There are 387 active Vipers in the Fugitive Fleet
This is ALL the Fleet currently has room to store and operate on ships with launch tubes. When the new carrier conversions are complete that number will go up.
Viper Squadrons
The Colonial Military organised Vipers into Squadrons of 75 each. Each Squadron consists of three Wings of 25. A Wing consists of two Flights of 12 . A Flight is organized into three Patrols of 4 Vipers. (The three extra Vipers are called the Command Flight)
Two or more Squadrons are a Group and are under the Administrative control of a Group Leader, a Major, who does not fly patrols.
A Squadron is commanded by a Captain, Squadron Leader
A Flight is commanded by a Senior Lieutenant, Flight Lieutenant
A Patrol is commanded by a Lieutenant, also called a Pilot Officer (or in some cases a Flight Sergeant)
A Patrol’s second in command is (usually) a Flight Corporal
The remaining pilots are either Pilot Ensigns (future officers) or simply Pilots (enlisted.)
A Battlestar carried two squadrons, the biggest carriers were home to five squadrons.
Many Vipers were based on destroyers, cruisers, space assault ships and in other settings were a full squadron was not needed or able to be accommodated. These Vipers were assigned Squadrons that were designated as ‘Detached.’ Detached squadrons had their own designations, patches etc and were trained and administered from central locations, but it could be yahrens before different detached groups saw each other again.
The Fugitive Fleet contains elements of fifteen different squadrons. For morale purposes it was decided to leave the squadron identities alone. Squadron names are traditionally color based with, in some cases, a secondary designation or description attached. For Administative purposes they are Numbered Destroyer Groups.
Galactica Group Squadrons
Red Squadron, Stationed on Galactica 75
Blue Squadron, Stationed on Galactica 75
Silver Spar Squadron, (transferred from Pegasus forty survived) 40 stationed on Galactica
Destroyer Group Squadrons
Gold Star Squadron 22
Bronze Squadron 19
Grey Squadron 42
Green Bar Squadron 18
Alizarin Squadron 8
Crimson Square Squadron 16
Cerulean Squadron 16
Aureolin Bolt Squadron 24
Cyan Squadron 24
Cobalt Blaze Squadron 8
Administratively the Destroyer Group Squadrons are treated as 3 separate squadrons composed of surviving pilots and Vipers from the Destroyed Squadrons that were picked up by Galactica and other ships after Cymtar.
The Vipers of Destroyer Group 1
Green Bar Squadron, Cerulean Squadron, Cyan Squadron and Cobalt Blaze Squadron are considered one Squadron with a Squadron Leader. 66 total
The Vipers of Destroyer Group 2 Alizarin Squadron, Crimson Square Squadron, Bronze Squadron and Aureolin Bolt Squadron are considered one Squadron with a Squadron Leader. 67 total
The Vipers of Destroyer Group 3 Gold Star Squadron and Grey Squadron are considered one Squadron with a Squadron Leader. 64 total
There is a single Group Leader for the Destroyer Group
The Viper Reserve
This is a group of 24 unassigned Vipers that are stored on the factory ships where they were built. They are fully tested and ready to fly. They are available for filling in where they are needed.
Reserve Pilots
These are usually, but not always, shuttle pilots. They are Pooled, in that they are not assigned to particular squadrons but can be transferred into any squadron that needs them.
There are 548 Shuttles in the Fleet
These are of a variety of types, designs, ages and abilities. For administrative purposes they are divided into 22 Transport Squadrons of 25 each. Transport Squadrons are numbered not named.
Two or more Transport Squadrons are a Group and are under the Administrative control of a Group Leader, a Major, who does not fly.
A Transport Squadron is commanded by a Captain, Squadron Leader. In the transport Squadrons this is usually an administrative post as well.
Squadrons numbers are designated according to general type with the following ranges used.
1… 19 are military Shuttles (all types)
20…. 39 are Freight Shuttle Squadrons
40 to 60 are Civilian passenger shuttles.