Black Shark 2 - Deployment Mission #5

[BeachAV8R]

 

Tonight we get some revenge for the massive attack suffered in the valley last evening. Intelligence has found a high value target location and we are tasked to eliminate one of the terrorist leaders.

 

 

We will take off from Skala FARP and proceed to the target location where the FAC (Udav-2) will direct the strike. The intelligence photos for this mission are excellent and we should have no problem finding the target.

 

 

The bird is fired up and ready to go on the pad at Skala FARP. I’ve seen other people using their landing lights in missions so for the first time ever I actually turn mine on. Pretty cool feature although with NVGs it is sort of redundant.

 

 

After taking off I slave the autopilot to the PVI steerpoints and engage the ROUTE mode.

 

 

The glow from the lights in towns I pass is warm and it is hard to believe a war is going on out there.

 

 

At the HOLD point I pull into a hover and the FAC contacts me with instructions.

 

 

With the excellent intel photos I quickly get my Shkval optics on the target even though the light is very dim. I engage the auto-turn to target mode and let the helo weathervane toward the target while I select the Vikhr missiles.

 

 

Suddenly the whole target area and surroundings are lit with brilliant light as our support aircraft overhead zips by and drops a string of illumination flares. The

 

 

 

I’m given the order to engage as tracer fire erupts between the building and our assault troops.

 

 

 

I fire several missiles at the house and it erupts into flames. As the flames leap from the building a message comes across that a vehicle has escaped and I’m requested to engage it.

 

 

While setting up the attack on the house I have drifted lower in my hover and I have no line of sight on the road. I pull up on the collective and start gaining altitude and desperately search for the moving car with my Shkval. I can’t seem to find the road and then suddenly the whole scene goes pitch black as the flares overhead sputter out. Damn!! I’ll never find that car now.

 

I start heading for the house intending to at least try to find the car by looking out the window with my NVGs but I’m wary of the warning in the briefing about MANPADs and AA threats. As I approach the house I’m thrilled to see the overhead Sukhoi has released another string of flares! Yes!!

 

 

I spot the lone vehicle fleeing south through the town. I’m doing close to 200 kph now though and don’t have the time to get the Skhval optics on the target on the fly so I drop my collective and haul back on the cyclic to bleed off speed while selecting my unguided rockets.

 

 

This attack is going to be very precarious since I was warned in the brief that collateral damage should be avoided. Me and rockets don’t do very well, but I see the vehicle approaching the limits of the illumination radius and know that I might not have a chance to find the vehicle if I hesitate.

 

 

My first few rockets go long, but luckily the attack axis is down the road so nothing other than pavement gets hit. My next rockets are smack on target and the car explodes in a nice fireball.

 

 

 

The FAC is happy with the mission result and I’m relieved that I didn’t fly into a flak trap or get hit by a MANPAD since in the rush I forgot to deploy countermeasures.

 

 

After the illumination flares burn out I put my NVGs back on and orbit the burning vehicle waiting for additional tasking but the “MISSION SUCCESS” message appears and I know my job is done.

 

[BeachAV8R]

I set the PVI to take me to the last waypoint before heading back to the FARP.

 

 

I land back at the FARP once again thrilled with the intensity and brilliance of the mission. Great stuff!

 

 

In the debrief I note that during my missile attack on the house I killed an SA-18 Igla enemy trooper apparently. Lucky for me.

 

 

BeachAV8R

[diveplane]

great screens.

[BeachAV8R]

great screens.

 

Great NVG mod! :thumbup: