1978 battle over Takoushian Valley
| 1978 battle over Takoushian Valley | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of the Hayren War | |||||||
 Gemini 1 is shot down. | |||||||
| |||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
 Ruvelka |
 Republic of Syara | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
|
2 Norderstedt EF-106 Lycans 2 AFSF-9 Libellulas |
2 Cycnus 3 Strix | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
|
1 EF-106 shot down 1 AFSF-9 damaged |
1 Strix shot down 1 Strix damaged | ||||||
The 1978 battle over Takoushian Valley was as aerial engagement fought between aircraft belonging to the Syaran Army Air Corps and the Ruvelkan Imperial Air Force during the Hayren War. A flight of two Acrean made Norderstedt EF-106 Lycans intercepted a flight of Syaran Strix ground attack aircraft, which were being escorted by a pair of Cycnus fighters. The Ruvelkan aircraft were later reinforced by a flight of two Cacertian made AFSF-9 Libellulas. Both sides suffered one aircraft shot down and one aircraft damaged during the battle. It was the second major air battle to occur between the SAAC and the RIAF following the 1977 battle over Malhkirin the previous year.
Background
The Takoushian Valley lies in the modern day region of Armavir, which in 1978 was claimed by the unrecognized Hayren Republic. The valley was a strategically significant to all sides as it connected the capital city of Ashtarak with the Syaran highway network in Hayreniky. Militia of the Hayren Republic had been using the valley and its connecting roadways to move supplies and troops through the area. Between 20 April and 4 May Hayren militia staged out of the Takoushian Valley had ambushed three Syaran military convoys, resulting in the deaths of six Syaran soldiers and injuries to 24 others. Sometime between 26 April and 2 May the Hayren militia had also launched mortars and rockets at Ruvelkan border outposts near Ashtarak, killing and wounding more than a dozen Ruvelkan border guards and troops. In response, Ruvelkan Imperial Fusiliers were dispatched to the region and launched a number of raids against Hayren militia. On two occasions the Fusiliers fired upon or were fired upon by the Army of the Syaran Republic.
In light of rising tensions amid the deployment of Ruvelkan Fusiliers, an additional 8,000 Syaran troops were dispatched to Armavir and engaged in a number of firefights with Ruvelkan border guards and military forces. By 4 May Syaran intelligence and reconnaissance had concluded that Ruvelkan Fusiliers were operating in part of the Takoushian to observe Syaran troop movements; between 2-3 May Ruvelkan sniper fire had killed two Syaran soldiers and wounded four more. In response, the Syaran Army Air Corps dispatched aircraft to bomb suspected Ruvelkan positions in the Valley.
Battle
At 1015 on 4 May 1978 a flight of three Syaran Strix ground attack aircraft departed Parnagi Air Base to bomb locations in the Takoushian Valley. The three aircraft formed Kappa Flight, numbered 1-3, and were joined midway to their destination by a flight of two Cycnus fighter aircraft, code named Razor 1 and Razor 2. Ruvelkan ground radar across the border detected the approaching five aircraft and informed Gemini Flight, two Norderstedt EF-106 Lycans flown by Captain Anikó Papp and Lieutenant Szilárd Gulyás, who were conducting a combat-air-patrol in the area. The two Lycans altered course to intercept upon learning the Syaran aircraft were heading for an area where Ruvelkan troops were known to be operating in.
Recognizing Gemini Flight was outnumbered, Ruvelkan command and control ordered two additional AFSF-9 Libellulas to scramble and provide rapid reinforcement. The two Libellulas, flown by Captains Barna Vass and Márk Németh, departed Taszár Air Base and vectored towards the incoming Syaran flight. Approximately 20 minutes later, Razor 1's pilot Lt. Jovan Partyka detected the approaching Lycans on radar. From Partkya's perspective, it appeared the two Ruvelkan aircraft were on an intercept course with Razor flight, and "janked" north-east to point his nose in the direction of the two approaching Ruvelkans. A few moments later, the two Ruvelkan aircraft responded by pivoting their noses south-east, appearing to move away from Razor Flight. Partkya misinterpreted this as a sign of de-escalation, believing the Ruvelkans were showing no hostile intent.
In reality, Gemini Flight had shifted south-east to keep pace with Kappa Flight, which they had identified as the Syaran aircraft still heading for the positions of Ruvelkan ground forces. At the time, the Ruvelkans were not aware of the exact identity of the Syaran aircraft, and Gemini Flight likely did not realize Razor Flight were air superiority fighters rather than ground attack aircraft. Ruvelkan ground radar was clear enough to make this distinction, but for whatever reason the information was not passed onto Gemini Flight.
After a few minutes Captain Partkya realized that the Ruvelkan Lycans were not breaking contact and in fact were continuing for the Strix aircraft and ordered Razor 2 to follow suit and begin targeting the Ruvelkans. Captain Papp radar warning receiver recognized the Syaran radar targeting and Papp ordered Gemini flight to split. Correctly recognizing that the distance between the two flights meant the Syarans were likely flying Cycnuses, Gemini Flight went low to the deck (close to the ground) to take advantage of the Lycan's superior performance at lower altitudes. Both Syaran escorts fired off an air-to-air missile, but both missiles failed to track.
Lieutenant Gulyás, flying Gemini 2, remained on the nose with Kappa Flight and continued to vector an intercept while descending, possibly hoping to frustrate a beyond-visual-range shot from the Syarans by drawing close to the Strixes. Kappa Flight scattered in response, all three aircraft descending beneath 2,000 feet in order to take advantage of the mountainous terrain to confuse radar detection and visual tracking. Gulyás manged to lock onto Kappa 2 and fired two air-to-air missiles, the second one successfully impacting the Strix and destroying the aircraft. Having scattered the Flight and downed one of their numbers, Papp ordered a retreat and the two Ruvelkan Lycans turned east and sped for Ruvelkan airspace.
Having temporarily lost the Lycans during their descent, Captain Partkya regained contact with Gemini 1 and fired an air-to-air missile, which struck the aircraft and sent it into a tail-spin. Papp successfully ejected and was later recovered by Ruvelkan forces. With one Lycan shot down and the other in retreat, the Syarans attempted to reform their flight package when Syaran ground radar detected the approaching Libellulas. The Ruvelkan interceptors, fielding their own high powered radar, had already detected the Syarans and moved for an intercept. At a range of 35 kilometers both Libellulas fired on the Syaran aircraft. Razor Flight moved to engage and responded with a volley of their own before both Syarans turned and flew west with their afterburners. Captain Németh fired another missile at Razor Flight which instead tracked one of the remaining Strix, damaging the aircraft though it returned safely. Captain Vass's own Libellula suffered minor damage from one of Razor Flight's missiles, and the Ruvelkan chose to break contact rather than pursue the Syarans.
Aftermath
Takoushian Valley proved to be yet another escalation in the steadily deteriorating situation between Ruvelka the Republic of Syara during the Hayren War. Despite efforts by both governments to avoid further escalations, another aerial incident would occur just a month later on 17 June when another Strix was downed by a Ruvelkan Aestrup-Sibrian MRCA.