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Chapter 97 - A Long Journey[]
15 June 2788
Mackolla (Federated Suns)
Newhart Industries Battlemech factory was finally back into operation. Though it would be a few weeks before the first was completed, just the fact that the production lines were operating was cause for celebration. Though numbers would be lower than possible due to training all the new local employee's it was estimated that they should hit peak production within a year, possibly two. The new manufacturing equipment was only a step below that found on Terra itself, fully automated on all but the most intricate parts of the assembly itself. Planning had also dictated additional production lines, having been assigned the license for the CRB-27 Crab series.
Newhart Battlemech Factory
-Spider, SDR-5Vb - One Line - Estimated Monthly Production 24 Total
-Hussar, HSR-200-Db - One Line - Estimated Monthly Production 24 Total
-Guillotine, GLT-3N - Two Lines - Estimated Monthly Production 12 Total
-Crab, CRB-27 - Two Lines - Estimated Monthly Production 20 Total
-Crab, CRB-27b - Two Lines - Estimated Monthly Production 20 Total
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Crab Medium 'Mech
The CRB-27 Crab was selected as the Battlemech to be offered to the AFFS for purchase at the present time due to the fact that not all available Battlemech pilots did not have rides. It was estimated to need three months of production of the other lines to fill their own ranks and then they could decide on what to offer the AFFS. The CRB-27 would be offered at 4 million each with an estimated monthly revenue of 80 million and estimated profit margin of 11% for a monthly profit of 8.8 million with a 10% royalty fee of 880,000 for Cosara Weaponries.
The Aerospace Division had finally installed two production lines to manufacture the SL-25 and SL-26 Samurai. The SL-25 was to be offered to the AFFS at 2.4 million for purchase while the SL-26 would remain for their own use while two lines were still being manufactured to bring the HCT-213N Hellcat to production for the AFFS for 3.4 million. It was an in-house variant created from the blueprints that came with the production license. It carried 16 double heat sinks, 11.5 tons of Ferro-Aluminum armor, it was armed with two Large Laser in the nose and kept the other weapons the same. Actual performance should remain the same.
Newhart Aerospace Factory
-TRN-3Tb2 Trident - Three Lines - Monthly Production 36 Total
-SL-25 Samurai - One Line - Estimated Monthly Production 20 Total
-SL-26 Samurai - One Line - Estimated Monthly Production 20 Total
-HCT-213N Hellcat - Two Lines - Estimated Monthly Production 18 Total
-IRN-SD1X Ironside - Hand Build - Monthly Production 3 Total
-HMR-HE Hammerhead - Hand Build - Monthly Production 3 Total
With their current Aerospace units reaching full strength and larger fighters now reaching them, the TRN-3Tb2 Trident was being offered to the AFFS at full production rate for 2.4 million each.
Not far away Blow/Hookson Technologies was running two production lines for the ZRO-116b Zero while also waiting on additional manufacturing equipment to install two lines for the IRN-SD1X Ironside, but also two lines for the HMR-HE Hammerhead. Currently being hand assembled at Newhart Industries factory, but the licenses had been assigned to Blow/Hookson Technologies since they were the first up and running. Production of the Ironside would not begin until the end of the year and the Hammerhead early 2789.
Blow/Hookson Technologies
-ZRO-116b Zero - Two Lines - Monthly Production 36 Total
-IRN-SD1X Ironside - Two Lines planned - Estimated Production 20 Total
-HMR-HE Hammerhead - Two Lines planned - Estimated Production 12 Total
Currently none would be offered for sale to the AFFS, all slated to fully fill out and replace the numerous Trident that made up the Aerospace compliments. Talks had been had about assigning the last license held to Blow/Hookson but no decision had been made yet on the Hellcat II license.
Buhallin Military Products was just starting the process of installing the heavy machinery brought over from TechniCorp purchase, while also finishing the testing process on their new Turhan lines which would be offered to the AFFS at 1.3 million each. They would also be manufacturing Goblin (SLDF) for their own use with the TechniCorp equipment. Their workers sent to Panpour were already on their way back after a few months on Panpour.
-Turhan - Three Lines - Estimated Monthly Production 150 Total
-Goblin (SLDF) - Two Lines - Estimated Monthly Production 100 Total
Ulston Armor was still waiting on their new manufacturing so that they could restart their Thor Artillery production but also, they would be waiting on equipment to manufacture Manticore Heavy Tanks under license from TechniCorp. Their orders delayed by the push to get the ammunition production up to full speed and other sudden priorities, but they were up next.
Gerald Mitchell was quite pleased with the progress being made on all fronts, but he was elated when Di Tron Heavy Industries accepted his offer for the production rights for the Dictator Transport and Titan Fighter Carrier Dropships with the 5% royalty for 700 million. He still had no word from his other offers, but this gave him hope that his other offers would be accepted. He had no news from Imbrial but talks with General Paul Jefferson had convinced him to offer the Spider and Hussar to the AFFS, which would bring in an additional 240 million in revenue per month and roughly 24 million in profit for Newhart Industries. He couldn't help but laugh to himself at the very modest amounts when it came to the Aerospace fighters and the Battlemechs compared to TechniCorp on Panpour. Battlemechs might rule the battlefield but they damn sure were not serious moneymakers compared to building tanks which could be done in numbers that defined belief.