[NerbuitW]

The Air Force must have a bad PR.

Its also easy to see why the Navy is used a template for a lot of the terminology of ranks, since its easiest to compare spaceships to, well, ships. Therefore you get captains and admirals for fleets.

Besides, the Air Force uses the same rank structure for its officers as the Army (being an offshoot) so most lay people wouldn't tell the difference unless all the low level grunts were called airmen, but in space that makes no sense.

[markoiutrfffdsa]

The Air Force must have a bad PR.

Its also easy to see why the Navy is used a template for a lot of the terminology of ranks, since its easiest to compare spaceships to, well, ships. Therefore you get captains and admirals for fleets.

Besides, the Air Force uses the same rank structure for its officers as the Army (being an offshoot) so most lay people wouldn't tell the difference unless all the low level grunts were called airmen, but in space that makes no sense.

Yeah but it shouldn't be always Navy, right? Is there a game or movie or show (besides Stargate) that you can think of where it's not?

It's odd because when you think of militarizing space now, you never think of the Navy. You think the US Air Force. Air forces going into space is more logical than the navy.

[Obgrfbke]

Yeah but it shouldn't be always Navy, right? Is there a game or movie or show (besides Stargate) that you can think of where it's not?

It's odd because when you think of militarizing space now, you never think of the Navy. You think the US Air Force. Air forces going into space is more logical than the navy.

Air Force controls rockets in our system, thus they get control of orbital space. I don't know if the system would hold if we did get to the point of creating vessels that could be compared to ships (ie, moving under their own power and able to maneuver on their own) and were manned.

I don't know if in Russia and China their Air Force also controls rocket forces.

[Reocourgigiot]

The whole ship comparison and the easy link between the void between planets and the ocean (between continents) makes comparisons to the Navy and its offshoot (the Marines) more sensible than the airforce.

I have to say thought that B5 did not really use a Naval system all the time - There were many Colonels and Generals in Earthforce. In fact, I don't think any high level officers were ever called Admirals, they were always Generals. There were also Sergeants, not Warrant officers or Petty officers.

Well Colonels and Generals might have been the Marines Or, there could still be army in space. It's just who's in command of the ships?

Oh and warrant officers are universal. Army, Marines, and Navy all have warrant officers

Edit: The Air Force discontinued bestowing the rank a few decades ago.

[JonnLeejsp]

There's no air in space.

SP

There's no water either.

[gomosopions]

Its important to note that most of these forces in SciFi are not actually parts of the US military, but forces of some later governing body - and therefore the fact that currently the US Air Force controls the military aspects of the US space program is a bit meaningless. Stargate is different because its supposed to take place currently. The only other scifi show I can think of in which the actual US military is involved is Space Above and Beyond, in which the cast was part of the Marine Corp. I would assume this is a function of the fact that for most lay people, including writers of SciFi scrips, the marines are the elite force, the tip of the spear, the guys you send in first, and therefore the most likely force to get picked.I would guess this is why marines get mentioned so much.

As for why all these later forces would use Naval terminology, it again is probably based on the ship-spaceship link, specially since in combat the Navy comparison makes most sense, as in combat you would have large vessels as the main combat platforms with naval combat being the most analogous type.

[u2ZQGC6b]

Its important to note that most of these forces in SciFi are not actually parts of the US military, but forces of some later governing body - and therefore the fact that currently the US Air Force controls the military aspects of the US space program is a bit meaningless. Stargate is different because its supposed to take place currently. The only other scifi show I can think of in which the actual US military is involved is Space Above and Beyond, in which the cast was part of the Marine Corp. I would assume this is a function of the fact that for most lay people, including writers of SciFi scrips, the marines are the elite force, the tip of the spear, the guys you send in first, and therefore the most likely force to get picked.I would guess this is why marines get mentioned so much.

As for why all these later forces would use Naval terminology, it again is probably based on the ship-spaceship link, specially since in combat the Navy comparison makes most sense, as in combat you would have large vessels as the main combat platforms with naval combat being the most analogous type.

So much positive things but tainted with the fact that you didn't capitalize the 'M' in Marines and that you wrote Marine 'Corp' which is the abbreviation for Corporation, not Corps.

But it's not even about US military branches... it could be anything... why is it not air force, not necessarily US Air Force, in structure?

I mean it's universally naval. You'd think one sci-fi writer would have bucked the trend and had it be air force-oriented

[gWhya5ct]

That's almost as bad as Japanese Sci-Fi with WW2 Japanese battleships raised from the deep (where the American navy put them, of course) to become space ships.

BTW that frame is from one of the worst new Dr Who's ever. WTF is a Space Whale? And why are the "New British" using it to colonize new worlds while torturing it? It was a horrible episode.

[Maydayvar]

re: OP: Space ships, duh, not space planes. Also space fleets.

[JJoon077]

One could say it's redundant in most sci-fi, with space navy-based small craft capable of atmospheric operation. Or, when the opponent holds the high ground. Ie, space. Can't go much higher than that.

Analogous to an air force, if not in name, would be any planet based, local defence force. But they'd still most likely fight in space.

The idea of a fighter in space is silly, anyway.

[GEAntonio]

That's why it sucked. Stupid.

[qCGfQR9T]

Yet Star Wars had an Imperial Navy, according to Wikipedia, and Admirals and stuff.

[Overlord]

And the air force has aircraft carriers. What's your point?

Air force has aircraft carriers?

[Grzqbmhy]

That plane doesn't launch little planes. It's just a cargo plane.

[Hsmrcahr]

Yeah but aircraft carriers launch planes... that plane just carries them.

[Plaumpholavup]

Spacecraft are generally conceived of as large vehicles with substantial crews, more analogous to ships than to aircraft. Their motion, while far faster than any planetbound craft and three-dimensional, is "slow" relative to the distances covered and is largely between planets, which might as well be islands in an ocean. All this has already been said, but really, why would you expect people to use the USAF as a model? Especially given that the AF is a relatively new force with new traditions, unlike the concept of a navy which has a deep, appealing heritage for an artist to mine for parallels. I don't even know if the USAF has generals or admirals or what, and I suspect few Americans who aren't members or relatives of members know a whole lot better.

[Sniliabiz]

It doesn't have to be the US Air Force specifically. the point is why is it never any air force? The air force is closer to space exploration than the navy is and when the US military thinks of ways to militarize space, the Air Force is leading the way. I assume Russia's forays into militarizing space are also air force-led, not navy-led.

Again, current US doctrine has little to do with this use of terminology - you can look at my previous post on the matter.

As per this:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_Space_Forces

Seems in Russia space forces are an independent command.

[vforvandetta]

Yeah but it shouldn't be always Navy, right? Is there a game or movie or show (besides Stargate) that you can think of where it's not?

It's odd because when you think of militarizing space now, you never think of the Navy. You think the US Air Force. Air forces going into space is more logical than the navy.

You might not, but the reality is the Navy has always had a huge influence on the US space program. A large number of astronauts are from the Navy.

As for science fiction, a good part of it is trying to transport the age of sail INTO SPACE! When you think airforce you think individual dude in a fighter jet, but in the Navy you have crews who interact with each other.

[Peter Hill]

And picking up trash on the docks.

[MormefWrarebe]

Patty is right. The Navy played a big part in picking up the trash after a launch.

"Every time we've gotta go someplace and [crash-land a space capsule], you fellas always give us a ride."