22 NOV 2020 - CC-13 Sarin in the Haystack

[Shadow]

MISSION BRIEF
by MrBean


CC-13 Sarin in the Haystack

MISSION OVERVIEW

DATE: 22 November 2020
TIME: 13:50:00 L

SUNRISE: 06:58
SUNSET: 19:32

TASK: Maritime Interdiction.

WX: 30018KT SCT090 T19 Q30.04 RMK MOD TURB

CARRIER:
USS THEODORE ROOSEVELT (CVN-71) / BRC 306° / Freq 127.5 [7] / TCN 71X "THR" / ICLS: 11

DIVERT:
Kobuleti
Rwy: 7/25
TCN: 67X
ATC: 262.0

SUPPORTING UNITS:
AWACS / E-2C / OVERLORD / Freq 266.000 [4]
Mission Tanker / KC135MPRS / TEXACO / Freq 231.00 [5] / TCN:55X
Recovery Tanker / S-3B / SHELL / Freq 351.00 [6] / TCN:56X

SURFACE SEARCH / 2x S-3B / DODGE-1, DODGE-2 / Freq 266.00
BARCAP / 2x F-14B / PONTIAC / Freq 266.00
BOARDING OPS / SH-60B / UZI / Freq 266.00
OPCON / DDG-112 USS MURPHY / RED CROWN / Freq 266.00

BULLSEYE: N 41 55.847 E 041 51.702 / Kobuleti (WP7)

SITUATION

Several weeks ago, the United Nations learned via a defecting pilot that Abkhazia was subjecting Georgian civilians and prisoners to chemical agent experiments. Unfortunately, the defecting pilot never made it into UN custody in order to present testimony or evidence to support this disturbing claim.

Last week, Israeli intelligence obtained and shared photos of two cargo ships in the Syrian port of Tartus that they suspected were onloading containers housing Scud missile warheads filled with the nerve agent Sarin and weaponized chlorine gas, as well as multiple 55-gallon drums of an unknown substance. Syria recognizes and supports Abkhazia as an independent state and is well known to possess and have carried out chemical weapons attacks on dissident populations in its own ongoing civil war.

On Thursday, CIA assets in Istanbul observed the same two cargo ships transiting the Bosporus Straits from the Mediterranean northwards into the Black sea. It is feared that the lethal cargo is bound for an unspecified Abkhazi port.

MISSION

The USS Theodore Roosevelt CSG and VFA-41 have been ordered to conduct a Maritime Interdiction Operation in order to locate, board, inspect, and seize the suspect vessels before they reach Abkhazia.

The destroyer USS Michael Murphy has detached from and is currently steaming westward from the CSG. The Murphy (callsign: RED CROWN) will have operational control of this mission.

Separate search sectors have been established for VFA-41 aircraft and for airwing S-3s in order cover as much water as possible. Dealer flights will search the SW, W, and NW sectors, while S-3s from VS-29 will be searching the NE and SE sectors. Each Dealer flight has been assigned a different set of waypoints establishing separate ~100 mile x 40 mile search areas. Waypoints 2, 3, 4, and 5 define the boundaries of the respective search area for each Dealer flight.

Once the suspect vessels are located, RED CROWN should be notified (via comm F10 menu) and a SH-60B will be dispatched with armed boarding parties to inspect the cargo and seize any chemical weapons that are discovered.

Due to the expansive search area and distance from suitable divert(s), a KC-135 Tanker from Incirlik AB has been assigned to maintain station above the central portion of the search area.

THREATS

As evidenced by the shoot down or sabotage of the defecting Abkhazi pilot’s plane before he could be deposed by the UN, Abkhazia will likely make every effort to prevent evidence of its chemical weapons program from being captured or exposed on the world stage.

Abkhazia has a small and limited navy, largely constrained to coastal waters. However, they do possess two more seaworthy Molniya/Taruntul class patrol boats and one ex-Russian Grisha class frigate.

The Molniya patrol boats were observed leaving port yesterday and steamed westward. It is presumed that they are attempting to link up with the chemical weapons transports in order to escort them the rest of the way across the Black Sea. Molniya PB’s (RWR: PS) are armed with SS-N-2 Styx anti-ship missiles, but have limited anti-air capability. Primarily a 76 mm main gun, two 30mm CIWS guns, and possibly IR Manpads. Regardless, they do pose a threat to low flying aircraft and helicopters.

The whereabouts of the Abkhazi frigate is unknown. It was last observed in the northern Black Sea taking part in exercises with the Russian Black Sea Fleet, and then presumably went into a Russian port for refueling and minor maintenance. Should the Grisha class frigate have put back out to sea (RWR: HP), it represents a more formidable threat- equipped with a 70mm gun, CIWS, torpedoes, and a dual rail SA-N-4 Gecko SAM launcher.

Interference from the Abkhazi Air Force is possible, but without air to air tanking capabilities their pilots rarely venture very far offshore. Regardless, a flight of F-14’s will be airborne on BARCAP duty to dissuade and deal with any response by the Abkhazi A/F

No threat from the Russians is likely. Although they are most certainly aware of Abkhazia’s plan, they will want to be able to claim plausible deniability and not be linked in any way with the Abkhazi pursuit of a chemical weapons program.

ROE

Any Abkhazi warship or aircraft is a possible threat. ROE remains unchanged- Should any allied aircraft or ship be illuminated/locked by a fire control radar hostile intent can be assumed and the target(s) may be engaged whether or not the offending unit fires first.

Command wants the chemical weapons to be documented, seized and secured. If located, care should be taken not to damage or sink the suspect cargo vessels- unless directed to do so by RED CROWN.

[Shadow]

Briefing Card
by MrBean

Briefing_Card.png (204.74 KiB) Viewed 5262 times

[Lion]

FYI there is currently a bug where Harpoons will crash into the water using the low altitude cruise with SKIM terminal attack profile, and using any other profile than low cruise may see the missiles completely overfly the target.

[MrBean]

I know that was the case earlier this spring/summer, but unless it got borked again in last week’s update (haven’t had time to apply it yet) thought they largely had fixed that?

I sent 20-30 Harpoons downrange last week testing out the mission and while I think one did skim itself right into the water, all the rest seemed to function properly in both skim and pop terminal modes - at least launching in R/BL. Admittedly, I didn’t try BOL on too many I don’t think. One did fail to find a target using mid cruise mode, but pretty sure that one was user error I’ll definitely do some more testing with various cruise/terminal profiles when I get home though to be sure.

All that being said, even functioning properly, can often expect ~50% of them to be taken out by warship CIWS/SAMS if not launched en masse so they overwhelm a unit’s defenses- so does take some additional coordination within a flight to launch an effective attack. If the MC would rather go with a full loadout of 65F’s certainly would be a valid option (at the expense of engagement range).

EDIT: Launched a bunch more Harpoons yesterday in both BOL and R/BL. Tried everything from setting a higher/lower sea state, changing wind direction, high/low altimeter settings. As far as I can tell, it appears that ping/latency may be the culprit. Had no problems with any impacting the water in skim mode when testing on my desktop computer or on my own server downstairs (ping <10), but some did fail to level out in time on the training server (ping ~40). About 20-25% failed to skim properly while I was testing on the training range, though didn't have any issues in pop mode.

[Shadow]

LCDR Ticman is assigned as MC. again