07 May, 2023 - Operation Noble Tempest Week 26 (Last Mission)

Rhino · Post by **Rhino** » Fri May 05, 2023 7:41 pm

SITUATION

Recent SIGINT and ELINT sources have indicated a large massing of Russian long range strike assets at various airbases in the southern Russia AO over the last couple weeks. Intelligence analysts believe there to be a high probability of an imminent Russian air strike attempt against the Truman Carrier Strike Group. HUMINT sources on the ground in Russia have provided some imagery of various bomber and multirole strike aircraft being armed with what appears to be anti-ship weaponry, but the exact size and composition of the strike is not known.

As a precaution, the Truman CSG has been steaming west across the Black Sea and has been making preparations to transit the Turkish Straits and return home. Moments ago however, EUCOM and Sixth Fleet received real time intelligence that the Russian air armada was preparing to launch. With this development, Truman has turned southeast into the wind and has launched sections of Alert 5 Tomcats. An E-2 Hawkeye and a Prowler will be launching next along with Hornets from VFA-41 sitting Alert 30 duty .

MISSION

VFA-41’s tasking is to launch without delay behind the turning E-2 and Prowler and proceed east to set up defensive CAP stations along the likely attack routes of the Russian air attack. All Dealer flights have Waypoint 1 (PUSH), Waypoint 4 (GTWEL) and Waypoint 5 (BULLS) in common. Each Dealer Flight has its own Waypoint 2 and 3 establishing a CAP station. Dealer 1 has the central station near Sochi. Dealer 2 has the northern station closer to Novorossiysk, and Dealer 3 has the southern station near Gudauta.

Get to your CAP stations as soon as possible and intercept/engage any Russian bomber, fighter or cruise missiles that cross feet wet into the Black Sea. Two sections of VF-211 Tomcats are already airborne and in-route to similar stations in the north and south. Should any Black Aces elect to take a F-14 for this mission, its CAP station (Defend Point & Hostile Area) is co-located with Dealer 1’s station.

Four more Tomcats and two additional divisions of Hornets from VFA-14 and VFA-192 are being prepared to relieve us on the Alert 60, so expect to remain on station until approximately 1945 hours, or until Winchester on ordinance.

THREATS

SIGINT and HUMINT sources indicate multiple threat aircraft in the AO in recent weeks preparing for this strike. There is confirmation of Tu-22 Backfires, which can launch the AS-4 Kitchen supersonic cruise missile, as well as Su-25TM and Su-34 Fullbacks, both capable of firing Kh-35 subsonic sea skimming missiles similar to the US Harpoon. Other known threat aircraft in the AO include Su-30 and Su-37 Flankers. Possible additional threats include Tu-142 Bear-F long range bombers and MiG-31 interceptors.

The eastern Black Sea coast has been established as the Red Line. Any Russian aircraft passing west over the coast is to be engaged, but be wary of coastal area AAA and SAM threats, to include SA-11 Buk and MANPADS if you wind up low. The Prowler will attempt to provide EW support, but won’t be flying as close this time, so the effect may be more limited than in previous missions.

As a further precaution, the CSG’s escorts have pushed a little further away than normal with the Vicksburg about 5 nm off the port side and Stockdale and Hudner about 10 nm stern and forward respectively. Finally, USS Lawrence is pushed out about 35 miles to the east of the group for more early warning and defensive screening.

ROE

Weapons free. Any Russian aircraft passing west of the coast may be engaged.

MISSION OVERVIEW

DATE: 07 May, 2023

TIME: 1830 local

SUNRISE: 0617 local
SUNSET: 2034 local
MOON: N/A

TASK: Fleet Air Defense

WX: 112@04kt / SCT 9,000 / Few 27,000 / T11 / Q30.03

FLIGHT DURATION: ~350 nm plus loiter

*Recommended Loadout: 3 Fuel tanks, x4 AIM-120c, x2 AIM-9x, x 1 AIM-7p, ATFLIR*

AVAILABLE SQUADRON ASSETS:
Dealer 1: 4 x F/A-18c
Dealer 2: 4 x F/A-18c
Dealer 3: 4 x F/A-18c
Dealer 4: 4 x F-14b

CARRIER:
USS HARRY S. TRUMAN (CVN-75) / Freq 127.500 [6] / TCN: 75X / ICLS: 5

SUPPORTING UNITS:
AWACS / E-2D / OVERLORD/ Freq 266.000 [5]
Mission Tanker /KC-135 / SHELL / Freq: 251.000 [8]/ TCN:35Y
Recovery Tanker / S-3B / TEXACO / Freq: 353.000 [10] / TCN:61Y

DIVERT:
Batumi [WP]
Rwy: 13/31
VOR: TACAN 16X
ATC: 131.000 [16]

BULLSEYE: Sochi Harbor [WP5]

ROUTE OVERVIEW: