United Republic Armed Forces

The United Republic Armed Forces act as the official constitutional military for the United Republic. The armed forces consists of six service branches: the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Corps, Space Force, and Coast Guard. The president of the United Republic is the commander-in-chief of the armed forces and forms military policy with the Ministry of Defense (MoD), acting as the principal organs by which military policy is carried out. All six armed services are among the eight uniformed services of the United Republic.

The UR Armed Forces are one of the largest military forces in terms of personnel. They draw their personnel from a large pool of paid volunteers. Although conscription has been used in the past, it has not been used since 1953. The Selective Service System retains the power to conscript males, and requires that all male citizens and residents residing in the United Republic between the ages of 18–25 register with the service.

The UR Armed Forces has significant capabilities in both defense and power projection due to its large budget, resulting in advanced and powerful technologies which enables a widespread deployment of the force around the world.

History
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Structure
Under Article II of the UR Constitution, the President is designated as the "Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy of the United Republic, and of the Militia of the several Provinces, when called into the actual Service of the United Republic." The United Republic Armed Forces are under the administrative purview of the Ministry of Defense, serving as the primary cabinet ministry for military affairs.

The military chain of command flows from the President to the Minister of Defense, ensuring civilian control of the military. Within the Ministry of Defense the military departments, the Department of the Army, Department of the Navy, and Department of the Air Corps, are civilian led entities that oversee the coequal military service branches organized within. The military departments and services are responsible for organizing, training, and equipping forces, with the actual chain of command flowing through the unified combatant commands.

The Armed Forces Council, although outside the operational chain of command, is the senior-most military body in the United Republic Armed Forces. It is led by the Chairman of the Armed Forces Council, who is the military head of the armed forces and principal advisor to the President and Minister of Defense on military matters. Their deputy is the Vice Chairman of the Armed Forces Council. Other members include the Chief of Staff of the Army, Commandant of the Marine Corps, Chief of Naval Operations, Chief of Staff of the Air Corps, Chief of Space Operations, the Commandant of the Coast Guard, and the Chief of the Home Guard Bureau. The Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman is the most senior enlisted member in the United Republic Armed Forces.

Leadership of the Armed Forces, to include the President, Minister of Defense, and Chairman of the Armed Forces Council are members of the United Republic National Security Council, which advises the President on national security, military, and foreign policy matters. The National Security Advisor and Deputy National Security Advisor may also be members of the United Republic Armed Forces.

Service Branches
The United Republic Armed Forces is composed of six coequal military service branches, all organized under the Ministry of Defense's military departments.

Army
Main Article: United Republic Army

The United Republic Army (URA) is the land service branch of the United Republic Armed Forces and part of the civilian-led Department of the Army, which is led by the Secretary of the Army. The military head of the U.R. Army is the Chief of Staff of the Army, who is assisted by the Vice Chief of Staff of the United Republic Army and sergeant major of the Army.

The five core competencies of the Army are to conduct:
 * 1) Prompt and sustained land combat
 * 2)     Combined arms operations
 * 3)     Special operations
 * 4)     Set and sustain the theater for the joint force
 * 5)     Integrate national, multinational, and joint power on land

The U.R. Army is composed of the Regular Army, United Republic Army Reserve, and United Republic Army Home Guard. The U.R. Army is organized into four army commands, which conduct the majority of the service's organize, train, and equip functions, ten Army service component commands, which command forces attached to the combatant commands, and twelve direct reporting units. The Army also organizes its personnel into 21 different basic branches.

The four army commands are:
 * United Republic Army Forces Command: Provides Army forces to combatant commanders.
 * United Republic Army Training and Doctrine Command: Recruits, trains, and educates soldiers and develops Army doctrine.
 * United Republic Army Materiel Command: Develops, maintains, and acquires systems and materiel.
 * United Republic Army Futures Command: Modernization and future systems development.

The U.R. Army's field structure is broken into several subdivisions under its commands:
 * : Only used during large scale wars or as part of multinational commands, consist of four to five field armies and 400,000 to 1 million soldiers. Usually responsible for directing campaigns in a certain geographical area and commanded by a general of the army.


 * : Consists of two or more corps or more than four divisions and consists of up to 90,000 soldiers commanded by a general.


 * : Consists of two to five divisions and 20,000 to 45,000 soldiers commanded by a lieutenant general. A corps is the highest level of command that provides operational direction for combat operations, with higher levels concerned with administration rather than operations.


 * : Consists of three to four brigades and 10,000 to 15,000 soldiers commanded by a major general and are subdivided into airborne, armored, infantry, and mountain divisions. Each division conducts major tactical operations and sustained battlefield operations.


 * / / : Consists of two to three battalions and 3,000 to 5,000 soldiers commanded by a colonel. Armored, Airborne and Ranger units are organized into regiments and Special Forces are organized into groups. In 2012, the Army reorganized its brigades into brigade combat teams, which are autonomous modular brigades that most commonly include one combat arms brigade and its assigned support and fire units.


 * / : Consist of four to six companies and consist of up to 1,000 soldiers commanded by a lieutenant colonel. Battalions are organized into combat arms battalions, combat support, and combat service support battalions by unit type. Armored and air cavalry are organized into squadrons. Battalions and squadrons conduct independent operations of limited scope and duration.


 * / / : Consist of three to four platoons and a few dozen to 200 soldiers commanded by a captain. Artillery is organized into batteries and armored and air cavalry units are organized into troops. Companies, batteries, and troops are tactical-sized units that can perform a battlefield function on its own.


 * : Consists of two to three squads and up to 36 soldiers led by a first lieutenant or second lieutenant.


 * : Consists of two teams and four to ten soldiers led by a staff sergeant.


 * : Consists of four soldiers and led by a sergeant or corporal.

Marine Corps
Main article: United Republic Marine Corps

The United Republic Marine Corps (URMC) is the maritime land force service branch of the United Republic Armed Forces and part of the civilian-led Department of the Navy, which is led by the Secretary of the Navy. The military head of the U.R. Marine Corps is the commandant of the Marine Corps, who is assisted by the assistant commandant of the Marine Corps and sergeant major of the Marine Corps.

The Marine Corps is responsible for amphibious warfare and expeditionary warfare operations, having a very close relationship with its coequal sister service, the United Republic Navy. The U.R. Marine Corps is composed of the Regular Marine Corps and the United Republic Marine Corps Reserve. The central unit of the Marine Corps is a Marine Air-Ground Task Force, which consist of a command element, ground combat element, aviation combat element, and logistics combat element. The Marine Corps is divided in the Fleet Marine Force and the Supporting Establishment.

The Fleet Marine Force includes:


 * Fleet Marine Force, Altiac: Conducts operations in the Nysdra, the Cartesian, and Western Crona. Fleet Marine Force, Altaic under the command of United Republic Home Fleet.
 * Fleet Marine Force, Cathay: Conducts operations in the Ocean of Cathay, Australis, Alshar, and Audonia. Fleet Marine Force, Cathay under the command of United Republic Cathaic Fleet.
 * Fleet Marine Force, Odoneru: Conducts operations in the Odoneru, Kiro-Borealis, Levantia and Sarpedon. Fleet Marine Force, Odoneru under the command of United Republic Odoneru Fleet.
 * Fleet Marine Force, Orixtal Conducts operations in the Orixtal, the Polynesian, Vallos and Eastern Crona. Fleet Marine Force, Orixtal under the command of United Republic Orixtal Fleet.

The U.R. Marine Corps' unit structure is broken into several subdivisions under the Fleet Marine Force:
 * Marine division / Marine aircraft wing: Consists of three marine regiments or marine aircraft groups and 6,600 marines commanded by a major general.
 * Marine logistics group: Consists of three combat logistics regiments and commanded by a brigadier general.
 * Marine regiment / Marine aircraft group: Consist of three or more marine battalions or marine aviation squadrons and 2,200 marines commanded by a colonel.
 * Marine battalion / Marine aviation squadron: Consists of three or more companies or 24 aircraft and 730 marines commanded by a lieutenant colonel.
 * Company: Consists of three or more platoons and 245 marines commanded by a Captain.
 * Platoon: Consists of three squads and 27 marines commanded by a first lieutenant or second lieutenant.
 * Squad / Section: Consists of three teams and 9 marines led by a sergeant.
 * Fire team: Consists of four marines led by a corporal.

Air Corps
Main article: United Republic Air Corps

The United Republic Air Corps (URAC) is the air service branch of the United Republic Armed Forces and part of the civilian-led Department of the Air Corps, which is led by the Secretary of the Air Corps. The military head of the U.R. Air Corps is the chief of staff of the Air Corps, who is assisted by the vice chief of staff of the United Republic Air Corps and chief master sergeant of the Air Corps.

The five core missions of the Air Corps are:


 * 1) Air superiority
 * 2) Global integrated intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance
 * 3) Rapid global mobility
 * 4) Global strike
 * 5) Command and control

The U.R. Air Corps is composed of the Regular Air Corps, United Republic Air Corps Reserve, and United Republic Air Guard. The U.R. Air Corps is organized into seven major commands, which conduct the majority of the service's organize, train, and equip functions and command forces attached to the combatant commands.

The Air Corps' major commands are:


 * Air Corps Combat Command: Provides fighter, attack, intelligence, cyber, combat rescue, and air corps ground forces to combatant commanders.
 * Air Corps Education and Training Command: Recruits, educates, and trains airmen and develops Air Corps doctrine
 * Air Corps Global Strike Command: Operates the Air Corps's strategic bomber and intercontinental ballistic missile forces as United Republic Strategic Command's joint force air component.
 * Air Corps Materiel Command: Develops, maintains, and acquires systems and materiel.
 * Air Force Reserve Command: Manages Air Corps reserve forces.
 * Air Corps Special Operations Command: Conducts special operations with aviation and Special Tactics Commandos as United Republic Special Operations Command's joint force air component.
 * Air Corps Mobility Command: Conducts airlift and air refueling operations as United Republic Transport Command's joint force air component.

The U.R. Air Corps' field structure is broken into several subdivisions under its major commands:
 * Numbered air corps / Named air corps: Consists of multiple wings with a geographic or functional assignment commanded by a general or lieutenant general.
 * Wing: Consists of two or more groups commanded by a brigadier general or colonel. Wings typically contain an operations group, maintenance group, mission support group, and a medical group. There are two types of wings: composite wings or objective wings. Composite wings operate more than one kind of aircraft and may be designated as self-contained units designed for quick air intervention anywhere in the world. Objective wings are based on a single purpose, such as an operational, air base, or specialized mission.
 * Group: Consists of two or more squadrons whose mission are similar or complementary commanded by a colonel.
 * Squadron: Consist of two or more flights commanded by a lieutenant colonel or major.
 * Flight: Consists of individual airmen, sections, or shops commanded by a captain.
 * Element / Section: Consists of two or more airmen led by a staff sergeant or senior airman.
 * Squadron: Consist of two or more flights commanded by a lieutenant colonel or major.
 * Flight: Consists of individual airmen, sections, or shops commanded by a captain.
 * Element / Section: Consists of two or more airmen led by a staff sergeant or senior airman.
 * Element / Section: Consists of two or more airmen led by a staff sergeant or senior airman.
 * Element / Section: Consists of two or more airmen led by a staff sergeant or senior airman.

Navy
Main article: United Republic Navy

The United Republic Navy (URN) is the maritime service branch of the United Republic Armed Forces and part of the civilian-led Department of the Navy, which is led by the Secretary of the Navy. The military head of the U.R. Navy is the chief of naval operations, who is assisted by the vice chief of naval operations and master chief petty officer of the Navy.

The five enduring functions of the Navy are:


 * 1) Sea control
 * 2)     Power projection
 * 3)     Deterrence
 * 4)     Maritime security
 * 5)     Sealift

The U.R. Navy is composed of the Regular Navy and United Republic Navy Reserve. The U.R. Navy is organized into nine navy component commands (which command operational forces), thirteen shore commands (which support the fleets' operating forces), six systems commands (which oversee the technical requirements of the Navy), and nine type commands (which administratively manage units of a certain type).

The component commands of the UR Navy are:


 * United Republic Home Fleet: Conducts naval operations in the Nysdra, the Cartesian, and Western Crona.
 * United Republic Cathaic Fleet: Conducts naval operations in the Ocean of Cathay, Australis, Alshar, and Audonia.
 * United Republic Odoneru Fleet: Conducts naval operations in the Odoneru, Kiro-Borealis, Levantia and Sarpedon.
 * United Republic Orixtal Fleet: Conducts naval operations he Orixtal, the Polynesian, Vallos and Eastern Crona.
 * United Republic Reserve Fleet: Manages naval reserve forces.
 * United Republic Fleet Cyber Command: Naval component to United Republic Cyber Command.
 * United Republic Navy Space Command: Naval component to United Republic Space Command.
 * United Republic Naval Special Warfare Command: Commands the United Republic Navy SALTs and conducts special operations as United Republic Special Operations Command joint force maritime component.
 * United Republic Navy Military Sealift Command: Conducts sealift operations as United Republic Transport Command's joint force maritime component.

The U.R. Navy's unit structure is broken into several subdivisions under the operating force:


 * Numbered fleet: Elements of navy component commands led by vice admirals
 * Task force: Scalable organization that is responsible to the fleet commander for assigned units and functions.
 * Task group: An individual carrier strike group, amphibious ready group, surface strike group within a given fleet.
 * Task unit: Units operating together for a specific task, such as air defense units within a carrier strike group.
 * Task element: Individual units within a task unit.

The U.R. Navy's unit structure is broken into several subdivisions under the type command structure. For Naval Air Forces:
 * Carrier air wing / Wing: Consists of four strike fighter squadrons, one electronic attack squadron, one carrier airborne early warning squadron, on helicopter sea combat squadron, one helicopter maritime strike squadron, and one fleet logistic support squadron under the command of a captain.


 * Squadron: Consists of several aircraft under the command of a commander.

Coast Guard
Main article: United Republic Coast Guard

The United Republic Coast Guard (URCG) is the maritime security, search and rescue, and law enforcement service branch of the United Republic Armed Forces and part of the civilian-led Department of the Navy, which is led by the Secretary of the Navy. The military head of the U.R. Coast Guard is the commandant of the Coast Guard, who is assisted by the vice commandant of the Coast Guard and master chief petty officer of the Coast Guard.

The eleven missions of the Coast Guard are:


 * 1) Port and waterway security
 * 2)     Drug interdiction
 * 3)     Aids to navigation
 * 4)     Search and rescue
 * 5)     Living marine resources
 * 6)     Marine safety
 * 7)     Defense readiness
 * 8)     Migrant interdiction
 * 9)     Marine environmental protection
 * 10)     Ice operations
 * 11)     Law enforcement

The U.R. Coast Guard is composed of the Regular Coast Guard and United Republic Coast Guard Reserve. The U.R. Coast Guard is organized into three area commands.

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Space Force
Main article: United Republic Space Force

The United Republic Space Force (URSF) is the space service branch of the United Republic Armed Forces and part of the civilian-led Department of the Air Corps, which is led by the Secretary of the Air Corps. The military head of the U.R. Space Force is the chief of space operations, who is assisted by the vice chief of space operations and senior enlisted advisor of the Space Force.

The five core competencies of the Space Force are:


 * 1) Space security
 * 2)     Combat power projection
 * 3)     Space mobility and logistics
 * 4)     Information mobility
 * 5)     Space domain awareness

The U.R. Space Force is composed of the Regular Space Force and the United Republic Space Force Reserve. The Space Force is organized into three field commands; These consist of the following:


 * Space Operations Command: Conducts space, cyber, and intelligence operations as primary service component to United Republic Space Command.
 * Space Systems Command: Conducts research, development, acquisitions, and sustainment of Space Force systems.
 * Space Training and Readiness Command: Conducts training, education, and doctrine development.

The Space Force's field structure is broken into several subdivisions under its field commands:
 * Delta / Garrison: Consists of two or more squadrons, or attached Air Corps mission support and medical groups for garrisons and wings and a Space Force operations group for wings as well, commanded by a brigadier general or colonel. Deltas are responsible for executing a specific mission, while garrisons are responsible for installations support and management. Space Force wings are a legacy organizational structure inherited from the Air Corps that manage a singular base and mission under one organization and are being phased out in favor of deltas and garrisons.
 * Squadron: Consist of two or more flights commanded by a lieutenant colonel.


 * Flight / Crew: Consists of individual guardians commanded by a captain, first lieutenant, or second lieutenant.

Unified cobatant commands
Unified combatant commands are joint military commands consisting of forces from multiple military departments, with their chain of command flowing from the president, to the minister of defense, to the commanders of the combatant commands. Each service organizes, trains, and equips forces that are then presented to the unified combatant commands through service component commands. Special Operations Command and Cyber Command also present theater special operations commands or joint force headquarters – cyber to other combatant commanders. Army components are typically dual-hatted as the joint force land component, Navy components are typically dual-hatted as the joint force maritime component, and Air Corps components are typically dual-hatted as the joint force air component, with the theater special operations command dual-hatted as the joint force special operations component, and Space Force component typically dual-hatted as the joint force space component.

Combat support agencies
Combat support agencies are Ministry of Defense agencies that have a combat support mission, involving providing support for operating forces engaged in planning for, or conducting, military operations, including support during conflict or in the conduct of other military activities related to countering threats to U.R. national security.

Budget
The United Republic has one of the world's largest military budgets, and, at $458.8 billion in 2030, the largest in Crona.

The 2032 National Defense Authorization Act established the topline defense budget as $499.8 billion, with the Ministry of Defense receiving $475.81 billion and the Department of Energy's national security programs receiving $23.99 billion.

The Department of the Air Corps' budget, unlike the Department of the Army or Department of the Navy has a sizable portion of "pass-through." This is money that is not controlled or used by the Air Corps, but is instead passed to other Ministry of Defense agencies and can be up to 16% of the department's budget.

Personnel
While the United Republic Armed Forces is an all-volunteer military, conscription through the Selective Service System can be enacted at the President's request and Parliament's approval, with all males ages 18 through 25 who are living in the United Republic are required to register with the Selective Service.

As in most militaries, members of the U.R. Armed Forces hold a rank, either that of officer, warrant officer or enlisted, to determine seniority and eligibility for promotion. Those who have served are known as veterans. Rank names may be different between services, but they are matched to each other by their corresponding paygrade. Officers who hold the same rank or paygrade are distinguished by their date of rank to determine seniority, while officers who serve in certain positions of office of importance set by law, outrank all other officers in active duty of the same rank and paygrade, regardless of their date of rank.

Rank structure
The rank structure of the United Republic Armed Forces is split into three distinct categories: officers, warrant officers, and enlisted personnel. Officers are the leadership of the military, holding commissions from the president of the United Republic and confirmed to their rank by the Senate. Warrant officers hold a warrant from the secretaries of the military departments, serving as specialist in certain military technologies and capabilities. Upon promotion to chief warrant officer, they gain a commission from the president of the United Republic. Enlisted personnel constitute the majority of the armed forces, serving as specialists and tactical-level leaders until they become senior non-commissioned officers or senior petty officers. Military ranks across the services can be compared by U.R. Uniformed Services pay grade or CSTU rank code.

Officer corps
Officers represent the top 17% of the armed forces, serving in leadership and command roles. Officers are divided into three categories: Officers are typically commissioned as second lieutenants or ensigns with a bachelor's degree after several years of training and education or directly commissioning from civilian life into a specific specialty, such as a medical professional, lawyer, chaplain, or cyber specialist. The process in which an officer-candidate undergoes to receive their commission are typically through three principal options: through one of the United Republic service academies, a Reserve Officer Training Corps program at an accredited university, or the various Officer Candidate and Officer Training Schools. D
 * O-1 to O-3: Company grade officers in the Army, Marine Corps, Air Corps, and Space Force or junior officers in the Navy and the Coast Guard.
 * O-4 to O-6: Field grade officers in the Army, Marine Corps, Air Corps, and Space Force or mid-grade officers in the Navy and Coast Guard.
 * O-7 to O-10: General officers in the Army, Marine Corps, Air Corps, and Space Force or flag officers in the Navy and Coast Guard.

Warrant Officer corps
Warrant officers are specialists, accounting for only 9% of the officer corps. Warrant officers hold warrants from their service secretary and are specialists and experts in certain military technologies or capabilities. The lower-ranking warrant officers serve under a warrant, but they receive commissions from the president upon promotion to senior warrant officer. They derive their authority from the same source as commissioned officers but remain specialists, in contrast to commissioned officers, who are generalists. There are no warrant officers in the Air Corps or Space Force.

Enlisted corps
Enlisted personnel consists of 82% of the armed forces, serving as specialists and tactical leaders. Enlisted personnel are divided into three categories:
 * E-1 to E-3: Junior enlisted personnel are usually in initial training or at their first assignment.
 * E-4 to E-6: Non-commissioned officers in the Army, Marine Corps, Air Corps, and Space Force and petty officers in the Navy and Coast Guard. Non-commissioned officers and petty officers are responsible for tactical leadership.
 * E-7 to E-9: Senior non-commissioned officers in the Army, Marine Corps, Air Corps, and Space Force and chief petty officers in the Navy and Coast Guard. Serve as senior enlisted advisors to officers.

The rank of senior enlisted advisor is the highest rank in each service, serving as the primary advisors to their service secretary and service chief on enlisted matters. Prior to entering their service, enlisted personnel must complete their service's basic training, after which they then proceed to advanced individual training for their military occupational specialty.

Nuclear Armaments
Main Articles: Nuclear Policy of the United Republic, United Republic Atomic Energy Commission

The United Republic has been a nuclear power since the end of the Second Great War, becoming one of the first nations to develop a nuclear program under what is now the United Republic Atomic Energy Commission (URAEC). While Alstin has maintained a sizeable nuclear arsenal, the exact whereabouts and quantities of such an arsenal have been deemed classified as "Top-Secret", as it pertains to highest interests of U.R. national security.

Nevertheless, the federal government maintains a strict "No First Use" policy, stipulating that such armaments may not be used in an offensive manner save as a last resort in accordance with the M.A.D. doctrine (Mutually Assured Destruction), nor without Parliamentary approval in other extremely extenuating circumstances.