Launching from USS GEORGE WASHINGTON (CVN-73) two flights of Hornets accompanied by a flight of USAF F-16's providing TARCAP, skirted north of the air defenses at Aleppo and, due to heavy cloud cover over the target area, delivered GPS-guided munitions on the facility.
Several Mig-25s and Mig-29s attempted to intercept the strike package, but all were turned away by CAP flights and no surface to air threats were detected on the way to target.
The main production factory, munitions warehouse, and plant administration building were completely destroyed in the attack; while two smaller support buildings sustained damage, but were not fully destroyed. A Syrian IL13 early warning radar east of Tall-Rifat was also targeted by the flights' HARM missiles. The radar was damaged, but appears to still be in operation.
As flights were returning to mother, a SH-60 helicopter preparing for launch aboard the GEORGE WASHINGTON experienced mechanical issues and the deck crew was unable to clear that aircraft and make a ready deck in time to recover the VFA-41 Hornets. Therefore, the strike package diverted and all six jets landed at Incirlik without incident.
Overall the mission was successful with no US Navy aircraft lost to enemy fire. The damage was substantial enough that the munitions plant will be shut down indefinitely and will significantly degrade Syria's front-line munitions supply.
DEALER 1
1-1 Mr. Bean: Ground targets, diverted
1-2 Rhino: Ground targets, diverted
1-3 Chaos: Ground targets, diverted
DEALER 2
2-1 Lion: Ground targets, diverted
2-2 Trim: Ground targets, diverted
2-3 Ticman: Ground targets, diverted
In other strikes by NATO aircraft yesterday, a Syrian Forward Operating Base (FOB) southwest of Aleppo was attacked by AV-8Bs off of USS TARAWA and a large number of Syrian aircraft were destroyed on the ground at the disabled Abu al-Duhur airfield by USAF F-16s.
DEALER flights egressing from target area
- 1.png (961.07 KiB) Viewed 840 times
Substantial damage to munitions factory will have it out of commission for the foreseeable future
- 2.png (4.67 MiB) Viewed 840 times
All aircraft safely on the ground at Incirlik after diverting due to closed deck aboard the CVN
- 3.png (4.71 MiB) Viewed 840 times
