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Force Structure:
The AFFS at its highest level has 2 branches, the Army, which is responsible for all combat from ground level up to the edge of the atmosphere and the Navy which is responsible for all operations from the edge of the atmosphere to the deepest reaches of outer space.  This is a somewhat simplistic view of the AFFS, and while there are exceptions (AFFS transports are the responsibility of the Navy even on the ground), it is reasonably accurate view.  Complicating matters are the 3 tiered structure of the AFFS Army.  Comprised of the Regular Army, Regional Defense Commands and March Militas/Planetary Guards, the AFFS system has led to issues of regional loyalties and poor coordination between various units of the AFFS.

Regular Army: The Regular Army represents the front line of the AFFS.  Composed of the best soldiers in the AFFS, the Regular Army lacks the regional ties of the other forces and can expect to be deployed to any hot spot in the Federated Suns.  The Regular Army also serves as the primary offensive might of the AFFS.  Unfortunately funding cuts during the Star League era have taken their toll on the Regular Army.  While they continue to equipped with some of the best equipment available, they found their transportation budgets slashed to almost zero.  Rather then regularly redeploying to different regions of the AFFS, many of these regiments have found themselves on the same world for years and even decades. As a result the soldiers of the Regular Army have developed close ties with the local populations.  This has hindered recent efforts to redeploy the AFFS to meet the the upcoming war.  When ordered to new stations, many units have protested these orders, claiming that they did not want to leave their current world defenseless.  This has also contributed to the AFFS' inability to see the larger picture, many units have become focused on the threat of either the DCMS or the CCAF, depending on which border they are assigned to defend, that they can not comprehend any other possible threats.

The bulk of the Regular Army's strength is built around the Avalon Hussars, the Davion Brigade of Guards and the newly formed Crucis Lancers.  Independent units, including the Ceti Hussars and Andalusian Cazadores, are also found in the Regular Army, where they are used for a variety of scouting and raiding operations.  In addition to their powerful battlemech regiments, the Regular Army has over 400 armored regiments and 1500 infantry regiments.  Unlike the militia and planetary guard forces, these forces trained to operate alongside battlemech forces and conduct offensive operations. It is not uncommon for these units to be formed into RCTs and assigned to support the Avalon Hussars or Davion Brigade of Guards on a temporary basis.  The Regular army also includes a number of artillery units and about 300 aerospace wings.  These wings are typically used to provide close air support for the ground forces.

Regional Defense Commands
Following the Davion Civil War, First Prince Alexander found himself facing a serious problem.  He was forced to disband many of the noble forces which had fought against him but at the same time could ill afford to disband those forces.  The core of the new AFFS was simply not large enough to defend the the Federations long borders.  While the simple solution would be to expand the AFFS, that involved significant costs that Prince Davion could not afford, not without sacrificing some of the vital reconstruction programs.  He could also not simply raise taxes, with a number of nobles already chaffing under the changes that were made following the Civil War that might push the Federated Suns into another Civil War.  Instead he came up with an ingenious solution that would simultaneously greatly expand the AFFS with units loyal to the First Prince but at no cost of the Federated Suns government.  He issued an order that each Combat Region raise a self defense unit.  These forces would be supplied, trained and maintained by the local region, but would answer to the Combat Region commander. This would ensure their loyalty to the Federated Suns, while putting the cost burden on the local lords and populations.  This scheme worked better the Prince Alexander could have hoped. In many cases, the RDCs became show piece units, in an effort to flaunt their wealth and prosperity the local lords would expend lavish sums of money on “their” RDC.  At the same time the local rulers had little to no say on the day to day operations of their RDCs and as a result they could not be used to threaten the rule of the First Prince.

March Militias
The March Militias were created the same time as the Region Defense Commands.  Drawn from the best planetary militias in each Combat Region, the March Militias fill much the same role as the Regional Defense Command.  The major difference is that the March Militias are built to a standard organization, while the RDCs vary greatly from 1 region to another.  There has been a lot of questions as to why Prince Alexander Davion would create 2 units that basically fulfill the same role, it appears that this was largely due to a case of paranoia on the First Prince's part. Despite efforts to ensure that the RDCs would be loyal to the First Prince and not local leaders, Alexander clearly did not trust that things would work out as intended. The March Militias, which were completely under the control of the AFFS, would be a loyal force that could be used against the RDCs should they go rouge.  While that never happened, the March Militias continued to operate as a vital part of the AFFS.  As some of the only permanently formed RCTs in the AFFS, the March Militas represent a powerful defense force.

Planetary Guards
The Planetary Guards represent the last line of defense for the worlds of the Federated Suns.  Raised and trained by each worlds, the Planetary Guards are largely composed of infantry, although forces from more prosperous worlds may include armored regiments.  The Planetary Guards can also usually deploy a number of conventional fighters and VTOLs.  While these are ill-suited for use against Aerospace fighters, they do provide the local forces with some limited close air support capability.  One of the most important parts of the Planetary Guards is the scout forces.  These scouts are experts on their homeworlds, and should their world be invaded, they would work with Regular AFFS forces, providing them with detailed knowledge of the local terrain, far more then would be known from just relying on maps.

Federated Suns Naval Service
The Federated Suns Naval Service is responsible for all exo-atmospheric operations as well as planetary assault landings.  Every Warship, Jumpship and Dropship, as well as large numbers of Aerospace Fighters are assigned to the FSNS.  With so many tasks and objectives, the FSNS is broken up into 3 major departments and several supporting units. 

The Department of Naval Transport is responsible for all troop and supply movements outside of planetary assaults.  The bulk of this department is composed of conventional jumpships and transport dropships, along with a number of escort dropships and aerospace fighters to protect the valuable transports.  The Department of Naval Transport also operates the FSNS fleet train of Catalyst Tankers and Vulcan Tenders.

The Department of Naval Defense is responsible for patrolling and security the Federation's borders. The backbone of the Department of Naval Defense is the Independent Patrol Squadron.  Built around a Star Lord Jumpship, with 2 Leopard CVs, 2 Achilles, an Intruder (with boarding shuttles and a marine detachment) and a large cargo vessel, these squadrons patrol the borders of the AFFS keeping an eye out for pirates, raiders and enemy invaders.  Typically each squadron is assigned 4 to 6 systems, moving from one system to another on a regular basis.  High threat areas, especially along the Capellan and Draconis fronts are patrolled by Heavy Patrol Squadrons.  Built around a Congress-D Frigate, 1-2 Destroyers and 2-3 Corvettes, supported by a mix of Achilles, Leopard CV and Intruder dropships.  The Heavy Patrol Squadrons are intended to delay enemy fleets until one of the main fleets can arrive on scene.

The Department of Naval Assault is the what most people think of, when they think of the Federated Suns Naval Service.  This branch is in fact one of the smallest, and yet most powerful, containing the bulk of the AFFS Warships.  The main striking power are the 8 fleets.  Built around a powerful core of Battleships, Battlecruisers and Carriers, supported by numerous smaller vessels, the each fleet is a very powerful force.  Normally each fleet is subdivided into 2-4 smaller fleets, providing more flexibility in their deployment.  In addition to the main fleets, the FSNS deploys a number of Assault Transport Squadrons.  Led by a Furious class Destroyer/Carrier, they typically contain several a number of Frigates,  Destroyers and Corvettes, as well as St George and Robinson class transports. The Assault Transport Squadrons perform 2 important roles for the AFFS.  Any planetary assault will be led by one of these squadrons.  They are are also responsible for conducting resupply operations in hostile territory or anywhere which is deemed to dangerous for the light armored vessels of the Department of Naval Transport.

In addition to the 3 operational commands, the FSNS has a number of Bureaus that work to ensure the proper functioning of the FSNS.  Most personnel matters (JAG, Administration, Education & Training) are handled by the AFFS.  The FSN focuses it's efforts on those exclusive to the Navy.  The Bureau of Naval Yards oversees the operation of all naval shipyards and drydocks in the Federated Suns, Bureau of Construction and Repair is responsible for the design, construction, maintenance and repair of all warships, jumpships and dropships, the Bureau of Medicine handles all medical matters and the Bureau of Aerospace handles the acquisition and maintenance of the Navy's aerospace fighters.

Mercenaries
Mercenaries are a relatively recent addition to the AFFS' order of battle.  Having spurned mercenaries in the past, the AFFS has in the last few decades added a number of mercenaries to their rolls. At first these forces were mainly retired AFFS soldiers operating under the guise of being mercenaries as a way to bypass the limits of the Edict of 2650.  More recently as the Star League collapsed and war became more and more likely, the Federated Suns has begun hiring large numbers of former SLDF soldiers to supplement their standing forces.

The transportation budget reference is to routine moves- i.e. every couple of years units are shuffled around so that no unit gets too close to a single world or region. 


Thanks for the corrections you found- I will update the entry.

Force Organization
Battlemechs
Battlemechs represent the main striking power of the AFFS.  Deployed by the Regular Army, RDCs and March Militias, the AFFS uses everything from the most advanced battlemechs to some of the earliest primitive designs.  There is preference for designs that are manufactured inside the Federated Suns, which ensures a ready supply of replacement parts, but the AFFS will import foreign designs on occasion, especially advanced ones from the Terran Hegemony. 

The Regular Army units are generally the best equipped units in the AFFS.  The Davion Brigade of Guards deploy some of the most advanced battlemechs outside of the Terran Republic.  The Avalon Hussars and other units in the Regular Army are also well equipped.  While a large number of different designs can be found in the AFFS the more common ones include the Wasp, Locust, Stinger, Javelin, Black Jack, Phoenix Hawk, Dervish, Wolverine, Griffin, Rifleman, Jagermech, Cestus, Hammerhands, Warhammer, Marauder, Victor, Battlemaster and Longbow.

The Regional Defense Commands are a very mixed lot when it comes to equipment.  The equipment used by these forces ranges from the Kestrel Grenadiers, who are almost as well equipped as the Avalon Hussars to the Point Barrow Bulldogs who use primitive battlemechs dating back to the 25th Century.  As each region is responsible for determining how much they will spend on supply their RDC it does not seem likely that this situation will change anytime in the near future.

The March Militias are in much the same boat as the RDC's, being dependent on older equipment that was cast off from other units.  However unlike in the RDC's where the quality of this equipment can range from modern to ancient, the March Militias are assigned a uniform quality of equipment, typically about 1 generation behind the mechs deployed by the Avalon Hussars.  While not state of the art, these designs are still combat effective.


Armor
While Battlemechs may draw the most attention from the public, they are greatly out numbered by conventional armor.  Like their battlemech counterparts, the armor forces are organized into regiments.  On occasion they may be formed into brigades.  Brigades are typically assigned to defend key worlds or may be attached to a battlemech regiment as part of an RCT for a particular mission.   

The AFFS armor formations are divided into Regular Army and Militia forces.  The Regular Army formations are assigned front line combat duties, either independently or along side the AFFS' mech forces. These forces are some of the first to see action and can expect to bear the brunt of any fighting if war should break out. 

As with their battlemech counterparts, the AFFS' armored regiments come in a variety of sizes.  Armored Cavalry, Recon and Scout Regiments are typically equipped with hover tanks or light scout tanks such as the  Beagle Hover Scout, Lightning Attack Hovercraft, Chevalier Tank and Galleon Tank.  Armored Regiments use a variety of tanks and heavy hovercraft, including the Bulldog, Manticore, Zephyr, Condor and Von Luckner.  Heavy Armor regiments are usually built around the Alacorn, Rhino, Puma or Fury.  The AFFS Armored Forces also deploy a number of artillery units, these are typically equipped with Chaparral Artillery Tanks, Marksman & Thumper Artillery Vehicles and the Mobile Long Tom.  While the Regular Army does not deploy large numbers of  conventional fighters, there are a number of VTOL regiments that are equipped with the Cyrano Gunship, Ripper VTOL and other designs.

The AFFS' Militia armor forces are similar to the Regular Army regiments.  The biggest differences are the equipment that they use and their deployment.  The Militia armor regiments are part of the Planetary Guards, as such they are rarely deployed off of their homeworld, the exceptions are those regiments which are chosen to serve as part of the March Militias.

While the Militias Regiments follow the same organization and unit types as the Regular Army regiments, they deploy older equipment.  Instead of Manticore and Von Luckner tanks, many militia units rely on the venerable T-12 Tiger, while hovertank regiments use the aging LTV-4. Scout forces might rely on the Stoat Scout Car or other Age of War or Reunfication War designs.  Very few of the Planetary Guards units possess artillery, those that do typically use towed, rather then self-propelled units. The one area where militias are very generously equipped is their conventional fighter wings.  While unable to stand up to aerospace fighters, the conventional fighter wings are effective in the ground support roles.  Mosquito, Vendetta and Bullfrog fighters are among some of the most common designs in the Federated Suns.


Infantry
The largest component of the the AFFS is the Infantry branch.  While infantry are generally looked down upon in most militaries, the AFFS has recognized that the infantry fulfill a number of vital roles, even on the modern battlefield.  Rather then being treated as simply glorified police and mop up forces, the AFFS trains it's infantry to effectively serve along side armored and even Battlemech regiments. 

Infantry regiments come in several varieties.  The most common are foot and motorized units.  Lacking high mobility, these regiments are used mainly in defensive roles.  While some foot and mechanized regiments are assigned to the Regular Army, these formations are far more common in the March Militias and Planetary Guards formations, where they are used to man defensive fortifications.  Those regiments assigned to the Regular Army are used as follow up forces, and would be used to help secure newly captured territory.  The most common formation in the Regular Army is the mechanized infantry regiment.  These units are equipped with APC and armored units, making them formidable combat formations.  The AFFS also deploys a number of Jump Infantry regiments in the Regular Army, which have significant mobility thanks to their jump packs.  There are also several special formations, including airmobile, mountain and marine regiments. 

Unlike most other regiments in the AFFS, Infantry units are largely recruited from a single world or group of worlds.  Typically a soldier can expect to remain assigned to their regiment for their entire career.  The exceptions are those regiments assigned to the Davion Brigade of Guards, the Avalon Hussars and the Ceti Hussars. The infantry assigned to these units are recruited from the best infantrymen in the AFFS.  In addition to being some of the best soldiers in the AFFS, members of these regiments are tested to ensure their loyalty to the Federated Suns and the First Prince.

While front line combat formations make up the bulk of the AFFS' Infantry forces, there are a number of supporting elements that can be found on the AFFS' rolls.  The most common are the combat engineering battalions.  These units specialize in the destruction of enemy defenses and the construction of fortifications and defensive positions.  Engineering Battalions are usually assigned by the Operational Area Commander based on the needs of the units in the region. 


Aerospace Fighters
Aerospace fighters in the AFFS are divided into 2 basic groups, Regular Army and Naval wings.  The Regular Army deploys a number of fighter wings that are used to protect the ground forces from enemy fighter attacks and conduct close air support missions.  These wings are further subdivided into 2 different types, regimental wings which are permanently attached to a particular Battlemech regiment and independent wings which are assigned to missions on an as needed basis.  Expected to operate from ground bases, Army wings include all of the support forces they need to establish operations on a planet.  A base construction battalion includes engineers and all of the heavy equipment which is need to build and maintain an airfield.  A fight control detachment is responsible to running the airfield, including all aspects of mission planning and running the tower and flight operations.  The ground crews are responsible for repairing, rearming and maintaining the fighters assigned to the unit.  Each Wing also typically has a security detachment assigned to it, this usually consists of an infantry battalion and some supporting light armor.  In high threat areas, additional defenders will be provided by the Mech and Armored regiments that are being supported by the wing.

The bulk of the aerospace fighters in the AFFS are assigned to the Naval Wings.  The Naval Wings have a variety of roles that they fulfill.  The largest concentration of Naval Wings in the Department of Naval Defense.  Assigned to protect the borders of the Federation, these wings specialize in attacking and destroying enemy dropships and warships. In many cases these wings are found assigned to one of the Independent Patrol Squadrons or Heavy Patrol Squadrons which protect the borders of the Federation.  Other wings are permanently assigned to protect key worlds.  These wings may be planet based or assigned to space stations in the system. 

The Department of Naval Transport is the 2nd largest operator of aerospace fighters in the AFFS.  These fighters are assigned as convoy escorts for the many cargo ships that used to move the supplies and personnel of the AFFS.  These wings are specially trained to carry out defensive operations, both in and out of the atmosphere.  Heavy emphasis is placed on air to air combat as the wings are expected to deal with enemy fighters while the escort dropships assigned to the DNT deal with the larger vessels.

The Department of Naval Assault deploys the smallest number of aerospace fighter wings, but at the same time has some of the best pilots in the AFFS.  As the offensive arm of the FSNS, the Department of Naval Assault will be at the forefront of any planetary invasions or naval operations.  During these missions, the fighters of the Dept of Naval Assault are used to fly CAP for the fleet, protecting the FSNS warships and dropships from enemy fighter attacks.  The wings may also be given an offensive role to engage and destroy enemy fleet vessels.  During planetary landings, the fighters of the Dept of Naval Assault play a key role.  They are responsible for escorting the troop ships into the atmosphere and protecting them until the Army wings can establish an airfield planetside and begin operations. 

Naval Vessels
The AFFS possesses a large fleet of Dropships, conventional Jumpships and Warships.  These vessels are assigned to the Department of Naval Transport, the Department of Naval Defense and the Department of Naval Assault.  While some of these vessels, particularly those of the Department of Naval Transport, may be attached to Regular Army formations on a semi-permanent basis, they remain under the command of the FSNS.

The Department of Naval Transport is equipped with large numbers of conventional jumpships, cargo ships and troop transports.  The Dept of Naval Transport tends to deploy larger vessels, as they are more efficient at moving the huge amounts of cargo needed to support the AFFS.  For defense, there are a number of assault dropships assigned to the DNT, mainly Leopard CVs, Achilles and similar vessels.  The DNT also handles the fleet logistics, the large Catalyst Tankers handle the fuel needs of the fleet, while the Vulcan Tenders perform fleet maintenance and repair.  A number of cargo ships are assigned to the fleet train to carry spare parts, while Model 96 Octopus dropships are used to aid in repair and recovery operations. 

The Department of Naval Defense is tasked with defending the Federation's borders.  The core of the DND is the Independent Patrol Squadron.  These are typically built around a single Star Lord, carrying 2 Leopard CVs, 2 Achilles, an Intruder and a large cargo vessel.  For tougher missions, the DND deploys Heavy Patrol Squadrons. Each Heavy Patrol Squadron is led by a Congress-D Frigate and supported by 1-2 destroyers, either Davion II or Baron Class and 2-3 corvettes, either Daring, Audacious or Vigilant class.  Dropship support includes a number of Leopard CV, Achilles and Intruder class vessels. 

The Department of Naval Assault has the bulk of the AFFS warship fleet.  There are 8 main fleets, 3 are assigned to the Capellan March, 3 assigned to Draconis March and 2 held in reserve.  Each fleet is built around 6 of the Iron Duke Battleships.  Supporting the Iron Dukes are 4 New Syrtis Carriers, which carry the bulk of the Fighter Wings assigned to the DNA.  Each fleet also contains 4-5 Emerald Class Battlecruisers, 5-7 Rodney class cruisers and 2-3 Congress-D Frigates.   There are also large numbers of Destroyers (mainly Davion II class) and Corvettes (mainly Daring class) assigned to support the fleet.  The AFFS fleet contains several Kirov class command cruisers, these vessels are assigned to fleets on an as needed basis.  New vessels such as the Ascalon class Battleship and Crecy class Destroyer are being to be assigned to the fleet, replacing older vessels. 

In addition to the 8 main fleets, the Department of Naval Assault maintains a number of Assault Transport Squadrons. This force is used to transport troops into combat zones which may be defended by enemy warships.  These squadrons are led by a Furious class Destroyer/Carrier and supported by a Musketeer or Defender class Battlecruiser.  The bulk of the squadrons were composed of St George and Robinson class transports and these were escorted by a mix of Aegis cruisers, Baron and Davion Destroyers, and Daring and Vigilant Corvettes.  The assault squadrons did not possess any dropships, rather troop transports would be assigned on a temporary basis from the Department of Naval Transport based on the requirement of the mission. 

The RCT was not formalized as an AFFS organization until the 2nd Succession War I believe under the leadership of Melissa Davion and the Model Army. Could be wrong on the exact date going from memory but RCTs outside the SLDF are not around yet in 2785.