Wild Schutta was a term used by the Taldryan military for situations where an airspeeder or starfighter was used in the Suppression of Enemy Aerospace Defences (SEAD) role. The term technically referred specifically to vehicles equipped for said missions, but was also often used to refer to both SEAD missions conducted by small craft (airspeeeders, starfighters, and assault ships) and the pilots who carried them out.
Concept
In the tactical version of rock-paper-scissors, Wild Schuttas are scissors sharpened until they're capable of cutting rock. Their arguably insane—but undeniably skilled—pilots are tasked with destroying enemy aerospace defence forces that would prey on similar craft.
Planetary Wild Schutta missions targeted enemy sensor networks and command, control, and coordination (C3) facilities. If necessary, they could also neutralise defence batteries, from medium repeating blasters to planetary ion cannons.
Spaceborne Wild Schutta missions focused on eliminating dedicated anti-starfighter capital ships (such as Lancer-class frigates), and disrupting the targeting systems and anti-starfighter defences aboard large capital ships to clear the way for
friendly bombers. Poe Dameron's destruction of the point-defence turrets aboard the First Order dreadnaught 'Fulminatrix' was an example of a spaceborne Wild Weasel mission.
Pilots
Wild Schutta missions were highly demanding. Planetary Wild Schutta sorties required pilots to be able to avoid detection via terrain-following flying, sometimes over long distances, and engage systems specifically designed to destroy them. Spaceborne Wild Schutta missions likewise required pilots to engage anti-starfighter defences while under threat from both those very defences and hostile starfighters. As such, Wild Schutta missions were normally given to squadrons that specialised in the role, with pilots who trained constantly for their particular mission.
In the Taldryan Army, the 108th Army Aviation Squadron (a component of the 1st Taldryan Regiment's Combat Aerospace Battalion as of 41 ABY) specialised in Wild Schutta missions. The Summit Guard's 4th Cohors Planetary Aviation Squadron also undertook atmospheric Wild Schutta missions, while Tempest Squadron did so against spaceborne targets.
Equipment
At a minimum, Wild Schutta craft were equipped with powerful electronic warfare suites and sensor jammers to prevent their targets from acquiring locks as they approached. From there, the loadouts varied from craft to craft. Many Wild Schutta pilots chose to modify their vehicles for extra maneuverability or defence against enemy airspeeders and starfighters.
The 108th Army Aviation Squadron and 4th Cohors Planetary Aviation Squadron used TIE/SK airspeeders equipped with sensor baffling and tactical jammers. Tempest Squadron used TIE/BA starfighters upgraded with ion cannon turrets.
Trivia
- The term "Wild Schutta" is a clear reference to the various Wild Weasel aircraft of the United States Air Force.