CDF Naval Service

The Naval Service of Sober Thought is the navy branch of the Community Defence Forces.

The primary function of the Naval Service is to transport troops of the Land Service to their overseas missions. All other functions are designed to support this goal. For every one hundred million in population the nation has, there are three troopships (together capable of transporting a division's worth of troops into friendly harbours) and nine landing ships (together capable of transporting a brigade's worth of troops onto hostile beaches).

In order to protect these transports and the soldiers embarked upon them from air threat, the naval air arm, nominally part of the Air Service, is especially strong. Each hundred million of population supports one Naval Air Division comprised of one aircraft carrier group, a coastal defence group and several helicopter wings afloat on escort and landing vessels. The aircraft carrier has more fliers than sailors aboard its 70 000 tonne and 320 m hull. Under the overall Chief Commander, it projects air power to distant shores, provides a combat air screen for large embarked fleets, and provides ground attack for large amphibious landings.

The underwater threat is partly minimized by HUB-77 anti-submarine helicopters aboard each surface ship, but most Community Vessels are ASW capable. The remainder of the combat fleet is comprised of: cruisers, destroyers, frigates, submarines or undersea boats, fast patrol boats and mine warfare boats. Both battleships and corvette can theoretically be built, but they are not on the production list for each one hundred million of population. The first three ships listed above can also engage in gunnery attacks on surface or shore targets.

All surface ships may be refuelled or reprovisioned at sea by the nine supply ships per 100 million population. Additionally, two frigate hulls have been adapted as boat tenders to support fast patrol boats and minelayer/hunters on extended operations.

Each one hundred million population also supports one Marine Division, nominally part of the Land Service. Those who are permanently stationed on frigates, destroyers and cruisers are light infantry designed to provide boarding parties, and are mainly armed with 9 mm submachine guns appropriate to the often confined spaces on small warships. Two extra light infantry battalions on shore round out the marine light infantry brigade.

The landing ships carry heavy marine units based on main battle tanks and armoured infantry combat vehicles. On shore is a cadre which expands and reorganizes the Marine Amphibious Assault contingents into one proper armoured and one armoured infantry brigades. Combat support and service support unit also remain on land to round out the division.