Strix

Strix
Role	Ground attack aircraft
National origin	Republic of Syara
First flight	1973
Introduction	1974
Retired	2014
Status	In limited service
Primary user	Syaran Army Air Corps Commonality Air Force
Produced	1973-2010
Number built	700+

The Strix is a twinjet subsonic ground attack aircraft first produced by the Republic of Syara in the 1970s. Intended as a single-seat low level close air support platform, difficulties during production and design led the Strix to be sidelined by the similar Corvus.

The Seven Day War had highlighted a weakness among attack aircraft of the Syaran Army Air Corps, leading the Armed Forces of the Syaran Republic to pursue a new design. The Strix was originally intended as a supersonic ground attack aircraft, but difficulty during the design and production of the aircraft led to the supersonic capability being dropped in favor of a simpler subsonic engine. The decision to do so had a negative impact on the aircraft's performance in pratice, with the final airframe proving unpopular with pilots. This ultimately led to a limited production of run of the aircraft, and just 65 were built by the time of the Refusal War.

Despite its flaws the Strix had a serviceable performance during the Refusal War. Following the establishment of the Commonality Air Force the relatively cheap price and ease of production of the Strix made it an attractive option for ground attack aircraft and reconnaissance, leading to production restarting in 1993. By 2004 the aircraft was slated to be retired in the near future however the Imerti Conflict saw the plans put on hold. The Strix was pressed into front line service during the Zemplen War, where it suffered heavy losses from Ruvelkan ground fire and air defense systems. A total of 146 aircraft were lost, second most after the Corvus. Shortly after the war ended the CAF announced that production of the Strix would cease and the platform would be retired from active service. In remains in use in a limited function.