Terran Confederation Space Navy

To address the original question on the service branches, the US Army and Navy in WWII each operated their own internal Air Forces (one often hears reference to the "Army Air Force", for example). Carrier pilots were almost entirely Navy personnel. It was only after the war that all air operations were combined into an independent Air Force (though the US Navy still flies many fighter planes).

Thus, given the deliberate parallels between Wing Commander and the Pacific War, and the knowledge that carriers were considered "useless" before the Kilrathi War began, we can hypothesize that there was no independent TCSF before the war began, and it was only created afterward. This idea is also supported by the fact that (IIRC) all of the carrier pilots that we see in Action Stations have Navy type ranks (if their ranks are given at all).

This definitely makes the most sense, especially since Blair told Flash that he was receiving his rank in the Flight Branch of the Navy in the Wing Commander 3 Novel.

Also, after WC3, the Space Force receives new uniforms. Blair is considered part of the TCSF reserves in the beginning of WC4, and Wilford refers to the three branches of service on the Midway (navy, marine, and space forces) in the ICIS manual.

So, can we safely assume that the Space Force developed into an independent branch of service that only really came into its own after the war? I think most evidence would support that, although I'm sure LOAF could cite something that contradicts this.
 
This definitely makes the most sense, especially since Blair told Flash that he was receiving his rank in the Flight Branch of the Navy in the Wing Commander 3 Novel.

Also, after WC3, the Space Force receives new uniforms. Blair is considered part of the TCSF reserves in the beginning of WC4, and Wilford refers to the three branches of service on the Midway (navy, marine, and space forces) in the ICIS manual.

So, can we safely assume that the Space Force developed into an independent branch of service that only really came into its own after the war? I think most evidence would support that, although I'm sure LOAF could cite something that contradicts this.

I'll beat him to it.

The Space Forces ranking goes back, at the very least, at the start of the Vega Sector campaign. Rookies are "butter-bar" 2nd Lieutenants, up to 1st, then Captain, Major, Lieutenant Colonel, and Colonel at Officer level. SF 2nd Lt. is equivalent to a navel Ensign. These rankings for pilots are seen throughout most of the games and listed in detail in Victory Streak.
 
No one is debating that pilots had army-style ranking. What is being debated is that the Space Force was a separate service (not part of the Navy). All of the evidence points to the Space Force as a branch of the Navy during the War.
 
Are the Marines really a separate service? I'd imagine they'd still be a department of the navy. I haven't thought about the forces question in a while, but are the SF also a dept. of the navy?
 
No one is debating that pilots had army-style ranking. What is being debated is that the Space Force was a separate service (not part of the Navy). All of the evidence points to the Space Force as a branch of the Navy during the War.

Originally the pilot corps WAS a part of the Navy. Before, the Order-of-Operations (as specified in A.S.) centered around heavily armed "battlewagons" or "battleships". Fighters and carrier vessels were not the preferred method of engagement and in fact were seen largely as tertiary or secondary class craft at best. It wasn't until AFTER the events of Action Stations that fighter ships got a new light within High Command. Bloody lessons taught by the Kilrathi. Research and Development pioneered better fighter craft designs that could take on capital vessels but were still way behind the Kilrathi. Action Stations was very clear on how the TCN had to evolve tactically. You can see the change based just on how pilots carried rank based on pre and post-war declaration.

Fighters also traditionally do not operate strictly on carrier vessels. Planetary and Space-borne bases, with a proper fighter complement, can fend off all but the most brutal of offensives without the need of a "carrier" vessel. As a means to streamline chain-of-command, likely between ground based divisions and space based, they *again likely* gave the pilot corp their own service. Instead of a tacky term like Aero Force, they called them literally the Space Force. Because they are meant to fly anywhere, either atmosphere or vacuum.
 
Originally the pilot corps WAS a part of the Navy. Before, the Order-of-Operations (as specified in A.S.) centered around heavily armed "battlewagons" or "battleships". Fighters and carrier vessels were not the preferred method of engagement and in fact were seen largely as tertiary or secondary class craft at best. It wasn't until AFTER the events of Action Stations that fighter ships got a new light within High Command. Bloody lessons taught by the Kilrathi. Research and Development pioneered better fighter craft designs that could take on capital vessels but were still way behind the Kilrathi. Action Stations was very clear on how the TCN had to evolve tactically. You can see the change based just on how pilots carried rank based on pre and post-war declaration.

Fighters also traditionally do not operate strictly on carrier vessels. Planetary and Space-borne bases, with a proper fighter complement, can fend off all but the most brutal of offensives without the need of a "carrier" vessel. As a means to streamline chain-of-command, likely between ground based divisions and space based, they *again likely* gave the pilot corp their own service. Instead of a tacky term like Aero Force, they called them literally the Space Force. Because they are meant to fly anywhere, either atmosphere or vacuum.

That's all well and good, but it still doesn't take into account *the evidence*. Blair specifically calls his service the Flight branch of the NAVY. He graduated from the TCNSA Hilthros. He held the naval rank of Lieutenant Commander around the time of his trial (WCKS manual). Of course the Navy had to adapt. And of course operations became much more fighter-centered. The point is that there is no evidence that I know to suggest that the Space Force was an INDEPENDENT branch of service during the Kilrathi War. If there is, please present it! Evidence does not include what you think may have occurred after Action Stations.
 
That's all well and good, but it still doesn't take into account *the evidence*. Blair specifically calls his service the Flight branch of the NAVY. He graduated from the TCNSA Hilthros. He held the naval rank of Lieutenant Commander around the time of his trial (WCKS manual). Of course the Navy had to adapt. And of course operations became much more fighter-centered. The point is that there is no evidence that I know to suggest that the Space Force was an INDEPENDENT branch of service during the Kilrathi War. If there is, please present it! Evidence does not include what you think may have occurred after Action Stations.

We know they were independent at some point during the Kilrathi war because it was a Space Force Commander who ordered the withdrawal that left Dekker's unit behind on Replleetah.
 
Wasn't there some documentation about Blair being an Ensign before he was transferred to the Tiger's Claw? Like a previous assignment on another boat or some such?
 
Wasn't there some documentation about Blair being an Ensign before he was transferred to the Tiger's Claw? Like a previous assignment on another boat or some such?

TCS Formidable and then the TCS Gilgamesh during his training years.
 
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