IPA

The Inter-Planetary Authority (IPA for short) is the military arm of the United Nations of Earth and the Federal Republic of Mars. It is responsible for upholding law and order within the systems, stations and colonies operated by the UNE and FMR.

Structure

Like most Navies the military ranks go from private all the way up to Grand Admiral. The current Grand Admiral is Robert Armitage. Civilians are not part of the IPA per se, but may be associated with the IPA through subsidiaries.

Policing

The IPA is responsible for upholding the Space Treaty of 2034 and all of its amendments. It finds itself often in skirmished with space pirates, the Black Dawn and other lawless factions.

While the IPA is officially neutral of private military contractors - such as Fenrir - the top brass of the IPA has nothing less than disdain for them. Most of the IPA see such military corporations as dangerous and above the law.

Although weapons on civilians and civilian ships are prohibited, the IPA also oversees and manages the amendments that made it possible for civilians to bear arms. The IPA is responsible for issuing and controlling civilian fire arm licences.

Bounties

The IPA is widely known to give out bounties for wanted criminals. Such information, in a form of a most-wanted list, is publicly available. The IPA awards bounties to those who give crucial evidence that leads to the conviction of these criminals, or even if they are turned in alive and directly to the IPA.

Funding

Most of the funding for the IPA comes from the United Nations of Earth, with the First Martian Republic providing many of the ships being used by the IPA.

Size and Power

The Grand Fleet of the IPA consists of ten IPA Command Carriers (capital vessels), roughly 120 destroyers (large vessels) and several hundred more frigates (medium vessels). The IPA is the operator of the largest fleet in the systems. Furthermore the IPA has more than three million active personnel on duty at all times.

Command Carrier

The command carries are the biggest and most powerful ships of the IPA. They are roughly 700 metres long and can house a crew of up to twenty thousand people. They are heavily armed and protected. Command Carriers are often protected by several frigates.