Six Black Aces pilots launched on this mission in three flights of two. Dealer 1 was assigned to located and attack the enemy ships. Dealer 2 was armed with HARM missiles and tasked with SEAD support against known Iranian SA-5, SA-2 and HAWK SAM batteries located in the vicinity of Bandar Abbas. Dealer 3 was assigned high altitude BARCAP to guard against any enemy aircraft threatening the mission.
Upon launch, aircraft were already inside the threat envelope of the SA-5 system. Dealer 2 launched first, followed immediately by Dealer 3, climbing to altitude above a 10,000 foot overcast layer. Dealer 1 launched last saying below the cloud ceiling to allow for visual ID of the tanker and enemy warships. Dealer 2-1 had a Sim crash prior to being able to release HARMs, leaving Dealer 2-2 with three HARMS to handle all SEAD duties. 2-2 was able to launch all three HARMS, striking, but not destroying one of the SA-5's radars and destroying another HAWK radar nearby. Unfortunately, the SA-5 launched on Dealer 3 flight first, eventually striking and destroying both aircraft in that section. Dealer 2-2 was then targeted and eventually destroyed by the SA-5 as well.
Dealer 1 was able to located and positively ID the target warships and tanker, but had initial difficulty getting the Maverick-F missiles they carried to launch. Dealer 1-1 was launched on by the SA-5, but the missile was eventually defeated. Dealer 1-1 proceeded to launch two MAV-F's on two separate attack runs, striking both Iranian ships, but the damage inflicted was not enough to disable or sink the ships and all continued onward to the north. Dealer 1-2 was not able to get his Mavericks to fire. With three aircraft already lost to enemy action and a fourth disabled by sim issues, it was decided to abort further attack attempts and return to the carrier. Dealer 1 flight made a low light CASE 1 recovery with minimal issue.
Mission is deemed a failure
***Of note from Tacview, it appears neither Dealer 3 aircraft reduced much altitude while trying to defeat the incoming SA-5 SAMS. Both were struck while still above 20,000 feet. Diving to the ground would likely have helped defeat the incoming missiles, especially the SA-5 who's radar does not really "see" below 800-1000 feet AGL or so.***
DEALER 1:
Rhino- x2 ships hit, but not destroyed - trapped
Jega- trapped
DEALER 2:
Hedgehog- DCS Crash to Desktop
Crash- Ground targets hit, shot down by SA-5
Dealer 3:
Chaos- Shot down by SA-5
Ticman- Shot down by SA-5
