Central Command

The Cardassian Central Command (sometimes known as the High Command) is the military authority of the Cardassian Union. Officially it reported to the civilian Detapa Council; in reality, Central Command, together with the Obsidian Order - which the Central Command has a long standing distrust of - ruled the Cardassian Union. The Cardassian Union, the Detapa Council and the Central Command and the Obsidian Order were formed in the 19th century. Central Command was overthrown in 2372 in favor of civilian rule. The Obsidian Order had collapsed a year previously after the disastrous Battle of the Omarion Nebula.

Every Cardassian ship, outpost and space station within the Cardassian Union can be controlled by Central Command's primary base on Cardassia Prime. This same base was later used by the Dominion to oversee all aspects of the war. To ensure that no intruders could penetrate their doors and force their way inside, the doors to the base were made of solid neutronium, a metal impenetrable to moderate explosives.

In late 2374, General Martok told Captain Benjamin Sisko and Admiral William Ross that "by this time next year, the three of us will drink bloodwine in the halls of Cardassia's Central Command". Martok was right in his assumption, though Ross and Sisko refused to drink in the wake of such catastrophic loss of life. (DS9: "Tears of the Prophets", "What You Leave Behind")

The Central Command was first referred to as the Cardassian High Command in "Necessary Evil". The first use of the term Cardassian Central Command occurred in "Profit and Loss".