Howdy all. Has been a long, long, loooong time since I've posted on here. Always lurked and tinkered with various designs but never really have it to a place where I felt comfortable enough posting
, but that time is over. And just like with my first idea, this is a version of a continued, independent Newfoundland and Labrador. Ships and nation will be described below; but it is basically a what-if modern view of what my idea of a Newfoundland navy and later, air force, would look like not only if Newfoundland had maintained its independence, but also if Great Britain hadn't been so restrictive on immigration to the island. When Newfoundland was a colony, its importance for fishing meant the British didn't allow colonization anywhere near the scale of other future dominions and nations, and in fact made it very difficult for several centuries to move here. So, in this version of events, the Brits see the emigration of Scots and Irish as more of a concern, and see Newfoundland as a good alternative to the United States, so greater numbers move there than in real life.
Anyway, enough prattle. On with the show.
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Dominion of Newfoundland and Labrador
National Background
History
Originally inhabited by indigenous First Nations such as the Beothuk and Dorset peoples, it was first 'discovered' by the Vikings around 1000 AD, and then rediscovered by explorer John Cabot in 1497. Declared a colony for England by Sir Humphrey Gilbert in 1583, and declared a full colony in 1610.
The colony of Newfoundland grew slowly, being a proprietary and fishing colony, it took several centuries before large scale communities developed. Starting with the beginning of the industrial age that the population really started to grow and expand. As tensions increased in the United Kingdom developed due to poverty and famine, the Colonial Office lifted the previously stringent measures preventing immigration. By the mid 19th Century, the colonial population was granted self-government, and in 1910 was declared a full dominion of equal status to others such as Canada and New Zealand. By the middle of the 20th Century, Newfoundland quickly became an important trade area, as its' favourable trade agreements with the United States meant many countries used Newfoundland as point-of-entry to circumvent more expensive tariffs or import duties.
Newfoundland was a member of the British Empire and contributed to World War I, including the disastrous battle of Beaumont-Hamel in which the 1st Newfoundland (Royal) Regiment suffered 90% casualties. Newfoundland was also an allied power in World War II, and contributed non-combatants in the Korean War. Newfoundland was a founding member of NATO, and to this date hosts various allied air forces in Goose Bay, Labrador. Newfoundland also participated in the First Gulf War, the Afghanistan War, and various United Nation peacekeeping missions. Newfoundland however has on several occasions bucked the trend, most recently during the 2011 Libyan Intervention, declining and opposing the operation.
Governance
Newfoundland and Labrador is a constitutional monarchy that uses a parliamentary system of government with Queen Elizabeth II as the Queen of Newfoundland and Labrador, represented by the Governor-General.
Newfoundland uses a unicameral parliament, consisting of the House of Assembly, with the three major political parties – the United Party, Labour Party, and National-Liberal Party – holding the majority of the seats.
Foreign Relations
Newfoundland enjoys excellent relations with all nations within the Anglosphere - especially Canada and the United Kingdom. It was a founding member of the United Nations, an active member of the Commonwealth of Nations, and a founding member of NATO and NORAD. Newfoundland is striving to achieve better relations with the nations outside North America and Europe and is actively trying to improve relations with South American nations; and much of its foreign aid goes to the countries to its immediate south. Newfoundland has also established free trade agreements with the European Union, Australia, New Zealand, China, and is a participating partner - but not original signatory - to NAFTA.
Geography, Population, and Climate
The nation is a combination of the islands of Newfoundland, comprising the main island and over 100 smaller islands scattered around its coast; and the "big land" of Labrador on the mainland of North America. With a total area of 405,212 square kilometres, Newfoundland and Labrador is the 60th largest nation on earth in terms of landmass. Newfoundland and Labrador has a population as of its last census in 2009 of 1,437,212 with an estimation in 2014 of 1,440,000. Of the above, approximately 1,200,000 reside on the island, with the remainder residing in Labrador. The majority of Newfoundlanders and Labradorians are of Anglo-Irish or French descent, with the largest minorities being First Nations, Indo-Pakistani, and Saharan Africans.
Due to the diverse geography of the nation, it has a varied climate. The island spans 5* of latitude, which is comparable to that of the Great Lakes of Canada/US. While technically divided into six-climate types, Newfoundland has a cool summer-humid continental climate as no part of the island is more than 100km from the sea. Most of Labrador has a subarctic climate, while Northern Labrador has a polar tundra climate.
Economy
Newfoundland and Labrador has a market economy with moderate-to-high GDP per capita and relatively low rate of poverty, and the Newfoundland Dollar is the currency of the nation. It is currently the 66th largest economy in the world. The main industries are mining, petroleum and natural gas, aquaculture, services, transport equipment, food processing, and tourism. Due to its export of large quantities of renewable and non-renewable resources, the country is amongst some of the most affected by global financial fluctuations, despite decades worth of efforts to diversify the economy.
Transport
Newfoundland and Labrador possesses a moderate highway system which connects all major cities on the island, and is supported by an extensive network of inter-island and inter-division ferries. Newfoundland and Labrador also contains a modest rail transport network, used primarily as a bulk freight shipper. St. John's International is the main commercial and personal travel hub for air travel, but Gander, Deer Lake, Goose Bay, and Labrador City being other major air transport hubs. Gander and Goose Bay also double as the main RNFAF air hubs, and Goose Bay served as an alternate landing area for the Space Shuttle during its operation. The Port of St. John's is a major trade hub in the region and is the 45th busiest port in the world by cargo tonnage, with Argentia and Corner Brook also serving as major sub-hubs.
Royal Newfoundland and Labrador Navy - RNLN
World War II Era
Escorts
Terra Nova Class Light Destroyers
HMNFS Terra Nova, 1934
HMNFS Terra Nova, 1943
HMNFS Terra Nova, 1952
Cold War Era
Frigates
Philip Francis Little Class Light Frigates
HMNFS Philip Francis Little, 1960
HMNFS Robert Bond, 1962
HMNFS Philip Francis Little, 1968
HMNFS Philip Francis Little, 1974
HMNFS Philip Francis Little, 1982
HMNFS Philip Francis Little F83
HMNFS John Kent F84
HMNFS Robert Bond F85
HMNFS Robert Stanley Monroe F86
Caen Class Frigates
HMNFS Caen, 1972
HMNFS Caen, 1989
HMNFS Caen, 2001
HMNFS Caen, F88
HMNFS Ardennes, F86
HMNFS Monte Cassino, F87
Smaller Escorts
WIP!
Auxiliaries
WIP!
Modern Era
Frigates
John Cabot Class Frigates
HMNFS Cabot, 2004
HMNFS Corte-Real, 2020 (Projected)
HMNFS John Cabot, F100
HMNFS Gaspar Corte-Real F101
Smaller Escorts
Beothuk Class OPV
HMNFS Beothuk, 2012
HMNFS Beothuk, P17
HMNFS Mi'kmaq, P18
HMNFS Innu, P19
Auxiliaries
Labrador Class Support Ship
HMNFS Labrador, 2006
HMNFS Labrador, L180
William Amherst Class Amphibious Warfare Ship
HMNFS Amherst, 2009
HMNFS William Amherst, L181