Op Blaggard - 4th Jan 2022

[309 Geoff]

All,
As you know, I will not be cleared by the doc to fly until end January. So, to help with the planning, I've put together my ideas for the miz, with a pdf brief. See attached below. If I was capable of flying, and taking the lead, both the miz and the brief would need lots more work.
For some reason, I cannot fly this to check it out. Maybe my system, or the DCS update. Only the A10A appears to be available for this mission. All my old missions seem to work ok.
It's a night start up, taxi, and take off., with mission start at 0800hrs.
I hope whoever leads this mission will find my ideas useful. Make use off, or bin as required.

Fly Safe guys.

Op Blaggard.pdf

(1.49 MiB) Downloaded 67 times

[Flyco]

I have aversion for the A-10C_2. Just need to run it through the mincer a few times. Quite a short route, all at low level, 240 Kia’s, with a lot of simple targets. As Geoff says - night t/o, daylight over th e target area.

[309 Geoff]

All,
All sorted now. Here is a corrected miz with 4*A-10CIIs, for consideration by Flight Lead. I've deleted my previous miz from an earlier post. Loadouts on all aircraft are the same. Fuel 90%.

Op Blaggards Intel 02-97Sqn.miz

(845.31 KiB) Downloaded 58 times

[Flyco]

I have attached my proposed mission. It is very similar to Geoff's, except that I go right after T/O. instead of left and approach from the West. I also stay at below 500 ft agl, until popping up to ~1500ftfor the initial launches I also use 20 secs between take-offs to maintain a minimum of 1 nm between ac in trail.

I take out the same blocking ZSU as Geoff, with a Mav, and then run in on the main group. I planned to use just 2 Mavs per ac, Lead takes out blocker plus one other ZSU, while the other 3 each take out an assigned ZSU. The use individual runs-in along the cleared route using apkw's and/or guns as required.

The problem with both mine and Geoff's plan, will be avoiding each other in the very restricted run in path (absolute max of about 4-5 nm wide to avoid the SAMs and other ZSUs to the north and the south). That and the need for discipline to avoid mutual damage.

I too put on a couple of GBU-12s - just in case, but I would probably unload them before departing unless the briefing changed. I used 80% fuel, which is ample for the task. I wanted to keep the ac weights down to aid manoeuvrability in the target area. However, I kept the 2 Aim-9s

I suggest we ask Paul to use his magic pin to select one. In the meantime, I will hold off on my detailed sortie brief.

[309 Geoff]

Alan,
Downloaded your miz, and would like to make the following comments:-
1. Your T/O time is +40mins, after mission start. I had +20mins. With +40mins, there is an increased risk that Pashkovsky A/Field will come under attack before you taxi.
2. I prefer your right turn after T/O, and run in to IP from the West. It's safer, and gives easier access to the "safe corridor".
3. I transited to TGTs at 6000ft. Your transit is 500ft, climbing to 1500ft. With +40 after T/O, you may be transiting at dawn. With +20 after T/O, you would be transiting at night.
4. After destroying the blocking ZU23, I think ZU South and West should be destroyed first, before moving onto the others to the East. I would also destroy all ZU's, before attacking any of the vehicles.
5. I will not be flying, due to my eyesight. If I was to fly, I would request to re-arm with 6*Mav D's. I don't fancy getting within range of a ZU, with laser rockets, and another ZU opening fire on me.
6. After ZU North is destroyed, maybe a CBU97 could be used on the remaining North vehicles. They are 2350ft clear of buildings.
7. I messaged all 97Sqn Pilots saying I would not be flying. I also e-mailed Paul just to confirm. He replied by e-mail saying he may not be able to take part, due to lack of internet. The magic pin may not appear. There maybe only 2 pilots for this mission. I hope I'm wrong.

As you say, discipline, accurate flying, and tight turns will be needed between the blocking ZU and the Kill Box.

[Flyco]

Geoff, the original mission brief gave us a T/O time of 04:40 - but I would not rule out a earlier one, provided there are no clashes. I did a trial run low level, and the terrain is very flat, while the white snow shows up all obstacles very clearly - I think I would stick to LL - you can fly it on autopilot at a baro ht of 800 ft quite safely! I would pull up to about 1000-1500 ft agl to fire the Mavs.

I had considered using extra Mavs, but with 4 ac, almost in line astern, firing from significantly outside about 4 nm there looked to be a bit of a confliction problem. Hence to 1-2 nm trail. In practice with the ZSUs gone I suspect guns would be OK. That said if we are just a pair I would put extra Mavs on and ditch the 282s, as well as the GBU-12s. I certainly agree that we must knock out all ZSUs initially - I had originally allocated one to each Flt member. It is a bit tight firing an 'apkw' at 5 nm and holding laser lock until impact - especially if you miss! As I say the intention was to knock out all ZSUs with Mavs.

Two aircraft is possible, but 3 or 4 would be better.

[Richard Rodgers]

Afternoon boys.

I am a bid of a novice with sorting any plans but I have just flown to the AO from both Alan's and Geoff's miz.

Must admit it was fine getting there on both options, but obviously the first ZSU is easier to spot when at 6000' @ 20nm range than finding it upon pop up. Having said that, I had no issues with the pop up option but it just meant I had to be a bot more on the ball.

I have a suggestion that you will prob say just won't work but here goes. I can't really test it as it is difficult to be in more than one A10 at a time, but I ran in on WP8 and was also fired upon by ZSU at WP7 so it is vital we atke them out

All ALTs are AGL

FIRST ELEMENT
Boar 1 - take ZSU at WP5 @ 1500' with MAV-D then head direct IP staying at 1500'. Take out ZSU at WP7 then onto ZSU at WP9. Very hard left 180* turn back to IP still at 1500'.

Boar 2 - act as backup for ZSU at WP5 @ 2000' with MAV-D then head direct IP staying at 2000'. Take out ZSU at WP8 then onto ZSU at WP10. Very hard right 180* turn back to IP still at 2000'.

once B1/B2 back at IP, turn inbound TGTs with Boar 1 taking WP9 tgts at 1500' and Boar 2 taking WP7 tgts at 2000'. Repeat as required

SECOND ELEMENT
Boar 3 - Overfly WP5 then to IP staying at 2500'. If all the ZSUs have been destroyed, take out tgts at WP10. Very hard left 180* turn back to IP still at 2500' and run in again to mop up any other tgts at WP10

Boar 4 - Overfly WP5 then to IP staying at 3000'. If all the ZSUs have been destroyed, take out tgts at WP8. Very hard right 180* turn back to IP still at 3000' and run in again to mop up any other tgts at WP8


All pilots will need to be aware that they may be required to take out ZSU, so B3 & 4 need to make their first run with an eye on having to take out the ZSU within ANY tgt area as requested by flight lead.

Would be worth each AC taking 6x MAV-D, 1x CBU97 and a bunch of 282 rockets

[Flyco]

I have tweaked my Op Blaggards Mission, and a copy is attached.

I had a strange warning on running it - but it was concerning my Helios, and the mission (and Helios), seemed to run OK.

I have (reluctantly) upped the Mav complement to 6 per ac, just in case we finish up with just flying a singleton.

On a trial run, I took out the Guard Tunguska and Tung W and Tung N, on the first pass, turning away at about 3.5 nm. Lock was late for all of them (5-6 nm), and I found it necessary to deviate up to a mile from track to get clear view through the trees, and climb to about 1500 ft agl for the launches. However all hit with no problem.

The Helios problem that I got was that my Helios reported that it was built for the A-10C-2, and couldn't run the A-10C - But it did! I seem to recall that someone was having problems with the A-10C and A-10C-2 with this mission, but I don't think there is any connection. I will look at my Helios set up again, after yesterday's DCS up-date.

Unless I get any cries of woe, I will submit this mission input on Friday afternoon.

[Flyco]

A detailed brief for this mission is attached. Please read it, and let me have any suggestions or queries as necessary.

[309 Geoff]

Alan,

Regarding the brief, it all looks fine. However, the separate sheet with route and attack area details seemed to be missing.

I tried to test your latest miz around lunchtime. Startup, taxi,T/O, and transit were fine. I had to give up when trying to view the TGP. Sorry, but I will not be able to take part.

Fly safe 97Sqn.

Geoff.