Cardassian Defense Force

The ***Cardă'ăsa Histiy Çodăr***, translated as the **Cardassian Union Protection Fleet**, was the domestic security force of the Cardassian Union formed in 2378 after a restructuring of the Cardassian Guard. Known by treaty as the **Cardassian Defense Force (CDF)**, the service's primary purpose was to protect and police Union territory.

## History

After the Dominion War, the Cardassian Union began a large demilitarization program. Eventually, the Detapa Council saw fit to restructure the Cardassian Guard into a less-aggressive civil defense force. This was finalized in 2387 with the formal organization of the Cardassian Civil Defense Force, which served to protect and defend the borders and territory of the Union. The *Keldon*-class CUV *Damar* became flagship of the CDF and served in the role for over 20 years.

During much of its history, the CDF contended with forces of the True Way Alliance, Cardassians who held to the more aggressive and militaristic traditions of the Union. With the assistance of Starfleet and the Klingon Defense Force, the CDF was eventually able to root out the leaders and last elements of the True Way in 2409.

When the Alpha Quadrant Alliance (AQA) was formed later that year, the Union joined and gave clearance to the Civil Defense Force to begin developing the first Cardassian starships built for combat since before the Dominion War. Project Adamant Mantle, as the starship development program was known, applied principles from designs of Union allies in the AQA to develop three new classes, all of which carried new Cardassian cloaking devices. The *Damar*-class, named for the martyred military leader, was a large dreadnought that applied some of the systems of science vessels. The *Ghemor*-class, named for an influential reformer of the Union, was a flight-deck cruiser. Last was the *Detapa*-class, named in honor of the council that approved the design program, which served as part reconnaissance vessel and part strike ship. The three new classes were not completed in time to participate in the Iconian War, but served the Union as it participated in other conflicts of the 25th century.

## Organization

### Divisions

Due to its basic function as a police force and national guard, the CDF had few divisions. The Internal Affairs Division oversaw investigations of CDF personnel.

### Ranks

The force retained the rank names and structure of the Cardassian Guard. The small number was due to the role that seniority and family relations played within Cardassian society, including the defense force. While merit helped an individual advance in rank, and played more of a role than in the Guard, the longest-serving officer within a rank was seen as the superior, or *zhă*. For example, though each starship in a triad unit would be commanded by a gul, the officer in charge of the unit would be the jagul (*Zhăgul*)

## Appendices

### Connections

**Notable spacecraft:** CUV *Damar* • CUV *Letau* • CUV *Taced* • CUV *Tain*

**Spacecraft classes:** *Brinok* • *Damar* • *Detapa* • *Galor* (*Keldon*) • *Ghemor* • *Groumall* (*Tuffli*) • *Hideki* (*Yukuwa*) • *Kulinor* • *Rasilak* • *Sartan* • *Thakliv* • *Vasad* • *Vidren* • *Vystan*

**Facility classes:** *Cefta* • *Nor*

### Sources consulted

* Cardassian Defense Force article at *Memory Beta*.

### Footnotes

1. ↑ Derived from Cardassian ranks article at the Star Trek Expanded Universe wiki.