Although the plan to split the HCS into 3 separate entities (a core HCS Army, an expeditionary HCS Marines and separate National Territorial Armies (NTA) for local defence) is still being discussed Oojok has signalled that it will likely happen and has directed that a planet be chosen for a trial of the NTA scheme.
Colom, a fairly minor planet in CSE-W, has been chosen for the trial. Until now its main claim to fame in the empire was that it was the temporary home of the millions of Zone refugees who fled Zoneland after the DDS destroyed the planet's environment. Most Zones have now been dispersed throughout the rest of the empire.
Currently Colom has the following military units stationed there :
32nd Armoured Brigade
118th Infantry Brigade (including Red Lizard detachment)
162nd Infantry Brigade
6719 Artillery Regiment
1092 Engineering Regiment
4511 Transport Regiment
4598 Transport Regiment
62nd Air Defence Squadron (F-40)
109th COIN Squadron (A-85)
134th COIN Squadron (A-85)
93rd Reconnaissance Squadron (TR-72, OA-85, UAVs)
230th Transport Squadron (C-440)
245th Transport Squadron (C-485 + others)
890th Liaison Squadron (Various types)
Under the trial the Colom National Territorial Army would be formed out of all of these units except parts of the 118th Infantry Brigade. The HCS is keen to keep a small presence on each planet which will mostly be liaison officers, special forces and advisers. The HCS say that the NTA would be funded directly by Colom whose tax return to the centre would be reduced accordingly. It is hoped the Colom NTA can be set up by the Summer.
