League Navy ships maintain standardized organizational structures that scale with vessel size, mission requirements, and crew complement. Ship organization is designed to provide clear command authority and operational efficiency across all vessel classes.
¶ Universal Command Structure
All League vessels, regardless of size, maintain a basic command hierarchy that ensures effective leadership and operational control.
¶ Command Triad
Every League ship operates with three core leadership positions:
- Commanding Officer (CO) - Holds ultimate command authority
- Executive Officer (XO) - Second in command with administrative oversight
- Command Master Chief/Senior Enlisted Advisor - Senior enlisted representative and crew advocate
¶ Standard Command by Vessel Class
Ship commanding officers hold ranks appropriate to their vessel's size and importance:
| Vessel Class |
CO Rank |
XO Rank |
Typical Crew |
| LCS |
Lieutenant |
Lieutenant (JG) |
5-10 |
| Frigate |
Lieutenant Commander |
Lieutenant |
10-25 |
| Corvette |
Lieutenant |
Lieutenant (JG) |
5-15 |
| Destroyer |
Commander |
Lieutenant Commander |
15-50 |
| Light Cruiser |
Commander |
Lieutenant Commander |
80-200 |
| Cruiser |
Captain |
Commander |
80-400 |
| Heavy Cruiser |
Captain |
Commander |
150-400 |
| Battlecruiser |
Captain |
Captain |
100-1,200 |
| Battleship |
Captain |
Captain |
900-5,000 |
| Dreadnought |
Captain |
Captain |
1,200-3,500 |
| Super Dreadnought |
Senior Captain |
Captain |
2,500+ |
Several ship types have unique crew requirements that don't follow standard patterns:
| Specialized Type |
Crew Range |
Notes |
| Advanced Frigate |
10-25 |
Heavily automated systems |
| Light Destroyer |
15-30 |
Enhanced speed and endurance focus |
| Heavy Destroyer |
15-50 |
Near-cruiser firepower in destroyer frame |
| Light Carrier |
55-100 |
Destroyer frame with fighter focus |
| Interdictor |
5-20 |
Specialized gravity generation systems |
| Logistics Cruiser |
80-120 |
Mobile base and repair facilities |
| Carrier (Standard) |
100-400 |
Fighter-focused cruiser |
| Heavy Carrier |
300-1,200 |
Battlecruiser-sized carrier |
| Super Carrier |
1,200-5,000 |
Carries smaller vessels, not just fighters |
| Heavy Interdictor |
20-100 |
System siege capabilities |
| Advanced Battlecruiser |
250-800 |
Heavily automated advanced systems |
The number and complexity of departments scales with vessel size. Smaller ships combine multiple functions under single officers, while larger vessels have fully staffed, specialized departments.
Interdictors, Small Corvettes
- Commanding Officer
- Executive Officer (often doubles as Operations Officer)
- Chief Engineer
- Navigator/Conn Officer
- Communications/Electronic Warfare Specialist
- Senior Enlisted Advisor
LCS, Frigates, Corvettes
- Commanding Officer
- Executive Officer
- Chief Engineer
- Operations Officer
- Tactical Officer
- Navigator
- Communications Officer
- Supply Officer (larger frigates only)
- Medical Officer (larger frigates only)
Destroyers, Light Cruisers
- Commanding Officer
- Executive Officer
- Second Officer
- Operations Officer
- Tactical Officer
- Chief Engineer
- Navigator
- Communications/Electronic Warfare Officer
- Supply/Logistics Officer
- Medical Officer
- Security Officer
- Intelligence Officer (specialized vessels)
- Flight Operations Officer (if equipped with fighters)
Cruisers, Heavy Cruisers, Battlecruisers
- Commanding Officer
- Executive Officer
- Second Officer
- Third Officer (larger vessels)
- Senior Operations Officer
- Senior Tactical Officer
- Chief Engineer
- Chief Navigator
- Senior Communications Officer
- Senior Supply Officer
- Chief Medical Officer
- Senior Security Officer
- Intelligence Officer
- Commander Air Group (carriers)
- Marine Detachment Commander
Battleships, Dreadnoughts, Super Dreadnoughts
- Senior Captain (Commanding Officer)
- Captain (Executive Officer)
- Commander (Second Officer)
- Commander (Third Officer)
- Senior Operations Officer (Commander/Captain)
- Senior Tactical Officer (Commander/Captain)
- Chief Engineer (Commander/Captain)
- Chief Navigator (Commander)
- Senior Communications Officer (Commander)
- Senior Supply Officer (Commander)
- Chief Medical Officer (Commander)
- Senior Security Officer (Commander)
- Senior Intelligence Officer (Commander)
- Senior Administrative Officer (Commander)
- Marine Battalion Commander (Lieutenant Colonel/Colonel)
- Commander Air Group (carriers)
¶ Department Descriptions and Positions
Function: Coordinates all ship operations, watch standing, and overall tactical coordination.
Typical Positions:
- Operations Officer - Overall coordination of ship operations and watch schedules
- Assistant Operations Officer - Supports ops officer, stands watches
- Combat Information Center Officer - Manages the ship's tactical nerve center
- Watch Officers - Stand bridge watches and coordinate operations
- Strategic Planning Officer (capital ships) - Long-term operational planning
- Mission Analysis Officer (capital ships) - Analyzes mission requirements and effectiveness
Responsibilities: Bridge watch standing, operational planning, coordination between departments, tactical situation assessment, and communication with other vessels and commands.
Function: Manages all weapons systems, defensive systems, and combat operations.
Typical Positions:
- Tactical Officer - Primary weapons and defensive systems control
- Weapons Control Officer - Direct control of primary weapon systems
- Point Defense Coordinator - Manages anti-fighter and anti-missile systems
- Fire Control Officer - Coordinates targeting and fire control systems
- Secondary Weapons Officer (larger ships) - Manages secondary armament
- Tactical Analysis Officer (capital ships) - Analyzes enemy capabilities and tactics
Responsibilities: Weapons systems operation and maintenance, defensive systems coordination, target identification and engagement, threat assessment, and combat damage assessment.
Function: Maintains all ship systems, power generation, propulsion, and damage control.
Typical Positions:
- Chief Engineer - Overall engineering operations and ship systems
- Assistant Chief Engineer - Supports chief engineer, alternate watch standing
- Reactor Officer - Nuclear reactor operations and maintenance
- Propulsion Officer - Subspace and conventional drive systems
- Damage Control Officer - Emergency repairs and damage assessment
- Life Support Officer (larger ships) - Environmental systems and life support
- Technical Research Officer (capital ships) - Advanced systems development and testing
Responsibilities: Power generation and distribution, propulsion systems, environmental controls, damage control, maintenance scheduling, and technical systems development.
Function: Manages ship navigation, stellar cartography, and astrogation.
Typical Positions:
- Chief Navigator - Overall navigation and astrogation
- Assistant Navigator - Supports navigation operations
- Astrogation Officer - Subspace navigation and jump calculations
- Stellar Cartographer (larger ships) - Star charts and navigation database management
- Subspace Navigation Specialist (capital ships) - Advanced subspace navigation techniques
- Jump Coordination Officer (capital ships) - Fleet jump coordination
Responsibilities: Ship navigation and positioning, astrogation calculations, stellar cartography, navigation database maintenance, and coordination of fleet movements.
Function: Manages all communications, electronic warfare, and information systems.
Typical Positions:
- Communications Officer - Overall communications operations
- Electronic Warfare Officer - ECM, ECCM, and electronic attack systems
- Cryptologic Officer - Secure communications and code breaking
- Signals Intelligence Officer (larger ships) - SIGINT collection and analysis
- Information Systems Officer (capital ships) - Computer networks and data management
- Cyber Warfare Specialist (capital ships) - Computer network attack and defense
Responsibilities: Internal and external communications, electronic warfare operations, signals intelligence, cryptographic operations, and computer network security.
Function: Manages logistics, supply, and crew support services.
Typical Positions:
- Supply Officer - Overall logistics and supply operations
- Quartermaster - Supply distribution and inventory management
- Cargo Officer - Cargo handling and storage
- Procurement Officer (larger ships) - Acquisition of supplies and materials
- Logistics Coordinator (capital ships) - Fleet-level logistics coordination
- Maintenance Depot Commander (capital ships) - Manages ship's maintenance facilities
Responsibilities: Supply procurement and distribution, inventory management, cargo operations, crew services, and logistics coordination with other vessels.
Function: Provides medical care, health services, and medical research.
Typical Positions:
- Chief Medical Officer - Overall medical operations and ship's health
- Department Medical Officers - Specialized medical practitioners
- Trauma Surgeon (larger ships) - Emergency and combat medical care
- Medical Research Officer (capital ships) - Medical research and development
- Psychiatric Services Officer (capital ships) - Mental health and counseling services
- Medical Logistics Officer (capital ships) - Medical supply and equipment management
Responsibilities: Crew medical care, emergency medical services, public health, medical research, and coordination with medical facilities on other ships or stations.
Function: Manages ship security, law enforcement, and boarding operations.
Typical Positions:
- Security Officer - Overall ship security and law enforcement
- Master-at-Arms - Security operations and crew discipline
- Internal Security Commander (larger ships) - Counterintelligence and internal security
- Shore Operations Commander (capital ships) - Away team and boarding party operations
- Investigations Officer (capital ships) - Criminal investigations and security incidents
- Security Systems Officer (capital ships) - Physical security systems and protocols
Responsibilities: Ship security, crew discipline, boarding operations, criminal investigations, counterintelligence, and protection of classified materials.
Function: Collects, analyzes, and disseminates intelligence information.
Typical Positions:
- Intelligence Officer - Overall intelligence operations
- Analysis Officers - Intelligence analysis and assessment
- Counterintelligence Officer - Protection against enemy intelligence operations
- Strategic Analysis Commander (capital ships) - Long-term strategic intelligence assessment
- Tactical Intelligence Officer (capital ships) - Immediate tactical intelligence support
- Special Operations Liaison (capital ships) - Coordination with special operations forces
Responsibilities: Intelligence collection and analysis, threat assessment, counterintelligence operations, and intelligence dissemination to command and other vessels.
Function: Manages embarked fighters, shuttles, and small craft operations.
Typical Positions:
- Commander Air Group (CAG) - Commands all embarked squadrons (carriers)
- Flight Operations Officer - Coordinates fighter and shuttle operations
- Squadron Leaders - Individual fighter squadron command
- Spaceforce Maintenance Officer - Fighter and shuttle maintenance
- Spaceforce Supply Officer - Fighter-specific logistics and ordnance
- Flight Deck Officer - Flight deck operations and safety
- Spacecraft Handling Officer - Fighter and shuttle movement and storage
- Spaceforce Electronics Officer - Flight electronics and sensor systems
- Spaceforce Ordnance Officer - Weapons loading and storage
Responsibilities: Fighter and shuttle operations, squadron command, aircraft maintenance, flight deck operations, and coordination with ship's tactical department.
Function: Manages personnel, legal, and administrative services.
Typical Positions:
- Senior Administrative Officer (capital ships) - Overall administrative operations
- Personnel Officer - Crew personnel management and records
- Legal Officer (JAG) - Legal services and military justice
- Chaplain Services - Religious services and counseling
- Morale & Recreation Officer - Crew welfare and recreational activities
- Education & Training Officer - Crew education and professional development
Responsibilities: Personnel administration, legal services, crew welfare, training coordination, and administrative support for ship operations.
Most League ships carry Marine detachments for boarding operations, security, and ground combat support.
- Marine Detachment Commander - Captain/Major
- Detachment Sergeant Major - Senior enlisted Marine
¶ Standard Detachments (Cruisers and Battlecruisers)
- Marine Detachment Commander - Major/Lieutenant Colonel
- Assistant Detachment Commander - Captain
- Detachment Sergeant Major
- Operations Officer - Marine operations planning
- Logistics Officer - Marine equipment and supplies
- Medical Officer - Marine medical support
- Marine Battalion Commander - Lieutenant Colonel/Colonel
- Executive Officer - Major
- Operations Officer - Major
- Intelligence Officer - Captain
- Logistics Officer - Captain
- Communications Officer - Captain
- Medical Officer - Captain/Major
- Sergeant Major - Senior enlisted Marine
Ships designed for flexible mission profiles may maintain modular organization:
- Mission-specific department heads activated based on current operations
- Cross-trained officers capable of filling multiple billets
- Flexible crew assignments based on mission requirements
¶ Flag Command Ships
When serving as fleet flagships, vessels add extensive flag staff:
- Fleet Commander - Admiral rank
- Fleet Chief of Staff - Captain/Rear Admiral
- Fleet Operations Officer - Captain
- Fleet Intelligence Officer - Captain
- Fleet Communications Officer - Commander
- Fleet Supply Officer - Commander
- Fleet Medical Officer - Commander
Ships operating independently for extended periods often include:
- Enhanced diplomatic staff for first contact situations
- Expanded intelligence capabilities for threat assessment
- Additional supply and maintenance personnel for self-sufficiency
- Cultural/xenological advisors for dealing with alien species