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Greenland Rush, day zero, January 20, 2025.


Greenland Rush, day zero, January 20, 2025.

A Harpoon Commander's Edition scenario for EC2003 Battle for the Atlantic Ocean Battleset and the HCDB2-170909 (or later) 1980-2025 era Platform Database. This scenario is designed with Advanced Scenario Editor Build 2017.013 and to be run with HCE 2015.008+ or later.

This scenario is designed to be played from the Blue/NATO side or from the Red/Russian. You should play a few times first the Blue side to avoid spoilers, and only later play the Red side.

Image: Old 12th Space Warning Squadron emblem, circa 1994 and chosen as more representative of its placement and mission that the current one. The squadron is based on Pituffik Space Base, Greenland, yet commonly know by its old name of Thule. Authored by the United Stated Army Institute of Heraldry, composed by servicepeople and in consequence on public domain. Took from Wikipedia Commons.

Few weeks ago his take on charge, President Elect Donald John Trump spoke about a possible US vindication over the Greenland territory with a strategic motivation. And also about Canada and Mexico.

For some apparently only a joke, the question was going serious at passing days, even with the Republican Party researching about a bill on it.

But was not a pun. And predictably, the declarations support the aim of China on Taiwan, and the vindication of Russia for strategic safety issues of a part of Greenland (See links provided in the “Get Support” section linked at this scenario in harpgamer.com).

This scenario is based in the usual Russian type of “special operations”: after a gray zone/covert action by the FSB topping the Greenland government, the new puppet government requested Russian aid “for defence against the US” (Followed by the usual Russian murdering of the government members requesting its aid, to shut mouths, of course, just the same alibi as in Afghanistan in 1979), and a Russian fast and surprise action of Greenland occupation with special forces, including the US bases and the very few usable airports.

And to execute its action the Russian side has very limited time to suppress the NATO opposition, to show the world a fait accompli, and Putin need urgently this global success after almost three years stagnated on the Ukraine invasion.

And also as usual, Putin has decided the better moment for the operation is January 20, 2025, just with his “friend” President Elect Trump taking charge, to exploit the disorganisation of have not a clear acting defense secretary and the Joint Chiefs of Staff present on Inauguration Day, and to install shock and awe from the first minute on the incoming Executive. Also, for many weeks was not any US aircraft carrier in the Atlantic, all operating in the Red Sea crisis or monitoring any Chinese action.

Also, is too early to the coming of Elon Musk with a miracle weapon to save the day.

Now, look for a copy of “Ice Station Zebra” (1968), watch it on the background and enjoy!!! … or not.

 Enrique Mas, January 19, 2025.


 

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Posted

Notes on some platforms (BEWARE, MANY SPOILER ALERTS):

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- Some northernmost bases, as Thule, are a little southern than in real life, to use this same Battleset without geographic changes.

- C-130J and C-130J-30 Hercules II (if present at Kangerlussuaq Airport) represent upgraded LC-130H-2 and LC-130H-3 of the 109th Airlift Wing, New York ANG.

- US fighters operations on Greenland are purely speculative, very probably none support in Kangerlussaq Airport and very bad weather at Piffunik (Thule) in winter.

- Dutch F-35A represent Danish F-35A.

- F-35B (UK) are not yet equipped with Brimstone 2 missiles and it's not a schedule for its integration, they can attack enemy ships only with Paveway IV at current times its only air-to-ground ordnance. 37 delivered to December 2024 (Four in US, for training and tests, and one lost), but with probably only some 32 pilots. Also, the Ukrainian crisis should limit its deployment in great numbers on HMS Queen Elizabeth. At this time are equipped with AIM-120C-5 and AIM-132 ASRAAM, AIM-120D are probably yet one year in the future (The recent Harpoon Annex Commonwealth Aircraft listed AIM-120C-7, but I don't find any other reference, per SIPRI UK has only AIM-120C-5, https://armstrade.sipri.org/armstrade/page/trade_register.php ).

- Australian MH-60R represents Danish MH-60R, equipped with ASW gear and weapons from 2023.

- Australian P-8A Poseidon represents British and Norwegian P-8A Poseidon.

- Australian KC-30A represents British Voyager.

- The use of some big and old nuclear submarines to insert special operations forces and/or its ship to shore connectors are both absolutely hypothetical. The three submarines are:

- A derivative of the Project 667BDR/Delta III SSBN, submarine Project 09786 Grunt: BS-136 Orenburg (Commissioned 2002 and on hopeless refit from 2021).

- The use of a Project 949A/86/Oscar II (with older and limited systems but longer range Type 65 torpedoes to represent Poseidon long range nuclear torpedoes) represents a Oscar II derivative special operations submarine Project 09852: BS-329 Belgorod (Commissioned 7/2022). Is not intended for use as SSGN on this scenario!!!

- The use of a Project 667BDRM/Delta IV represents a derivative special operations submarine Project 09787 Grunt-1: BS-64 Podmoskove (Commissioned 12/2016). Is not intended for use as SSBN on this scenario!!!

- The SSN Project 945/Sierra I B-276 Kostroma is represented by a Project 945A/Sierra II to reflect her refit.

- The use of ship entry #3328 zz Nakhimov represents the updated BCGN Admiral Nakhimov, on the last stages of her 28 years refit on early January 2025 (I did costumize it on my personal database).

- PAVE PAWS installations are employed as the very similar FPS-132.

Posted

Some sources (BEWARE, MANY SPOILER ALERTS):

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Quote: “It is unclear who will take over at the Pentagon and the military services when the top leaders all step down Monday as President-elect Donald Trump is sworn into office. As of Friday, officials said they had not yet heard who will become the acting defense secretary. Officials said the military chiefs of the Army, Navy and Air Force were getting ready to step in as acting service secretaries — a rare move — because no civilians had been named or, in some cases, had turned down the opportunity. As is customary, all current political appointees will step down as of noon EST on Inauguration Day, leaving hundreds of key defense posts open, including dozens that require Senate confirmation. In addition to the top job and all three service secretaries, all of their deputies and senior policy staff will leave.”:

https://www.stripes.com/theaters/us/2025-01-18/defense-secretary-trump-16521995.html

“Greenland ready to work with US on defence, says Prime Minister”:

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cwyp4p1x10no

https://news.usni.org/2025/01/13/usni-news-fleet-and-marine-tracker-jan-13-2025

https://www.reuters.com/world/trumps-republican-allies-us-house-circulate-bill-greenlands-purchase-2025-01-13/

https://www.reuters.com/world/china/trumps-greenland-bid-stirs-debate-china-about-what-do-with-taiwan-2025-01-15/

https://www.thebarentsobserver.com/news/halfwit-lawmaker-says-russia-should-take-over-svalbard/423172

 

 

https://www.navypedia.org/ships/russia/ru_cr_kirov80.htm

https://russianships.info/eng/warships/project_1144.htm

https://bulgarianmilitary.com/2025/01/11/russian-battlecruiser-admiral-nakhimov-powers-up-after-28-years/

https://russianships.info/eng/today/

https://www.armyrecognition.com/news/navy-news/2025/flash-info-netherlands-navy-shadows-russian-submarine-novorossiysk-and-frigate-boikiy-in-north-sea

https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/americas-top-secret-u-2-spy-plane-arrives-in-britain/

 

https://www.thebarentsobserver.com/security/norways-selfimposed-military-restrictions-are-outdated-professor-argues/421178

https://www.thebarentsobserver.com/news/northern-fleet-gives-priority-to-faraway-voyages/422736

https://www.thebarentsobserver.com/news/northern-fleets-newest-yasenm-class-submarine-will-be-based-60-km-from-nato-norway/422478

https://www.nrk.no/nordland/xl/en-av-norges-storste-fiskerihavner-er-drevet-av-russland-pa-svalbard-_-fa-kontroller-1.16810516

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Icelandic_Air_Policing

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SAGE_radar_stations

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joint_Surveillance_System

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iceland_Air_Defence_System

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evenes_Air_Station

 

https://www.navylookout.com/hms-iron-duke-arrives-in-her-new-base-port-of-devonport/

https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/british-frigate-and-destroyer-availability-increases/

In May 2024, it was officially confirmed that HMS Westminster and HMS Argyll would be retired, reducing the total number of active frigates to nine. In August (as we predicted) severe structural problems were found in HMS Northumberland and in November, it was announced that she was beyond economical repair, further reducing the frigate fleet to eight”:

https://www.navylookout.com/a-year-in-review-the-royal-navy-in-2024/

https://www.navylookout.com/snapshot-the-royal-navy-escort-fleet-in-april-2024/

https://www.navylookout.com/a-return-to-form-three-royal-navy-attack-submarines-at-sea/

Added January 4, 2025, HMS Sutherland (F81) was not available for a scenario settled on January 2025, also not yet or the 49 previous months! As consequence the full available escort for a UK aircraft carrier could be only 2xType 45 and 3xType 23 !!! (another one not ASW capable, and other one in Persian Gulf), scenario corrected on that small point:

 https://www.navylookout.com/hms-sutherland-last-royal-navy-type-23-frigate-to-undergo-life-extension-refit-goes-back-to-sea/

 

https://mc.nato.int/missions/NATO-standing-naval-forces

https://mc.nato.int/SNMG1 (At January 12, 2025, by marinetraffic.com transponders Tromp was the only one ship in the formation, near Kristiansand, Norway.

 

https://news.usni.org/2021/09/27/navy-creates-new-atlantic-destroyer-task-group-to-hunt-russian-submarines

https://navalpost.com/greyhound-u-s-navy-asw-task-group/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naval_Station_Mayport (Base of Greyhound Task Group)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/109th_Airlift_Wing

https://www.nationalguard.mil/News/Article-View/Article/3788640/new-yorks-109th-airlift-wing-begins-2024-greenland-missions/

http://www.uscarriers.net/ddg.htm

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_of_Greenland

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_airports_in_Greenland

https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/american-f35-bases-greenland-nuclear-threat-russia

https://www.flightglobal.com/fixed-wing/denmark-eyes-greenland-airport-upgrades-to-support-f-35-fighter-deployment/161359.article

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pituffik_Space_Base

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/12th_Space_Warning_Squadron

 

FPS-132 stated in Thule:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mission_Delta_4

 

https://www.petersonschriever.spaceforce.mil/Pituffik-SB-Greenland/

  • Thanks 1
Posted
On 1/21/2025 at 3:44 PM, donaldseadog said:

You work very fast Enrique, it looks like another beauty :)

 

+++SPOILER ALERT+++

Not a full AAR, but I will vouch for this scenario having a lot of action having run thru playing as Blue.

Here's the butchers' bill to total victory stage.

I'm sure I can give the Blues a bit of curry next round :)

image.thumb.png.0a2045947b89978b55aef61cfea4c80e.png

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