16 April, 2023 - Operation Noble Tempest Week 23

Post by **Hedgehog** » Mon Apr 17, 2023 8:10 am

VFA-41 was tasked with destroying a series of Russian ammunition and supply depots near the Georgian coast. With seven different locations and 16 target buildings identified, the Mission Commander devised a 'Zerg Rush' mission plan in which each pilot armed with two 2000lb JDAMs and launched as quickly as possible to attack targets independently and get back to the ship.

12 of the 16 assigned targets were destroyed, limited only by airframes available for the mission. The weather had closed in to Case III recovery conditions by the time mission aircraft returned to the carrier. The TACAN system on the carrier failed during recovery operations as well, requiring radio vectors to get pilots onto the ICLS needles and back on deck. One plane was lost when a pilot crashed into the water in zero visibility fog conditions.

Hedgehog: gnd tgts, trapped.
Crash: gnd tgts, crashed on recovery. Airframe lost. Pilot recovered.
Chaos: gnd tgts, trapped.
Mr. Bean: gnd tgts, trapped.
Rhino: gnd tgts, trapped.
Trim: gnd tgts, trapped.

MISSION SUCCESS