Imperial Navy

The Imperial Navy, also known as the Imperial Starfleet, Imperial Fleet, Imperial Battlefleet, or Imperial Space Service, was the space warfare branch of the Imperial Armed Forces of the Galactic Empire. At its peak, it fielded hundreds of thousands of warships, logistics vessels and fighters, becoming one of the largest navies in galactic history and maintaining Imperial control throughout the galaxy.

It was formed from the Galactic Federation Navy, after the reformation of the Federation into the Galactic Empire by Emperor Beorthram Althmark. The Fleet's initial functions were to put down insurrections and revolts, and protect the borders from pirates and other criminal groups. However, the creation of the New Republic in 347 IC and its contact with the Empire several years later resulted in the Navy's primary role becoming in waging the conflict against the republican government.

To achieve these goals, the Imperial Navy was divided into sector fleets, the precise size and composition varying with the importance of the sector and available resources. While high nobles and regional governors maintained their own fleets, these were typically more apt to handling day to day piracy, customs enforcement and warding off minor skirmishes with hostile powers. Most governors were reliant on the Navy's sector fleet for more substantial support, which Imperial law obligates it to provide.

Headquarters
The leadership of the Imperial Navy was divided into two sections: the Imperial Naval High Command, which was responsible for ship deployment, operational and strategic planning; and the Imperial Naval Cabinet, responsible for promotions, appointments, administration, issuing munitions, and giving orders to naval forces. The chiefs of the Naval High Command and Naval Cabinet were typically grand admirals and answered to the Minister of War, who, in turn, was only answerable to the Galactic Emperor.

Tactical organization
The Navy's fighting forces were divided into fleets, which varied greatly in size demanding the mission requirement and their role. Fleets were usually named after their commanding admiral's last name. A typical fleet may have anywhere from 2000 to 6000 or more vessels, and would usually be under the command of a full admiral or grand admiral. Garrison fleets (known as "stationed fleets") would also have a varying amount of ships, depending on the importance of their designated location. Each sector had its own stationed fleet, which was also called a "sector fleet" or "sector group." Supply, maintenance, and other support elements were attached to each fleet as well.

The Imperial-class and Imperial II-class Star Destroyers formed the bulk of the Navy's offensive firepower. In a fleet, there could have been anywhere from 25 to 100 or more Star Destroyers. They were usually the "heart" of the fleet, with smaller cruisers, destroyers, and other vessels forming in around them. In practice, Star Destroyers were normally accompanied by just two or three escorts, if any: the Imperial-class was designed to operate without support, and its hyperdrive was too fast for any escorts except for the speediest light cruisers. The mere arrival of an Imperial-class Star Destroyer was often enough to put down a planetary revolt or scare off an armed space-threat

Below an admiral's fleet was a smaller fleet commanded by a vice admiral, which could vary anywhere from 250 to 1000 ships. Below that was the task group, under a rear admiral (200&mdash;500 ships) and within a task group there were several squadrons (100 or less ships), under a commodore. Squadrons were divided into sections, which were usually commanded by a captain and consisted of 10&mdash;20 ships.

TIE fighters and other small craft were organized into wings, each of which had four squadrons (total of 144 craft, or 36 fighters per squadron). A squadron was usually commanded by a commander or captain.

Training and personnel
Naval officer cadets, also known as cabin boys, midshipmen and crewman-cadets, began their applications at the system level, attending regional military prep schools. In theory, the best students of these schools were invited to attend Sector Naval Academies, where they completed basic training, learned military history and courtesies, and took examinations to determine what naval career would suit them best. In practice, however, the children of high nobles were often able to get in through connections or bribes. The Sector Naval Academies are named such to differentiate them from the primary Naval Academy, and often groomed the best of a stationed world's inhabitants for local and Imperial military careers. Upon arriving at the Sector Naval Academies, their first step in training was attending one of several fleet camps spread across the galaxy. Screening Officers at the local Imperial recruitment center would then review the cadet's application and decide the type and duration of the cadet's training program. Very few managed to pass basic training due to the stringent physical and mental requirements.

The most promising Naval recruits, mostly those who were of noble blood, would be invited to attend officer training at the prestigious Imperial War Academy on Coruscant. Such recruits encompass rated within the top two percent of their qualifying tests, with an endorsement from the local Moff (or high noble connections) being required. It taught Midshipmen tactical simulations and leadership before assigning them to active service rotations as ensigns. Most cadets entered Naval service after a three-year course at the War Academy, but some did shorter courses before shifting to flight school or continuing their studies at one of the three advanced academies.

In addition, the academic standards are stringent, with its training methods being the most advanced of their kind, as the Academy system was designed to instill loyalty, build discipline, and develop team interdependence. It was also reputed that the greatest of the various naval commanders and starfighter pilots came from the Academy, with graduation being considered an essential step for being promoted to the very highest echelons of naval command. Those who showed particular promise by staying for at least five years at the Imperial Naval Academy and demonstrating the desired leadership qualities were eligible for entering Officer's Candidacy Training, which would result in their potentially commanding a strategic outpost, a TIE squadron, or even a Star Destroyer. It was frequently said that the only limits to an officer advancing the ranks were the officer's inherent ambition, skill, and loyalty. In practice, however, only the nobles were able to advance to high officer ranks, and the commoners formed the bulk of the enlisted troops.

Military service was mandatory in the Empire for all male citizens for two years. Commoner draftees and enlisted personnel made up the bulk the regular crewmen and pilots.

Many of the potential officers came from regional or sector military schools. Courses for officers, which last for one standard year, include military indoctrination, education in technical specialties, and training cruises, with crew-man graduates upon graduating being commissioned as a lieutenant and continues to advanced technical training. Overall, it required 30 months of rigorous physical and academic training.