Purpose:
The purpose of AFEC is the peaceful exploration and colonization of space beyond the terrestrial borders of the Atlantic Federation. This includes surveying potential resources, setting up mining and resource collection, chartering colonies, the maintenance of non-Earth orbiting space stations and other non-military facilities, and scientific research and other pursuits.
Agenda:
AFEC is in a resource race with the rest of the Cosmic Era human governments, seeking to gain footholds and claims over the resources, strategic and otherwise, of the solar system. This is both to enrich the Federation, and to deny these resources to the other human powers. This is ruthless resource exploitation, rapid colonization, the use of pre-con structures, and a quasi-military colonial fleet that serves along side the actual military fleet. Scientific research is not done for altruistic purposes, and the AFEC archives are highly classified.
Leadership:
it is tradition that the Provost of the Collegium Planetarius in the Rocky Mountain Republic serves as the Director of the AFEC, though this position is largely ceremonial. It does hold the vital position of being a tie breaker in the event of an internal deadlock, and the Director of the AFEC has the ability to execute Vetos and Expedites on an as needed basis. The history of the directorship holds that the power is jealously guarded, and very seldom used.
The AISC 'Armstrong' is the mission coordinator and Designator General of the AFEC, and despite being a cutting edge piece of sentient technology, the AISC has a personality that would be more at home on a country farmer. Calm, unflappable, as humble as an ascetic monk, and fearless, Armstrong organizes the ships, missions, and operations of the AFEC.
Kosmos is a strange Seibertronian, having installed its consciousness in a long range scout frigate. This sentient machine is very hands on with operations, and can become obsessive and myopic in it's planning, and it has a tendency to become paranoid or morose depending on local conditions.
The Directorate - a board of 12 members, generally rotating once every 2-3 years. This is the 'congress' of the AFEC and consists of captains, base commanders, and other ranking officers within the AFEC, and serves as the 'voice of the fleet'. These members, with a 10 person majority can override Armstrong, Kosmos, and the Director, though this has only happened once, with the wreck of the ISS Antares, an unregistered civilian liner.
Membership:
Explorer Corps Navy: consisting of dozens of ships, a score of space stations and anchorages, and tens of thousands of sailors and officers.
Explorer Corps Merchant Marine: consisting of over a hundred ships, running logistics and resource exploitation ops. AFECMM ships are typically medium sized cargo ships with upgraded engines, better defensive weaponry, and an internal contingent of colonial marines and space combat small craft
Colonial Marine Corps: Not related to the AFMC, the CMC is a collection of private security contractor companies, and are functionally mercenaries. These mercenaries do not answer to the military command structure, and are not accountable to the Atlantic Federation government.
Unit 73 (1-9): the scientific research division, Unit 73 has nine branches, each with its own area of research and study. This makes extensive use of Dream Tanks, Research accelerators, and is believed to have been deeply involved with Project Infinity
Resources:
Allies - The Atlantic Federation Armed Forces, the central government of the Atlantic Federation, New Siebertron, the Five Metal Dragons, the Lunar Free State, deep solar system corporate interests, ship building megacorps, positive approval rating from most of the Atlantic Federation, and other space faring nations (AFEC ships do search and rescue ops for anyone's lost ship)
Contacts - AFEC has internal contacts with the Glassenheim Foundation, the Andromeda Council, the Anunnaki and M12. Many of these contacts are those other organizations using the AFEC for their own interests or purposes, many of which coincide with the goals of the AFEC
Finances - the AFEC has an impressive bankroll. It is dwarfed by the actual military and other projects of mega and hypercorps, but these will overlap with the AFEC. Hypercorps will financially back AFEC projects for a percentage of profits, and the military has found that it can unload its unneeded gear on the AFEC, or have dual purpose ships and facilities built with the public approval of the AFEC supporting it.
Backers - as mentioned above, mega and hyper corporations will provide financial support to AFEC missions and projects that will benefit them. The same goes with the military, offering the AFEC occasional use of military equipment and personnel, and vice versa. The various intelligence agencies (AtFed only, they aren't chummy with international agencies) have also found common ground with the AFEC, and have used joint resources between them.
Equipment: approximately 80 space ships, plus potentially as many as 600 aerospace craft, 7 non-military anchorage bases, 9 major space stations and habitats, plus several hundred facilities, the majority of which are minor, or house fewer than a dozen crew, classified number of Ader-Wissenschaft type research facilities.