Aerospace and Surface Tactical Assault and Reconnaissance

The Aerospace and Surface Tactical Assault and Reconnaissance (aka AEROSTAR) branch of the ESPF are a special forces group that perform orbital direct action and orbit-to-ground insertion.

Duties
AEROSTAR are considered an elite part of the ESPF, tasked with dangerous and crucial military operations that are often turning points to a conflict. They are a special forces unit that are trained to perform operations that involve boarding hostile spacecraft or stations, and special insertion missions that conventional forces cannot normally perform.

Initially branch did not make use of mechanised support beyond that of a carrier and insertion vehicles, however, due to their expertise in orbit-to-ground operations AEROSTAR have occasionally been assigned to work with mobile suit units for orbital insertion as needed. In these situations AEROSTAR will often be performing covert missions, while relying on the mobile suit to take out anti-air systems and hostile mechanised forces. An additional advantage of using mobile suits is they considerable distraction they provide in combat for attacking personnel.

Despite primarily performing insertions from space in specialised insertion vehicles, AEROSTAR troops are qualified in military free fall and various special warfare tactics. They are trained to operate off the grid without the support structure provided by the ESPF. As a result of the intense training they receive many AEROSTAR senior personnel have COBALT qualification.

History
Officially AEROSTAR have only been active for a short period of time, but is a formal assembly of various airborne forces that have been trained for space combat. Despite their small numbers the branch were crucial in several operations during the Herschel Insurrection.

Units

 * 62nd AEROSTAR Division "Starjumpers"