At 0800 yesterday morning, three flights of VFA-41 aircraft launched from USS GEORGE WASHINGTON and proceeded north.
DEALER 1 aircraft arrived over the target first and proceeded to take out some of the numerous air defenses guarding the airspace around the airport. One SA-8, two ZSU-23-4 Shilkas, and several SA-18 MANPADs / ZSU-57s were located and destroyed before the remainder of the strike package was cleared into the area.
DEALER 2 Hornets with Maverick missiles and Tomcats utilizing their LANTIRN pods / Laser-guided bombs soon arrived overhead and began prosecuting armored targets guarding the airport's northern perimeter and successfully neutralized several IVFs/BMPs, scout vehicles, and mobile artillery. One Dealer 2 aircraft was hit by a shoulder-launched IR missile and took significant damage, knocking out it's electrical and navigational systems. The pilot was able to guide his stricken aircraft out of immediate danger and managed to safely reach the coast. Unfortunately, the remaining battery power was insufficient to get him all the way to Incirlick and the pilot safely ejected over the Gulf of Iskenderun.
DEALER 3 Hornets proceeded directly to the mission tanker after launch and topped off their tanks in preparation to take over the attack once DEALER 2 came off target. Enroute to the ingress holding point, notification was received that a Syrian resupply convoy had been spotted East of Hatay Airport and was enroute to reinforce Syrian defensive positions. DEALER 3 aircraft were switched to the JTAC frequency and directed to proceed East and search for and disrupt those reinforcements before they could reach the airfield. Several vehicles in the convoy were destroyed and it's advance was halted long enough for NATO forces to reach the perimeter of the airport unimpeded. In the process, one DEALER 3 aircraft was destroyed by a MANPAD and the Aleppo SA-10 site came active and fired several SAMS at DEALER 3, but those were successfully evaded.
By 0920, Allied ground forces had reached the outskirts of the airport along with US Army Apache helicopters. At that point, all DEALER flights were cleared to RTB while the Apaches mopped up remaining resistance. DEALERs 1 and 2 proceeded to the tanker, while DEALER 3 returned directly to the GEORGE WASHINGTON. All remaining aircraft safely recovered aboard the GW.
Post-mission briefing revealed that US/NATO forces had seized control of Hatay Airport and thus have achieved the first major strategic objective of the Campaign. Despite heavier than anticipated air defenses contributing to the loss of two airframes and one pilot, VFA-41's efforts in weakening Syrian positions and disrupting Syrian reinforcements were lauded by ground commanders as critical to meeting their objectives.
DEALER 1
1-1 Mr. Bean: Ground targets, trapped
1-2 Rhino: Ground targets, trapped
1-3 Iceberg: Ground targets, trapped
DEALER 2
2-1 Hedgehog: Ground targets, struck by SA-18 - ejected enroute divert
2-2 Nocs: Ground targets, trapped
2-3 Maniac: Ground targets, trapped
DEALER 3
3-1 Trim: Ground targets, trapped
3-2 Chaos: Ground targets, trapped
3-3 Mad Dog: Struck by SA-18, no chute observed.
Dealer flights preparing for launch
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Unlucky ZSU-57 on the receiving end of Nocs' GBU-16
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Charred hulks of one group of Syrian defenders
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DEALER 1 getting some gas on the way back home
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NATO forces arrive to secure Hatay Airport
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