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The military arm of the [[Assembled Commonwealth]] is the Commonwealth Navy. It traces its origins to the first vessels that arrived in [[Asta]] during [[Idarast|Idarast’s]] colonisation. The Commonwealth Navy has been called upon countless times to defend the interests of the [[Assembled Commonwealth]]. Its influence is so widespread, select officers are granted seats in the [[Assembled Commonwealth #The_Assembly|Assembly]].
The Commonwealth Navy maintains a fleet of over 100 commissioned technologically sophisticated vessels and naval bases. The Commonwealth Marines and Naval Aviation Corps are sub-branches of the Commonwealth Navy and are integrated into its command structure. The Head of the Commonwealth Navy is known as the First Space Lord and the position is currently held by Admiral of the Fleet Caelen Irvine
== Role ==
The Commonwealth Navy has a variety of roles and must maintain the ability to adapt its role to circumstances faced by the [[Assembled Commonwealth]] and as dictated by the [[Assembled Commonwealth #The_Assembly|Assembly]]. Currently, its official mission can be outlined in seven major points:
* Preventing Conflict – On an Interstellar and regional level
* Assembled Commonwealth Security – To ensure the stability of the Commonwealth and protect its citizens
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== History ==
The Commonwealth Navy was formally founded on 22nd December 152 (PA) (220) following the establishment of the [[Assembled Commonwealth]]. However, its origins can be traced back to several precursor organisations on [[Idarast]] well before the Commonwealth’s founding.
During Idarast’s initial colonisation various groups of settlers had their security forces and naval vessels. The largest was the collection of ships that arrived alongside the refugees from the House of Ida. These vessels, though heavily damaged, provided an essential boon to the security of the colonies. Eventually, each of the city-states built up their naval forces, protecting [[Asta]] and Idarast from raiders and pirates. This enabled the colonies to explore the system and exploit its resources.
The City-state of Ankon was especially quick to establish shipyards and a professional navy and soon rivalled that of Beorgan and the vessels they had inherited from the House of Ida. To this day the city of Ankon is heavily invested in shipbuilding and has extremely close ties with the navy.
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Outnumbered, the joint task force relied on superior tactics and positioning against the attempt to invade Asta. While victorious, the battle was a close-run thing. Losses for the joint task force were high. Commanding one of the vessels was the then, Aetharing Uriele. To this day his actions while breaking the enemy lines are taught in the naval academy. Uriele is remembered as one of the Commonwealth’s greatest naval heroes. The Uriele Naval Anchorage is named in his honour.
In the aftermath of the battle, and the continued fractious nature of Beacon Space, the city-states of [[Idarast]] agreed to form the [[Assembled Commonwealth]] and with it the Commonwealth Navy. United the city-states pooled their resources to rebuild and expand their naval capacity. The two largest contributors to this new navy were the Ankon Defence Force and the Beorgan Navy. The influence of these two organisations is seen in how the Commonwealth Navy was organised and structured. Admiral Volkov, formerly of the Ankon Defence Force, was appointed as the First Space Lord and began a programme of rapid expansion and further fortification of the [[Asta]] system and idarast itself.
The following decades saw the Commonwealth Navy involved in several skirmishes and a series of campaigns to thwart any more incursions. But it wasn’t only foreign powers the Navy had to contend with. Domestic groups opposed to the formation of the Commonwealth had taken up arms and began a small insurgency. Based mostly in the Vale belt the Commonwealth Navy was tasked with rooting the insurgents out and protecting the vital trade routes in and out of Asta. After a series of bombings on Idarast, a major campaign was undertaken to root out the insurgent’s bases. Dozens of vessels combed the vast Vale belt, while marines were deployed on Idarast to occupy several suspected insurgent bases. The insurgency was declared defeated but it is rumoured that several cells survived and simply continued their efforts against Commonwealth traders, fueling the rise of piracy in the Vale belt.
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As the situation in Beacon Space calmed down, and relative peace returned to the sector, the Commonwealth Navy was tasked with securing the rapidly expanding trade routes. Fueled by the formation and successes of the guilds, Commonwealth goods could now be found on the extreme edges of known Beacon Space. The Navy was required to make all effort possible to protect those guilds. The fleet became stretched thin. Vessels were on constant patrol. Shipbuilding continued at a significant pace. Competition between the guilds became fierce, each bidding for rich trade routes and precious charters. This led to several altercations between different Guilds. This animosity eventually escalated, leading to some unscrupulous guild masters hiring criminals and pirates to interfere with their competitors' routes. The Commonwealth Navy was overwhelmed by this new development, and droves of vessels simply disappeared. Unsatisfied with the efforts of the Commonwealth Navy some guilds turned to mercenaries to protect their cargoes. These private militaries would eventually become known as Guild Corsairs. Open warfare had been declared by the largest guilds upon each other. At the height of the Guild Corsairs, the number of vessels almost outnumbered the entirety of the Commonwealth Navy.
Fighting between the guilds remained outside the [[Asta]] system, though some incidents came close. Intervention by Commonwealth Navy vessels prevented anything serious. Aetharch Vittore became concerned by the guilds’ increasing power, worried that it was only a matter of time before the conflict erupted on [[Idarast]]. He passed a series of regulations upon the guild. The size of any private military’s company vessel was severely limited. All vessels were required to be registered with the Commonwealth Navy and be issued a Letter of Marque. A new tax was levied on the guilds to provide funds for the further expansion of the navy. And finally, he declared that any Guild Corsairs that fired upon a registered Commonwealth trader would have their Letter of Marque removed and they would be declared pirates.
The actions of the Aetharch, though praised by many in society, drove a wedge between the guilds and the Aetharchy. Some of the largest guilds even went so far as to publicly begin questioning the role of the Aetharch and many more began to isolate the Aetharch’s business ventures and investments. Many experts believe this contributed heavily to the Aetharch’s efforts in establishing Project Atlas.
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A year passed and events had stabilised, most refugees had permanent shelter on Idarast or within the Baldr belt. Efforts were ongoing to shield the city-states from the high levels of radiation now present in the atmosphere. Military engineers had begun to adapt the already present filters and erect more resistant domes over large portions of the city-states, though work would continue for many years before being complete. The Aetharch had been secluded in the verdant palace since the early days of the crisis. Matters of state had fallen to members of the bureaucracy and the navy. It was clear to the Admiralty that the Aetharch had abandoned his duty and a change was needed.
A delegation from the navy, the guilds, and prominent members of the city-states demanded an audience with the Aetharch. The meeting made it clear that the Aetharchs position was untenable and demanded the Aetharchs abdication in favour of his young son Tyber. On 15th August 7(PA) (75) Aetharch Vittore abdicated and removed himself from public life. The navy remained heavily involved in the political sphere, helping form Tyber’s regency council and eventually making a pivotal contribution to the founding of the [[Assembled Commonwealth #The_Assembly|Assembly]]. To this day the navy remains prominent in the Assembly and wields vast political influence.
After the events of the Idari Crisis, the navy underwent a wide-ranging reform. Recruitment requirements were relaxed, officers no longer had to fund their education and instead, cadets were chosen on merit from the general recruitment pool. The training was modified so all branches were combined during basic training, helping to forge bonds across the branches and ensuring a base level of competency in certain areas. An influx in recruits followed the crisis, with the newfound desire to contribute to the common good and the introduction of national service. The navy began to expand and overhaul its vessels, new classes of cruisers and destroyers were developed that favoured long-range exploration and commerce defence.
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The Navy is the senior branch in the Commonwealth Navy. It encompasses both the Aether fleet and “shoreside” installations such as the [[Idarast]] orbital defence stations, Uriele Anchorage, and the Gate defence network. The Aether fleet is the name given to all the mobile vessels of the Commonwealth Navy, these ships patrol Commonwealth-controlled space and various foreign trade routes.
The Aether fleet is divided into the Line Fleets- Red Fleet, Blue Fleet, and White Fleet, and two ancillary fleets- The Picket Flotilla and The Survey Flotilla. The Line fleets consist of the largest and most powerful warships within the Commonwealth Navy, they are designed to bring enemy fleets to battle. They are often however split into smaller task groups and only coalesce to face large enemy formations.
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====Commonwealth Naval Aviation Corps====
The CNAC operates the Commonwealth Navy’s small craft, strike fighters, tactical bombers, shuttles, and Landing craft, heavy transports, and logistic craft. CNAC strike squadrons can be found on Aether fleet carriers and Naval defence stations, ground-based bases on [[Idarast]] and Mankira Niti, as well as attached to Marine Assault groups and at Corps level. Virtually every Aether fleet vessel will carry a handful of CNAC personnel to man the navy's shuttles.
Strike craft operated by the CNAC consist mainly of Lightings and Typhoons, both are superiority fighters designed to clear their operational theatre of enemy small craft and support Naval or Marine operations within that theatre. Lightings are designed to operate in space and Typhoons within the atmosphere, both are capable of operating in the other theatre but do so with reduced efficiency.
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===Training===
Basic training is delivered to all recruits from all branches at CNB Rally near Ankon on [[Idarast]]. Recruits from all branches are combined into a single programme in mixed companies. It consists of a 3-month course, recruits undergo a strenuous fitness regime and are instilled a level of military discipline. Recruits also complete basic weapons drills, emergency drills and are taught basic survival skills.
The programme of combined basic training was introduced after the Naval reforms of 5 (Ae) (63) as a way of fostering a new level of interconnectedness and ensuring a knowledge base that is consistent throughout the branches.
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====Marine training====
Training for Enlisted Marines and Officer Cadets is undertaken predominantly at Fort Gulf. Enlisted recruits undergo a further 3-month intensive course on advanced weapons and tactics and eventually specialise in infantry, armour, or support roles. Some specialisations require further training which is undertaken at various bases on [[Idarast]] and across [[Asta]]. Eventually, recruits will be given the rank of private and assigned to various Marine Regiments.
Cadets undergo a year-long programme, focusing on advanced weapons and tactics, development of leadership skills, and initiative. Cadets undergo a specialisation course similar to enlisted personnel. Towards the end of the programme, cadets undertake a 3-week long exercise, pitting teams of cadets against each other. Cadets are deployed in the wilderness of Idarast and must survive until the end of the exercise, taking part in operations as the weeks progress. Upon graduation from Fort GulfCadets are commissioned at the rank of Second Lieutenant and assigned to a regiment.
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===Current Deployments===
The Commonwealth Navy is dispersed throughout [[Assembled Commonwealth]]-controlled space and beyond. The vast majority of the Navy's strength is located in [[Asta]], Red Fleet maintains its position as Home Defence, providing security to [[Idarast]] and the various settlements throughout Asta. Elements of the Blue Fleet have recently been deployed to Mankira Niti as well as small detachments sent to Astynar and Vaddonia, Blue Fleet’s presence in the Aether reach is expected to vastly increase in the following months. The white fleet has several task forces deployed within Asta but the majority of the fleet is on operations outside of Commonwealth-controlled space, touring Commonwealth allied space, visiting Commonwealth concerns and operations as well as patrolling the various trade routes ensuring Commonwealth traders can proceed without hindrances. The survey Flotilla buoyed by recent discoveries in Astynar and Vaddonia are focusing their attention on the area known as The Chain.
The Majority of Marine formations remain on Idarast or settlements within the Asta system. However, the 3rd Marine Division has been deployed to Mankira Niti to assist in training the Mankiran defence force. The 21st Brigade and 18th Brigade have been deployed to Peleus and Koritas, to provide defence of the burgeoning colonies and assist in developing basic Infrastructure.
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The Commonwealth Navy maintains dozens of facilities throughout Commonwealth space, both planetary-based and orbital bases. The following are some of the most important.
'''Admiralty House:''' The Administrative centre of the Commonwealth Navy and the Headquarters of the First Space Lord. Admiralty House was relocated from Beorgan to Nyhavn fifty years ago and is built within the [[Assembled Commonwealth #The_Assembly|Assembly]] compound. The building contains offices for every department in the Commonwealth Navy and employs nearly 30,000 military and civilian personnel. Rumour has it that a vast command centre was built underneath Admiralty house that would allow the First Space Lord to coordinate Idarasts defences in the event of a planetary invasion.
'''Uriele Anchorage:''' The largest naval base in Commonwealth space, Uriele Anchorage is located at Idarast’s L4 Lagrange point. It is the Headquarters of the Second Space Lord and the Naval Planning and Operations Department. It is also currently serving as the Home base of the Red fleet while they are deployed in [[Asta]]. The Naval Anchorage is made up of several different stations the largest of which is known as “The Spire”. The Anchorage is predominantly a defensive base for [[Idarast]] and a facility for Naval vessels to resupply and refuel. It is considered by many as the de facto Aether Fleet Headquarters and houses detachments from every major Commonwealth Navy formation.
'''Vulcan Slipways:''' The Vulcan Slipways are owned and operated by the Commonwealth Navy, located at Idarasts L1 Lagrange point alongside other facilities that make up the Lagrange Yards. It is considered the preeminent shipyard in Commonwealth space, not only producing vessels but housing dozens of laboratory spaces for research and development of military technologies. The Vulcan Slipways boasts over a dozen large slipways for the production of capital class naval vessels, able even to accommodate the production of classes such as Battleships and Fleet carriers.
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==Command control and organisation==
The titular head of the Commonwealth Navy is Aetharch Tyber I, who holds the rank of Lord High Admiral. The professional head of the Commonwealth Navy is the First Space Lord and holds supreme authority over all military forces of the [[Assembled Commonwealth]]. The six of war a committee of the [[Assembled Commonwealth #The_Assembly|Assembly]] maintains oversight of the Commonwealth Navy and appoints the First Space Lord, and has the authority to recall them.
[[File:Commonwealth Navy Org.png|thumb|right|Organisation chart of the Commonwealth Navy]]
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The Line Fleets- Red Fleet, Blue Fleet, and White Fleet are each commanded by an officer of a flag rank usually of Vice-Admiral or Admiral rank. Historically the Line Fleets have operated in different regions or been assigned a specialized task.
Red Fleet is also known as the Home fleet, it operates almost exclusively within the [[Asta]] system and usually within the inner system around [[Idarast]] and the Baldr belt. The Fleet is made up of some of the largest and most powerful warships in the Commonwealth Navy. It's currently commanded by Admiral Adil Meir from their flagship the battleship CNV Aetharch, though it also maintains a headquarters at Uriele Anchorage.
Blue Fleet is also sometimes known as the Expeditionary fleet, it has historically been the fleet used to support operations in hostile foreign space, though recently it's become the fleet assigned to defend the Commonwealth’s burgeoning colonial possessions within the Aether Reach. It is currently Commanded by Admiral Claudia Lang from their flagship, the fleet carrier CNV Victory, once completed the fleet is expected to also maintain a headquarters at Point Astynar.
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The Commonwealth Marine Corps is commanded by the Commandant General of the Marine Corps Markus Stringer. Currently, the Marine corps headquarters are located at Fort Gulf. The Marine Corps maintains two field armies in subordinate commands, Home Command and Expeditionary Command each of which are commanded by a Lieutenant General. These two Commands serve distinct purposes and are divided into a structure of divisions and brigades, which themselves consist of a complex mix of smaller units such as Battalions.
Expeditionary command is tasked with maintaining an offensive readiness to react to any situation that requires Commonwealth Marines to be deployed outside of the Assembled Commonwealth’s territory. With twenty-four hours notice Expeditionary Command can deploy a full Marine Division in three Marine Assault groups (a Marine Brigade and Naval escort Component) into transit, with five days notice another full division can be deployed.
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The Commonwealth Naval Aviation Corps is commanded by Chief Marshal Ida Alden from its headquarters in CNAC Taral. The CNAC organises its operational units into Theatres, Stations, Groups, Wings, Squadrons and Flights.
Theatres encompass multiple Stations and Groups, they are an administrative and strategic level formation, commanded by either a Marshal or Vice-Marshal. [[Idarast]] is split into four theatres, as well as an orbital theatre, [[Asta]] contains several different Theatres based around naval outposts in the system, as they are based around fixed positions these theatres are considered “Shore” based. There is a single Theatre for Groups that are operating with the Naval fleet and alongside Marine corps units, this Fleet Theatre allows Groups to operate with much more flexibility and independence than is granted to “Shore” based Theatres.
Stations are formations based around a single CNAC base or Naval outpost. There is also a station-level formation for each Naval Line fleet. “Shore” based Stations organise the support and administrative elements for Flying squadrons that operate from their stations. The Fleet stations have fewer support elements attached as each Fleet Group has its support attached to the vessel they are operating from. Instead, the Fleet Station is tasked with assisting Fleet Commanders in coordinating the fleet's CNAC component in the event of a fleet-wide engagement. Large “Shore” based stations and Fleet stations are commanded by an Aviation Commodore, smaller stations can be commanded by a Group Captain.
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===Salute===
The Commonwealth salute is common throughout the three branches of the Commonwealth Navy. It is carried out by bringing two fingers on the right hand to the forehead with the back of the fingers facing outwards. The salute originated when crewmen would wear heavy vac suits onboard vessels, to identify themselves they would switch on internal suit lights, or if safe, open the helmet visor, controls for which were on the forehead of the helmet. It was adopted as a sign of respect and soon spread to other military institutions as they formed on [[Idarast]].
===Gate crossing ceremony===
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