- Jarmak
- Jan 24, 2005
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Facetracking with a basic webcam works really well, I did it for years. The delanclip is fairly cheap and a significant upgrade, and is what I had before the final transition to mega-dork-vr-haver.
The best thing about this campaign is no idiot f-18 hornet pilots trying to say that it, in any way, competes with the superior vipenation.
Hornet doesn't compete with vipenation, that's why we had to swap out for F-5s to come play with the vipes in the B-team plane lineup.
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Sep 28, 2023 01:14
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May 16, 2024 16:16
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- Jarmak
- Jan 24, 2005
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I'm going to buck the trend and argue that we should proceed with Rabbit Bravo.
Main thinking is two-fold:
Fighting retreat across a straight is extremely dangerous and very well could result in us effectively losing that mech brigade completely as an effective fighting force; basically leaving a brigade fighting with their back to the water to just figure out their own retreat sounds like a bad idea. The brigade at Punta Arenas has favorable terrain to pull back to; they can much more effectively mount a fighting retreat and attrit the enemy attacker while doing so.
Punta Arenas will be much easier to counter attack with a mech brigade that's fallen back to defensive positions and been reinforced. The Chinese still have to resupply their forces there over the strait of Magellan, and having the air base at Franco Bianco would put us in good position to contest that crossing through air interdiction. Conversely we're going to have to pull off a contested amphibious landing across the strait to counter attack Franco Bianco or otherwise ever push the Chinese off Terra Del Fuego, and we might have to do it down one entire mech brigade. It also keeps a second front open which complicates Chinese logistics, which should be a major advantage of ours given we're on home turf.
Put another way: Achieving B puts us in a significantly better position to recover A, and A is in a much better position to conserve resources in their loss. While losing B means it's pretty much gone; it would be gaining a piece of strategic terrain on one front at the expense of letting the Chinese completely close off the second front.
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Oct 1, 2023 15:47
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- Jarmak
- Jan 24, 2005
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As much as this isn't my personal favorite mission profile, if there are literal miles-long convoy traffic jams covered in PLA combat sustainment support vehicles, the F-5E (Uzi flight) is perfectly capable of employing dumb rockets, bombs, or both on such an obvious and lined up target. This is still high risk to MANPADs compared to SU-25s doing maximum standoff S-13 runs, and pretty moderate to high risk to AAA or even self-defense AA .50/20mm as well. But if risking 2-4 F-5s dropping sticks of snakeyes on a highway are the difference between hundreds or a thousand plus troops escaping/holding or being destroyed/surrendering, the choice may be clear.
Snakeye Tutorial.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=emxHLfuDnPI
Uzi is also capable of employing CBU-52s which are pretty good for soft targets like trucks.
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Oct 7, 2023 16:45
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- Jarmak
- Jan 24, 2005
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CSAD Command,
I have two major updates for you:
1. Attached you will find satellite photos to confirm the location of the BSA previously suspected based on signals intelligence. It is at roughly 53°21'20.52"S, 69°15'51.11"W. This location has been doing final refit and staging for units unloading at Rio Grande before pushing them to the front line, supporting front line operations with logistical convoys, and accepting units for field repair.
Circled below is a probable SA-11.
Based on upcoming ISR availability, I do not expect we will get another picture of this site before your next major operation. It is unlikely that the entire site will move in the next 48-72 hours, but individual units and defenses may relocate, especially in light of your recent efforts to strike their SAMs and other critical enablers.
2. We detected the a surface action group departing Port Stanley and headed in the general direction of Puerto San Julian. It is likely that this SAG seeks to conduct anti-shipping operations and cruise missile strikes and then withdraw. USSOUTHCOM already has a small Marine Air Traffic Control team with some maintainers established in Brasilia Air Force Base, which up to this point have been assisting with humanitarian assistance and downloading the military aid already pledged. In order to maintain freedom of manevuer for your merchant marine and deter PLAN ships encroaching farther north, USSOUTHCOM has access to 2x USMC F/A-18C Block 20s in order to conduct an anti-shipping strike. We understand that your naval forces are at numerical and technological disadvantage, so we are doing what we can to ensure that you are still able to ship supplies along your coast with some level of acceptable risk.
The SAG consists, at minimum, of 1x Type 52 DDG, 1x Grisha, 1x fueler, and at least one more unidentified ship.
The F/A-18s will fly from Brasilia AFB, refuel, and join your AO to strike the DDG. In order to execute this mission, they will require CAP escort to the target area, which is to be determined. I expect the engagement will be at sea and out of visual range of the coast. We will not object if CSAD forces engage the rest of the SAG once the DDG is destroyed. The F/A-18s will be loaded with fuel and Harpoons and little else, so escort is a must. Upon completion of the mission, they will conduct aerial refueling and RTB.
I cannot promise that we will often get much access to aircraft, but when able, we are seeking options to support your operations with US fighter, strike, and bomber support.
To: USSOUTHCOM
Subject: 20 Feb Flight Ops
Good Afternoon Sir,
Please see attached proposed slides for this evening's briefing on flight ops planned for 20 FEB 2010. I've confirmed with MGySgt Krabs that two squadron birds have been put through a fresh PMI, fueled, and are scheduled for ordinance loading at 0200. With the long flight into theater we're going to be getting an early start.
V/R,
Maj. Jarmak
VMFA-122
Jarmak fucked around with this message at 05:13 on Nov 2, 2023
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Nov 2, 2023 04:32
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May 16, 2024 16:16
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- Jarmak
- Jan 24, 2005
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Congratulations to the brave CSAD forces who were critical in this combined operation to destroy a PLAN SAG! My condolences to the sailors and aviators killed or missing in action from this battle. Some quick notes below as we work through the PRC reaction and what this means for your fight to preserve your homelands and the combined forces fight against PRC, Russia, and the forces who align with them.
1. The US confirms 1x Type 52B DDG destroyed, 2x anti-ship missile corvettes (Tarantul-class) destroyed, and 1x anti-submarine corvette destroyed (Grisha-class)
2. Initial reflections are that the PLAN was surprised to see your air component flying so far feet wet, were surprised but respected that you would sacrifice so many ships and sailors to entice the SAG into this trap, and they did not expect a combined US-CSAD operation.
2.a. Intercepted communications reflect that the PLAN and higher PLA headquarters are debating whether they should treat your theater as even more of an economy of force mission than they already were, or whether they should commit some of their better forces to air and sea control. This decision point could altar whether the PRC maintains a persistent, but minor presence in your seas or commits some of their battle-hardened and more capable forces to this expedition. Given that attacking CSAD was intended to be a distraction or problem for US/NATO/UN forces, I could see this going either way.
2.b. While details are at a different classification level, I can share with you that as a result of this action, the PRC has taken steps to better preserve their naval maneuver OPSEC in this theater. It is less likely that we will be able to give intelligence that is quite as precise as we were for this operation, which allowed us to collectively amass over 16 strike aircraft and CAP plus supporting aerial assets, ambushing one of their smaller SAGs with only a standing 2-ship CAP defending it.
2.c. I expect they will step up use of GPS jamming, communications jamming, and potentially datalink jamming.
3. We expect that future PLAN operation, aside from defending their ports and sea lanes, may take a few different forms or a combination thereof.
3.a. Episodic deployment of low-signature, highly lethal craft, such as the Tarantul corvettes, which they possess in large numbers, to ambush logistical shipping and your less capable and vulnerable ships. They took note that the Tarantuls were effective in striking your most capable escort air defense ships. The PLAN can likely sortie, fire, and, without early detection, depart faster than sorties could be feasibly generated.
3.b. Episodic or decisive deployment of a more capable SAG, utilizing more modern DDGs and FFGs rather than their second and third-string surface combatants as they did for this operation.
3.c. Retaliatory strikes on your naval or air assets via anti-ship missile aviation or cruise missile attack.
One note of improvement, and please take this professionally. We reviewed the post-flight combat footage and intercepted communications. While all of our Hornets returned safely, our air planner is concerned with the way the escort went and the danger to losing the Hornets on approach or egress from the battle. Now, my aviation background is in rotary-wing aviation, but he tells me that as a pilot certified in F-16C, F-22, and the Gripen, that the F-16 CAP was overly risk averse at risk to the strike package. Now Marines are braggarts, and they said if that J-11 had come any closer, they'd have taken him down easily. However, I am obligated to relay that political and military support for US assets fighting alongside CSAD is predicated on minimizing loss of these forces in a supporting effort theater. We are decisively engaged in this global war, at great cost, in more hotly contested fronts, and if USSOUTHCOM loses assets on loan, we risk losing access to these forces in the future. We will also discuss with the marines that deviating from the plan can risk future operations, even if they feel it is required due to seeing blue forces taking casualties.
Very fortunately, we picked up this pilot's communications, where he reported repeatedly over a hot mic words to the effect of "These buttons, these missiles, they do nothing! They won't shoot! These bastards are right in front of me and I've slipped the CAP, what the gently caress?!" The DDG XO personally cursed the J-11 pilot's family name before abandoning ship.
I believe future US or coalition aviation excursions will be episodic, but operationally significant. Please look for opportunities where US or coalition aircraft such as F-15Es, F-18s, etc could be used decisively to augment your operations.
Thank you for your cooperation on this operation. I think it was a great success and should deter such bold behavior on the PRC's part. Our legal, public affairs team, and political advisor team, in conjunction with the embassy and DOD press office will be in touch with their counterparts to discuss messaging the success of this combined US-CSAD operation.
[END OF MESSAGE]
COL Forsythe sent the Email, and he was jittering both with excitement and with the workout pills he slammed 3 hours ago. He was a thin man, but he found they kept him wired for hours on end, and the heart palpitations were usually not a problem.
[NEW MESSAGE]
To: British Boat Boy Distro List; USAFRICOM J3
cc: USSOUTHCOM Targets Cell
After the successful naval strike operation, PRC has begun deploying GPS jammers and advanced communication jammers throughout the AO. More critically, we are detecting intermittent but effective satellite jamming and dazzling over the USSOUTHCOM AOR. The more minor effects are originating from Port Stanely, but there is a significant installation degrading our capabilities originating from the southern African coast. My targets guy will send you more information. Would appreciate feedback or options, happy to take feedback.
[END OF MESSAGE]
To: Col Forsythe, USSOUTHCOM
Subject: AAR, 20 February combat action
Good Morning Sir,
Yesterday's combat mission to support CSAD forces in the South Atlantic theater went mostly as planned, and was overall a complete success. Werewolves sunk 2x PLAN Taruntul-class corvette, and crippled the PLAN Type 52B with 2-3 successful harpoon strikes. Follow on and concurrent strikes by partner forces secured the complete destruction of the PLAN SAG, including the damaged Type 52B.
We experienced some minor coordination confusion regarding the link-up point with partner forces, and were forced to urgently expedite our strike because of imminent threat to CSAD carrier fleet. Werewolves adapted admirably and launched a synchronized strike from within the WEZ of the PLAN Type 52, ensuring maximum impact of the combined Harpoon salvo.
One area we could work to improve for future joint operations is the accuracy of relayed information regarding partner support assets at our disposal. The provided information on AAR assets turned out to be incorrect, and we were given several false "corrections" before locating our assigned tanker mostly through guessing at TACAN channels and attempting to corelate with radar tracks IVO the expected tanker location. In the resulting confusion one of our flight members came within several hundred pounds of having to declare a fuel emergency and land at our emergency divert airfield GAL.
Future mission planning should take into account CSAD hesitancy to operate in the area of hostile air defenses. Sir, you should have heard their strike coordinator panic when we actually entered the WEZ of the PLAN destroyer, wish I could hang that radio traffic on the Squadron Wall of Honor.
V/R,
Maj. Tim "Jarmak" Thomas
VMFA-122 Werewolves
Semper Fi
Jarmak fucked around with this message at 17:14 on Nov 5, 2023
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Nov 5, 2023 16:26
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Sep 28, 2023 01:14
