Colonial Fleet (TRS)

The Colonial Fleet is the primary armed service branch of the Colonial Forces under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Defense of the Twelve Colonies of Kobol prior to the fall of the Colonies. The Colonial Fleet operates in tandem with other branches of the Colonial Forces, like the Colonial Marine Corps, and is augmented by a reserve, of which Lee Adama (CFR) is a member ^{(TRS: "Final Cut")}.

A government military academy appears to be the primary training facility and commission source for the fleet's officers. Many characters, including Kara Thrace, Karl Agathon,and Sharon Valerii attended (or claim to have attended) this academy. There was also an Officer candidate school, which was attended by Alex Quartararo and Saul Tigh (though this is a false memory). Moreover, a War College existed for more extensive education, which Lee Adama attended. The training of new recruits was under the Colonial Forces Training Command .

Other identified Fleet installations include the Scorpion Fleet Shipyards, the Caprican Colonial Forces Veteran's Hospital, Ragnar Anchorage, and Armistice Station. The Colonial Fleet was based at Picon Fleet Headquarters.

Fleet Status

At the time of the Cylon holocaust, the Colonial Fleet includes approximately 120 battlestars, thousands of smaller vessels, numerous squadrons of Vipers and Raptors assigned to each, and various support ships . The Colonial Fleet also included modified Space Park vessels (although the single Space Park liner in Galactica's civilian Fleet is very likely a civilian liner) .

The Colonial Fleet was regarded by the Cylons to be a decisively superior force in a direct engagement. Therefore, the Cylons returned to a variation of their Cylon War tactics by undermining the Colonial Fleet's CNP to attack ships equipped with the software from within ^{(TRS: "Downloaded")}.

Battlestars mentioned destroyed in the Cylon attack include Triton, Solaria, Columbia, and Atlantia (Admiral Nagala's flagship). Upon Nagala's death, Commander William Adama of Galactica assumes command of the remains of the Colonial Fleet, ordering them to regroup at Ragnar Anchorage for a counter-attack. However, virtually all capital ships of the Colonial Fleet are destroyed, leaving Commander Adama (after consultation with new President Laura Roslin) to choose retreat from the Cylons, opting instead to protect the surviving members of humanity.

Approximately a year after the Cylon destruction of the Twelve Colonies, the remnants of mankind colonize the world of New Caprica on orders of new President Gaius Baltar. The two remaining battlestars of the Colonial Fleet, Galactica and Pegasus (both manned by skeleton crews), orbit the planet and monitor for Cylon activity. A year after colonization, a Cylon fleet comprised of dozens of basestars finds the settlement. Unable to fight off an invasion of such magnitude, Galactica and Pegasus retreat to safety, leaving most of the civilian fleet under Cylon occupation on the surface of New Caprica ^{(TRS: "Lay Down Your Burdens, Part II")}.

In the Battle of New Caprica four months later, Galactica is severely damaged while escaping with the liberated civilians. Pegasus, however, is destroyed after taking significant damage and ramming a basestar ^{(TRS: "Exodus, Part II")}. Galactica constitutes the only surviving vessel within the Colonial Fleet until it is destroyed ^{(TRS: "Daybreak, Part II")}.

Limits of Authority

The Colonial Fleet is aware that they are a military force, not a police force. Commander William Adama warns new President Laura Roslin that mixing the two roles can turn the military against its own citizens. Acting commander Saul Tigh ignores this principle when attempting to stop a supply boycott in the civilian Fleet, leading to the deaths of four civilians aboard the Gideon ^{(TRS: "Resistance")}.

Biological warfare is restricted in the Twelve Colonies, requiring presidential authorization ^{(TRS: "A Measure of Salvation")}. However, battlestar commanders have battlefield authority to use nuclear weapons ^{(TRS: "The Eye of Jupiter")}.

Ships of the Colonial Fleet

Battlestars

Battlestars are the capitol ships of the Colonial Fleet. Introduced prior to the First Cylon War, they operate like an aircraft carrier in space, designed to launch a fighter screen, and then defend against an aggressor.

Image	Class	Description
	Galactica type	The Galactica type battlestar combines the functions of an aircraft carrier and a battleship. It was designed and deployed after the outbreak of hostilities between the Cylons and Colonials. A few ships of this class remain in service over 40 years after the end of the Cylon War; however, most were retired.
	Mercury class	Introduced some years after the First Cylon War, the Mercury class was designed to replace the aging Galactica type battlestars. It featured newer technologies, more automation, and could carry more Viper and Raptor support ships than its older predecessors.
	Valkyrie type	The Valkyrie type was deployed alongside a Galactica type battlestar nearly fifty years before the Fall of the Colonies during the First Cylon War. At the time, they appeared to function as a support vessel in battlestar groups, and not as flagships. In the years since, the type has become a forerunner in the Colonial Fleet, apparently outnumbering the Mercury class and remaining Galactica type battlestars.
	Orion class	The Orion class battlestar was first developed and deployed sometime before or during the First Cylon War. Also known as a "Pocket Battlestar" or "Half-Pint," the class appears to be among the smaller ships in the Colonial Fleet, dwarfed even by the Valkyrie type. It may be the smallest battlestar class to see service.

Support Ships

The Colonial Fleet has employed numerous combat and non-combat support ships to supplement the battlestar capitol ships. These include fleet tenders, escorts, cruisers, fuel tyliers, hospital ships, and various other specialized vessels.

Image	Class	Description
	Loki type heavy cruiser	The Loki type heavy cruiser is a lightly armed support ship in service with the Colonial Fleet during the First Cylon War, where two or three of these ships would be assigned to a battlestar group at any given time. The ships are designed to receive goods and munitions, and transfer them to combat ships underway.
	Berzerk type	The Berzerk type served as escorts for their respective battlestar groups. They first entered service circa the First Cylon War, and were a mainstay in the fleet nearly 40 years later.
	"Defender" type	The "Wedge" type also known as a "Defender" type is a support vessel in service with the Colonial Fleet by the tenth year of the First Cylon War.
	"Catamaran" type	The "Catamaran" type was a support ship in service during the First Cylon War. It shared many design similarities with the Orion class battlestar.
	"Watersled" type	The "Watersled" type was a support ship in service during the First Cylon War. It featured two large pods on either side of the ship.
	"Flattop" type	The "Flattop" type was a mobile recover/repair facility. During the First Cylon War, they were attached to battlestar groups when needed and provided rescue and salvage to stranded vessels, along with firefighting assistance. Nearly 40 years after, they are still in service with the Colonial Fleet, and have been used by the civilian sector.
	Tylium refinery ships	The Colonial tyliers provide fuel to deployed Fleet ships underway, as well as to their assigned aircraft. Tyliers and the ships they refuel sail side by side as fuel hoses are extended across guide wires.
	Celestra type	Celestra type ships are a class of ship used in the Twelve Colonies at least as early as the First Cylon War, during which they served an unknown role assisting battlestar groups.

Auxiliary Vessels

Auxiliary vessels played an important part in the Colonial Fleet, and were pivotal in keeping capitol ships protected during combat. They had a multitude of functions from assault to recon, and no one fleet would survive without them.

Image	Class	Description
	Viper Mark II	The Viper Mark II is a single seat fighter aerospace craft used by the Colonial Fleet during the First Cylon War. The fighter served with distinction, proving to be a capable fighting vehicle and winning renown across the Twelve Colonies; the Mark II is regarded as instrumental in ensuring that the Colonials did not lose the original Cylon War.
	Viper Mark III	The Viper Mark III is a fighter craft used by the Colonial Fleet in the latter part of the Cylon War. The Mark III retains the same shape and layout as the Mark II, however is slightly larger than the predecessor. It featured a drab grey paint scheme with red accents along the wings and nose, and identification numbers printed along the front side and along the vertical stabilizer.
	Viper Mark VII	The Viper Mark VII is the Colonial Fleet's latest update to the venerable Viper Mark II primary space superiority fighter / attack craft. Capable of atmospheric flight, the Mark VII is the front-line variant of the Viper design, retaining the Mark II's general layout but adding fully integrated avionics that provide superior battle management and flight information for the pilot.
	Raptor	The Raptor is a vehicle utilized by the Colonial military. A versatile craft, it is designed to perform multiple roles, but the Raptor most commonly takes part in reconnaissance and scouting operations. There have been at least two variants of this design in use by the Colonials since the outbrake of hostilities with the Cylons.
	Stealthstar	The Stealthstar is a specialized Colonial recon craft used prior to the Fall of the Colonies. It takes its design from the Viper Mk. VII.
	Atmospheric Shuttles	Atmospheric shuttles are smaller vessels employed by the Colonials for ship to ship, ship to planet, and planet to ship transport. There are at least two different models, with one dating back to the First Cylon War.
	Troop Transports	Troop transports were modified heavy cargo ships meant for transporting large numbers of Colonial servicemen to their assignments.