Operation Falcon

Operation Falcon
Part of the Western Theater (Siduri War)
Mansuri airborne troops jump out of planes during Operation Falcon
Date 30-31 August 1935 Location Suwaiyydah, Mansuriyyah Result Mansuri-Ruvelkan victory
Belligerents
Mansuriyyah Ruvelka	Republic of Syara
Commanders and leaders
Colonel Abdul Qadir al-Groznawi Regimental Leader Veronika Kozma	Major Ljudevit Grbeša
Units involved
1st Airborne Battalion (Mansuri Army) 1st Ruvelkan Imperial Fusiliers Airborne Battalion	7th Battalion, 344th Infantry Regiment

Operation Falcon Operation Falcon was the codename given to a joint Mansuri-Ruvelkan military operation against Syaran forces during the Siduri War on the Western Theater. The operation is famous for being the first airborne assault carried out in Tyran’s military history.

Following the Inner Sphere’s victory in the battle of Dhahr al-Baydar pass, Syaran forces kept on a slow advance along western Mansuriyyah, with Mansuri forces led by General Hamid Asqalani putting on an aggressive defensive strategy to slow down the Sphere’s advances to allow for both Mansuri and Ruvelkan forces in exile to consolidate its forces. Syaran progress was largely halted along the Qarasu River by the spring of 1935. After having received reports from both Mansuri and Common Axis’ allies that Syaran forces had redirected substantial manpower and equipment to the Quenminese front, General Hamid launched a series of counter-offensives in the summer of 1935.

Among the targets of Hamid’s counter-offensive was the town of Suwaidiyyah, a major transport hub. Colonel Abdul Qadir al-Groznawi convinced the General to let him lead the assault with his experimental airborne unit.

Previous to the start of the war, Abdul Qadir worked on the development of an airborne paratroop force, managing to hold a number of maneuvers in late 1934 and 1935, but this was put to a halt with the Syaran invasion, when he was reassigned to a fighting unit. General Hamid gave him permission to form a brigade-sized experimental unit. Having fought alongside Regimental Leader Veronika Kozma, an Imperial Ruvelkan Fusilier who participated in similar airborne experiments prior to the war, he invited her to work together in the creation of the new unit. The newly-formed regiment trained together for 2 months in preparation for their first mission.

The operation was launched in the early morning of August 30th, when the 1st Airborne Battalion together with an Imperial Ruvelkan Fusiliers battalion was air-dropped near Suwaiyydah. Taking advantage of the surprise, the detachment quickly seized a railroad junction, the local airfield and a major bridge, effectively destroying the local garrison, then setting up a defensive position on the edge of the town before Syaran reinforcements could arrive. Another Airborne battalion was air-landed in the airfield with a company of light tanks, and the unit held the line until it was relieved by a Mansuri Army regiment the following day, pushing back the Syaran counter-attack.

The success of the operation prompted Mansuri commanders to execute further raids, taking over a number of airfields and transportation hubs along the frontline. The unit was quickly expanded, growing to division-size by the end of the year, with the creation of other units soon following suit, and cementing its operational doctrine.