Royal Maanenic Aeronautical Defence Force

The Air Force of Maanenland is known as the Royal Maanenic Aeronautical Defence Force or but in common usage is usually shortened to ADF. The Air Force is the junior service of the Maanenic forces and is the weakest with many of it's responsibilities given over to the navy.

Unlike many air forces around the world the ADF was not formed to defend the soverign airspace of the nation but instead to police it. The primary concern of the government was that aircraft could be armed and used to attack civilians and vital freight aircraft thus holding the companies to ransom. Fears were also raised as they were being used by members of the public to fly over areas and observe national secrets.

So the Duke passed a royal warrant decrying that the police were to be given aircraft to patrol the skies for so called "air pirates" under the name of the Air Constablurary'.

Other events in the surrounding regions hi-lighted the growing importance of using military aircraft to disrupt and destroy any army . This fact was not lost on what was then called the Ministry for Territorial Integrity and a second royal warrant was issued ordering the creation of an "Sky based force to counter the threat from enemy airborne operations" which still at this time considered mainly of airships loaded with bombs. The very first aircaft was delivered later that year at a civilian airfield on the outskirts of Cliffton (today's van Maannen International Airport) and was designated No.1 squadron. The job of policing the civil airways was still retained , and still is , by the police authorities.

Over the next decade a massive nationwide laying of military airfields and procurement of aircraft occured mainly to ease the paranoia of a public that were terrified of being "chased down the street by an enemy aircraft" as was said by one local. Thousands of people died building outposts and navigation beacons on some of the most remote and treacherous areas of the nation. After advancements with radar and jet engines came about the number of bases sank lower and lower with most bases being sold onto city administrations for use as civil airports which unwittingly unleashed an explosion in civil aviation , especially in the remotest parts of the shires.

When the nuclear age dawned military planners were excited about getting an airborne nuclear deterrent , this was however bitterly resisted by the general public and many key figures in the government and military. In order to leave the door open for quick armament an order was placed for a nuclear bomber designation ABN-001 (Air Bomber Nuclear) which is still in operation in service today and could be immediatly equiped with a nuclear weapon.

Afer numerous security treaties with it's neighbours and the escalating costs of new jet fighters the emphasis switched to having a few technologically advanced all round interceptors placed at key locations along the border . It was decided that most military action would occur at sea so when the first aircraft carrier RMDF Maanenland was set sail military planners decided to move a large percentage of the aging ASF-002 and AFB-004s onto the deck of the aircraft. As the Maanenland Air Force was small at the time it was not a problem . It was invisiged that a war across the borders was very unlikely wheras a war involving the maritime fleet around the world was more probable.

The ADF still has a serious shortage of fighter bombers available for regional conflict on land , it was designed so that fighter bombers would fly off the carriers and onto conventional bases should the unlikely occur.

Structure of the RMADF

The professional head of the force is the Lord Air Marshal who is currently Lord Marshal Danny Thomas. The LAM heads the Integrity of Airspace Command Authority , which is a subcommittee of the Supreme Defence Council. IACA consists of the senior commanders and marshalls of the service.

Commands

Operational command is delegated from IACA to to formations known as commands.

Interceptor Command - HQ at Hulme - responsible for protecting the skies of Maanenland
Strike Command - HQ at Jennington - responsible for offensive action
Logistic Command - HQ at Caister - responsible for logistic operations
Helicopter Command - HQ at Hemsby - responsible for joint helicopter operations
Personell Command - HQ at Canley - responsible for recruitment and training
Ground Command - HQ at East Stockton