Orders:Her Majesty's Naval Directive 2502-04
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Active Her Majesty's Naval Directive 2502-04 was issued February 2025 by the First Space Lord.
Order Text
HER MAJESTY'S NAVAL DIRECTIVE 2502-04
REVISED RMN ECHELON LEVELS AND CREATION
Introduction
An echelon unit is a grouping of two or more chapters located in a single Fleet, under the command of one overall Commanding Officer (CO). In some cases, the unit CO is also the CO of one of the component ships.
Echelon Types
Several types of echelon units are used in the Royal Manticoran Navy. These have been redesigned to comply with PD-SC-1003, Chapter and Echelon Policy and take effect immediately. All future echelons will abide by this policy and with PD-SC-1003. All echelon creations and fleet reorganization plans will be submitted to the Office of the 1SL for approval.
1. Divisions (Level 1): Made up of at least 2 chapters in the same basic geographical area that conduct joint operations. Divisions are stood up and numbered by the Fleet Commanders in consultation with the 1SL to ensure no other divisions exist with those numbers.
- a. Led by the senior CO (minimum O-5) of the chapters composing the Division, promotions are optional. Promotions are generally not necessary but may be granted to give the Division Commander rank seniority. (Not to exceed O6b)
- b. There is no requirement for the chapters forming a division to be of the same hull type.
- i. Divisions may use the canon naming convention based on the largest or the most common ship type of chapters in the division. For example:
- Battle Division (BatDiv) ship(s) of the wall (superdreadnoughts or dreadnoughts)
- Battlecruiser Division (BatCruDiv)
- Cruiser Division (CruDiv) heavy cruiser(s)
- Light Cruiser Division (LCruDiv) light cruiser(s)
- Destroyer Division (DesDiv)
- Carrier Division (CLACDiv)
- c. Divisions are designated with a number based on the number of the squadron of which they are a component. For example, Division 565.1 is the first division of Squadron 565 and Division 42.2 is the second division of Squadron 42. Division number designations are subject to the 1SL's approval to ensure they do not duplicate one already in use.
- d. Whereas in canon, squadrons are first formed and then divided into divisions (meaning there are no divisions without squadrons), in TRMN it is more common to start with a division, because there are rarely enough ships in an operational area to form a full squadron. Thus, TRMN has some divisions that are part of a nominal squadron, since only one division of the squadron exists. For example, two neighboring chapters within a fleet may form Div 32.1 even though there is not a full Squadron 32 in existence. If the area later grows to support a second division, then Squadron 32 (and a squadron CO) would be activated.
- e. Divisions do not have individual artwork but may use the crest of the nominal squadron of which they are a part.
2. Squadron (Level 2): Made up of at least two 2 divisions located in the same basic geographical area that conduct joint operations with the rest of the squadron. This formation is usually led by the senior captain of the ships composing the Squadron. However, this determination is not automatic and should be made by the FCO based on the available COs and their capabilities. Promotions are generally not necessary but may be granted to give the Squadron Commander rank seniority – not to exceed Captain SG. Any exceptions need to be approved by the 1SL.
- a. Squadrons are designated by 2 or 3 numbers and referred to as (e.g.) the 42nd Squadron, or alternately Squadron 42.
- b. In canon, the Admiralty assigns a newly formed squadron the next available number without regard to which fleet the squadron will be assigned. A squadron may be reassigned to a different fleet or divided between more than one fleet based on changing operational requirements. For this reason, unlike task echelons, squadrons rarely have a number with a first digit coinciding with that of the fleet of which it is a part. RMN practice is for the leadership of the constituent chapters to request a number of their choosing, which is subject to the 1SL's approval to ensure it does not duplicate one already in use.
- c. The Fleet Commanding Officer will determine the squadron leader from the available chapter COs.
- d. Squadrons may use the canon naming convention based on the largest or most common ship type in the squadron. For example:
- Battle Squadron (BatRon) ships of the wall (superdreadnoughts or dreadnoughts)
- Battlecruiser Squadron (BatCruRon)
- Cruiser Squadron (CruRon) heavy cruisers
- Light Cruiser Squadron (LCruRon) light cruisers
- Destroyer Squadron (DesRon)
- Carrier Squadron (CLACRon)
- Squadrons have the option to have crests.
3. Task Group (Level 3): Made up of at least 2 squadrons in a geographic area.
- a. A Task Group can contain individual chapters with no other chapters within their geographic area. This formation is usually a subset of a Fleet organization to help promote growth and camaraderie among chapters in the same basic area and provide better and more localized leadership for those chapters
- b. Task Groups are led by a Commodore (F-1). The 1SL must approve any exceptions.
- c. Task group numbers are based on the task force they are a part of. In the case of task groups that are not part of a task force, a nominal task force number is employed. Fictional example:
- i. Task Group 21.1 (TG21.1). First task group of Task Force 21.
4. Task Force (Level 4): Made up of at least 2 task Groups within a basic geographic area, this formation is usually the major subset of a Fleet organization. It helps promote growth and camaraderie among chapters in the same basic area and provides better and more localized leadership.
- a. This formation is usually led by a Commodore (but could go as high as Rear Admiral if needed).
- b. Any exceptions to this basic formation need to be approved by the 1SL.
- c. Task Force numbering is based on the fleet number they are assigned to. For example, Task Force 32 resides in 3rd Fleet (San Martino Fleet)
5. LAC (Light Attack Craft) Echelons—Like hyper-capable warships, Light Attack Craft (LACs) are assigned to a fleet and/or station and have their own organization.
- a. COLAC: Each Fleet will appoint, as a fleet-level officer, a Commanding Officer, Light Attack Craft (COLAC) within 60 days of the Fleet's first LAC.
- i. This person will act as the main point of contact for all LACs in the Fleet and report directly to the Fleet Commander.
- ii. At a minimum, this person will be billeted at the rank of Commander (O-5).
- iii. Additionally, any CLAC (Carrier, Light Attack Craft) class chapter may appoint a COLAC and one or more LACs in the fleet may be assigned to that carrier's LAC Wing at the discretion of the Fleet Commander. The carrier must have a COLAC to have LACs assigned to it.
- iv. A carrier's COLAC may serve as the fleet's COLAC.
- v. A COLAC commanding 5 or more LACs, may, with the 1SL’s approval, be billeted at the rank of Captain (j.g.).
- b. WINGS: The complement of LACs carried aboard a LAC Carrier (CLAC) forms that carrier's LAC Wing.
- i. FCOs with one or more carriers in their fleet will assign the LACs to a carrier's wing.
- ii. The wing must have a qualified officer as COLAC (Commanding Officer, Light Attack Craft), who commands the wing and has a minimum rank of Commander (O-5).
- iii. LAC Wings take their designation from the carrier's Hull Number. Example: The LAC Wing carried by HMS Unicorn CLAC-30 is designated the "30th LAC Wing," or "LAC Wing 30."
- c. GROUPS: LACs within a fleet not attached to a LAC Wing (no CLAC) may be assigned to a LAC Group. A LAC Group is functionally the same as a LAC Wing. The difference is that the Group is not attached to a carrier.
- i. LAC groups will take their designation from the fleet they are assigned to. For example, LAC Group 201 is the 1st LAC Group of 2nd fleet.
- d. FLIGHTS: Wings/Groups containing 4 or more LACs will be divided into flights consisting of 2-3 LACs each.
- i. Once a wing/group has four LACs, it will be divided into two flights of two LACs.
- ii. Each LAC Flight shall have a Flight Leader, who will be the senior Commanding Officer in the flight.
- iii. The system to designate Flights within a Wing/Group will be as in the following example using LAC Wing 19:
- 1. Alpha Flight, LAC Wing 19 (first flight in the wing)
- 2. Bravo Flight, LAC Wing 19 (second flight in the wing)
- 3. Charlie Flight, LAC Wing 19 (third flight in the wing)
- 4. Delta Flight, LAC Wing 19 (fourth flight in the wing)
- iv. A Flight Leader may serve as the COLAC of the wing/group of which their flight is a part, in which case they would be breveted to the minimum COLAC rank of O-5.
Michael Romero, KSK, GCE, OM, MC, OC, SC
Admiral of the Fleet, RMN
External Links
- Her Majesty's Naval Directive 2502-04 as published within the Naval Directives board at the TRMN Forums. (login required)