A "Total Air War" for the F-22

[+Menrva 4,202]

The following story background is from DID's F-22 Total Air War game, dated 1998. The fictional skins are based on the F-22s appearing in DID's Total Air War scenarios. Skins and 3d model are still subject to updates.

In the mid-1990s, most of the military might in the Red Sea region was found in only three countries; Yemen, Saudi Arabia and Egypt. All of the other nations, dealing with constant internal pressures and sporadic social unrest could ill afford any concentrated efforts at modern militarization. So the rest of the area’s nations would bide their time and wait for their opportunity to field a national army that could stand against the might of any one of the “big three.” Although there weren’t any formal declarations of war within the region, there were also no real alliances. Each nation was kept busy dealing with internal problems of various sorts, so much so that any external issues were usually left unresolved. Border disputes erupted from time to time and were usually settled as a result of some form of military stalemate with each side claiming to be the victor. 

An American F-22 wing forward deployed to Djibouti, still sporting the YF-22 paint scheme, 2007

 

Another factor within the region stemmed from the major cultural and religious differences between the peoples of the Red Sea area nations. The population in the southwestern part of the region was largely agrarian. Trading mostly foodstuffs and other essentials for survival, farming groups clustered into tribes and lay claim to several hundred acres of land. When arguments arose between neighboring tribes, the result was often bloodshed, as tribal land holdings sometimes crossed international borders. Cities and towns within the region were often defined by the religious beliefs of the residents. Rarely, were there populations of mixed beliefs. Only the largest trading and commerce centers could tolerate such religious diversity. Religious beliefs also played a major role in state and national rule, often affecting the decision making and negotiating thought processes of the country.

 

American F-22s in their Pac West camouflage, executing an Air Interdiction mission over the Ethiopian highlands, 2018

 

With all of the diverse people and religious beliefs within the area, tension was an everyday side effect. Although no formal declarations of war had occured in the recent past, that did not mean that nations haven’t fostered ill will towards each other. Outright hostilities had not developed in the past because of the lack of either a credible military force or the capital required to support it. As a nation in the Red Sea area, you were either a “have” or a “have not” in the national forces department. But all of that was soon to change.
New fortunes, created by the discovery of precious metals and oil reserves within the Red Sea operations area have lead to regional unrest. International power struggles for the control of these precious natural resources now bolster nationalism and strengthen each countries desire to fight. With the new regional income, formerly poor countries now can afford to train and equip national military forces. All armed forces within the region are ready and willing to test their newly purchased hardware. It is a very dangerous time.

 

Saudi Arabia's F-22s, with their unusual Grey camouflage, crossing the "Empty Quarter" into Yemeni territory for a strike mission, 2022

 

While on an international antiquities excavation in southern Sudan, a professor and his archaeological team discovered unexpected oil reserves within that region. The oil deposits extended from within southern Sudan well into northern Ethiopia. Sudan and Ethiopia exploited the oil reserves and grew rich, becoming members of OPEC. The excitement over the discovery of new oil fields gave rise to new searches throughout the area for other oil reserves. Another series of large oil deposits were found in the coastal region of Eritrea, Djibouti and Somalia. Although not quite as expansive as the fields discovered in Sudan, it was sufficient to provide these three nations with a 11% control over the world’s petroleum market. As the oil reserves along the Somali coast were being mapped out, researchers stumbled upon new gold deposits. As the initial gold strikes were quickly exploited, more were found. There were some days when the coastal nations ceased to function because almost every citizen was out with a pickax and shovel, looking for their share of the fortune. The nations of Somalia, Djibouti and Eritrea became wealthy practically overnight.

 

After much bargaining, Egypt acquired a few F-22s; here's one in its Woodland camouflage, conducting BARCAP over territorial waters in the Red Sea, 2015

 

To support the new military, the old infrastructure which had supported the former way of life had to be updated. Airfields had to be modernized to allow strategic and tactical aircraft operations. A large anti-aircraft network had to be established to provide warning and protection from invading hostile aircraft. National landmarks and governmental assets had to be protected from attack and reinforced to help repel any air strikes that might get through. Across all of the Red Sea theater area, nations prepared themselves for any outbreak of hostilities.

Edited May 12, 2019 by Menrva

[+Nightshade/PR 7,955]

I remember that sim, and it had some interesting concepts. This addition could be quite interesting....and provocative.

[+Menrva 4,202]

37 minutes ago, Nightshade/PR said:

I remember that sim, and it had some interesting concepts. This addition could be quite interesting....and provocative.

You can still play it, it's available here: https://community.combatsim.com/topic/20202-f-22-total-air-war-230-final-released/

It's a community updated version, with many custom missions and modifications to improve it. I recently rediscovered it and I am also making a small mod for it. It works on Windows 10, thanks to included codecs and glide wrappers.

The concepts of that game were interesting indeed. The dynamic campaign system was much promising, although it was unfinished and unpolished (due to Atari pressing DID to release the game). The F-22 is exported to Egypt and Saudi Arabia for the sole reason that the US needs strong allies in an area which saw economic growth and new regional powers arise. In a twist of events, the F-22 becomes an opponent in some of the proposed scenarios (for instance, Egyptian F-22s against Saudi Arabia and/or the US forces).

[+Nightshade/PR 7,955]

Thank You ever so much for this.

[+Menrva 4,202]

Technology Gap

 

Work in progress, skins could be subject to changes. I didn't have time nor will to replicate the same black camo of the last F-22, but I will. My thanks to Krycztij for his 3View tool (https://community.combatsim.com/topic/26077-taw-3view-—-a-renderer-for-taws-3-files/) and to mue for his LODViewer.

Edited June 13, 2019 by Menrva

[+russouk2004 6,958]

I have this original game on cd Have the Il 2 series of course and DCS...but these are way older...

plus..

Mig alley

Mig-29 Fulcrum

F16 multirole fighter

F-22 Lightning 3

Apache\Havoc

Janes USAF

all combat flight sims

Combat Air Patrol Boxed.

and Tornado...(Digital intigration)

Edited June 11, 2019 by russouk2004

[+Menrva 4,202]

YF-22 Scheme

 

USAF Pac West

 

Saudi Grey

 

Egyptian Woodland

Edited April 27, 2023 by Menrva

[Stratos 3,192]

Love the YF-22 scheme.

[+Menrva 4,202]

2 hours ago, Stratos said:

Love the YF-22 scheme.

Me too! I spent a lot of time to find the correct decals, they were low-res and I had to tinker with them a bit. The fonts should be much like the real thing! Placement is as good as it can be, given that the F-22A is not the YF-22. Speaking of the aircraft itself, I love the YF-22's shape more than the F-22A's; this YF-22 paint scheme is a "what if" for it is applied to the production Raptor.