Mission: Attack on Bandar Abbas Airport and Harbor
Date: 21 August, 2019
Aircraft: F/A-18C Hornets (Dealer 1, Dealer 2, Dealer 3)
Mission Type: Precision Strike, Anti-Surface Warfare, SEAD (Suppression of Enemy Air Defense)
Area of Operations: Bandar Abbas, Iran
Duration: [Redacted]
Mission Overview:
Primary Objective: Destroy enemy naval assets in Bandar Abbas harbor and degrade enemy air capability at Bandar Abbas Airport.
Secondary Objective: Suppress enemy air defense systems, specifically SA-2 SAM sites.
Execution Summary:
Dealer 1: Harbor Attack (JDAM Strikes)
Aircraft Composition: Three F/A-18C Hornets
Targets Struck:
Naval Assets: Dealer 1 successfully delivered JDAMs against several moored ships in Bandar Abbas Harbor. The strike resulted in the destruction of an Alvand-class frigate, a Moudge-class frigate, and a Kilo-class submarine.
Impact: All target engagements were precise, with damage confirmed on all major vessels. Additionally, several port facilities were also destroyed. The loss of these assets significantly impacts the enemy’s naval capabilities in the region.
Threat Response: There was minimal air defense activity observed during the strike, with no direct SAM engagement on Dealer 1 and AAA that did not appear targeted and was no factor.
Results: Successful strikes. All targets destroyed. No fratricide or collateral damage.
Dealer 2: Airport Strike (Hardened Aircraft Shelters - JDAMs)
Aircraft Composition: Four F/A-18C Hornets
Targets Struck:
Dealer 2 successfully targeted and destroyed the hardened aircraft shelters (HAS) at Bandar Abbas Airport. The strike resulted in the destruction of nearly all remaining IRIAF F-4 Phantom aircraft.
Targeting: Precision strike execution on the hardened shelters was optimal. Only one designated target structure escaped destruction.
Results: Nearly all IRIAF F-4 Phantoms destroyed, significantly reducing enemy air capability in the region. The target was hit with no reported issues.
Dealer 3: SEAD (Suppression of Enemy Air Defense)
Aircraft Composition: Two F/A-18C Hornets
Mission Tasking: Suppress enemy SAM threats, specifically targeting the SA-2 SAM site near Bandar Abbas.
Engagement:
Dealer 3 successfully engaged and neutralized an active SA-2 SAM site using HARM (High-Speed Anti-Radiation Missiles).
Action: After locating the radar emissions, Dealer 3 launched HARMs, impacting the SAM site and rendering it ineffective. No further SAM threats were reported after the engagement.
Results: The SA-2 was successfully suppressed, allowing subsequent strike packages to operate with minimal SAM threat.
Post-Strike Egress & Recovery:
Recovery: All Dealer aircraft safely recovered aboard USS Abraham Lincoln following a Case 3 recovery pattern.
Fuel & Ordnance: All aircraft returned with sufficient fuel reserves. No ordnance discrepancies reported.
No losses: All aircraft and aircrew returned safely to the carrier, with no mechanical failures or aircrew injuries.
Lessons Learned / Observations:
Positive:
Precision Strike Execution: Dealer 1 and Dealer 2 performed exceptionally in delivering precise JDAM strikes, resulting in significant destruction of high-value targets (naval assets and airfield infrastructure).
SEAD Coordination: Dealer 3’s timely suppression of the SA-2 SAM site was crucial in ensuring the safety of the strike package. The integration of SEAD and strike assets was seamless.
Comms & Coordination: Coordination between the Dealer flights was excellent, ensuring that each element achieved its objective without overlap and minimizing risks of fratricide.
Areas for Improvement:
Timing: Overall mission timing was inadequate, resulting in the joint force assets getting to the target area before Dealer flights were ready to push. This resulted in the loss of one F-15C and one F-15E to the SA-2 before it could be suppressed by Dealer 3. This is deemed to be the responsibility of the Joint Force controllers and not anything Dealer flights did wrong.
Mission Conclusion:
The mission was a success. The primary objectives of degrading enemy naval and air capabilities in Bandar Abbas were achieved with high efficiency. The coordinated strikes on naval assets and hardened aircraft shelters will have a long-lasting impact on the enemy's ability to project power in the region. Additionally, the suppression of enemy SAMs allowed for the unimpeded execution of strike objectives.
The performance of VFA-41 Black Aces was exemplary, demonstrating exceptional coordination, execution, and professionalism under complex and challenging conditions.
Black Aces, outstanding job. Continue to refine tactics and be prepared for the next mission. Stand by for follow-on briefings.
DEALER 1:
1-1 Rhino, ground targets destroyed, trapped
1-2 NoPro, ground targets destroyed, trapped
1-2 Mr. Bean, ground targets destroyed, trapped
DEALER 2:
2-1 Chaos, ground targets destroyed, trapped
2-2 Crash, ground targets destroyed, trapped
2-3 Hedgehog, ground targets destroyed, trapped
2-4 Sabot, ground targets destroyed, trapped
DEALER 3:
3-1 Maniac, SA-2 Radar destroyed, DCS server timeout
3-2 Razor, trapped
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