[jason taylor]

The NFC is the poor forgotten child of the Imperial service, no doubt because most sci fi ignores NAVAL naval fighting, and more important the water surface can be covered by space-based observation and fire. None the less with a little imagination it can be used.

Obvious tasks would be peacekeeping and counterinsurgency. Like the army it has a role in planetary defense and offense. Offensively they can come in a following wave to secure water portions of a world after a planethead was made by landing troops. Defensively they can play hide and seek (there was actually one incident like that described in The City of Gold and Lead, where human submarines had conducted an abortive guerilla war against The Masters, long ago).

If there is an underwater resource exploitation facility then the NFC can be a player in guarding it.

If an Imperial Starport is near water on a balkanized world, an NFC garrison has a far more interesting life.