Earth Defense Coalition

(rough draft version!)

Profile
The Earth Defense Command is the Terrans' first line of defense against outside threats. It stands for freedom for all humans and the common defense of Earth. This often calls for a response to threats by the Transformers. The humans are becoming more adept at handling Transformer aggression towards the earth, allowing them to retake control of their planet. Through adapted Cybertronian technology, the warriors of the EDC are seeing the light at the end of the tunnel in this war and are becoming major players in the drama of Transformers: 2005.

The EDC is a military force with less restrictive rules of engagement than a conventional army. They understand that war does not respect national boundaries, especially when alien threats are involved, and are authorized to respond to a crisis no matter what the location. Relations with the Autobots have not always been friendly, but the two factions have maintained a distant friendship and will assist each other in times of need. The EDC and Militants will sometimes cooperate to defeat a common threat, but the Militants disapprove of the EDC's working relationship with the Autobot 'machines'. EDC command has also learned from experience not to fully trust the Militants. The EDC will respond to all Decepticon incursions with a show of force.

From its inception, the EDC has been led by Commander Marissa Fairbourne, a devoted and loyal soldier with a renowned military heritage. A perfectionist, she is an excellent officer and leader, but her temper flares when her patience is tried during times of high stress. However, times have changed and the EDC is now under the leadership of General Michael Briar. A rather young, if not clever, officer in the EDC ranks.

History
In October of 1988, Carly's father, a retired general, created a political organization known as the EDC (Earth Defense Coalition). Since then, the organization has gone through many changes. It has been a military branch of the United Nations and a privately owned corporation, owned first by Bryant Enterprises and then by the Militant Chikome-Ollin after a buyout of all the company stocks. Warlord (now General) Ollin turned the remnants of the EDC back over to the UN during the Decepticon occupation of Earth, when it was given the name it carries to this day: Earth Defense Command.

Resources
The EDC has bases on the old Air Force base in Alameda, California and in the European demilitarized zone (DMZ). An additional base, the GECCO in New Orleans, was destroyed by a rogue Militant faction in 2017. The EDC can also call upon military resources from the United States as well as UN forces in New York City. When responding to an emergency in another part of the world, the EDC often receives military and medical cooperation from local governments.

The weapons of the EDC are more advanced than any force on Earth save for the Militants. The EDC has cooperated with the Autobots and the Militants to improve their military hardware, and their powerful exo-suits are specifically designed to respond to Cybertronian aggression. Conventional weapons like tanks and jet fighters, such as the AF-27 or F-24, are frequently employed by the EDC, but they are more advanced than contemporary weapons of war. While the EDC is a military organization, it also relies upon a large staff of medics, technicians, engineers, and researchers, who are vital to its mission to protect the Earth from known and unknown threats.