Bitter Shark



Bitter Shark was the first mission for the new Musketeer Flight. Despite achieving their objectives they would find themselves crippled as they lost a pilot and airframe due to enemy action and another injured pilot and totalled airframe due to a landing crash.

Mission Type:
Air Interdiction

Mission Overview:
Yemeni Intelligence has discovered that arms shipments to insurgents are being transported en masse by an Iranian registered Cargo aircraft. Your orders are to intercept the aircraft before it reaches the Sa'dah region and either force it to surrender and divert to Aden, or to shoot it down should it refuse to comply. Unfortunately the precise flightplan is unknown, so you will be transiting an area that does have commercial air traffic operating in it.

Threat Analysis:
Unknown. Transport aircraft may have a tail gun station, use caution when approaching.

Payment:
Reputation: +1 Pay: 1000

ROE
Visual Identification on all targets is required prior to weapons release. With the amount of civilian traffic in the region the Yemeni government is taking all precautions to avoid a massive public relations disaster. Bid History Month One:

Musketeer: 1000

Winning Bid: Musketeer

Pilots:
Guv (F-5E Tiger II)
 * 3x AIM-9D/E Sidewinder
 * 1x AIM-4D Falcon
 * 1x Tech 5 ECM Pod
 * 1x Drop Tank

Witch (F-5E Tiger II)
 * 1x AIM-9D/E Sidewinder
 * 2x Unguided Bomb
 * 2x AIM-26
 * 1x Drop Tank

Suit (F-16C Fighting Falcon)
 * 4x AIM-26 Falcon
 * 4x AIM-9D/E Sidewinder
 * 1x Drop Tank

Crutches (F-16C Fighting Falcon)
 * 4x AIM-9L Sidewinder
 * 2x AIM-4D Falcon
 * 1x AIM-9D/E Sidewinder
 * 1x Unguided Bomb
 * 1x Drop Tank

Summary:
"Christ. You want it from the top? Fine."

Nick leans back in his chair and puts his hands over his face for a moment before continuing.

"First off, the intel for this run sucked. And I mean hard." Nick points at the man sitting behind the desk. "I know it's not your fault, be Jesus we went in blind and fucking dumb. Ah, sorry I'll just stick to what happened for now."

"We came in on the south part of the engagement area and split into two groups. Ross and Henry in one while Julienne and I were in the other. Ross' group started trying to ID any targets they could, trying to find the plane we were after while Julienne and I burned to the edge of the area to try and cut off escape."

"It went fine until the Saudi's got me on ATC radar, then shit went south." Nick starts gesticulating as he tries to order the flurry of activity that followed. "The ATC and I kind of got into it then Ross butted in. He figured it would be a good idea to try and get the Saudis on our side. If they could bar anyone from entering their airspace it would give us time to search."

"Then that Payam Air plane, where they really a Payam Air flight?" Nick pauses for a second, "Anyway they but in saying we're shooting and Ross notices some contrails where his radar says there's only one contact." Nick uses his fingers to denote the contrails above where the radar estimated the contact to be.

"Next thing we know there's four Fishbeds almost hitting Henry. The Saudis are freaking out, the civvies are freaking out, and we're not too cool either." Nick catches his breath.

"We engaged the Migs, but they got Henry with a missile, don't know what kind, fucked one of his engines and apparently messed up his gear too. We tried engaging but just could not maneuver in on them."

"I got in a lucky position head on with the transport and got a lock with my Sidewinders, ah AIM-9L's. Ordered it to redirect and it refused."

"So I fired."

"Three missiles, two hit as far as I could tell one buggered off into the ocean somewhere. They didn't take it down though, just messed it up pretty good."

"We were fighting some more, Jeddah was freaking out still, trying to get the Saudi Air Force invloved. Ah Julienne got into a header with two of the Migs tried for a cannon shot and missed, got some holes in her Tiger for the trouble. Henry and I each downed a Mig. Henry launched two AIM-9D's and I launched my AIM-4's."

"After that Lieutenant whatever his name was showed up. I tried to feed him a line of BS - I didn't actually expect it to work I just wanted to make him check with his superiors to see if I was full of shit."

"And then Ross bought it."

"I didn't see it happen, he was behind me at the time. I just know he was there one minute and the next I was watching a ball of fire and parts fall into the red sea."

"The Migs bugged out after that and I set one last shot up on the transport plane. Shoved an AIM-9L so far up his ass I hope he choked on it." Nick says balling his right fist.

"After that we bugged out, and - well -you saw what happened to Henry." Nick shakes his head and looks down at his dusty boots.

AAR:
MUSKETEER OPERATION : BITTER SHARK AFTER ACTION REPORT EAGLE CORP. INTERNAL DOCUMENT #133-14-71A

FOR MISSION LOG SEE RECORDING #133-14-71R

KILLS Nick "Crutches" Delorezia : 1xMig-21 1xIL-76

Ross "Suit" Cameron: None

Julienne "Witch" Aleva Nikarova: None

Henry "Guv" Dravot: 1xMig-21

AMMUNITION EXPENDED: Nick "Crutches" Delorezia : 4x AIM-9L Sidewinder 2x AIM-4D Falcon

Ross "Suit" Cameron: None

Julienne "Witch" Aleva Nikarova: 80x 20x102mm Rounds

Henry "Guv" Dravot: 2x AIM-9D Sidewinder

EQUIPMENT AND AMMUNITION LOST: 3x UGB (Jettisoned) 4x Fuel Tank (Jettisoned/Expended) 4x AIM-26 Falcon (Destroyed In Explosion) 5x AIM-9D/E Sidewinder (4 Destroyed In Explosion, 1 Destroyed On Landing) 1x AIM-4D Falcon (Destroyed On Landing) 1x TL5 ECM Pod (Destroyed On Landing)

ORDINANCE REMAINING IN STOCKPILE 2x AIM-9D/E Sidewinder 2x AIM-26 Falcon

AIRFRAME DAMAGE Nick "Crutches" Delorezia : F-16C Fighting Falcon - No Damage

Ross "Suit" Cameron: F-16C Fighting Falcon - Destroyed (Destroyed In AtA Combat)

Julienne "Witch" Aleva Nikarova: F-5E Tiger II - Minor Damage (No Performance Lost)

Henry "Guv" Dravot: F-5E Tiger II - Destroyed (Crashed on Landing)

PILOT STATUS Nick "Crutches" Delorezia : Active

Ross "Suit" Cameron: Killed In Action

Julienne "Witch" Aleva Nikarova: Active

Henry "Guv" Dravot: Seriously Wounded

Jacob listens, jotting down notes as Crutches talks. At the end of the explanation, Jacob puts down the pen, sliding the legal pad into an attache case, before placing it back on the floor.

"I see. I can tell you that the target you shot down was not Payam Air, that was just a cover. You can talk to maintenance about repairing your aircraft." He slides a folder across to you, "This is your payment for the operation, minus some expenses, such as keeping Mr. Dravot alive, and having the Radar tapes from Jeddah disappear." Jacob stands up, opening the door, "One final thing, Ms. Nikarova, it would be advisable if you stopped your periodic visits to room 212 at the Plein Ciel Hotel, it's an unaccpetable risk, and if we can find out about it, others might be able to as well." He closes the door, leaving you both in the room with the folder on the table.

Mission Results

Enemy Kills: 1x MiG 21 (Guv) 1x MiG 21 (Crutches) 1x Il-76 (Crutches)

Incidentals: Jeddah Center Disruption

Objective(s) Intercept and divert/destroy arms Shipment: Achieved Destroy Escort Wing (Secondary): Failed

Pay: Mission Pay: 1000 Success Bonus: 250 Kill Bonus: 194 Life Insurance: 100 Incidentals: -400 Total: 1144