Navy SOH

Military of Spirit of Hope
Motto	"Sailing Forth"
Founded	1653
Personnel
Active personnel	436,807
Expenditure
Budget	$243 Billion

The Spirit of Hope Navy is the principal naval warfare force of Spirit of Hope, a part of Spirit of Hope Armed Forces.

Organization

Command is broken out into four geographic regions, with the region commander being responsible for all military forces assigned to their region, including land and air forces. Naval forces under a Regional Command are placed underneath a fleet, consisting of multiple squadrons.

Carrier Squadrons

A Carrier Squadron consists of one aircraft carrier, one Lancer Class Cruiser, and three destroyers. Additional ships may be attached as needed. Carrier Squadrons are the backbone of the Spirit of Hope Navy, with their main purpose being to seize and maintain control of the sea lanes, and provide strike capabilities against enemy forces.

Amphibious Squadron

The core of an Amphibious Squadron is the Landing Helicopter Dock (LHD), which can be configured for multiple types of operations. Normally the Amphibious Squadron is configured to support ground operations, in which case the LHD is assigned a Marine Brigade to conduct ground operations. A Marine Brigade is composed of approximately 1,500 Marines, across 6 infantry companies and 3 weapons companies. LHD's can also be configured for strike or anti submarine warfare operations, in which case the Marine Brigade will be replace with an expanded compliment of Harriers or V-22's depending on mission.

The remainder of the Amphibious Squadron is tailored to the mission of the Amphibious Squadron, for normal operations that is a Landing Ship Dock and one frigate or destroyer, additional landing ships, frigates, destroyers, or resupply ships may be attached. Amphibious Squadrons provide rapidly deployable maritime raid forces, in the form of the Spirit of Hope Marines, in peace time they allow rapid reaction to developing crises, and in wartime they provide the ability to strike enemy forces. If a beachhead must be established into enemy territories multiple Amphibious Squadrons would be combined to land the appropriate Army forces.

Destroyer Squadron

A Destroyer Squadron consists of one three destroyers and serve to extend sea control over the oceans of the world. This can mean convoy escorts, strike missions against enemy land, air, and naval forces, or anti submarine operations. At times a one Lancer Class Cruiser may lead a Destroyer Squadron.

Frigate Squadron

A Frigate Squadron consists of four frigates, and are used primarily for anti submarine and convoy escort operations. Frigate Squadrons are not intended to operate in higher threat zones, and instead serve in medium to low threat environments to free up more capable Destroyer Squadrons.

Attack Submarine Squadron

An Attack Submarine Squadron consists of four attack submarines. Attack Submarine Squadrons do not operate together and are purely administrative. Instead Attack Submarines operate independently with defined missions and operational zones as dictated by the Squadron or Fleet Commander to interdict enemy shipping, conduct strike missions, or conduct reconnaissance operations.

Ballistic Missile Submarine Squadron

An Ballistic Missile Submarine Squadron consists of four ballistic missile submarines. Ballistic Missile Submarine Squadrons do not operate together, and are purely administrative. Instead Ballistic Missile submarines operate independently to conduct deterrence patrols. At all times at least one ballistic submarine from each squadron is at sea, with another ballistic missile submarine from each squadron on alert in harbor.

Personnel

Commissioned Officers

There are three primary routed by which officers are commissioned in the Spirit of Hope Navy, the Naval Academy, Cadet Candidate School and Direct Commissioning.

The largest number of officers are commissioned by the Cadet Candidate School, candidates are selected from applying civilians, recruits in basic training and junior non commissioned officers (NCOs) who show high leadership potential. All candidates must be over the age of 21 and under the age of 28 when training is completed, have a first class physical fitness test, and score above ZZ on the Skills, Ability, and Aptitude Test. Officer Candidate School lasts six months, before candidates are commissioned and sent to their primary occupation training.

The Naval Academy is the second largest source of commissioned officers, it is a four year service academy open to all citizens over the age of 17 and under the age of 24.

Direct Commissioning is the last way that officers are commissioned, it is primarily used for the recruitment of skilled personnel such as doctors, lawyers, and chaplains. The navy has the largest Direct commissioning program because it also commissions qualified civilian watch officers to serve as watch standers on non combat ships. Direct Commissioning is also occasionally used to promote especially deserving NCOs to the officer ranks when they are not eligible for Cadet Candidate School, or in times of great need.

Pay Grade	O-1	O-2	O-3	O-4	O-5	O-6	O-7	O-8	O-9
Title	Ensign	Lieutenant	Deck Lieutenant	Lieutenant Commander	Commander	Commodore	Rear Admiral	Vice Admiral	Admiral
Abbreviation	EN	LT	DCLT	LTCDR	CDR	COM	RA	VA	A

Warrant Officers

Warrant officers are single track, specialty officers with subject matter expertise in a particular area, they are equivalent in authority to a Lieutenant, but are appointed instead of commissioned. The navy has a higher proportion of warrant officers than the army, but a lower proportion of warrant officers than the Air Force.

Pay Grade	WO-1	WO-2	WO-3	WO-4
Title	Warrant Officer	Chief Warrant Officer	Senior Chief Warrant Officer	Master Chief Warrant Officer
Abbreviation	WO	CWO	SWO	MWO

Enlisted

Enlisted members of the Spirit of Hope Navy enter service through one of four Recruit Training Centers, where they are trained for ten weeks before being sent to their primary occupation training. Promotion to Seaman Apprentice is automatic after completing training, and promotion to Seaman is automatic after completing all qualifications.

One year after promotion to Seaman a sailor is able to take a occupation based test for promotion. Upon passing, and if recommended by superiors, the enlisted sailor will be appointed as a junior non commissioned officer. Further promotions are based upon passing the grade appropriate test and recommendation by a superior officer.

Pay Grade	E-1	E-2	E-3	E-4	E-5	E-6	E7	E-8	E-9
Title	Recruit	Seaman Apprentice	Seaman	Petty Officer 3rd Class	Petty Officer 2nd Class	Petty Officer 1st Class	Chief Petty Officer	Senior Chief Petty Officer	Master Chief Petty Officer
Abbreviation	RCT	SA	SM	PO3	PO2	PO1	CPO	SPO	MPO

Equipment

Ships

The Spirit of Hope Navy operates over 400 ships of various types. Commissioned warships are prefixed SNS, designating Spirit of Hope Naval Ship. Non commissioned ships are prefixed SHS, designating Spirit of Hope Ship.

Surface Warships

The Spirit of Hope Navy currently has 8 Nuclear Aircraft Carriers which serve as the flag ships for their respective Carrier Squadrons. The remaining surface combatants are 11 Nuclear Cruisers, with construction underway for a new model of nuclear cruiser, 75 active destroyers, split in two classes, and 40 frigates.

For amphibious operations the Spirit of Hope Navy has 12 Landing Helicopter Dock, with 2 replacements under construction, 8 Landing Ship Dock, 6 Major Force Landing Ships, and 2 Gunfire Amphibious Assault Support Ships.

Submarines

There are 8 active Ballistic Missile Submarines, 4 active Guided Missile Submarines, and 68 Attack Submarines with another 10 planned or in construction. All submarines of the Spirit of Hope Navy are nuclear powered, allowing for high speeds and prolonged under sea operations.

Support Ships

The Spirit of Hope Navy has a large number of support ships in order to operate globally and support deployed operations of the other branches. This includes 3 hospital ships, 5 fast cargo ships, 14 dry cargo ships, and 20 oilers. 9 Ocean survey ships are also employed to help map the oceans and to conduct scientific experimentation.

Aircraft

The main combat aircraft of the Spirit of Hope Navy is the Dassault Rafale, of which their are 1,300 operational. In addition 250 Harrier II aircraft are maintained for use on Landing Helicopter Dock, with the Navy actively looking for a replacement air frame. The combat aircraft are supported by 80 AWAC's which are carrier capable.

To supplement naval warships in the anti submarine warfare role 220 shore based, fixed wing, aircraft are also operated. They are based off of the 737 civilian aircraft, and come equipped with magnetically, acoustic, and hydrocarbon detection systems, along with surface search radar, and the ability to deploy sonar buoys. The air craft have the capability to carry up to 11 missiles, mines, depth charges, or torpedoes.

For rotary wing aircraft 255 Osprey V-22's are operated for troop transport, aerial refueling, cargo operations, and anti submarine warfare. 480 SH-60 Sea Hawk helicopters are used for anti submarine operations and as general utility helicopters.