We were low on numbers tonight so only two in the strike. Primary target was allocated to me while Mango was given the secondary targets. Weapons were changed to GBU-10s. Two passes needed.
Ingress was the most part uneventful. Beast 5, the escort, encountered Tu-16 but ignored them and looked to further contacts. We went into an anchor circuit, during which time the Tu-16s came to us, so we engaged them. One was destroyed while the other turned tail and ran home.
We pushed on to the target after clearance from Vosene in AWACs. I successfully hit both targets at the primary but Mango missed both his targets.
Coming off target we were directed to two SU-24s that had flown past us on a strike mission of their own. Both of these were destroyed and we successfully rtb'd.
We were very lucky not to be engaged or even lit up by the SA-6, particularly given how far Mango unwittingly entered the danger zone. Phew!
Uneventful ingress. We engaged Tu-16 approaching target area but both defeated our first shots. Fisty stayed on them and I searched for the trail group. Once identified as su-20 we both engaged them. It took a few shots to get them both down and Fisty got all the glory. Word has spread within Iraqi SA-6s that I was around tonight so they thought it would be nice to come to say hi... Flying right over it there was no escape zone. Fisty got hit soon after but was lucky enough and could RTB.
Hold The Line 12 (21st June)
Posted - 19 Jun 2020 : 17:42:47
