POL Airbase Strike AAR Part 1

[Ruggbutt 45]

This is an AAR for one of the missions in my LMR Ground Attack Pack. These missions are for use with the LockOn Mission Randomizer.

Briefing for todays mission:

 

 

My wingman Beagle and I receive clearance from the tower to take off, we climb out to waypoint one where we'll reach Angels 8 on our final altitude of Angels 17.

 

 

 

Our RWR shows us the "29" symbol, which tells me it's a Slotback radar, the same type used on the Mig29, Su27 and Su33. We'll be paying close attention to the radio calls and to make sure the Bandit's signal doesn't move into the middle circle, as they'd be within firing range at that point.

 

 

Two flights of F16's have been tasked to eliminate SAM threats in the target area. They're carrying HARMs to clear the way for us to crater the runway.

 

 

Over VHF freq's we hear a flight of F15's call engaged with a pair of Mig29's. As we're still climbing out and feet wet we stay on the 15's channel and listen. We hear Fox 1 and 3 calls as well as "engaged defensive, Archer!" It sounds like the 15's pushed thru to WVR and it's a close range fight. The Migs are particularly dangerous with their helmet mounted sights and R73 IR missiles.

 

 

 

"Splash one!" comes in clearly over comms. The pilot is breathing heavily and we hear his Sidewinder tone clearly as he transmits.

 

 

We hear "Magnum" over the radio, it sounds like the F16's are within range and are firing their HARMs. They're calling out targets and from the gist of it the airbase is heavily defended with Shilka A/A guns all the way up to KUB SAM sites.

 

 

Off in the distance we see numerous missile trails as smokey fingers from the HARMs reach out to destroy their targets.

 

 

 

AWACS relays info to us that all emitters in the target area have ceased. The 16's run in low over the target and strafe whats left of the KUB site. They make one pass and head home.

 

 

As we approach waypoint 3 I tell Beagle to spread out in trail and I bank right to give myself a bit more distance so I can line myself up for my bomb run.

 

 

I set my bomb computer to drop all four Mk84's, one at a time with a ripple interval of 3/4 of a second. This should destroy a large portion of the runway if I fly the correct flight path. I also toggle on my Master Arm switch.

 

 

I'm about to turn into the target, I'll be flying down the length of the runway dropping my ordnance the length of it.

 

 

I pitch the nose down a bit, deploy speed brakes and lock the target point midway down the runway. I lock altitude at Angels 17 and activate CCRP mode. The square box with the dot appears at the top of the "fall line". I fly my velocity vector and the box starts to make it's way down the fall line. The left bottom side of the HUD tells me that I'm 7 kilometers from the impact point. When the bombs drop I should have plenty of time to turn away so that I don't have to overfly the impact area. You never know when a tricky SAM operator is playing possum, or if there are MANPADS. Remaining above Angels 10 will negate the MANPADS part of that equation.

 

 

The nose pitches up as the bombs drop from the racks. All four 2000 pounders are gone in 3 seconds.

 

 

Shack!!

 

 

I turn away and I call Beagle in weapons hot. I'll orbit counterclockwise near the target to call SAM launches for my wingman. He's was far enough behind in trail that he doesn't have to spend much time lining up his run. He lines up on my hits and runs in on the target. He gets four hits down the rest of the runway. The airbase is officially non-operational.

 

 

He turns away and I run in hot on a group of 4 helos parked on the apron. I'm carrying one Rockeye so I select it and drop on the helos, I pull up hard and load G's on the aircraft to make myself harder to hit. I get three of the four choppers.