AAR Op Sling of David

[CV32]

Usual spoilers apply.

 

 

 

It has been six months since the signing of the Geneva interm agreement between the P-5+1 (the US, UK, France, Russia, China, and Germany) and Iran. ... Two weeks ago, the Iranians pulled out of the talks and repudiated the Geneva Interm Accord, claiming that no agreement was possible that would not violate the "red line" of Iran's advanced nuclear enrichment program. ...In the last 72 hours, the Iranian government has publicly ammounced its decision to resume full-scale nuclear enrichment - apparently they believe that with the United States' "retreat" from the Middle East, that they can do so without expecting the reimposition of sanctions or a military strike. ...we have received intelligence from multiple sources that the Iranians soon plan to insert "hot" nuclear fuel rods and heavy water into the Arak nuclear reactor - an act that would render a potential military strike moot. If the reactor were to be struck whilst loaded with nuclear fuel, it would almost certainly cause a catastrophic nuclear meltdown and release of radioactivity on the scale of Chernobyl or worse - a prospect that would be politically devestating for Israel.In the wake of this information, the Cabinet, roughly 36 hours ago, authorized the execution of Operation Sling of David - the designated plan for a full-scale aerial attack upon critical infrastructure nodes of the Iranian nuclear program.

 

The author did a great job with the scenario background, description and general layout.

 

I chose the southern route for my aircraft, via the Gulf of Aqaba and the northern boundary of the KSA, and then nearly straight across the breadth of Iraq.

 

(I am not sure the latter part of the southern route is a legitimate reflection of what would likely be available to the Israelis, but who really knows).

 

All of the B707 tankers and the two G550 were sent forward to patrol zones along the Iraq-Iran border.

 

The strike packages were arranged in the following order:

 

F-16I with AGM-88A HARM (too few of them) for the SEAD role

F-15C/D for the offensive counter-air role

F-15I with GBU-28 bunker busters

F-16I with Griffin/Mk 84 LGBs

 

More F-16s with Mk 82 iron bombs and a handful of more HARM carrying jets were mixed into the latter strike elements for dealing with "pop up" threats.

 

SA-5 and HQ-2 SAM sites were dealt with on ingress, and although there were some Hawk sites near the targets and major airfields, the point defense SAM coverage was much sparser than I expected.

 

I did not encounter any SA-15 around the targets, for example.

 

Good thing too, because as I said earlier, I had too few anti-radar missiles available. Some SA-5 sites had to be ignored, and my pilots relied solely on evasive maneuvers to deal with them.

 

AAA coverage around the targets was quite thick, but it didn't much matter, as I was going to be dropped precision guided ordnance from high altitudes.

 

Defensive counter-air action from the IRIAF proved the most serious threat, with quick reaction alert MiGs (mainly from Dezful) and aircraft arriving from more distant bases (incl F-14s) later.

 

Even so, I think the strike went very well, with all targets destroyed and the bulk of my aircraft already out of Iranian airspace and returning home within four hours.

 

The tunnel entrances and centrifuge halls at Fordow in the north were the toughest.

 

Minor Victory: 4175

7 h 49 min to go

 

 

SIDE: Iran
===========================================================

LOSSES:
-------------------------------
12x Mirage F.1EQ-6
12x F-7M Airguard
17x MiG-29 Fulcrum A
14x Vehicle (AN/MPQ-51 ROR)
25x M192 I-HAWK
4x Vehicle (AN/MPQ-48 CWAR)
10x F-5E Tiger II
9x Vehicle (AN/MPQ-46 HPI)
4x Vehicle (Chop Rest)
13x HQ-2b Guideline Single Rail
2x Vehicle (Gin Sling)
4x Vehicle (UAR-1021 Skyguard)
2x 35mm Twin Oerlikon
3x Vehicle (AN/MPQ-50 PAR)
4x Building (Square Pair [5N62])
31x Shahab 3 TEL
6x F-4E Phantom II
20x Building (Large)
6x A/C Hardened Aircraft Shelter (1x Large Aircraft)
6x F-4D Phantom II
6x Structure (Tunnel Entrance)
4x F-14A Tomcat [F-14AM]
4x F-14A Tomcat
3x Building (Bar Lock B [P-50])
1x Building (Electric Sub Station)
1x Building (Reactor)


EXPENDITURES:
------------------
31x SA-5c Gammon [5V28M5]
60x Generic Chaff Salvo [5x Cartridges]
21x AA-10 Alamo A [R-27R, MR SARH]
10x Generic Flare Salvo [3x Cartridges, Single Spectral]
4x AA-11 Archer [R-73]
4x AA-8 Aphid [R-60TM]
4x 20mm M39 x 2 Burst [80 rnds]
8x AIM-7E2 Sparrow III
2x AIM-9N Sidewinder
6x 20mm/85 M61A1 Vulcan Burst [100 rnds]
2x R.550 Magic 1
4x AIM-23C I-HAWK [sejil]
4x AIM-7E4 Sparrow III



SIDE: Israel
===========================================================

LOSSES:
-------------------------------
3x F-16I Falcon
1x F-15C Eagle
1x F-15I Eagle


EXPENDITURES:
------------------
63x AIM-120C-5 AMRAAM P3I.2
58x AIM-7M Sparrow III
16x AGM-88A HARM
30x Generic Chaff Salvo [5x Cartridges]
32x Python 4
13x Python 5
42x Mk82 500lb LDGP
8x Generic Flare Salvo [3x Cartridges, Single Spectral]
18x 20mm/85 M61A1 Vulcan Burst [100 rnds]
36x Griffin LGB [Mk84]
23x GBU-28/B Deep Throat LGB [bLU-113/B]