Several years ago the HCS (as it was then still called) came up with a plan for a massive reorganisation to finally form an armed forces suited to defending the empire. The plan involved the majority of the army and air force being devolved into separate National Armies and Air Forces of the planets in the Clone Star Empire. A central core of forces (somewhere between a quarter to a third of the original) would be retained for strategic operations.
Taragargi ran a trial with army troops on the planet joining the "Taragargi Army". However despite the lack of major problems and a huge amount of preparatory work the project has been frozen by the Clone Defence Forces until now. Oojok is said to have lost patience and ordered the project commence at once. Earlier today the head of the CDF Admiral Anderson outlined a 10 year plan to achieve the reorganisation known as Clone Armed Forces Devolution.
Phase 1 will cover the next 4-5 years and involve reorganisation of forces on the planets in the empire into the new National Armies. Oojok has promised that no soldier will be forced to serve in a National Army on a planet that is not his or her homeworld unless they wish to migrate permanently though they may have to leave the armed forces if they cannot find a suitable posting - however natural wastage may mean this is not too much of a problem. It is envisaged that up to three quarters of the troops in the National Armies will be part-time and organised in territorial and reserve units. These will perform the day to day garrison and patrolling of the empire with smaller numbers of fully professional troops at strategic locations. They will be backed up by central force troops (Clone Army and Clone Air Force) who will retain a small presence on each planet, perhaps regiment sized though maybe more on more strategically important worlds.
Phase 2 will involve the improvement of the remaining core to become more mobile and rapid reaction. A new generation of much faster troop and equipment transports will be developed in the 2120s as well as improved communications. This will be paid for by the expected dividend from Phase 1. A military analyst said that the savings in the wage bill alone from up to 4 million soldiers going part-time will run into the billions of zarks.
Oojok said that by the late 2120s the empire will have a much more suitable armed forces to protect and maintain it. The core would have an increased budget for improved equipment and training and the territorial armies would become much more suited to their local terrains and retain local knowledge.
