Republic of Cabinda AU

Welcome to my new AU, the Republic of Cabinda AU!!!

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City of Cabinda skyline at night

The Republic of Cabinda is an oil-rich African country bordered by Zaire on the south and by Congo on the north. Formerly a Portuguese protectorate, Cabinda was first joined to the newly-independent Angola in 1975. But serious problems such as political differences and disputes over oil and money led Cabinda to wage a war of independence (1976) from Angola. Backed by it's former "mother" Portugal and by other Western Allies, Angola recognized the independence of Angola in late-1976. The war left Cabinda in shambles, but good governance, political stability, and extreme wealth from the thriving petroleum industry transformed it as an industrial and financial power with one of the highest standards of living in Africa.

Cabinda was dubbed as the "Singapore of the West", with an area of 7,823 km2 (3,020 sq mi) and a population of 12,966,207 (2014 estimate). English is the official language, although Portuguese is the most commonly used in daily conversations.

ECONOMY
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An offshore oil rig near Cabinda

Petroleum was discovered in 1967 and has since financed the transformation of Cabinda from a poor, war-torn country at the time of independence to a rich one that spends vast sums on social, agricultural, and military development. The government also used petroleum profits to create the infrastructure needed to transform Cabinda into a diversified, industrial nation. In recent years, the highway network, long hampered by war damage and a minefield that the Angolans had planted in the time of war, has greatly expanded. A causeway linking Cabinda to Nigeria was opened in 1997. Air transport and port facilities have also been modernized.

Due to it's enormous petroleum reserves, Cabinda plays a pivotal role in the global oil market. Dramatic increases in oil prices at the time of independence created huge trade surpluses between 1976 and 1981. Cabinda remained a wealthy country despite of substantial declines in oil earnings in the 1980s and early 1990s. Crude oil and petroleum products account for more than 90% of all Cabinda's exports, with most going to Japan, Singapore, France, and Portugal. Other exports include timber, lumber, and processed food products. Cabinda has long provided substantial aid to many poorer African nations, although it suspended or reduced aid to countries and groups who backed Angola in their threats of invasion since 2000.

HISTORY

A Cuban supplied T-34 tank of the Angolan Army besieging rebel positions in Cabinda (1976 war).

Little is known about early Cabinda, Portuguese explorers, missionaries and traders arrived at the mouth of the Congo River in the mid-15th century, making contact with the Manikongo, the powerful King of the Congo. The Manikongo controlled much of the region through affiliation with smaller kingdoms, such as the Kingdoms of Ngoyo, Loango and Kakongo in present-day Cabinda. Sovereignty over the enclave was acquired by Portugal in 1885 by the Treaty of Simulambuco, establishing Cabinda as a protectorate under the Portuguese crown.

Following the 1975 coup in Lisbon, the new Portuguese government began to relinquish it's hold on most of it's overseas colonies. Cabinda was then joined to the newly independent Angola as it's integral territory. However, after a dispute over oil and money and increasing discontent among the Cabindans led to a brief armed struggle in early 1976. The fighting Cabindans won the sympathy of the world, including Portugal, large foreign aid to the rebels overwhelmed the Angolan forces. Political and economic pressures forced Angola to recognize the independence of Cabinda. The independent country joined the UN in 1980.

After independence, Cabinda enjoyed a period of political stability that was rare in Africa in the recent decades, this facilitated a rapid economic growth that outmatched most of the other African nations. A poor nation that depends mostly on foreign help was transformed as a wealthy country that now provides substantial aid to it's fellow African countries.

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A photo showing a rocket fired by Angolans against Cabinda.

A brief economic slowdown in the 1990s and early 2000s was facilitated by falling oil prices and increasing military expenditures. The growth spurred again after the new government began to diversify the economy to reduce dependence on falling oil revenues. Cabindan forces fought alongside the Republic of Congo during the Second Congo War, it bitterly counters every policy and actions of Angola. Angolan rocket attacks on Cabinda from the coastal city of Soyo have occurred since 2001, this has caused death of 15 people and the creation of widespread psychological trauma and disruption of daily life among the Cabindan populace. In March 2009, Cabindan forces bombed the city of Soyo and has since stopped the rocket attacks. This threats from Angola eventually led to a new Cabindan military build-up in the region.

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"Give me 10,000 Filipinos and I shall conquer the whole world!"
-Gen. Douglas McArthur
Republic of Ezo AU
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Republic of Cabinda AU

REPUBLIC OF CABINDA AIR FORCE

The Republic of Cabinda Air Force is the air force of Cabinda, with headquarters in the city of Cabinda itself. It was established in 1981 following independence from Angola. Since then, it has undergone a continual reorganization and expansion in terms of both capability and numbers of aircraft. Currently, the RCAF has around 6,000 personnel and operates approximately 400 fixed and rotary wing aircraft.

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REPUBLIC OF CABINDA NAVY

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RCS Victorious
RCS Valorous
RCS Glorious
RCS Audacious
RCS Courageous
RCS Chivalrous

The Victorious-class multi-role stealth corvette are the latest surface platforms to enter service with the Republic of Cabinda Navy. Although they are "corvettes" due to their small size and crew of only 60, their weaponry and speed are almost comparable to that of a frigate. They are equipped with sonar, torpedoes, missile launchers, electronic warfare capabilities and decoys, a gun mount, and a helipad and helicopter hangar. 6 ships were built by ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems in Hamburg Naval Shipyards and are commissioned from 2009-2014.

The Victorious-class corvettes are designed with stealth features, low draft, and highly automated weapons and defence systems to support littoral warfare and particularly for operations of a multi-national crisis reaction force. The corvettes have a continuous maximum speed of over 26 knots and a cruising range of more than 2,500nm. The displacement is about 1,780t, overall length 94 meters and breadth 13.2m. The Victorious-class corvettes have an endurance of seven days or, with tender support, 21 days.

A high level of automation and integration, including the automated and integrated bridge, allows the corvettes to be operated by a crew of 60. Some important technologies recently featured such as the SEAPAR radar system and other modern communication and weapon systems were incorporated to the ships.

The ships were deployed in the bombardment of Soyo City during the Angolan rocket attacks, while RCS Audacious is in Somalia as part of an international anti-piracy mission there.

Not bad, other than the dated parts and a few minor niggles. I'd relocate the countermeasure dispenser amidships rather than the bridge area as rockets are hot! I'd also relocate the RAM launcher to where the Mk38 is now and place the Mk38 (or now a pair of them) aside the bridge on wings.

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AU Projects: | Banbha et al. | New England: The Divided States
Blood and Fire

Also, having the Sea Giraffe AMB is redundant. I think SEAPAR is best paired with SMART-S Mk. 2. or, you could use CEAFAR with CEAMOUNT, as used on this ship.

SEAPAR is not yet installed on any ship (except on this AU) and we cannot infer if the Sea GIRAFFE is not capable to be paired with the SEAPAR.

ruzzelsuallo wrote:

SEAPAR is not yet installed on any ship (except on this AU) and we cannot infer if the Sea GIRAFFE is not capable to be paired with the SEAPAR.

it was supposed to be installed on this ship, although it would be completed as a lightly-armed OPV.

I already told that, the SEAPAR is not yet proven and not yet installed (EXCEPT ON MY SHIP PLEASE!!!!), so i dont think that Sea GIRAFFE couldnt complement the system. It is not impossible, but can also cannot be possible, except if there is a concrete evidence (a real ship built with SEAPAR).

Whilst I agree that SMART-S would be a better choice in an ideal world, to my knowledge Sea Giraffe is perfectly fine as a complement to SEAPAR. The ANZACs do/did it as do the Halifaxes (Not with SEAPAR mind but using ESSM/NSSM).

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AU Projects: | Banbha et al. | New England: The Divided States
Blood and Fire

Shipbucket

Republic of Cabinda AU

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