SAM Hunt AAR Part 1

[Ruggbutt 45]

I've had this one written for a while and since I haven't had time to write any new AARs I figured this would tide ya'll over.

 

 

Briefing: A recent B-52 missile strike has disabled the SA-10 site at Sochi. Lead a precision attack to destroy any remaining launchers at the site before they can be made operational. Watch for short-range air defenses.

 

Beagle and I arrive on station with plenty of daylight available to complete our mission. I put the target area on my 3 o'clock as I view the area thru my image stabilized binoculars. There's an S300 site about to go operational, and there are Strelas and Shilkas at the front and to the rear of the site. We climb for altitude and I tell Beagle to spread out in trail, to call SAM launches for me.

 

 

As I turn in towards the coast I scan with my K Maverick. I'm not thrilled to be loaded out with these as launch range is much closer with them and there's no scene mag on the TV screen. I have a good idea where the Strela is at and he pops out of the fog as I slew my pipper over him.

 

 

I'm climbing slightly as I'm targeting him, as I'll need the altitude to trade for speed when I put him on my right wing and point the nose down. The firing cross blinks, Rifle! The Mav jumps off of the rail.

 

 

I pull hard on the stick, kick hard left rudder and point the nose down. If the Strela fires I want to gain as much speed as possible as the missile tracks me. The missile follows a lead pursuit course so the more I maneuver the more speed the missile bleeds off.

 

 

Over comms I hear Beagle call the SAM launch.

 

 

I get no launch warning so I know immediately that this is an IR guided missile. I dump flares in pairs of three as fast as I can hit the button.

 

 

Now that the missile is aiming itself at a point in front of my plane near the water. I put 6 g's on the jet as I pull straight back on the stick, the missile has to attempt to put itself several thousand feet above and in front of me if it's going to hit me. I'm 40 degrees nose up and at 300 kts.

 

 

I pull harder on the stick and go nose higher, I gamble that the missile doesn't have enough energy to climb to my altitude and that my flares have confused it's seeker head.

 

 

I hear "Shack!" over the radio and I know my Mav has guaranteed that I won't be dodging a second SAM from the Strela.

 

 

Beagle spots a chopper low over the water, and I briefly see him as I'm rolling my plane away from the coast. I tell him to kill the chopper.

 

 

Fox 2! Ten seconds later the chopper is gone..........

 

 

I climb back to Angels 10 and place the target area on my left wing. I break out the binos and quickly orient myself with the placement of the rear Strela/Shilka combo.

 

 

At this altitude I'm safe from the Shilka on the coast so for now I ignore it and target the rear Strela. Beagle is eyes on and will call any launches for me. At 3 miles I get the blinking cross and I pickle the weapon. Rifle! I'm considerably lighter so I split S to place as much distance between myself and my target as possible.

 

 

Boom!

 

 

 

I circle the target area and call Beagle in hot.

 

 

I target the Shilka on the coast and lock him up in CCRP mode. Even though I'm below 10k feet I climb at 25 fps to "toss" a Rockeye. Even so, I'm flying wings level and as straight as possible which makes me an easy target. The target "box" drops down the bomb fall line and the bomb releases from the shackles.

 

 

I bank hard right and pull 6 g's to get out of the Shilka's range.

 

 

I start to kick right rudder because I want to point the nose downhill to gain speed. The Shilka dies a fiery death and I'm in great shape. I'm flying away from the coastline (the bad guys) and I have plenty of airspeed.