F/A-18E Block V
AMBUSH ONE-TWO
Twenty Miles off the Coast of Rota
+12 Hours to the Start of Exercise
The Block V, known to many in the Hornet community as the "Wasp", was a whole other animal. Glass cockpits, conformal fuel tanks, reduced RCS, and better avionics made this already deadly fighter more than a match for Iranian and Chinese Flankers that it would likely see combat against in the coming years along with bringing back the first day, long-range strike capability to the whole Air Wing. The F-35C integrated well with the Fleet AD network, and additionally provided the Fleet with SEAD and a number of strike roles. This left the Super Hornets to their traditional fields of CAS, Strike, and Air Superiority. VFC-12, being a Reserve Squadron, seemed to be in a tough spot earlier in the decade when its aging fleet of F/A-18A+s approached the end of their lifetime. However, it appeared someone in the Reserves went to bat and won the Reserve some Super Hornets from the units that were converting to the F-35C. However, following a brief flare-up between Japanese and Chinese forces near the Senaku Islands, the Brass decided to upgrade the entire fleet of Super Hornets to Block V in order to match the growing capabilities of the J-11 and J-15.
"Ambush Two, Lead here. Let's put this bird through her paces." said Commander Adam "Slash" Brown, flying the lead F/A-18E, bearing a subdued oceanic paint scheme reminiscent of the Su-33 Flanker Ds of the Russian Navy and a Soviet Red Star on its tail.
"Roger, Lead. I'll contact Center." replied Lt. Commander Eric "Typhoon Chaser" Alderman before changing frequencies to contact Guam Center, the local area control center that managed all flight operations in the area for the Federal Aviation Administration. "Guam Center, be advised, Ambush, flight of two, is conducting manuevers between 10,000 and 20,000 feet, 20 miles off of Rota."
"Guam Center acknowledges. Flight of two carrying out manuevers between 10 and 20 thousand feet." a young-to-middle aged man's voice said over the radio.
"Ambush Lead, starting exercise." briskly stated Slash before immediately breaking right away from his wingman, to become a simulated adversary against him.
"Ambush Two, acknowledges." Typhoon Chaser immediately broke to the left, before kicking on his afterburners and putting five miles and 10,000 feet between him and where he last saw Slash in a matter of a few minutes. Typhoon Chaser looked turned behind him and checked his six, helping solidify his confidence that Slash wasn't on his six. Typhoon Chaser pulled up his stick and took his Super Hornet to an almost vertical angle before taking rolling the aircraft 180 degrees.
That was when he saw a glint in the distance, just below the clouds at his 1 O'Clock. That was when the glint began a bank towards him. It was Slash's Hornet and he was attempting to go for a head-on gunpass, a move not commonly practiced outside of the Adversary community. In an almost textbook kill, Typhoon Chaser turned on his APG-79 radar and immediately locked onto Slash's approaching aircraft. Slash quickly snapped his aircraft to the right and released a series of countermeasures, breaking the lock and turning extremely tightly.
Typhoon Chaser immediately followed the turn, gritting his teeth as he bore the brunt of 6 Gs, before rolling into Slash's six. Slash immediately pushed his speed forward slightly, forcing his wingman-turned opponent to have to try and catch up. Slash, then abruptly pulled back on his stick, dumping his airspeed and forcing Typhoon Chaser to over shoot. Slash, following through on his ruse, then made an immediate lock-on to Typhoon Chaser's Hornet with his radar, though at this point, he could have gone in for a gun kill. Either way, Typhoon Chaser was "dead" and tired. ACM took a lot out.
"Cease exercise. Simulated Splash on Ambush Two. Ambush Two, form up and say status." commanded Slash with a slight tint of pride to his voice.
"Ambush One, Wilco." replied Typhoon Chaser, forming up with his flight lead before making the extremely short trip back to Andersen.
MISSION I: LIVE-FIRE SMALL FORCE EMPLOYMENT
DAY I
Mission: Strike Radar "Emplacements" on Northern Part of Farallon de Medinilla (simulated by microwave ovens near the Northernmost shipping containers visible
BLUAIR Package:
Strike Aircraft
-4 Mc.82 of 340 Tactical Fighter Squadron
Top Cover
-3 Su-27 of 129. Combat Squadron
Electronic Warfare Support
-2 EA-18G of VAQ-141
Quick Reaction Force/Back-up Strike Aircraft
-4 IEK-92M of SPD-II
Timeline:
0900-REDAIR Launch From Andersen AFB
1000-BLUAIR Launch From Andersen AFB
1030-BLUAIR Arrives on Station at Marianas Range Complex (Farallon de Medinilla)
Rules of Engagement
-40,000 Feet is the Maximum Altitude for this engagement
-10,000 Feet is the Minimum Altitude for this engagement
-A Lock-on for more than 30 seconds is tallied as a kill, and that aircraft must immediately disengage from all training operations in the AO
-Any endangerment of other aircrews caused through use of certain Electronic Warfare systems is strictly prohibited
