*[[Eternal Alliance]] {{C|secretly}}<ref name="A Traitor Among the Chiss">{{TORcite|type=flashpoint|A Traitor Among the Chiss}}</ref>}}
The '''Chiss Expansionary Defense Force''' was the military branch of the [[Chiss Ascendancy/Legends|Chiss Ascendancy]].
{{Quote|The charter of the Expansionary Defense Fleet is to observe and explore the region around the Chiss Ascendancy.|[[Mitth'raw'nuruodo/Legends|Thrawn]]|<ref name="Outbound Flight (novel)">[[Outbound Flight (novel)|''Outbound Flight'']]</ref>}}
The '''Chiss Expansionary Defense Force''' was the military branch of the [[Chiss Ascendancy/Legends|Chiss Ascendancy]] founded by the ancient [[Syndic/Legends|syndic]] [[Jer'Jo Cam'Co]] after the initial discovery of several resource-rich [[Planet/Legends|worlds]] during the [[Chiss/Legends|Chiss']] early explorations.
==Overview==
==Overview==
{{Quote|Senior officers of the Defense Fleet belong to no family. They're stripped of family name and privilege and made part of the Defense Hierarchy in order that they may serve all Chiss without deference or prejudice.|[[Mitth'raw'nuruodo/Legends|Thrawn]]|<ref name="Outbound Flight (novel)" />}}
The alternative name '''Chiss Expansionary Defense Fleet''' appears to be simply an alternative translation from [[Cheunh/Legends|Cheunh]], while the acronym '''CEDF''' seems to only be recorded in informal secondary use among non-[[Chiss/Legends|Chiss]]. References to the '''Chiss Expansionary Fleet''' and '''Chiss Defense Fleet'''; however, indicate two distinct subdivisions of the CEDF: the Expansionary Fleet was in charge of frontier patrols and exploratory missions in areas around the Ascendancy, and recorded its discoveries in the [[Expeditionary Library]] on the capital [[Planet/Legends|world]] of [[Csilla/Legends|Csilla]]; the Defense Fleet was charged with repelling aggressive incursions and considering long-term strategic concerns. The Defense Fleet was also noted as possessing a reconnaissance corps.
The alternative name '''Chiss Expansionary Defense Fleet''' appears to be simply an alternative translation from [[Cheunh/Legends|Cheunh]], while the acronym '''CEDF''' seems to only be recorded in informal secondary use among non-[[Chiss/Legends|Chiss]]. References to the '''Chiss Expansionary Fleet''' and '''Chiss Defense Fleet'''; however, indicate two distinct subdivisions of the CEDF: the Expansionary Fleet was in charge of frontier patrols and exploratory missions in areas around the Ascendancy, and recorded its discoveries in the [[Expeditionary Library]] on the capital [[Planet/Legends|world]] of [[Csilla/Legends|Csilla]]; the Defense Fleet was charged with repelling aggressive incursions and considering long-term strategic concerns. The Defense Fleet was also noted as possessing a reconnaissance corps.
[[File:Outboundthrawn.jpg|thumb|[[Mitth'raw'nuruodo/Legends|Thrawn]] in his CEDF uniform, years before becoming a [[Grand Admiral/Legends|Grand Admiral]] in the [[Galactic Empire/Legends|Imperial]] [[Imperial Navy/Legends|Navy]].]]
Bound by a strict [[Non-Aggression Law|non-aggression policy]], both the Hierarchy and the Families refused to countenance or even consider preemptive strikes against potential enemies until they attacked the Ascendancy, although [[Commander/Legends|Commander]] [[Mitth'raw'nuruodo/Legends|Mitth'raw'nuruodo]] of the Expansionary Fleet's picket force stretched their rules of engagement to breaking point.
It would seem that the high command of the Defense Fleet, known as the [[Defense Hierarchy]], was in overall control of both divisions of the CEDF; but as well as answering to the Hierarchy, the CEDF fell under the oversight of one or more of the [[Ruling Families]]—in [[37 BBY/Legends|37 BBY]], these were the Second and Eighth Ruling Families, apparently the [[Nuruodo family|Nuruodo]] and [[Mitth family/Legends|Mitth]] clans. Senior officers of the CEDF were stripped of their family names and made part of the Hierarchy. Bound by a strict [[Non-Aggression Law|non-aggression policy]], both the Hierarchy and the Families refused to countenance or even consider preemptive strikes against potential enemies until they attacked the Ascendancy, although [[Commander/Legends|Commander]] [[Mitth'raw'nuruodo/Legends|Mitth'raw'nuruodo]] of the Expansionary Fleet's [[Picket Force Two/Legends|Picket Force Two]] stretched their rules of engagement to breaking point.
It is not entirely clear on present evidence what relationship the [[Colonial Phalanx]]es assigned to guard the colony worlds of the Ascendancy bore to the CEDF; but the evidence suggests that these constituted provincial guards under the authority of planetary [[House leader]]s, and it might be expected of them to have been distinct from the Defense Fleet's central strategic command. The CEDF also provided a role during the Chiss political decision making process as they gave the deciding vote whenever there was a deadlock between the Ruling Families over the best course of action to take during specific events.<ref name="FHII">''[[The New Jedi Order: Force Heretic II: Refugee]]''</ref>
==Personnel==
{{Quote|The role of a warrior is to protect the Chiss people. The warrior's own survival is of only secondary importance.|[[Mitth'raw'nuruodo/Legends|Thrawn]]|<ref name="Outbound Flight (novel)" />}}
Standard CEDF officers wore black uniforms with patches colored to relate to their houses; members of the Hierarchy wore all-white uniforms.
The fleet used [[Starfighter/Legends|starfighter]] [[Chiss carrier|carriers]], [[Chiss armored personnel carrier|armored personnel carriers]], [[Chiss heavy gunboat|heavy gunboats]], and [[Chiss assault cruiser|assault cruisers]]. [[Chiss Star Destroyer]]s, and [[AirStraeker]]s were used by the force, later on, [[Nssis-class Clawcraft|''Nssis''-class Clawcraft]] would be used later on, since they would inherit them from [[Empire of the Hand]]. Transports included [[Chiss drop ship|drop ships]] and [[Chiss assault shuttle|assault shuttles]].
[[Chiss commando]]s wore camouflaged color-shifting, [[fractal-pattern armor]] that allowed them to sneak across battlefields with ease, and carried [[demolition satchel]]s and [[Charric/Legends|charric]] guns. They were deployed on specialist tasks such as the placement of [[vape charge]]s on selected locations. Other variants include [[Chiss sharpshooter|sharpshooters]], pilots, and [[Chiss warrior/Legends|soldiers]].
The force also made use of [[Superweapon/Legends|superweapons]], such as the [[Bioweapon/Legends|biological]] doomsday weapon; the [[parasite bomb]]. They also used [[radiation bomb]]s as well. [[Defoliator/Legends|Chiss Defoliator]] was developed as well.
==History==
{{Quote|That's the Chiss Defense Fleet. Black's a combination of all colors, since the military draws from all the families.|[[Chak Fel]] on the CEDF|<ref name="Survivor's Quest">''[[Survivor's Quest]]''</ref>}}
During the [[Cold War (Galactic Republic–Sith Empire)|Cold War]], [[Ath'en'terro]] was a member of the CEDF.
Little more was recorded of the CEDF until around the time of the [[Yuuzhan Vong War]], and even then, the Chiss forces most prominently involved were not CEDF line units. The consular [[Starship/Legends|ship]] ''[[Chaf Envoy]]'', involved in the recovery of [[Outbound Flight Project|''Outbound Flight'']] in [[22 ABY/Legends|22 ABY]], was technically under the authority of the [[Chaf family/Legends|Chaf family]], while the [[Nssis-class Clawcraft|Clawcraft]] deployed alongside [[New Republic/Legends|New Republic]] [[Combined Defense Forces of the New Republic|forces]] from [[26 ABY]] onwards were part of Mitth'raw'nuruodo's rogue [[Household Phalanx]], which had evolved under the aegis of the [[Empire of the Hand]].
In around [[29 ABY/Legends|29 ABY]], radical—and still partially obscure—changes occurred in the CEDF and Chiss society in general. [[Galactic Empire/Legends|Imperial]] [[General/Legends|General]] [[Soontir Fel/Legends|Soontir Fel]], a [[Human/Legends|Human]], apparently led Household Phalanx forces to intervene in a [[Chiss Civil War|disagreement]] among the Ruling Families, as a result of which he became the CEDF's [[Assistant Syndic]], while another Human, [[Peita Aabe]], was appointed [[Chief Navigator]].
By [[35 ABY/Legends|35 ABY]], frontier tensions between the Chiss and the neighboring [[Killik/Legends|Killik]] [[The Colony|Colony]] were reaching fever pitch, leading to the [[Dark Nest Crisis|first skirmishes]] of the [[Swarm War]]. It was in this conflict that CEDF forces were first seen operating on a large scale by outsiders: the largest concentration of force observed during the war was the deployment of nearly fifty [[Chiss Star Destroyer]]s, plus hundreds of smaller [[Capital ship/Legends|capital ships]], during the [[Battle of Tenupe|assault]] on [[Tenupe]] in [[36 ABY]].
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The Chiss Expansionary Defense Force was the military branch of the Chiss Ascendancy.
Overview
The alternative name Chiss Expansionary Defense Fleet appears to be simply an alternative translation from Cheunh, while the acronym CEDF seems to only be recorded in informal secondary use among non-Chiss. References to the Chiss Expansionary Fleet and Chiss Defense Fleet; however, indicate two distinct subdivisions of the CEDF: the Expansionary Fleet was in charge of frontier patrols and exploratory missions in areas around the Ascendancy, and recorded its discoveries in the Expeditionary Library on the capital world of Csilla; the Defense Fleet was charged with repelling aggressive incursions and considering long-term strategic concerns. The Defense Fleet was also noted as possessing a reconnaissance corps.
Bound by a strict non-aggression policy, both the Hierarchy and the Families refused to countenance or even consider preemptive strikes against potential enemies until they attacked the Ascendancy, although CommanderMitth'raw'nuruodo of the Expansionary Fleet's picket force stretched their rules of engagement to breaking point.
