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2019: Chasing Aphrodite

 
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2019: Chasing Aphrodite - 6/10/2018 3:29:38 AM   
AlexGGGG

 

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Joined: 9/25/2014
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2019: Chasing Aphrodite

First, start ferry mission to deploy all reasonably useful aircraft to Cyprus.
Then, slide AEW track about 30 miles east so it now covers enemy ships. Review emissions and speeds for enemy ships. Mark the target (which does not move and does not emit) with a reference point, so in case contact is lost or becomes uncertain, I still know precisely where it is.
On Cyprus, rearrange SAMs abandoning all early warning radars (these are to be sacrificed as they are not movable).
Withdraw submarines. Does not look like they will be useful, too much ASW helos in target area.
Withdraw Elli ship to Cyprus shore, its Harpoons not going to be useful, at least in initial stages when there is too much enemy CAP.

At 2 days 6 hours to go, deployment complete, assign loadouts (for everyone on Cyprus airbase)
5x Hind helos -> leave as is, don’t care, never used.
6x F-4E Phantom II -> AMRAAM Heavy
10x F-16DJ Blk 52+ Falcon (Asteri) -> HARM
4x F-16DJ Blk 52+ Falcon (Olympus) -> HARM
6x Mirage 2000-5EG -> A/A MICA
10x Mirage 2000EG-S3 -> Exocet
… and enable Quick Turnaround whenever possible.

And then wait 6 hours for reloads

In meanwhile, change EMCON to Radars Active, OECM Active on all units, and…
mark time 0745 local for CAP change over the target, and by 0805 CAP is ready again. Take a note that on the way to target they pass right over BUK launchers. Oh that will give them something to think of. Two TELARs with 4 missiles ready per launcher, that means 8 shots, to kill 3 of them probably. Also S-300 has 24 ready missiles.

Mark 0930 next CAP change, complete by 1010
So CAP stays on station for 1 hour 25 minutes and takes like 20 minutes to change. Well, that information will surely come in useful just a little later.

CAP change 1115 local time, complete by 1145.
This time they were on station for an hour. I don’t quite see why, but that really does not matter much.
Now at 2 days to go, my aircraft are all ready. Based on previous timings I must be up and on target by 1245. Time for some preparation then.

Global Doctrine and ROE changes as follows
Ignore plotted course to YES
Fuel state RTB to Yes, units leave group
Weapon state RTB to No, aircraft do not RTB.
Jettison ordnance to NO
EMCON is already configured to Radars and OECM Active.
Now weapon release authorizations for MICA EM, MICA IR, AMRAAM -B and AMRAAM-C - configure all of these to fire 3 missiles at any aircraft, and also change number of shooters to “Enough aircraft to fill salvo quantity requirements”.
Now come back to S-300 and adjust its doctrine to weapons hold for air contacts. I don’t want it shooting down missiles. There are enough short-range SAMs around it to take care of any possible missiles, and I want to save S-300 longest-range SAMs against enemy aircraft, and this completes preparations.
Takeoff scheduled for 1230 or so. By 1250 everyone is in place, drop Exocet shooters down to 12000 ft.

At 1308, firing 20x Exocet against the target and Mirages are returning at afterburners. At the same time, some HARM impacts on targets, not sure how many.

11 Exocets make their way to the target, with a couple of malfunctions, multiple impacts but target still afloat.


Now prepare the CAP mission above the airbase, slightly east of it, with the prosecution area to cover Cyprus, in anticipation of returning CAP. Assign Phantoms and A/A-capable Mirages to CAP.

HARM shooters loiter above the airfield while Exocet-capable Mirages land, around 1315 local time. No sign of enemy CAP returning, yet.

Snail missiles start arriving at around 1420 local time, and there is no aircraft available to meet them. So three radars will be kaput pretty soon, and the rest should be well handled by SAMs. Meantime, S-300 is picking up aircraft if they stray close, and is now through its reload cycle and down to 11 missiles. Reasonable max range is about 40 NM. If the target is further away than 40 NM, I do not shoot. I shoot two missiles per aircraft, and this requires almost no follow-ups if the target is closer than 40NM.
At 1430, snail missiles are still happily snailing along, having covered like one fifth of the range… should have timed them, stupid of me. However CAP aircraft will only be ready in about 2 hours, so no CAP for me. Two Mirages from CAP are lost to enemy AAMs so far.


Around 1440, snail missiles destroy first of the three radars and at the same time S-300 is out of missiles, which is unfortunate.
Around 1500, some 40 minutes after they were first spotted, snail missiles are either shot down or overshot so badly that they are no longer a factor.
Also looking for targets I note for the first time that the target ship has sunk from all the damage.


Come evening, at 1930, I’m launching strike aircraft or the second attack. As now there is no CAP to speak of over the enemy ships, there will be three groups: two groups of HARM shooters, and one group of 10x Mirages with Exocets. Firing position is about 80 NM 160 deg from the Cyprus airbase.

On return, HARM shooters, which still have their AMRAAMs unused encounter some vampires and assist airbase CAP on that.

Meanwhile, Exocets clean up four remaining enemy ships and there are no more targets remaining to attack. So, I reconfigure all F-16s to CAP and tell Mirages and Phantoms to stand down. F-16 have AMRAAMs with longer range, which is good for survivability. CAPs losses are bad enough as they are now, with three Mirages lost so far.

Around 0200 next day, with 1 day and 10 hours to go, I suddenly remember about the Elli ship, which still has 16x Sea Sparrow missiles. Now, looks like a good idea to run it at flank speed north-north-west to put it under enemy aircraft, to see how good Sea Sparrows are against enemy AWACs (of which for some strange caprice of the enemy commander-in-chief two or three are flying at the same time). This turns out really effective, and by morning Elli returns back to Cyprus having expended all of her Sea Sparrows in exchange for three Wagtail Awaxen plus an assortment of smaller aircraft.

At 0800 morning, a sub pops up south of Cyprus, I guess a diesel coming up for breath and turning radars on just for fun, but there is too much of the air threat and no way I can risk an Orion to prosecute. Also Orions are back in Souda. Should have thought of deploying them to Cyprus along with the rest of the force.
At 0903, sub-launched missiles pop up. What is it attacking, I can’t really figure out, but CAP deals with the vampires without breaking a sweat.
At about 1300, I expand CAP prosecution area to cover pretty much all the relevant airspace, because attrition of enemy aircraft is good enough to attempt to establish air superiority. At the same time, launch both Orions from Souda to Cyprus, so they are on hand to prosecute the damn sub.
By about 1600 the sub is killed and Orions return to Cyprus and things become pretty calm, save from occasional vampire coming from somewhere north-east…. Holy carp, another sub pops up, this time much further, and both Orions are in turn-around with like 4 hours to go, and then even more subs. Damnit, this is beginning to turn into an ASW operation. Well, I can handle it, with 17 hours still left.

17 hours later that’s the end of it.

Score Triumph 1860.

Death toll as follows:
SIDE: Greece
===========================================================

LOSSES:
-------------------------------
3x Mirage 2000-5EG Mk2 <-- CAP
3x Radar (Score) <-- sacrificed
1x Radar (Snow Drift [9S18M1]) <-- sacrificed
1x F-16DJ Blk 52+ Advanced Falcon [Peace Xenia IV] <-- CAP
3x F-16DJ Blk 52+ Falcon [Peace Xenia III] <-- CAP


EXPENDITURES:
------------------
241x AIM-120C-7 AMRAAM P3I.3 <-- Good I had infinite supply of these
28x MICA EM
48x SA-20a Gargoyle [48N6E]
62x SA-17 Grizzly [9M317]
56x AGM-88B HARM <-- and infinite supply of these, these are useful
32x AIM-120B AMRAAM
40x AM.39 Exocet Blk II
11x Generic Chaff Salvo [4x Cartridges]
16x Generic Chaff Salvo [5x Cartridges]
16x MICA IR
4x 30mm DEFA 554 x 2 Burst [50 rnds]
13x SA-15b Gauntlet [9M331]
22x Aspide
24x RIM-7M Sea Sparrow
5x 20mm/85 M61A1 Vulcan Burst [100 rnds]
176x AN/SSQ-62B DICASS
267x AN/SSQ-53D DIFAR
2x SUT Mod 4
8x Mk46 NEARTIP Mod 5


SIDE: Turkey
===========================================================

LOSSES:
-------------------------------
23x F-16DM Blk 40 Falcon [Peace Onyx III CCIP Upgr]
25x F-16DM Blk 50 Falcon [Peace Onyx III CCIP Upgr]
2x F 500 Bozcaada [A 69]
6x F-16DJ Blk 50 Falcon [Peace Onyx IV]
1x Platform [Class A, 90000t]
2x S-70B-28 Seahawk
2x F 490 Gaziantep [Perry, Gabya Class]
2x S-70B-28 Seahawk
1x F 495 Gediz [Perry, Gabya Class]
1x F 511 Heybeliada [Ada Class]
1x F 240 Yavuz [Meko 200TN Track I]
3x E-737 Wedgetail
3x KC-135R Stratotanker <-- can’t recall killing these?
3x S 353 Preveze [Type 209-1400]
1x S 347 Atilay [Type 209-1200]


EXPENDITURES:
------------------
18x AN/SSQ-62C DICASS
18x AN/SSQ-53F DIFAR
16x AN/SSQ-62D DICASS
20x AN/SSQ-53E DIFAR
32x Harpy
192x Generic Chaff Salvo [5x Cartridges]
17x AIM-120B AMRAAM
37x RIM-66E6 SM-1MR Blk VIB
32x RIM-162B ESSM
21x RIM-116B RAM Blk I
14x Aspide
8x 100mm/55 Model 1968 PFHE Burst [4 rnds]
3x 20mm/85 Mk15 Phalanx Blk 1 Burst [300 rnds]
5x 76mm/62 Compact HE Burst [4 rnds]
4x 127mm/54 HE-CVT [HiFrag]
4x 25mm Sea Zenith Burst [20 rnds]
106x AGM-84K SLAMER-ATA <--- these were kind of annoying
20x AIM-120C-7 AMRAAM P3I.3
3x Generic Flare Salvo [3x Cartridges, Dual Spectral]
8x 76mm/62 Super Rapido HE Burst [2 rnds]
1x 20mm/100 Mk15 Phalanx Blk 1B Burst [300 rnds]
11x Mk214 Sea Gnat Chaff [Seduction]
6x Bullfighter Chaff/Flare Seduction
2x UGM-84D Harpoon IC <-- sub-launched maybe
9x Generic Acoustic Decoy
2x Generic Acoustic Decoy





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RE: 2019: Chasing Aphrodite - 6/10/2018 3:30:10 AM   
AlexGGGG

 

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Joined: 9/25/2014
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and the first strike setup.




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(in reply to AlexGGGG)
Post #: 2
RE: 2019: Chasing Aphrodite - 6/10/2018 9:33:20 AM   
Defencegreece


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Joined: 4/29/2014
Status: offline
Very nice AAR Alex!!
Deep detailed analysis

Latest scenario adjusted time to 12 hours (!). To keep you challenged.
I see that you used the Mirage 2000 (Exocet) at least twice (40 Exocets).

FFG Perry are really good ships but suffer from one STIR FCR which can engage one target per time
I see that you have effectively countered the Harpys and SLAM missiles. Good use of EMCON and anti-missile approach

AMRAAM C5/7 is a very effective BVR weapon! well placed shots


BR
DG

< Message edited by Defencegreece -- 6/10/2018 10:32:14 AM >


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RE: 2019: Chasing Aphrodite - 6/11/2018 3:48:09 PM   
AlexGGGG

 

Posts: 685
Joined: 9/25/2014
Status: offline
And a replay for the version which is the latest at the moment, shortened to 12 hours and spiced up with ballistic missiles.

12 hour version is more challenging.

Still, my opening moves are the same – deploy all aircraft forward, and concentrate SAMs on the west side of Cyprus, abandoning three fixed radar sites.

Submarines will not be in play for they are too fragile for the environment, but the Elli frigate will be stationed to provide some AAW capability with its 24x Sea Sparrow.

There only will be time for a single strike (given six hours per reload for strike aircraft), so loadouts need to be adjusted. On the bright side, the same applies to enemy, so there will be fewer enemy missiles to deal with.

Forward deployment may be a bit of a trick not to annoy Turk so much as to get my butt kicked earlier than I want it. SAMs are repositioned west onto mountains closest shore, same as in previous playthrough. The placement of SAMs in a middle of the island is not OK because the most targets are over the sea to the west, and if they dive, S-300 loses radar line of sight to them due to the western-most mountain ridge. To be able to effectively engage the enemy CAP aircraft (which is what I need it for), it must be on the western-most ridge to maintain LOS as targets dive to evade.

Now, reconsider loadouts… because there will only be one chance of attack and there is no time to reload. This means more anti-ship and SEAD weapons at the expense of having less CAP.

10x Mirage 2000EG – Exocets
6x Mirage 2000-5EG – Exocet, MICA IR
This gives me 32x Exocet and 12x MICA IR. MICA IRs are not superb, but still better than nothing.
10x F-16 Xenia III – HARM
4x F-16 Xenia IV – HARM
Which totals at 28x HARM and 28x AMRAAM-C.

And Phantoms are still not ready on their original airbase with 10 hours of scenario remaining. Well, they will come in later, see if I can make them into CAP on time, to cover strike package return and landing, or against vampires. Any of these will be good actually.

Enemy CAP leaves at 0400 local, and is back on station, say, around 0420. Next time this happens at 0600 local, say, 0600 to 0620. Next one I did not figure, but sometime a bit earlier than 0800 local, say 0750 local.
All aircraft, including Phantoms are ready by 0840. We should be up by 0930 local; need to take off about 40 aircraft with two runways and, say, one-minute intervals, 20 minutes to take off and form-up, let’s start at 0900.
Doctrine and weapon release adjustments are the same as in previous play-through.

Pre-attack setup the same as in previous playthrough, but now two groups of Exocet shooters instead of one.

Target sunk at about 1005 with 2 hours 30 minutes remaining till the end of the scenario, after eating 15 to 20 Exocets (some were malfunctions). Some of the Exocets actually had nothing to lock on and continued toward the next ship, sinking it as a bonus.

Aircraft returning back to base, Phantoms (with AMRAAM-Bs) and one group of SEAD aircraft (who still have unused AMRAAM-Cs left) providing CAP over the base against anticipated vampires. S-300 still engages aircraft; this time I was not able to stick to my policy of “no shots longer than 40NM out” and I’m shooting at 60 NM, still allocating 2x SAM per aircraft.
I’m not getting enough score though. Send Elli north at flank speed to try and kill me some juicy Wagtails.

At 1020, vampires inbound. These are fast movers, at 570 kts, so probably SLAM-ERs. Vampire snails must be lagging behind, snailing vigorously but still out of radar range.
Holy smok! At 1110 local time, with about an hour and a half to go, I’m attacked at some very unexpected location, at Koufyvoun radar installation. That’s can’t be helped, because there are no SAMs there and no CAP obviously.

First vampire snail sightings at 1115, CAP engaging.

Then, at 1118, high-speed vampires, something looking like ballistic missiles, are inbound towards Cyprus. Oh ****. S-300 engaging the ones heading towards main SAM installation, but there is nothing to protect sacrificial eastern radar sites. However, S-300 at this time has fewer missiles loaded than there are inbound vampires. I decide to try BUKs for a change, and BUKs work pretty great actually, killing one vampire with 4 SAMs. Switch BUKs to manual control immediately, so as not to waste missiles and illumination channels. Sacrificial radars are killed, and S-300 reloads just in time to take down the last high-speed vampire. What the hell was that, and will there be more?

At the same time, one more radar site is destroyed near Bulgarian border. Nothing I can do about it at this point.

To answer my own earlier question, yes, there will be more. Intercepts becoming more and more challenging as I run out of longer-range SAMs, and one gets through. To my great relief, it is not nuclear. I spent 2x S-300 missiles, 6x BUK SAMs, and probably 4x Aspides against it (yes, against one single ballistic inbound), all missed. For BUKs, admittedly, intercept geometry was not favorable, but still. Actually, Aspide has 2% PH against the damn thing, so no wonder.

After some more of these, there are losses to my SAM units. Meanwhile, Elli arrives under Wagtails and kills three of them just before the scenario ends as time runs out.

Score Major Victory 1160

Death toll is as follows:

SIDE: Greece
===========================================================

LOSSES:
-------------------------------
4x 35mm Twin Oerlikon [UAR-1021 Skyguard FCR]
1x Radar (HR-3000 RSRP)
1x Radar (S-743D Martello)
2x Radar (Score)
1x Radar (Snow Drift [9S18M1])
1x Radar (THD-1955 MPR)
2x SA-15b Gauntlet [9A331] TELAR
4x Spada Aspide
2x Vehicle (UAR-1021 Skyguard)


EXPENDITURES:
------------------
6x 20mm/85 M61A1 Vulcan Burst [100 rnds]
12x 35mm Twin Oerlikon Burst [20 rnds, UAR-1021 Skyguard]
28x AGM-88B HARM
24x AIM-120B AMRAAM
28x AIM-120C-7 AMRAAM P3I.3
8x AIM-2000A IRIS-T
24x AIM-9L Sidewinder
32x AM.39 Exocet Blk II
31x Aspide
3x Generic Chaff Salvo [5x Cartridges]
14x RIM-7M Sea Sparrow
7x SA-15b Gauntlet [9M331]
35x SA-17 Grizzly [9M317]
48x SA-20a Gargoyle [48N6E]



SIDE: Turkey
===========================================================

LOSSES:
-------------------------------
3x E-737 Wedgetail
1x F 490 Gaziantep [Perry, Gabya Class]
2x F-16DJ Blk 50 Falcon [Peace Onyx IV]
10x F-16DM Blk 40 Falcon [Peace Onyx III CCIP Upgr]
8x F-16DM Blk 50 Falcon [Peace Onyx III CCIP Upgr]
1x KC-135R Stratotanker
1x Platform [Class A, 90000t]
2x S-70B-28 Seahawk


EXPENDITURES:
------------------
1x 20mm/100 Mk15 Phalanx Blk 1B Burst [300 rnds]
3x 20mm/85 Mk15 Phalanx Blk 1 Burst [300 rnds]
4x 76mm/62 Compact HE Burst [4 rnds]
20x 76mm/62 Super Rapido HE Burst [2 rnds]
12x AGM-84K SLAMER-ATA
4x AGM-88B HARM
12x AIM-120B AMRAAM
11x AN/SSQ-53E DIFAR
14x AN/SSQ-53F DIFAR
7x AN/SSQ-62C DICASS
7x AN/SSQ-62D DICASS
83x Generic Chaff Salvo [5x Cartridges]
32x Harpy
20x J-600T Yildirim <--- damnit
2x Mk214 Sea Gnat Chaff [Seduction]
21x RIM-116B RAM Blk I
20x RIM-162B ESSM
24x RIM-66E6 SM-1MR Blk VIB




(in reply to Defencegreece)
Post #: 4
RE: 2019: Chasing Aphrodite - 6/11/2018 4:24:26 PM   
Defencegreece


Posts: 108
Joined: 4/29/2014
Status: offline
Hi AlexGGG

Really loved your playthrough

Very good use of Harms and Exocets. It is a deadly mix

In real life though Greece have only 80 HARMS in its inventory (still 20 missiles is a valid quantity)
and Mirage 2000-5 Mk2 cannot be loaded with Exocets (at least officially)

Andreas Papandreou AFB in Cyprus is as you proved is of strategic importance !!!

You could arm your Phantoms with Mavericks or LGB for low attack profile

Considering the use of HARMs probably most of the turkish frigates were incapacitated even if not sunk

The platform itself needs quite a bunch of missiles to be destroyed

All 21 RAMS of the Milgem Corvette were used...Alex, you pretty much stressed the Turkish navy's AAW

Yildirim Missile is a pain in the ass. Its high Mach speed makes them hard to intercept
How many have you successfully intercepted?

In real life instead of radar sites (which of course would blind the Cypriot Air defenses) other targets could be destroyed
Now there is something I need to update. Because AFB Papandreou was created by a Single Airfield base I think there is a bug that it cannot be targeted

My friend Mike Mikytyn gave me a good idea ;-) (I will try to import it as a file) and see if those Yildirims reach Papandreou AFB
(I will keep a promise not to change anything else like the quantity of Yildirims)

PS How the hell did a radar installation in Bulgarian Border got killed....do you have the weapon that hit it?

< Message edited by Defencegreece -- 6/11/2018 4:51:29 PM >


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RE: 2019: Chasing Aphrodite - 6/11/2018 5:32:51 PM   
AlexGGGG

 

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Joined: 9/25/2014
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on Yildirims, of 20 missiles fired, I got 5 hits and 1 malfunction, so this makes 14 successful intercepts.

Bulgarian Border Radar installations were killed by someone flying up pretty close to them in aircraft and shooting some mix of HARMs and probably SLAMERs at them. The expenditures for Turkish side are

12x AGM-84K SLAMER-ATA <-- of these I suspect at least four went for Bulgarian border installations.
4x AGM-88B HARM <-- These four went for Bulgarian border radars for certain.

and Turks pretty much destroyed everything not under SAMs in that area.

(in reply to Defencegreece)
Post #: 6
RE: 2019: Chasing Aphrodite - 6/11/2018 6:21:01 PM   
Defencegreece


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How did they get there....?
(okay I could exclude them, ignore them for now but a new scenario in the future will include them)
Damn those Vipers with CFT have big range in High-High profile, lets see now that they might have a more tempting target

Okay added a nofly zone also in North West Turkey

< Message edited by Defencegreece -- 6/11/2018 6:25:21 PM >


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Post #: 7
RE: 2019: Chasing Aphrodite - 6/11/2018 6:26:38 PM   
AlexGGGG

 

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Joined: 9/25/2014
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They are probably set to investigate contacts outside the partol area, and no prosecution area is defined, if they are on a SEAD patrol mission. So they figured Bulgarian border for closer or more valuable or better designated traget.

< Message edited by AlexGGGG -- 6/11/2018 6:27:19 PM >

(in reply to Defencegreece)
Post #: 8
RE: 2019: Chasing Aphrodite - 6/11/2018 6:56:39 PM   
Defencegreece


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Hehe

Something like that

BR
DG

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RE: 2019: Chasing Aphrodite - 6/13/2018 1:38:59 AM   
AlexGGGG

 

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Joined: 9/25/2014
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Well, the history just seems to repeat itself with some slight variations. Russians must have been tinkering with their time machine again. So, for the third time our glorious air forces have to repel Turkish attempt at conquest, represented by that accursed mass of a ship named The Conqueror.

The aircraft are again deployed to Paphos. However, we’re getting some intel that Turkish will throw some of their ballistic missiles at us in attempt to destroy the airbase. Therefore, some adjustments to SAM employment strategy are needed. Also, some fancy radar work is called for; just setting all radars to active is not going to work this time. So, for the time being, radars are shut off, except for Awaxen and Elli frigate. Note that Snow Drift is our most effective ground-based unmovable radar installation on Cyprus. Also, radars near Bulgarian borders are also shut down. Default EMCON still stands at radars active, OECM active, so that aircraft take off with their radars and jammers on. What are you saying there are no jammers? Elli has a jammer.
For automatics not to mess with radar use, globally adjust doctrine to stick to EMCON even when under attack. The algorithm differentiating if a given unit is under attack is way too cautious for this scenario.

Now it is time to move SAM batteries in their respective positions. Generally, hilltops are good places to put SAMs on. However, as it is not always possible to determine exact positions of peaks on our low-resolution strategic maps, I would try to err towards the side of the hill which is towards the anticipated direction of attack. Since I expect ballistic inbounds from more or less due north, that means either hilltops or northern sides of hills. So, SAMs are moving, and in meanwhile our pilots execute their deployment routine, well-practiced by now.

Around 0210, during my leisurely inspection of the Paphos AFB, I suddenly discover that somebody stole one of its runways. Goddamn Russian scientists are probably at their tricks again. Nobody else could have done it, there is simply no way Turkish saboteurs could have escaped unnoticed while carrying away the entire damn runway. Everything else seems satisfactory, but takeoffs and landings will now take bloody ages and I have to account for this in my planning of timings.

Aircraft loadouts are the same as earlier, with 16x Mirages carrying 32x Exocets and 14x F-16s carrying 28x HARMs. Phantoms are armed with AMRAAM-Bs to provide CAP.
This time, the anti-air strategy will be different, probably fully micromanaged, use S-300 and BUKs against ballistic inbounds, use AMRAAMs and then Aspides against SLAM-ERs, and use Sidewinders and aircraft guns, when practical, against vampire snails.

SAMs are in position by 0300, map is provided below.

Mark CAP change time 0430

While Phantoms are deploying to Paphos, it is time to consider SAM use strategy. I have one S-300 battery with 24 missiles ready. Then, two BUK batteries with 12 missiles each. So, the default shoot, shoot, look, shoot does not seem suitable, and I will start with having it the other way around – shoot, look, shoot, shoot. Then when the target is in range for BUKs, it will probably be four or even six SAMs per target. This is, however, very probably subject to a swift change once the actual intercept performance is known. I also wonder if AMRAAMs are any good against a ballistic inbound.

Mark CAP change time 0600.

Elli frigate, in meanwhile, arrived on station 50 NM south-east of Antalya and is now under Wagtail track. There are some unidentified aircraft flying there at 36000 ft at 230 kts. Looks like by chance I have stumbled upon the Turkish tanker track. It may be jolly good to shoot it down first thing, because this will likely interfere with enemy CAP.

So, some doctrine changes are in order. Make Elli, S-300, and two BUK batteries HOLD anti-air fire, because I need to conserve missiles for specific targets, namely Wagtails, tankers, and ballistic missiles.

Mark CAP change 0815

Starting takeoffs at 0920, and starting hostilities at 1000.

Wagtails are getting hit, but no hits on tankers unfortunately, because tankers are not in the proper part of their track, too bad.
Immediately, there are 9x ballistic inbounds. My own HARMs are still in flight. Set radars on S-300 and BUKs to active. Allocate 9x S-300 interceptors, one per inbound. Also, Phantoms are firing 2x AMRAAM-B per inbound.

AMRAAM-B PH against ballistic missile is something around 50%. Very impressive actually, and a nice surprise. I was thinking more about 15% or so. Good, good.

S-300 PH against ballistic missile is 60%

4 of these still inbound; three apparently for Pahpos and one for the radar (with 2x AMRAAM-B still on it). Drop the one which goes for the radar, it’s as good as dead already. Assign 2x BUK shots per inbound per battery, and also S-300 two more shots per inbound. Phantoms are weapons free and are firing AMRAAMs at their own initiative, well, let them be.

Two inbounds are still heading for Paphos and one for one of the Score radars. Those targeting Paphos are shot down before BUK missiles have a chance to intercept. The Score radar gets hit, well, that’s unfortunate but it was kind of expected.

Exocets are released at 1002, and returns are ordered so that anyone who still has AAMs remains aloft as long as possible.

First Exocet impact around 1005 and target sunk with about 14 Exocet hits. Remaining 11 start flying around killing further ships.

Switch off SAM radars again; two aircraft looking quite like tankers approaching Elli station from the north. Mirage flight with no BVR missiles starts landing.
Around 1015, aircraft approaching on bearing 060, sent F-16s to intercept.

Aircraft approaching Elli station shapes out to be more F-16s, not tankers as I hoped. However, there is another aircraft approaching from due east, which looks certainly like a tanker at 230 kts and 36000 ft.

At 1020, new salvo of ballistic inbounds. Light up BUK and S-300 radars. There are 9 inbounds and S-300 has 8 SAMs ready. Hold fire for now, wait for AMRAAMs. Weapon allocation starts with 12x AMRAAM-C per 9 inbounds, then further 15 AMRAAM-Bs to make it 3 AAMs per inbound. Five get through, four towards Paphos, one apparently towards a Snow Drift radar. S-300 has 8 missiles ready, so assign 2x per inbound sacrificing Snow Drift installation. On the second thought, Mirages allocating 4x MICA IR in attempt to protect Snow Drift. I wonder how that will work out. BUKs allocating 4 SAMs per inbound but still no illumination and thus no shots. S-300 is out of missiles. MICA IRs work pretty well with PH of 60%, killing the inbound. S-300 kills three vampires with 8 SAMs, missing one which is still heading towards Paphos – Mirages are not in position to fire, so adjust BUK allocations to four SAMs per battery, totaling 8 SAMs per single inbound. At 15 NM out, still no illumination. The inbound is killed with 5th SAM at about 5NM out. BUK PH against ballistic inbound is 20% in what is essentially a head-on engagement.

Shut down BUK and S-300 radars again, not to tempt HARMs.

Now some missiles are heading towards Elli. That’s bad because I still want the tanker killed. See if I can manage that before Elli is sunk. Better yet, see if I can manage that it is not sunk, unlikely as it may seem. Vampires, looks like there are four of them, 570 kts 300 ft, look like SLAM-ERs to me. And yes, the tanker is shot down. No fuel for you today fellas, hehe. Now engaging 4x SLAM-ER with Sea Sparrows. Too bad Elli only has two illumination channels. However, three SLAM-ERs are shot down with 6 Sea Sparrows, and the last one with Phalanx, and Elli resumes its wait for the next tanker.

Eventually around 1035 aircraft appear over the Aegean Sea heading towards the Patriot battery near Skiros. Well that battery has 24 missiles ready.

There are 9 more ballistic missiles coming Cyprus around 1040, two heading for Snow Drift radar installation, God bless its crew souls, and seven towards Paphos. Mirages engaging seven inbounds with 7x MICA IR. In meanwhile, over the Aegian, Patriot is engaging what comes its way. MICA IRs do some great job, killing 5 of 7 inbounds. Now, two are still heading for Paphos. S-300 firing one SAM per inbound. Also, BUKs are allocated, 2x per inbound per battery, but they do not have the inbounds illuminated yet, and turns out they are not needed – S-300 scores two hits. Now we return Mirages to Paphos because they have no missiles left anyway and pray for that brave souls of Snow Drift crew.

So, having threat to Cyprus dealt with, we return to the Patriot battery near Skiros in Aegean. The battery cleared the airspace around it, dealing with vampires and aircraft, and is now reloading with only 2 missiles ready and reload time of around 30 minutes. This is not good, so I turn off all radars around Skiros in order to deny enemy ARM targeting and lure them deeper towards other Patriots.
Now, S-300 has 12 missiles ready, 13 more in reloads, and every SAM on Cyprus shuts down its radars again.

At 1105, vampires are inbound to Skiros, looking like SLAM-ERs with 570kts at 300 ft. Patriot battery is still reloading with earliest reload still some 6 minutes away, so Skyguard will have to intercept. No luck with that, and the Patriot battery is disabled. SLAM-ERs destroy some radars on the Bulgarian border, but that can’t be helped.

Vampire snail sightings at 1120. All aircraft still airborne are engaging, including with guns, and then return to base having expended all weapons except one group of F-16s still carrying 8x IRIS-T among 10 aircraft.

At 1155, Elli kills another tanker. I repeat, no fuel for you today, fellas.

After that, there is no activity, really, till the end of the scenario.

Score 1100 Major Victory

Death toll as follows:
SIDE: Greece
===========================================================

LOSSES:
-------------------------------
1x Radar (Score)
1x Radar (Snow Drift [9S18M1])
2x Vehicle (AN/MPQ-53)
4x Patriot M901
1x Radar (HR-3000 RSRP)
1x Radar (THD-1955 MPR)


EXPENDITURES:
------------------
16x RIM-7M Sea Sparrow
28x AIM-120C-7 AMRAAM P3I.3
28x AGM-88B HARM
24x AIM-120B AMRAAM
23x SA-20a Gargoyle [48N6E]
14x SA-17 Grizzly [9M317]
32x AM.39 Exocet Blk II
12x MICA IR
2x 76mm/62 Compact HE Burst [4 rnds]
28x MIM-104D Patriot PAC-2 GEM
2x MIM-7M Sparrow
20x AIM-2000A IRIS-T
24x AIM-9L Sidewinder
23x 20mm/85 M61A1 Vulcan Burst [100 rnds]



SIDE: Turkey
===========================================================

LOSSES:
-------------------------------
1x ATR-72-ASW [Meltem III]
3x E-737 Wedgetail
4x F-16DM Blk 40 Falcon [Peace Onyx III CCIP Upgr]
1x Platform [Class A, 90000t]
2x F 500 Bozcaada [A 69]
1x F 490 Gaziantep [Perry, Gabya Class]
2x KC-135R Stratotanker
2x F-16DM Blk 50 Falcon [Peace Onyx III CCIP Upgr]
1x S-70B-28 Seahawk


EXPENDITURES:
------------------
54x AN/SSQ-53E DIFAR
10x AN/SSQ-53F DIFAR
10x AN/SSQ-62C DICASS
48x AN/SSQ-62D DICASS
27x J-600T Yildirim <--- Previously, there only were 20
30x Generic Chaff Salvo [5x Cartridges]
10x RIM-162B ESSM
28x AIM-120B AMRAAM
32x Harpy
27x RIM-66E6 SM-1MR Blk VIB
3x Aspide
21x RIM-116B RAM Blk I
2x AIM-9X Sidewinder
7x 76mm/62 Compact HE Burst [4 rnds]
2x 20mm/100 Mk15 Phalanx Blk 1B Burst [300 rnds]
2x 76mm/62 Super Rapido HE Burst [2 rnds]
1x 127mm/54 HE-CVT [HiFrag]
1x 25mm Sea Zenith Burst [20 rnds]
6x 100mm/55 Model 1968 PFHE Burst [4 rnds]
7x DAGAIE Mk2 LEM Chaff
2x 20mm/85 Mk15 Phalanx Blk 1 Burst [300 rnds]
4x Mk214 Sea Gnat Chaff [Seduction]
16x AGM-84K SLAMER-ATA
11x AGM-88B HARM
2x HGK INS/GPS [Mk84]






Attachment (1)

< Message edited by AlexGGGG -- 6/13/2018 3:32:18 AM >

(in reply to Defencegreece)
Post #: 10
RE: 2019: Chasing Aphrodite - 6/13/2018 5:51:36 AM   
Defencegreece


Posts: 108
Joined: 4/29/2014
Status: offline
Haha you are the man

Promoted to Captain of Elli frigate!
Might do some tweaking with the strike mission (some packets targeting Greece radar sites)
But generally speaking you used quite effectively EMCON and HARM/Exocets

Quite curious about your HARM shots
Did they disable the Perry/MEKO FFG?

Any image would be usefull

BR
Defencegreece

I

< Message edited by Defencegreece -- 6/13/2018 5:55:03 AM >


_____________________________

Where the East meets the West...

(in reply to AlexGGGG)
Post #: 11
RE: 2019: Chasing Aphrodite - 6/13/2018 7:32:44 AM   
AlexGGGG

 

Posts: 685
Joined: 9/25/2014
Status: offline
There is no image unfortunately, as I do not keep enough saves.

See, I fire HARMs at ships which are between me and the traget. Ships which are behind the target are of no concern. The automatic weapon allocation algorithm will have everyone firing SAMs even when there is no chance of successful intercept, but I don't care.

This time, there were three ships between me and target, and one close behind the target. I allocated 4 to 10 HARMs to each of these four, making it so the ship nearest to me got 10. This way, if the target is hit before last HARM reaches it, that last HARM will continue onwards and hopefully hit another ship with the same radar type (there are several Perry-type frigates with identical radar signatures). Because I'm firing at like 2/3 max range for the HARM, the HARMs still have enough travel in them for useful retargeting.

As I recall (not quite sure but most likely) default weapon allocation for intercept will be 2x SAMs per HARM.
I have 28x HARM, which in the worst case (all HARMs intercepted and no damage) means they now have 56 SAMs less than they originally had, and possibly at least some SAM launchers are now in reload cycle.

In practice, of three playthroughs I made,
1. there were always some HARM hits,
2. there were always some ships left to fire SAMs, so not all radars were hit.

In the latest run, of 32 Exocets fired, 25 reached the target close enough, and 11 made it past the target as it has been sunk and Exocets had nothing to lock onto. So, after the HARM spraying, four ships still have enough SAMs (and guns) among them to kill 7 Exocets.






(in reply to Defencegreece)
Post #: 12
RE: 2019: Chasing Aphrodite - 6/14/2018 7:28:30 AM   
AlexGGGG

 

Posts: 685
Joined: 9/25/2014
Status: offline
Plot twist! Attached is a heavily modified scenario which I made just for sheets and giggles.

I do not recommend anyone to take it seriously.

I specifically decided to post it in AAR because it does not really deserve being in the main scenario forum.

Attachment (1)

< Message edited by AlexGGGG -- 6/14/2018 7:33:17 AM >

(in reply to AlexGGGG)
Post #: 13
RE: 2019: Chasing Aphrodite - 8/8/2018 5:20:29 PM   
Defencegreece


Posts: 108
Joined: 4/29/2014
Status: offline
And this is my AAR guys

Slightly modified version
(no Wedgetail inside S-300 crossair, F-4 Phantoms start from Souda AFB etc)

https://defencegreece.wordpress.com/2018/08/03/after-action-report-simulation-2019-chasing-aphrodite/

_____________________________

Where the East meets the West...

(in reply to AlexGGGG)
Post #: 14
RE: 2019: Chasing Aphrodite - 8/10/2018 10:21:26 AM   
Bert Blitzkrieg

 

Posts: 55
Joined: 12/15/2009
Status: offline
Nice!

(in reply to Defencegreece)
Post #: 15
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