Imperial Essexian Navy
| Imperial Essexian Navy | |
|---|---|
 Flag of the IEN | |
| Active | 8 July 2018 – present |
| Fleet Size | 3 Ships
2 Aircraft 2 Programs |
| Headquarters | Les Paddocks |
| Leadership | |
| Head of Naval Forces | Lord Jack |
The Imperial Essexian Navy (Otherwise known as the Classem Imperatoria) is the official Navy of Essexia, and is based at Les Paddocks. It is the homeport of all IEN ships, except for the Sandon.
The General of the Imperial Essexian Navy is General Jack (Previously Crown Minister Summers of Essexia).
There are currently 3 ships in active service: 2 light carriers and 1 destroyer. There are also currently 2 ships in design: The Greater Danbury-class Carrier and Greater Baddow-class Super Carrier, and 1 in refit: the Muncey-Class Battleship (Converting to Carrier).
CAe Systems are currently designing the next-generation omnirole aircraft for use by the IEN and IAE, under the Joint Armed Forces Aircraft Program.
Uniform
| Position | Insignia | Uniform Example | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Captain | 1 Golden Star |  |
Brown, material jacket with a golden star on the right upper breast. |
| Admiral | 2 Golden Stars |  |
Brown, material jacket with two golden stars on the right upper breast. |
| Lord Admiral | 3 Golden Stars |  |
Brown, material jacket with three golden star on the right upper breast. |
History
The IEN was founded on the 8th of July 2018, when Prince Jack announced to Essexia that he had begun construction on the Jaywick, after putting the R/C-01 'Pelican' on temporary hold. A large pool at Les Paddocks is used as the testing waters for new ships in the IEN, and is where current ships are usually sailed within. On the 9th of August 2018, Lord Ben was appointed the General of the Navy by recently appointed General of the Armed Forces/General of the Airforce Lord Jack.
On the 27th of August the Bepsi was reported MIA and put out of service. It was the first ship in the IEN to be MIA.
On the 9th of September the Southend was built, and following this FA Adam was demoted to Admiral and put in command of this new ship.
The CVS-07 Sprate was acquired on the 21st February 2019, however, it is now retired (The first ship to be retired in the IEN). Additionally, the CVS-08 Cooke was acquired and abandoned on the same day, within the same hour, due to several problems, being the first ship in the IEN to be abandoned.
The Seaxe Reforms of the 24th of April 2019 by Lord Jack saw the ship type designation introduced, the development of a Naval Propulsion System (NPS) begin, the designing of the first destroyer begin, and the announcement that the Jaywick would be "taken out of storage, assembled, and put back into service" during the summer for naval exercises, and to act as a deterrent whilst the delayed Basildon Super Carrier is designed and built, with a goal of finishing or even constructing the ship having to be done before the end of 2019. This was met with great reception from both the Lords and general public, with the Emperor even replying with "Long Live the Commonwealth!"
In order to ensure Essexia would be properly defended as much of its fleet is upgraded, refitted, or replaced, Lord Jack made the decision to reassemble the supercarrier Jaywick on the 30th April 2019. The first helicopter Squadron, and Essexia's second hand-built aircraft (first to be in active service), was created and stationed as an air wing aboard the carrier on the 1st May.
The 11th and 12 May 2019 saw the Sandon once again refitted (This time with stability fins), as well as the design, construction, and maiden voyage of the CTS-06 Maldon, Essexia's first mid-range carrier, only aircraft-capable carrier other than the Jaywick, and first purpose-built ballast ship. Additionally, the hull of the Mersea was laid. During the 18th June Danbury Conference at Hawarden, building on reforms made the previous day at Les Paddocks, Lord Jack was made Head of Naval Forces (A demotion from Head of Armed Forces, which was scrapped), replacing Lord Ben.
On the 10th December 2019, Earl Jack, for the second consecutive year, made the decision to temporarily put the Jaywick out of service for the duration of winter. This is seen as a controversial move by the Essexian defence community, who had hoped for a newer, more resilient carrier to have replaced the obsolete one by this point. Despite this, the Basildon is still intended to be constructed, albeit now in 2020.
It was announced on the 14th January 2020 that, following the successful launch of the EAST domestic rocket, the Epstein, that the IEN would invest in developing a remote recon aircraft under the UASAP (Unmanned Aerial Stealth Aircraft Program) initiative, with the aim of creating a remote-controlled recon aircraft that would additionally possess a small radar signature. This was in order to kick-start the Essexian aircraft industry, as well as produce aerial technology that would be essentially invisible to the British Government.
Earl Jack briefly floated the three decommissioned Danbury-class carriers to celebrate Brexit Day on the 31st January 2020.
In order to test the practicality of CAD designs, Earl Jack began building the Flora-class light carrier on the 29th February 2020.
Nicolás Millán was made Captain of the Mersea on the 28th February 2020, under the advice of Minister of Defence Crown Minister Summers and Emperor Terry. They also advised that he be promoted to Admiral of the Muncey when appropriate to do so. Furthermore, on the 19th April, Emperor Vincent I was made Captain of the Les Paddocks.
In a defence review conducted on the 19th July 2020, it was decided that all Essexian military air assets would be transferred to the IEN as the Fleet Air Arm, to consolidate resources and manpower. Furthermore, the fleets were altered on the 31st July 2020 to compensate for the loss of the Jaywick.
Carriers (Carrier Type Ship)
CTS-01 Jaywick
The Jaywick was the first ship of the IEN, and proved to the citizens of Essexia that, not only was the government capable of construction, but they were willing and determined. On the 8th of July 2018 at around 8pm GMT, the Jaywick made its maiden voyage around the testing waters at Les Paddocks. The next day, Prince Jack added a superstructure to the ship, and tested the ship, only to meet success again. Around 2 days later, he fitted the ship with an arrest wire so that the R/C-02 'Raptor' could land more safely, and to allow the R/C-03 'Bear' carrier capability. Around the 20th, Prince Jack began work on fitting an electromagnetic 'Tesla-Type Mark 1' linear motor to the front underside of the carrier to act as a catapult, however on the 27th of August, he designed the Newton-Type Mark 1 SPM, but this too was cancelled. Also on the 27th, Prince Jack fitted a ski ramp to the Jaywick to allow the R/C-03 'Bear' to take off without the need of a catapult, whilst such a device is being designed. The ship, now the Jaywick-A, after being in storage over the winter of 2018–2019, was reassembled on the 30th April 2019 in order to provide Essexia with sufficient defence over the coming months. The ship was put into storage again in the winter of 2019–2020, and brought back into service on the 8th April 2020.
It is a capital ship, so it's Fleet Admiral is GN Lord Ben.
The estimated lifespan of the Jaywick was 5 years, therefore the final voyage was planned for the 8th of July 2023, however due to the deck's rapid deterioration in early 2020, it was scrapped on the 17th July 2020 after 2 years and 10 days of service.
CTS-02 Danbury
The Danbury was built due to a need for larger growth in the Navy. The Danbury-class of Light Carriers are cheap, small, and mass-producible, and are all part of the Jaywick fleet, headed by GN Lord Ben.
On the 26th of August 2018, the Danbury received major water damage during sea trials, and had to be brought out of service for repairs for 2 days. It is the first ship in the IEN to receive repairs from damage.
The estimated lifespan of the Danbury was 1 year, therefore the final voyage was carried out on the 25th of August 2019.
CTS-03 Sandon
The Sandon was the second ship in the Danbury-class of Light Carriers but received major upgrades to its hull on the 29th April 2019 and became the only ship of the Sandon-Class Light Carriers, and the first ship to ever be the second in its class in the IEN. From an engineering standpoint, it is similar to the ships of the Danbury-Class Light Carriers, however it has a reinforced, agile hull which can be filled with water to act as a ballast.
The estimated lifespan of the Sandon was 1 year, therefore the final voyage was planned for the 25th of August 2019, however due to the upgrades it received in late April, the Sandon-A was decommissioned slightly later, on the 1st of September 2019.
CTS-04 Purleigh
The Purleigh is the third ship in the Danbury-class of Light Carriers, and the first ship to ever be the third in its class in the IEN. From an engineering standpoint, it is identical to the other ships in its class.
The estimated lifespan of the Purleigh was 1 year, therefore the final voyage was carried out on the 25th of August 2019.
CTS-05 Southend
The Southend was the first scratch-built ship for the IEN, and was a light-carrier, similar to the Danbury-class of light-carriers, with the exception of a different hull, similar deck, different superstructure, and more heavily armoured hull. It was decommissioned on the 25th August 2019, but recommissioned on the 19th April 2020.
As the Southend was the only in its class, and Admiral Lord Adam needed a ship after the loss of the Bepsi, the Southend was commanded by Admiral Lord Adam until it was decommissioned.
On the 17th of September, President Jack (of the Federation of Essexia) gave the ship as a gift to Fleet Admiral Summers to celebrate his date of birth.
Earl Jack and Summers decided to reintroduce the Southend to service on the 19th April 2020, in the face of the Essexo-Hudson War.
CTS-06 Maldon
The Maldon was Essexia's first mid-range carrier, only aircraft-capable carrier other than the Jaywick, and first purpose-built ballast ship. It's hull was constructed using the same ballast concept as is used in the refitted Sandon, with a litre of water added to the hull before any voyages in order to stabilise the ship. It was the only ship other than the Jaywick that was able to launch and recover aircraft, however only VTOL or helicopter aircraft can be used. It replaced the fleet of light carriers after their decommissioning.
Due to its large size, versatility, and planned sole lighter carrier force for the foreseeable future, the Maldon stayed in service for around six months before being scrapped due to space requirements.
CTS-07 Mersea
Originally conceived to be a Danbury-class Carrier, the Mersea became a unique project. The aim was then to create a small mid-range carrier that would be able to provide a swarm-drone strike force. Although other Danbury-class carriers could theoretically also utilise swarm-drone air wings, the Mersea-class would specifically be built for the task and therefore feature more deck space and a longer run way.
It's current responsible Officer is Captain Nicolás Millán.
CTS-08 Woodham Mortimer and CTS-09 Woodham Ferrers
These two Danbury-Class ships were set to be built in late May 2019, in order to aid the Maldon and replace the previous three Danbury-class carriers after they were retired later that year, however multiple doctrine reforms made the effort a redundant action. Despite the outdated design, Earl Jack had opted to build more Danbury-class carriers due to their short production time, low costs, and small size, but ultimately they were cancelled in September.
CTS-08 Bluebell
This light carrier was designed in order to test the practicality of using Computer Aided Design and Prefabricated parts in the construction of small vessels. It was practically useless, and completely temporary. Due to problems found during construction, the entire project was cancelled, and the near-finished hull was scrapped for parts on the 1st March 2020.
CTS-09 Muncey-A
The Ministry of Defence opted on the 10th April 2020, due to a lack of resources during the COVID-19 lockdown, to convert the unarmed battleship Muncey into a carrier. This was in order to create and install an aircraft catapult that could later be installed onto the Greater Danbury, and possibly the Jaywick and Greater Baddow.
CTS-10 Greater Danbury
As part of the Carrier Improvement Scheme, an interim carrier is currently being designed by the Paddocks Boat Co to briefly replace the Jaywick, and put current technological abilities to the test, in preparation for the construction of the Basildon. This interim carrier will be built out of foamboard, like the Jaywick's deck and most of the Southend, but will feature an advanced hull design, an electric motor and various other state-of-the-art technologies. It was to be named the IEN Southend (B) from the 5th April 2020, as the second Essexian ship to carry the name 'Southend', however in order to abide by the Ship Classification Act 2020, it was to be renamed the Greater Danbury from the 8th April.
CTS-11 Greater Baddow (Project: Basildon)
Project: Basildon is a current technology being worked upon by Earl Jack, which aims to build a new ship for the IEN. The requirements for the new vessel are that it's exterior must be entirely waterproof, the vessel must be capable of sustained deployment in an open lake (With the hope that it can also operate in calm sea water), it must be remote-controllable in terms of movement, and must be able to operate both VTOL, STOVL, and conventional aircraft. The current 'specs' of the project include a wooden hull, two Graupner Speed 700 9.6v motors, and an aircraft catapult of some design.
The Greater Baddow has been in design for years, since the introduction of the Jaywick. It has seen numerous setbacks and delays, as well as debate over its use of a catapult over a ski ramp; this last feature has been a particular hurdle for the nation's brightest minds. On the 29th, the assessment scheme for assessing the Greater Baddow were finalised, as follows:
| Trial | Location | Tests | Approx. time (Hours) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Static | Interior, stationary | Engines, systems | 0.5 |
| Controlled environment | Interior, controlled body of water | Systems, floatation, controls | 0.5 |
| Wave environment | Exterior, controlled body of water | Engines, systems, floatation, controls | 1 |
| Primary Flight Deck Operations | Exterior, stationary | Aircraft launch and recovery | 0.5 |
| Secondary Flight Deck Operations | Exterior, controlled body of water | Aircraft launch and recovery | 0.5 |
| Shallow water | Exterior, small body of water | Engines, systems, floatation, controls | 1 |
| Tertiary Flight Deck Operations | Exterior, small body of water | Aircraft launch and recovery | 0.5 |
| Deep water | Exterior, open body of water | Engines, systems, floatation, controls | 1 |
| Quaternary Flight Deck Operations | Exterior, open body of water | Aircraft launch and recovery | 1 |
| Sea Trials Assessment Voyage | Exterior, open body of water | Engines, systems, floatation, controls, aircraft launch and recovery | 2 |
| Total: 10 Trials | 2 stationary, 2 int, 2 ext controlled, 2 ext small body, 3 ext open body | 6 tests | 8.5 hours |
In order to abide by the Ship Classification Act 2020, the ship was renamed the IEN Greater Baddow, on the 8th April 2020.
Battleships (Battle Type Ship)
BTS-01 Muncey
The Battleship Muncey was built by Emperor Terry, and Lords Jack, Matthew, and Adam, on the 16th June 2019. Its maiden voyage was at the Danbury Conference on the 17th, however it is yet to be finished due to the complexity of its weapon and ballast designs.
Cruisers (CRuiser Type Ship)
CRTS-01 Bepsi
The Relieved Trolley Ship Bepsi was originally a shopping trolley which Prince Jack and GN Lord Ben had found and imported to an undisclosed location within Essexia. It lay untouched for nearly 3 months, with frequent visits from the Emperor and Prince Jack to supervise it. The Bepsi was reported MIA on the 27th of August after a group of Essexian citizens reported that it was not in its previous location, and was nowhere near. The ship is no longer in service due to this.
As it was a capital ship, it's Fleet Admiral was FA Lord Adam, however he was demoted to Admiral of the Southend due to the loss of his vessel.
The estimated lifespan of the Bepsi was 10 years, therefore the final voyage would have been planned for the 22nd of August 2028.
CRTS-02 Sprate
The Sprate is an identical Trolley-class Heavy Cruiser to the REC Bepsi, however the Sprate is currently docked at the Emperor's Residence, near where the Bepsi went missing. It made the necessary maiden voyage of all Trolley-Class ships from Chelmsford to the River Terry, however it made its final voyage the next day, and has been retired to be converted into a food plantation, where the Queen Mother wishes to grow plants. It is the first ship to be retired.
CRTS-03 Cooke
The Cooke was another Trolley-Class Heavy Cruiser, however it had to be abandoned soon after its maiden voyage due to defects with the transport mechanisms as well as excessive noise. It is the first IEN ship to be abandoned.
Destroyers (Destroyer Type Ship)
Seaxe
The Destroyer Type Ship Seaxe was a work in progress project being developed by Lord Jack. It aimed to create a small, mass-producible, electric-powered vessel capable of moving on its own up a river or lake. The confidential designs featured a solar panel generator or lithium battery, a metal propellor, and a plastic hull. The purpose of the Seaxe-class destroyer was to provide the IEN with a quickly-deployable small vessel, able to demonstrate Essexia's power on a national scale. The aim was to provide all willing Lords with a destroyer so that any water bed in Essex could've been safeguarded by a naval vessel within an hour. The program was delayed on the 14th January 2020, and cancelled on the 19th April 2020.
DTS-01 Les Paddocks
The Les Paddocks was Essexia's first destroyer, and featured an advanced hull design and sophisticated super structure. It was put into service to 'beef up' the fleet sizes, during the Essexo-Hudson War.
Naming
Aircraft Carriers were named after villages, towns, cities, or other large settlements in Essexia. Naturally, the larger the ship, the more important settlement name it is given. The only exception is the Flora-class of light carriers, which were to be named after local plant life. However, this was altered on the 8th April 2020 in accordance with the Ship Classification Act 2020 so that aircraft carriers were to be named after Provinces, with the exception of Light Aircraft Carriers, which are to be named after Counties.
Battleships were named after notable Essexian individuals. For example, the first Battleship (BTS: Battle Type Ship) was called the Muncey, after a woman who advocated for Essexian independence and aided in the use of chemicals for EAST and materials for the IEN.
Heavy Cruisers were named after parodies of popular drinks, in order to confuse any enemies should communications be intercepted. Bepsi is a reference to Pepsi, Sprate is a reference to Sprite, and Cooke is a reference to Coke. However, this was altered on the 8th April 2020 so that further ships would be named after Territories.
Destroyers were to be named after national symbols, such as the Seaxe class being named after the trio of Saxon seaxes on the Essexian flag. However, this was altered so that they were to be named after Territories.
Fleet
| Ship Number | Name | Class | Type | Type (Acronym) | Designed | Built | Maiden Voyage | Final Voyage | Fate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Jaywick-A | Jaywick | Super Carrier | CTS 01 | 8/7/18 | 8/7/18 | 8/7/18 | 17/7/20 | Scrapped |
| 02 | Bepsi | Trolley | Heavy Cruiser | CRTS 01 | N/A | 29/6/18 | 22/8/18 | 22/8/18 | MIA |
| 03 | Danbury | Danbury | Light Carrier | CTS 02 | 25/8/18 | 25/8/18 | 25/8/18 | 31/1/20 | Scrapped |
| 04 | Sandon-A | Sandon | Light Carrier | CTS 03 | 25/8/18 | 25/8/18 | 25/8/18 | 31/1/20 | Scrapped |
| 05 | Purleigh | Danbury | Light Carrier | CTS 04 | 25/8/18 | 25/8/18 | 25/8/18 | 31/1/20 | Scrapped |
| 06 | Southend | Southend | Light Carrier | CTS 05 | 9/9/18 | 9/9/18 | 9/9/18;19/4/20 | 25/8/19 | In service |
| 07 | Sprate | Trolley | Heavy Cruiser | CRTS 02 | N/A | 21/2/19 | 21/2/19 | 22/3/19 | Retired |
| 08 | Cooke | Trolley | Heavy Cruiser | CRTS 03 | N/A | 29/3/19 | 29/3/19 | 29/3/19 | Abandoned |
| 09 | Seaxe | Seaxe | Destroyer | 24/4/19 | N/A | N/A | N/A | Scrapped | |
| 10 | Maldon | Maldon | Light Carrier | CTS 06 | 11/5/19 | 12/5/19 | 12/5/19 | 25/9/19 | Scrapped |
| 11 | Mersea | Mersea | Carrier | CTS 07 | 11/5/19 | 12/5/19 | 13/5/19 | In service | |
| 12 | Muncey-A | Trapezoid | Converted Battleship (Carrier) | BTS 01/CTS 08 | 15/6/19 | 16/6/19 | 17/6/19 | Undergoing Refit | |
| 13 | Bluebell | Flora | Light Carrier | 29/2/20 | 30/2/20 | N/A | N/A | Scrapped | |
| 14 | Greater Danbury | Greater Danbury | Carrier | CTS 09 | 17/6/19 | 2020 | 2020 | In design | |
| 15 | Les Paddocks | Les Paddocks | Destroyer | DTS 01 | 18/4/20 | 19/4/20 | 20/4/20 | In service | |
| 16 | Greater Baddow | Greater Baddow | Super Carrier | CTS 10 | In design |
| Name | Position | Ships | Fleet |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lord Jack | Lord Admiral | 1st Carrier Fleet | |
| Crown Minister Summers | Lord Admiral |
|
2nd Carrier Fleet |
| Lord George | Admiral |
|
1st Carrier Fleet |
| Nicolás Millán | Captain |
|
2nd Carrier Fleet |
| Emperor Vincent I | Captain |
|
2nd Carrier Fleet |
| Name | Ships | Officers | Creation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st Carrier Fleet | Carriers
Battleships
|
Lord Admiral
Admirals
Captains
|
8 April 2020 |
| 2nd Carrier Fleet | Carriers
Destroyers
|
Lord Admiral
Captains
|
8 April 2020 |
| General |  | ||||||||||||||
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| Government and politics |
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| Founding Fathers | Rt. Hon. Terry MP • Rt. Hon. Jack Esq. MP (KG FC) • Rt. Hon. Matthew MP • Earl Finn • Queen Becky • Earl Jamie • The Honourable Jacob • Crown Minister Summers | ||||||||||||||
| Geography |
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| History of Essexia | |||||||||||||||
| Military | |||||||||||||||
| Čechsexia |
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