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    Armed Forces of Vekllei

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    MillMint
    📑Table of Contents
    Part of the state series of articles

    Overview #

    The Armed Forces of the Commonwealth are the military of Vekllei, and a constituent armed component of the Ministry of Defence. They comprise the combined armed services of the country, as well as capabilities for public emergencies, law enforcement and civil defence.

    Unlike common practice overseas, Vekllei does not have seperate military branches, and instead administers all aspects of defence as a single armed organisation originating as part of the navy, a term which is still used generally to describe all military services. As a union of island communities, the Vekllei Navy is its historic and contemporary primary means of defence, and Vekllei doctrine favours an integrated command. As such, all air and land warfare is conducted as part of the Navy under a unified defence command.1

    Because all services operate within the Navy, different roles are organised into different services. For example, the traditional surface navy of the Maritime Service does not operate its own seaborne aviation, since all aircraft are part of the Navy’s Air Service. In this context, “Navy” is a synonym for “Military” in Vekllei, and equipment, signage and vehicles are marked as such.

    Vekllei Armed Services #

    A Vekllei military service is a component of the overall armed forces, and so they overlap and intersect. Unlike most other militaries, which are divided between different branches and coordinated by a central command, Vekllei military services are effectively interchangeable, and form interarmes services for specific missions. A single interarmes service may even involve regiments from all services simultaneously, which would operate as a single unit under a unified command.

    Vekllei is a seagoing country of island communities, and so the Marine Services are the backbone of its strategic forces. They are the oldest military organisations of Vekllei and revered by the country.

    Note

    In numbered Vekllei services (e.g. Terrestrial & Air Services, etc.), numerical order is preserved and units are not permanently identified by a particular number. Unit numbers are administrative and assist in formation of interarmes services, so units may change numbers regularly. Instead, unit identity and honours are attached to ceremonial and historical names that remain with the unit.

    ⚓️ Marine Services #

    The Marine Services consist of the armed forces most commonly associated with seaborne warfare and supply, and include equivalents to the Navy and Coast Guard. It is an administrative rather than conceptual distinction, as many other aspects of oceangoing warfare are folded into the air and territorial services, such as naval aviation and marine infantry.

    Maritime Service

    The Maritime Service (the Navy or Navy of the Public) is the traditional naval warfare component of the Vekllei military and consists of its surface ships and submarines. It comprises three fleets and an auxiliary service, that functions similarly to a republican or federal militia.

    Commonwealth Fleet

    The Commonwealth Fleet (Sovereign/Federal Fleet) of the Vekllei Maritime Service is the largest naval formation in Vekllei and is tasked with defence of the country’s central corridor, a triangular area with points in Oslola, Costa Verde and Summers

    • 5 Aircraft Carriers
      • 1 Supercarrier (flagship CV Vekllei)
      • 2 Fleet Carriers
      • 2 Helicopter Carriers
    • 3 Battlecruisers
    • 12 Cruisers
      • 2 Scout Cruisers
      • 2 Torpedo Cruisers
      • 6 Missile Cruisers
      • 2 Aircraft Cruisers
    • 28 Destroyers
      • 6 Minelayers/Minesweepers
      • 20 Fleet Air Escort Destroyers
      • 2 Submarine Chaser Destroyers
    • 32 Corvettes
    • 8 Attack Submarines
    Home Fleet (Auxiliary)

    The Home Fleet (also Auxiliary Fleet) of the Commonwealth Maritime Service is an auxiliary fleet stationed across the 70 island city-states that make up the country. Each Vekllei city-state serves as a home port to a particular frigate. While they serve a ceremonial role, they are active warships that perform littoral maritime security duties and can be federalised into other fleets as necessary. The Home Fleet also consists of vessels with a multi-fleet or multipurpose role, and can be reassigned to other fleets as required.

    • 82 Frigates
    • 2 Submarine Rescue Ships
    • 4 Assault Ships
    • 28 Landing Craft Vessels
    • 1 Crane Ship
    • 2 Minelayers
    • 6 Minehunters
    • 4 Naval Yachts
    • 3 Amenities Ship
    • 2 Ammunition Ship
    • 2 Floating Dock
    • 1 Troopship (+ 4 Auxiliary)
    • 6 Naval Yachts
    • 4 Accomodation Ships
    • 2 Dispatch Ships
    • 4 Nuclear Replenishment Ships
    • 2 Replenishment Oilers
    • 4 Gunboats
    Arctic Fleet
    • 1 Fleet Carrier
    • 1 Battlecruiser
    • 6 Cruisers
      • 4 Nuclear Icebreaker Cruisers
      • 2 Aircraft Cruisers
    • 12 Destroyers
      • 8 Fleet Air Escort Destroyers
      • 3 Missile Destroyers
      • 1 Arsenal Destroyer
    • 2 Patrol Boats
    • 3 Attack Submarines
    Antarctic Fleet
    • 1 Fleet Carrier
    • 1 Battlecruiser
    • 6 Cruisers
      • 4 Nuclear Icebreaker Cruisers
      • 2 Aircraft Cruisers
    • 12 Destroyers
      • 8 Fleet Air Escort Destroyers
      • 3 Missile Destroyers
      • 1 Arsenal Destroyer
    • 2 Patrol Boats
    • 3 Attack Submarines
    Missile Fleet
    • 2 Arsenal Ships
    • 6 Ballistic Missile Submarines
    Littoral Service

    The Littoral Service (the Coast Guard or Navy of the Parliament) is the maritime security component of the Vekllei military. It provides customs, policing and search and rescue services for Vekllei’s territorial waters and exclusive economic zones, though it frequently patrols international waters in the Atlantic.

    The Littoral Service has 12 commands across the Atlantic, Arctic, Antarctic and Caribbean Oceans, including the entirety of the Vekllei exclusive economic zone and territorial waters.

    Customs Cutters

    • 6 Frigate Customs Cutters
    • 20 Medium Customs Cutters
    • 20 Fast Response Customs Hydrofoils
    • 2 Air Cutters
    • 12 Coastal Patrol Vessels
    • 8 Search and Rescue Vessels
    • 8 Fast Patrol Boats
    • 16 Hovercraft Cutters

    Utility Vessels

    • 4 Seagoing Buoy Tenders
    • 10 Coastal Buoy Tenders
    • 4 Coastal Construction Tenders
    • 5 River Tenders
    • 1 Large Ocean Tugboat
    • 2 Medium Ocean Tugboats
    • 10 Harbour Tugboats

    Icebreakers

    • 4 Heavy Icebreakers
    • 1 Ice-strengthened Oiler

    Survey & Auxiliary Ships

    • 2 Hydrographic Survey Ships
    Coastal Artillery Service

    The Coastal Artillery Service provides coastal fortification and defence for Vekllei republics, including counter-battery fire, raiding, and ship boarding.

    ✈️ Aeronautical & Astronautical Services #

    The Aeronautical & Space Services include the air supremacy, interception and defence elements, as well as services to supply and equip them. They also consist of the missile and air detection elements of the armed forces.

    Air Service

    The Air Service conducts aerial warfare in Vekllei. It consists of three commands that specialise in different aspects of air support and supremacy. The Air Service is also a major contributor to other services, since marine and territorial doctrines depend heavily on the air service for their combat capability, combat support, transport, logistics and reconnaissance.

    Vekllei has a rapid air-mobile posture across its armed forces, which is facilitated by the relative size and availability of its air service. It is also the only service in which women are a majority of participants in combat, since female pilots contribute just over 52% of its servicemen.

    Structure

    There are three commands in the Air Service, which in the secular Vekllei tradition have specific and exclusive functions. The Air Combat Command comprises all primary offensive squadrons including fighters, helicopters and scouts. The Air Auxiliary Command comprises miscellaneous aviation including search and rescue, training and replenishment. The Air Transport Command provides transport for both logistics and combat organisations.

    Air Combat Command

    The Air Combat Command (ACC) provides aircraft and crew for combat air services, including both land and seaborne aviation. The vast majority of these are variants of the No. 8 Casemate fighter jet.

    • No. 1 Aerocombat Wing
      The No. 1 AC Wing comprises the primary interceptor and air superiority squadrons of the Air Service.
      • No. 1-8 Fighter Squadrons
    • No. 2 Aerocombat Wing
      • No. 9-16 Fighter Squadrons
    • No. 3 Aeroweapons Wing
      The Aeroweapons Wing consists of the attack helicopter and helijets squadrons of the Air Service, which are organised with Aeroscouts and Aerorifles to produce air-mobile platoons.
      • No. 17-20 Aeroweapons Squadrons
    • No. 4 Aeroscouts Wing
      The Aeroscouts Wing provides reconnaissance services to the Territorial Service and the interarmes air-mobile platoons.
      • No. 21-24 Aeroscouts Squadrons
    • No. 5 Aeromarine Wing Commonwealth Fleet
      The No. 5 Aeromarine Wing provides equipment and crew for the Commonwealth Fleet, and comprises the largest naval aviation force in the Air Service.
      • No. 25-31 Marine Squadrons
    • No. 6 Aeromarine Wing Commonwealth Fleet
      • No. 32-33 Marine Squadrons
    • No. 7 Aeromarine Wing Arctic Fleet
      • No. 34-35 Marine Squadrons
    • No. 8 Aeromarine Wing Antarctic Fleet
      • No. 36-37 Marine Squadrons
    • No. 9 Aeromarine Helicopters Wing
      The No. 9 MHW comprises the bulk of maritime rotary-wing and helijet aircraft, and are located across fleets and naval bases as required. Aeromarine squadrons may be subdivided into Aeromarine sections depending on the needs of the Maritime Service.
      • No. 38-41 Marine Squadrons
    • No. 10 Aerordnance Wing
      The No. 10 Bombing Wing comprises the strategic bombing aircraft in Vekllei.
      • No. 42-45 Bombing Squadrons
    Air Auxiliary Command

    The Air Auxiliary Command (AAC) includes aircraft types not directly associated with other command roles, and encompasses different kinds of aircraft in a support (auxiliary) role.

    • No. 1 Aeroxiliary Wing
      No. 1 AA Wing provides maritime patrol services to the Air Service as well as the Maritime and Littoral Services. No. 1 Squadron is assigned to the Commonwealth Fleet.
      • No. 1 Maritime Patrol Squadron Commonwealth Fleet
      • No. 2 Search & Rescue Squadron
      • No. 3 Air Firefighting Squadron
    • No. 2 Aeroxiliary Wing
      • No. 4-6 Maritime Patrol Squadrons
    • No. 3 Air Training Wing
      The Air Training Wing has two squadrons in the Virgin and Oslolan republics, and trains pilots for the Air Service.
      • No. 1-2 Air Training Squadrons
    • No. 4 Air Replenishment Wing
      • No. 1-2 Air Replenishment Squadrons
    Air Transport Command

    The Air Transport Command (ATC) supports other services, particularly the Territorial Service, and provides air mobility to Rifles regiments as part of its flexible and rapid-manoeuvre doctrine. When mounted in helicopters and helijets, Rifles regiments are known as Aerorifles, and combine with the crew and equipment of an Aerorifles squadron to form a complete air-mobile platoon.

    • No. 1 Aerotransport Wing
      The No. 1 Transport Wing services the transport aircraft fleet. No. 1 & 2 Squadrons are land-based and 3 & 4 specialise in maritime transport, and include flying boats.
      • No. 1 Aerotransport Squadron (Government)
      • No. 2-3 Aerotransport Squadron (Strategic Airlift)
      • No. 4 Aerotransport Squadron (Tactical Airlift)
    • No. 2 Aerorifles Wing
      The Aerorifles are the aircraft and crew component of an interarmes air-mobile platoon, and transport individual infantry regiments.
      • No. 5-8 Aerorifles Squadrons
    • No. 3 Aerorifles Wing
      • No. 9-12 Aerorifles Squadrons
    • No. 4 Aerorifles Wing
      • No. 13-16 Aerorifles Squadrons

    Equipment

    Vekllei aircraft are primarily designed and manufactured domestically, and use mostly nuclear propulsion. Efforts to streamline and simplify inventory in recent years have reduced the overall types of aircraft in service.

    Air Service Aircraft

    Combat Aircraft

    • 210 No. 8 Casemate Atomic Fighters
    • 33 No. 7 Demon Atomic Fighters

    Bombers

    • 22 Strategic Bombers
    • 16 Medium Bombers

    Maritime and Patrol Aircraft

    • 16 Long Range Search & Rescue Turboprop Aircraft
    • 4 Search & Rescue Flying Boats
    • 2 Heavy-lift Search & Rescue Aircraft
    • 50 Seagoing Utility Helicopters
    • 4 Ground Effect Combat Aircraft

    Tanker Aircraft

    • 1 Nuclear Replenishment Aircraft
    • 2 Airborne Fuel Replenishment Aircraft

    Transport Aircraft

    • 27 Heavy Transport Aircraft
    • 22 Medium Transport Aircraft
    • 18 VIP Transport
    • 24 Strategic Airlifter
    • 12 Tactical Airlifter
    • 4 Ground Effect Heavy Airlifters

    Helicopters

    • 42 Attack Helicopters
    • 52 Scout Helicopters
    • 40 Heavy-lift/Utility
    • 20 Anti-Submarine Warfare/Search and Rescue
    • 10 Transport/Utility
    • 60 Transport/Utility
    • 50 Medium-lift/Utility

    Trainer Aircraft

    • 20 Primary Trainer Aircraft
    • 15 Training Helicopters
    Air Artillery Service

    The Air Artillery Service provides air defence in Vekllei. It operates a variety of emplacements and point defences as part of Vekllei concentric air defence doctrine, but its primary force consists of mobile anti-air and flak systems.

    Air Artillery Command Structure

    The Air Artillery Command (ATC) consists of

    • No. 1-6 Air Artillery Regiments
      The No. 1 Air Artillery Regiment
    Air Artillery Service Equipment

    Missile Systems

    • 25 No. 8 Javelin (Truck)
    • 25 Truck
    • 15 Trailer
    • 1200 missile platform
    • 12 Tracked Carriers

    Man-Portable & AA Guns

    • 120 guns
    • 1000 missiles
    • 1500 missiles
    Radar Service
    Radar Service Equipment

    Radar Systems

    • 5 Aerostat Radar Surveillance Balloons
    • 40 Portable Search Target Acquisition Radar
    • 12 Ground Active Electronically Scanned Array
    • 4 Medium Array
    • 40 Counter-battery Radar
    • 20 Giraffe Array

    Radar Jamming Aircraft

    • 8 Radar Jamming Aircraft
    Missiles Service

    The Missiles Service is the tactical and strategic missile defence organisation of the military. They operate mostly from ground sites across the country, located mostly on isolated islands or in the Arctic. They also operate some rail-mounted launch systems that are stationed deep inside tunnels.

    Missiles Service Equipment

    Ballistic Missiles

    • Estimated 16 No. 3 ICBMs
    • Estimated 40 No. 6 IRBMs
    • Estimated 26 No. 6 SRBMs
    • Estimated 100 No. 2 SLAM Cruise Missiles

    Trucks & Cars

    • 80 Multi-Purpose Utility Vehicle
    • 12 Military Truck

    🗡️ Land and Army Services #

    Territorial Service

    The Vekllei Territorial Service is the closest component to a conventional army in the Vekllei armed forces, and comprises the majority of its professional fighting force. All Rifles regiments are trained as marine infantry, and Vekllei does not maintain dedicated marine regiments. All Territorial regiments are a part of the Commonwealth Guard and are federalised the same way, but are distinguished by their professional service and expeditionary posture.

    In Vekllei, military units are roughly organised as ‘regiments’ of 1,000 men and ‘sections’ of 100.

    Organisation

    Vekllei has a professional combat army of around 45,000 soldiers, 6,000 of which are commandos that suit its expeditionary and interventionist strategic posture.

    Including the Guards and Popular Guards, which serve roles as reservists and partisan militias respectively, that number exceeds a million during wartime.

    Commonwealth Rifles

    Rifles regiments consist of 1,000 men, and can be assembled into larger divisional units. Regiment numbers are administrative only and so can change, and regiments are identified with inherited names with honours instead. All Rifles servicemen are also part of a Guards regiment as per the Vekllei federal militia system. Rifles are mechanised with armoured cars.

    Policy is to have a standing army 35,000 strong, but Rifles regiments are activated as they are combat-ready, and so the 19th and 20th are often deactivated between training.

    • Rifles Regiments
      • 1st-20th Rifles Regiments
    • Aerorifles Regiments
      • 21st-24th Aerorifles Regiments
    • Marine Rifles Regiments
      • 25th-32nd Marine Rifles Regiments
    • Special Warfare Regiments
      • 33rd Chemical Regiment
      • 34th Nuclear Regiment
    • Armoured Rifles Regiments
      The Armoured Rifles are mechanised with infantry fighting vehicles and function as shock infantry.
      • 35th-36th Armoured Rifles Regiments
    Commonwealth Commandos

    Commandos in Vekllei are highly trained, professional soldiers with an expeditionary character. While often trained for remote and tactical combat, they are also commonly used to lead interarmes services that include regular rifle infantry.

    The 1st-3rd commandos include regional special forces sections for polar, equatorial and lunar warfare. The 6th specialises in unconventional and psychological warfare.

    • Commandos Regiments
      • 1st-3rd Commandos Regiments
      • 4th Airborne Commandos Regiment
      • 5th Marine Commandos Regiment
      • 6th Special Activities Regiment
    Commonwealth Javelins

    Javelin regiments are the Vekllei name for armoured units, and represent the bulk main battle tank force. They are designed to operate with rifles regiments in interarmes formations.

    Javelin Regiments

    • 1st-2nd Javelin Regiments
    • 3rd Javelin Scouts Regiment
    Commonwealth Guards

    The Commonwealth Guard is the federal militia and primary reserve force of the Territorial Services. It is federalised by default, and contributes its servicemen for the Rifles and other territorial regiments. As such, all Territorial servicemen are part of a Commonwealth Guards regiment, but in regular service are assigned to active units in other services. Only reservists, trainees and officers remained attached to the Guard while it is federalised.

    Guards units are numbered in context to their home republic, i.e. Oslola has Guards regiments numbering 1st-12th.

    Commonwealth Popular Guards

    The Popular Guards are the volunteer militia groups found across the country. They reflect the Vekllei concept of the citizen-soldier, and are distinct from regular guards/reservists by their level of training and organisation. They are strictly volunteer, and are raised and organised by gendarmes of the Police of the Parliament. They number perhaps a million if mobilised totally, and would function as a saboteur and partisan force in the event of war.

    Commonwealth Security Service

    The Commonwealth Security Service is the military police of the territorial service, and primarily provides base security, military intelligence and policing for enlisted servicemen.

    Security Service Regiments

    • 1st Parliamentary Security Regiment
    • 2nd Industrial Security Regiment, Ministry of Light & Water
    • 3rd-4th Security Regiments
    • 5th-6th Strategic Security Regiments
    • 7th Security Intelligence Regiment
    Commonwealth Patrol Service

    The Patrol Service is the armed border guard of Vekllei. While all Vekllei borders are found at sea and involve the Littoral Service, the Patrol Service provides onshore security and policing.

    Although the service is organised into regiments, their formations are better reflected by their regional sections.

    Patrol Service Regiments

    • 1st-8th Patrol Regiments

    Equipment

    Territorial Service Equipment
    Main Battle Tanks #
    • 310 No. 4 Sekhmet MBT
    • 21 No. 3 Ordoria MBT
    Infantry Fighting Vehicles #
    • 300 Combat Reconnaissance Vehicles (ASLAV)
    • 1600 Infantry Fighting Vehicles
    Armoured Personnel Carriers #
    • 3500 Armoured Personnel Carriers (Commandos)
    • 1400 Tracked APCs
    • 800 Amphibious Armoured Vehicles
    • 600 Armoured All-Terrain Carriers
    • 460 Armoured Cars
    Watercraft #
    • 30 Amphibious Cargo Vehicles
    • 24 Mechanised Landing Craft
    Trucks & Cars #
    • 3,600 Multi-Purpose Utility Vehicle
    • 3,560 Military Truck
    • 30 High-Mobility Transporters
    Mine-Resistant and Ambush Vehicles #
    • 240 Protected Combat Support Vehicle
    • 180 Armoured Personnel Support Vehicle
    Engineering Vehicles #
    • 30 Armoured Combat Engineering Vehicles
    • 80 Combat Recovery Vehicles
    • 20 Vehicle-Launched Bridges
    • 72 Armoured Tractors
    • 15 Amphibious Bridging Vehicles
    • 6 Demining Vehicles
    • 12 Mine Detection Vehicles
    • 20 Bulldozers
    • 8 Backhoe Loaders
    Field Artillery Service
    Field Artillery Service Structure
    Field Artillery #
    • 1st-5th Cannons Regiments
    Artillery Service Equipment
    Artillery #
    • 52 Rocket Artillery
    • 105 Self-Propelled Artillery
    • 120 155mm Towed Howitzer
    • 80 105mm Towed Howitzer
    • 75 Ceremonial Gun-Howitzer
    Signals Service
    Signals Service Equipment
    • 4 Signals Interceptor Aircraft
    • 2 Intelligence & Control Aircraft
    • 6 Early Warning Aircraft

    1. The ’navy’ as described here is seperate from the Maritime Service, which comprises the naval fleets of Vekllei. It is a broader termp distinct from the maritime and littoral services. ↩︎