Federation Air Force

Federation Air Force
AKA	FA
Years Active	AC 332+-432+
Location	Pacific Federation
Members	Units and divisions Federation Peacekeepers
Actions	Oceanian War Cascadian Conflict Battle of Fresnon Range Operation Carpet Dawn Operation Water Stable Fall of Presidia Operation Flash Hazard Operation Sea Farer Operation Broken Chain Raid on Wensleydale Range Operation Blackout Operation Guillotine Operation Free Agent CIF Offensive Campaign Mission Telmort-00-Exil Operation Anticipation Operation Recall Operation Welder Second Battle of Presidia
Appearances
Project Wingman

The Federation Air Force (FA) is the aerial warfare branch of the Federation Military Forces. Most Federation pilots are trained in the Federation Air Academy, being sent back to state militaries. Another way of serving the Air Force is the Reserve Divisions by way of flight officer roles; physical and psychological high-mark aspirants enter the cockpit undergoing the same training regimen as regular aviators, and compared to their branch peers receive more benefits.

Its most elite units are organized beneath the Federation Peacekeepers, which are in turn comprised of high-ranking officers with dominant authority. Other elite units not on their caliber are assigned to the Federation Intercept Specialists.

In the moneymaking world of the mercenary, one Federation pilot/jet is equivalent to 300 "bucks."

History

The FA, the Peacekeepers included, was involved to some extent in the Oceanian War, which shaped Federation military doctrine in the years to come.

At the start of the Cascadian Conflict on February 1, AC 432, the Air Force shut down all traffic flowing to the country in order to minimize the impact of the civil war under threat of lethal force. The following day, however, some of their units, including Blue Squadron, were caught in a furball involving unusually competent mercenaries from Sicario (as they later learned) on contract with the Cascadian Independence Force. Despite reinforcements, the Air Force contingent was entirely shot down. A few days later, the Rowsdower-assigned Crosstalk Squadron, while on patrol, was downed after the others in the taking of the base.

The Air Force was involved in the siege at the Salvemini Vineyards, where Sicario once again put a stop to their support of the Ground Forces's siege efforts, forcing the Army to rely on their own. Although the Air Force sent in I/A-52 bombers, they were all shot down. Sicario engaged them again in the Fall of Presidia, reducing a great number of their fighters. Concurrently, the Air Force used the Brite Fortress as a secondary base for damaged planes.

When Operation Flash Hazard occurred, every FA base within range was summoned to respond to the mercenary assault as QRF arrivals, but the damage had been done. Additionally from then on, Sicario's Hitman Team became infamous among the Air Force, the Peacekeeper Crimson Team warning as many as they could about their threat. Despite their efforts, unfortunately, the Air Force's failures cascaded to one another, which included the loss of a battleship, the aerial supply train where in battle they had to escort civilian flights safely out of combat airspace, the Chaohord Defense Region, and the Solana Communications Array, all of which were major defense targets.

The Air Force's biggest defeat in the war perhaps was the Bering Strait furball, where they scrambled hundreds of aircraft - at least over 200 (including from Magadan Federation Aviation Regiment, the Deep Federation States, the Federation Core States (Magadan Reserve Division K majority included) - described as "half the Federation Air Force") - to defend a squadron of C/T-17 transports carrying veteran troops and equipment out of theater. Despite Crimson Team supporting the final push, the Air Force suffered even more casualties, including over half of the Peacekeepers' number, and consequently, only a few dozen retreated, and the Air Force was preoccupied with replenishing pilots from member states as their air superiority over Cascadia was decimated for the moment.

Further losses included the Sawaiiki Air Force refusing to engage mercenary forces during the Wai Mami Port raid and receiving crushing losses during the CIF Offensive Campaign, to the point where their commanders resorted to having pilots shoot down Cascadian Firefighting Corps firefighters in the campaign. Some helicopter pilots had to leave wounded behind to evacuate what they could to avoid facing Monarch's power. To worsen the Federation's problems, only one squadron was available on rapid reserve response to the invasion of Magadan around that time, though regular Air Force elements flew over to counter the irruption.

In response to these defeats, some commanders secretly concocted a plan to terrorize the CIF into surrendering, starting with taking civilian aircraft to evacuate Federation VIPs and stranding civilians in Prospero, now where most of the Air Force's strength remained. The defense of the trade city went poorly as expected, with some attempting to ram the Crowned Mercenary himself. However, the defense was dragged out long enough that the plan was successful, if to the point a new Calamity occurred. In the wake of it, aircraft used Brite Fortress to land, went to patrol the Prospero ruins, and prepare for a renewal of the war, though the installation was neutralized and retaken, with all of its aircraft destroyed. Likewise, the small Prospero patrol was downed in Operation Recall.

By the war's final month, 65% of all deployed Air Force units were no longer combat-effective, with the rest being either shipped back to the mainland or remaining voluntarily. The last of Federation air power in-country defended the capital in the Second Battle of Presidia, dealing as much damage as possible before being overwhelmed and almost wiped out when the Cascadian Conflict Ceasefire was announced and signed. The remaining Federation pilots decided to wait out the evacuation of all remaining allied units, but were shot down by the now-rogue Crimson 1 in his blind rampage and the Presidian Disaster. Overall, the war resulted in a severe depletion of Federation military power, including most of their Peacekeepers.

Rank structure and personnel

Name	Rank/Occupation	Fate	Notes
AWACS Bugeye	N/A/AWACS operator	MIA	Flew command for FNS Jerusalem intercept. Fate unknown after shootdown.
AWACS Moseley	N/A/AWACS operator	MIA	Flew command for aerial transport escort. Fate unknown after shootdown.
AWACS Scimitar	N/A/AWACS operator	MIA	Flew command for aerial transport escort. Fate unknown after shootdown.
AWACS Vita	N/A/AWACS operator	Active	Oceanian military-aligned high-ranking command officer. Transferred to Magadan to take command of local Reserve Divisions.
Azure 3	N/A/Azure member	MIA	Participated in failed defense of Prospero.
Blue 3	N/A/Blue Squadron member	MIA	Escorted the Federation aerial supply train over the Zhirov Air Corridor. Shot down in Operation Broken Chain.
Blue 7	N/A/Blue Squadron member	MIA	Escorted the Federation aerial supply train over the Zhirov Air Corridor. Shot down in Operation Broken Chain.
Bookie	N/A/Reserve Division K-9 member	Active	-
Brick	N/A/Reserve Division K-9 member	Active	-
Cobalt 5	N/A/Cobalt member	Active	-
Cobb	N/A/Reserve Division K-9 member	Active	-
Churches	N/A/FIS member	MIA	Participated in the late stages of Operation Broken Chain. Fate unknown after shootdown.
Driver	#######/Reserve Division K-9 member	Active	Certified potential candidate for Peacekeeper membership for exceptional battle results in Magadan Invasion.
Eye-Tee	N/A/Reserve Division K-9 member	Active	Occasional WSO of Driver.
LLAS Darwin	N/A/AWACS operator	MIA	Flew command over Chaohord Defense Region. Fate unknown after shootdown in Wensleydale raid.
Surfside 3	N/A/Surfside member	MIA	Participated in the Fall of Presidia. Fate unknown after shootdown.
Silverback 1	N/A/Silverback leader	MIA	Participated in Salvemini Vineyards battle. Fate unknown after shootdown.
Triplication	N/A/FIS member	MIA	Participated in the late stages of Operation Broken Chain. Fate unknown after shootdown.
Unidentified Federation ATC operator (Rowsdower)	N/A/ATC operator	MIA	Rowsdower Air Force Base air controller. Fate unknown after capture of base.
Unidentified Federation ATC operator (Prospero)	N/A/ATC operator	MIA	Prospero Hub air controller. Grounded and coordinated civilian flights during Operation Broken Chain. Fate unknown after Prospero Disaster.
Unidentified Federation ATC operator (Harkema)	N/A/ATC operator	MIA	Air controller of Harkema Industrial Park main rig. Fate unknown after rig destruction.
Unidentified Federation AWACS (Fresnon)	N/A/AWACS operator	MIA	Flew command for the Fresnon Range engagement. Fate unknown after shootdown.
Unidentified Federation AWACS (Presidia)	N/A/AWACS operator	Player-determined	Flew command in the closing stages of the Fall of Presidia.
Unidentified Federation AWACS (Apodock)	N/A/AWACS operator	Active	Flew command for Crimson Team's arrival at Apodock during Operation Flash Hazard.

Units and divisions

Name	Fate	Commanding officer	Composition	Notes
Magadan's Federation Aviation Regiment	Active	Unknown	200+ aircraft	Near-total destruction following Operation Guillotine.
Reserve Division K	Active	Unknown	Division K-9 Other elements	Near-total destruction following Operation Guillotine. Became primary air division leading the defense of Magadan during invasion.
Aqua	Active	Unknown	Unknown	Participated in the Showdown over the Bering Strait.
Azure	MIA	Unknown	Azure 3	Participated in the failed defense of Prospero.
Blue Squadron	MIA	Unknown	Blue 3 Blue 7	First Federation unit to engage Sicario. Reformed after shootdown for air transport escort, but shot down again.
Cobalt	Active	Unknown	Cobalt 5	Participated in the Showdown over the Bering Strait.
Crosstalk Squadron	MIA	Unknown	Unknown	Destroyed in Operation Carpet Dawn.
Lazuli Squadron	Active	Unknown	Unknown	Wilhelm-based; tchick German accent.
Ixiom	N/A/Bomber unit	Unknown	Unknown	Participated in the Salvemini Vineyards battle. Fate unknown after shootdown.
Marine	Active	Unknown	Unknown	Participated in the Showdown over the Bering Strait.
Sizlak-299	Player-determined	Unknown	Unknown	Flew near Rowsdower Air Force Base soldiers sending death traps.
Surfside	Active	Unknown	Surfside 3	Participated in the Fall of Presidia. Casualties sustained.
White Squadron	Active	Unknown	Ten members	Appeared unannounced over rebel airspace at Tseliadan and flattened their base.

Equipment

Airborne Warning and Control Systems

• FC-8

Bombers

• I/A-52

Fighters and attackers

• Accipiter
• Accipiter Mk.2
• CR.105
• CR.105 Mk.2
• D/V-204
• F/C-15
• F/S-15
• F/C-16
• F/E-18
• MG-21
• MG-21 Mk.2
• MG-29
• MG-31
• Sk.25U
• Sk.27
• Sk.30
• Sk.37 Decimator-B
• SV-37
• VX-23

Utility

• C/T-17

Trivia

The Federation Air Force tailcode found on all related skins reads as follows:
FA-15
101181^FEDERATION₄₉
HWID-9184.42.3