Operation Infinite Reach

Operation Infinite Reach
HMNV Salvation
Date January 1st 2010 Location Global Result Undetermined
Belligerents
The United Kingdom of Malgrave	Slavers
Commanders and leaders
Prime Minister Nadzieja Brzezicki Marshall-General John Vereker Grand Admiral Inigo Campioni	Unknown
Strength
Malgravean Armed Forces	Unknown
Casualties and losses
35

Operation Infinite Reach is an ongoing anti-slavery operation being conducted by the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom of Malgrave. It is a continuation of previous anti-slavery operations and was launched in 2010.

Background

Following the countries exit from isolation, the government became aware of the continuing practice of slavery across the Mystrian region which was backed by serious military firepower and was even linked to the historical slavery of Malgravean nationals. In response the government authorised the Malgravean navy to launch a few small scale operations against suspected slaver hideouts, such operations done in conjunction with the Special Investigative Service were regarded as successful but limited in scope.

After the 2009 Malgravean Emergency Election it was decided that a more proactive stance had to be taken and the newly elected government decided to order a review of current naval activity with a mind for starting global operations, although, eventually it was determined to do a wholesale report of military readiness.

A multitude of variables were tested during the 2009 Armed Forces Evaluation including a simulated assault on the Malgravean mainland by a superior naval force (often suspected as being a placeholder for the Herdites or Imerians). In the course of the evaluation, a few concerns were noted about the status of ageing portions of the Royal Air Force with the defensive preparations of the Territorial Defence Force were noted as satisfactory.

The Royal Navy were noted as performing above expectations, with several high-profile simulated ships sunk including the crippling of a fierce trillion dollar ship that was put together by naval designers. In spite of these successes, it was noted that the pressure of an operation with unlimited scope may put stress on the capabilities of the navy and an official recommendation was made to increase the size of the naval budget, a request which was granted as the government also intended to form a permanent naval taskforce for the Research Colony.

Prime Minister Rachel Berry and authorised the operation on January 1st 2010 with HMNV Wizna leading the first official battle group as part of Operation Infinite Reach the following week.

Operation

Operation Infinite Reach involves a variety of vessels, with attack submarines and carrier groups patrolling around known slaver networks which historically involved the triangular node between Altea and Imeriata.

Impact

It is unknown if Operation Infinite Reach has had a noticeable impact on the scale of the international slave trade, supporters have stated that the disruption of the trade has led to a lack of confidence in the market and claim that is a moral imperative for the nation to continue with the operation. On the other side critics of the operation deride the excessive cost of the operation and point to examples of increased breakdowns in the colonial fleet and the forced creation of a reserve fleet to place ships undergoing particularly heavy maintenance if they have endured combat or extreme weather conditions.

Freestian Reinforcement

Under the auspice of Operation Waking Leviathan (OWL), the Freestian government declared under article 3 of the "Benarbor declaration" that various allied anti-slavery operations would be eligible for support by elements of the Freethinker Royal Armed Forces, primarily in the shape of combat vessels and auxiliaries of the Freethinker Maritime Forces.

The contingent naval force (defined as "Force Kilo") was relatively small by Freestian standards, comprised of thirty six combatants and sixteen supporting vessels. The largest vessels assigned, the carrier "FRNS Indignant", an Ironclad Class Aircraft Carrier, and the battlecruiser “FRNS Slight Regard”, were in fact too large to be effectively based in Malgravean ports and instead spent their station time at sea.

Force Kilo came under the overall command of the Malgravean navy during this period. Actual operational command remained in the hands of Freestian officers however.