With Qeshm airport now in rebel hands after this morning’s action, aid supplies are being unloaded both from UAE C130s at the airport and the Tarawa and Nicholas, which have docked at Shib Deraz.
A Forward Operating Base – Tortuga - has been established at Qeshm airport to operate a small force of Cobras and Harriers.
Satellite intel has shown multiple aircraft warming up at Bandar Lengeh airbase (codename Dead man’s Chest) to the east. They’re being loaded with rockets and bombs, so it appears that the squadron based there is planning to raid the airbase and/or the Tarawa group.
Two flights of Harriers are going to carry out a pre-emptive attack – putting the runway and it’s SAM and AAA protection out of action – preventing the strike and stopping the base from being reinforced with more aircraft from the north.
Updated 4th Jan 2021, added pdf briefing and maps, minor edits to the mission itself.
Updated 6th November 2021 to reflect changes to Harrier ordnance options.
Pirate Voyage Mission 3 – Dead Man’s Chest
Installation:
Download the zip file, use 7zip or similar to unpack it, copy the .miz file to your DCS Missions folder:
C:\Users\User’s name\Saved Games\DCS.openbeta (if you’re using the DCS OpenBeta)\Missions
If you’ve got loads of missions, you might want to save it to a sub folder marked ‘Harrier’ or similar so you can find it more easily.
Short briefing:
1. Pick a flight, follow waypoints to Bandar Lengeh airbase.
2. Attack air defences or hit the runway.
3. Get home.
Full briefing:
Situation
With Qeshm airport now in rebel hands after this morning’s action, aid supplies are being unloaded both from UAE C130s at the airport and the Tarawa and Nicholas, which have docked at Shib Deraz.
Air defence is being provided by a Hawk battery, and a small number of light armour units are providing base security. More are to follow in case the Iranian government tries to take back the airfield.
A Forward Operating Base – Tortuga - has been established at Qeshm airport to operate a small force of Cobras and Harriers.
Satellite intel has shown multiple aircraft warming up at Bandar Lengeh airbase (codename Dead man’s Chest) to the east. They’re being loaded with rockets and bombs, so it appears that the squadron based there is planning to raid the airbase and/or the Tarawa group.
Objective
Two flights of Harriers are going to carry out a pre-emptive attack – putting the runway and it’s SAM and AAA protection out of action – preventing the strike and stopping the base from being reinforced with more aircraft from the north.
Unfortunately, the airbase defences are now on alert, making approach from the sea difficult. There’s a safer route possible following valleys to the north that should keep the planes safe until they’re within Sidearm and maverick range.
The runway strike will fly a similar route, but head more to the west to allow for hill cover while lining up on the runway.
Springfield flight: Will take off from the Tarawa and keep the air defences busy.
Dodge flight: Will take off from Tortuga to attack the runway at low level with mk82 snakeyes. The long runway at Tortuga will allow a heavier load of ordnance than taking off from the Tarawa.
Air Threats:
Iranian F14s are likely to be flying CAP to the north, with more F4s from the east, and there’s a danger of short range intercepts from Bandar Lengeh itself – F4s and F5s. A flight of UAE Mirage 2000s will fly CAP to the south, but will try and remain out of Iranian SAM engagement range.
Airfield defences:
Hawk battery to the south west of the airfield.
SA11 battery to the east.
Multiple ZSU23 trucks at either end of the runway.
Oh, and it’s starting to get dark.
Flights:
Springfield flight
Type: 2x AV8B
Freq: 243MHz
Task: SEAD
Ordnance: 3x AGM122, 1x AIM9M, 4x Rockeyes
Primary targets: Hawk and SA11 batteries on the Bandar Lengeh airbase site.
Secondary targets: ZSU23 trucks.
Waypoints:
1-4. Low level route to target
5. IP for SEAD attacks
6. Hawk battery
7. SA11 battery
8. Bandar Lengeh airbase
9. Exit route
10. Land at The Black Pearl (Tarawa)
11. Divert - Tortuga (Qeshm airport)
Dodge flight
Type: 2x AV8B
Freq: 264MHz
Task: Runway strike
Ordnance: 10x MK82 snakeye, 1x AGM122, 1x AIM9M
Primary target: Bandar Lengeh runway
Secondary target: Any SAM radars not disabled by SEAD flight
Waypoints:
1-5. Low level route to target
6. IP approx. 10 miles from Runway threshold
7. Runway threshold
8. Exit route
9. Land at Tortuga (Qeshm airport)
10. Divert – The Black Pearl (Tarawa)
Colt flight
Type: 2x UAE Mirage 2000
Freq: 251MHz
Task: CAP
Uzi flight
Type: 2x UAE Mirage 2000
Task: CAP
Other Frequencies:
Tarawa – Black Pearl: 27.5MHz
Qeshm: 38.550MHz, 118.050MHz, 250.150MHz
Bullseye:
Queshm Airport
