Pkg#: 802 Callsign: Rapier Type Msn: Sweep T/O:
0545 TOS/TOT: 0630 Land: 0820
Target: Ivangrad-Mostar
Objectives: OCA Sweep. Prevent strike package from engaging A2A
Name: Ordnance Load: Target:
Rapier 10 512 20mm PGU-28, 2x AIM-120B, 4x AIM-120C, 2x 300 gal DT, ALQ-131 OCA Sweep
Rapier 11 512 20mm PGU-28, 2x AIM-120B, 4x AIM-120C, 2x 300 gal DT, ALQ-131 OCA Sweep
Rapier 12 512 20mm PGU-28, 2x AIM-120B, 4x AIM-120C, 2x 300 gal DT, ALQ-131 OCA Sweep
Rapier 13 512 20mm PGU-28, 2x AIM-120B, 4x AIM-120C, 2x 300 gal DT, ALQ-131 OCA Sweep
C/S: Type Msn: #/Type A/C: TOT: Target:
Sting CAS F/A-18 Dubrovnik
Hornet OCA F/A-18 Podgorica
Snake CAS F-16 Tivat
Focus Alpha EW E-3 N/A
Threat Analysis:
MIG-21Mbis, MIG-23 & MIG-29 in a/o with A-50 support. SA-10 batteries around Sarajevo and Sjenica. SA-6 and SA-11 expected below FL200.
ROE: At will
Alternate Airfield: Amendola, Italy TACAN Ch: 054X
SAR Ch: 102A
AAR Follows:
The Rapier flight departed Amendola and linked up with the F/A-18 strike group. We reached the push point about 60 miles west of Tivat and Focus Alpha called out inbounds out of Mostar. #1 and #2 split north west and each launched a AIM-120B with 2x MIG-29s confirmed. Myself in the #3 position continued till feet dry between Dubrovnik and Tivat. The RWR would flash up with high altitude AA radars and search radars painting fairly regularly. Focus Alpha directed myself and #4 toward Ivangrad and a pair of MIG-21Mbis's showed. I fired inside of 15 miles with a 120B, #4 was late and the 120B went maddog as soon as it left the rails. But not before the MIG-21 got an R-60 off. It went wide but #4 still took shrapnel damage and bugged out west. Both MIG-21s had chutes.
Sting, Hornet and Snake called goal post at this time and reported high concentrations of ZSU-23 and SA-9 activity. 2 Hornets were damaged by AA and Snake had a near miss by an SA-7. Below me an SA-10 lit up, but much to my surprise and relief the missiles went west toward the strike package and ignored my flight completely. That didn't last long - an SA-6 went active about 15 west of Ivangrad. At 25K, the music was on and selected zone 5 west - occasionally beaming the radar to break the lock. I observed 4 missiles come through the clouds, but the launch warning continued long past those initial sightings. I continued to blow west for the coast when the RWR finally stopped yelling. Still, with my head on a swivel I was a bit paranoid. SA's don't stop tracking you unless they have to - and usually when they have a friendly in the area. It didn't take long, Focus called a bogie to my right side at 15 miles, which turned out to be a MIG-21Mbis by the radar. Turning toward I was slow at getting the F-16 radar into ACM mode. He was at 8 miles about 30 right of my nose when I saw the puff's of smoke from the 3 R-60's that left the rails. No choice now but to continue the turn and kick out the flares. The nose was almost dead on, I might've been too close for an AIM-120C shot, but pulled anyway. It went maddog the moment it left the rail and impacted just forward of the empenage. The R-60s reached their gimbal limits and couldnt cut the corner, this time - luckily for me. I reached the coast at about M1.5 having stripped most of my stores except the 2 remaining 120's and the ECM pod on the center. Focus Alpha gave a steer toward Palese Macchie but elected to goto Amendola with the rest of my flight. I never did hear a peep from the A-50 in the area - that was disconcerting.
Wolf
