181st Imperial Fighter Wing
The 181st Imperial Fighter Wing is an existing unit from Legends.[1]
History
Battle of Endor
During the Battle of Endor, the 181st was under the command of General Baron Soontir Fel and organized into four squadrons: Red, Gold, Blue, and Silver Squadron. Turr Phennir flew as Blue One during the battle. Shortly before the end of the battle, the 181st attacked the Mon Calamari cruiser Serenity while it was engaging the ISDs Chimaera and Adjudicator, overwhelming the latter's shields and pursuing the former as it tried to retreat. The Rebel Alliance's Red Squadron, under the command of Wedge Antilles and with Tycho Celchu as the last survivor of Green Squadron flying along with it, engaged the Blue and Silver squadrons of the 181st, while Red and Gold squadrons kept attacking Serenity until the second Death Star exploded. After the explosion, Baron Fel ordered the 181st to fall back. They were picked up by Relentless, which was one of the last three star destroyers to retreat to Annaj.[2]
Thrawn campaign
During the Thrawn campaign in 9 ABY, not long after the Battle for the Katana Fleet, the 181st participated in an offensive up the Triellus Trade Route, during which it faced off against Rogue Squadron and Wraith Squadron fighting a delaying action at Tatooine, and helped spring a trap for the New Republic task force at Kemal.[3]
Battle of Tyan
In 12 ABY, the 181st deployed from Relentless in the Tyan system under the command of Turr Phennir. The New Republic had sent the captured Super Star Destroyer Lusankya to Tyan in order to destroy a World Devastator stationed there. The 181st's objective was to take out the Lusankya's bridge, using a plan developed by Phennir and inspired by Arvel Crynyd's successful suicide run on the Executor during the Battle of Endor: the 181st would overwhelm the bridge shields, so that TIE/d automated starfighters from the World Devastator could crash into the bridge. When the initial attack run was unsuccessful, Mynar Devis, flying as Red Leader, defied an order from Phennir to fire the shot that took out the bridge shields. However, only one TIE/d managed to hit the bridge tower, and it only damaged two decks while leaving the bridge itself intact. Moments later, Admiral Pellaeon arrived in the system aboard Reaper and ordered the 181st to regroup for another attack run, but the damaged Lusankya fled before it could be completed.[2]
Flennic conspiracy crisis
By 37 ABY, Assyra Cyrillian was the commander of the 181st. She kept up friendly relations with her former commander Turr Phennir, now retired. Under Cyrillian, the 181st participated in Moff Kurlen Flennic's conspiracy to sabotage the peace between the Imperial Remnant and the Galactic Alliance.[2]
Organization and members
When operating as a full wing, the 181st consisted of four squadrons with twelve fighters each. Three of the squadrons were usually called Red, Gold, and Blue Squadron. There was an additional Silver Squadron at the Battle of Endor, and a Green Squadron during the Orinda campaign.[2]
Known members of the 181st include:
- Hannik: Leader of Red Squadron until his death at the Battle of Orocco in 12 ABY.
- Mynar Devis: Succeeded Hannik as leader of Red Squadron in 12 ABY.
- Seth Avrian: Leader of Blue Squadron during the Orinda campaign, died at the Battle of Adumar in 13 ABY.
- Seiar Damkin: Succeeded Avrian as leader of Blue Squadron in 13 ABY.
- Davit Belkaron: Leader of Green Squadron during the Orinda campaign, later retired to work as a civilian flight instructor.
- Assyra Cyrillian: Leader of Gold Squadron during the Orinda campaign, by 37 commander of the 181st after Phennir's retirement.