Aerospace Operations
Aerospace Operations handles all of the smaller craft generally assigned to fighter (or assault) squadrons, providing attack and assault transport capabilities to the fleet. Areas of responsibilities and deployments, while generated via Starfleet Command, will be received directly from Aerospace Operations. (While conventional shuttlecraft may be assigned to a sub-unit of a command as a complete squadron, they are not considered independent commands within themselves.)
Aerospace Operations is commanded by a Rear Admiral.
Aerospace Operations is broken down into 'group commands', which are further broken down into 'wings' and 'squadrons' (not to be confused with starship squadrons):
- Group (Echelon IV): Groups are comprised of 3 wings of fighter and transport craft, rarely all of the same class. Groups are usually assigned in consecutive sectors, if not the same sector. They are commanded by Captains.
- Wing (Echelon V): Wings are comprised of 3 squadrons, oftentimes of the same class, but sometimes of 2 squadrons of areospace or deepspace craft and 1 of mobility (transport) craft. They are commanded by Commanders.
- Squadrons (Echelon VI): Squadrons are comprised of 8 to 24 (typically 20) craft, all of the same class, and usually are designated as either aerospace, deepspace or mobility squadrons. They are commanded by Lieutenant Commanders.
- Wing (Echelon V): Wings are comprised of 3 squadrons, oftentimes of the same class, but sometimes of 2 squadrons of areospace or deepspace craft and 1 of mobility (transport) craft. They are commanded by Commanders.
The commander of Aerospace Operations is a named NPC.
The commander of a group is also a named NPC, while the commanders of wings and squadrons are unnamed.