Royal Delkoran Armed Forces
| Royal Delkoran Armed Forces | |
|---|---|
| Kongelige Delkorsk Væbnede Styrker | |
 | |
| Founded | 1385 |
| Service branches | Royal Delkoran Army Royal Delkoran Navy Royal Delkoran Air Force Home Guard |
| Headquarters | Ministry of Defense, Norenstal |
| Leadership | |
| Monarch | Haldor VII |
| Minister of Defense | Felgar Schrøder |
| Chair of the Federal Defense Council | Admiral Kastien Tydenvard |
| Personnel | |
| Military age | 17 |
| Conscription | Yes, male and female (suspended) |
| Active personnel | 450,000 |
| Reserve personnel | 835,000 |
| Expenditure | |
| Budget | 74.8 billion NSD (FY 2018) |
| Percent of GDP | 1.5% |
| Industry | |
| Domestic suppliers | Banforth-Galderok Group Royal Crown Armory Tordenhelm Arms Fjodonor Metal |
| Related articles | |
| History | Delkoran Civil War Nalayan Civil War Raithir Island Affair |
The Royal Delkoran Armed Forces are the armed forces of the Kingdom of Delkora, responsible for defending the Kingdom and its territory. It is comprised of four service branches: the Royal Army, Navy, Air Force, and Home Guard. Members of each branch swear an oath of loyalty to the Constitution of Delkora.
History
The establishment of the Royal Delkoran Armed Forces in their current form is often traced back to 1385 with the creation of the Royal Delkoran Navy. From the early modern era through the early 19th Century, the Delkoran Navy positioned the Kingdom as one of the major powers of Tyran and enabled it to compete with Ossoria and Cacerta for control of international trade.
Following the Delkoran Civil War, an effort was made to incorporate the jarl armies and peasant militias into the main body of the armed forces, which was met with resistance from many of the militias.
With the outbreak of the Eracuran War in the 1940's, the country moved to a total war footing, with economic production devoted almost exclusively to military purposes and the Ministry of Defense leading a massive recruitment drive. Delkora became a member of the Commonwealth of Sovereign Nations in 1972, and the CSN has continued to be a central component of Delkoran defense policy. A transition to a more professional force was undertaken during this time, including an expansion of voluntary enlistment and an increase in procurement.
After the war, the Royal Delkoran Air Force and Homeguard were established as the newest branches of the armed forces.
The Kingdom's defense budget remained high until a major force restructuring in the late 1990's. In recent years, the armed forces have been primarily concerned with defense of the Sundering Sea and participation in CSN peacekeeping missions.
Organization
The Delkoran Constitution designates the monarch as the commander-in-chief of the armed forces, but because the monarch can only act on the advice of the elected government, de facto authority rests with cabinet. In peacetime, this authority is ordinarily delegated to the minister of defense, although it can be transferred to the chancellor following a declaration of war. The highest-ranking uniformed officers of the armed forces are the Chief of the Army Staff, the Chief of the Naval Staff, the Chief of the Air Staff, and the Chief of the Home Guard Staff. Each reports to a civilian secretary, who in turn reports to the minister of defense. The staff chiefs constitute the members of the Federal Defense Council, a body that advises the chancellor and defense minister on military matters.
The reserve element of the armed forces consists of the reserve components of the three primary branches and a separate force known as the Home Guard, which is administered by each of Delkora's seven states. These forces exist primarily to protect civilians and strategic infrastructure in the event of an invasion, as well as engage in guerrilla warfare and sabotage against enemy forces. In peacetime they are often used to supplement civil authorities in responding to natural disasters. Although normally under the command of their respective state governments, Home Guard units can be called into the service of the federal government in national emergencies.
Doctrine
Personnel
The Royal Delkoran Army is the largest branch of the armed forces, consisting of 325,000 active personnel and 480,000 reservists. The Home Guard is the second largest, with 200,000 personnel, followed by the Royal Navy, with 50,360 active personnel and 105,350 reservists, and the Royal Air Force, with 25,745 active personnel and 50,800 reservists.
Conscription
Conscription was historically an important source of recruitment for the Delkoran military due to cultural mistrust of large standing armies. This began to change in the 1970's as efforts were made to begin transitioning to a fully voluntary force. Conscription was suspended by an executive decree in 1976, and has not been re-instituted since then. Today, all able-bodied Delkoran citizens of both sexes are required to register with the Ministry of Defense within 30 days of their 17th birthday, and are eligible to be called up for service until the age of 35. Conscription can be reinstated at any time by decree of the chancellor, the minister of defense, or a vote of the Federal Parliament.