The Colonial Fleet is the primary armed service branch of the Colonial Armed Forces under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Defense of the Twelve Colonies of Kobol.
The Colonial Fleet operates in tandem with other branches of the Colonial Forces, like the Colonial Marine Corps. It also has a reserve branch, as well as what appears to be a government-operated military academy and an officer candidate school. Moreover, a War College existed for more extensive education. The training of new recruits was handled by the Colonial Forces Training Command.
Other Fleet installations include the Scorpian Fleet Shipyards, the Caprican Colonial Forces Veteran's Hospital, Ragnar Anchorage, and Armistice Station. The Colonial Fleet was based at Picon Fleet Headquarters.
Fleet Status
At present, the Colonial Fleet includes approximately 120 battlestars, thousands of smaller vessels numerous squadrons of Vipers and Raptors assigned to each, as well as other support ships.
The Colonial Fleet also included modified Space Park vessels mainly for transporting troops, equipment and supplies.
The Colonial Fleet was regarded by the Cylons to be a decisively superior force in a direct confrontation between it and the Cylon fleet. Therefore, the Cylons plan to return to a variation of their Cylon War tactics by intending to undermining the Colonial Fleet's CNP to attack ships equipped with the software from within.
Limits of Authority
The Colonial Fleet is aware that they are a military force, not a police force. As such, they have no powers of arrest or any authority over civilian government or institutions, except with the direct authority of the President.
The use of biological weapons is prohibited in the Twelve Colonies. The Colonial Fleet authority must gain presidential authorization for the use of such weapons. However, Battlestar commanders do not require presidential authorization per se for the use of its nuclear weapons.