Operation: Hell's Gate

[SilentGunner13]

Operation: Hell's Gate

Overview

Participants:

Zeus/OPCOM: @SilentGunner13

Co-Zeus: @Sarissa (big thank <3)

Phantom Actual: @Veagance

Phantom 1-2: @vladdis611

Phantom Medic: @LurkerOne

Phantom Drone Op: @GloppinBoopin

Phantom Demolitionist: @EpsilonNiner

Phantom Operator: @Resurge

Phantom Operator: @TheSalader

Phantom Operator: @riccardi48

An experimental UH-60X Black Hawk Helicopter carrying sensitive technologies was shot down over Chernarussian/Russian Airspace and crash landed in Chernarus near Novy Sobor. The sensitivity of the tech on board, and the implications of it falling into Russian Federation custody, led to the swift dispatch of Task Force Phantom, the C.I.A.'s top clandestine operations group.

TF Phantom was tasked with securing the crash site, destroying the helo wreckage, and recovering any survivors of the flight crew. All the while, keeping an eye out for any intelligence which would shed further light on how a helicopter carrying an advanced radar scrambler managed to get itself shot down, and who was responsible.

For this mission, TF Phantom conducted their raid under cover of darkness against the CDF Reserve Guard. They were deployed alongside a UCAV Sentinel for reconnaissance and emergency CAS support, should it have been needed. This began with observation of, followed by a coordinated attack on enemy forces at the crash site, where the flight data recordings were recovered and transmitted to Crossroads, with the physical device itself being destroyed to prevent its analysis by the CDF or Russian Federation.

Despite enemy alertness levels increasing due to rebel activity in the area, and the detonation of the crash site, TF Phantom moved undeterred and undetected towards their second objective, to capture and destroy the fuselage of the UH-60X. Along the way having to evade enemy patrols and aerial response elements.

Utilizing stealth, darkness, weather and some fortuitous attacks from the local insurgency to their advantage, all objectives were completed successfully. Activity of the PRIC proved instrumental to TF Phantom's success, with Phantom Actual @Veagance seizing the opportunity to raid the compound where the wreckage was held whilst the local garrison was distracted with a rebel raid on the nearby town of Novy Sobor

 

 

Moving on from the successful destruction of the Black Hawk wreckage, TF Phantom moved south towards the Green Mountain radio base to attack a field HQ just outside of the area where it was discovered the flight crew was being held. Three flight crew members were discovered. Both pilots were freed and recovered by TF Phantom, however the data analyst was <REDACTED> unfortunately shot and killed by a CDF Soldier during the raid and was found dead in the medical tent. The two pilots and analysts body were recovered in an excellent show of commitment by Phantom. Loading up in stolen enemy vehicles, they fled the area and an enemy QRF approaching.

A fast dash to PRIC controlled staging area in the Southwest of the region allowed TF Phantom to escape and extract back to the USS Freedom via helo courtesy of the USMC, who entered the airspace under cover of fog and beneath radar, escorted by an AH-1.

 

 

Debrief

The operation was a complete success. TF Phantom was able to prevent sensitive technology from falling into potential enemy hands.

With sensitive components and the main fuselage totally destroyed, there is no longer evidence of US presence in the region, and this was preserved thanks to TF Phantom's discretion in not leaving any personnel or equipment in the field, including the deceased.

The radar jammer aboard the UCAV Sentinel also proved to be highly effective, and will certainly prove useful to us in future operations. However the station time of the drone was raised as a concern by the Task Force, raising questions regarding its feasibility for longer operations. 2nd Experimental Air Wing will investigate alternate methods of deployment for this jammer.

TF Phantom also recovered the flight data and the full GPS data from the helo. From this, CIA analysts were able to confirm that the helo was indeed shot down whilst over neutral Chernarussian airspace and therefore, it is a reasonable assumption to implicate the Chernarus Defence Force in the downing of a NATO aircraft inside of neutral airspace. This information has been passed to the Pentagon, but will remain highly confidential for the time being.

The two pilots that were recovered have been debriefed and given an alibi, recounting their escape from captivity following a PRIC attack on the convoy they were being transported to, and returning to the USS Liberty by means of hijacking a civilian watercraft, and utilising its EPIRB to communicate via Morse Code on UHF Channel 16, which the USS Freedom was able to decode, and dispatch a rescue team. They have been sworn to secrecy to never reveal the true events that led to their rescue.

The deceased analyst's death was unfortunate, but TF Phantom went above and beyond operational parameters in recovering his body. It has been handed over to the USAF in neighbouring Takistan and is on a C-17 and on its way home. His family will certainly be grateful to have a body to bury, although they will never know who to thank for ensuring this was possible. As always, the work you do is thankless, but necessary.

 

All in all, a fine job. The USS Freedom's task force has departed the region and is on its way back to the United States. TF Phantom will await the next time they're called into action.

 

Thanks for playing this mission, watch this space for more.

[SilentGunner13]

Operation Hell's Gate: Addendum (AKA stuff that was in the mission but was not discovered/encountered)

Acting in good faith, we received a report from the local PRIC Rebel faction. Consisting of two photographs.

The first depicts a grim scene. Civilian and military vehicles abandoned and destroyed, with both civilian and CDF bodies seen nearby. What happened here is not immediately obvious, however the PRIC denies responsibility, and is insistent that the CDF must have been the party responsible for the atrocity, as the PRIC would not have the capability to ambush this many vehicles.

It is known that Chernarussian troops as late have been taking a dim view towards civilians due to the threat posed by the insurgency, which often hides among them. As such, the PRIC claim that the CDF is responsible could well have some merit.

 

The second image is cause for more immediate concern. It depicts a small gathering of infantry near the location where the Field HQ was raided and the aircrew were rescued, who are significantly better equipped than anything we've seen the CDF use in the field before. The equipment in use would appear to indicate that the Spetznaz are operating in Chernarus, perhaps investigating the disappearance of the aircrew and loss of the UH-60X. We anticipated the Russians would investigate following the operation, but the presence of the Spetznaz indicates that something more suspicious is afoot...

[Veagance]

Just remembered this mission, it was extremely good, hope to see more like it in the future