Alliance Starfighter Forces

General Antoc Merrick Starfighter Command
Rank	Title
0	Recruit
1-3	Flight Cadet
4-7	Flight Officer
8	Lieutenant
9	Captain
10	Commander
11	Colonel (Wing Commander)
12+	General

Starfighter Command controls strategic deployment and development of Alliance starfighter forces. It carries out starfighter training and wing assignments to the fleet, Sector Forces, and other commands, and issues operational orders to wings not permanently assigned to the fleet or to Sector Commands.

Organization

• Recruit: Rank 0. x
• Flight Cadet: Rank 1-3. x
• Flight Officer: Rank 4-7. x
• Lieutenant: Rank 8. x
• Captain: Rank 9. x
• Commander: Rank 10. x
• Colonel: Rank 11. x
• General: Rank 12+. x

Structure

Starfighter resources are largely organized into "wings," though they are made up of smaller organizational units with a wing.

• Element: 2 Starfighters. The smallest organizational unit for starfighters is the element, made up of a pair of starfighters, with the senior pilot operating as leader, and the second as wingman. The majority of starfighter pilots are flight cadets (Rank 1-3) or flight officers (Rank 4-7).
• Flight: 2 Elements. A flight is made up of four starfighters, led by a flight commander, who is the most senior of the flight's pilots, generally a senior flight officer (Rank 7), a lieutenant (Rank 8), or a captain (Rank 9).
• Squadron: 3 Flights. A squadron is made up of three flights (a dozen starfighters), led by the squadron commander who is usually a lieutenant (Rank 8), captain (Rank 9), or a commander (Rank 10). A squadron is made up of a single type of starfighter, and is usually given a color or name designation. Squadrons are sometimes referred casually as a "group," such as the "Red group," but this term is identifying rather than organizational.
• Wing: 3 Squadrons. A wing consists of thirty-six starfighters, plus the necessary support personnel, craft, and equipment. Ideally, one squadron in the wing is a recon squadron, and each squadron within the wing can be of a different type of fighter. A wing is led by a colonel (Rank 11), also called a "wing commander," who reports directly to the local commander, whether a Sector Force officer, or a ship's captain. When assigned to the fleet, a wing also reports to the fleet's Starfighter Command.
• Group: 2+ Wings. Groups are uncommon; by and large, the largest useful designation for starfighter efficiency is the wing. When an operation requires starfighter resources on this scale, however, they are referred to as a "group," and are under the command of the senior colonel (Rank 11) or by a general (Rank 12+).