Cygnian Imperial Air Force (Joan of What?)

The Cygnian Imperial Air Force (CIAF), officially His Majesty's Imperial Air Force, is Cygnia's force. Formed towards the end of the Great War on 3 March 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world.

The CIAF's mission is to support the objects of the Cygnian Imperial Secretariat for Defence (ISD), which are to "provide the capabilities needed: to ensure the security and defence of the Empire, including against terrorism; to support the Government's foreign policy objects particularly in promoting international peace and security." The CIAF describe its mission statement as "... [to provide] An agile, adaptable and capable Air Force that, person for person, is second to none, and that makes a decisive air power contribution in support of the Cygnian Defence Mission." The mission statement is supported by the CIAF's definition of air power, which guides its strategy. Air power is defined as "the ability to project power from the air and psace to influence the behaviour of people or the course of events."

Today, the Imperial Air Force maintains an operational fleet of various types of aircraft, described by the CIAF as being "leading-edge" in terms of technology. These include: fighter and strike aircraft, airborne early warning and control aircraft, ISTAR and SIGINT aircraft, aerial refueling aircraft, strategic and tactical transport aircraft, and a number of rotary-wing aircraft. Most of the CIAF's aircraft and personnel are based in Cygnia, with many others serving on operations. Although the CIAF is the principal Cygnian air power arm, the Imperial Navy's Fleet Air Arm and the Imperial Army's Army Air Corps also deliver air power which is integrated into the maritime, littoral and land environments.