The Army Air Corps of Koenwitz
The Army Air Corps, the youngest arm of the army having only been founded in 1970, runs its affairs from the massive airfield at Theodorplatz. It controls every aspect of aerial operations, from the high-level clerical, tactical and organisational work to the low-level direction of operations. It assigns squadrons and regiments to the divisions that require them, but always keeps operational control. The Luftmeister, or Chief Quartermaster of the Army Air Corps, also works at Theodorplatz assigning and ordering materiel.
The fixed-wing units of the Air Corps – the Fighter & Bomber Squadrons and Transport Regiments - are based at Theodorplatz along with the Airtraining Division, while the majority of the helicopter-equipped Aviation and Aviation Assault Regiments are based at Elzenborn. This large area at the head of the Elzenborn valley in the south is particularly well-defended and, in an emergency, the helicopters can be retreated into large hangars built into the strong valley walls. The Aviation Regiments currently attached to the Airborne formations are based at Jorgen, but are not under the control of those formations.
Relations between ground troops and pilots are usually very good, although they did break down to an extent in the last years of the war. The Infantry sometimes complain that the Air Corps will not always allow the Aviation Regiments to be fully deployed to support them, and in the Airborne’s case this lead to the creation of 1st Airborne Division’s Glider Regiment, but otherwise there has been little question of the Air Corps operational control of its forces. The Air Corps, as with the other branches of service, has undergone a massive expansion with the repealing of the "Peacetime Act" following the Boico Deployment of 2007.
Contents
Air Corps Formations
Fighter Squadron (Jagdstaffel)
The first fighter squadron, the 111th, was not raised until 1968, although it only contained 90 very old biplanes. In 1970, however, it was re-equipped with the new KV-F1 Fighter-Bomber, and sufficient aircraft had been built by the outbreak of the war to equip a second squadron, the 112th. During the war these units were much less employed than the Aviation Regiments, simply because the Republican Forces had no fighter wing. The squadrons were used to strafe rebel forces around Harabszk during the southern assault of the Kaen Offensives, and also during the insurgencies of 1987-89, but otherwise the fighter squadrons have seen very little combat. The pilots have been well-trained, however, thanks to good co-operation with American air advisors during the 1960s & 70s. The fighter squadrons contain three wings of 40 KV-F1’s.
- 111th Fighter Squadron “Screaming Blackbirds” – Raised in 1968 at Theodorplatz. Contains the 112th, 114th and 116th Fighter Wings. Under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Fritz Gallandt
- 112th Fighter Squadron “Silver Devils” – Raised in 1984 at Theodorplatz. Contains the 124th, 126th and 128th Fighter Wings. Under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Erich Schlatchhofen (perhaps Koenwitz’s only ‘air ace’ with a credit of thirty tank kills during the war).
- 114th Fighter Squadron "Silver Bandits" - Raised in March 2007 at Theodorplatz. Has not yet seen action. Contains the 134th, 136th and 138th Fighter Wings. Under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Heinrich Gericht.
- 116th Fighter Squadron "October Wind" - Raised in June 2007 at Theodorplatz for possible future deployment to Boico. The war ended before the unit had completed its training, and thus it has not seen action. Contains the 144th, 146th and 148th Fighter Wings. Under the command of Major Albert Knispel.
- 118th Fighter Squadron "Howling Chaffinches" - Raised in July 2007 at Theodorplatz. Has not yet seen action. Contains the 164th, 166th and 168th Fighter Wings. Under the command of Major Wilhelm Trautmann.
- 202nd Fighter Squadron "Devil's Fury" - Raised in July 2007 at Theodorplatz. Has not yet seen action. Contains the 202nd, 204th and 206th Fighter Wings. Under the command of Major Kurt Yurek.
Bomber Squadron (Bombenstaffel)
The Air Corps’ lone bomber squadron was not raised until 1984, when the Crown-Prince demanded that the religious insurgents that were plaguing the south were bombed into submission. Spreelow had been working on a new bomber aircraft and this was hurriedly put into production. By the outbreak of war only 70 bombers were available and despite bombing Elzstadt and Harabszk played little role in the conflict. After the war there was much debate about whether the squadron should be scrapped or more bomber formation created. The Army Air Corps wanted to go in the direction of strategic bombing, against much protest from Aviation and Artillery officers who regarded it as outmoded. Controversially, some of the Air Corps chiefs wanted to use the bombers to deploy nuclear weapons. The debate on bomber deployment still continues, but meanwhile several new formations have been raised in the wake of the Boico Deployment. The single squadron that does operate has six wings of 60 KV-116 Bombers.
- 114th Bomber Squadron “Heaven’s Purge” – Raised at Theodorplatz in 1984. Contains the 900th, 905th, 910th, 915th, 920th and 925th Bomber Wings. Under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Artur Fritsch. A single bomber from this squadron was employed in the infamous mission to drop nuclear weapons on Cyonist forces in Boico, which resulted in devastating reprisals.
- 116th Bomber Squadron "Wrath of Heaven" - Raised at Theodorplatz in 2007. Has not yet seen action. Contains the 930th, 935th, 940th, 945th, 950th and 955th Bomber Wings. Under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Christopher Mantsturn
- 118th Bomber Squadron "Doombringers" Raised at Theodorplatz in 2007. Has not yet seen action. Contains the 960th, 965th, 970th, 975th, 980th and 985th Bomber Wings. Under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Niklaus Weber
- 200th Bomber Squadron "Hell's Purge" - Raised at Theodorplatz in 2007. Has not yet seen action. Contains the 200th, 205th, 210th, 215th, 220th and 225th Bomber Wings. Under the command of Major Jurgen Pips
- 202nd Bomber Squadron "Iron Gold" - Raised at Theodorplatz in 2007. Has not yet seen action. Contains the 230th, 235th, 240th, 245th, 250th and 255th Bomber Wings. Under the command of Major Erich von Lublitz.
- 204th Bomber Squadron "Iron Wind" - Raised at Theodorplatz in 2007. Has not yet seen action. Contains the 260th, 265th, 270th, 275th, 280th and 285th Bomber Wings. Under the command of Colonel Gerhardt Knocksch.
Transport Regiment
The Air Corps created its first Transport Regiment in 1974 to support the new 1st Airborne Division. Transport aircraft in this regiment operated solely in support of the paratroopers, whether dropping them or supplies for them. However, in 1980 it was recognised that additional cargo aircraft would be required should Koenwitzian troops ever need to deploy abroad, and so a second regiment was raised that year and during the war was assigned to 2nd Airborne Division. After the war the transport regiments changed very little, still utilising the KV-52 three-engine transports they had been issued with originally. However, the implementation of the KV-80 Cargo Aircraft has greatly increased their supply and logistical burden. Both regiments contain roughly 125 aircraft each.
- 115th Transport Regiment “The Carriers” –Raised at Theodorplatz in 1980 as an aerial supply unit. Assigned to 2nd Airborne Division in 1985. After the war returned to its role in aerial supply. It was then used to transport virtually all of the main fighting units of the Koenwitz Expeditionary Force to Boico in the summer of 2007, losing a significant number of men and aircraft as Cyonist artillery and naval gunfire pounded their landing zones at Crepia. The regiment recieved a unit citation after the war.
- 116th Transport Regiment “Storming Eagles” – Raised at Theodorplatz in 1974 and assigned to 1st Airborne Division, where it has remained ever since. It transported the division to Boico in 2007 and subsequently withdrew it, suffering lighter casualties than its sister regiment.
- 117th Transport Regiment "Wings of Steel" - Raised at Theodorplatz in 2007. Has not yet been deployed in combat operations.
- 118th Transport Regiment "The Deliverers" - Raised at Theodorplatz in 2007. Assigned to the new 4th Airborne Division. Has not yet been deployed in combat operations.
- 200th Transport Regiment "No Load Too Light" - Raised at Theodorplatz in 2007. Has not yet been deployed in combat operations.
- 202nd Transport Regiment "The Lifters" - Raised at Theodorplatz in 2007. Has not yet been deployed in combat operations.
Aviation Regiment
The first aviation regiments were established in 1973 after the completion of the KV-UH1D utility helicopter. This was one of the most iconic vehicles of the war and was used by the Aviation Regiments in a variety of roles. The main aviation regiments – the “400 series” – are used almost totally for Army support, whether in medical evacuation, transportation or support roles. The "600 series" regiments operate as the Army’s “heavy lift” service and is used to bring weaponry to lighter infantry formations such as the Jäger and Airborne, while the "800 series" serves as artillery observation units. The “400 series” each have 200 UH-1D helicopters (soon to be replaced by the improved UH-1F), while the "600 series" each have 150 cargo helicopters and "800 series" 400 observation helicopters.
- 422nd Aviation Regiment “The Rescuers” – Raised at Theodorplatz in 1973. In the war it served as the Army’s chief medical evacuation regiment and continues to do so today. It provided the main aviation element of the Koenwitz Expeditionary Force during the Boico Deployment, and several brave pilots from the regiment sacrificed themselves to prevent Cyonist nuclear weapons from hitting civilian targets.
- 424th Aviation Regiment “Frequent Fliers” – Raised at Theodorplatz in 1973. Assigned to the 2nd and 3rd Jäger Divisions in the south of country between 1987-1990. Deployed to Boico in mid-June, where it provided the intermediate air support role for the 5th Jäger Division until its assigned aviation regiments arrived in country (which ultimately they never did). Consequently the regiment suffered the heaviest casualties of the aviation regiments deployed to Boico as it brought the men of the 5th Jäger out of many brutal scrapes.
- 426th Aviation Regiment “Out of Hell” – Raised at Theodorplatz in 1974. Evacuated Army troops from Elzstadt when the city fell to Republican forces in 1986. Afterwards used as an emergency evacuation force.
- 428th Aviation Regiment “Angels From Above” – Raised at Theodorplatz in 1974. Evacuated the remnants of 1st Airborne and 3rd Jäger out of the Harabszk pocket in 1987. Afterwards served as a medical evacuation regiment.
- 442nd Aviation Regiment “Flames of Elzstadt” – Raised at Theodorplatz in 1976. Was assigned to 2nd Airborne Division during the battle for Elzstadt in 1987, and earned many battle honours there. Afterwards used to deploy and extract troops in the north of the country. Now assigned to the 1st Air Assault Division
- 444th Aviation Regiment “The Hovering Devils” – Raised at Theodorplatz in 1976. Used to transport various infantry regiments around the country throughout the war. Now assigned to 1st Air Assault Division
- 446th Aviation Regiment “Glory Boys” – Raised at Elzenborn in 1999. Assigned to 5th Jäger Division (Airmobile). Was scheduled to deploy to Boico after the Division had been deployed conventionally, but the war ended before it was ready to leave Koenwitz. Has not yet been deployed in combat operations.
- 448th Aviation Regiment “Battle Taxi” – Raised at Elzenborn in 1999. Assigned to 5th Jäger Division (Airmobile). Was scheduled to deploy to Boico after the Division had been deployed conventionally, but the war ended before it was ready to leave Koenwitz. Has not yet been deployed in combat operations.
- 462nd Aviation Regiment "Hauenmeyer's Heroes" - Raised at Theodorplatz in 2007. Assigned to the new 1st Airmobile Division. Has not yet been deployed in combat operations.
- 464th Aviation Regiment "Fritsch's Fighters" - Raised at Theodorplatz in 2007. Assinged to the new 1st Airmobile Division. Has not yet been deployed in combat operations.
- 466th Aviation Regiment "Dustoff" - Raised at Elzenborn in 2007. Assinged to the new 2nd Air Assault Division. Has not yet been deployed in combat operations.
- 468th Aviation Regiment "The Saviours" - Raised at Elzenborn in 2007. Assinged to the new 2nd Air Assault Division. Has not yet been deployed in combat operations.
- 644th Aviation Regiment “The Heavy Lifters” – Raised at Theodorplatz in 1981. Used to transport artillery and Kubelwagen T-69’s to various Jäger and Airborne formations throughout the war. Continues to operate in this role.
- 646th Aviation Regiment "Iron Arms" - Raised at Theodorplatz in 2007. Has not yet been deployed in combat operations.
- 648th Aviation Regiment "You Call We Haul" - Raised at Theodorplatz in 2007. Has not yet been deployed in combat operations.
- 886th Aviation Regiment “Eyes in the Skies” – Raised at Theodorplatz in 1985. During the war operated artillery spotting services for the entire Army and continues to do so.
- 888th Aviation Regiment "Watching Blackbirds" - Raised at Theodorplatz in 2007. Has not yet been deployed in combat operations.
Aviation Assault Regiment
The Army’s Aviation Assault Regiments were not raised until the completion of the KV AH-1 attack helicopter in late 1979. They are designed to support Army operations by attacking enemy supply lines and armoured vehicles, and are also used as a form of “airborne artillery”. Each Aviation Assault Regiment contains 200 AH-1.
- 902nd Aviation Assault Regiment “Death From Above” – Raised at Elzenborn in 1980. Helped to lift the siege of Karentan in 1986 and fought with 1st Airborne Division during the Battle of Harabszk in 1987. Afterwards served as an independent unit which fought insurgents all over the country for the remainder of the war, being briefly employed against the Royalist forces in Koenburg in 1990. Employed in the Eastern Insurgency in 1999.
- 904th Aviation Assault Regiment “Hawks Jaws” – Raised at Elzenborn in 1993. Has not yet been in any major combat operation
- 906th Aviation Assault Regiment "Airborne Battery" - Raised at Elzenborn in 2007. Has not yet been deployed in combat operations.
- 908th Aviation Assault Regiment "The Screamers" - Raised at Elzenborn in 2007. Has not yet been deployed in combat operations.
Airtraining Division
See the Training article for more details.
- 1st Air Training Regiment
- 2nd Air Training (Helicopter) Regiment
- 3rd Air Training (Fixed Wing) Regiment
- 4th Air Training (Fixed Wing Jet) Regiment
