SIA Air Force



The SIA Air Force is a division of the SIA Armed Forces. It handles any and all operations pertaining to aerial combat or defensive measures. They often collaborate with both the army and navy to accomplish their goals.

History
Though Shops has always had a successful air travel industry, their air force was practically non-existent until 2013. When the Shopper military got a major overhaul in March 2013, lines of new fighter jets were added, which was what composed of most of the existing air force. These fighters saw use in the Great Yowien War, though Shops' aerial contributions in that war are greatly overlooked. During the Great Space Race of 2013, fear of being kicked out of a powerful position on the Antarctic stage prompted the Shoppers to form and pour lots of money into the SIA Space Command Fleet, which would help to rival other powerful nations. This made the air force a prominent player in the SIA Military for the first time. However, the space fleet and their co-existing line of fighter jets proved inefficient in certain practices such as bombing. This prompted the introduction of new lines of bombers during the second military expansion of November 2013. These new bombers saw service in the Plague War where they served valiantly.

Involvement
The SIA Air Force isn't nearly as active as their army and naval counterparts. During peace time, the air force is usually always grounded so repairs and check-ups can be performed. However, some air force craft are still positioned in key Shopper territories such as the Frosian Islands. The Air Force plays a much more active role in wars and conflicts, often being relied on for quick equipment, material, and artillery shipments; along with their constant use in bombing raids and aerial assaults on enemy targets. The Air Force works hand-in-hand often with both the army and navy in many operations. The current Supreme Commander of the SIA Air Force is General Lorn.

Fighters
Typical Shopper fighter jets are equipped with twin-turbo-diesel-jet engines. The fighter jets can hold two missiles each, one on either wing. The missiles can be switched around so it can fire Ditto Missiles, Deletion Missiles, or even in some cases mini Squarium Missiles. Fighter jets are also equipped with adequate armament, which composes of one machine gun operated by the pilot, for mid-air dogfights.

There are also Stealth Fighters in lesser quantities, which are able to fire missiles from its bomb bay. Stealth fighters are useful in enemy territory as they are able to evade radar signals.

Helicopters
The SIA employs a small line of about 500 helicopters, mainly for reconnaissance purposes. However, the helicopters are also equipped with a gun turret mounted on the front, and two missile launchers on either wing for attack purposes. They have also been known for their use in civilian cases such as manhunts and their assistance in disaster scenarios.

Bombers
Shops employs three different classes of bombers: Stealth, Heavy, and Super-Class bombers. All three of them are designed for quick and rapid dropping of bombs on enemy targets. Both the Heavy and Super bombers are painted in typical Shopper Camo. Stealth Bombers are the smallest and least-populous type of bomber with a payload of ten tons, known for its invisibility to radar. The Heavy Bomber is much more common, with thousands in operation; they have a fifteen-ton bomb payload. The Super Bomber is the largest of all Shopper aircraft in operation, and one of the largest aircraft in Antarctica. It has a stunning payload of around thirty tons, a heavier payload than any other aircraft in the Asiapelago.

Ballistic Missiles
The SIA also manufactures and sells ballistic ditto missiles. The missiles rocket to the edge of Earth's atmosphere until the head of the missile falls off. Then, the missile plateaus and a smaller rocket propelled missile comes out of the now obsolete launch rocket. The launch rocket falls back to earth while the smaller missile nose dives into a 90˚ drop, where its rockets fire to the speed of 10 miles a second and explodes on target.

SIA Space Command Fleet

 * See main article: SIA Space Command Fleet

The Space Command Fleet is the section of the SIA Air Force responsible for any and all operations pertaining to space. The Space Command Fleet has a long line of space stations, fighters, and gunships at their disposal to fight off forces from opposing nations. Their flagship space stations, the Prosperity Space Stations, are equipped with all types of armaments such as missiles, warheads, and other weapons of mass destruction capable of destroying entire nations. The Space Command Fleet employs three types of fighters for different situations each. All three types are equipped with many guns and laser cannons capable of penetrating heavy enemy armor. Their speed and small size, however, make them ineffective in everyday combative situations.

UAV's
UAV's (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles) are employed by the SIA mainly for spying and attack purposes. They are used both domestically and internationally. They can carry small payloads of weapons to obliterate targets, but are widely used for nothing more than reconnaissance. UAV's are widely criticized by privacy activists and peace-lovers, due to their blatant violation of personal privacy and security. They were developed with help of the USA, as the Antarcticans had already developed many types of UAV's themselves.

Squadrons

 * Eagle Squadron
 * Albatross Squadron
 * Canary Squadron
 * Tern Squadron
 * Hawk Squadron
 * Blue-Jay Squadron
 * Chickadee Squadron
 * Owl Squadron
 * Rocketsnail Squadron
 * Robin Squadron
 * Penguin Squadron
 * Ostrich Squadron
 * Flamingo Squadron
 * Blackbird Squadron
 * Mockingbird Squadron
 * Bullfinch Squadron
 * Cardinal Squadron
 * Condor Squadron
 * Crow Squadron
 * Seagull Squadron
 * Dove Squadron
 * Falcon Squadron
 * Finch Squadron