Package GUARDIAN

Situation

The SAA offensive is following two major axes of advance, named AOA North and AOA south. The northern axis is covered by mountains on both sides and is therefore difficult to cover with our existing Patriot battery at Damascus Intl. It is therefore likely that the syrians will focus their rotary wing assets (Mi-8 and Mi-24) there. Our forces will have a hard enough time resisting the oncoming armored assault as it is, we do not need the added complication of being on the receiving end of air supremacy. The plan is to pre-position air defence assets (MANPADS teams) in the area around An Nasiriyah air base, which has been neutralized by previous air strikes and subsequently abandoned by the Syrians.

Orders

• Insert MANPADS teams at landing zones GROOT, QUILL and DRAX
• Secondary tasking is to provide CASEVAC as needed

Brevity

• Report GROOT, QUILL and DRAX respectively after successful insertion.

Resources

• One flight of CH-47F
• Friendly SAM Cover at Damascus Intl
• Friendly fast movers from Damascus can be requested for CAP support but none are directly tasked to your package and availability is not guaranteed
• 210th Field Artillery Brigade is deployed withing range of your AO, fire missions can be requested through Talon-6 on FM 38.10

Mission Details

All three landing zones are on slopes facing An Nasiriyah. Deploy the teams as close as terrain permits, they will proceed on foot as needed.

The air base itself was neutralized early in the campaign and no SAA activity has been reported in the area for the past 96 hrs. Friendly scouting forces (Stryker Battalions) have passed through the area but no efforts have been made to clear the base of possible booby traps or unexploded ordnance. You are advised to stay clear of the base and its immediate surroundings (out to 300 yards).

The SAA does not yet have a significant presence in the area but scouting forces may be encountered (infantry with small arms, possibly supported by .50 cal). Flight Lead decides if they should be engaged with on-board weapons or if a fire mission should be requested from 210th FAB.

Waypoints

1. LZ GROOT
2. LZ QUILL
3. LZ DRAX
4. IP / EP Ad Dumayr
5. Damascus intl

Annexes

ANNEX 1 – map locations of Landing Zones

ANNEX 2 – satellite imagery of the same area, NOTE images predate the campaign