Summary:

As the 8 ^th Legion of GDS, the Aeronautical Legion acts as the supersonic aerial supremacy force of GDS.

Given the nature of most security companies, the thought of having an aerial logistics and attack force is about as far from the list of priorities as anything could be. So too was the case with GDS in the early years, as even when PMC operations were undertaken it was understood that clients would be providing any long range transportation or air support. From the client’s side it wouldn’t make sense to allow a PMC to enter an active warzone using an unknown variable such as their own aircraft. For some time this was perfectly fine, up until the level of GDS involvement far exceeded the capabilities of the client.

A nation could spare 20 to 40 seats in their transport, but what about 100? Or 200? Could they provide the air support required to keep both their own forces and any contractors alive? As these deficiencies began to worsen, the need for GDS to handle its own needs began to become more apparent. There was of course the major sticking point to making this all happen: a severe increase in expenditures.

Guns, ammo, vehicles, maintenance, equipment, all of this was simply inconsequential to the costs it would take to begin covering our own aerial transportation, much less any type of air-to-air combat or air support needs. A single air-based transport, bought secondhand from a government boneyard, was projected to cost the same as four years’ worth of expenses for an entire tank squadron. Missiles, bombs, and other types of ammo were in a price range so obscene that it’d require five federal contracts just to cover the costs of a single shot.
The certifications, accreditations, compliance checks, licenses, and inspections required to even be in legal possession of those materials was a vertical cliff face in its own right.

Nevertheless, it was deemed a requirement and involved a substantial gamble on the company’s part.
To cover the costs of aircraft, and all that came with it, GDS used 87% of its available capital to make the required purchases and then banked on leveraging those aircraft in securing 50+ federal contracts within three months’ time.

A recruiting push was also made and five pilots were hired, one of which was Azan Kinrados who’d later head up the Aeronautical Legion upon its formation. According to our records, his first task was to make over 30 combat drops in an 8 hour timeframe as part of a Unified Empires contract. Adding to this, the task was dropped into his lap a half hour after being officially hired.
_{It’s incredible what you’re capable of with ten pouches of nicotine and caffeine lining your gums. – Azan
I was three heartbeats from bailing out when I stuck my head in the cockpit and saw you shaking like a dog shitting out a peach pit. – Nahli}

This all worked out in the end, as possessing our own aircraft and air support systems allowed us to justify hiked contract prices, as well as offering retrieval and rescue services for nations who weren’t too keen on their own aircraft being spotted in enemy territory. Services soon expanded, new contracts became available, and within a few years’ time GDS was capable of operating transports, gunships, fighters and bombers without the need for any further financial stunts.

Operations expanded from federal to private, with VIP transportation, search and rescue operations, and time sensitive cargo runs further funding the Aeronautical Legion’s rather exorbitant day to day costs.

As part of their work, the Aeronautical Legion has the following unclassified special operations groups.

Scorn Bishops
Pilots of the most advanced Rage Warden within the GDS arsenal, the Scorn Bishops are five pilots that have demonstrated the highest level of proficiency when it comes to aeronautical operations. While not restrained to piloting a Rage Warden, the Scorn Bishops are typically only deployed as a single squadron within that aircraft, and only for the most critical of situations.

Witch Bitches
An all-female squadron of Dawn Mace pilots, the Witch Bitches are infamous in the Aeronautical Legion for their prowess when it comes to stealth operations and aerial dog fighting. To date, the only confirmed kill of a gunship versus a supersonic fighter jet occurred during an operation in where the Witch Bitches provided fire support for a client nation’s ground operation.

Cradle-5
Specialists in warzone extraction, Cradle-5 pilots are known for being able to land in any area no matter how dangerous the situation is or how treacherous the terrain may be. In one famous example, Cradle-5 pilots landed an Apocalypse Taxi within a narrow mountain valley while managing to rescue every Vanguard and Armored Legion squadron within the operational theater.

War Eagles
Staffed only by pilots who could be justifiably accused of having no sense of self preservation, the War Eagles are the test pilots of the Aeronautical Legion. To date the only unclassified project they’ve worked on is the Rage Warden, where War Eagle pilots worked with Cormorant Works to turn what was essentially a high hypersonic missile into a pilotable, controllable aircraft. At this time, the War Eagles hold the record for the highest speed at which a pilot ejected from an aircraft and lived: Mach 19.

For further information regarding the specifics of the Aeronautical Legion and any associated LOS codes, please reference Tome.

-FrW Hansuke Ito