CDF naval formations
Naval formations in the Community Defence Forces of Sober Thought are distinct from naval units because each vessel is its own unit. Most naval formations are actually tri-service, including major CDF naval aviation and minor CDF Land Service components.
Task detachments
These typically consist of truly small vessels, patrol boats and minesweepers/layers; however, larger vessels like submarines and corvettes may be organised into these formations.
They are roughly analagous to Land Service battalions or squadrons, consisting of no more than about five hundred sailors. In other real world navies, these might be considers escadrilles or flotillas.
Task groups
These usually consist of frigates and destroyers designed as sub-hunting groups. RL equivalents include squadrons and NATO's STANAVFORLANT.
For example, an Anti-Submarine Warfare Task Group on extended duty might be under a Commander and have about 1 100 sailors, 100 marines and 200 aircrew. Its vessels would be a destroyer as flagship, four frigates, a submarine and a supply ship.
A smaller Amphibious Task Group might consist of a single laden assault ship and a flagship destroyer for shore bombardment and naval defence. The 365 sailors, 285 marines and 150 aircrew would serve under a Commander.
Task forces
The most common task forces consist of an aircraft carrier and its associated anti-submarine and surface defence vessels, often organised into task groups or detachments themselves. The overall commanding officer is a Chief Commander, who controls about three thousand sailors, three thousand aircrew and a thousand marines, depending on the exact composition of the TF.
Flotillas
Dictionaries and RL navies use this term in two major ways: to indicate a fleet of small vessels and to indicate a small fleet of larger vessels. The Naval Service has adopted the latter definition for its forces.
For instance, a Disaster Relief Flotilla might be commanded by a Vice Marshal with a destroyer as a flagship, and have about 2 000 sailors, 4 400 soldiers and 700 aircrew. Its Aid Task Group would have a troopship, three landing ships and three supply ships with about 800 sailors under a Chief Commander. On board they would have embarked about 4 000 soldiers. The medical, transport, two engineer and supply battalions would provide the aid, while the six marine assault companies and one infantry battalion the land force protection element. The flotilla's Escort Task Group, also under a Chief Commander, would have an Anti-Submarine Task Detachment of four frigates and two submarines, and a Small Craft Task Detachment of a tender, three patrol boats and a minesweeper/layer.
A Medium Amphibious Flotilla might also be under a Vice Marshall with a cruiser as flagship, and have about 4 200 sailors, 5 300 soldiers and 600 aircrew. The Escort Task Force consists, besides the cruiser, an Anti-Submarine Task Group of eight frigates, a Submarine Task Group of three submarines and an Anti-Air Task Group of three destroyers. The Landing Task Force would consist of a troopship, three assault ships and a supply ship.
Fleets
These formations fall between a flotilla and a grand fleet in size, and are normally commanded by Marshals. This term can also be applied to all the ships commissioned and sailors enlisted in each population wave of one hundred million.
Grand fleets
These are truly huge naval formations, and rarely necessary or created. For instance, a Battle Grand Fleet might contain the core combat vessels commissioned in three population waves of one hundred million. Chief Marshals or Grand Marshals command grand fleets.
A Carrier Task Force, consisting of three fully laden aircraft carriers with a marine brigade and an air division, would be commanded by a Marshal; the Cruiser Task Force eighteen cruisers with a marine brigade and an air wing, by a Chief Commander; the Escort Task Force thirty-six destroyers, seventy-two frigates, twenty-four submarines and nine minesweepers/layers; and the Supply Task Force eighteen supply ships and three tenders.
