Esfalsan Navy (Pacifica)
| Esfalsan Navy | |
|---|---|
| Founded | 30 October 1858 |
| Country |  Esfalsa |
| Type | Navy |
| Role | Naval warfare |
| Size | 13,010 personnel 61 ships 25 aircraft |
| Part of | Defense Esfalsa |
| Commanders | |
| Admiral of the Fleet | Collin Delgrado |
The Esfalsan Navy is the naval warfare branch of Defense Esfalsa, the armed forces of Esfalsa. As of 2023, the Esfalsan Navy operates 20 submarines, 17 frigates, 16 corvettes, and several ocean survey and replenishment vessels. Its primary areas of responsibility are maritime defense and territorial patrols, while its other roles include power projection, humanitarian assistance, and surveillance.
Founded in 1858 with the adoption of the Constitution of Esfalsa, the Esfalsan Navy was primarily a brown-water navy for much of its history, focusing on maritime patrols and coastal defense. It was not until 1957, when Esfalsan military doctrine shifted to place greater emphasis on power projections, including by means of naval power, that the Esfalsan Navy began to expand its capabilities. Even today, although it is generally considered a green-water navy, the Esfalsan Navy remains the smallest of the three branches of Defense Esfalsa in terms of number of active personnel, with 13,010 personnel as of 2023.
The Esfalsan Navy is headquartered in Ricubai, and is commanded by Collin Delgrado.
History
Origins
The creation of a naval force was first proposed in 1858, during the Esfalsan Resolution, by Penelope Rawley, often referred to as the 'Mother of the Esfalsan Navy.' In her essay For the Future Defense of an Esfalsan Republic, Rawley argued that a navy would serve as a distinctive symbol of newfound Esfalsan freedom.
The old regime has long invested the locus of its power in the land forces, a symbol of power treading upon the common Earth which it claims to rule. But the sea is a different beast, one to which newfound freedom ought to open our eyes. The sea is a place of honor, of opportunity, of adventure. The sea is a place where the horizon shows no boundaries, the waves flow with no limits, and where freedom abounds. I am certain that there is no better time than the present to establish a new Navy of the Republic.
— Penelope Rawley, For the Future Defense of an Esfalsan Republic (May 14, 1858)
Rawley's ideas would later be championed in the drafting of the Constitution of Esfalsa by her husband, shipbuilder Edward Rawley. The Esfalsan Navy was officially founded on October 30, 1858, with the adoption of the Constitution of Esfalsa.
On November 9, 1858, the Esfalsan Assembly approved the commissioning of the ENS Penelope, a merchant vessel newly donated to the new Esfalsan government and renamed in honor of Penelope Rawley.
Early years
The Esfalsan Navy was initially a small force. For much of its early history, as much as a third of its active fleet consisted of repurposed merchant and commercial vessels which had been purchased or donated, and warships were commonly purchased from other countries. Indeed, it was not until 1872 that the Esfalsan Navy commissioned its first purpose-built maritime warship, the ENS Dolphin, and subsequent expansions proved to be infrequent. The role of the Navy focused primarily on maritime patrols and coastal defense, and the Esfalsan Navy was generally considered to be a brown-water navy.
Modernization
Following the Great War, Esfalsan military doctrine shifted to place greater emphasis on power projection as a means of deterrence. Consequently, military planners began to view the Esfalsan Navy as an important means by which Defense Esfalsa could project its power abroad in parts of the world where the Esfalsan Army and Esfalsan Air Force could not. As such, the Esfalsan Navy began to expand its capabilities, with significant new ship purchases, retirement of older and converted vessels, increased training and recruitment, and significant investment in developing logistical infrastructure. By the 1970s, it had begun to be considered a green-water navy.
Particular emphasis was placed during the modernization process on the development of new submarines, which were seen as a cost-effective means of deploying significant power across the globle without necessitating full-scale surface deployments or extensive logistical infrastructure. Today, the Esfalsan Navy retains this emphasis on submarine warfare, with its doctrine emphasizing the stealth and adaptibility of submarines operating independently across the South Pacific.
Structure
At present, the Esfalsan Navy is divided into five fleets: three home fleets, one global fleet, and one logistics fleet.
Home Fleets
The Esfalsan Navy's home fleets, known officially as Home Fleets I, II, and III, are responsible for maritime defense and territorial patrols in Esfalsan waters. In typical peacetime operations, two of the three fleets are actively deployed at any given time, with one fleet each in the northern and southern regions of Esfalsan waters. During this time, the third home fleet remains in port for maintenance and training. As such, the composition of the home fleets typically varies little between the three fleets.
As Esfalsan naval doctrine emphasizes the importance of adaptibility and efficiency, the home fleets are regularly rotated between the three regions of Esfalsan waters. Rotations of the home fleets are typically conducted three times a year, though these times are kept intentionally irregular.
Global Fleet
The Global Fleet is responsible for power projection and humanitarian assistance. While the home fleets are nominally capable of blue-water operations, the Global Fleet is the only fleet of the Esfalsan Navy to routinely operate outside of Esfalsan waters.
Logistics Fleet
The Logistics Fleet is responsible for the maintenance and resupply of the Global Fleet. While each home fleet typically manages its own logistics, the Global Fleet instead relies on the Logistics Fleet for dedicated logistical support. Unlike the other fleets, which largely consist of their seaborne complements, a significant portion of the Logistics Fleet is composed of land-based personnel.
Submarine Force
The submarines of the Esfalsan Navy typically operate individually, and are not assigned to any particular fleet. Instead, they are organized under the Submarine Force, which is responsible for overall command and control of Esfalsan Navy submarines. The number of submarines deployed at a given time is not public, but is generally estimated to be around 10 to 15 of the Navy's 20 submarines.
Vessels
At present, the Esfalsan Navy operates 61 vessels in commission, with 20 submarines, 17 frigates, 16 corvettes, 3 ocean survey ships, and 5 replenishment ships. The total displacement of the Esfalsan Navy is approximately 337,200 tonnes, and around 7,106 of the 13,010 active personnel are deployed on a vessel at any given time.
Flagships
Since its founding, the flagship of the Esfalsan Navy has borne the name Penelope, in honor of Penelope Rawley. Since 1969, however, there have been multiple ships to simultaneously bear the name Penelope, with flagships instead being introduced and retired as a class.
The current Penelope XI class consists ENS Penelope One through ENS Penelope Six. Officially designated as guided-missile frigates, vessels of the class are generally considered to be destroyers internationally due to to their size, armament, and role.
Designations
In addition to her name, each vessel also bears a designation consisting of a hull classification letter followed by a number. There are seven letters currently in use:
| Hull Classification | Meaning |
|---|---|
| S | Attack submarine |
| N | Guided missile submarine |
| P | Penelope-class flagship |
| F | Frigate |
| C | Corvette |
| H | Ocean survey ship |
| T | Replenishment tanker |
Within each category, new vessels are numbered sequentially, with the exception of the Penelope-class flagships, which are instead numbered sequentially within their class. For instance, the current series of Penelope-class flagships are numbered P11.1 through P11.6.
Ranks
Officers
The Esfalsan Navy follows the standard rank system of Defense Esfalsa, consisting of ten officer ranks and a training rank:
- Admiral of the Fleet
- Admiral
- Vice Admiral
- Rear Admiral
- Commodore
- Captain
- Lt. Captain
- Commander
- Lieutenant Commander
- Lieutenant + Second Lieutenant
- Officer Cadet