Jack of Harts

Norfolk was the largest and most capable naval base when the Second Great Depression began. The ships that ported there belonged to the United States Navy, and while many followed Norfolk in supporting Virginia, they did not join Virginia. They were American warships, and only a very few swore to join any of the States that were essentially rebelling against the American government. They represented a legal grey area until the Convention of States reorganized the Federal government. Most would swear loyalty to the new Federal government after that, including all of the remaining fleet carriers. Those represented a fading strength in the decades that followed, though as small budgets forced more and more of them into retirement. Even the best of the State alliances could not afford to maintain a full fleet carrier in those days, and so they slowly disappeared from the oceans as the decades went by. That paved the way for the far smaller but more versatile navies of the various State alliances.

The Confederation of Dixie did not form a permanent army to protect them during their formation. Each State supplied a force to act as part of a combined army that would represent each State for Confederation-wide deployment. It was just such a Confederation force that supported Australia when it came time to stand against Chinese expansion, and that helped deal with the final Rogue AI nest in Singapore. This practice has remained true for centuries. There is still no permanent Confederation army, but a rotating sequence of State units continue to work under the Confederation flag throughout their lands on Earth and their various colonies in the stars. This results in each Confederation force being uniquely different from all others, and foes rarely know what exactly to expect when facing one. This can be a weakness and a strength, and sometimes both at the same time.