Aurelian War

This conflict is featured in Ace Combat X: The Skies of Deception for the PlayStation Portable (PSP). It takes place in the year 2020.

Skies of Deception
In 2020, the Democratic Republic of Leasath enters war with it's neighbor, the Federal Republic of Aurelia. Aurelia was said to have exploited Leasath during a civil war a generation ago. The Leasath Forces were lead by Commander Diego Caspar Navarro, during their full scale offensive against Aurelia. Leading them with his powerful statements, the Leasath Troops quickly crossed the Aurelian Border and smashed any resistance in their way. Months after the inital offensive the Aurelian Forces were all but beaten by Navarro's Troops.

A Large Leasath Bomber Group was launched in order to destroy one of the last Aurelian Air Bases. Aurelian Ace Gryphus One, also known as the "Southern Cross", was scrambled with an entire Aurelian Fighter Squadron and intercepted the bombers. After the Leasath Aircraft were shot down, the Gleipnir appeared on the battlefield and wiped out most of the Aurelian Aircraft.

Counter-Offensive
Aurelia then moved to reclaim a vital Naval Facility for their forces, in an attempt to mount a counterattack. The Gleipnir had returned to a Supply Facility in southern Aurelia, at Terminus Island. The Aurelian Forces managed to retake their Naval Port, destroyed front line Leasath Air Bases and Facilities and began a ground offensive with their outnumbered forces. The Gleipnir began to fire upon the Aurelian Ground Forces from Terminus Island, with it's deadly SWBMs. The First and Second Aurelian Fleets, along with support from the Gryphus Squadron went to Terminus Island in hopes of shooting down the Gleipnir. They were ambushed by Gleipnir, thanks to it's Digital Optical Stealth (DOS) Technology and the Aurelian 1st Fleet was wiped out. Gryphus One engaged the Gleipnir every time it decloaked and managed to destroy it's SWBM Launch Ports and hevily damge it's DOS. Gleipnir's Crew quickly brought the fortress high into the atmosphere and flew to a Repair Facility in Santa Elva.

The Aurelian Forces responded quickly and attacked the Gleipnir at its Repair Facility. The Leasath Forces were caught completely off guard. The Gleipnir was emergency launched by the Leasath Forces in hopes it would get away. Gryphus One attacked Gleipnir and managed to destroy all of it's conventional defensive weaponry. As Gryphus 1 began to attack the Gleipnir's engines, the Gleipnir Captain implored his crew to use the Gleipnir's Shock Cannon (built facing straight-down and made for ground attacks) against the Southern Cross. Due to battle damages the crew did not want to risk ripping the Gleipnir to shreds, attempting to fire the Shock Cannon. The Gleipnir's Captain took the controls of the Aircraft and in an unbelievable feat of the aircraft's maneuverability, rolled the Gleipnir upside down and flew it inverted. The Shock Cannon was fired multiple times in desperation, but Gryphus One soon destroyed the Gleipnir's Shock Cannon and shot down the large aircraft.

With the loss of the Gleipnir, Aurelian Forces began to push back the Leasath Military on all fronts. Sachana Air Base, the largest Aurelian Air Base was re-taken, and the Jamming Facilities at Mount Nevera were destroyed.

However, this was at the expense of defenses at the captured Aurelian Capital, Griswall, being fortified, by technology airlifted from Monte Breeze Industrial Area. Despite that, the Aurelian Forces, headed by Gryphus One, now known by the Leasath Military as "Nemesis", launched an operation to retake their Capital City, Griswall. The Leasath Forces had set-up 'Meson Cannons' on buildings within Griswall; the Laser Cannons fired upon the Aurelian Forces relentlessly. During the attack Commander Diego Gaspar Navarro had fled Griswall and fled to nearby Leasath Territory. Meanwhile, the Meson Cannon Defense System, along with all Leasath Forces were destroyed. The Aurelian Capital City was retaken. Soon after this all Leasath Forces were pushed out of Aurelian Territory.

After a few days of regrouping and reestablishing their flow of supplies, the Aurelian Military was on the move again, this time to stop General Navarro, once and for all. Commander Navarro and his remaining forces had fled to the nearby Daren Straits. It was confirmed that a secret Leasath Super Weapon was under development there. Though no details were known at that time, it was believed that this weapon could be mass produced and posed to be a large threat to all Aurelian Forces.

End of Deception
Gryphus One and an Aurelian Fighter Wing flew to the Danern Straits and destroyed a large facility there, called Cobalt Cave, which was developing technology to make this new Leasath Super Weapon even more powerful. The Technology would've used microwave Energy to target an Aircraft's Fuel Cell and force it to ignite. Unfortunately, this let the Leasath's Ace Squadron known as the "Alect", to fly to Archelon Fortress in S-32s (Su-47 Berkut prototypes) within the Danern Straits, where Navarro and this new Super Weapon were waiting.

When Gryphus One and the Aurelian Forces reached the area, they were attacked by the Alect Squadron, in an aircraft known as the 'Fenrir' equipped with Microwave Weaponry and Digital Optical Stealth. The Fenrirs were Navarro's reason for initiating a war between neighboring Aurelia. It was found that the point of the war was to gather battle data from the Gleipnir, steal funds and resources from Aurelia, and develop the Fenrir fighter in order to sell it to nations around the world.

Gryphus One was attacked by the entire Alect Squadron at once and in an show of exemplary skill, he destroyed the Alect Fenrirs. Diego Navarro then activated a reproduced version of the Shock Cannon seen on the Gleipnir and attacked the Aurelian Forces. Gryphus One destroyed the Shock Cannon, flew into the Archelon Fortress, destroying the Fenrir prototypes and Navarro's hopes of selling the fighter.

Aftermath
With the war's end, Aurelia recovered quickly and along with Leasath officials, had found out about Navarro's full plan. The Leasath Commander fled Leasath after this, trying to escape war crimes; the Leasath-Aurelian War had officially ended.

Many new technologies were first deployed and seen in 2020, during the Leasath-Aurelia War. Of these technologies the COFFIN System had finally seen a larger deployment within combat, than in the past. The COFFIN System - seen equipped on aircraft such as the YR-302, YR-99, XR-45 and the Fenrir - is later developed by two large Corporations, which would eventually rule the planet after the 2020s; and becomes the standard military system in all military aircraft. Also, during this war it is believed that Neucom Inc., one of the two mentioned corporations, first fielded it's designs. The YR-99 Forneus is the prime example, as it appears to be a prototype for Neucom's R-101 Delphinus. The YR-302 Fregata also can be seen sporting a standard Neucom paint scheme; this same scheme can be seen on Neucom R-102 and R-103 aircraft. Finally, the designs within the XR-45 Cariburn and YR-302 Fregeta do seem to have heavy Neucom Inc. influences.

The Leasath-Aurelia War may have very well been the upstart of events which would occur in the decades afterwards; in fact, many signs point to it, but no official statements have been given.

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