My wingman Beagle and I are loitering around the FEBA, available for CAS should the need arise. We're loaded with Mk.84's, Mavs and Rockeyes so we're ready should any situation arise.



FAC's on the ground report that a column of armor is rolling thru one of the many towns that dot the coastline. We're the closest flight available so we're vectored to the last reported position of the column. F16's are inbound but won't be on station for another 15 minutes. I tell Beagle to spread out and call SAM launches. I roll in.



Running straight in from the coast I use my Mav seeker to take a closer look at what we're dealing with. I spot A/A and SAM unit's traveling with the convoy. I lock up the SAM unit and call Rifle.



I'm still a ways out so I lock the Shilka and fire. Rifle!





This is gonna hurt.



The convoy is now unprotected.

I split S, and make a 90 degree climbing turn so that I can see the target area. I key up the mic and call Beagle in hot. He dives in and targets the heavy armor (T-80's).



He makes his run and climbs out and tells me he has eyes on the target. I'm at Angels 8 so I attack at a steep dive.



Guns, Guns!



I get hits on a T-80 and it catches fire.





Beagle runs in and delivers some Rockeye's, he drops a stick of singles at 25ms apart.



Nothing is left moving and Beagle and I climb out to an altitude of Angels 11.

The FAC calls and steers us towards the east, a much larger convoy is rolling towards the carnage we left behind. I grab my binoculars and scan towards the east. Beagle and I roll in from the coast again perpendicular to the convoy, they most likely have SAM and A/A assets and it's easier to pick out our targets with this type of approach. I ground stabilize my Mav and magnify, then I search the column for air threats. Beagle calls a Shilka 4th vehicle from the front of the convoy, I tell him there's a Strela at the rear.



He's locked and in range of the Shilka so I call him in hot. I'm having a contrast problem and at max range I'm still not able to fire. I'm not sure the SAM unit has spotted us as his launchers are still stowed in the top of the chassis. As soon as the Shilka explodes I see the launchers raise and aim towards me.



I finally get a launch cue (flashing cross) and call Rifle.



The Strela launches at the exact same time I do.



This isn't good! I kick hard right rudder and pull the aircraft into a descending turn 90 degrees to the launch. My ECM panel is programmed to dump 3 pairs of flares at a time so I hit the button several times. Since SAM's follow a lead pursuit course by flying perpendicular to the missile I force it to maneuver and trade speed for altitude.



I'm gaining speed and dropping flares like crazy. My throttles are firewalled and I'm about to pull some heavy G's to gain altitude. I'm hoping that the short burn time of the rocket motor won't give the missile enuf oomph to reach a higher altitude. The Strela fired at max range so I have a chance. As the motor burns I can see the smoky finger reaching out towards me.



I'm pulling G's and altitude and as the motor burns out I can see that this is gonna be close.



At the time I don't realize that Beagle is off of my 3 o'clock and he's jinking and dropping countermeasures.

The Strela won't be firing another shot. The Mav finds it's mark.



My countermeasures fooled it and it re-acquired Beagle's jet. Beagle had quite an altitude advantage and the SAM just didn't have enough kinetic energy to climb to Beagle's altitude.



The SAM explodes harmlessly behind and above me. That was closer than I'd have liked.



I climb out with the convoy on my 9 o'clock, I want to have some altitude on the next run in.



I select FFARs as I roll in on target, it looks like the F'16's have shown up. You can see one popping flares at the head of the convoy. They're carrying HARMs and since we've disposed of anti air assets they'll move on farther to the east to take out a KUB site.



I line up the convoy in my sights, and I give each vehicle several pairs of rockets, as seen thru the HUD recording.



Brakes on to stabilize my airspeed.

I'd hate to have to see those FFARs from the receiving end....



All that's left are soft skinned targets, it's GAU-8 time.







One last tanker, and I got him! I guess we'll save the Mk.84's for some other time.



Beagle and I are low on fuel so we head for home. It's been an exciting day and I hope I don't have to look down the throat of a Strela ever again.

LOMAC on what kind of a system? That looks friggin gorgeous.

Nice AAR too.

yeah, that was gorgeous. flight sim porn of the highest order!

TYVM. A64 4000 oc'd to 2.7 and a 7800GT, 2 gigs of RAM and I've tweaked the in game config file.

Nice Mission.
Awesome pictures.

DawgMan Out!

Excellent mission report. Beautiful pics!

Very nice. Its a miracle that these civilian cars seem to be undamaged

what frames did you get?

Stunning!

Super report...sharp images too! Nice job!

BeachAV8R

awesome report, but hwo the heck did you see the target from up there to straf?

I have my viewdistance LOD's doubled in the config file. Same with my Mav TV screen. I can see vehicles on a clear day on the Mav screen at 13 miles.

Oh Wow grate AAR!
Loved the missiles duel!

And I wouldn´t want to be the guy in the blue car hehehe. I guess he expended every bit of luck he had for the rest of his life right there, hehehe...

Wow ruggbutt!! Once again outstanding screenshots. Can I come over and play your version of Lock on? LOL

That was the highlight of my day!! Thank you RB!