Iwagakure Air Federation

Iwagakure Air Federations (I.A.F.)
Organization Head: Loyola Nine

Organization Base: Iwagakure no Sato

Organization Goals: "To protect and maintain the borders of the Country of Earth."

'''Organization History: The Iwagakure Air Federation (IAF) was an organization that was founded by Alchem Syaoran only a few months after his instatement of Tsuchikage of Iwagakure no Sato. The goal of such a division was to be a force to once and for all maintain and protect the borders of their country. It is no secret that within the last decade the Country of Earth has suffered a number of invasions from many different enemies. Because of this, it was necessary to create a specialized division with a series of mobile units that could easily navigate the mountainous terrain of the country.

The models of Air Ships that the IAF employs are mostly balloon lifted crafts that use a combination of hot air and jutsu to keep them afloat. The original blueprint, modeled off of Alchem Syaoran’s own Air Ship, has been modified and improved upon over the five years of peace that followed the fall of the Kumogakure Empire. In this time the organization has amassed a sizable fleet of small and large vessels that keep a patrol on borders of the entire country. With sixteen different ports built throughout the country, mostly atop mountains or high areas for maximum defensive and visibility advantages. Each of the sixteen ports is simply referred to by its number, indicating the order in which they were established. The emblem of a station is an outline of the IAF crest with the roman numeral of their station across the center.

Among these stations are included IAF Port I, located in Iwagakure no Sato tucked atop one of the mountains that surrounds the village in a way that it is nearly impossible to see from the ground even when ships are full in port. The second most famous port, IAF Port III, is located within the city of Metropolis. Built atop some of the taller government buildings, this port is smaller than most but is often considered the most important because of the official government meetings that often take place in the building below it.

Today, the IAF is no longer run by Alchem Syaoran, soon after its founding he passed the organization to one of his most trusted councilmen Loyola Nine. The official IAF ranks then took effect, making Loyola Nine the Admiral of the IAF, a title that he has carried for the last five years.

Total Members:Approximately three thousand members, many of which are not ninja.

Entrance Fee: $20 One Time Processing Fee

Recruit
The lowest of the low positions, this is the starting point for non ninja recruits to the IAF. They will often learn the ropes and gain opportunities to advance as they prove themselves worthy. Expect to be cleaning, cooking and otherwise being the bitch of the ship.

Recruit Combat Class
The second lowest of positions, this is the most general starting point for any person with ninja training to begin in the IAF. The only difference between a Recruit Combat Class and a Recruit is that in times of battle these recruits will be called on to fight. Do not get too excited, your future still holds cleaning, cooking and other menial tasks. You are literally just a bitch who can throw rocks.

Airman 2nd Class
The most commonly found ranking in the IAF. This is the rank that most that join the IAF will advance to and stay at. This is reserved for non ninja or low ranking ninja members who are not especially skilled in fighting.

Airman 1st Class
This is the heart and sole of the IAF, the fighting spirit and the common soldier. These are Ninja of high Chuunin or Jounin ranking who are skilled in the ways of combat and Air Ships.

Mechanic 2nd Class
Second Class Mechanics are normally referred to as Ground Mechanics because they are, traditionally, stationed on the ground and in hangars. These are the men who work on production and repairs while a ship is in port, replacing machinery, patching balloons and doing routine checkups to prevent in flight disaster. Since the release of the new model of ships the mechanics have been rotating between themselves from working on old and new model ships. The vast majority of Second Class Mechanics know the intricate workings of the new models as they are the only ones in production at the moment. However, there are still more than a handful who are unaware of the new technology or how to work on it, keeping to their maintenance and work on the other four fifths of the fleet.

Mechanic 1st Class
First Class Mechanics are normally referred to as Airborne Mechanics, or Messiahs, or best friend. These are the mechanics who will physically fly with the crew and work repairs while in mid flight or battle, keeping the ship from taking critical damage and crashing to the ground. The quick wit, speed and skill required of First Class Mechanics is much higher than Second Class, and a specialized series of tests are issues to any mechanics who wish to advance to this rank. First Class Mechanics however, unlike their grounded brothers, have been slower to learn the new model of ships. Since most First Class Mechanics will be assigned to a particular ship, it is unnecessary for them to learn anything aside what is needed on their own ship.

Officer 3rd Class
Third Class Officers are strictly non combat oriented office jobs, pushing papers and keeping the general chaos of the IAF under wraps from the ground. Though in rare occasions an Officer 3rd Class will be brought aboard a ship as part of a crew, these times are few and far between.

Officer 2nd Class
Second Class Officers are those of regular combat experience and skill that have also shown leadership skills and maturity. Their chief responsibilities are guiding and teaching the Recruit and Airmen of the ship their duties, keeping check that the ship works as smoothly as possible. Often interchangeable with First Class Officers as their jobs are almost exactly similar with the only difference being their amount of combat experience.

Officer 1st Class
First Class Officers are those of high end combat experience and skill who have shown leadership skills and maturity. Their chief responsibilities are guiding and teaching the Recruit and Airmen of the ship their duties, keeping check that the ship works as smoothly as possible. Often interchangeable with Second Class Officers as their jobs are almost exactly similar with the only difference being their amount of combat experience.

First Commander
The right hand man to the captain and the military authority to the crew of the ship. In many instances the First Commander will act as a mediator between the Captain and the crew of an Air Ship, giving out orders on the Captains behalf. However, they are also (usually) the most experienced combative expert on the ship and have all authority in military action. When a fight breaks out or a skirmish happens they are in control of the military commands and actions while the Captain remains in control of the Air Ship.

Captain
The heart, soul and ultimate authority on an Air Ship. When a captain gives an order on his Air Ship that order must be carried out without exception. The captain's responsibilities extend over the entirety of the ship and though his focus is navigation and the Air Ship in itself, he has the authority to give orders to the First Commander if the combat endangers the ship.

Research Engineer
The people behind the ideas of the IAF technology. This is a very small yet elite group of physicists and scientists who work to further improve the technology of the IAF. They have, or course, been working on the new ship design, fixing small issues that arise and tackling the larger problems in specialized groups. There are only two research laboratories in the IAF, Port I and Port V both house development labs, with Port V being much larger and including an extensive testing field and range. Port I, located in Iwagakure no Sato, consists only of an indoor laboratory and a small research facility. All large scale testing and experiments are carried out at Port V, which happens to be located near the center of the Country of Earth within a rather isolated mountain valley.

Head of Research and Design
This is the mad man behind the research of the IAF. He is accountable for all Research and Development projects and is always at the head of the projects to assure they have the correct direction. His responsibilitys include the decision of which projects to pursue, constant deliverables to IAF personnel and delegation of production and repairs on the entire fleet. Mechanics First and Second Class as well as Research Engineers are under his direct command.

Rear Admiral (Lower Half)
The Rear Admiral is the commander of effectively half of the entire IAF. Currently, with sixteen stations, the Rear Admiral (Lower Half) is in charge or IAF Port I, II, IV, V, VI, VII, VIII and IX. In times of war they will be issuing commands to all Air Ships that are assigned to these ports and will have full authoritative control. Both Rear Admirals stand as equals to each other and only answer to those above them.

Rear Admiral (Upper Half)
The Rear Admiral is the commander of effectively half of the entire IAF. Currently, with sixteen stations, the Rear Admiral (Upper Half) is in charge or IAF Port III, X, XI,, XII, XIII, XIV, XV and XVI. In times of war they will be issuing commands to all Air Ships that are assigned to these ports and will have full authoritative control. Both Rear Admirals stand as equals to each other and only answer to those above them.

Vice Admiral
The Vice Admiral is the second in command at times of peace of the entire IAF. Their primary concern is the well being of all the ports within the Country of Earth as well as the paperwork of the entire fleet. They will often act as a delegate to other countries and have in recent history become the chief diplomat of the entire Country after the Tsuchikage himself. In a time of crisis when the Admiral is unable to fulfill his or her duties, it is the Vice Admiral who takes charge.

Admiral
The Admiral is the head of the entire IAF, and even during times of war is still charged with responsibility for the IAF and all of its actions. He is the head authority and end all for any decisions involving the IAF. This person answers only to the Tsuchikage and top tier government officials of the Country.

Fleet Admiral (Reserved for Wartime)
This position is reserved for war time when the entire military force of the country needs to be under one control. By paper this position is to be filled by the Tsuchikage, but it is possible for this position to be given to another if the Tsuchikage declares it so or is unable to fulfill his duties as Fleet Admiral.

Air Ship Design
The IAF's airships are fairly conventional in design: They're hot air based, using simple treated canvas as sacs, and using fire-type jutsu to keep the air hot. In other words they are, essentially, glorified hot air balloons. They're conceptually based on the design of Alchem Syaoran's personal airship, which was indeed the inspiration behind the IAF in general, and range widely in size, from single-man scouting dinghies to the great warships. These ships are largely inspired in appearance by conventional seafaring ships from the Age of Sail, and by and large appear to be such, albeit with big honking balloons attached to the top by cables. Their main form of weaponry are broadside chakra-powered canons, which can of course be aimed very nearly straight down to attack targets below. These ships are as widely varied as the great sailing-ships of the age that inspired them.

The ships are widely varied in design – the standardization in the fleet is very bad – but there are five major ship types which are most common.

Personnel Aircraft (PAC)

These ships are extremely small versions of the standard aircraft and range within three classes. The smallest, C class, are simply single person vehicles meant only for travel and scouting. B class are the most common of all PAC as they hold four people, the exact size of the standard four man cell in which the ninja of the country operate. And finally there is A class, which is much rarer to find than either of the other two classes, but is used to carry up to eight bodies, or the size of two full cells. The vehicles, as stated, are not meant for long distance travel and are often used for either moving between larger ships while in the sky, scouting out small areas or loading cargo onto a ship that cannot land. It is not unusual for the larger classes of ship to have one or more of these ships on board for emergency purposes.

Corvette

The first and smallest of the standardized ships are the Corvettes. These have a crew of ten, including officers – usually the Captain, the First Commander, a single Officer First or Second Class, one or two Mechanics Second Class – Mechanics First Class are rarely assigned to these ships – and the remainder of the crew consists of Airmen and Recruits. These ships are built for speed and maneuverability, like their namesakes, and are much smaller than their sibling ships. A fully outfitted corvette has lift capacity for about two short tons of cargo, but the bays are small and the cargo would have to be reasonably dense – something like water - and it would render the ship much less nimble. These are the most lightly armored of the new generation of ships.

Frigate

The second of the common types of ships are the Frigates, called affectionately by their crewmen the “birds”, after the frigatebird, and are about twice the size of the Corvettes. These have a larger crew of fifteen to twenty, consisting of the usual commanding officers as well as at least one Officer First class and one or two Officers Second Class, two or three Mechanics – still Second Class for the most part – and many of the grunt-level soldiers. These ships have the highest top speed of any ship in the IAF fleet, but are not as maneuverable as the Corvettes, and as such make excellent courier or front-runner ships. These are rarely used as flagships. A fully outfitted Frigate has lift capacity for about ten short tons of cargo. These are generally acknowledged to be the most difficult of the new class of ships to serve on, as the small crew for the vessel's size produces a larger workload on each crew member.

Destroyer

The third group of ships of the common are called Destroyers, and the name is fitting. These are half again the size of the Frigates, and were by far the most heavily-armed ships in the fleet... Until the introduction of the Dreadnoughts. The crew of one of these ships is 25 to thirty men. These crews include the more highly-trained mechanics and officers – usually at least two Mechanics First class and Officers First Class at all times, along with their lower-ranked comrades, and plenty of Airmen and Recruits. These ships have spare lift capacity for fifteen short tons of cargo, and that number would increase a great deal if the weapons were dumped. These ships have about four fifths the top speed of a frigate, but are much less maneuverable.

Dreadnought

The fourth and largest of the well-known ships are the Dreadnoughts. There are only two Dreadnoughts in service in the fleet at this time: the IAF Bounty and the IAF Orion, which is considered the flagship of the entire fleet (the first Dreadnought, the class-naming IAF Dreadnought itself, was destroyed in the accident which prompted R&D to move to a mountain valley in the middle of nowhere). These ships are enormous: Twice the size of a Destroyer, and armed to the teeth. These ships are the slowest in the fleet, and the least maneuverable, though they do have the highest maximum altitude. They do not, however, really need to be fast: These ships are terrifying, and carry as much weaponry as any three lesser ships, as well as being the most heavily armored. A fully outfitted Dreadnought has spare lift capacity for about sixteen short tons of cargo – very little more than a Destroyer, owing to the enormous amount of weaponry packed into these ships. Each Dreadnought has a complement of fifty crewmen at all times, not including any Admirals on board. Only the very best of the IAF are assigned to these ships.

Rumor has it that even larger ships are in development, somewhere in the massive research and development complex of Port V, but none of these rumors have ever been substantiated.

IAF Port I
The original port located in Iwagakure no Sato. This port can be found above the city with the mountain range that hides the village from outside view. The port itself is tucked within two peaks and can hold multiple full ships without being viewed from the base of the mountain. As well as being a rather health port, this station also holds one of two research and development laboratories, built underground within the mountain itself. This is the third largest port in the IAF.

IAF Port II
Located in the northern reaches of the Country of Earth. This was originally the first outpost for the IAF outside Iwagakure to dock at when the border patrol was first created. It has since evolved to become the fifth largest of all the ports and the center of power in the north.

IAF Port III
The second most famous port within all of the IAF, this port is actually one of the smallest of any port within the federation. Sitting at the top of some of the tallest skyscrapers within the city of Metropolis, this port is directly connected with the government headquarters for the Country of Earth’s Prime Minister. Many meetings are held within this building and the port will often house personal ships of the upper government figureheads.

IAF Port IV


IAF Port V
This port, located in the center of the Country of Earth within an isolated mountain valley is technically the largest IAF port based on land dedicated towards it. However, it is considered to be the second largest port because the majority of the land is dedicated to testing and development fields which for the most part remains empty and unused. The actual port itself is a healthy size, containing a production hangar as well as a full research and development lab.

IAF Port VI


IAF Port VII


IAF Port VIII


IAF Port IX


IAF Port X


IAF Port XI


IAF Port XII


IAF Port XIII


IAF Port XIV
Built within the last year, Port XIV was built as the sixth production hangar which was dedicated directly to the manufacturing of the new fleet. This Port, found within the east central area of the Country of Earth just on the outskirts of a small farming community by the name of Resworn, is the largest of all the Ports in the IAF. This became the new center for massive class battle ships to be docked, formerly held by Port V.

IAF Port XV


IAF Port XVI


Air Ship Terminology
Abeam - At right angles to, or beside, the boat. Aft - Toward the stern. Aground - When the hull or keel is against the ground. Aloft - Overhead, above. Anchor - An object designed to grip the ground, to hold the boat in a selected area outside of port. Apparent Wind - the direction of the wind as is relative to the speed and direction of the ship. Astern - Behind the ship. Backstay - A support wire that runs from the top of the balloon to the stern. Ballast - Weight in the lower portion of a ship, used to add stability. Beam - The width of the boat at its widest. Bearing - A compass direction from one point to another. Block - A pulley. Bow - The front of the boat. Broach - To spin out of control, either causing or nearly causing a capsize. By the Lee - Sailing with the wind coming from behind, and slightly to the side, that the sails are on. Chafe - Damage to a line caused by rubbing against another object. Chainplates - Metal plates bolted to the boat which standing rigging is attached to. Chock - A guide for an anchor, mooring or docking line, attached to the deck. Cleat - A fitting used to secure a line to. Cockpit - The area, below deck level, that is somewhat more protected than the open deck, from which the tiller or wheel is handled. Dock - the area a boat rests in when attached to a pier, also the act of taking the boat to the pier to secure it. Downhaul - A line, attached to the tack, that adjusts tension in the sail. Drift - The leeway, or movement of the boat, when not under power, or when being pushed sideways while under power. Ease - To loosen or let out. Forward - Toward the bow to the boat. Full - When the ship's balloon is filled with hot air and ready for flight. Furl - To fold or roll a sail and secure it to its main support. Ground Tackle - The anchor, chain and rode. Halyards - The set of lines used to raise and lower the balloon. Hard Alee - The command given to inform the crew that the helm is being turned quickly to leeward, turning the boat windward Head - Top of the balloon. Head to Wind - The bow turned into the wind. Headstay - A wire support line from the Balloon to the bow. Headway - Forward motion. Helm - The tiller or wheel, and surrounding area. Helmsman - The member of the crew responsible for steering. Knot - A unit of speed, one knot=6,076 feet per hour. Lanyard - A line attached to any small object for the purpose of securing the object. Leeward - Downwind. Lifeline - A cable fence that surrounds the deck to assist in the prevention of crew falling overboard. Lift Off - To release lines holding boat to the ground. Line - Rope or cordage. List - The leaning of a boat to the side because of excess weight on that side. Pinch - To sail as close as possible towards the wind. Port - The left side of the boat. Rigging - The standing rigging is the mast and support lines, running rigging is the lines with which you adjust the balloon. Rode - the line and chain that connect the anchor to the boat. Rope Chain - A ladder made of rope or chain that can be dropped to the ground for passangers to climb up and come aboard. Rudder - A fin(s) under the stern of the ship or on the sides used in steering. Spring Line - Docking lines that keep the boat from drifting forward and back. Starboard - The right side of the boat. Stern - The back of the boat. Tuning - The adjustment of the standing rigging, the sails and the hull to balance the boat for optimum performance. Windward - Upwind.