United Earth Starfleet

The United Earth Starfleet was the predecessor to the United Confederation of Planets Starfleet in large part. It was chartered in 2079 to take Earth to the stars, operating under that charter until 2161, when it merged with UESPA and several other interstellar navies to operate a joint force to patrol the entire territory of the new UCP.

## History

In the aftermath of First Contact, humanity began to be aware that it was not alone in the universe. Within ten years of contact with the Vulcans, Earth's atmosphere, land, and oceans were cleaned and nearly pollution-free. Earth began to realize it needed to restart its interstellar exploration efforts and take its place among the stars.

In 2075, the United States, Confederate States, Germany, Russia, United Kingdom, and China all decided that their individual space programs would be more efficiently run as a United Earth Space Probe Agency. By the end of August of that year, the nations had signed an agreement to jointly develop space technology for peaceful exploration of space. Soon, settlements showed up on the moon, Mars, and on one of Jupiter's moons. Space stations at the Lagrange Points were created to study new propulsion systems, artificial gravity, and new technologies, including starship construction.

In 2077, Earth men set foot on Alpha Centauri, the first extrasolar planet found by Earth men. In 2078, four other planets were found, and a new space race was set off. By 2110, Terrans had claimed over two dozen habitable planets within 20 light years of their own solar system. New India, New China, Nova Roma, Britannia, Columbia, and several other planets were claimed by nations and individual explorers for 'boutique' settlements, such as Nova Roma, which was founded on a group that wanted to speak Latin, and revive the Roman Republic's culture, architecture, and aesthetics. Columbia was founded as a revival of historic American culture and architecture, while New India revived the use of Sanskrit as the planetary language.

Human expansion was beginning to stir up some interstellar civilizations who were worried as such an expansionist new species, so the Vulcans limited their technological exchanges with the humans, slowing their development of the 'Warp 5 engine.' Starfleet's Ganges-class ship became the fleet workhorse from 2110-2130, with 40 ships being built, mostly protecting the merchant marine, along with several other ship classes, including the Icarus and Intrepid Class ships, culminating in the NX-Class ship, housing the first Warp 5 engine created by Earth.

The NX-class opened up communication and exploration to a much wider area of space than before, but also brought Earth into conflict with a number of new species, such as Orions, Romulans, and others. From 2156-2160, Earth fought the Romulans using primitive beam weapons and atomic missiles, until a negotiated end to the war came in 2160.

While it fought mostly alone, Earth's allies finally realized that if Earth fell, the other species would also fall to an aggressive third party such as the Romulans, and entered negotiations with Earth to merge their interstellar navies into one combined service.

In negotiations with the Vulcans, Tellarites, Andorians, and Alpha Centaurans, the five interstellar sovereignties decided to merge their interstellar defense and exploration operations into one combined fleet. Due to a number of historic reasons, and lingering mistrust between the Vulcans, Tellaries, and Andorians, those three species agreed that the Earth vessels would be the basis of the new combined service, as their ships proved most adaptable to new technologies and upgrades.

On April 26, 2161 the United Earth Starfleet transitioned into the United Confederation of Planets Starfleet and ceased to exist as an independent agency.

## Ranks

### Officers

In order of rank, the Earth Starfleet had the following officer ranks:

* Ensign
* Lieutenant, JG
* Lieutenant
* Lieutenant Commander
* Commander
* Captain (O-6) - regular rank for an officer assigned to the independent command of a starship
* Commodore (O-7) - regular rank for a flag officer in command of a flotilla (4) ships at a time
* Rear Admiral (O-8) - rank for a flag officer in charge of a squadron of ships (8)
* Vice Admiral
* Admiral
* Fleet Admiral (O-11) - a rank reserved for use in war, by a senior admiral in active command of a fleet of ships
* Admiral of Starfleet (O-12) - a rank only used in war, which only happened during the Earth-Romulan War

### Enlisted

* Crewman Recruit (E-1)
* Crewman Apprentice (E-2)
* Crewman (E-3)
* Petty Officer 3rd Class
* Petty Officer 2nd Class
* Petty Officer 1st Class
* Chief Petty Officer
* Senior Chief Petty Officer (E-8)
* Master Chief Petty Officer (E-9)

Additionally there are titles for enlisted personnel who chose to further their careers in the Earth Starfleet:

* Command Senior Chief Petty Officer (E-8)
* Command Master Chief Petty Officer (E-9)
* Fleet/Force Master Chief Petty Officer (E-9)
* Master Chief Petty Officer of Starfleet (E-9)

The MCPO-SF is the seniormost enlisted officer of the Earth Starfleet

## Organization

The United Earth Starfleet consisted of five main organizations:

* Office of the Secretary of the Starfleet
* Office of the Chief of Interstellar Operations
* Operating Forces (divided into various fleets)
* Shore Establishments
* Orbital Establishments (Fleet Yards, Starbases)

## Starship Classes

* Ganges Class
* NX-Class
* Intrepid Class