Commonwealth Pilots of the Armed Forces

> ***"The first to get in! The last to stand down!"***
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> **-Most commonly attributed sentence to pilots of the forces-**
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   Trained in both atmospheric and void warfare, the **commonwealth's fighter pilots**are ready to support both the fleet an army during their operations against enemy forces.

Fighter pilots undergo specialized training in aerial combat, dogfighting and space, fleet warfare. A highly-demanded selection process chooses only the elite of all potential candidates. To be a fighter pilot, a candidate must not only show a good academic record, but also physical fitness, healthy well-being, and a strong mental drive. Due to all of these requirements, fighter pilots tend to be looked at as a little full of themselves and privileged by the rest of the Commonwealth's  armed forces.

## **Roles**

### **Fleet Combat**

As capital ships and corvettes trade fire across the void, squads of fighters are unleashed to take down torpedoes and hunt down both small ships and other fighters. Since they do not have the fuel and engine power to keep up with the rest of their fleet, fighters are kept in the cargo bays of Task Force Manticore's largest ships until being deployed for combat. Under the admiral's direct command, they undergo all manner of missions, including serving as an escort to bomber squadrons or corvettes. While small in size compared to them, it is not unheard of for a particularly-skillfull fighter pilot to score the hit which blows up an enemy corvette.

### **Land Combat**

While technically a members of the fleet, fighter pilots can be placed under the command of a general of the Commonwealth army during the land invasion or defence of a planet. In fact, during the first stages of orbital bombardment, several squads of fighters and fighter-bombers are deployed down into orbit to hunt down enemy planes or blow up their bases with far more precission than Manticore's guns can.

## **Species & Squad Behaviour**

Due to the highly-specialized nature of their job and vehicles, most fighter pilots in the Commonwealth's service are still, for the most part, human. As more and more species join the ranks of the navy however, the situation has begun to chance, with different planes being built adapted to the size and needs of new pilots.

While there is no lack of lone wolves who prefer to fly solo during missions, most fighter pilots work very closely together, always ready to come to each-other's aid in and out of the battlefield. Karthemas are especially prone to this kind of behaviour, especially when they are led by a highly-charismatic squad leader.

Sadly, this close bond between squad mates may cause a number of problems whenever a member of the squad is killed in action and a new pilot is sent to replace him or her. In the worst cases, the whole squad will refuse to fly with the "new guy", caring very little about the threats of their superior officers.

## **Notable Aces**

Any pilot who manages to score at least five "kills" earns the rank of **ace,**a title which many new recruits eagerly dream of obtaining. Amongst the many aces the Commonwealth navy has produced over the years, some of the best known are:

-**Erika Ibrahim:**Daughter of commonwealth admiral Satayesh Ibrahim, she has 577 confirmed kills, making her the top ace in the nation's history.

-**Demuru Kileda**: Aramathi  fighter pilot with 556 confirmed kills, 11 of which he took during the invasion of Fal'Kaboss, and 41 others in ground attack sorties throughout her career.

-**Nikola Fletcher:** Fighter pilot registering 62 confirmed kills, 3 of which were fully active Destroyers and a Cruiser, operated by the Biluan Mind. Shot down at the Battle of Arvo in 2270, MIA.

-**Benno Gruber**: Fighter-bomber pilot with 63 confirmed kills. Died in the war against the Biluan Mind. Very famous for his extreme flying attitudes and maneuvers during dogfights.

-**Dalish Umbra:** "Three Spades", this Karthema fighter pilot scored sixteen kills during his first mission, his ultimate total being of 423.

-**Veronika Bashirovka:** Flying ace and leader of Curacao's Air Defence Wing. Responsible for leading the elite Kosciuszko Squadron and operating in anti-criminal missions throughout the Commonwealth and its allies. Claims 112 kills, but her prestige rivals one of Erika Ibrahim.