Defense Fleet uniform

"Which family wears black?"
"None of them. That's the Chiss Defense Fleet. Black's a combination of all colors, since the military draws from all the families."

―Luke Skywalker and Chak Fel^[1]

Defense Fleet uniforms were a type of clothing^[1] used by the Chiss Expansionary Defense Fleet,^[4] including the Chiss Defense Fleet^[1] and Chiss Expansionary Fleet.^[2]

Description[]

The Defense Fleet uniforms had shoulder patches in the color of one of the Ruling Families. Chiss officers wore a pair of silver bars on their collar indicating the owner's military rank, a military shoulder belt and an utility belt holding a Chiss comlink. In the case of Chiss warriors, the bars were absent, although a smaller family shoulder patch was still present.^[2] Additionally, the uniforms could include a holster to carry a charric pistol.^[1]

The Defense Fleet uniforms were colored black, as this color was a combination of all colors, which signified that the military drew its members from all of the Chiss families.^[1] Chiss Defense Fleet officers were required to prove themselves similar to how the Ruling Families selected merit adoptives to be taken into the Defense Hierarchy. Upon promotion to a senior rank in the Defense Fleet, the officer was stripped of family name and privilege and made part of the Hierarchy in order that they may serve all Chiss without deference or prejudice. At that point, senior officers wore dazzling white uniforms. As with those not part of the Hierarchy, senior officers' white uniforms had a belt holding a Chiss comlink.^[2]

History[]

In 27 BBY,^[5] Force Commander Mitth'raw'nuruodo, core name "Thrawn," of the Chiss Expansionary Fleet wore a Defense Fleet uniform in the same black color as his warrior escort but with a larger burgundy patch on his shoulder and a pair of elaborately tooled silver bars on the collar.^[2] The burgundy shoulder patch bore a yellow crest.^[6] Wynssa Fel, the younger daughter of Soontir Fel and Syal Antilles Fel, wore a miniature version of the CEDF dress code during the Yuuzhan Vong War.^[3]

Behind the scenes[]

Although the cover art of Outbound Flight incorrectly depicts Mitth'raw'nuruodo's black shoulder patch, the novel describes him having a burgundy shoulder patch in the color of Eighth Ruling Family,^[2] as later correctly depicted in the The Essential Atlas.^[6]