119 Squadron Makes a Little Noise

[BeirutDude]

SPOILER ALERT! There is a surprise so if you want to play this scenario I suggest you do so before you read this!

So been a bit frustrated with scenario design these days and just felt like playing a bit. I have always liked Prof. Gellis's Scenarios as he does something I do not and that is strike a balance between creating a challenging scenario while maintaining a reasonable size.

Plan to play his 119 Squadron Makes a Little noise, 2021 scenario, and will post the AAR as I play.
So loaded with the set up in this picture. Looking over the OOB I'm a bit disappointed I don't that the IAF AEW Aircraft but I do have a good number of drones and plenty of radars. From the scenario description I have a good idea where to look for the Syrian Militia in south Lebanon. I note that my assets are split between readied aircraft and about 1/2 the squadron that will be ready in a two (2) hours.

So not having an AEW aircraft my ground based radars and SAMs will serve that role, and will adjust my Patriot Missile WRA to not fire into Syria (just a bit beyond the Golan)...

[BeirutDude]

So now my radars are on. My reasoning...

1. After all of these years the Syrians know where they are so why turn them off when, unless there is a surprise, there is no Syrian SEAD Threat. Russian maybe? But that's were the Patriots come in.
2. With all the radars active I can keep may AAW/CAP low below Syrian Radars and pop up to fire on any threat that bleeds past the Patriots. So hopefully I'll be using the Patriots first and the AAMs on the F-16s to counter any threat beyond that. If I keep my 16s low I might sucker in some MiG-23s.

Anyway that's my story and I'm sticking to it! [:D]

[BeirutDude]

So I hate micro managing, I will when I need to, but like things to autonomous until I need to micromanage. So I set a UAV-Recon Patrol box up over South Lebanon with a transit altitude of 1,000 ft and patrol altitude of 500 feet AGL. This should keep my drone under the Syrian Radars. Maybe the Milita can take it out at that altitude but I'm willing to take that chance.

I also set the Syrians to Neutral, why? Pre-conflict I don't want my AAW/CAP that I'm about to set up going after the Unfriendly aircraft and engaging them. I find they might get drawn over the Syrian SAMs even with a Prosecution zone set up. So as Syrian aircraft appear over Syria will make them as neutral UNITL they start to pose a threat then I'm mark as unfriendly.

Will set up my SUCAP over Nrn Israel, per my orders, same as my CAP low and slow to stay under the radars and not use up fuel.

Not sure I'm going to need the two (2) tankers but will also set up a tanker mission SW of Haifa over the Med.

[BeirutDude]

So I've set up my missions and launched my recon drones.

1. Since its only a six (6) hour scenario both drones have the on station time I need but are slow, and will take time to get on station. So I launch both. I wish I had Ramat David AFB to stage one drone to with a quick turn around, but I don't.

2. Holding off on launching my SUCAP (even though it is set up) until my drones are on station to conserve fuel/flight time.

3. AAW/CAP Launched as several Syrian aircraft have launched. Marked them neutral to avoid premature engagement (pun intended) [:D]

Ready to go!

[BeirutDude]

So everything was going well until a Syrian MiG strayed over the Golan. So I marked it as "hostile" and my Patriot battery near Haifa popped off two (2) missiles at it. It was downed just before it could recross the Purple Line.

I have one tanker on station and have been using it to keep the AAW-CAP F-16s Topped off. Might as well use it! [8D]

Sent one drone up the coast and the other over the center ridge line toward Beaufort Castle.

Recon I should also launch the other drones since they are so slow. I have a jammer and EW Drone will keep them over Nrn Israel under the Patriot protection. The Drones armed with Spike-ERs might send up the coast. Might be a patrol boat out there, although I don't think the Syrian Navy has any operational these days.

[BeirutDude]

So My UAVs are about to enter the search area with a chessboard/"Mow the Lawn"search pattern set up, AAW-CAP is topping off again so they are fresh, SUCAP is en route, as are the Jammers. Looks like everything is set.

[BeirutDude]

First Contact!

SUCAP aircraft are refueling so after a little more searching will be ready for the first strikes. Lets see what's there. I'll use the Mavericks on any SAMs and Armor/IFVs

[BeirutDude]

5 F-16I's going in Nape Of The Earth (NOTE) at 250 ft AGL, should pop up to 500 ft AGL to launch their Mavericks at the BMPs.

Second cluster of Militia uncovered over the hills. I guess the BMPs were going down the coastal road and the leg/truck infantry through the hills. Makes sense. Syrian MiGs still over Syria proper, but watching them to paint as hostile for the SAMs/CAP to take care of. They will likely attack after the first Mavericks fly.

[BeirutDude]

Mavericks away! I think the cameras see Syrians fleeing out the back of the BMPs!

[BeirutDude]

Some hits but no kills! Going around for a second strike! Only two F-16Is engaged!

[BeirutDude]

Dang! Got distracted micromanaging the Mavericks and the MiGs slid in. See if the Patriots can disrupt their attack!

[BeirutDude]

CLOSE ONE! I really screwed up. It was a hairy furball, but 7 MiG-23MLs engaged and five were shot down, four of them to the two Patriot Batteries. without them I likely would have lost 1 or more likely 2 F-16Is! Thanks Army Pukes!

[BeirutDude]

OK back on Track, the F-16Is with the Mavericks are going after the remaining BMP and the SAM Platoon. Also I targeted each with a single Spike-ER from the UAVs (one from each).

[BeirutDude]

Looks like there were still two damaged BMPs but these Mavericks should end that issue. Then the dumb bombs can take out the leg infantry.

[BeirutDude]

DANG! Those are some tough, or lucky BMPs! [8D] [:D]

[BeirutDude]

Finally no more BMPs and got the SAM. No should be an easy task to destroy the leg infantry and trucks.

[BeirutDude]

Hmmmmm? Syrian Patrol Boat? Looks like just one. Wait, that's the SKR Admiral Grigorovich! Which means a mean SAM Battery! Time to rethink! I have to get the aircraft over the infantry out of there, their Mavericks are used up anyway. So the next attacks will be NOTE coming from the The Jordan Valley. Just can't get too high to stay under her radar range, as that's like going against an S-400 Regt! So the Russians are hostile! Does that mean Buks are about?

[BeirutDude]

OK the first flight of two F-16Is with 500lb LDGPs will come in low from the Jordan Valley.

[BeirutDude]

So both Heron's have expended their Spike-ERs doing some damage. So reassigned them to aerial recon. No sense in sending them home as I'll never see them again in this scenario and if the Russian frigate starts firing missiles they may absorb some. Rather loose a UAV than an F-16. Prefer to not loose either but...

[BeirutDude]

Bombs away!