AAR - Kola with a Twist Vol 1

[pmaidhof]

I sort of fell into this beginning saturday and finished up tonight. Don't put too much credance into this yet as it did not start out too "detailed" in planning.

 

The twist was that I was interested in a possible airstrike on an Iranian weapons lab/complex. I used a modified Appendix 5 Gaming the Kola Air Defenses from High Tide. By modified, I ignored the Off-shore AEW/Interceptor phase as I assumed that a pre-mission fighter sweep would have taken its toll. The second and third modifications were SWAG's to the GCI Fighter Table and "Iranian" Fighter Type Table. I did not believe that the Iranians could get anything above a squadron in the air and within range of the strike force at any given time, so the max that they could achieve would be 6+ D6 Aircraft (squadron strength). The Fighter Types were determined by D100 roll: 1-10 F-14A; 11-20 MiG-29: 21-40 J-7I; 41-70 F-4 II; and 71-100 F-5.

 

The strike force was made up of 36x F/A-18F's and 4x EA-6B. Of the F/A-18's, 8x were equipped for SEAD, and 8x were equipped for AAW. The remaining 20x were equipped with 4x JDAM each.

 

When the force got feet dry at Low altitude, they entered the Perimeter SAM Zone. Random rolls provided for 2x SA-10b battalions, which accounted for 4x F/A-18's taken hits.

 

The Inbound GCI ditrected Fighters turned out to be 2x flights of 4x J-7I AC. The J-7's were eaten for lunch by the AIM-120's carried by the AAW F/A-18's, who launched a total of 18x AIM-120's.

 

Target SAM Defenses turned out to be a battalion of SA-3's and SA-11's. Effective SEAD prevented any losses to these SAM systems.

 

Target AAA proved much more problematic and I will need to re read this section. pre-attack and post-attack AAA cost 10x planes, 6x and 4x respectively.

 

The airstrike in between the two AAA phases left an enormous hole in the ground by the impacts of 4x JDAM per striker.

 

Target SAM defenses were again suppressed for no losses.

 

Outbound GCI Fighters were two flights of 4x F-4 II's this time. One striker was lost to an AIM-7F Sparrow while the F-4's went down succumming to swarms of AIM-120s and AIM-9M's.

 

Before getting feet wet, the strike force lost 2x F/A-18's to the barrage fires of 3x SA-10 battalions.

 

In the end, 17x of the 36x F/A-18F's were hit. Harpoon Chapter 8 provides for optional damage detail. Here individual rolls identified 9/17 being shot down with the rest being forced to turn back and abort the mission.

 

I will be doing this again with a significant more planning and detail. I'll be sure to update you all.

 

Pete

[TonyE]

Thanks Pete, with your results, seems like a High High High approach may have been better with such an effective SEAD result (or Low High Low)? Thank you for sharing your results, very valuable for my understanding anyway

[pmaidhof]

Took some raw numbers from the Jaffee Center for Strategic Studies to develop a revised Fighter Type Table:

 

Type D100

F-14A 1-14

MiG-29 15-35

F-4 II 36-56

Mirage F-1 57-65

F-7I 66-79

F-5 80-100

 

Also came up with SAM/AAA types/# of batteries, and AAM types avaialble.

 

Need to determine any AEW capability. Site mentioned 5x 707 with ECM/ECCM capabilities, and 2-3 C-130 with an electronic surveillance capability.

 

Any help on the AEW question is much appreciated.

[CV32]

Pete, it was confirmed in late 2004 that the ex Iraqi Air Force Baghdad 1 AEW aircraft is still kicking in Iran, where it escaped during the 1991 Gulf War. Two of the three Iraqi Adnan 1 AEW aircraft were also "acquired" by Iran, although only one has been reported recently, stored at Shiraz.

[pmaidhof]

Thanks Brad, from discussion last night, we sort of agreed that the the AEW plane in question would be a standard IL-76 equipped with a Schmel radar. Sound about right?

 

Also, looking at giving it about a 15% readiness chance of it both being operational and in position to possibly provied detection and early warning of the raid.

 

Pete

[CV32]

Thanks Brad, from discussion last night, we sort of agreed that the the AEW plane in question would be a standard IL-76 equipped with a Schmel radar. Sound about right?

Sure, if your scenario is entirely hypothetical. The Schmel (NATO "Squash Dome") radar married to an Il-76 airframe is your standard A-50 Mainstay. Iran does not have any of these.

 

The Baghdad 1 used a Tigre ground based surveillance radar mounted upside down in a radome placed where the rear loading doors used to be. The improved Adnan 1 moved the radar into the traditional rotodome position.

[CV32]

IIRC, the version in question was the Tigre G (TRS 2105 or 2106), which H4.1 rates as having ranges of 54/47/35/15/4 nm. So, all in all, a pretty miserable AEW platform.

[pmaidhof]

Thanks Brad. Development continues.

[pmaidhof]

Continued with transitioning the High Tide annex to work (hopefully) with other arenas. Got through Mission Planning Guidance, AEW & Offshore Fighters, Perimeter SAMs, and GCI Directed Fighters. It seems like one will have to own high tide to have access to some of the tables.

[pmaidhof]

Third run through October 21, 2006.

 

Refinements so far:

 

Inverted the Perimeter SAM's and Target SAM determination procedures to more accurately represent the believed more point-defense nature of Iranian air defenses. More nodal than crust.

 

Optional Floating "PGM Launch Node". If PGM is employed, compare its range to the "game specific" Target Defense SAM range, if the PGM range is greater, then PGM Launch Node is conducted prior to Target SAM Defense Node. If the SAM can engage before raid enters the PGM Launch envelope, conduct the Target SAM Defense first, then do the same procedure with the Target AAA Defense Node.

 

Implore the use of declared raid altitude upon entering each node.

 

Modifier thresholds increased for GCI Intercept Table.

 

For this raid, the US force continued to be made up of three squadrons of F/A-18E/F's with a detachement of four EA-6B's. A total of 40 aircraft at start.

 

I tweaked the US mission assignment taking into account the lack of Iranian AEW support and the losses taken to GCI fighters in the past two run throughs. I would be supprised again.

 

Squadron 1's 12 aircraft were assigned Fighter Suppression.

Squadron 2: 10x aircraft were assigned SAM Suppression, 2x were assigned AEW Suppression.

Squadron 3's 12 aircraft were assigned the strike mission.

The Detechment consisted of 4x EA-6B providing EW Support.

 

Ftr Sup and AEW Sup A/C were armed with 4x AIM-120 and 2x AIM-9M

SAM Sup A/C were armed with 4x AGM-88, 2x AIM-9M

Strikers were armed with 4x GBU-31(V)4/B BLU-109's

 

US Readiness rolls took a toll of 2x Fighter Suppression A/C, 1x SAM Suppression A/C, and 1x Striker.

 

Iranian's deployed their squadrons the same as last time; Sector Patrol-7, Ground Alert-6, AEW Escort-1. Their readiness is 85% across the board, so 10x A/C per squadron.

 

Iranian AEW D100 = 04. The AEW is in the air, and in position. AEW Escort is determined to be one of the F-4E squadrons. Aircraft actually on station is Squadronx50%, then determine final AEW Escort Availability. In this case 3x F-4E can make BVR attacks. In the end, the opposing forces exchange A/C, both F/A-18's and all three escorts go down, but the AEW craft survives and detects the raid.

 

The raid enters the Perimeter SAM Node. There is a -2 Modifier SAM Type Table due to the presence of the 4x EA-6B and over 2 groups of 4x SAM Suppression A/C. It is determined the the missile battery type is SA-6b and that there are three batteries in position.

 

Each battery launches 3x 2-missile salvoes. All miss, the suppression A/C did their job well.

 

The raid now enters the Inbound GCI Intercept Node. There is +1 net Modifier (+2 AEW warning, +1 seven squadrons on Sector Patrol, -2 eight aircraft on Ftr Sup). The intercepting fighters are determined to be three pairs of MiG-29's attacking separately.

 

R-27 Alamo's knock down one SAM Support A/C. R-73 Archer's down one SAM Support and one Striker. One MiG is shot down by an AIM -9M.

 

The Raid now consists of 7x SAM Suppression, 10x Strikers, 4x EW Support (and 10x Fighter Suppression though not actually part of the raid - more of an orbiting CAP).

 

Upon entering the Target SAM Defense, it is determined that the target SAM's are two batteries of SA-15. The PGM Launch Node then moves up ahead of the Target SAM Defense Node.

 

40x JDAM's are launched at the pre-assigned target. A potential of 1,920 DP's. 19 JDAM end up striking the target, inflicting 912 DP, destroying the 800 DP rated underdround, hardened facility.

 

The raid begins its egress by entering the outbound GCI Intercept Node. The modifier is -2 due to the over 8 Fighter Suppression mission US fighters. The raid is determined to be intercepted by two separate flights of four fighters. The fighters are determined to be 4x Shenyang F-7's armed with 2x PL-7's each, and 4x F-4E armed with 4x AIM-7F Sparrow and 4x AIM-9L's each.

 

The Raid now considered Clean is able to destroy both enemy flights without loss. All eight enemy A/C are downed.

 

Upon re-entering the Perimeter SAM Defense Node, the defenses are determined to be two batteries of SA-10b SAM's. Once again the SAM Suppression A/C, and the fact that the raid is now Clean, enabled the raid to return to its carrier without loss to the Grumbles.

 

Losses are as follows:

 

US Combat losses inluded 2x AEW Suppression A/C downed by AIM-7F Sparrows, 1x SAM Suppression downed by an R-27 Alamo, 1x SAM Suppression and 1x Striker were downed by R-73 Archer missiles. A total of 5 F/A-18E/F's. Four aircraft had to abort the mission at take off due to readiness issues.

 

Iran lost 3x F-4E Phantom II's to AIM-120's on AEW Escort. 1x MiG-29, 4x Shenyang F-7, and 4x F-4E Phantom II's to AIM-9M during GCI interceptions.

 

Take Aways:

 

I like the concept of a floating PGM Launch Node.

 

You can't totally ignore the chance of enemy AEW being in position. This time I cut the numbers of aircraft on the AEW Suppression mission in favor of Fighter Suppression because it was only a 15% chance and I had lost "heavily" the last time to GCI directed fighters. This time I was detected and that fact caused my extra Fighter Suppression fighters to be negated by the extra Iranian fighters cuased by the AEW detection. Damned if you do, damned if you don't

 

Need to flesh out my "article" based on these three play throughs.

 

Would like to resolve some of the engagements with standard H4 rules vice the Missile Engagement Table and see how they compare.

 

All and all, much fun again.

 

Pete