Operation Praying Mantis

RSVP:
220517 – 19:30 (please sign-up asap though, as it makes things easier to plan)
Activity:
Mission – CAP, Air Interdiction, ASuW, Strike
Version / Modules:
Open Beta, PG, F/A-18C, F-16C, AH-64
Prerequisites:
BQ, CASE1, AAR

Lineup:
(F/A-18C CAP)
ARCTIC11 (400): Bankler
ARCTIC12 (401): Fretz
ARCTIC13 (402): Bouncer
ARCTIC14 (403): Finoli

(F/A-18C CAP)
BENDER21 (404): JackFlash
BENDER22 (405): Sunny
BENDER23 (406): Giant
BENDER24 (407): Switcher

(F/A-18C CAP)
CRIMSON31 (410): Creedarn
CRIMSON32 (411): Paawman
CRIMSON33 (412):
CRIMSON34 (413):

(F-16C Strike)
INDY91: Agaton
INDY92: Arrow
INDY93: Leka
INDY94: Alta

(F-16C Strike)
JESTER11: Mags
JESTER12: Vulture
JESTER13: Moldy
JESTER14: Vennyy

(AH-64D Air Interdiction)
RAGE91: Troll | Deadgun
RAGE92: Jasnisse |Chris

(AWACS)
STINGRAY: Knugen
STINGRAY:

(Airport)
Al Dhafra Ground:
Al Dhafra Tower:
Al Dhafra Control:

(Carrier)
Marshal:
Tower:
LSO:

Bakgrund:
18 april 1988
The Persian Gulf
The Iran-Iraq war has reached its’ eigth year. Both sides have launched increasingly frequent attacks on the other sides oil infrastructure in an attempt to strangle their war economy. As a part of these efforts Iran has deployed sea mines in international waters frequented by both Iraqi and neutral tanker ships.

Four days ago, on April 14th, the USS Samuel B. Roberts, a US Navy Frigate, struck an Iranian mine while escorting tankers. The ship suffered extensive damage and multiple casualties among her crew.

Situation:
A retaliatory attack on Iranian forces and structures in the Persian Gulf will be launched in response. F-16C’s based on Al Dhafra will attack two Iranian oil platforms (Sassan and Sirri) using Mk82s. AH-64D’s will follow up to provide BDA and engage any Iranian speedboats in the area. Air cover will be provided by F/A-18Cs and F-14Bs off the USS Abraham Lincoln, located to the south-east.

Time and weather:
* 18 April 1988
* 0630 local time
* OVC 08/15, SCT/BKN 25/26 34/36
* Wind 130/ 12
* QNH 3018, FORCE QNH 2992

Package mission:
Destroy the Iranian Sassan & Sirri oil platforms
Engage any Iranian forces attempting to interfere with the attack

Order of events overview:
1) Package departs starting 0650 LT & CAP establishes CAP holds covering both targets
2) STRIKE groups attacks each target with simultaneous bomb strikes at 0730.
3) STRIKE checks in with AWACS and assumes reserve CAP until RTB
4) RAGE9 performs visual BDA of TGT SIRRI, and starts to hunt for Iranian gunboats in the area.
5) RAGE9 RTBs at 0800.
6) Once no threats remain and Rage9 have left the area, package RTBs

Intel:
* Bullseye: N 26 54.584 E 54 32.343 (Sirri Island)
* Air threats: F-4, F-14A
* Ground threats: SA-6, AAA, MANPADS
* Joker: 7000 lbs
* Bingo: 5000 lbs
* RAMROD: GRANDSLICE
* Abort mission code: NIGHTFALL
* Target SASSAN Coordinates: N25°29’39” E53°44’27”
* Target SIRRI Coordinates: N25°34’38” E54°27’03”
* CAP Alpha Coordinates: N25°31’21” E53°35’25”
* CAP Bravo Coordinates: N25°44’54” E55°6’46”
* CAP Reserve Coordinates: 24°59’46” 54°46’55”

Carrier:
* CVN-72 USS Abraham Lincoln
* TCN: 72X
* ICLS: 1
* BRC: 130
* CASE 1 departure and recovery
* Hornet Tank: 2000
* Minimum Fuel: T + 2
* Charlie time 0835
* All aircraft expected to check in for recovery 0815
**During Case 1, every go-around is estimated to 500 lbs, and for T + 2 you need to carry fuel for 2 go-arounds. This means that when showing up in the groove for the first time, you need to have 3000 lbs. After 2 go-arounds, you’d need to hit the tanker.
**During Case 3, every go-around is estimated to 1000 lbs, and for T + 2 you need to carry fuel for 2 go-arounds. This means that when showing up in the groove for the first time, you need to have 4000 lbs. After 2 go-arounds, you’d need to hit the tanker.

Departures:
* ARCTIC1: 06:50
* BENDER2: 06:52
* CRIMSON3: 06:54

Stack:
* 2000′: Arctic1, Crimson3
* 3000′: Bender21, Bender23 (2 two-ship sections)

Loadout:
General note – all weapons entering real life service after 1988 are prohibited. Specifically, this means that the following are not allowed:
– Any GPS-guided weapon (JDAM, JSOW etc)
– All variants of AIM-120
– AIM-9X
– AGM-65F

* ARCTIC1: 2 x XT, 2 x 9M, Tpod, 4 x 7M
* BENDER2: 2 x XT, 2 x 9M, Tpod, 4 x 7M
* CRIMSON3: XT, 2 x 9M, 2 x AGM-84D, Tpod
* INDY9: XT, 2 x 9M, 8 x Mk82LD
* JESTER1: XT, 2 x 9M, 8 x Mk82LD
* RAGE9: 38 x 2.75″, 4 x AGM-114K

ROE:
* Weapons free on all enemy air defences
* Weapons free on aircraft declared hostile
* Weapons free on any surface targets positively identified as Iranian

Common Comms:
* Ch 1 Carrier Tower: 305.00
* Ch 2 Carrier Tower (AI): 264.00
* Ch 3 Package: 265.00
* Ch 4 Carrier Red Crown: 256.00
* Ch 5 CAP A: 254.00
* Ch 6 Ground: 250.00
* Ch 7 Tower: 270.00
* Ch 8 Control: 257.00
* Ch 9 AWACS Check In: 255.00
* Ch 10 CAP B: 262.00
* Ch 11 Air Force Sec Tanker: 259.00
* Ch 12 Navy Sec Tanker: 268.00
* Ch 13 Mission Specific: 269.00
* Ch 14 Navy Main Tanker (AI): 260.00
* Ch 15 Carrier Approach A: 263.00
* Ch 16 Carrier Marshal: 261.00
* Ch 17 Carrier Approach B: 267.00
* Ch 18 AWACS (AI): 251.00
* Ch 19 Carrier Overhead Tankers (AI): 253.00
* Ch 20 Air Force Main Tanker (AI): 266.00

TCN:
* UNION – 72X – CVN-72 USS Abraham Lincoln
* ARCO1 – 101X – KC-135MPRS at 18.000′ – Ch 14
* TEXACO2 – 102X – KC-135 at 16.000′ – Ch 20
* SHELL3 – 103X – KC-135MPRS at 8.000′ – Ch 19
* TEXACO4 – 104X – KC-135 at 14.000′ – Ch 11
* ARCO5 – 105X – KC-135MPRS at 20.000′ – Ch 12

CombatFlite file:

Detailed Taskings:

ARCTIC1
WP1 BE
WP2 CAP A
WP3 CAP B
WP4 CAP Reserve

BENDER2
WP1 BE
WP2 CAP A
WP3 CAP B
WP4 CAP Reserve

CRIMSON3
WP1 BE
WP2 CAP A
WP3 CAP B
WP4 CAP Reserve

JESTER1
WP1 BE
WP2 TGT SASSAN
WP3 TGT SIRRI
WP4 CAP RESERVE

INDY9
WP1 BE
WP2 TGT SASSAN
WP3 TGT SIRRI
WP4 CAP RESERVE

RAGE9
WP1 Sir Abu Nuayr Island (Divert point)
WP2 Sassan Platform
WP3 Sirri Platform