DCS: Operation Salt The Earth

SITUATION:

2nd Febuary 2002

A fictional Russian Federation has grown increasingly aggressive, annexing land on several fronts. Seeking protection, Georgia has been granted emergency NATO membership. Tensions quickly increase as the world gets ever more polarised, culminating in several Russia-adjacent, NATO-allied countries launching aggressive invasions.

A NATO task force consisting of Canadian, British, and Israeli air and ground forces is deployed to assist in the Georgian push. With superior air support, Georgian ground forces successfully capture Sochi, and continue pushing north towards the outskirts of Krasnodar. However, Russia has been building up their ground forces, and manage to repel the siege on Krasnodar. In the following days, NATO forces are driven almost 80km south-east, losing control of Maykop-Khanskaya airbase and the city of Maykop.

BRIEFING:

After fierce fighting, the Russian Federation has pushed through and secured their position in the city of Maykop. As their forces begin to prepare Maykop-Khanskaya airbase for operations, severely weakened NATO ground forces begin falling back to regroup in the Caucasian mountains.

NATO AIRCOM is determined to deny the enemy another airbase and has ordered a anti-runway strike on Maykop-Khanskaya. Unfortunately an SA-11 battery has reached Belorechensk, just north-west of the airbase, and must be disabled before a safe strike can occur.

The Georgians will be dropping supplies for the retreating ground forces. We're low on both jets and weapons, so once the runway strike has been completed you'll act as Defensive Counter-Air to protect the transport aircraft performing the drop. You will be equipped with sparse A/A loadouts, so use those radios and co-ordinate your attacks.

TASKING:

- Disable or supress the SA-11, and destroy the runway at Maykop-Khanskaya.
A full flight plan (see included images) has been set up with ingress and target points for both flights. You don't need to follow it, but it's there if you need it.
You will have to use proper SEAD tactics to defeat the SAM; force the operator to turn the radar off by firing HARMs, then go in for the kill with AGM-65s.
- Protect Georgian Air Force transport aircraft while they perform their air drops.
Once the RUAF realises we aren't equipped for air superiority, they will likely send interceptors from the north. Make sure the Georgian transport aircraft are kept safe during their air-drop and until they are back in friendly SAM coverage.

Detailed threat & radio information will be available in the in-game briefing. Comm ladders will be configured for all aircraft.

There will be no aircraft respawns. Once you are dead, feel free to spectate.

Slots - 4x RCAF 409th Sqn. F/A-18C, 3x IAF 117th Sqn. F-16C, 1x LotATC AIC

This skin is recommended if you want the F-16s to have the right paint jobs.

DODGE-4 - F/A18C, SEAD/DEAD:

4-1 Flight Lead: @SABER

4-2 Wingman: @Glad1us

^ 2x AIM-9M, 2x AIM-120B, 2x AGM-88C.

4-3 Element Lead: @KingShibe

4-4 Wingman: @Thorimus

^ 2x AIM-9M, 2x AIM-120B,2x AGM-65F.

FORD-1 - F16C, Anti-Runway Strike:

1-1 Flight Lead: @P057code

1-2 Wingman: @anden3

1-3 Wingman: @Beyond

^ 1x AIM-9M, 3x AIM-120B, 4x Mk82AIR high-drag bombs.

MAGIC - Ground-based EW radars, Air Intercept Controller:

Magic: @Monocled Badger

If interest is high enough the anti-runway strike will be expanded to also cover munitions and fuel bunkers, so even if all the slots are full, feel free to request anyway!