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Press Release
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| Schmuel_Kadram | Date: Sunday, 08 Jul 2012, 12:44 PM | Message # 1 |
 Lieutenant
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| Having discussed the matter with our design team, and in collaboration with the Brentaal Engineers who pioneered the devices involved, we have made the decision to discontinue the Militarized "Drone" research project in lieu of using the same technology to produce safe and useful civilian devices (for traffic management or logistical systems) We will be able to push forward with new devices which produce a better Empire for all of us to live in.
After conducting customer consultations we noted a distinct lack enthusiasm from customers for such a unit. This was in light of the bad reputation of similar devices recently seen on Imperial Center and prior to that in the Clone Wars. Thus, it is to become part of the ethos of Rothana Heavy Engineering to no longer produce fighting units which do not require the operation of a sentient to operate. It should also be noted that in consultation with Shipping and Pilots groups, there was an overwhelmingly negative response to the idea of such units being produced, and as a company which listens to the people Rothana will stand behind sentient pilots everywhere and say no to such unnecessary automation in favour of retaining pilots (many of them Clone War veterans) in their jobs.
The company also took into account the fact that Drones, no matter how advanced will never beat the unmatched skill, intuition and agility of human male pilots, the backbone of the Imperial Starfighter forces and the section of society who saved us during the Clone Wars. This statement it testament to the skill, ingenuity and ability of humans everywhere.
Schmuel Kadram
Governor of Rothana
Junior Vice President of Operations KDY
Message edited by Schmuel_Kadram - Sunday, 08 Jul 2012, 12:44 PM |
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| Senator_Cambrist | Date: Sunday, 08 Jul 2012, 9:52 PM | Message # 2 |
 Lieutenant general
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Messages: 761
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Supplemental Statement from the Sponsor
The government of Brentaal supports the decision of its partner, Rothana Heavy Engineering, to shift away from the sale of the Arrowhead-class drone interceptor in favor of other, non-military applications of the Arrowhead drone technology. Drone interceptors and other drone defense technologies are a cost-efficient alternative to conventional starfighter programs, but Brentaal has always appreciated the fact that the accessibility of these weapons is also, potentially, a liability. The number of planets that can be trusted to operate drones responsibly is few, and fewer still are interested in a product that is historically associated with the Trade Federation. Understandably. Brentaal too has long been opposed to neo-Separatist ship designs.
Nonetheless, Brentaal sponsored the Arrowhead-class drone interceptor to help poor worlds to defend themselves from the ever-present threat of piracy. We've come to the conclusion, however, that investment in a proper starfighter program is the surest way for a planet to defend itself and provide employment—and pride—to its people. Moreover, no droid can match the talent and resourcefulness of a human pilot; the Arrowhead-class interceptor was never intended to replace human pilots, and this is the reason that Brentaal sponsored a Senate bill to reward planets for the employment of starfighter pilots.
Circumstances of the roll-out of the Arrowhead-class drone interceptor demonstrated to Brentaal's satisfaction that this moment in history is not the right one for drone defense technologies. The absence of demand for these technologies, the cancelation (for unrelated astropolitical reasons) of the Auril Sector War Games where the Arrowhead was scheduled to make its debut, and the droid uprising on Imperial Center conspired to stop the introduction of the design to the public. Ultimately, this was for the best.
Only those who can be trusted with drone technologies should be allowed to buy or sell them, and the Empire must be involved in determining who can and can't be trusted. Brentaal will continue to support Imperial regulation of drone technologies, as indeed it has already. Drones are too accessible to too many actors—and many drones are far too heavily-armed—to be bought, sold, or traded freely.
Brentaal has purchased a legacy batch of Arrowhead-class drone interceptors, the last of the Arrowhead design to be manufactured. We hope, on behalf of Centares, Yag'dhul, and the other worlds that have purchased Arrowhead-class interceptors, that Rothana will continue to offer support for this product and honor any warranties. And we look forward to Rothana's non-military applications of the Arrowhead technology; a collaboration of Kuat Drive Yards and Industrial Automaton, the Arrowhead avionics suite is a revolutionary piece of hardware that may find a new life in space traffic-management systems.
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| Aulus_Decius | Date: Monday, 09 Jul 2012, 12:54 PM | Message # 3 |
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| Supplemental Statement from the Shareholders
On behalf of the shareholders of Rothana Heavy Engineering, I applaud RHE, and Kuat Drive Yards, as well as Brentaal in coming to this conclusion. The militarized drone project was a matter of contention among the shareholders; while we saw the immense possibility for profit in Brentaal's vision, returning automated war machines to the battlefield felt ethically wrong. Many contentious meetings have been held over the matter, however we are glad that this chapter is closing in RHE's history.
The shareholders join Brentaal in the hope that RHE will continue to offer support for the product that was produced under this program, despite its cancellation, in order to form a new relationship with our costumers in an age in which we are once again reforming our identity as a company. We look to the future, in which we hope we may continue our unique relationship with Brentaal and implement a starfighter program centered around the principles of the militarized drone program.
As Mr. Kadram stated, RHE is a company which listens to the people. We, the shareholders, stand with the company in supporting pilots across the galaxy. We hope this is one of many steps we shall take in restoring the prominence of Rothana Heavy Engineering in the minds of the galaxy.
Aulus S. Decius
CEO & President, Decius Industreis (DIA)
Majority Non-Controlling Shareholder, Rothana Heavy Engineering
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