Ace Combat 7, Habrok Squadron, Ustio Air Force, IUN peacekeeping detachment, 18th Fighter Squadron.
Non-IUN version included.
Extract files to DCSWorld\CoreMods\aircraft\F-15E\Liveries\F-15ESE\
[Pilot data in description]
[Pilot Data]
Aircraft: No.2407
Name: Maj. Leonard Popowski
Callsign: Habrok 1
TacName: PoPo
Age: 52
Sex: Male
Nationality: Ustian
Status: MIA (Operation Daredevil, 10/31/2019)
Originally a civilian Cropduster pilot fr om western Ustio he would enlist in the Ustio Airforce following the nation gaining independence from Belka in 1988. During his early military years, he would fly F-4F Phantoms as part of the 24th Fighter Squadron, getting his first combat action during the numerous pre-war border skirmishes from late 1993 to early 1995. He would continue to fly during the 1995 Belkan war, scoring a total of 6 confirmed kills and 2 probable before being taken off combat duties after receiving injuries while ejecting from his aircraft when he was shot down during Operation Battle-Axe. He would end up spending the rest of the war and the year recovering, eventually being cleared for duty by February of 1996.
Following the end of The Belkan War, the Ustio Air Force was short on skilled pilots. Most of their Air Force was crippled during the war and the rest was made up of mercenaries who were long gone say a few examples. Popowski would end up taking command of the 24th Fighter Squadron, leading it throughout the rest of the 1990s while his unit and the rest of the Air Force rebuilt itself. In 2000 he took up a new posting as a combat instructor for the Air Combat School at the newly opened Posada Air Base in northern Ustio, wh ere his years of combat experience were put to use training the next generation of U.A.F. pilots.
By 2008 Popowski had been promoted to Major, and found himself doing more administrative work at the Combat School rather than flying, becoming rather bored with this he requested, and was later approved for a transfer to a command position in an active fighter unit. Starting in late 2008 he took up the position of commander of the
34th Fighter wing, 2nd Air Division. Though still in an administrative position, he often got more air time here than he did during his last few years at the school. From 2009 and throughout the early 2010s he would continue to lead the squadrons under his command with a high level of professionalism. In late 2016 he would somewhat advanc further when he was asked to temporarily take over the position of Deputy Division Commander, which he accepted, though it didn't come with a promotion he would at least still get additional pay.
By early 2018 Popowski was back as the wing commander of the 34th Fighter Wing when a unique opportunity was offered to him. He was approached by one Colonel. Anjrzej Jasek, another Belkan War era veteran and a good friend of Popowski from his time at the Air Combat School. Col. Jasek had recently been placed in command of the Ustio Air Force's newly formed IUN mission heading to the Usean continent, and he wanted Popowski to join him as his Deputy Commander. Whether he was getting bored of his current posting or maybe he just wanted to try something new, nevertheless he accepted, and by May of 2018 He and the rest of the U.A.F. Task Force Aquila were on their way to Usea.
After arriving in Usea the Ustian Peacekeepers would be stationed at Soria International Airport in the city of Los Canas. Popowski would fall comfortably in line as Col. Jasek right-hand man, helping to organize and manage operations as well as acting as the go-between for the IUN and local Federation of Central Usean forces. Management duties would keep him preoccupied most days, however, he would frequently be seen leading flight operations from his F-15E whenever possible. For the rest of 2018 and leading well into 2019 Popowski and the rest of the Ustian Peacekeepers wouldn't encounter much excitement, hopping between escorting aid shipments and
patrolling established demilitarized zones. He and the rest of the unit were due to rotate back home by the end of March but with tensions rising in regards to the International Space Elevator, their departure from Usea would be delayed to allow further peacekeeping forces to arrive on the continent.
On May 15th, 2019, The Kingdom of Erusea declared war on the Osean Federation and launched a simultaneous assault across the continent, attacking both Osean and any IUN forces in their path. Popowski and the other peacekeepers would be deployed to help hold the line, taking on Erusean forces as they began pushing into the FCU before eventually focusing on defending Los Canas as the Erusean Royal Army closed in. By the 17th of May Los Canas had been captured by the enemy and the Ustian IUN
forces would be redeployed to the City of Baekje in Southern Usea. For Popowski and his Commander Col. Jesek, this is wh ere the excitement ended as the Ustian government retasked them as rear guard security to help free up Osean unity to go to the front. As the conflict continued and the Ocean began to regain ground the front line was pushed farther and farther away as the days went by. For now, Popowski would have to be content with patrols in dead sectors as he waited for the Osean military to launch their assault into the Erusean Capitol and most likely bring an end to the conflict.
On September 19th, following the deployment of anti-satellite weapons at the end of the Battle for Farbanti, a catastrophic loss of all communications would occur across the continent. Popowski and the other IUN forces would reluctantly shelter in place and wait for the situation to improve, for the moment they were cut off and on their own. For weeks they waited for news, but by mid-October, with supplies dwindling and no sign of relief or resupply the situation around Baekje was looking more uncertain. Maj. Popowski and Col. Jesek would eventually begin to start discussing their own plan to evacuate to other known Osean bases farther east to hopefully get the Unit either resupplied or assistance getting home. This changed on October 31, 2019, when a Call went out over all channels through the now partially-restored general network urging all remaining forces to converge on the Space Elevator to destroy the Arsenal Bird and finally bring about an end to the conflict. Still wishing to do their part and most likely in defiance of their government's last known orders, Col. Jesek called for any volunteers to join him in one last fight. Popowski and nearly every other available pilot stepped up. With the rising sun at their back, the formation would take off one final time as they headed West for Gunther Bay.
Once they arrived at the area around the Space Elevator the Ustian PeaceKeepers got to work Col. Jesek took half the unit to help shore up the northern side of the Lighthouse while Popowski led the rest to assist friendly forces to the south. The fight around the Elevator was more chaotic than he expected and it quickly turned into an all-out furball. Over the next 15 min Popowski and his flight downed several enemys both manned and unmanned airframes. Once additional Osean reinforcements
arrived the tide of battle started to turn in their favor. But with the arrival of the Arsenal Bird and the failed saturation attack things started to look grim again. During this time Col. Jesek was hit and had to disengage, later making a crash landing at Selatapura's main airport. Rallying the remainder of a unit Popowski would spend the rest of the battle engaging the Arsenal Birds drone Fleet until it was brought down by friendly Osean aircraft.
Having watched the hulking beast plung into the sea the fight seemed finally over, but shortly after two unknown contacts arrived in the area. Two ADF-11F Ravens swooped in and began tearing apart the Allied formations. Acknowledging the AWACS's orders to retreat, Popowski ordered his pilots to flee east as fast as they could while he turned back towards the elevator trying to act as a rearguard. The drone proved too much for him to take on alone and a short but accurate burst of cannon fire sawed his wing clean off. Though he and his backseater were able to bail out, until the two Ravens were destroyed the following day and more allied units moved into the area, search and rescue efforts were extremely limited. Only his weapons system officer Captain. Edward Molek was picked up two days after the battle, Even though many other pilots were located and pulled from the sea over the following week no sign of Popowski was ever found.
