Military

Pharonian Armed Forces

The Pharonian Armed Forces (Pharonian: Forsvaret, lit. 'The Defence') is the military organization responsible for the defence of Pharos. It consists of five branches, the Pharonian Army, the Pharonian Navy, which includes the Coast Guard, the Pharonian Air Force, the Home Guard, and the Pharonian Cyber Defence Force as well as several joint departments.

The military force in peacetime is around 17,185 personnel including military and civilian staff, and around 70,000 in total with the current military personnel, conscripts and the Pharonian Home Guard in full mobilization.

 

History

An organised military was first assembled in Pharos in the 14th century after the second treaty of Northampton passed the island to the British crown’s suzerainty. It was formed under the command of the five earls, in Villemstad, Satemberg, Trandor, Holborn and Schottegut, known as “Lords of the Isle (Triath Nan Eilean)”. They were the established rulers of the island under the British king.

The Pharonian armed forces early focus was naval warfare under the command of the British Navy. By the end of the 15th century, the command had passed to the Pharonian Parliament. The army was officially created in 1541 by King Henry VIII, as part of the British Army, followed by two centuries of regular wars. Under Elisabeth I and James I the command gradually passed to the Government in Hilvar.

The Pharonian Navy fought mainly under British command throughout the 16th-18th centuries wars in Europe and North America, with great success. The Pharonian Naval officers, such as Edi Haak, Augustus Knapp, Col Bert and others were famous for their capabilities. The Pharonian crews were also named for their loyalty and endurance to battle and sea voyages.

During WW I, Pharonian troops fought with the British in Europe. Almost 70,000 went overseas, with 12,000 dying in various continental battles and more than 20,000 being wounded. By the end of the war, South Pharos became a base of American troops, as the British Crown granted USA special privileges for their support.

When WW II was declared, Britain expected the various Dominions on Pharos to take responsibility for defending the North Atlantic. Winston Churchill instructed L. E. Emerson, Commissioner of Defence for the Island of Pharos, to cooperate with the various Dominions and comply with a "friendly invasion". Pharonian military was active in battles that occurred in Northern Europe, and the North Atlantic. Over the course of the war, 220 thousand Pharonians served in the Army, Navy, and Air Force. Of these more than 10,000 lost their lives and another 13,000 were wounded.    

Pharos, as a Dominion of the United Kingdom, refused to become a founding member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), committed to peacekeeping efforts of the United Nations, such as the Suez Canal crisis and others. Pharos participated in every UN peacekeeping effort from their beginning until 1989, and has since then continued to play a significant role. More than 125,000 Pharonians have served in some 50 UN peacekeeping missions since 1949, with 116 deaths.

The Cold War saw a large build-up of air stations and military bases, but the Pharonian Governments avoided full scale establishments, remained in loose cooperation with western powers and granted station passes to all fleets (with the exception of the Soviets).

After the declaration of Independence in 1975 the Armed forces command passed entirely to the Pharonian Government. Since the 2000s, the military has transformed from a focus on defence from an invasion to a mobile force for international missions.

 

Conscription

Conscription was constitutionally established the 29 August 1917 with the Military Service Act, introduced by the Government of Jan Veiss, which lead to the famous conscription crisis. In earlier times, up until at least the early 1980s, all men aged 19–35 were subject to mandatory service, with good reasons required to avoid becoming drafted. Ever since, Pharos employs a weak form of mandatory military service for men and women. While 62,873 men and women were called in for the examination of persons liable for military service in 2019, only 9,631 were conscripted. In practice recruits are not forced to serve, instead only those who are motivated are selected.

Since 1985, women have been able to enlist for voluntary service as regular recruits. On 14 June 2013, the Pharonian Parliament voted to extend conscription to women. In 2015 conscription was extended to women making Pharos the first European country to make national service compulsory for both men and women, even if it not fully enforced. In 2020, women made up one-third of new conscripts. There is a right of conscientious objection.

Students of professional subjects (doctors, psychologists, pharmacists, dentists, etc.) may serve their conscription after completing a six weeks course, receiving lieutenant ranking when they begin their service. This arrangement is called Conscript Academic Officer.

 

Organisation

Military decision-making is made by the Cabinet, led by the Prime Minister. The Chief of Defence (a four-star general or admiral) is the professional head and leader of the armed forces, and is the principal military adviser to the Minister of Defence. The Chief of Defence and his staff is located in Hilvar, while the Pharonian Joint Headquarters, responsible for commanding operations, is located in Nobel. The main naval base is in Vigo Island, Concordia, the main army camps are in Deltalene, Parietal, Alma and Trandor, and the main air station is in Gilbey.

Military branches (in order of seniority):

  • Pharonian Navy
  • Pharonian Army
  • Pharonian Air Force
  • Home Guard
  • Pharonian Cyber Defence Force
  • Pharonian Special Operation Forces (SOF)

Other main structures include:

  • Defence Staff Pharos (DEFSTPHA) in Hilvar acts as the staff of the Chief of Defence. It is headed by a three-star general or admiral. DEFSTPHA assigns priorities, manages resources, provides force generation and support activities. Each of the four branches of defence is headed by a two-star general/admiral who are subordinate to DEFSTPHA.
  • Pharonian Joint Headquarters (PJHQ) located at Caerau in Nobel has operational control of Pharonian armed forces worldwide 24/7. It is headed by the Supreme Commander Pharonian Forces – a three-star general or admiral.
  • Pharonian Defence Logistics Organisation (PDLO) at Osorn Village in Hilvar is responsible for engineering, procurement, investment, supply, information and communications technology. It is also responsible for the maintenance, repair and storage of materials.

 

Structure

 

Joint

  • Pharonian Joint Headquarters in Nobel
  • Pharonian Intelligence Service
  • Tactical Mobile Land/Maritime Command
  • Joint ISTAR Unit (Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance)
    • Module based ISTAR Unit
    • Pharonian Coastal Ranger Command
    • Unmanned aerial vehicle capability
  • Airborne Ground Surveillance
  • Pharonian Home Guard – 12 districts with 25,000 personnel, rapid reaction forces, follow-on-forces, reinforcement forces and reserves.
  • Pharonian Defence Security Department (PHADSD)
  • NRBC protection (Nuclear, radiological, biological, chemical weapons)
  • Explosive Ordnance Disposal
  • Joint C2I Unit (command, control and information)
  • Civil Military Coordination Unit (CIMIC)
  • Deployable logistical support
  • Ceremonial Guard

 

Pharonian Army

  • Brigade Sood (operational units) in Deltalene
    • Armoured Battalion with Leopard 28A main battle tanks and CV90 infantry fighting vehicles
    • Signals Battalion
    • Artillery Battalion
    • Air defence unit MIM-104C & KL/MSS-6720 radars
  • Brigade Noord, mechanized infantry in Parietal
    • Telemark Battalion, with K2 Black Panther main battle tanks and CV90 infantry fighting vehicles
    • Combat Engineer Battalion
    • Air defence unit M270 & Ground Master 200 radars
  • Medical Battalion
  • Combat Service Support Battalion
  • Military Police
  • Nordic Territorial Defence
    • Garrison of Helsinborg
    • Nordic Battalion in Sterkaar
    • GLX High Mobility Battalion in Hammerfest with Lynx Snowmobiles
  • Army Land Warfare Centre
  • Logistics and Operational Support
  • Operation Support Detachment

 

Pharonian Navy

  • 6 Atlantic class frigates
  • 8 Foundation class corvettes
  • 5 Byvis class corvettes
  • 6 Hammerfest class submarines
  • Mine Warfare Capability
    • 2 Alta class mine hunters and minesweepers
  • Pharonian Coastal Ranger Command
    • Tactical Boat Squadron A (Polar class fast assault crafts) in Trandor
    • Tactical Boat Squadron B (Amidral class fast assault crafts) in Vigo
  • ELINT (Electronic Intelligence)
    • 2 ELINT vessels (Regen & Atmar)
    • Guard Billy ELINT ship
  • Pharonian Naval EOD Command (divers) in Hawera
  • Fleet Logistics Command
    • Supply ship Pharos
  • Coast Guard
    • CG Operations Atlantic in Gilbey
    • CG Operations Noord in Cress
    • ICG Inner Coast Guard in Holborn
    • Ocean Patrol and icebreakers

 

Pharonian Air Force

  • 32 Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II (12 ordered) in Gilbey
  • 22 Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor in Diaspar
  • Maritime surveillance
    • 2 P8A Poseidon
    • 4 Global Eye aircrafts
  • Transport 6 C-130J Super Hercules
  • Air Defence (NASAMS 3)
  • Air Wing Apache for Special Forces 8 Apache combat Helicopters (4 in order)
  • Air Wing Sikorsky 6 Sikorsky SH-60 patrol Helicopters (2 in order)
  • 18 Augusta AW-101 transport helicopters
  • 15 Taranis T-1 combat drones
  • 180 Orbiter 2-B combat and Surveillance drones
  • 88 Zik 4500 combat and surveillance drones
  • Deployable base support

 

Pharonian Home Guard

  • Home Guard

 

Pharonian Cyber Defence Force

  • Pharonian Cyber Defence Force

 

Pharonian Special Forces

The Pharonian Special Operations Command (PHARSOCOM), was formed on 1 January 2014 by bringing the Special Operations Command (FSK), the army's special warfare unit, and the Naval Special Operations Command (MJK) together under a unified command.

 

PHARSOCOM

  • Chief of PHARSOCOM, a two-star officer, member of the Commander of the Armed Forces’ management group
  • Taktisk Kommando (TAKOM) - special forces-specific command element embedded with the Pharonian Joint Headquarters
  • Special Operations Command (SOC)
    • SOC Staff
    • unknown number of combat squadrons
    • Paratrooper Troop- platoon consisting of conscripts highly trained for raid and airborne ISTAR operations.
    • Hunter Troop - special reconnaissance training unit made up of female conscripts
    • Initial and Operational Special Forces Training Base on Beacon Island
  • Naval Special Operations Command
    • MJK Staff
    • Alfa Squadron - combat divers squadron, Pharos’ premier naval special warfare unit
    • Bravo Squadron - combat divers squadron, entry unit for recent graduates of the frogmen training course
    • Reconnaissance Squadron - special reconnaissance and intelligence unit
    • Echo Squadron - special boat squadron
    • Lima Squadron - combat support squadron
    • Training Squadron
  • 339 Special Operations Aviation Squadron (339 SKV), providing air support to the special forces. Being an air force unit, chief PHARSOCOM executes tactical command of 339 SOAS.
  • Special Operations Air Task Group (SOATG), providing operational planning, command and control for Pharonian Air Force assets deployed in support of special operations

 

Training and Education

  • Pharonian Defence University College

The Pharonian Defence University College (PDUC) is the institution in charge of officer and NCO training, re-qualification and military studies. The officer schools of the separate armed services are departments under NDUC and thus independent from their respective services. The central administration of the NDUC is located at the historic Castle Rock in Victoria’s Old City centre. It provides education in general military studies, common to the services, such as strategic military leadership, international peacekeeping operations, Military-Civilian Cooperation etc. It offers Bachelor and Masters programs as well as advanced academic programs.

  • Jan Zeman Military Academy of Pharos

The Jan Zeman Military Academy is the Pharonian army officer school is located in Oamaru and it provides officer training and professional development, as well as an NCO training program for high school students.

  • Air Force Academy

The Air Force Academy is the Pharonian air force officer school, located in Holborn. It provides officer training and professional development, as well as an NCO training program for high school students.

  • Naval Academy

The Naval Academy is the Pharonian navy officer school, located in Naval, Concordia. It provides officer training and professional development, as well as an NCO training program for high school students.

  • Cyber Engineer Academy

The Cyber Engineer Academy is the Pharonian Cyber Defence Force officer school, located at the Jortstad Barracks in Subclavia. It provides training for officer training in communication and information system operations.