Flanked by the top officers of the Imperial General Staff, Prime Minister Toquihu announced that Xiomera will sharply enlarge its naval and air forces in response to growing tensions in Caxcana.
In a new construction program labeled “Total Military 2030”, the Prime Minister announced that Xiomera will seek to expand its naval and air power “to ensure that the Empire is the dominant force on the sea and in the air in Caxcana, no later than the year 2030.” The program calls for the construction of three new fleets, effectively doubling the size of the Imperial Navy if the program is fully realized. The program also calls for a major expansion of the Imperial Air Force, with an emphasis on long-range strike capabilities such as heavy bombers, fighter escorts and refueling aircraft. The capabilities of Xiomera’s already potent missile defense systems will also be augmented by a greater focus on long-range strategic capabilities.
While the focus of Xiomera’s new military expansion is oriented at improving the Empire’s ability to strike potential enemies far away from Xiomera, local defenses will also be expanded under the program. The construction of artificial islands in the waters around Xiomera will be accelerated, and new weapons systems deployed to those islands previously not seen there. These include Xiomera’s infamous “ship-killer” ballistic missiles, as well as improved cruise missiles and anti-air defenses. “Our goal will be to deny access and control to any hostile forces that approach Xiomeran waters or airspace with the intent to attack the Xiomeran motherland,” Grand Marshal Zinahue, head of the General Staff, told reporters.
Xiomera’s sharp increase in military spending and construction has been described by Imperial officials as a defensive response, in the wake of the formation of the Caxcanan Union. It is also seen as a veiled warning to Huscar Sun, whose leaders have recently threatened a “holy war” against the Empire. Whatever the cause, the Xiomeran military program is expected to escalate already high tensions in Caxcana.
