Deep Range Recon Patrol

The Deep Range Recon Patrol is an independent unit within the Reconnaissance Division of the Naval Reserves of the 2nd Royal Special Assault Brigade (2nd RSAB).

Overview

The Deep Range Recon Patrol (DRRP) was established in the early 2900's as a means to patrol the large number of uninhabited star systems surrounding the core systems that have been colonized by the descendants of the Star League's 2nd Royal Special Assault Brigade.

The purpose of the DRRP is to act as pickets to augment the existing unmanned early-warning stations used to detect the presence of unknown and potentially hostile ships advancing on the core systems.

Through the use of specialized Jumpships, Dropships, and Aerospace Fighters, the DRRP is able to effectively cover a large number of systems with a surprisingly small number of resources.

History

The Deep Range Recon Patrol (DRRP) was established in 2905 with the specific mission of patrolling the myriad of star systems surrounding the 2nd RSAB's core systems.

Tactical planners feel that there are only two practical ways a potential opponent could invade the core systems. The first is a large scale invasion from a fleet moving in up to 3 separate convoys. The second was to 'trickle' in a few ships at a time to one or more 'staging' systems within striking range of the core systems.

Large convoys would be required to provide an adequate defense against the 2nd RSAB fleet and thus would have to be of a minimum size. In addition, once a single convoy had been detected, all reconnaissance assets would be activated and the likelihood of an attacking convoy remaining undetected, even 10 jumps out, dropped drastically. The 2nd RSAB command of the early 2900's felt that the existing detection stations would be able to detect any sizable convoy that attempted to approach the core systems, even if they attempted to use pirate points to access the systems.

The 'trickle' theory was demonstrated by Lt. Cdr. Ivan Smyth of the Experimental Combat Brigade (ECB) in early 2902. He was able to move 20 ships of various sizes, one or two at a time, to within 2 jumps of the core systems. In addition, he was able to repeat the task when the invading ships were not aware of the location and capabilities of the tracking stations in the systems.

The exercise was repeated several times and over the course of two years, only one ship was ever detected. In light of this alarming development, Lt. Cdr. Smyth was promoted full Commander and tasked with developing a counter-strategy. Smyth's solution was to run random patrols through any systems within 10 jumps of the core systems. He pulled several obsolete transport Dropships and Jumpships out of mothball. Their sensors and communications equipment were upgraded and their cargo holds were replaced with fuel tanks. By using existing equipment, Commander Smyth was able to create a cheap reconnaissance force quickly without impacting any existing units.

With Smyth in command of the newly christened Deep Range Recon Patrol, regular patrols of all systems within 5 jumps of the core systems began in May, 2905. In 2909, the DRRP was officially broken off into its own independent unit in the Naval Reserves Reconnaissance Division and Smyth was promoted to Commodore. At the same time, resources were allocated to produce mission-specific designs for the unit as the amount of maintenance time required on the existing equipment was proving to be excessive. The new Jumpships were nicknamed Mules and the new Dropships were nicknamed Seekers.

By 2916 all initial equipment had been replaced with purpose-built designs and the unit consisted of 12 Mules and 54 Seekers. By 2959, the unit had increased to 14 Mules and 61 Seekers, with 10 Mules and 50 Seekers patrolling at any given time. Naval Reserve Command had determined that the coverage the DRRP was providing was sufficient and froze the unit size for the next 20 years.

In 2977, Major Mira Shen (DRRP) was rotated out for a 2 year assignment with the ECB. In July of that year Major Shen helped the ECB plan and execute an exercise based on a novel modification of the original 'trickle' theory. By using rogue pirate points, the ECB was able to get several ships to a staging area three jumps away from the core systems without detection. This first operation ran with full knowledge of the DRRP patrol routes and without the DRRP being aware of the operation. In December, 2977, a second exercise was run. In this case, the DRRP was aware of the exercise and the ECB was not provided any information about the DRRP patrols. Again, using a combination of rogue pirate points and remote pirate points, the ECB was able to move 18 of 20 ships into staging positions without detection.

Simulations showed repeatedly that it would take nearly a three-fold increase in the numbers of mules and seekers in order to provide adequate coverage. Despite the seriousness of the situation, it was felt that such a large increase would be an unacceptable drain on resources. After 4 months, a radical suggestion was made by 2nd Lieutenant Alison Sturm (ECB): to use aerospace fighters for the bulk of the planetary passes. In order to use fighters, Lt. Sturm suggested attaching a long-range booster to fighters. The booster would use a near-identical copy of the highly reliable, ultra-efficient transit drive of the near-ubiquitious Dropshuttle. This would then allow fighters mounting the booster to make long, fuel-efficient flights to and from a jump point.

Within 6 months, several prototypes boosters had been constructed and mated with several old Fire Wasp air frames. These reliable 100-ton fighters had their standard cockpits replaced with large two seat versions. Several short-ranged weapons were also removed to allow for easier mating with the booster and to remove any ammunition dependence. Finally, the fighter's fuel capacity was more than doubled. The new fighter-booster combinations were nicknamed Rovers.

Not surprisingly, the decrease in weaponry coupled with the lack of maneuverability while a booster was attached failed to impress several of the test pilots. As a compromise, the booster design was reworked to allow for quick detachment of the fighter. After a number of successful and progressively longer test runs two of the systems were loaded onto a jumpship bound for five months of deep space trials.

Because the existing Mules already had several spare small-craft bays available, incorporating the new Rovers into the operations was realatively painless.

By January of 2979 one squadron of Rovers were in operation, patrolling through many of the smaller systems. Working as a pair, missions were usually limited to a maximum of 5 days at 1.5G accelerations due to the physical and mental toll taken on the crews. Initially, each Rover had three crews (with each crew consisting of a pilot and communications specialist) that rotated through missions one at a time to minimize long-term burnout.

In 2983 several key developments occurred. The first was the commitment of the 2nd RSAB command to commit resources to the production of additional mission specific equipment for DRRP operations. The second was the unexpected decision to adapt a universal design to future fighters so that they were compatible with the next generation of boosters. This was also to include adaptors for existing Land-Air-Mechs (LAMs). In addition, a new class of Jumpships (eventually nicknamed Storks) would be developed specifically to handle an expanded DRRP fighter corps.

By 2990 the DRRP was bolstered to a force consisting of four aero-wings of Rovers (216 fighters), 1 aero-wing of interceptor fighters (54 fighters), 18 Mules, 72 Seekers, 18 Storks, and 45 platoons of marines (2 squads per Mule/Stork, 1 squad per Seeker, plus 1 additional battalion (9 platoons) for facility security and training).

In 3008 several reserve forces were added to bring the DRRP up to its current strength. These reserve forces included 2 squadrons of Rovers (36 fighters), 1 squadron of interceptor fighters (18 fighters), 3 Mules, 3 Storks, 12 Seekers, and 9 platoons of marines (2 squads per Mule/Stork, 1 squad per Seeker, plus 1 additional company (3 platoons) for facility security and training).

Terminology

• Rover - A booster equipped fighter used by the DRRP corps for deep range patrols. Most Rovers have a two-person crew (a pilot and a communications specialist) and operate in pairs during an individual patrol. Rovers typically have much larger cockpits, more advanced electronics, less weaponry, and more fuel capacity than a standard fighter of similar mass. All weapons are energy-based and are primarily geared for combat at long ranges. Most Rover designs have a mass in the 80-100 tonne range.
• Stork - A broad term applied to jumpships used by the DRRP corps designed primarily to transport Rover patrol fighters. Stork jumpships typically have a large number of fighter/small craft bays but only one or two docking collars. Storks carry large fuel reserves and are armed with a medium array of long-range weaponry.
• Seeker - A broad term applied to dropships used by the DRRP corps for deep range patrols. Seekers are designed for near continuous long-term operations. Seekers are generally used for longer patrols in large systems as their crews are able to operate in much more comfortable conditions than Rover crews. Seekers typically carry very large fuel reserves and may or may not have a small number of fighter/small-craft bays. All seekers carry an ultra-portable HPG generator. Seekers are armed only with energy weapons although they are undergunned when compared with typical dropships of comparable mass.
• Mule - A broad term applied to jumpships used by the DRRP corps designed to transport Seeker patrol dropships. Mules typically have 8 or more docking collars but only 12 or fewer fighter/small-craft bays. As with the Storks, Mules carry large fuel reserves and are armed with a medium array of long-range weaponry.

Unit Organization

Overview

The DRRP organizational structure is quite flat. A small headquarters unit consisting of the unit commander, senior officers, support personnel, and a Marine squad is attached to the Naval Reserves Reconnaissance Division headquarters. Technical support personnel are under the direct command of the headquarters unit but are distributed among the repair and support facilities used by the unit.

All other units are treated as independent entities. Unlike most other 2nd RSAB units, assignments are of a very transitory nature in line with the flexible nature of the DRRP's mission.

Front Line Units

Front line units are those units on active patrol or have been demobilized for rest or maintenance periods. Roughly every five years, a front line unit may be swapped with a reserve unit.

Reserves

Reserve units are those units not on or awaiting active duty. At any one time, one third of the reserve units are on loan to other 2nd RSAB units needing specialized reconnaissance capabilities, one third of the units are on sabbatical/extended leave, with the remaining units involved in either training, maintenance, or evaluation of new personnel.

Other Duties

In addition to their primary reconnaissance duties, approximately 30% of DRRP members are also members of the 3rd Dark Horse Regiment. Specifically, those 30% are responsible for providing support to the three Omega facilities that are part of the 2nd RSAB Evacuation and Survival plan. These personnel command the jumpships and dropships that make the supply runs to the three Omega facilities.

Tactics and Operations

Overview

The primary purpose of the DRRP is to act as an early-warning system against possible incursions into 2nd RSAB territory. Central to this purpose is the notion that upon detection of any intruders or unknown entities the numbers and disposition of the forces detected is to be reported to the 2nd RSAB Central Command as quickly as possible. All basic unit tactics are based on around this central premise and as such, while all DRRP units are armed, combat and interception are a distant second in mission priority. In fact, when compared to comparable front-line units of similar size/mass, DRRP units are under-armed.

DRRP patrol routes (both system-to-system and through systems) are designed to be as random as possible while still allowing for the efficient deployment and retrieval of the patrolling units. Details about patrol routes are highly compartmentalized amongst DRRP personnel and any detailed information is encrypted within the navigation computers of the various patrol units.

All Jumpships and Dropships possess ultra-portable Hyper Pulse Generators (HPGs) which are constantly being aligned to the nearest automated HPG relay station. In addition, all DRRP aerospace fighters possess powerful long-range communication arrays as well as the location(s) of any in-system early-warning stations which can be used to relay messages along the automated HPG network.

Individual units are typically deployed on a 52-week rotataion which consists of 3 weeks of pre-patrol preparations, then 42 weeks of active patrol, then 1 week of post-patrol operations and finally 6 weeks of rest and relaxation (R&R) during which any major overhauls of equipment are performed by DRRP maintenance crews. Individual unit deployments are staggered such that no less than 75% of DRRP units are on active patrol at any given time. Finally, front-line units are rotated sporadically (roughly once every 8-10 patrols) with reserve units.

When the DRRP was originally formed, units were deployed on a 48-week rotation which consisted of 2 weeks of pre-patrol preparations, 20 weeks of active patrol, then 3 weeks of maintenance and crew R&R, then 20 more weeks of of active patrol, then 1 week of post-patrol operations and finally 4 weeks of crew R&R during which any major overhauls of equipment are performed by 2nd RSAB Naval Reserve maintenance crews. The shortened patrol schedule was necessary because the initial equipment used had not been designed for the level of wear and tear inflicted upon it. The near-continuous use of the Seekers in high-G passes through systems required significant maintenance time and equipment overhauls to remain functional. In addition to the maintenance issues, the on-board facilities available to the crews were not fully suited for the extended mission requirements and this necessitated a period of crew downtime in mid-patrol. The downtime also provided an excellent opportunity to perform preventative maintenance that would otherwise be extremely difficult while the ships were in active use.

Jumpship Operations

The mission of the Jumpships (Mules and Storks) is simple: deployment and retrieval of Seekers and Rovers.

Because individual Seekers and Rovers are not assigned to specific Jumpships, an individual Jumpship will typically deploy their patrol units in one system and jump out to another system to retrieve a different unit.

Jumpships will only remain in system long enough to either retrieve patrol units or to top up the charge in their Lithium Fusion batteries. Most patrol routes are laid out in order to minimize the amount of time Jumpships are waiting on station to retrieve patrol units. Pirate points are used exclusively during patrols for deployment and recover, both to minimize the chance of ambush and to maximize the randomness of the patrol routes.

Standard DRRP Jumpship procedure is to always leave enough charge in their Lithium Fusion batteries to perform an emergency jump. This means that DRRP Jumpships will only make 2 successive jumps instead of the standard three before stopping to recharge their drives. In addition, Jumpship Captains will always plan an emergency escape jump before entering a system. In addition to the escape jump, Jumpship Captains will also plot a 'Relay' jump which will take the ship to the nearest system containing a HPG relay station. Jumpships will also never move off of a jump point unless ordered to directly by the DRRP commander.

In a case where Rovers or Seekers are overdue and communication has not been established with the overdue units, the retrieving Jumpship will wait 12 hours past the rendezvous time before immediately jumping to the nearest HPG relay station to report in. The Jumpship Captain will then wait on-station for orders. All patrol routes incorporate roughly 12 hours of extra time to deal with minor delays.

In addition to the large fuel reserves and generous supply of spare parts they contain, Jumpships also carry maintenance teams for Seekers and Rovers. The ratio is roughly 1 maintenance team for every 4 units of capacity that the Jumpship has, although each Jumpship carries at least one Seeker and 1 Rover maintenance team.

Mules and Storks both possess large grav-deck facilities. When Rover or Seeker crews are aboard, they are given priority (although not necessarily exclusive) access to the facilities. Ship crew members have full access to the facilities when Rover or Seeker crews are not present.

Besides their purely transport role, Mules and Storks both carry advanced long range detection equipment. When on-station, ships will continuously search for any signs that may indicate the presence of unknown ships in-system. Should anything be detected, the information will be relayed to the nearest HPG relay station and, at the option of the ship's Captain, any deployed forces in-system may be vectored to conduct further investigations. Also, should any ship in-system report detecting any unknown ships, the information will be immediately sent to the nearest HPG relay station. The Jumpship Captain, at their discretion may issue orders to any Seekers/Rovers establishing a new retrieval point and schedule.

Essentially Mule and Stork daily operations are fairly typical of those of any other military transport ship. Please refer to either the original Battletech Jumpships and Dropships game supplement, or the BattleSpace source book for a description of typical Jumpship operations.

Dropship Operations

Overview

The DRRP mission parameters for Seekers are very straight forward: Once in system, one or more Seekers would detach from their Mules and follow their pre-assigned patrol route through the system before meeting at a rendezvous point to meet up with a Mule which would transport it to the next system. Should they encounter an indicator of an unauthorized presence, they would use their on board HPG Generators to transmit the pertinent information to the nearest HPG Relay station. On the discretion of the ship's Captain, the Seeker may alter its course to investigate any unusual readings encountered.

General Patrol Duty

During regular patrols, Seekers may investigate rogue pirate points as well as make planetary flybys on their routes. They may also investigate asteroid belts, the moons of gas giants, and even make close passes to stars.

In general, Seeker perform their missions at operating at 1.5 and 2 G burns. Seekers will often use planets as slingshots to increase their velocity in order to cover their patrol area. Higer-G burns through are occasionally used for short periods mainly to make up for lost time. While long high-G burns are sometimes used for patrols, the stress put on crews tends to restrict their use emergency situations.

In order to minimize any possible noise or interference emanating from the ship that might affect scanning operations, thrust rates and power plant emissions are kept constant.

As soon as a Seeker has detached from its Mule and achieved a stable operating thrust the crew will deploy and activate the detection equipment. Both passive and active equipment are used to look for indications of the presence of unauthorized forces.

Crews operate on a standard 24 hour rotation. There are three shifts on-ship with each shift spending 6 hours split between standard and detection watch. The watch is staggered so that individual crew members spend no more than 2 hours on detection watch. 6 hours is spent tending to their active duties. 12 hours are allocated to rest and recreation. The Captain and Chief Engineer are the only crew members who do not participate in general watch as they spend the bulk of their time on their primary duties. The Captain and Chief Engineer are not exempt from detection watch, however.

Upon detecting signals indicating possible unauthorized forces, the officer of the watch will perform an initial analysis of the data as well as confirm the readings. If the data meets certain critical criteria, the data along with a ship's status update will be relayed to the nearest HPG relay station. The Captain will be immediately called to the bridge and apprised the situation. At this point the Captain has the following options:

• Alter course to further investigate the signals
• Alter course to gather more information on the numbers and disposition of any actual forces detected
• Execute escape manoeuvres to attempt outrun any hostile forces attempting to intercept the ship, retreating to the pre-assigned recovery point or a backup recovery point.
• Engage in combat operations against hostile forces

If the data fails to meet the critical criteria upon initial analysis, the officer of the watch will refer it to the Captain or Executive Officer (XO). The Captain or XO have several options at this point:

• The ship will be kept on their patrol route while monitoring the situation
• The XO can make a minor adjustment to the patrol route in order to perform a closer investigation, incurring no more than a 4 hour delay in the patrol schedule
• The Captain can chose to make a major adjustment to the patrol route to perform a closer investigation (which would incur more than a 4 hour delay in the patrol schedule)

Because of the stress put upon the crews by the constant use of high-G acceleration, Seekers are equipped with significant recreation facilities. The ship's doctor constantly monitors the crew's health and can adjust crew shifts if necessary should there be health concerns.

Seekers are not assigned to specific Jumppships. Instead, patrol routes are coordinated to allow for efficient retrieval and delivery of Seekers. This means that a particular seeker will work with multiple Jumpships over the course of its patrol. Seekers were well equipped in terms of supplies and easily capable of waiting for up to 4 weeks for pickup although standard procedure calls for no more than a 3 day wait for pickup.

Combat

Unless acting on specific orders from the DRRP command or being directed to by an in-system Jumpship Captain, Seekers are to avoid combat situations. A Seeker Captain will only engage in combat as a last resort in order to escape from hostile forces.

A Seeker will execute a high-G burn while at the same time attempting to take a random course that will force any pursuers to burn significant amounts of fuel. Due to their high fuel capacities, Seekers can afford to follow random paths which normal units would consider inefficient and wasteful of fuel. Essentially, a Seeker will attempt to force any pursuers to abandon the chase due to a shortage of fuel.

A Seeker will attempt to follow a path that will keep it a safe distance from hostile forces, with enough speed that interception will be difficult, and which is still close enough to allow the Seeker to continue monitoring the disposition of the enemy units.

Seekers are equipped with long-range weaponry as well as standard naval anti-ballistic defences. The weapons are geared for deterring pursuit, especially by high-thrust fighter interceptors. While Seekers carry standard armour for their mass, the are under-gunned when compared with typical combat ships of similar mass.

Except in extreme situations, Seekers will never deploy fighters or small craft during combat due to the unlikelihood of being able to execute recovery operations.

Other Duties

In rare circumstances, Seekers act as personnel carriers and used mostly to transport technical crews to the automated early warning stations to perform repairs and maintenance. Seekers will typically rendezvous with the station and offload the technical crews before continuing on with their patrol. Another Seeker would be arrive in system at a later point to retrieve the technical crew once the work has been complete.

One other less well-known function of Seekers is to transport small combat units onto a planet. These units usually consist of either Marines or elite infantry units but can occasionally also consist of Land-Air-Mechs. Because of their ability to navigate precisely at high speeds, Seekers can insert units with pinpoint accuracy and timing. Using stealth materials the deployed units can often land on a planet without being detected. Seekers can also used to retrieve these units.

Fighter Operations

Overview

The DRRP Corps uses two classes of fighters: Rovers and Interceptors. Rovers are designed specifically for patrol operations and are equipped with long-range boosters. Interceptors are standard designs used for training and combat operations are not typically equipped with long-range boosters.

Rovers

While Seekers form the backbone of DRRP operations, their cost both in terms of construction and operation limits their numbers. Until the Experimental Combat Brigade's exercises of 2977, the DRRP Naval Reserve commanders felt that the number of Seekers in service was more than adequate for establishing an effective patrol around the 2nd RSAB core systems. The revelation that a three-fold increase in resources would be required to mount an effective patrol came as a severe shock. At the time, the 2nd RSAB Command simply could not commit the required level of resources to expanding the DRRP.

In order to fill the gap, fighters equipped with long-range booster units would be used. Prototype boosters were already on the drawing board and there were a large number of 100-ton Fire Wasp fighters in the process of being mothballed. The Fire Wasp was one of the most reliable heavy fighters ever produced. It's basic design allowed for easy upgrades and modifications, in addition to giving it the lowest maintenance requirements of any fighter then operated by the 2nd RSAB and it's Reserves.

Initially two Fire Wasps, previously converted to two-seat training craft, were modified for use with a prototype booster which had been quickly produced. The airframe was modified to increase fuel capacity and to include enhanced life support and communications equipment. All ammunition-dependent weaponry was removed and the remaining long-range weaponry was upgraded.

The newly-christened Rovers were put through progressively more rigorous trials until they were deployed for their first full patrol. Originally, three crews (1 pilot and 1 electronics officer who was also a fully-qualified pilot) were rotated through each Rover to minimize the physical and psychological stress placed on the crews during patrol. Until the development of Storks, Rovers were deployed from the small-craft bays of Mules. Even with the introduction of Storks, Mules will still carry Rovers, although the Mules' on-board facilities and spare parts stockpiles are not as complete as those found on Storks.

Flight crews will typically take rotating 6-hour shifts, alternating between rest periods and maintaining watch. The two fighters on a patrol would stagger their shifts by three hours, thus ensuring that at least one individual between both fighters had been on watch for no more than three hours.

Unlike those crews in standard fighters, Rover crews are actually able to get up and move about the cockpit (in a limited area). Crews sleep in their flight seats but there is an area where the can perform exercises (during flight) in order to stave off the physical and psychological effects of remaining relatively stationary for long periods of time at high-G acceleration. In addition, each Rover contains a large library of electronic books, music, vids, and games. A crew member will typically spend 6 hours on watch, followed by a 4-hour nap, half an hour of exercise, 1.5 hours of recreation time, 6 more hours of watch, another 4-hour nap, and then 2 hours of recreation time.

Currently the DRRP uses 3 crews for every air-lance of fighters. Each crew stays together as a unit but they are rotated through Rovers on a schedule designed to minimize long-term fatigue or burnout. When not assigned to a Rover for patrol, a crew is designated as 'inactive', whereas a crew assigned to a Rover is designated as 'active'. Inactive crews will take extra rest and recreational time on whatever Jumpship they are stationed on until they are scheduled moved to active status and assigned to a Rover. Inactive crews may also aid the fighter maintenance personnel with repairs, maintenance, and mission preparation duties.

Regardless of the class of ship deploying them, the Rovers have always followed the same mission parameters. Upon arrival in-system, an air-lance of Rovers would be deployed along a patrol route identical to those of a Seeker. One Rover would typically accelerate to create a 15- to 20-minute gap between the two fighters, but otherwise they would follow identical routes. The gap was introduced to minimize the risk of losing both fighters to an ambush, or to at least ensure that one fighter would be able to send a message to the system's local automated detection station under most circumstances.

After establishing the gap between them, the two fighters will engage their autopilots. The autopilot will be responsible for ensuring the fighter follows its assigned patrol route. Each fighter will monitor the other's position to ensure that the autopilot is functioning correctly. The course and position verification is typically performed at the start of a watch shift. In the event of an autopilot failure, the two fighters will form up and the disabled fighter can slave their system to the functioning fighter's autopilot.

During watch, a crew member will monitor the detection gear for any possible indications of unauthorized or unexpected activity. Upon detecting signals that might indicate an unauthorized presence, the data will be analyzed by both fighters and, if confirmed, will result in the lead fighter relaying the data to the system's automated detection station via narrow-beam communication. If the system contains a HPG relay station, the data will be transmitted to there instead.

In the cases where information is inconclusive, the lead pilot can order a course correction that will allow the fighters to perform further investigation. Rovers are not able to make as far ranging course alterations as Seekers due to their limited fuel and supplies.

In one area Rovers are far superior to Seekers: Atmospheric patrols. With the advent of boosters which can be detached and reattached in-flight, a Rover can enter orbit around a planet, detach from their booster, enter the atmosphere and make low-level reconnaissance passes, before re-entering orbit and docking then reattaching to their booster to continue their patrol. Rovers are used to patrol worlds that have atmospheres suitable for landing and staging troops in. While one fighter performs the atmospheric patrol, the other fighter remains in a high orbit and maintains communications with the first fighter. At no time do both fighters enter the atmosphere at the same time.

Combat operations for Rovers consist of the following scenarios:

1. Attempting to break through and escape from enemy forces
2. One fighter attempting to run interference so the other can get away
3. Delaying enemy forces from reaching a Jumpship in order to give the Jumpship time to jump to a safe location

Because of the limited weaponry and manoeuvring abilities of Rovers, pilots are directed to avoid combat wherever possible. Providing detailed intelligence on enemy forces and ensuring that information is communicated is the number one priority. Defending Jumpships is the number two priority. With their efficient transit drives, Rovers are generally able to outrun enemy fighters, which are very limited in terms of fuel. When attempting to evade or outrun an enemy force, Rovers will not head toward either their designated rendezvous point or the systems automated detection station. When the retrieval ship arrives in system under these circumstances, that ship's captain will determine the appropriate course of action for the Rovers to take.

In the event of a catastrophic emergency, one Rover can carry two crews, albeit in incredibly cramped conditions. The cockpit can be de-pressurized and opened to recover stranded personnel.

A typical patrol will be run at between 1.5 and 2 G's acceleration and take between 4 and 8 days. Because Rovers are ill-equipped to wait for prolonged periods of time, patrol routes are scheduled so that the retrieval ship arrives in system before the end of the patrol. In the worst case scenario, a Rover patrol will wait for no more than 24 hours for pickup.

In the case where a Rover patrol is unable to rendezvous with a Mule or Stork in a timely manner, the patrol can attempt to reach the system's automated detection station (which is typically located within 10 days journey of the rendezvous point). The station will contain enough supplies to refuel four Rovers and enough supplies to sustain 8 personnel for up to 30 days. Rover life support systems are designed to function for up to 20 days. Rovers carry a small water reclamation system which should provide enough water for 4 personnel for up to 20 days. There are enough emergency rations carried by each Rover to allow up to 4 personnel to survive (admittedly at subsistence levels) for 12 days beyond the standard 8-day mission profile.

Interceptors

Interceptors are used to provide a limited combat fighter presence for DRRP Jumpships, Dropships, and facilities. When stationed on DRRP Jumpships they perform a standard naval interception role. They may also be used deep in system by Seekers to perform atmospheric reconnaissance operations.

At least one air-lance of Interceptors is always assigned to each DRRP Jumpship. In addition, one Interceptor air lance always travels with the DRRP commander.

In general Interceptor duty is very uneventful. The fighters are usually deployed by Jumpships to conduct combat and detection drills whenever there is an extended layover in a system while waiting to pick up patrolling units. Pilots are usually assigned to Interceptor duty for evaluation prior to assignment to Rover duty. The ability to deal effectively with prolonged periods of inactivity is critical for every DRRP pilot.

Interceptors are never permanently assigned to Seekers. They are assigned on a patrol-by-patrol basis, being picked up from one Jumpship at the start of a patrol and returned to another at the end. When assigned to Seekers, Interceptor pilots are not integrated into the Seeker crew but are treated more like passengers.

An Interceptor may be mounted with a long-range booster and used as a standard Rover. This practice is not generally recommended as Interceptors were not designed with the mission-specific features of the typical Rover fighter.

Other Forces

In addition to the fighters (Rovers and Interceptors), Jumpships (Mules, Storks), and Dropships (Seekers), the DRRP also uses a small force of Marines. These troops are trained specifically in boarding and repelling operations.

Except under unusual circumstances, two Marine squads are assigned each Jumpship (under command of the ship's Executive Officer) while a single squad is assigned to each Seeker (under command of the ship's Captain). One squad of Marines always accompanies the DRRP commander and any remaining squads are used as security for DRRP vessels in dry dock or are involved in training. The DRRP has no need to use Marines in cohesive forces larger than squads.

Marine squads are fully integrated into the crews of the ships they are assigned to. In addition to participating in standard ships watches, they are involved in combat drills as well as training the crew to aid in repelling boarders. Each Marine squad has at least one medic and they usually serve double-duty as nurses for ships' doctors.

Due to the long periods of relative inactivity, many Marines choose to train in ship operations. These Marines act as backups for regular ships' personnel, although Marines may at some point choose to transfer from the 2nd RSAB Reserves Marine Corps to the Naval Reserves. In several cases, ex-Marines have achieved the rank of Executive Officer on Jumpships.

Current Unit Status

The unit has not changed in size since the addition of the reserve forces in 3008. The unit currently consist of:

• Rovers: 3 aero-wings (216) and 2 squadrons (36) assigned to reserve duties (252 fighters total)
• Interceptors: 1 aero-wing (54) and 1 squadron (18) assigned to reserve duties (72 fighters total)
• Storks: 18 with 3 assigned to reserve duties (21 total)
• Mules: 18 with 3 assigned to reserve duties (21 total)
• Seekers: 72 with 12 assigned to reserve duties (84 total)
• Marines: 45 platoons with 9 assigned to reserve duties (54 platoons total)

Personnel

Command Structure

The DRRP command structure is very flat and straight forward. The overall unit commander is assigned the rank of Commodore and is always appointed by the commander of the Naval Reserves. The unit commander is always someone who has served as a DRRP ship Captain for a minimum of two years. The Commodore reports directly to the commander of the Naval Reserves Reconnaissance Division.

Unlike most units, the DRRP does not have a specific second in command. Instead, they have four senior DRRP Captains who act in a supporting role for the unit commander. One senior Captain is always available and on duty and the on-duty Captain is treated as the second in command.

Both the Commodore and the senior Captains issue orders directly to the ships in the field.

Jumpship Captains are considered senior officers in relation to Dropship Captains. When in the field, a Jumpship Captain's orders can only be overridden by the DRRP commander their second in command. A Jumpship Captain is responsible for all DRRP units in the system that their ship is currently in. In a rare case where two Jumpships are present, command goes to the Captain who has held their command rank the longest. In the unlikely event of a tie, the Captain with the lowest service serial number is considered the senior commander.

In systems without a Jumpship present, Seeker Captains are deemed to be the senior officer but can only overrule an existing unit's orders in extenuating circumstances, otherwise all DRRP units are expected to follow their assigned orders.

In situations where combined unit operations are scheduled, the DRRP commander will detail the command structure of the units based on the operational requirements.

Jumpship and Dropship Crews

See the 2nd RSAB rank table for a breakdown of personnel ranks.

Dropship and Jumpship command crews consist of a Commander, a senior Lieutenant Commander who is the ship's First Officer (FO), and a Lieutenant Commander who is the ship's Executive Officer (XO). The First Officer is responsible for tactical operations while the Executive Officer is responsible for logistical operations.

Each Dropship and Jumpship has at least one doctor aboard who is ranked as either a Major or Captain, depending on their experience.

On Dropship crews, the chief engineer is always given the rank of Captain and is fourth in command of the ship and is assisted by a first lieutenant.

A Dropship's crew has a primary pilot (first lieutenant) and two junior pilots (both second lieutenants).

Jumpship crews have a senior Navigator (Major), a junior Navigator (Captain), and two pilots (both second lieutenants).

Pilots

Individual Rover crews consist of a senior pilot with a rank of at least First Lieutenant and junior pilot with a rank of at least Second Lieutenant. Most senior Rover pilots carry the rank of Captain and are advanced to the rank due to length of service rather than specific commendations or actual need for commanders of that rank. Within an air-lance, one pilot is designated as the lance leader based on rank, seniority, or in accordance with mission orders. The lance leader's fighter is always the trailing fighter in the lance during a patrol. Should the lance leader be incapacitated or killed, the senior pilot of the other Rover will assume command of the lance.

Interceptor pilots are always have a rank of at least Second Lieutenant. Unlike Rover crews, Interceptor pilots do not advance in rank due to length of service. Interceptor air-lance commanders are always First Lieutenants. Captains are rare among Interceptor pilots and formations larger than an air-lance are led by the senior pilot. Interceptor duty is used primarily to evaluate potential Rover pilots and very few Interceptor pilots remain for long-term service in the DRRP.

It should be noted that due to the transitory nature of assignments in the DRRP, there is no Commander-Air-Group (CAG) on any ship. All fighters take their orders from either the Captain or first officer of the ship they are assigned to.

Marines

Duty for Marines on DRRP ships is much like duty on most other naval vessels. Marines have 3 primary function on DRRP ships. Firstly, they are there to help repel any boarding attacks by enemy troops. Secondly, they provide internal security to sensitive areas of the ship while in operation, or control access to the ship when on a planet or docked at a space station. Finally, Marines are available as an attacking force should the need arise. Other duties include providing combat training to the ship's crew and aiding damage control teams. In the case of combat medics, they also supplement the ship's regular medical personnel.

DRRP Marines are assigned as part of a ship's regular crew. Unlike Marines on other vessels, DRRP Marines participate in the ship's watch. Because of this, after their first mission, a Private or Private First Class is automatically elevated to the rank of Specialist.

DRRP Marines are organized on the squad level, ranging from 6 to 10 Marines per squad. Each squad is lead by at least one commissioned or non-commissioned officer (NCO). Like many of the personnel within the DRRP, rank is gained due to length of service and it isn't uncommon to find officers or senior NCO's performing duties that would otherwise be assigned to personnel of a much lesser rank. Nearly 60% of the Marines in the DRRP are NCO's and almost 15% are commissioned officers. Aboard ship, each Marine squad reports directly to the ship's Executive Officer (XO).

Unofficially, the highest ranking Marine within the DRRP assumes responsibility for maintaing an espirit de corps across all of the DRRP Marines. This individual is addressed by Marine personnel as Colonel, regardless of their actual rank, but has no actual authority. Ship's captains as well as the DRRP commander generally give the "Colonel" varying degrees of latitude as they recognize the benefit of the Marines having a distinct identity within the DRRP.

Many long-serving Marines take advantage of opportunities to familiarize themselves with ship operations. With this knowledge, they have been able facilitate transfers to the Naval Reserves and assume Naval officer, and occasionally NCO, roles. Several DRRP Marines have earned the position of Executive Officer on Jumpships within the DRRP.

Other Personnel

In addition to the active combat personnel, the DRRP also makes use of a small number of clerical and technical support personnel.

Clerical personnel are attached to the headquarters unit with the DRRP commander, while technical support personnel are assigned to the various support facilities that service DRRP equipment. Normally, technical support crews are assigned to a particular facility and work on any equipment/ships/fighters that come through, regardless of unit the equipment belongs to. This is not the case with DRRP support personnel and equipment. While DRRP support personnel can be assigned to work on other tasks, their first priority is DRRP equipment due to its specialized nature.