Martian Navy

The Martian Navy was a branch of armed services formed by the Martian government in the early 26th century

Origins

Mars had first formed its own militia to defend the planet during the days of the 1st Terran Civil War. However with the collapse of the The Terran Empire , Mars increased the size of its militia fleet, forming a professional cadre and then later, with agreement from the Planetary Legislature, formed the Martian Navy.

Formation

The Martian Navy was officially formed in 2505 after agreement between the planetary legislature and the Governor, Princess Nova Valane . A large budget was set out by the legislature and the newly constructed "mega-shipyard" was used to build ships.
The Martian Navy was seen as a key component of the military of the The Free Worlds Protection Pact and, alongside the Imperial Navy, was the primary striking component of their Navy.
The Chief of Staff of the Martian Navy is the official commander and answers first to the Secretary of Defence but also to the Lt-Governor and the Governor.
List of Chief's of Staff:

1. Rear Admiral Katherine Higata -2515-2530

Training

To join the Martian Navy, trainees must be at least eighteen years old and have lived on Mars for at least two years. All trainees must have a clean criminal record or have been given a signed exemption from either the Attorney General or the Governor.
Trainees can be accepted from worlds other than Mars. Program 107 allows natives of the Sol system to gain entry after a background check by Martian Intelligence Services. Program 111 allows Indirians who can prove residency on a Terran world for at least four years to gain entry after a background check.
Enlisted trainees reported to "Sift Exercise 4" where they take part in an eight week training course that is designed to test their technical knowledge, ability and willingness to learn and their physical toughness. Around 15% of trainees fail to pass this course.
After completing "sift" training, trainees report to their full training.
Officer trainees do not undergo sift training and instead have a much longer overall training course.

Officer Training

To be an officer in the Martian Navy, a candidate must:

• Be between twenty and thirty five years old at the time of their enrollment
• Possess a recognized degree
• Or be "field promoted" from the enlisted ranks, subject to review by a Navy Captain

Officer candidates undergo a six hundred day training course where they are taught naval basics such as navigation, repairs, engineering, computer systems and piloting, as well as leadership, tactics and logistics.
In addition to this training, all officer trainees are expected to conduct themselves with courtesy, honor and integrity and are held to a very high standard. "behavior unbecoming" can result in a trainee being held back or even dismissed from training, even with high aptitude scores
After completing training, Officer candidates are granted the rank of Ensign and assigned to their first duty.
Officer candidates who have a degree in law can apply to become a Martian Judge Advocate Corps officer and will skip the rank of ensign and instead start at the rank of Lieutenant (Junior Grade)
Officer candidates with medical qualifications will also skip the rank of ensign, with their initial rank determined by their level of medical qualification and skill.
The salary of an ensign, as of 2520 is A$29,000

Enlisted Training

Enlisted trainees are divided into three training streams:

• Standard Training Course (SNTC) -for unskilled trainees who will be trained for their role in the navy from scratch
• Specialist Training Course (SPNTC) - for trainees who already possess significant training and skills who just need to be taught Navy discipline and techniques
• Service Standardization Training Course (SSTC) - the least used track, used for new enlistees who served in another navy or militia force. This shorter training program will skip the basic navy training and teach Martian Naval techniques and standards

Trainees generally undertake a twenty one week training course to prepare them to serve on a Martian ship on a Navy base. After completing training, around 10% of the trainees will have washed out. The qualified trainees are assigned to a ship, base or further specialist training.
The length and complexity of specialist training depends on the Service Vocation Path (SVP) for that sailor. All trainees have to undertake a one week training cruise where they will be assigned to a frigate and take part in a patrol of the Jovian belt.
Once a trainee has completed basic training they will be assigned their first rating, which is usually Grade 1 Enlisted (E1). Some specialist training or alternative enlistment streams can see a qualified trainee skip several ranks, with the highest grade for a newly qualified rating Petty Officer 1st class (PO-1).
The salary of an Enlisted Rating -1, as of 2520, is A$21,500.

Officer Ranks

• Officer Cadet - (O-0)
• Ensign -(O-1)
• Lieutenant Junior Grade (O-2)
• Lieutenant (O-3)
• Lieutenant-Commander (O-4)
• Commander (O-5)
• Captain (O-6)
• Rear Admiral (X-1)
• Vice Admiral (X-2)
• Admiral (X-3) * this rank has never been granted
• Fleet Admiral (X-4) * this rank has never been granted
• Lord Admiral (X-5) * this rank has never been granted, to assign this rank requires agreement from the Governor of Mars.

Enlisted Ranks

• Enlisted Trainee - E-0
• Enlisted Grade 1- E-1
• Enlisted Grade 2 -E-2
• Specialist Grade 3 -S-3
• Petty Officer 3rd Class -PO-3
• Petty Officer 2nd Class -PO-2
• Petty Officer 1st Class -PO-1
• Chief Petty Officer -CPO
• Senior Chief Petty Officer -SCPO
• Master Chief Petty Officer -MCPO

Ships

The Martian Navy's primary mission is the protection of Mars, its orbit and the planetary traffic going to and from the planet. It also has a mission to protect Martian citizens away from Mars and the interests of the Martian government.
The Martian Navy, as of 2530, consists of the following ship types:

• Hydra class frigates - the Hydra is the oldest active service ship used by the Martian Navy. An Imperial Era warship, the Hydra is a robust and fast ship used for patrol duty and to man pickets. The Hydra-class is slowing being retired out of service. The Hydra has a crew of 160
• Raven class frigates - the Raven is the replacement for the Hydra and performs a similar mission. Faster and with improved EW capacity, the Raven excels in scouting and picket dury. Raven class frigates are also used in fleet deployments to supplement the cruiser component of the fleet. A Raven has a crew of 155
• Serenity class cruiser - a main-stay of the Martian Navy, the Serenity class cruiser is a multi-role cruiser that can be outfitted for patrol, rescue, marine deployment or fleet combat. A large, fairly quick ship that mounts twin link spinal rail-guns and has significant shield strength. A Serenity class cruiser has a crew of 600
• Avenger class cruiser - Avenger class cruisers are purely designed for patrol and warfare and do not have the same modular design as the Serenity class. Avengers aren't quite as past but have even stronger shields and are armed with the KQ-05 Meson cannon as a spinal mount. An Avenger has a crew of 700
• Andraste class battleship - Andraste class battleship is a fleet capital ship, designed for command and control during a major fleet deployment and also to deliver huge levels of firepower during an engagement. Whilst the Andraste is slower than a cruiser, it has massive shield strength, armour and multiple redundancies to allow it operate whilst damaged. The Andraste's primary weapons are four KQ-08 Meson cannons in two twin-linked spinal mounts. The Andraste became the flagship of the Martian Navy after it completed its shakedown cruise in 2530. An Andraste class battleship has a crew of 1,800

Deployments

Operation Counselor During 2516 whilst tensions were high between Mars and Earth over the Jovian Colonies, the Martian Navy deployed Task Force 3 to patrol the Jovian belt and to put pressure on the Earther government. There were no engagements during this deployment.
Operation Brass Scorpion During the Whitworth campaign in 2527, a small task force of Martian frigates were deployed to support the operations of the Imperial Navy and their allies. The Task Force engaged in long range skirmishing with Karkouri frigates but suffered no significant damage.
Operation White Hydra As a part of TASC, the Martian Navy was deployed in 2530 to keep an eye on the Karkouri border, to ensure that the Karkouri could not bring their ships across the border. There was masking and patrols but no active combat. Never the less, the Martian Navy gained valuable operational experience.