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Vosene
United Kingdom
4581 Posts
Status: offline |
 Posted - 28 Mar 2020 : 22:45:10
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It is 0100L 29th January 1991 and Operation Desert Storm continues apace. Members of the 185th are attached to the 421st FS operating the F-16C Block 40 out of Ras Safaniya airbase in Saudi Arabia.
Without warning Iraqi forces push towards the Saudi city of Khafji from Kuwait. This is a massive ground and air assault and must be repulsed.
The 185th were already scheduled for an 8-ship Sweep package but these have now been hastily re-fragged as an 8-ship CAP.
We are expected to face overwhelming numbers of enemy aircraft but we must hold the line and delay the enemy advance whilst other aircraft are scrambled.
Intel
Iraqi ground threats: KS-19, MIM23 Hawk, Roland AMX, S-60, SA-11 (9K37M1), SA-13 (9K35), SA-14 (9K34), SA-15 (9K330), SA-2 (S-75), SA-3 (S-125), SA-4 (2K11), SA-5 (S-200), SA-6 (2K12), SA-8 (9K33), SA-9 (9K31), ZSU-23-4, ZU-23
Iraqi Fights: MiG-29A, MiG-23, MiG-21
Iraqi Fighter Bomber: Mirage F1EQ
Iraqi Bombers: MiG-27, Su-20, Su-22, Su-24M, Su-25
Support: A-50
Heli: MD-500, Mi-24, Mi-26, Mi-8, UH-1N
MS Criteria
Falcon1 & Gamble1 - Stay on CAP until at least 0210 with a maximum of 1 loss per Flight.
PS Criteria
Falcon1 & Gamble1 - Stay on CAP until at least 0200 with a maximum of 2 losses per Flight.
Results
Flight Leads in this Sunday's official mission, "Hold the Line" are requested to post a debrief of their flight's actions, including any lessons learned or that should be learned by others.
Please put the following information at the top of your post:
Flight Role: (SEAD, ESCORT, STRIKE, Etc..)
Callsign11: "Pilot's name" AA=X AG=X RTB,MIA/KIA,EJT
Callsign12: "Pilot's name" AA=X AG=X RTB,MIA/KIA,EJT
Callsign13: "Pilot's name" AA=X AG=X RTB,MIA/KIA,EJT
Callsign14: "Pilot's name" AA=X AG=X RTB,MIA/KIA,EJT
MS/PS/MF
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Vosene
United Kingdom
4581 Posts
Status: offline |
Posted - 30 Mar 2020 : 13:17:00
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Flight Role: BARCAP
Falcon11: "Vosene" AA=0 AG=0 RTB
Falcon12: "Reds" AA=3 AG=0 RTB
Falcon13: "Noodle" AA=2 AG=0 RTB
Falcon14: "Mango" AA=0 AG=0 EJT
MS
Plan
Execute CAP using 3 elements, 2 forward, 1 20nm depth for support. Falcon11 and 12 right of track, Falcon 13 and 14 left of track with Gamble 11 and 12 depth. Loadout 6x Slammer B per aircraft.
Prevent leakers and hold CAP until at least 0210 to allow other Blue Air to get into AO.
Falcon13 to provide debrief for his element engagements.
Execution
Technical issues meant #3 was out of position arriving on CAP, otherwise no ingress issues.
Immediately #1 picked up a group of 2x MiG-21 in AO. Bandits bracketed so #1 sorted flight with #2 on right bandit, #4 on left bandit, #1 monitoring picture.#2 fired Slammer B at target from 18nm, cold aspect but target dragged out shot to NW. #4 didn’t get a shot away. Falcon1 went cold and #3 rejoined with Gamble 1 hot and.
MiG-21 group were splashed by Gamble14, AI, who engaged despite being ordered to RTB. More contacts hot from North so Gamble1 went cold and Falcon1 hot.
With #3 and #4 being pincered from West and North #1 directed them to turn cold and #1 sorted on West groups, #2 on North groups. #1 fired first Slammer medium aspect on Su-20 group lead at 22nm and second Slammer on trailer, medium at 14nm. Both shots defeated by break turns. #2 fired 2 shots at an Su-20 to North from 15nm, again both shots defeated by what was really just a simple turn, not even a real break. Is there an issue with Slammer B in this Theatre? #1 and #2 aborted with #2 in trail.
Gamble1 now hot took a medium aspect shot on an Su-20 from 21nm, again shot trashed, dragged. Gamble12 also fired at 20nm on the same target, shot trashed by a defensive break.
With Gamble1 now cold, Falcon11 and 12 turned hot again and picked up a group of 4x MiG-21 inbound from NE. #1 sorted on these and #2 sorted on an Su-25 to the front, firing hot aspect at 20nm, splash! #2 then supported #1 in engaging MiG-21 group.
#1 fired on left lead at 19nm just as he went to beam and therefore radar lock was lost. Missile tracked but was defeated by a break turn. 2nd shot was on other bandit in left group at 15nm, also defeated by combination of drag and break turn.
By now another 2x MiG-21 had joined from the North to make a total of 6. #2 fired a Slammer onto the lead of the new group at 17nm medium aspect but the bandit didn’t respond until the last second, splash!
Falcon 11 and 12 were now cold and requesting support from Gamble1. Gamble1 engaged the MiG-21 groups before turning cold with Falcon1 now hot again. #1 fired at a 21 at 18nm, hot. Shot trashed and #2 killed it with a shot from 12nm while it was defending the shot from #1.
#1 and #2 were now Winchester and Bingo. The other elements completed their engagements and the package RTB’d at just after 0210. Uneventful straight in approach.
Overall an excellent flight with great coordination and mutual support between the elements against a massive number of enemy aircraft.
Debrief recommendations
Land ASAP if predicted fuel on landing is 1500lbs or less due to risk of flameout.
Recommendation to split flights onto different VHF channels as per SOP due to admin comms not being possible. Needs good discipline to call critical SA information on tactical to ensure everyone has picture.
Recommendation to assign altitude blocks for deconfliction but this will depend on the situation and is at Package commander’s discretion while ensuring measure are in place to avoid mid-air.
Campaign pilot AI is set to Veteran. Aim-120B arriving at targets with little end game energy from most 20nm shots and some at 15nm or less. Enemy dragging and break turn proving effective from these ranges. 120C would provide quicker time to target for these longer range shots and potentially better end game energy but limited supply in this campaign. Need to develop tactics and recommended engagement envelope for Slammer B to improve Pk.
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Griffin
UNITED KINGDOM
4865 Posts
Status: offline |
Posted - 30 Mar 2020 : 13:29:58
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Flight Role: BARCAP
Gsamble11: "Griffin" AA=0 AG=0 RTB
Gamble12: "Fisty" AA=1 AG=0 RTB
We set up a 4 and 2 cap with Flacon at FL240. All good. Hand offs and SA were globally good and Fisty was great as wingy, keeping good position and support.
Tergets were sorted and engaged but with little positive effect other than we made them back off. Pesky Tornados managed to get in the way of one of Fisty's spears but other than that it was a good and successful flight. |
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| 185th VFS |
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Hold the Line Kuwait Campaign_MS1 (29th March)
