I. Navy Service: “The Other 40s” (2610–2954)

Squadron 43 has one of the oldest charters in the Navy, originally formed during the Second Tevarin War. However, throughout history, they suffered from the “Middle Child Syndrome” of the 40-series squadrons. They were constantly overshadowed by the legendary Squadron 42 (the celebrity volunteer unit) and Squadron 41 (the elite test pilots).

Because they never got the headlines, the “Tiger Sharks” developed a culture of quiet, ruthless professionalism. They didn’t fly for glory; they flew for the kill.

• The Aggressor Role: By the 2940s, the Navy utilized Squadron 43 primarily as an “Aggressor” unit. Their job was to simulate Vanduul or Pirate tactics during fleet exercises to train green pilots. They became masters of asymmetrical warfare, learning to fight dirty because their job was to humiliate rookie pilots so they would learn to survive.

• The “Shark Mouth”: The tradition of painting jagged teeth on the nose of their Gladius fighters started in 2944 as a psychological tactic to intimidate trainees during dogfights. The Navy repeatedly ordered them to remove the “non-regulation paint,” and the squadron repeatedly ignored the order.

II. The “Drone Initiative” & Deactivation (2954)

The end of Squadron 43’s Navy service came not from battle, but from a budget spreadsheet.

In 2954, the Naval Training Command launched the “Projected Force Initiative.” The Admiralty decided that live Aggressor squadrons were too expensive to maintain (fuel, repairs, hazard pay) and that AI-controlled drone swarms could simulate enemy tactics for 15% of the cost.

• The Shutdown: Despite protests that drones could not replicate the intuition of a human killer, the order came down. Squadron 43 was deactivated. Their veteran pilots—some of the best dogfighters in the fleet—were offered desk jobs or honorable discharges.

• The Dispersal: The squadron’s beloved Aegis Gladius fighters, many of which had been tuned by their crews for peak performance, were scheduled to be stripped for parts to service the newer Gladius wings in the main fleet.

III. The Transfer to CSG-3 (Early 2955)

Retired Rear Admiral Glenn “Pappy” Wade had flown against Squadron 43 in wargames decades ago. He knew that a “Tiger Shark” pilot was worth three standard Navy lieutenants because they spent their entire careers flying simulated suicide missions.

Wade moved quickly to secure the assets before they were dissolved.

• The “Scrap” Buy: Wade exploited a loophole in the Militia Mobilization Initiative. He purchased the squadron’s airframes as “surplus training assets” rather than combat-ready ships, saving millions.

• Recruiting the sharks: Wade sent a simple message to the displaced pilots: “The Navy wants robots. I want killers. The shark paint stays.”

• Reactivation: Within three months, 80% of the original roster had signed on with Carrier Strike Group 3. They brought their tactical playbooks, their camaraderie, and their grudge against the Admiralty with them.

IV. Current Status: December 2955

As of today, Squadron 43 serves as the Fleet Interceptor / Rapid Response element of CSG-3.

• Role: While the heavier Hornets of the “Wildcards” handle the main brawls, the “Tiger Sharks” use their faster, agile Gladius fighters to hunt down fast movers (like Buccaneer swarms or Khartu-al scouts) that threaten the fleet’s flanks.

• The “Pappy” Modification: Under Wade’s funding, the squadron upgraded their older Gladius hulls. They swapped the standard Gatling nose guns for high-velocity laser repeaters to strip shields quickly, allowing them to “smell blood” and finish targets with missiles.

• Atmosphere: The “Tiger Sharks” maintain a fierce rivalry with the “Wildcards” (Squadron 7). The Sharks view the Wildcards as reckless cowboys, while they view themselves as the precision scalpel of the fleet.