Imperial Air Service

Imperial Air Service
Ensign of the Imperial Air Service
Founded	1980
Country	Vionna-Frankenlisch
Type	Air Force
Role	Aerial Warfare
Size	25 squadrons
March	March of the Imperial Air Service
Commanders
Current commander	Air Chief Marshal Lord Halliwell
Aircraft flown
Attack	Faulconer Stag (RL)
Bomber	Blackthrope Samovar (RL)
Fighter	Blackthrope Vista (RL) Gestoria Champion (RL) Blackthrope Seagull (RL)
Trainer	Fairey Mentor (RL)

The Imperial Air Service (IAS) is the air force of Vionna-Frankenlisch. It was formed following the War of Restoration in 1980 from the remnants of the old Red Air Force and was based on the Imperial Air Corps and Imperial Naval Air Group which had existed previous to the DPRVF. The previous formations had been made up of minor forces and the IAS is a much more significant unit.

Structure

Commands

The Service's squadrons are split into a series of Commands. Commands are the specialised authorities which are responsible for specific capabilities of the IAS. Each Command has a staff, a series of auxiliary units, and several squadrons of aircraft. The Commands are as follows:

Fighter Command: Fighter Command is made up of the various fighter squadrons of the IAS. Their responsibilities include interdiction of enemy air operations, establishment of air superiority and escorting missions. Nine squadrons (four regular and five reserve) make up Fighter Command. The main fighter aircraft operated by Fighter Command is the Gestoria Champion although No. 4 Squadron operates the new Blackthrope Vista and the reserve squadrons operate the Blackthrope Seagull.

Bomber Command: Bomber Command is responsible for the IAS' 'Attack' and 'Bombardment' squadrons. Bombardment squadrons (of which there are three regular and two reserve) fly the Blackthrope Samovar and are responsible for the bombardment of enemy static positions and cities using large, slow aircraft with heavy bomb loads. Attack squadrons (of which there are also three regular and two reserve) fly the Faulconer Stag and act as light bombers, attacking enemy positions and formations with low-level bombing runs and machine-gun strafing.

Auxiliary Command: In times of war, Auxiliary Command has control of all civilian aircraft mobilised for military purposes. However, in normal circumstances, they are responsible only for the two training squadrons of the IAS. No. 22 and No. 23 squadrons fly Fairey Mentors and are responsible for the training of new pilots.

Support Command: Under the umbrella of Support Command come the Observation and Naval Squadrons of the Imperial Air Service. The Fairey Swordfish aircraft of No. 25 (Naval) Squadron are outfitted as floatplanes and are responsible for providing the Imperial Navy's floatplane capability. No. 24 (Naval) Squadron operate from land and are equipped with depth charges and torpedoes for supporting the fleet in combat. The Gestoria Champions of the two Observation Squadrons are responsible for aerial reconnaissance.

Also under the command of the Imperial Air Service is the Women's Auxiliary Balloon Corps which is the only fully female portion of the Imperial forces and the only unit to allow female enlisted to serve in a front-line capacity. The WABC operates two Rhodes-class airships, HMA Frankenlisch and HMA Vionna. These airships act as motherships for one flight each of Blackthrope Seagull fighters. Also under the WABC's command is three battalions of observationists, each one consisting of six hundred troops and twenty-four observation balloons.

Aircraft

Aircraft	Command	Number Flown	Role	Origin	Notes
Faulconer Stag	Bomber Command	92	Attack	Vionna-Frankenlisch Faulconer Aircraft	Single-engined piston biplane
Blackthrope Samovar	Bomber Command	88	Bombardment	Vionna-Frankenlisch Blackthrope Aviation	Quad-engined piston monoplane
Blackthrope Vista	Fighter Command	20	Fighter	Vionna-Frankenlisch Blackthrope Aviation	Single-engined piston monoplane
Gestoria Champion	Fighter Command Support Command	92	Fighter Observation	Vionna-Frankenlisch Gestoria Aircraft	Single-engined piston biplane
Blackthrope Seagull	Fighter Command	80	Fighter	Vionna-Frankenlisch Blackthrope Aviation	Single-engined piston biplane
Fairey Mentor	Auxiliary Command	32	Training	Vionna-Frankenlisch Fuller-Fairey Works Limited	Single-engined piston biplane
Fairey Swordfish	Support Command	40	Naval	Vionna-Frankenlisch Fuller-Fairey Works Limited	Single-engined piston biplane