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| - The 17th Caspian Marine Tactical Operations Squadron, nicknamed the Nighthawks, is a Marine Aerospace Division unit of the Union military. Commissioned in the second year of The Crest, the 17th Nighthawks are one of Caspia's longest-standing squadrons, and have been staffed by Marine pilots since day one. They've endured a particularly tumultuous past, having one of the highest turnover rates of any flight unit. They've also been threatened with decommission three times in their nine year existence, each time saved from the axe by Crest intervention. It is this relationship with the Crest that not only keeps them active, but clouds them in the most amount of mystery.
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| abstract
| - The 17th Caspian Marine Tactical Operations Squadron, nicknamed the Nighthawks, is a Marine Aerospace Division unit of the Union military. Commissioned in the second year of The Crest, the 17th Nighthawks are one of Caspia's longest-standing squadrons, and have been staffed by Marine pilots since day one. They've endured a particularly tumultuous past, having one of the highest turnover rates of any flight unit. They've also been threatened with decommission three times in their nine year existence, each time saved from the axe by Crest intervention. It is this relationship with the Crest that not only keeps them active, but clouds them in the most amount of mystery. The steel hawk patch they wear is known throughout the region — because of this, they are sometimes referred to as the "Birds on Both Shoulders" squadron. Their basic duties and mission profiles are like their brethren units, but they have received additional, specialized training in such mission types as fast reconnaissance, reconnaissance – under – duress, infiltration, and precision targeting. It is for these latter duties that they are the most well-known and feared for. Several galactic agencies have utilized the reports they bring back from their perilous missions, with some having been requested from sources outside of the CDU. They are, in short, the Marines' version of the Fates, except they rarely are contracted by Naval Intelligence. Instead, it is purported that their activity is at the behest of the Admiralty, The Crest, or the Assembly, but this cannot be officially acknowledged. At present, 17th Tac Ops squadron relies upon the SubPro/CDMC Z-100c Strike Centurion. This variant is direct result of the squadron's input six years ago, after CDMC engineers noticed ground crew welding hardpoints and Olumic armor onto the 17th's common B-variant Centurions as well as modifying the fuel tanks for greater capacity. One in forty Centurions are factory-modified into Strike Centurions, by getting reshod with Olumic armor panels, which cut down on sensor signature return, as well as additional hardpoints, a much more capable and sophisticated sensor & targetting package, and larger fuel tanks. The Nighthawks have used their Strike Centurions all over Union space, from planetary deployment to carrier berths. From time to time, they are tapped to operate L-202 Hellhawks for particular missions. Also, since they are often deployed to remote zones, their support staff must travel along in these transports to deploy equipment to service the fighters. Since they are a MAD unit, they are not formally assigned to an Aerospace Group, but they have been attached to the Home Fleet Group operating from the CMS Typhoon.
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