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giantsquid -> Air Strike to Bandar Abbas and dealing with modern Sams - 2017 (12/28/2015 11:11:32 PM)
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Hello, given the interest I saw in the forum about SEAD tactics I report here one successful action during Operation Bass Drum scenario, depicting US Navy fighting a well armed Iran in the Strait of Hormuz.
With this action I wanted to eliminate all area SAMs around Bandar Abbas city before a Tomohawk strike against the two airports in the area, one to the west and another to the East of city.
Main air defences for the area:
2 SA-10, 1 SA-20 batteries around the airport on mainland
2 HQ-2b on Qeshm Island
1 SA-6b Sam battery on Hormuz Island, 10 nm South East of Bandar Abbas
The Iran air defence were always emitting, so identification was easy with Triton UAV and EF-18.
For the attack I used
3 EF18, each with 4 ECM pods and 2 Harms
4 F18C with 4 Tiald decoys each
6 F18C with 4 Harms (Agm-88E) each
6 F35B with 6 1000lbs JDAM each
4 F18E with 6 Amraam each as Escort
1 Triton UAV and 1 E-2D far in the back
34 Tomohawk fired from ships, 50 nm behind
Phase 1
Fighter sweep with F18 Amraam against a few F-4E and J-10 enemy fighter: 6 splashed. Enemy air activity is reduced, since I attacked after seen many enemy planes landing. EF18 positioned along main route of attack with jammers on
Phase 2
4 Tiald launched at Hormuz Island. When the decoy were half of the trip, 2 Harm launched form front EF18. Detected some missile launch at the very last moment. Probably jammers were very effective and both Harm took out the Sa-6 radar before iran missiles even closed to decoy.
Phase 2
6 Harm equipped F18 descent at 1000 ft toward Hormuz Island, now free of Sa-6. All Tiald launched vs Bandar Abbass at high altitude. 2 EF18 follows along main route of attack, 10 nm in the back at medium altitude. First launches by SA-10/20 detected against the 12 Tiald decoys.
Phase 3
About half of the Tiald are taken by Iran missiles. All Harm equipped F18 pop up at 2000 ft and launch their weapon 20 nm from enemy batteries: 8 missiles for SA-12, 4 missiles each for SA-10. Some F18 are targeted but dive immediately below the hills of Hormuz Island and Sams loose guidance. The JDAM F35 approach at high altitude, 20 nm back
Phase 4
Iran Sams clean off Tiald and target Harms, now very close and fast. Some are taken but all the Flat Lid and Calm Shell radars are hit multiple times. AAA and Sa-13 seems ineffective (I think that's correct). 3 F35 in the back at high altitude launch 18 JDAM at remaining batteries, long range radars, static AAA taking out everything.
In the meantime the other 3 F35 go for the 2 HQ2 Sam and 4 antiship batteries with Square Tie radars missiles batteries (all radiating, so easy to find...) to the West on Quesm island. EF18 take out main radars, while the F35 destroy all the Sam and Ssm Launchers with 18 JDAM
Phase 5
All 34 Tomohawk arrive on target and impact on the two runaway access points (2 missile each) and several buildings, taking out both airports.
Comments.
I was very pleased by the result, but I must say I micro-manage everything and planned on paper first.
Masking the Harm equipped F18 with the island probably saved them from deadly iran Sams.
The Tiald / Harm / EF18 jammers combination seems very effective and the new Harm version, Agm-88E with microwave radar proved deadly, fast and difficult to intercept. It seems you can do miracles with this equipment and good planning and I didn't even use F35 as SEAD plane. Iran Sam batteries had limited point defence and never stop emitting, making targeting easier.
Anyway I'm really impressed by the modelling of all these systems and interaction.
Congratulations to the developers, amazing work really!
Some of you experimented with different tactics, maybe with F35?
Francesco
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