Syaran National Army
| Syaran National Army | |
|---|---|
 Insignia of the Syaran National Army | |
| Founded | 1988 - Present |
| Country |  Syara |
| Type | Army |
| Size | 650,000 active duty 2,000,000 reservists |
| Garrison/HQ | Zovahr |
| Motto(s) | To the strongest |
| Engagements | Imerti Conflict Zemplen War |
| Commanders | |
| Commander-in-Chief | Anita Beleska |
The Syaran National Army is the land component of the Syaran Commonality Armed Forces. Founded in 1988 with the rest of the SCAF, the Syaran National Army is the largest branch of the Syaran military and most funded. Counting both regular and reserve personnel it is the largest army in all of Tyran. The Syaran National Army inherited much of it's organizational culture, doctrine, and equipment from the Army of the Syaran Republic.
History
Founded in 1988 aong with the rest of the SCAF, the Syaran National Army inherited much of it's equipment and organizational aspects from the defunct Army of the Syaran Republic. Under the leadership of SNA Central Command, the Syaran Army began the long process of reconstituting itself in the aftermath of the Refusal War.
The SNA in the early 1990s faced the daunting prospect of scaveging what remained of the pre-war Syaran Army arsenal. While much of it was in tatters and dissarray, the SNA Central Command deduced that Syara's domesticly designed equipment would suffice for it's purposes and set about rekindling Syaran arms manufacturing. Between 1990-1994 the SNA identifed production and modernization of small arms, artillery, and air defense systems to be highest priority, followed by armored fighting vehicles and utility vehicles.
Some programs were relatively minor in scope. Uprgades to Syara's P-series of assault rifles were largely cost effective measures and manufacturing decisions, switching from stainless steel to polymers and composite materials to save space and money. The P-91 sidearm, the P-20 combat shotgun, and P-95 assault rifles were essential makeovers of older models. Production of the PH-250 general purpose machine gun and hte PH-14 sniper rifle focused more on modernized practices in light of Syaran experience in the Refusal War. The biggest changes came to more powerful weaponry, namely the Xyston shoulder fired rocket launcher, the Icarus man portable air defense system, and the Falx anti-tank guided missile. These three weapon systems were the most significant alterations to Syaran infantry, upgraded from the Republic's reliance on rocket-propelled grenades.
Artillery had been the cornerstone of the Republic's Army, and the Syaran National Army retained that mindset as it developed through the 90s. Just as the Republic had paved the way for the standardization of heavy artillery during the Divide War, the SNA sought to continue that with the prioritization of a few types of rounds. Taking note of the value of mobile fire support, the SNA began development of a family of self-proppelled artillery pieces that would replace Syara's reliance on towed guns. In order to simplify logistics, 122mm and 155mm calibers were selected as the standardized shells for Syaran fire support, to be fired from the 122mm Polcycotes and the 155 Pallas. Both build on the backs of Syara's DCA utility trucks, mass production began in the late 90s and steadily replaced the towed 155mm Porphyrion. In order to supplament it's traditional shellfire, the Cerberus rocket artillery system was desgined as well, capable of firing 107mm, 122mm, or 128mm rockets.
Although air power did not play a decisive role in the Refusal War, the SNA considered it vital to develop a proper air defense network capable of defending Syaran ground forces from aerial threats. The Republic had fielded many towed air defense guns and self-propelled anti-aircraft guns, but the desire to focus on surface-to-air missiles resulted in the production of the Pollux short range air defense missile system, which could be modified to fire 40mm anti-aircraft shells. While the SNA could be outfitted with the Daedalus mobile SAM launcher for mid-range defense, long range air defense remained in limbo until the fielding of the Calliope long range strategic air defense system, which was finally fielded in 2004 after nearly a decade in development.
Armored fighting vehicles were less of a priority for updating. Many of the Republic's armored vehicles were of sound designs that had served well in the Refusal War, and SNA Central Command did not see much reason for deviation. Only two new AFVs were introduced in the 1990s, the Phaethon APC and Myrmidon main battle tank. The Phaethon, described by the SNA as a light armored personnel carrier, was not meant to replace the older but reliable Notos but compliment it, with a smaller frame, higher speed, and better modularity. The Phaethon was produced in many variants and became primarily known for it's employment as a recon vehicle. The Myrmidon main battle tank was largely an evolution of the older Minotaur, armed with a 125mm cannon and updated optics, fire control systems, and a superior engine gave it a longer service life expectancy and robustness. It was produced in 1998 and intended to replace the Minotaur and even older Manticore, although future events would see both models pressed back into service.