This is an AAR based on the mission Taking Out the Trash by Bahger (thanks again!)

Posted this in the AAR forum but since few people seem to visit there regularly I thought I'd post it here as well.

The Mission:

We're tasked with eliminating a high value target holed up in a fortified house in a village. Exact location is unknown so we're depending on a bunch of Special Forces guys arriving by Blackhawk helicopters, for actually finding the target and acting as JTAC (Joint Terminal Attack Controller) for us. The village is guarded by two ZSU-23-4s which must be eliminated before the Special Forces guys can enter the LZ.


We start at dawn a Sochi/Adler airbase.




My wingman and me are already on the runway, systems and engines running. With flaps set to take-off I push the throttle forward, release the brakes and the A-10 accelerates gently down the runway, towards the Black Sea. At 60kts I disable the nose wheel steering, at 120 kts I start pulling on the stick. Moments later the Hawg lifts off and I retract the landing gear.

Climbing and accelerating at a 10° Angle I retract the flaps and enter a gentle right turn to bring me on course to waypoint number 1. Already the first rays of sun start bathing the peaks of the Caucasus in fire.



At 15'000 feet above the Black Sea I engage the autopilot and start preparing the A-10 for combat. I dial in the frequencies for the SpecOps guys (72.0 MHz FM, callsign "Axeman") and a flight of F-15Es (124,0 MHz AM, callsign "Uzi"). Oh, we're "Springfield" BTW, on 251 MHZ UHF. Better not forget my own callsign. Again.
Normally I would do that as part of the start-up procedure, but since the mission started on the runway I wanted to get airborne ASAP.

I also switch off the position lights and adjust the cockpit lighting. Then I power up the TGP targetting pod (it takes a while to properly align) and set master arm and laser to on. Time literally flies as I check everything twice and soon I'm on my way to the next waypoint.



As I approach waypoint 3 I call up the DMS page on my left MFD, go into the missile section and set EO power ON for the Mavericks. Aligning the seeker heads will take about 3 minutes, so this should be done before actually engaging something that might shoot back. Not that I would ever forget such a thing. Nooo...

While I'm busy pushing buttons and trying to remember the manual the SpecOps guys in their Blackhawks are en route to target.



It's nice listening in on the F-15 guys' frequency, shows that we're not alone and can count on friends if smelly stuff hits the fan.




As I approach waypoint 4, my IP, I start searching the target area at WP 5 for the Shilkas. According to the briefing they guard a bridge south of the village. I plan to stay at around 15'000 feet in order to avoid AAA, should be pretty safe at that altitude, at least as far as Shilkas, Strelas and other low-altitude AA are concerned. Since it's still too dark to see much with the TV camera of the TGP I switch to FLIR and start scanning the area in Black Hot Mode. And no, this has nothing to do with Halle Berry. In this mode "hot" objects will appear dark on a light background. Soon I find the bridge and what looks like two darks specs north and south of it!



As I get closer I can clearly see the ZSU-23s and lock them up via the TGP. Then I switch the right MFD to the Maverick page, slew the Maverick seeker onto the SPI (Sensor Point of Interest, the point locked via the TGP) and designate the target for the Mav. It takes a couple of tries but within seconds I lock up the 1st target from a distance of around 7 miles.



I hold down the pickle button and the Maverick comes off the rail:



I immediately switch the MFD back to TGP mode and slew the crosshairs over the bridge towards the second Shilka. Again I designate a "Point" target right on top of the vehicle via TGP, mark the point as SPI and on the Maverick MFD page slew the Maverick seeker to that point.



No.2.



Both missile hit, scratch two ZSU-23-4s!



With the AA threat gone the Black Hawks close in on their target.



But just as they reach their LZs I hear the Eagles calling out vehicles racing up from the south. Oh-oh.... Well, can't do anything about it right now.

As I circle the village at 15'000 feet I keep the area under constant observation via my TGP. I can clearly see the Blackhawks dropping off the Infantry!



Actually within moments I can see a firefight starting and the SpecOps rushing towards their objective. The F-15s start enganging what seems to be reinforcements from the south. Frantic radio calls. I can see single men and tracer fire 5km below my cushy seat.

While circling overhead I spot several enemy infantry in a treeline in the village. I mark the spot via TGP and tell my wingman to engage with his 30mm cannon. Datalink is a wonderful thing.
I can see him making two passes on the enemy position. After that, there's nothing left standing there.

I try to contact the JTAC and imagine some guy with a camouflaged face and a radio on his back ducking behind a low wall while bullets whizz by. Probably wondering where the hell the Air Force is.

Suddenly I hear his voice in the radio! Totally calm he gives me the standard "9-line" briefing for my attack run, requesting a laser-guided GBU bomb on a bunker near their position. Looks like they've found the objective. I read back the briefing and get additional information, including ingress and egress course. I acknowledge and head back towards waypoint 4 to get a bit of distance between me and my target, then roll in on my attack run. Double-check that I've selected a GBU-10 bomb in the DMS page, that I've entered CCRP mode and and that everything works as it should. A mistake with friendlies so near to the target could have terrible consequences.

"I'm on my IP. Start lasing!"

10 miles away and 15'000 feet below an infantryman cautiously peeks from his cover and sets up the laser designator. He carefully sights the device, then activates laser. I imagine he sweats a bit.

In my cockpit I switch my TGP to Laser Spot Search mode and suddenly the TGP picks up the laser marker!

"INBOUND! Keep your heads down!"



I hold down the pickle button and keep the A-10 steady while the release cue wanders down on the HUD. At the calculated time the GBU-10 is released.



I keep the target in my sight via TGP and can feel my heart beating faster. Endless seconds while I stare on the MFD screen, then:





Boom! Direct hit!

The guys on the ground report target destroyed, job's done!

I breath out a sigh of relief and turn south, back towards Sochi. A few thousand feet below the F-15s thunder up north again, looks like they beat up the reinforcements pretty badly. I can see several columns of smoke on the roads leading to the village.




I enjoy the dawning day and soon find myself descending on Adler airbase. Hey, I did't even break something! Yet.



On final...



Back home, safe and sound!



Really enjoyed the mission and hope some of you might enjoy reading this, too.

DCS:A-10 is a wonderful sim, and the implementation of a true JTAC is awesome beyond words.

Outstanding write up! Great pictures! Thank you.

Thanks, was a great read. Makes me wish I was trained up enough to go give that mission a try.....

One day, when I finally take the training wheels off from my a/c, I hope to live up to the level of preparedness and professionalism show in your post.

Prosit!

I'm new to the sim and tried this mission, but I blew up the ZSU-23s and headed home. I gotta learn how to use the radios one day. hahaha
Excellent read.

Great AAR Para_Bellum. That was a nice read, great flying. Cool shots.

I've only tried JTAC once but he gave me coordinates and I didn't know how to punch them into the CDU. Laser marking should be easier I think, I gotta try that mission myself.

Yes, Para, great job there sir!



LOL I've done this exact same thing. Have to learn how to use it before trying this mission out!

Wonderful narrative of the flight. I finiwshed this mission just recently and I found now that I was missing a large part of it by not checking out the TGP. Thanks for posting

You don't need to enter the coordinates into the CDU, guys. If JTAC gives you a datalink symbol on your TAD -- which he will, it's SOP with these "Type 2" 9-line briefs -- you just hook that symbol in the TAD to give yourself a steering cue and roll in, you'll see guidance in your HUD to the cue you just made. In this mission you don't even need to do that, you can use WP 5 as your cue, as you know that the objective has to be co-located with it in the village. Then it's just a matter of using the right commands in the right sequence with JTAC and, within 10nm of the target, you'll get your laser mark. It is VERY cool to see it pop up in your TGP. Make it your SPI and steer to it via the LGB's HUD cues.

Sorry about all the acronyms.

If anyone wants a video guide in addition to Para_Bellum's excellent AAR for this mission, let me know.

Thanks guys, glad you like it.

And as Bahger wrote, the interaction with the JTAC is actually pretty simple, even with "complex radios".

You just have to dial in the correct frequency into your radio and then use the "VHF AM" radio key to contact him. The radio menu options are then pretty much self-explanatory.

Great stuuf, thanks for the breakdown of the mission.
I have a questions if you don't mind?
How do you mark the spot for your Wingman in TGP? and how do you transfer targets by datalink to your Wingman?
Oops 2 questions!
Sorry I'm still trying to get my head round all this stuff.

Edit:
BTW: Does anyone know of any Wings that are flying Euro friendly times and doing on-line training with the A.10?

You can tell your wingman via radio to engage targets at your current SPI. Just set a SPI, then use the comms menu. A "default" location will have him attack targets at your current SPI.

IIRC it's wingman-> engage with-> guns-> infantry-> default

Problem is that your wingie has to have already spotted the infantry before he makes his attack run. With vehicles it's not a problem, but with infantry it's a bit more difficult.

Highfox,

Actually, IIRC in order to broadcast your SPI you'll have to set TAD as your SOI and then hit DMS LEFT LONG. In your TAD, on the upper right corner the SPI OFF will turn to SPI ON in inverted green. Then you'll know that your SPI is being broadcast.
After that, just do what Para_Bellum said. Also, as a tip, send the wingie to attack default. Otherwise he will likely be flying over enemy air defenses.

If it doesn't work I apologize in advance. I'm still learning how to fly this thing...

Awesome, enough said!!

Rodborza, didn't know anout the SPI OFF/ON indication, thanks.

JTAC/FAC Interaction – To Input Tasking Information to Create a New Steerpoint

1. On TAD set MGRS(OSB9)

2. Set the AAP PAGE dial to WAYPT

3. On CDU page of MFCD go to new WPT page with OBS18

4. Set “UTM” entry with OSB10

5. Name WPT eg: TGT1

6. Enter MGRS code to CDU via UFC eg: GG319392

7. Set as new WPT with OSB16

8. Enter target elevation with OSB18

9. FUNCT MSN on UFC

10. Cycle waypoints via rocker on UFC or with HUD as SOI use DMS short up/down

11. Slave TGP to new waypoint and lock target then set as SPI