Ed Island Air Force

The Ed Island Air Force is the air force component of the Ed Island Military and the second-largest of the four main service branches. One of the most renowned air forces in Antarctica, EIAF pilots have a reputation as "knights of the sky," fueled by EIAF legends such as the Round Table and the various ace pilots since the Khanzem War. The EIAF operates over 1,100 combat jet aircraft, making it one of the most well equipped air forces in Antarctica. Most Ed Islandian Air Force aircraft, especially its most modern aircraft, are sourced and produced domestically with a small number being license built international designs.

Overview
The EIAF operates several squadrons of foreign mercenaries in combat positions, including personnel from Castilla, Japaland, Snowiny, and more.

History
The Ed Island Air Force has its origins in the Comona Islands Hot-Air Balloon Flying Club, a private civilian club which operated hot-air balloons for leisure flights over the Comona Islands. Native revolts on the island of Fanta in 1890 resulted in the Ed Island Army seizing the club's balloons and using them to drop dynamite on the protesters. Following this experience, the Ed Island Army formed a small balloon corps used for observation purposes.

The EIAF first saw action during the Khanzem War as a subsidiary of the Ed Island Army known as the Luftstreitkräfte, where aircraft were first used as reconnaissance aircraft and artillery spotters. In the months following Ed Island's entry into the war, many new tactics and uses for aircraft were pioneered including the first dogfights and bombings (which began as little more than dropping grenades from planes).

During the postwar period surrounding the Wulfen War, the EIAF was at the forefront of aviation technology with developments underway in pressurized cabins and jet aircraft.

UCAV Development
Ed Island has been a leading party in the development and fielding of unmanned aerial vehicles, which range from small strategic strike platform to advanced unmanned fighters.

Roundel
Originally, early aircraft of the Luftstreitkräfte were painted with an Imperial tricolor on the tail in peacetime. Early in the Khanzem War, a Cross pattée was applied to each of an aircraft's wings and the sides of the aircraft. In following years, the cross was simplified into a straight armed cross which saw use throughout the last year of the war.

In 1932, the Balkenkreuz roundel was refined with four narrower white flanks on each side of the cross. A low visibility variant of the cross appeared near the end of the Wulfen War where only the flanks in either white or black were used. Both variants of the Balkenkreuz remain in use today, typically painted in white and black or low-visibility grey.

Organization
The Ed Island Air Force is a complex organization which follows the militaristic and nationalist principles set by the knights of old. In the modern era, the air force is centered around two pillars: education and industrial might, the latter of which is its backbone.

The air force highly values the lives of its soldiers and personnel, understanding the difficulty of replacing skilled pilots, placing emphasis on the single rule of returning from the battlefield alive. The training regime for new pilots is divided into various small classes, and teaches them practical skills to use in warfare to turn them into fearsome fighters. A number of pilot academies exist which are known for producing various elite airmen, including some of Ed Island's top aces. Furthermore, connections exist with several other air forces across Antarctica which gives pilots a chance to serve abroad.

The Ed Island Air Force, like most other air forces, is divided into divisions which are further split into squadrons. Other divisions also exist such as the EIAC Aviation Test Corps, which is responsible for testing new aircraft and flight technologies.

Aces and Ace Squadrons
According to tradition, an Ace is a pilot who is credited with five or more air-to-air kills. An Ace Squadron is an EIAF designation for a squadron comprised entirely of aerial aces. According to tradition dating back to the Khanzem War, pilots who become aces are gifted cups made of silver engraved with their name, the date on which they became an ace, and the five aircraft they shot down. Aces are also given leniency when it comes to "customizing" their aircraft; a wide range of camouflage schemes and insignia may be seen on ace aircraft throughout the air force.

Traditionally the Ed Island Navy and other Ed Island Military pilots have been included with the EIAF aces list for simplicity's sake, although those branches may possess their own leaderboards.

Top 10 Aces

 * 1) EIAF Ensign.png Daniel Christiansen (Callsign: Kolibri) - 112 kills
 * 2) EIAF Ensign.png Erich Klinsmann (Callsign: Reiher) - 104 kills
 * 3) EIAF Ensign.png Rainer Walter (Callsign: Vampir) - 96 kills
 * 4) EIN Ensign.png Rambert Booher (Callsign: Huckebein) - 83 kills
 * 5) EIAF Ensign.png Adreas Reiske (Callsign: Eisvogel) - 79 kills
 * 6) EIN Ensign.png Selig Stahl (Callsign: Habicht) - 70 kills
 * 7) EIAF Ensign.png Sven Reuter (Callsign: Strom) - 66 kills
 * 8) EIAF Ensign.png Lola Sommer (Callsign: Iris) - 61 kills
 * 9) EIN Ensign.png Thomas Hein (Callsign: Kritiker) - 59 kills
 * 10) Snowjave Naval Ensign.png Stephen Edmunds (Callsign: Tempel) - 54 kills

Notable Ace Squadrons

 * Infinity Squadron
 * Arrowblade Squadron
 * Rot Squadron
 * Grun Squadron
 * Blau Team
 * Indigo Squadron
 * Gelb Team
 * Schwarz Squadron
 * Schnee Squadron
 * Varcolac Squadron
 * Flag of Castilla.png Espada Team
 * FlagOfJapaland.png Clover Squadron
 * FlagROSn.png Vampire Squadron
 * FlagROSn.png Crimson Wings

Italics indicate foreign mercenary team

Aircraft Inventory
Ed Island possesses a large number of Generation 4, 4.5, and 5 aircraft, many of which are kept in storage in case of emergencies. Due to Ed Island's unique Advanced Automated Aviation Plants, which are capable of autonomously producing nearly any airframe in existence when provided the materials and schematics, large numbers of aircraft are produced by the EIAF for a fraction of what they would normally cost.

Fighters

 * }

Bombers

 * }

Other

 * }

Experimental

 * }