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Afthonian Military Forces
Αφθονίακές Στρατιωτικές Δυνάμεις Afthoníakés Stratiotikés Dynámeis
Founded	1 February 1899 (1899-02-01)
Current form	12 December 1912 (1912-12-12)
Service branches	ASD Army ASD Navy ASD Air Force ASD Marine Corps
Headquarters	Sierra 5, Ilus, Stratos
Leadership
Commander-in-chief	Apollon Lamprelis
Chief of the Security Council	ADM Tavros Niadis
Deputy Chief of the Security Council	ACM Irgia Savas
Personnel
Conscription	18 - 24 years 17 months (Army) 19 months (Navy) 21 months (Air Force) 19 months (Marines)
Active personnel	610,000
Reserve personnel	1,300,000
Expenditure
Budget	$101.2 Billion
Percent of GDP	3.9
Related articles
History	Great Schism Drometian War

The Afthonian Military Forces (Gionan: Αφθονίακές Στρατιωτικές Δυνάμεις; script: Afthoníakés Stratiotikés Dynámeis), abbreviated as the AMF, is the combined military organization of Afthonia and is comprised of four service branches: the Army (AMFA), the Navy (AMFN), the Air Force (AMFAF) and the Marine Corps (AMFMC). The National Guard is an organized militia component of the nation whose soldiers serve on a part time basis and are part of the reserve components of the AMF and are based on each prefecture of Afthonia. The Maritime Security Agency is the nation's coast guard unity and though officially categorized as a civilian organization, is nominally considered as a law enforcement agency tasked with providing maritime security and border protection with paramilitary capabilities. Normally under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of XXX, during times of war or national emergencies the Coast Guard can be placed under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Defense to coordinate its efforts with the AMF. Tensions with Maroudia has prompted the Afthonian government to allocate $101 billion (3.9% of its GDP) annually for military expenditure. It has a reported strength of 610,000 active personnel and 1,300,000 reservists making it one of the largest armed forces in the world. The High Councilor of Afthonia serves as the Commander-in-Chief whereas the AMF Security Council, a body comprised of the most senior uniformed officers from each branch of the armed forces, advises the High Councilor on all matters and decisions related to the military. The armed forces itself is administered and managed by the Ministry of Defense. The AMF is charged to protect Afthonia and its overseas territories from enemies both foreign & domestic, as well as defending its allies abroad. Afthonia has frequently deployed its personnel on international peacekeeping missions abroad. The nation maintains long-standing military relations with XXX, XXX and XXX and has frequently been involved in joint military exercises and drills with one another. Conscription is provided by law though the nation has been able to maintain sufficient numbers without the need to resort to a draft. This is largely due to the strong military ethos enshrined within Afthonian society, as its citizens consider serving the armed forces as a form of rite of passage with many joining to serve at the National Guard.

Afthonia has a well established military industrial complex producing many of its own indigenous equipment such as small arms, missiles, jet fighters and warships. Among the best known military products of Afthonian origin includes the ST-9 Skimmer, the Javelin anti-ship missile and T-1 mammoth main battle tank. Aircraft carriers & amphibious assault ships form the center piece of the Afthonian Navy and are critical tools of power projection for the government, allowing it to project power across the Megale Ocean as well as abroad. Since 2010 the AMF has sought to modernize its assets and initiated a project to coordinate the development and/or the procurement of new equipment. The newly introduced ST-11 Kestrel multirole fighter, Davos-class aircraft carriers, XXX-class guided missile destroyer & XXX-class guided missile frigate are among the results of this project. The military has historically possessed a strong political influence since before the establishment of the Unitary State of Afthonia and its predecessor the Afthonian Confederation. Ancient Afthonian polities such as the Elpis, Kingdom of Kastoria and Kastoria Empire were all governed as authoritarian stratocracies. A majority of the multiple Afthonian states that were formed after the collapse of the Afthonian Empire also possessed elements of a stratocracy within its government structure. The province of Stratos in particular had strong military traditions. When the Afthonian Confederation was on the brink of collapse after two of its largest members (Kastoria and Athos) seceded and took with them a significant number of smaller states, it was Stratos's military leaders who gradually usurped the failing civilian government, establishing an emergency military government in its place to preserve what was left of the confederation. Under the confederation the AFM was known as the Confederate Defense Forces (CDF) however after its reorganization into the Unitary State of Afthonia in 1972 the CDF was reconstituted as the AMF. The AMF has been involved in a number of conflicts since its establishment in 1960 ranging from minor border skirmishes and regional conflicts. The island of Drometia has been a significant point of contention between the Afthonian and Maroudian governments, with the Afthonian government's commitment to defend the State of East Drometia resulting in Afthonia supplying not only arms but also the deployment of active duty personnel on the island.

Defense Policy

In its inception as the Confederate Armed Forces (CAF) in 1907, the AMF did not maintain a formal military doctrine. This was largely due to the nature of the CAF as a largely administrative entity that coordinates between the wide array of armed forces of the Afthonian Confederation's member states. This changed in 1912 when the Confederation was reorganized as the Unitary State of Afthonia and the CAF reformed into the Afthonian Military Forces. The latest version of Afthonia's defense policy is outlined in a 2000 white paper published by Georgios Ballides, High Councilor and former Chief of the Security Council, and is known as the "Forward Defense" paper. This paper is mandated to be updated once every four years to adapt to any political, technological and environmental changes in the world.

Mission

• To preserve the peace, sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Unitary State of Afthonia.
• To support the execution of national policies and objectives of the Unitary State of Afthonia.

Doctrine

• Maintain an active defense posture as to deter potential hostile action against Afthonia.
• Maintain forces capable of providing adequate power projection to protect Afthonian interests abroad.
• Provide and encourage a high degree of autonomy to local commanders to execute missions.

Service Branches

AMF Army

Main article: Afthonian Military Forces Army

Soldiers of the 8th Mountain Division in a training exercise.

The AMF Army (AMFA) is the land component and by far the largest branch of the Afthonian Military Forces with up to 347,000 troops, more than half of the AMF's total 610,000 active personnel. The AMF Army was originally established as the Confederate Army and was founded in 1907 making it, alongside the AMF Navy, the oldest service branch of the AMF. As the primary land component of the military the AMF Army is largely responsible for conducting land warfare operations across theaters in continental Veleda. The AMF Army would generally only be deployed in theaters beyond Veleda in support of operations of the AMF Marine Corps. The Army is divided into XX sub: Infantry, Armor, Field Artillery, Air Defense Artillery, Aviation Corps and Special Forces. As its name suggests Infantry is primarily comprised of infantry formations are represent the core component of the Army with certain units specializing in air assault operations. The Armored branch represents one of the Army's two offensive heavy firepower component providing tanks, armored fighting vehicles and numerous support vehicles. The Field Artillery division is responsible for providing indirect fire support through the use of both self-propelled and towed artillery platforms. These range from field guns, howitzers and multiple rocket launchers. The Air Defense Artillery division is responsible for providing anti-air defense whereas the Aviation Corps provides the Army with an independent air wing. The Aviation Corps primarily operates helicopters, both armed and unarmed variants of unmanned aerial vehicles and VTOL aircraft. The Army Special Forces provides the AMF Army with unconventional warfare capabilities.

AMF Navy

Main article: Afthonian Military Forces Navy

Ships of the Eastern Fleet patroling the Megale Sea.

The AMF Navy (AMFN) is the primary naval component of the Afthonian Military Forces. It is classified as a navy blue water capabilities and is the second largest branch of the Afthonian Military Forces with up to 110,000 personnel, second only to the AMF Army. The AMF Navy was founded in 1907 as the Confederate Navy which makes it, alongside the AMF Army, as the oldest service brancch in the AMF. The AMF is largely responsible for naval warfare operations, tasked with safeguarding Afthonia's territorial waters, provide power projection capabilities for the nation and support the AMF Marine Corps in expeditionary and amphibious warfares. The Navy is divided into three primary sub-branches: AMFN Surface Force, AMFN Submarine Force and AMFN Naval Aviation. The AMFN Surface Force represents the bulk of the AMFN's fighting force, operating numerous types of both combat and logistic warships. Aircraft carriers and Amphibious Assault Ships are considered as cornerstones of the AMF's overall doctrine as it allows the AMF to project power abroad and beyond Veleda and the Megale Sea. Major surface combatants operated by the AMFN includes the Leonidas-class guided missile cruisers, Constellation-class destroyers and Ilus-class frigates. These complemented by numerous types of missile & patrol boats which serve as force multipliers. The AMFN also operates various ships for underway replenishment operations which helps maintain AMFN aircraft carriers to patrol at sea for extended periods of time without needing to return to port. The Naval Aviation is a sub-component of the Navy and serves as its dedicated air wing and operates both fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters.