03 JUL 2021 - Saturday Night Special

For scheduled squadron missions and unscheduled pick-up missions.
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MrBean
Posts: 326
Joined: Fri May 29, 2020 10:42 pm

03 JUL 2021 - Saturday Night Special

Post by MrBean » Sun Jul 04, 2021 12:06 am

VA-41 was tasked with striking a power production facility in north-central Aleppo.

Primary target was the large main generating plant building, with secondary targets being three other smaller support structures within the compound.

Intelligence reports indicated that the city was heavily defended by numerous SAM sites as well as multiple AAA batteries.

A flight of six F-16s out of Incerlik Airbase was assigned to sweep the area ahead of our strike and take out the two long-range SAM sites (SA-2, SA-11) guarding the approaches to Aleppo. F-15 and F-14 CAP flights were also standing by offshore to assist with any enemy air activity.

Due to low aircraft availability, only two VFA-41 aircraft were mission capable and the determination was made to attempt to use JDAM munitions and concentrate only on the primary target, leaving the secondary targets for follow-up tasking at a later date.

Dealer 1 Flight launched without incident from CVN-73 and skirted Syrian coastal air defenses before turning towards target and ingressing from the West.

Shortly after coast-in AWACS reported enemy aircraft lifting from Hatay airport, presumably attempting to intercept the strike package. A pair of F-15s quickly dispatched the potential threat from two Mig-23's.

Unfortunately, the SEAD assets were not equally as capable. Although a SA-3 site on the outskirts of the city was destroyed, neither the SA-11, nor the SA-2 batteries were neutralized by the F-16s. Subsequently, Dealer 1 was launched on with little to no advance warning by the SA-11, shortly before bomb release. Their attack had to be broken off and evasive action taken. Both Dealer aircraft successfully evaded the threat and regrouped to the west of the target area.

A VFA-41 HARM launched during evasion, however, managed to strike the SA-11 and force it to shut down it's radar, which allowed long enough of a window of opportunity to attempt another bombing run. Approaching the second time, Dealer flight was once again illuminated by a SA-6, which was quickly put out of action by another HARM.

Dealer 1-1 managed to release both bombs, however only minor damage to the primary target was inflicted, with one bomb unfortunately landing well short and impacting a civilian area- no doubt causing unwanted collateral damage. Dealer 1-2 released one JDAM but was spiked in short order by the SA-2 and forced to retreat, once again to the West.

Approaching one final time from outside the range of the SA-2, Dealer 1-2 got his second JDAM off which scored another direct hit on the primary target and bring it down.

The Dealer flight subsequently egressed back to the coast and eventually recovered back aboard Theodore Roosevelt.

Despite low aircraft availability and the ineffectiveness of the fragged SEAD assets, the mission was largely successful as the primary target was destroyed. It remains to be seen if command warrants the secondary targets as worthy of a re-attack, or any potential fallout from the errant bomb.

Dealer 1 (Strike)
1) Mr. Bean - SA-11, SA-6, Primary Target (minimal damage), Apartment complex(es) (major damage) - Trapped
2) Rhino - Primary Target, Trapped

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Rhino
Posts: 152
Joined: Wed Jun 02, 2021 7:12 am

Re: 03 JUL 2021 - Saturday Night Special

Post by Rhino » Sun Jul 04, 2021 4:55 am

Primary target destroyed:

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Trapping back aboard USS Theodore Roosevelt:

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Hedgehog
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Joined: Mon Nov 05, 2018 7:36 am

Re: 03 JUL 2021 - Saturday Night Special

Post by Hedgehog » Sun Jul 04, 2021 2:07 pm

Pilot records and Greenie Board updated.

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