02 April, 2023 - Operation Noble Tempest Week 21

Rhino · Post by **Rhino** » Fri Mar 31, 2023 6:16 pm

SITUATION

Bravo Zulu on the destruction of those A-50 Mainstays Black Aces! With them destroyed, the Russians are scrambling to redirect and field other ground based radar and EW assets from different regions, but in the meantime any coordinated response to our continued sorties will be hard for them to muster. That said, the fight continues and the temperatures are only getting warmer in the region. As most of you know, Russia relies heavily on railroad transport to move troops, equipment and material to forward depots and staging areas where it can then be distributed to field units as required. Our task going forward will be to further disrupt Russian and Abkhazian logistical supply chains and stockpiles to limit and frustrate any attempts at a spring offensive along the FLOT.

MISSION

With the railroad lines being Russia’s primary avenue to resupply, we’re going to make an effort to destroy or disrupt their capacity to leverage rail as a logistical tool. Today’s mission is two fold: First, intelligence has established some of the many routes of trains Russia has been using to transport mostly material and equipment from Russian logistical centers in Krasnyy, Krasnodar and Armavir to storage depots further south in Sukhumi, Gali and other places along the way to their current positions in and around Senaki. Surveillance assets have been tracking one of these trains on its journey south and VFA-41 has been assigned to attack and destroy this train before it can make it to its final destination in Senaki. The train is made up of approximately 50 train cars of various types. Fortunately, once south of Sochi, Russia and into Abkhazian territory, there is only a single rail line in the western part of the region, so the train shouldn't be too hard to find. Search for it between WP3 and WP4.

Based on its average speed, it is estimated to cross into Georgia proper at Zugdidi at approximately 0800 hours. Ideally, the train should be stopped and destroyed before it crosses into Georgian territory.

Secondly, to more permanently prevent additional Russian resupply by rail, VFA-41 is being tasked to drop the rail bridge over the Enguri River that separates Georgia proper from the breakaway Abkhazian Republic. Similar to the bridge strike we carried out a few weeks ago, the assessment is that 2,000 lbs class weapons are needed to ensure complete destruction. There are four spans over the water and Command wants at least two of them dropped, if not all four. A single Target Waypoint (WP3) has been placed to locate the bridge, but individual targeting of the different spans will be required to get all four dropped. Take note that the rail line has two bridges across the Enguri river as the track transverses an island in the middle of the river. We’ve been tasked to strike the northernmost span only (See Satellite Recon and Intel Photos below). Once the bridge and the train are destroyed, aircraft may RTB.

THREATS

The train itself has no known defensive capability, but as this strike will be taking place within Abkhazian territory, expect various SHORAD defenses, to include MANPADS and AAA to be present all over the territory, but specifically near train depots along the track route. Staying about 12,000 feet should help mitigate these threats.

A known Abkhazian SA-6 SAM site has been active between Sukhumi airport and the City of Sukhumi itself. Uzi 1, an EA-6B Prowler, has been tasked to engage this SAM in route to its station, but assigning a HARM to an aircraft or two is advisable for additional protection. The City of Sukhumi also has extensive AAA emplacements of various calibers as well, so direct overflight of the city is not advisable.

VKS aircraft continue to sortie regularly for bases in the north. A CAP of VF-211 Tomcats is already airborne, but be alert for enemy air activity.

ROE

Restricted: We must ensure only the correct (northern) spans of the rail bridge at Zugdidi are targeted. In addition, due to the weapons, ordinance and other material suspected to be on the train, Command has forbidden it to be targeted while within the limits of any population centers. The train needs to be attacked in the open, away from any cities or towns the rail lines pass through.

FRIENDLY UNITS

Two flights of VS-33 S-3B's (Pontiac 1 & 2) will be launching for Sea Search & Control (SSC) missions west and north of the carrier. In addition two sections of Hornets, one from VFA-192 (Hawk flight) and one from VFA-14 (Roman flight) are launching ahead of us for continued interdiction strikes along the FLOT. As mentioned, a Prowler from VAQ-138 (Uzi) and Tomcat CAP flight (Colt) are also part of this cycle.

MISSION OVERVIEW

DATE: 02 April, 2023

TIME: 0645 local

SUNRISE: 0714 local
SUNSET: 1951 local
MOON: N/A

TASK: Strike

WX: 060@05kt /Few 7,500 / SCT 23,000 / T10 / Q29.91

FLIGHT DURATION: ~310 nm

AVAILABLE SQUADRON ASSETS:
Dealer 1: 4 x F/A-18c
Dealer 2: 4 x F/A-18c
Dealer 3: 4 x F/A-18c
Dealer 4: 4 x F-14b

CARRIER:
USS HARRY S. TRUMAN (CVN-75) / Freq 127.500 [6] / TCN: 75X / ICLS: 5

SUPPORTING UNITS:
AWACS / E-2D / OVERLORD/ Freq 266.000 [5]
Mission Tanker / KC-135 / SHELL / Freq: 253.000 [8]/ TCN:35Y
Recovery Tanker / S-3B / TEXACO / Freq 353.000 [10] / TCN:61Y

DIVERT
Batumi [WP]
Rwy: 13/31
VOR: TACAN 16X
ATC: 131.000 [16]

BULLSEYE: Sukhumi Airport [WP4]

ROUTE OVERVIEW: