29 January, 2023 - Operation Noble Tempest Week 15

Trim · Post by **Trim** » Mon Jan 30, 2023 7:14 pm

VFA-41 was tasked with stopping an armored convoy moving toward the city of Poti from Senaki. The route was mostly covered by an SA-6 SAM site located at Senaki. Suppression/destruction of the SA-6 was also part of VFA-41s tasking. Clean up of the inoperative SA-10 site that was hit earlier by VFA-14 and VFA-192 was also an objective.

Given limited pilots available it was decided that the focus would be primarily on the convoy. The SA-10 site would be secondary if ordinance and time remained after dealing with the convoy or if the SA-6 could not be suppressed.

Dealer 1 took off first with the intention of launching HARMs at the SA-6 site. Enroute to the target area, a flight of what was later identified as SU-24 bombers was seen heading toward Dealer 1. Dealer 1 turned to engage and fired a single AIM-120 in their direction. The SU-24s then turned and headed north. Dealer 1 disengaged and returned to original flight plan. Dealer 1 observed the SA-6 on RWR and launched 2 HARMs in brebriefed mode at the target area. After observing the the SA-6 disappear from the RWR dealer one located the convoy and circled overhead to provide laser designation for Dealer 2 & 3.

Dealer 2 proceeded to the convoy location at the direction of Dealer 1 and began dropping GBU-12 that were then guided by Dealer 1s FLIR designation. Accurate initial designation by dealer 2 aircraft turned out to be more difficult than expected and although 12 GBUs were deployed only 5 or 6 found their intended target and only 4 convoy vehicles were destroyed. However, that proved to be enough and the convoy did not proceed any farther toward Poti.

Dealer 3 orbited offshore intending to finish off the convoy after Dealer 2 was out of ordinance. Given the difficulty Dealer 2 had and the fuel status of all aircraft the order was given for Dealer 3 to divert to the SA-10 site and clear out anything remaining there. Dealer 3 located the remains of the SA-10 and destroyed almost everything that remained. Unfortunately, one Dealer 3 aircraft was shot down by an SA-15 about 10 miles to the north of the SA-10 site.

Mission Success. The SA-6 was suppressed, the convoy was prevented from attacking Poti, and the SA-10 site was finished off.

Dealer 1:
Trim - Ground targets; trapped

Dealer 2:
Lion - Ground targets; trapped
Chaos - Ground targets; trapped
Mad Dog - Ground targets; trapped

Dealer 3:
Rhino - Ground targets; trapped
Maniac - Ground targets; trapped
Dirty Dan - Ground targets; Shot down by SAM.