War Over Iran

The Persian Gulf

April 14, 2024, war is raging once again over the Middle East, and this time it's Iran. After US Bases being attacked by Iran warheads in Iraq. The United States declared war on Iran.
In the Persian Gulf, after US Air Force strikes on Iranian coastal defense, Task Force 79 of the new U.S. 7th Fleet with the Carriers Enterprise, John F. Kennedy, and Gerald R. Ford arrive in the 96,000 square mile area of blue, as a C-2A Grayhound lands on the deck of the USS Gerald R Ford. The people inside are the fliers of VFA-52. The pilots egress out on to the busy flight deck.
The sound of the men running across the chaotic deck as the Blue, Yellow, Green, Purple, Brown, Black, and Red shirts run around doing there jobs and assignments.
Foxtrot heads down into the hanger deck to check on his plane.
There he runs into the Carrier's Captain.
"Oh Foxtrot I was looking for you, you need to be LSO for the day." said The Captain.
"Yes sir!" replied Foxtrot.
Foxtrot slips on a white vest and heads the #3 aircraft elevator.
As Foxtrot heads to the LSO Platform he runs into Avalanche.
"So you got assigned to be LSO?" asked Avalanche.
"Yep." responded Foxtrot.
"Well, I'll catch you later." said Avalanche heading towards the mess hall.
"Ok, I expect there still to be food when I get back." Joked Foxtrot.
Arriving at the LSO platform Foxtrot takes his post next to other pilots who got assigned LSO for the day.
"Ok so what's going on?" asked Foxtrot.
"We have two other pilots coming in for landing." said one of the other pilots.
"LSO's we have a plane inbound." said ATC.
Foxtrot sees the spots the F/A-18F Super Hornet. But something isn't right. It's smoking, like damage smoke.
Foxtrot knows that when Super Hornets smoke is like steam white coming out of the vents inside the intakes, not fire black trailing the plane.
It's shaking all around when there is no wind.
"Something's wrong." said Foxtrot
Foxtrot takes the phone and talks to the pilot.
She is breathing really heavily.
"Ok calm down, and just focus on landing, I'll guide you in." said Foxtrot to the pilot.
"Ok, Level your wings and stay on the glide-slope." said Foxtrot.
"Ok." said the pilot.
"Your a little low, advance the throttle." said Foxtrot.
The pilot returns the plane to level flight
"That's it almost there." said Foxtrot.
The rocks back and forth from left to right as the pilot brings it down.
The plane comes in at 200 mph. The tail hook catches the wire and the plane slows down rapidly.
The when the plane stops Foxtrot has a chance to see the damage.
When he looks at the tail it's shredded. Half of the right engine is gone, along with chunks of the wing's, flaps, and elevator.
"What happened?" Foxtrot asked the pilot.
"We faced...100...mm" said the pilot exhausted.
"Let's get you to med deck, MEDIC!" Yelled Foxtrot.
The Red Cross shirts rush over and take the pilot to med deck.
Foxtrot heads to the hanger deck and to look at the plane.
"Was this caused by 100mm?" Foxtrot asked himself.
"Avalanche, what do you think?" asked Foxtrot.
"Well they got a lucky shot, seeing that the flak exploded around around the tail, it showing that it went off behind them." said Avalanche.
"She was lucky to survive." said Foxtrot.
"Yah, If it was farther up the craft she would have been dead." replied Avalanche.
"Wait, wasn't there 2 pilots?" realized Avalanche.
"Yah." replied Foxtrot unsure.
"What happened?" asked Avalanche.
"Shot down by flak." replied Foxtrot.
Then the Air boss came into the hanger deck.
"Foxtrot!" yelled the air boss.
"Yes Sir." replied Foxtrot.
"I need you and the rest of your squadron to destroy the heavy anti aircraft defenses at Hashemabad air base also the enemy aircraft ." said the Air Boss.
"When do we launch?" asked Foxtrot.
"Tomorrow at 0400 hours." said the Air Boss.
"Yes sir." replied Foxtrot.
After looking over the pilots plane he heads to med bay to check on the pilot.
"Hey." said Foxtrot to the pilot.
"Hi" said the Pilot.
"So what is your TAC (That's another word for callsign) name?" asked Foxtrot
"Valkyrie." responded the pilot.
Foxtrot has heard of Valkyrie before. A 6 month air combat veteran.
"Can you to tell me what happened on that mission?" asked Foxtrot.
"Well, as we arrived over the target area we faced heavy anti aircraft fire." said Valkyrie.
"Clouds of black smoke filled the air all around us."
"One of them hit my wingmen. Her plane exploded instantly." said Valkyrie. "She was my best friend."
"Then what happened?" asked Foxtrot.
"Well there was a loud BOOM, then I felt a very sharp pain in my chest and leg. It felt like someone stabbed me with a knife" said Valkyrie.
"Foxtrot we just got intel from the Joint Chief's!" said Avalanche as he entered the med room.
"What is it?" asked Foxtrot.
"There is increase the amount of air defense." exclaimed Avalanche.
"By how much?" asked Foxtrot.
"They say there are 20 more howitzers." respond Avalanche.
"I'll see you in the briefing room in 20 minutes." said Foxtrot.
"I think you better get going." said Valkyrie.
"I got time." replied Foxtrot "Did you get any missile warnings, fighters intercepts, anything that can make my pilots lives a lot easer?"
"We did get few missile warnings, but that was like 20 miles away from the airbase and there was no planes on my radar." said Valkyrie.
"How's my wso?" asked Valkyrie.
"She's fine but a piece of shrapnel was lodged in her thigh. She is being sent back stateside for surgery." replied Foxtrot.
"I think You better get going." said Valkyrie.
I'll talk to you later." said Foxtrot.
Foxtrot leaves the med room and heads to the briefing room. As he walks down the hallway he runs into Phoenix.
"Phoenix we got briefing in 10 minutes." said Foxtrot.
"Actually I'll join you." replied Phoenix.
The head through the Winding hallways of the ship to the briefing room.
"Ok what do we got?" asked Foxtrot.
"Well the airfield anti air defense has been increased, to 20 more howitzers and more surface to air missiles." said Avalanche.
"What I suggest is a full air assault of the base wiping out all air defenses." suggested Phoenix.
"What we need is an entry and exit corridor." replied Foxtrot. "We should Blast at the air defenses here and here." said Foxtrot marking on the map. "When the corridors have been made, Chinooks and Apache Helicopters will fly in, While we eliminate enemy fighters." planned Foxtrot.
"But what about the enemy positions? Who's going to take care of the of the other anti air defenses?" asked Phoenix.
"The pilots on the J.F.K will be striking at the other air defense in F-35's and E/A-18G's." replied Foxtrot. "While E-2C Hawkeyes from the Enterprise will be providing AWACS."
"What time do we launch?" asked Turner.
"0400 hours. Final briefing at 0300." replied Avalanche.
"Better get some sleep." said Foxtrot. "Dismissed!"