RAFAir MISSION TUE 13th JUL 21

[Alien]

Hi Andrew,
My apologies mate, the Tacan wasn't working on the Teddy so I've just gone back into the file and reset it, it now works.

This is the only change.

I've yet to hear back from 3, at present we are 4 confirmed, 1 maybe, 3AWOL TBC

[Neil Willis]

892 Now replanned - I have moved the tanker so we can go with more munitions this time too.

99-Oh-man-II-Flights-added 892.miz

(7.99 MiB) Downloaded 90 times

[0405 Andrew]

Hi Andrew,
My apologies mate, the Tacan wasn't working on the Teddy so I've just gone back into the file and reset it, it now works.

This is the only change.

I've yet to hear back from 3, at present we are 4 confirmed, 1 maybe, 3AWOL TBC

Cheers, I'm just checking what got changed. I thought I'd set it up but obviously I'm doing something wrong.

[0405 Andrew]

892 Now replanned - I have moved the tanker so we can go with more munitions this time too.

99-Oh-man-II-Flights-added 892.miz

Thanks Neil

[Alien]

Andrew,
The Tacan wasn't working, when I went into ME and bought up the settings for the carrier,

Advanced Waypoint Actions

Activate Tacan(BRG 71X SCTR UNIT SC-TR CARRIER ( Was 2, I changed it to 1 )

Likewise Activate ICLS 11 UNIT SC TR CARRIER ( Was 2, I changed it to 1 )

[0405 Andrew]

Cheers, that must be from deleting carriers etc.

There's always something that's easy to miss.

[Roon]

OCU After Action Report

Short evening for us, takeoff and route were good but target area was alive with SAM systems, none had been surpressed. We had insufficient numbers to field the SEAD pair but against an SA10 and two Hawk batteries, they wouldn't have made a dent. The cruise missiles were probably taken out by the SA10. We aborted when the SA10 came online but lost 5 out of six aircraft. Early bath.

[Hendo]

1(F) AAR

We managed to get bombs on target and destroyed most of the UAV station. The main warehouse building gave us some nice fireworks.

[Danny]

3(F) Sqn AAR.

Everyone got in the pit in good time, monitoring both ATC and Overlord.

Nothing heard from Overlord regards action time, bit surprised therefore to see F-18's and A-10's taxying past. Decided to take off regardless in the vain hope of catching the F-18's up before they got to the SA-10 umbrella, sadly not.

Beanie hit the SA-10 T/R and passed the codeword.
Enzoo hit both the Hawk T/R's on Qeshm Island and passed the codeword.
I hit one of the Hawk T/R's NE of Havadaya, my number 2 had technical issues so couldn't engage the last Hawk T/R.

Beanie, Red Rooster, Enzoo and Phil all RTB'd.

Grillman stayed on CAP until XI refuelled and rearmed, I AAR and returned to support Grillman. We were relieved by XI and both RTB'd.

Not totally sure what happened with Overlord and the action time initialisation call, didn't hear much from Overlord until well into the mission despite calls from a few Sqns.

Not sure why 41 decided to take off, did they get the call?

Whether or not the action time message was transmitted, the brief stated the take-off order. Perhaps seeing us parked up should have triggered some sort of communication rather than pushing on regardless. Secondly perhaps it would have been wise to wait until the briefed SEAD destruction codewords had been transmitted.

[Chris]

Executive Summary

• Mission Failed.
• SQNs took off not in order. 41(F) were TOT but 3(F) around 15 minutes late and then only 2 AC began to attack. 7 out of 8 41(F) were destroyed. 1(F) were 20 minutes late of TOT. 11(F), 97 & 892NAS completed missions as fragged.
• All commanders affirmed they had adequate resources for task.
• Incorrect Take off order and presumably inter squadron communications failures did not highlight that 3(F) were seriously late and could not achieve TOT. The mission should have been aborted.

Personal view
This mission was my attempt to introduce some sort of command and control into our multi squadron missions. The parameters of this were discussed and debated in length. A RAFAir JAOP (Joint Air Operations Planning) session was held on the 6th July and all pertinent points agreed. In a coordinated attack involving multiple squadrons each part is dependent on the other unless redundancy is ensured. In this case CAP, SEAD and STRIKE had supporting roles to each other. CAP has limited time on station and is equipped for A2A, STRIKE coming in NOE is equipped with explosive munitions and SEAD has radiation missiles. That is how it works, together, as one. Maybe RAFAir has no will for this style of interaction. Having examined the TACVIEW I feel this mission from a coordination perspective was abysmal - I failed miserably..

Squadrons to be briefed before mission start.

Some were not pre-briefed

Pilot check in 19:30 UK BST TS

A good check in - thanks

Commanders final brief 19:35 UK BST (to clarify any emerging issues)

Held - no issues, SEAD and CAP fully staffed for task and fall back assistance declined.

SERVER will be live at 19:40

Slight issue - Neil Willis not available and a 'control hang' took me 10 mins to sort server side.

approx 19:50 (+/- 4) MISSION COMMANDER will issue on OVERLORD COMMS the brevity word ACTION TIME followed by a time in ZULU This will initiate all phases of the attack.

Issued TS

ALL CAP covering STRIKE / SEAD to be on station ACTION TIME + 22

Both CAPS on station ON TIME

Take Off order at AL MINHAD will be 3(F), 41(F), 1(F) then 97

Did not happen!
03.53:46z 41F TAXI
03.55:30z 2xA10 TAXI
03.57:46z 41F TAKE OFF
04.00:15z 1(F) TAXI
04.01:16z 2xA10 TAKE OFF
04.04:00z 3F TAXI
04.06:00z 3F TAKE OFF
04.09:40z 1F TAKE OFF
04.16:43z 3x10C

TOT for 41(F) & 1(F) STRIKE packages will be ACTION TIME + 30

41(F) ON TARGET - AT 04:20:10ZULU ALL 6 A/C ATTACKING DOCKS DESTROYED BY SAMS. 2 REAR A/C ABORTED ATTACK RUN AND RTB WITH 1 EJECTING
1(F) LATE - ATTACKED THEIR TARGET 14:40.05

SEAD ATTACK will be at ACTION TIME + 24

3(F) LATE - AT 04:33:23ZULU 2x F16 STARTED ATTACKING SAM SITE
4xF16 WERE LOITERING FAR TO THE SOUTH WEST AND AROUND 04:35:00 BEGAN LAUNCHING HARM88 FROM DISTANCE

97 & 892NAS OPERATIONS AS FRAGGED