512- Eurofighter Chapter 1: Pavewaying For The Fjords

[Lightning]

The F-86s fly into hostile airspace. Suddenly, they see a glint in the sun.

"Bogies, 2 o'clock high", called the flight leader.

Actually all of North Korea is hostile airspace. Just some area is more hostile than other. As the leader spotted the unknown aircraft, James pulled the stick back and eased it to the right, giving the jet a bit more power, maintaining the four finger flight formation.

[Silent Hunter]

The aircraft had vanished at this point, figuratively speaking. The radar had gone off and Kaylee had lost all contact with it.

Oswald tried to figure this one out. They had five minutes to the tankers.

"Looked like the aircraft from that old movie... Firefox, I think it was called, but more curved-like", he said, "I don't know how it got out here at all. Might have something to do with that Midas that's hanging around the Barents Sea. We had no indications of Russian naval activity round here. Except an Akula sub, but we deemed that non-relevant".

He opened a communication channel back to Coningsby. The base were aware of the contact, but not the full details. He started his report.

In Ego Three-Two, Boris started to answer in his West Country accent.

"Well, that is what we call a UFO...", he said and laughed nervously, "Seriously, I have no idea what that was. Anyone want to come up with a reporting name? Has to begin with F..."

[Silent Hunter]

Actually all of North Korea is hostile airspace. Just some area is more hostile than other. As the leader spotted the unknown aircraft, James pulled the stick back and eased it to the right, giving the jet a bit more power, maintaining the four finger flight formation.

The flight leader tried to see the aircraft as they closed at a relative speed of over Mach 1. Soon he recognised the aircraft.

"They're MiGs- twenty of them. Pick targets", he said.

[Voshkod]

"FANTASY," DC said quietly into his radio. "MiG FANTASY. I want one." He paused for a moment. "That guy was really showing off. Unless he's naval and there's a carrier nearby, he's got long legs or a tanker of his own out here. Perhaps we should scrap todays visit and hunt the tanker?"

[Silent Hunter]

"FANTASY," DC said quietly into his radio. "MiG FANTASY. I want one." He paused for a moment. "That guy was really showing off. Unless he's naval and there's a carrier nearby, he's got long legs or a tanker of his own out here. Perhaps we should scrap todays visit and hunt the tanker?"

OOC: Not a bad name- I thought that one myself. Don't assume its a MiG, though...

IC: "Negative on that- tanker is all the way in the Barents and we haven't got the full- or live missiles", Oswald replied, "Back to the exercise..."

The tankers were 4 minutes away. The MRTTs started to raise the Eurofighters.

"Ego Flights, this is Petrol Flight of three. I understand you want some gas. What on earth just happened?"

----
The Sukhoi-50 Drakon (Dragon) was flying at Mach 0.9 North, heading on the long route back towards the tanker.

Major of Aviation Viktor Kornilov still couldn't quite believe that this had actually worked. Sure, they'd done tonnes of tests in Russia itself. This, however, was the first "for real" test. He'd managed to get within R-73 range of the Eurofighters before they'd managed to spot him.

They'd had to take some stuff out to make this flight possible. Like the chaff. The flares. And the actual missiles. There had been a full cannon on board, but he'd shown the British dummy missiles, with plastic bodies and no warheads at all.

He'd got enough fuel to make it to the Il-78 tanker, waiting off Norway for him- that and one other thing.

He switched on his search radar, found the passenger ferry he was looking for and turned to Captain of Aviation Anya Kornilova, his backseater.

"Ready for this?" he asked.

"Yes, comrade Major", she replied.

He pitched the Su-50 into a shallow dive.

[Chappers]

"We just got buzzed by some Russian testing out a new and scary toy."

[pathfinderAP]

"FANTASY," DC said quietly into his radio. "MiG FANTASY. I want one." He paused for a moment. "That guy was really showing off. Unless he's naval and there's a carrier nearby, he's got long legs or a tanker of his own out here. Perhaps we should scrap todays visit and hunt the tanker?"

Mongoose kept radio silent, but chuckled off radio "FANTASY" lol
Were we meant to continue the mission after that encounter?
it must have intruded in to someones aerospace at least,

He tried to retain all infomation for the de-briefing that would no doubt be waiting for them,

[Lightning]

The flight leader tried to see the aircraft as they closed at a relative speed of over Mach 1. Soon he recognised the aircraft.

"They're MiGs- twenty of them. Pick targets", he said.

James was leading the second element, helping to sharpen the skill a new transfer in, who was his wingman. He replied to the leader, "We'll take the group on the right." Of course, that meant he had a much longer approach route. He could swing far to the right and try to flank the MiGs or do a head on pass and hope he could turn on the MiGs. Neither option was grand, but he was going with the latter. He added more power, dropped the drop tank and checked his radar gun sight. It was the -86's main edge.

[Silent Hunter]

James was leading the second element, helping to sharpen the skill a new transfer in, who was his wingman. He replied to the leader, "We'll take the group on the right." Of course, that meant he had a much longer approach route. He could swing far to the right and try to flank the MiGs or do a head on pass and hope he could turn on the MiGs. Neither option was grand, but he was going with the latter. He added more power, dropped the drop tank and checked his radar gun sight. It was the -86's main edge.

"Roger", the group leader said, "We'll go in front".

The second element headed towards the MiGs, who went to full power. They were heading for the merge.

[Voshkod]

"Good to see you, Pitstop," DC said to the tankers. "The Russians just threw some mud at our windshields. So, we'll need a fillup with high-test, and can you send someone out to check the oil and clean the windows?"

DC started to line up on the tankers.

[Lightning]

"Roger", the group leader said, "We'll go in front".

The second element headed towards the MiGs, who went to full power. They were heading for the merge.

James Kinney let the lead element gain some some ground. Head on passes were always tricky. No one had a real edge, just lots of skill and luck. He angled up a bit more, letting off the throttle a tad so he could turn. All was set. Now to wait.

[Silent Hunter]

"Good to see you, Pitstop," DC said to the tankers. "The Russians just threw some mud at our windshields. So, we'll need a fillup with high-test, and can you send someone out to check the oil and clean the windows?"

DC started to line up on the tankers.

The tanker man laughed.

"New scary toy?" he asked. He'd heard the conversation, but wanted to hear it for himself.

The tankers were moving into position. They would refuel two at a time.

It was nice flying conditions above the clouds. A little rain down low near their target, though.

[Silent Hunter]

James Kinney let the lead element gain some some ground. Head on passes were always tricky. No one had a real edge, just lots of skill and luck. He angled up a bit more, letting off the throttle a tad so he could turn. All was set. Now to wait.

The two groups were only seconds away. The MiG-15s started firing their cannons.

[Voshkod]

"Beautiful nasty new toy, my friends," DC said, sliding the probe into the drogue. "Fast, stealthy - against radar and IR - and a nice set of jammers. Kind of like my first wife."

[Silent Hunter]

OOC: Groan...

IC: The tanker guy let out a groan at the bad double entendre.

"A Russian stealth plane. Well, I never seen one of those. Guess they must have got some knowledge off that Nighthawk the Serbs downed in '99.

DC, Mystery, you're tanking on Pitstop 1. Mongoose, Sweeney, Pitstop 2. Saint, Boris, Pitstop 3".

They could see the hoses coming out of the Airbus tankers. Each flight would take on fuel at the same time.

[Lightning]

The two groups were only seconds away. The MiG-15s started firing their cannons.

It was coming down to guns. The MiGs have 2 23mm cannons with 80 round each and a 37 mm cannon with 40 round. The -86 has 6 .50 cal (12.7 mm) machine guns with 267 rounds each. Not many, but enough if you used ammunition carefully. The -86's big advantage is a radar ranging gunsight which is a big help. James Kinney jinked to keep the MiG's aim off and waited until the MiG was 1000 yards away before pulling on the trigger.

[Chappers]

Saint shook his head at the Commander's 'joke'. Some people should not be allowed out.

"Thank-you Pitstop"

"Pitstop three this is saint. Moving in."

Saint manouvered his plane and waited for the go ahead from Pitstop three, ready to move up and fill up as soon as it was given.

[Silent Hunter]

It was coming down to guns. The MiGs have 2 23mm cannons with 80 round each and a 37 mm cannon with 40 round. The -86 has 6 .50 cal (12.7 mm) machine guns with 267 rounds each. Not many, but enough if you used ammunition carefully. The -86's big advantage is a radar ranging gunsight which is a big help. James Kinney jinked to keep the MiG's aim off and waited until the MiG was 1000 yards away before pulling on the trigger.

The MiG jinked sharply upwards and started to dive. The pilot didn't want to engage the F-86 until he was into a good position.

[Silent Hunter]

Saint shook his head at the Commander's 'joke'. Some people should not be allowed out.

"Thank-you Pitstop"

"Pitstop three this is saint. Moving in."

Saint manouvered his plane and waited for the go ahead from Pitstop three, ready to move up and fill up as soon as it was given.

"Pitstop Three to Ego Three. You have permission to take on fuel".

Boris moved in to get a hose. It took two attempts, but he did it.

[Chappers]

"Thank-you pitstop three"

Saint moved up and and manouvered to get the hose.

[Lightning]

The MiG jinked sharply upwards and started to dive. The pilot didn't want to engage the F-86 until he was into a good position.

James Kinney mutters a light curse and rolls into a dive, calling out to his wing man, "Follow me." Thankfully, the -86 can out dive a MiG-15. On of it's few strengths against the -15. He does everything to get into a superior position for firing.

[Silent Hunter]

James Kinney mutters a light curse and rolls into a dive, calling out to his wing man, "Follow me." Thankfully, the -86 can out dive a MiG-15. On of it's few strengths against the -15. He does everything to get into a superior position for firing.

His wingman responded.

"Sir".

It was Blondie.

((Of course, this is a dream, not reality))

[Silent Hunter]

"Thank-you pitstop three"

Saint moved up and and manouvered to get the hose.

The hose connected first time and he started to take on fuel.

The tanker commander decided to make conversation.

"This Russian aircraft- any idea of weaponry?" he asked.

A message came onto their Link 16 screens.

Unidentified Russian Aircraft has just buzzed a Newcastle-Stavanger passenger ferry. Captain screaming about it. Suspect this will leak to media very soon. Coningsby

Kaylee sighed. This was borderline humiliating for NATO.

[Voshkod]

"Now can we chase him down," DC said with an edge to his voice. "Or at least go buzz one of their ships?" He had refueled and entered a long orbit over the tankers, watching for any returning Russian planes.

[Chappers]

"The bastard flying the damn thing thought that it would be funny to show me exactly what he was packing. I'm not 100% but I think I saw two AA11 - IRs and one AS16 Cruise. If he was going for us he could have taken out at least two before we'd even got a lock on."

[Silent Hunter]

"Now can we chase him down," DC said with an edge to his voice. "Or at least go buzz one of their ships?" He had refueled and entered a long orbit over the tankers, watching for any returning Russian planes.

"Negative, DC", Hussein replied, "We can't find the guy and there are no Russian ships within range, bar that Akula. The Norwegians are going to send their Eurofighters round to meet with the tanker, as are our lot. We won't be encountering them in the exercise, by the way, too similar".

He heard Saint's response and gave a low whistle.

"AS-16s? They're nuclear capable. They're the Russian SRAMs. Nasty things. The AA-11s are standard on Russian fighters these days".

He moved in to start his refuelling, with Kaylee joining him.

"Once everybody has taken on fuel, the exercise will begin. You will have three minutes until the Norwegians turn on their radars. For the purposes of this exercise, Kaylee and I don't exist".

Another message came through on the radio.

"It's Dodger here, Oswald".

"Dodger" was Wing Commander Mark Twist of 3 Squadron (also at Coningsby), so named for his unconventional, but successful approach to navigation, particularly a mission during the Hawk phase of his training when he managed to evade six 'hostile' examples of the training aircraft, used by the Red Arrows.

"Yes, Dodger", Hussein replied.

"About that Russian stealth fighter. He's just acquired two wingmen. I didn't quite realise there was too of them. One of them's a rather good looking woman".

We'll escort out of our area and pass him onto the Los

[Lightning]

James Kinney continued his dive after the MiG, trying to line up a shot. Soon, he hoped. It was good that Blonde was there, helping to cover him. He casts an occasional glance over his shoulder, looking for pursing MiGs.

[Voshkod]

"Roger that, Ego lead. All right, you all heard the man. Finish gasing up, fall into formation, and lets go blow the horns off some Vikings."

[Silent Hunter]

James Kinney continued his dive after the MiG, trying to line up a shot. Soon, he hoped. It was good that Blonde was there, helping to cover him. He casts an occasional glance over his shoulder, looking for pursing MiGs.

The MiG rolled inverted and started to do a split-S.

[Silent Hunter]

Ego Four finished tanking and moved into formation.

Sweeney, having ALARMs on board, glanced at her radar warning receiver. Nothing yet.

Oswald glanced at his watch.

"Exercise starts in thirty seconds. Good luck".

He started counting down.