OFADM: Operation Cleanslate Status Report 10/09/578AER

==DIRECTED TO: FLEET ADMIRAL; CHANCELLOR; IMPERIAL OFFICE; SEC. OF DEFENCE==
Issued by: Admiral Charles Baron
Issued in year: 578AER; on date: 12 September
Classification: Intended recipients and those deemed fit to read by said recipients.
===SUBJECT: RESULTS OF OPERATION CLEANSLATE===
====MESSAGE: ====
Be bound by duty to report to the aforementioned recipients on the current status of Operation Cleanslate. 
Firstly, the anti-raid directives put forth by the Admiralty have, after nearly half a year of severe convoy losses, have been fully implemented and restored confidence in our supply lines. Submarine and surface raiders preying on our convoys near the Haalsian-Kaarnor Strait and to the south of Bassar Island have become les frequent as the loss in tonnage of supplies drastically decreases as enemy submarine and surface raider sinking increases each month. This has meant that convoy lines to the shores of Kaarnor and by extension, Shiha, can continue mostly undisturbed to deliver very needed supplies to the front.
Furthermore, minor naval victories have been achieved around Haalsia and the Strait of Saigon between South Kaarnor and the island of Bassar. On 1 September, a Red Federation detachment of 35 warships attempted to sail north of Haalsia but was quickly intercepted by 47 Allied vessels, including Kadlwin-class aircraft carrier HMS Unavoidable. At 1300 hours the two sides opened fire. Roughly 4 hours later, once allied reinforcements had arrived, the enemy detachment retreated east towards the Cantonosian islands north-east of Kaarnor. Twelve allied vessels were sunk, while 26 enemy ships were destroyed -- including Project-23 battleship RFS Soldatyi. 
A similar, yet more succesful skirmish occurred in the Saigon Strait south of Kaarnor where a succesful luring operation by a small detachment of 8 vessels managed to kite a large RF taskforce of 25 ships towards the seaway between south Kaarnor and the island of Bassar. Fortifications had been made across both sides of the strait and aerial reinforcements were launched from Kaarnor which caught the enemy by surprise and led to the complete destruction of the enemy vessels, with 7 ships and 5 aircraft either sunk, destroyed or damaged on our side.
The detachment of the 3rd Fleet sailing back north after aiding the 2nd Fleet in the South was caught by surprise by the RF fleet patrolling near the FUC and was forced to retreat to north to Hastiga after enduring considerable losses. Parts of the Home Fleet were able to arrive in time to escort the detachment towards southern Kaarnor, shielding them off preying RF ships. In the engagement the detachment lost 12 ships, while the enemy only lost a single destroyer .
The eastern theatre, although far from over, has been finally stabilised to a static and equally advantageous state. While the Northern areas around Haalsia and north Kaarnor have been soundly secured by Allied fleets, the south with it's strong RF presence around the Cantonosian islands in Bassar, the FUC and South Shiha continue to be a complicated theater for allied forces. For the time being, the tides have turned and we no longer are at a disadvantage in the eastern theater.
OFFICE OF THE FLEET ADMIRAL
Category:Historical Battles