cochin, his cabinet secretaries and the military chiefs of staff were standing in attention as they were paying tributes to the fallen warriors who gave Cochin its freedom and integrity.

In the center of the Parade Ground a Grey silk shroud covered a massive monument. Once the guns were silent The King and the service chiefs marched towards the shroud to the beats of the King's Guards band which was playing the National Anthem.

As the procession came to a halt so did the band.

The King reached up and pulled the shroud off.

And thus the National War Memorial was formally submitted to the nation.

The massive granite obelisk was engraved with the names of the nearly 300,000 soldiers who had died in service of the Kingdom. More than half of them had died in offensive warfare and that was the burden upon the shoulders of the King. As a young officer in the armored corps of the nation Rama Varma had personally seen the horrors and futility of war. Thus while drawing and shedding blood in defense of the Kingdom under the reign of his uncle, the previous monarch, Rama Varma had sworn that never again shall Cochin be expansionist in nature.

Today he had the chance to finally put his horrors at ease. The names of his comrades from Echo company went through his mind also the the ghastly images of a tank burning and the sight of a young man desperately trying and failing to climb out of the hatch of a stricken tank while being devoured by flames from a sea of burning diesel and dismembered by shrapnel from exploding ordinance.

He could still remember sharply the final image of the young Peter looking at his Commander before the tank finally exploded in a fountain of flames.

Tonight he had a chance to lay his old nightmares to rest.

Also looking at the monument with an unfocused eye was his elder cousin and the commander of his regiment during the war, now Commander of Royal Cochin Defense Forces, Gen. Mahesh Varma. He too was remembering the voices and faces of people long dead.

This was the least a grateful Kingdom and its King could do for the glorious martyrs who laid down their life in the line of duty.

As the King and his generals walked back to their vehicles tears were shed ,some solemnly , some copiously, but not an eye was dry.

Vice Adm. KP Marakkar was remembering the groan of a hundred sailors drowning to death in a sunken destroyer which his submarine had torpedoed. As the Captain of his attack submarine he had listened to the sonar while his enemy was sinking. The sounds of strangling emanating from a hundred young extinguished lives had reminded him that no, war is never acceptable. He proceeded to sink more ships as the CO of his submarine and later as CO of the submarine squadron but he never forgot the gravity of actions he was doing.

Air Vice Marshal Praveen Kumar was remembering the fateful May Day when he led his squadron of fighters against the deadline enemy aerial blitzkrieg. He could remember the shrieks of his wingman Bronco who was shredded in his seat by Vulcan gunfire. Nor could he forget the bleeding face of his Navigator Jumper while they ejected as a desperate missile shot by a dead fighter homed in on their engines and blew merely yards away from their wings. Jumper was his best friend and was eager to meet his young daughter who was born merely day ago. He never saw his daughter.

The senior enlisted personnel who stood guard at the Memorial understood and were grateful for the tears of their commanders. They too had known the horrors of war and were glad to see that their commanders and King understood it as well.

The King shook hands with the Command Sergeant Majors and Chief Boatswain's Mates from all services who comprised the Memorial Guard and with a sad but lightened heart returned to the Palace.

Anti Air Defense Doctrine

2010-12-03T05:08:00.001-08:00

Anti Air Defense Doctrine

The Anti Air Defense Doctrine comprises of an Outer Area Defense and Inner Area Defense. Outer Area Defense involves the defensive network of warly warning radars and a interdiction Air Defense Batteries arrayed around the border regions of the Kingdom. The Outer Area Defense has already expostulated as per Integrated Defense Policy of dividing the nation into three sectors, with each sector having interlinked radar networks with strategic depth. The Outer Area Defense's radar networks consists of 200 NM range, XL12 radars and 400 NM range XL117 radars. The interconnecting networks of these radars provide a nearly impregnable Air Defense Barrier along the borders of the nation.

XL12 and XL117 as stationary radar installations and hence are liable to be targeted in an Anti Radiation attack as a precursor to deep penetration strikes on the Kingdom's territory. Thus these are reinforced along the borders by a secondary layer of radars operated by each Border Guard Brigade consisting of a Battalion of Mobile Radar trucks per Brigade and Aerostats which provide a low level air defense potential.

The detection capabilities of the OAD radar network is complemented by batteries of Surface to Air Missiles comprising of SD5, SD4, SD3, SD2 and SD2R air defense missiles. OAD has 5 batteries of each of these missiles discretely and stealthily installed per Border Guard Brigade sector. These installations are naturally camouflaged fixed installations which would receive targeting and terminal guidance from the Air Defense Network and would not have independent guidance systems to prevent them being targeted due to their radiation parameters. These fixed RCAF defense batteries would be reinforced by the mobile SAM batteries maintained by the Border Guard Brigades for tactical low level air defense.

The Outer Area Defense is reinforced by the Inner Area Defense which defines Air Defense in the interior zones of the Kingdom. IAD involves 60 km range XL27 radars which would be installed every 2500 square kilometers in the Kingdom. This network again involves a design such that any specific land area would be covered by at least 2 XL27 radars to facilitate triangulation and redundancy. The XL27 radars are automated facilities that would be remotely controlled by Zonal Air Defense Commands in each Province of the Kingdom. The operation of these radars would also be governed by Air Defense Network. These uniform radar concentration is reinforced by concentrated radar coverage in certain Air Attack Corridors determined by RCAF which are atmospherically and strategically optimum for an air attack on a territory. This includes mountain passes, mountain ranges, strategic hills near cities etc. IAD also involves Aerostat mounted radars for special protection of high density population regions, such as cities, towns etc.

The offensive form of IAD consists of Surface to Air Missile batteries located around every major city and town, power stations, power grid components, major industrial, scientific and commercial facilities, vital logistic and transport corridors and vital defense establishments. High population centers and above mentioned target types would also have automated CIWS batteries arrayed around them in ringed defensive perimeters. IAD includes defense of Astra rail gun batteries.

The third layer of Air Defense is the Strategic Defense Network consisting of HAWK Over the Horizon radars installed at 5 locations in the Kingdom of Cochin, the 5 Bright Star locations and the Anti Ballistic Missile Batteries located around major population, industrial and defense centers.

The concentration of these large number of radars and Air Defense systems would be imperfect without the Air Defense Network. This is a high bandwidth information pathway that connects every single radar and every single offensive weapon platform in the Kingdom. This highly automated protocol has been developed by Strategic Command, Royal Cochin Air Force and Varma Institute of Fundamental Research. This communication network depends on a physical layer consisting of optical fiber cables in reinforced pathways, secure satellite burst communications and Integrated Military Communications Network. Air Defense Network is a form of cloud computing whereby every single radar is a node and an integrated air defense status is created by the network. It is not necessary for all the radars to be online at any time. The information gained by any single radar is simultaneously passed on to the ADN grid by which every radar gets the picture. The protocol is an intelligent system which randomly activates and deactivates radars in the network so that any single radar may not lend itself to be targeted by a hostile force. The random switching nature of ADN also lends it a pulsating nature. The multiple layered defenses means that the redundant defenses would be activated only when the primary defenses in the sector has been destroyed. This destruction would in any way alert the Air Defense Network which can call in reinforcements from RCAF's fighter regiments assigned to the Air Defense Zone.

Threats detected are engaged by the the SAM batteries whose missiles receive targeting information not from a single radar but from the communication network itself. This communication with the missile is maintained either through the launcher itself or through MILCOM network which exists independent of ADN. Thus even if one or more radars in the region is shut down, the missile would continue to be tracked and receive targeting from the other defense communication infrastructure in the Kingdom. The Air Defense Network can also work with airborne and maritime radar platforms with ease. To prevent its incapacitation during EMP attack, all ADN assets have been protected by Class A Silver Shield Protocol and only Silver Shield rated switching gear and hardware have been used.

While XL class of radars use Ionosonders, and Phased Array technology with electronically controlled wave guidance, Hawk Radars use 12MW powered multistatic radar, creeping waves and electromagnetic surface waves for its operations.

Ultimately Anti Air Defense Doctrine is created not to defend against an overwhelming airborne attack on its own, but to provide warning that such an attack is taking place to RCAF Command and provide as much attrition as it can. The Air Defense Network has proven its robustness in several air defense exercies and simulations and survivability against wide spectrum EMP attacks conducted by High Energy Research Institute.

The doctrine and its components are available for sharing with the valued allies of the Kingdom of Cochin.

Integrated Defense Policy

2010-12-01T08:51:00.001-08:00

Integrated Defense Policy
Royal Cochin Defense Forces

As Commanded by His Highness Kerala Varma, the King of Cochin , Royal Cochin Defense Forces has the primary mandate with regards to the defense of the realm.

The Integrated Defense Policy comprised of Territorial, Maritime and Aerial Defense of the nation. The various individual policies are the mandates of various branches of the RCDF, however are required to perform in an integrated manner at all times. While several aspects of the Integrated Defense Policy has already been enumerated by various responsible branches, certain aspects have rooms for improvements, hence the promulgation of the new policy directives.

The defense of the realm has been divided into three zones of action, Maritime Defense, Himalayan Defense and Xinjiang Defense. This is due to the unique geographical nature of these Zones of Action.

Maritime Defense Zone comprises the coastal provinces of India from coast of Gujarat to Chittagong in Bengal Province, Lakshadweep - Maldives Administration, Andaman - Nicobar Administration and Baloch Province.

Himalayan Defense Zone refers to the plain regions of India, from Gujarat to Assam Province, the Himalayan areas of Tibet and Kashmir.

The Xinjiang Defense Zone refers to the Xinjiang Province and the National Capital Territory.

With regard to Terrestrial defense of the Kingdom, the prime mandate goes to the Border Guards Directorate of RCDF. Border Guards has an already robust constitution and effective defense policies with regards to facing an attack from land. There is unlikely to be any changes to the Border Guard Doctrine or Terrestrial Defense Doctrine.

With regard to Maritime Defense, its application lies exclusively in the Maritime Defense Zone in India. This defense is to be a multi-layered system which is flexible, practical, robust and effective. The onus is on economical passive defenses at the front end defenses,ie, a network of tidal wave generators along the appropriate coastal areas so that the tidal power of the waves can be generated for electricity. Established a few meters off the coast line, these generators would generate adequate electric power for local communities, provide storm shelter, as well as provide calmer channels for local fishing industries to pass through into open seas. The design and layout of these tidal power generators would be such that they would create an effective passive defense against hostile amphibious operations. Local Area Attrition Defense groups organized by National Defense Corps would also ready stockpiles of hedgehogs to be deployed in times of crisis.

Further offshore, at distances of 12 NM, 23 NM, 47 NM, 55 NM from coast lines there would be layers of mines and ISLMM Torpedoes, with mine free channels designated by Royal Cochin Coast Guard. RCCG has the mandate of maintaining these mine fields with waters beyond 60 NM the responsibility of Royal Cochin Navy. Commercial ships transiting Cochin waters would get channels of sailing assigned to them by the Royal Cochin Navy and Royal Cochin Coast Guard through Ministry of Transportation, Department of Shipping.

The network of mines and the passive defense structure provided by tidal power generators is expected to be a delaying factor and not a stopping factor with regards to a determined amphibious assault. Active counter measures in any case would be provided by the network of Astra rail gun systems located every 50 NM along the coast of the Kingdom. The 200 NM range offensive weapons is expected to give an adequate attrition to any enemy force and batteries of POSID AShMs established every 50 km by RCCG stations is expected to give fixed long range defense solutions. A network of Aerostats arrayed around the coast is also expected to provide early warning and targeting capabilities to the weapons platforms. The Astra Systems would be protected by individual AAD batteries and Strategic Command Combat soldiers. They would be further supported by the proposed Static Area Defense Platforms, which are static batteries of 155 mm field guns, installed and operated as camouflaged structures and operated by the National Defense Corps personnel.

All this would be augmented by the Air Defense Network's layers of radars. A total of 47, 200 NM XL12 radars and 6, 400 NM XL117 radars are currently operational in this Zone as part of the Air Defense Doctrine which would contribute to improve the Maritime Defenses.

If and when the Maritime Defenses are breached the mandate for defense rests upon Royal Cochin Army.

In Himalayan Defense Zone, the terrestrial defense is the mandate of the Border Guards and the air defense that of Royal Cochin Air Force. A total of 19, 200 NM XL12 radars and 5, 400 NM XL117 radars are currently operational in this Zone as part of the Air Defense Doctrine.

In Xinjiang Defense, due to the location of Cochin City and number of potentially hostile neighbors, the defense is deemed the highest priority. A total of 27, 200 NM XL12 radars and 5, 400 NM XL117 radars are currently operational as part of the Air Defense Doctrine in this one single province alone.

The Air Defense Doctrine envisions interspersed layers of XL12 and XL117 radars with the HAWK Strategic Radars to provide Air Defense Warning. Dedicated Anti Air Defense Batteries would be stationed along side Border Guard defenses and around all vital industrial and population centers. All vital buildings would have dedicated mobile AAA companies assigned. To support the AAA batteries would be installed primary, secondary and tertiary CIWS systems. Aerial Warning Aerostats would be deployed in all border regions, at the rate of one per 50 kilometers and one per 100 kilometers staggered 60 kilometers to the rear. In terms of conflict Air Defense Doctrine would also make use the the AWACS regiments of HALOBs and MERATs of Royal Cochin Air Force. Threats detected by the Air Defense Doctrine would be interdicted by the Royal Cochin Air Force.

The Integrated Defense Policy is aimed at making any offense against the Kingdom of Cochin a painstaking and costly affair for an aggressor and to negate opportunities for tactical surprise to the aggressors. Using a variety of active and passive defense doctrines, the Kingdom is hoping to establish a multi-spectrum defense solution so that any single form of attack will not cripple our defense. The Integrated Defense Policy is designed by conceptualizing a worst case scenario wherein, the Kingdom of Cochin faces attacks from multiple fronts, ie, a minimum of 8 fronts and an undisclosed maximum. Integrated Defense Policy is not an infallible doctrine and would be subject to revisions as per changing strategic climates, defense necessities and improving military technologies.

MARITIME DEFENSE ZONE

Resized to 74% (was 1360 x 747) - Click image to enlarge

HIMALAYAN DEFENSE ZONE

Resized to 74% (was 1360 x 747) - Click image to enlarge

XINJIANG DEFENSE ZONE

Resized to 74% (was 1360 x 747) - Click image to enlarge

Reserve Civil Defense Exercise

2010-11-29T09:05:00.001-08:00

The pre-recorded messages were the first warning that the drills are on. Starting with the Qamdo, Nagcu and Nyingchi districts, the reservists of National Defense Corps started receiving their alert messages on their telephones and mobile phones. The alert caught almost all of the people in surprise as nobody expected an alert call like this to happen at this peculiar hour, 2:30 in the afternoon.

However the vestiges of training in Royal Cochin Defense Forces and the refresher training in the annual reservist duties ensured that an orderly transition from civilians to militia was achieved. The first task for these reservists were to get to their assigned Reserve Arsenals. The same alert message that called up these reservists also gave warning to the local police officials to prepare for emergency duties, among which priority was to facilitate this movement.

At their Reserve Arsenals the National Defense Corps reservists drew the arms and ammunition for their duty and maintain station according to preplanned Local Area Attrition Doctrine protocol. However by this time additional orders had come up indicating that this was to be a live fire drill.

An armored assault is coming towards the Kingdom and their provinces would have to bear the brunt of the assault while the Royal Cochin Army sent its forces to throw out the invaders. Jomda County, in Qamdo District is expected to have a full Brigade sized armored force coming through it. All around the town of Banggaidoi, the principal town of Jomda County, the reservists are setting up static defenses against the approaching invaders. There had been barely any intelligence warning, no time for stronger defenses to be readied, only the training of their reservist soldiers and Police forces to dare to stop an armored assault. The roads were blocked off my cars and trucks, hastily assembled explosives were placed as Improvised Explosive Devices to further delay the tanks and all the ad-hoc pill boxes were manned.

Underground telephone lines started conveying scattered indications that the Border Guard Brigade East of their County has suffered heavy attrition in the first two hours of assault and is now picking its way towards the rear. Scout units among the militia, those ex-soldiers who had service in Royal Cochin Special Forces or those who had excellent knowledge of the terrain, like local herders were scattered around the roads to detect the advance.

The dust plumes of a group of BRDMs driving at full speed down the road and countryside were the first thing the scouts saw. Seeing the distinctive coded flags brandished by these APCs the National Defense Corps soldiers realized that these are the retreating soldiers from the Border Guards Brigade, withdrawing at the imminent collapse of the Border defenses. These border guard soldiers replaced the reservists manning the defensive weaponry and re-established communications with the rear, orchestrating further support.

The presence of these hardened soldiers of Border Guards, doing one of the toughest jobs in the whole Royal Cochin Defense Forces bolstered the confidence of the part time soldiers who went about in preparing the defenses with greater vigor.

The first Artillery rounds that fell on the road leading to the town changed the gravity of the mood. The hulking turrets of the enemy tanks soon started showing up, their presence heralded by the tongue of flames upon which heavy shells landed upon the defenses to the town. As they watched the trucks and cars placed as impromptu defense blown away, the defenders hunkered down. The sober confidence of the regular soldiers calmed the tenseness amongst the reservists some who were about to start firing their weapons in panic at the first sight of the enemy.

As the enemy tanks started approaching a town that is obviously hostile to the so called "liberation" the camouflaged IEDs were detonated to cause as much attrition as possible. A determined enemy assault would then encounter a wave of TKM2 ATGMs that would sail in from various buildings and secure pill boxes around the town. The enemy infantry who attempt to clear these pillboxes would be engaged by the many machine gun nests and sniper teams stationed at strategic points. The reservists also started pouring mortar rounds to the enemy locations from mobile mortar stations inside the town. As and when helicopter gunships and low level attack bombers start to appear, these would be engaged by the MPS shoulder borne SAMs and the SD2 and SD2R batteries now released by the Reserve Arsenal. However in a few hours the defenders found themselves unable to slow down the attacking force considerably, when the invaders decided to go around the town rather than through the town. The knowledge of all the populated areas along their advance being on a similar war footing could give them a pause, but depending on the brutishness of the enemy, it is most possible that they would choose to wipe out the town and its population for expedition.

As the fortress town started to girdle up its assets to continue oppose further advances, however help would start arriving in the form of barrages of artillery from the District Artillery Reserve Battalion. The DARB which had by now positioned itself to support the defense of Banggaidoi started pouring in volumes of fire upon the enemy positions using targeting information received from the satellite recon and forward Border Guard soldiers. However after their initial volley the DARB would start receiving country battery fire from the enemy which would cause attrition if they did not maintain mobility. They should also take care to ensure that they do not get outflanked by enemy units who may race closer to take them down. One such platoon of tanks is reported to be racing to their position by the scouts near the roads. As the reserve gunners of the District Artillery Reserve Battalion started readying their guns to move them fast, tracer rounds started falling around them from the lead tank of enemy platoon. A subsequent tracer HE round would seemingly wipe out the entire crew of one 155mm Field Gun. However this very same tank would then find itself blown apart as the armored forces of Royal Cochin Army have arrived in strength to repulse the invaders.

Units from the 9th Armored Cavalry Regiment from Nyima have just arrived on the scene. Racing past the jubilant reserve artillery gunners the T150s and BMP3s of the battalion would race towards Banggaidoi to counter attack the enemy forces. With the full regiment coming close on the heels of this scout force, the Royal Madras Hussars have finally arrived with their tanks, SPGs and helicopter gunships. A few hours later and a full blown armored battle later, the straggling elements of the invader "liberation" forces would find themselves racing to the simulated border positions to escape from the fury of Royal Cochin Army.

With the last of the "enemy" remotely operated T100s destroyed, the massive LAAD training exercise had concluded. The entire enemy force was composed of remotely operated T100 tanks and Mig29s and Piranhas of Training Command firing blank ammunition with selected vehicles firing live ammunition for a realistic feel of war while the defenders were issued live ammunition. The actual Border Guard Brigade stationed at Jomda County were not involved, however Training Command units simulated the retreating Border Guard Brigade personnel. The NDC personnel in all the exercise region of Tibet were not informed that this would be just a drill.

The assault at Banggaidoi in Jamdo County was one among several concerted armored and infantry assaults around the whole of exercise region, ie the Qamdo, Nagqu and Nyingchi Districts. The First and Third Brigades of the the 9ACR were deployed to the Nagqu district as Second Brigade was deployed to Qamdo district and Fourth Brigade to Nyingchi.

Airborne Deployment Exercise

2010-11-27T22:01:00.000-08:00

HAMI, XINJIANG

The Third Airborne is deploying for its Divisional Combat exercises. The Regimental Headquarters of the Marakkar's Airborne at Hami is seeing a flurry of activity with the troops and equipment being driven towards Auxiliary Air Base Hami.

Mission Objective : Secure and occupy NTC Achalpur against Division size infantry force through airborne assault.

SCOUT

The first phase of the mission started with an RCAF Merat being boarded by a platoon of 16 RCSF trained Special Forces scouts. The Merat marked as a transport aircraft lifts off for the long flight towards Maharashtra. The Air Defense aspect of the exercise is not however being tested now.

At 75000 ft altitude above NTC Achalpur, the red warning lights suddenly turned green and the jump master helped each of the 16 commandos to jump out into the inky black night. Assisted by their radium lit altimeter and wrist held GPS the 16 paratroopers maintained their controlled free fall making adjustments to their horizontal vectors by changing their body postures. The webbed jump suits also helped gain a greater degree in control over their flight. Wearing NVG/Thermal/Optical goggles they maintained formation watching and correcting flight as a team. With their Submachine guns safed and strapped tight across their chest, the paratroopers opened their parachutes at 3000 ft above the estimated ground level. Now was their most vulnerable part of operation. They hoped they would not be seen by any hostiles on the ground.

Trusting to their luck that there be safe ground, the 16 commandos landed. The scout leader landed first and his thermal signature on ground enabled the rest of the platoon to make terminal corrections to their descent. One soldier landed on a large rock and fractured his legs. Holding back a scream, the agonized soldier squawked over the encrypted radio asking for assistance. The Captain commanding the platoon and the platoon medic rushed to him and gave him temporary palliative while mending the legs as best as possible using splits. The rest of the platoon spread around the small jungle clearing where they had landed.

Divisional Intelligence and Reconnaissance had plotted this clearing as most apt for the assault. The scout force had to gather tactical intelligence for the next wave of soldiers who would be waiting for the go order at Hami.

Leaving their stricken colleague to be the radio man, the platoon spread out. They had to scour the territory and make sure that any hostile activity is detected and plan for neutralizing them readied.

Two hours later, they detected a jungle patrol post manned by a team of 5 hostiles with possible radio connectivity. Leaving the scout teams to monitor patterns and gain any tactical intelligence, the team reported back to the Division.

FIRST WAVE

The 4th Assault Brigade of the Third Airborne Division is boarding the HALOBs at the AAB Hami. The 3000 strong Brigade force is currently deployed on a massive airborne assault. With dual mission of parajumping and air cavalry, the assault brigades of the Royal Cochin Ary's Airborne Divisions are trained in both. Each of the 10000 combat soldiers in an Airborne Division has to be para qualified.

Airborne deployment of an entire brigade along with its equipment is no slight matter. Fully 2 regiments (100 Nos) of HALOBs are tasked to this operation. Each HALOB can carry 100 fully equipped parajumpers, thus 30 HALOBs are devoted to the paratroopers alone, with the remaining 70 tasked to airdrop the heavy equipment needed by the Brigade to hold the ground and prepare the way for the next stage in deployment.

Meanwhile back at NTC Achalpur, 4 commandos have staked out the jungle patrol post, 4 have maintained stationed around likely points of assault and the remaining soldiers have readied remote controlled thermal flares and radio beacons along the clearing with special IR markers denoting hard ground, bad for landing. Soon their combat radio chirped to life and the GO signal was received.

There was no point in subtlety at this point, the roar of scores of HALOBs is unmistakable for any peaceful purposes. As soon as the GO signal was received the jungle patrol post was attacked and its personnel neutralized. As each Halob passed through a certain designated corridor at 30,000 ft altitude, the parajumpers ran out trusting to the Static Lines to deploy the parachutes. Each Halob would take a semi circular track for the airborne delivery starting from 30,000 ft and ending at 35,000 ft thus ensuring the the flights following them would not be disturbed. The course lasting for a total of 120 seconds would see all 100 parajumpers exiting the aircraft, followed two minutes later by the next HALOB on the same course. Thus in two hours a force of 3000 heavily armed Airborne troops landed in the jungle clearing, immediately setting out to improve their perimeter to make way for the successive brigades. However at this time this brigade is still infantry in nature and its full potency can only be delivered by the heavy equipment now being air dropped by the remaining HALOBs on the course.

With a Company sized force remaining to oversee the airdrop and prepare a logistics base, the brigade would be assisted by the scout commmandos to expand the defensive perimeter. Until their heavy equipment arrived in a few hours, they would not be able to do any assault but could defend from an attack in limited manner.

Meanwhile 35,000 ft up, the rear bay doors are opening up for the first squadron of 15 HALOBs as their palletized cargo are being dropped by the jumpmasters. The leading parachutes pull the pallets, 5 to a HALOB from the cavernous hold of the transport aircraft. Altitude activated lines open the parachutes automatically and special air drop specialists on the ground guide the remote controlled control station of the parachutes by timely adjustments. The pallets dropping on the ground are carefully recovered by the logistics company, who proceed to deploy out the field mortars, field guns, ammunition, food and water in these pallets. The engineer company meanwhile use the clearing equipment from a few of these pallets to expand the jungle clearing.

PHASE THREE

Phase three of the assault involves the landing of heavy equipment and remaining brigades. The jungle strip which is now widened and cleared by the engineer company now sees the first of Metacs and GH44s landing, bringing the BMP3s, BTR90s, BRDMS and the Piranha and Blackhawk helicopters. Another day would see the clearing made still larger and HALOBs bringing more heavy weaponry and MH53s.

GH44 Aerial Artillery Platform would soon join the assault which would be launched by the Airborne Division.

From the first scout landing to full Divisional formation would take a total of 14 days in combat conditions.

Armored Exercises

2010-11-26T22:04:00.000-08:00

National Training Center Jaisalmer

The blistering heat and shimmering mirages are not deterring the steady advance of the T100 Main Battle Tank as it wound its way through the sand dunes and sand traps used as static defenses by the X ACR, which is defending this landscape. The S-RECO that was launched a while ago had revealed some enemy opposition 5 kilometers ahead before it was shot down by some SAM. As the leader of the scout platoon of the 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment's 1st Brigade, Echo 256 would have to blast a way through the enemy force. The reconnaissance battle is over for now, both sides have a reasonable disposition about the others' forces.

The 1 Brigade is at the front of this assault and his Battalion is stretched behind him. This was a do or die moment. He had to render a hole in the enemy forces' against marked superiority. The Brigade's artillery and MRLS had been wiped out by the enemy's helicopter gunships in a dare devil strike which was compensated by the entire helicopter battalion sized force being wiped out by his Air Defense IFVs. The loss of artillery would be compensated by the Regiment rushing 2nd Brigade's artillery Battalion to the 1Br front but that would take some hours. Meanwhile 1BR has to shoot its way through against an artillery barrage becoming more and more accurate every minute. Despite the frantic maneuvering the platoon is doing, one of the T100s and two BMP3s have already been destroyed.

"Sir, I have a target."

The gunner yelled out at his commander.

"Load HEAT."
"Loaded in chamber."
"Fire."
"Target. Cease fire. Next."

The pillar of flame that shot out of the T100 4 kilometers away was topped by the blown turret. But before he could savor the joy of the kill, he heard frantic communications from the remaining tanker to his left, which ceased abruptly.

"Brigade, this is Command. Charge at will, we need to get a breakthrough here," the Brigade's Colonel's voice sounded through the battlefield intercom. As on cue the commander of the tank watched his entire Battalion racing up towards the enemy positions firing while on full speed burst. This charge was the only way to outmaneuver the artillery and armor detachment that is holding the front ahead.

As he felt the tank jostling in all directions due to the high speed charge, the Inter Vehicular Information System, showed several tanks of his platoon sending out hit reports.

An hour later the young Lieutenant finished off the last enemy tank with a Sabot round at close range. As he watched the pillar of fire again, he did not feel remorse or regret of having killed a bunch of fellow tankers. No, these targets did not elicit that sort of regret.

All in all it was a good day, a day that really gave him confidence that the strenuous and tough training he and his fellow tankers had undertaken had been validated against a very highly skilled opponent indeed, in fact the most skilled opponent that he can think of, a thinking intelligent Cochin tanker. That too against X ACR, the resident Armored Cavalry Regiment at the NTC Jaisalmer.

"Okay, soldiers, let us pack up," the Lieutenant ordered as he opened the hatch. Blinking against harsh lights emanating from the bright sky upwards, the soldier walked to the Barracks a bare 300 yards away. He was sure the tankers whom he had "killed" during the day's exercise would already be there. Time to get a little payback for all the hazing they did when his Regiment came to the NTC.

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The National Training Center uses decommissioned T100s and T90s of Royal Cochin Army now in Reserve status as live fire dummies for these battle field exercises. Simulation pods in kazernes at the base are used to provide live control to simulate entire Regiments at a time. All the elements of a regiment including its logistics units, vehicles, aircraft and infantry are all simulated in such live fire exercises. The pods control real equipment in the vast Training Range, readied by NTC staff, which are remotely controlled to mimic the actions and commands simulated in the pods.

Since real equipment are used, real combat attrition can be simulated and live weaponry can be used to give a greater training edge to the soldiers. NTC in short simulates real combat, with real material casualties, without any human casualty. It is the most realistic armored combat training school in the world.

X ACR consists of a dedicated facility stationed at NTC to impart Op For capability to the Royal Cochin Army fighting units. Highly skilled educators and decorated soldiers, these instructors study up on every possible military tactic likely to be used in a battlefield so that the Royal Cochin Army soldier is the most well trained soldier on the planet.

Since the vast inventory of National Defense Reserves Stockpile have to be routinely expended to keep the active duty equipment and reserve equipment up to date, such expenditure of equipment is also a cost effective training method.