Operation Home Shield

[VigilantWatcher]

[u][b]Classified[/b][/u]


[b]Lousiana
15:00 Hours[/b]


The Gulf Federation Military in the state had gone onto alert as they prepared for the first major military exercise, which would take place in the area of Grand Chanier around the three lakes of Calcasieu Lake, Grand Lake and White Lake. This was chosen due to the area had not any human population to speak of, plus the fact that all branches of the military could take part. The small civilian population in the area would be evacuated for the duration for the exercise.

The first stage was be the movement of the participating forces into the area. Long columns of Armour and Infantry poured onto the start line which was around Fearman Lake which was situated five miles east of White Lake.

Operation Home Shield was divided into three stages:

[u]First Stage:[/u]

Air Campaign - Gulf Federation Air Force and Gulf Federation Navy aircraft launches air strikes against simulated enemy targets. Aim would be to seal off the bridgehead and suppress the enemy force.

Marine Landing - Gulf Federation Marines land south of Grand Lake between the smaller Deep Lake on the east flank and Lower Mud Lake on the west flank. They then push inland to secure a beach-head.

Land Campaign - Gulf Federation Army launches its offensive west to link up with the Gulf Federation Marines and then push to the final objective of Calcasieu Lake.


Live ammunition and ordinance was to be used in the exercise, with displaced land vehicles and aircraft along with cargo ships would be used to simulate the enemy force. Some of the vehicles would be rigged with remote control transmitters to simulate enemy movements.


[u]Current Situation[/u]

Enemy Naval Force arrives without warning and lands a force in Grand Chanier area. They manage to gain a foothold before friendly forces can evict them. They deploy in forward positions with some forward airfields being set up. They get local air superiority but fail to advance further. Friendly forces manage to seal the area off in preparation for counter operations.

Current Objectives are to seal off the enemy bridgehead from the sea and suppress the the enemy forces in the area.


Barksdale Air Force Base goes on to Red Alert, with Gulf Federation Navy deploying into the Gulf of Mexico. H Hour of Operation: Twelve Hours

[VigilantWatcher]

[u][b]Classified[/b][/u]

[b]Gulf of Mexico
02:00 Hours[/b]

The first actions in the Gulf of Mexico was the movement of all of the Gulf Federation Navy Blue Water Vessels, which included Oklahoma Class Aircraft Carrier GNS Oklahoma City from New Orleans Naval Base to a way-point in Trinity Shoal. This would be where the first stage of the Gulf Federation Navy's operation would take place.

The simulated enemy fleet was made out of fifty cargo ships of varying sizes, fitted with remote control weapons to simulate resistance from the vessels.


[b]Day One
H Hour - 03:00 Hours[/b]

The first strikes were made from GNS Oklahoma City by Six AV-8B Harrier II Ground Attack Aircraft each armed with two CBU-100 Cluster Bombs. They swept in at low altitude before releasing them over one vessel, causing major damage as the bomblets fell on and around it. Fires began to spread throughout the vessel causing several explosions.

The second wave almost came immediately in with seven Jadayu Mark 2 Multi-role Fighters each firing two AGM-65K Maverick Air to Ground Missiles against targets in the enemy fleet. Six vessels immediately begin to sink, with two being damaged and one of them beginning to list to port.


[b]14:00 Hours[/b]

On land, the first missions were made by the B-2A Spirit Stealth Bombers of Eleven Bomber Squadron. Three B-2As carrying Eighty Mark 82 500 Pound Bombs struck at an enemy forward airfield a mile west of White Lake. The position of was completely destroyed as a combined total of Twelve Thousand Pounds (5.44 Metric Tonnes) of High Explosive blasted the six F-15E Strike Eagle Multi-role Fighters and two F-16D Fighting Falcon Multi-role Fighters which had been deployed there.

Further air strikes were made on the enemy forward airfields. Most were made by B-52H Stratofortress Strategic Bombers who pressed home their attacks using GBU-24 Paveway III 2000 Pound Bunker Buster Bombs. They were supported by JAS-39D Gripen Multi-role Fighters who once the B-52s had made their runs, swept down to fire their AGM-158 Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missiles at any aircraft that had escaped destruction.

Three BGM-190G Tomahawk Cruise Missiles were also launched, from the Sword Class Missile Cruiser GNS Rapier which struck a marshalling area between Grand Lake and White Lake. This caused damage to the local supply depots and would help wear down the opposition to the Marine Landing.

Edited November 25, 2011 by Curristan

[VigilantWatcher]

[b]Day Two
07:20 Hours[/b]

The second day of Operation Home Shield began with the continuation of the sealing off of the enemy bridgehead. The Gulf Federation Navy operation continues with Defender Class Littoral Combat Frigate GNS Protector approaching from the east. Sailing within eight hundred metres of the enemy fleet, the ship opens fire with its Gulf Defence Systems Mk 150 57mm Gun. One ship is peppered with ten High Explosive Shells setting it ablaze. GNS Protector then lets rip with its two Mk44 Bushmaster II 30mm Chain Guns. High Explosive-Incendiary Rounds tear into the damaged ships's hull, causing major damage. It begins to sink, explosions erupting from the crippled vessel.

GNS Protector then moves onto a second vessel, firing the Mk 150 57mm Gun three more times, punching holes in the ships port side. The vessel begins to drift to the left, smoke pouring out of the gashed hull. Sword Class Missile Cruiser GNS Lance approaching from the west fires at the stricken vessel two RGM-84 Harpoon Anti Ship Missiles. They strike dead on, blowing the vessel apart.

Both GNS Protector and GNS Lance then sail south, just as two AH-1Z Viper Attack Helicopters from GNS Oklahoma City make a strafing run, each firing their 20 mm M197 Three Barreled Gatling Cannon, sixteen AGM-114 Hellfire Air to Surface Missiles and nineteen Mk 66 Mod 6 Rockets. The attack leaves one ship sunk and two ships severely damaged.


[b]13:00 Hours[/b]

On land, the Gulf Federation Air Force had continued their campaign against the enemy bridgehead. Further strikes by B-2A Spirit Stealth Bombers, this time using mission packages of either sixteen Mark 84 2000 Pound Bombs or fourty CBU-100 Cluster Bombs. This strikes completely suppress the enemy positions close to the Gulf Federation Army start line and along the coast where the Marine landing would take place.


[b]18:00 Hours
Seven Miles SSE of Lower Mud Lake[/b]

A Rigid Inflatable carrying a Special Operations Group four man team lands ashore. Its mission, to set up a forward operating post for Specific Data Collection. The commander stepped off first, covering the approaches with his C8A1 Carbine. His second in command, carrying a Mk 48 Mod 0 General Purpose Machine Gun covered the left flank while one sniper who carried a M110 Semi-Automatic Sniper System covered the right flank. The other sniper who was the specialist in the team, had a Barrett M82 Anti Material Rifle slung on his back, while he checked and prepared his C-4 Charges.

His charges prepared, he placed them in his webbing pouches and unslung his Sniper Rifle. The squad then moved slowly north, taking up a position on the east bank where a bridge over Upper Mud Lake carried the Grand Chernier Highway. This bridge would be vital to the Marine invasion and would be a vital supply route for the enemy and a direction the enemy counter-attack would come.

They set up the observation post six hundred metres south of the road, the specialist aiming the Barrett M82 Anti Material Rifle at the bridge itself, with the other sniper watching for foot traffic. They had set up a good firing position, with the patrols' Mk 48 Mod 0 General Purpose Machine Gun had good fields of fire. The patrol commander radioed the fleet, confirming the go-ahead for the Marine landing, which would take place in ten hours time.

[VigilantWatcher]

[b]Day Two
05:40 Hours[/b]

The pre Marine Landing bombardment began with launches of BGM-10G Tomahawk Cruise Missiles from all Sword Class Missile Cruisers and all four Louisiana Class Missile Destroyers aimed at targets inside the invasion area. Supporting these were air strikes made by A-10C Thunderbolt Ground Attack Aircraft using mission packages of either eight Joint Direct Attack Munition Mark 82 500 Pound Bombs or eight AGM-65K Maverick Air to Ground Missiles.


[b]06:00 Hours[/b]

[img]http://i876.photobucket.com/albums/ab328/AdamH312/InitialMarineLandingsOperationHomeShield.png[/img]

The initial landings were made by one thousand five hundred soldiers of the 2nd Marine Division from Honour Class Landing Ships GNS Honour and GNS Duty. The first assault hit the allotted landing zones was made just as the last air strike went in. Immediately the Marines fanned out, with the amphibious AAV-7A1 Armoured Personnel Carriers who had been driven from the Marine staging area on nearby Marsh Island beginning to arrive twenty minutes into the invasion. They arrived carrying many of the Marines heavier armed soldiers plus some of their M224 60 mm Mortars and M252 81mm Mortars.

Throughout the day they would consolidate the bridgehead, fending off some attacks from enemy forces attempting to restrict the lodgement the Marines had. The Special Operations Group four man team who had landed the night before, could see the Marines had halted three quarters of a mile away from the bridge. They were told to hold out until tomorrow morning, where they would be relieved by a Marine Armoured Column which was assembling to move west.

Edited November 28, 2011 by Curristan

[VigilantWatcher]

[b]Day Three
06:30 Hours[/b]

[img]http://i876.photobucket.com/albums/ab328/AdamH312/Marinesextendbridgehead.png[/img]

The Marine Landing had been a success. Now the Marine Armoured Column which was assembled now began move west. Within half an hour they had relieved the Special Operations Team near the bridge on the Grand Chernier Highway and pushed along the oak Grove Highway. The Marines had also secured Grand Chernier itself and advanced four miles further north, supported by Gulf Federation Navy AH-1Z Viper Attack Helicopters.


[img]http://i876.photobucket.com/albums/ab328/AdamH312/AirStrikeArea.png[/img]

Further air attacks had been mounted, this time concentrated in front of the Gulf Federation Army start line positions. The aircraft involved were:

- F-60A Avenger Stealth Fighters using mission packages of:

Four Joint Direct Attack Munition Mark 83 1000 Pound Bombs
Two GBU-24 Paveway III 2000 Pound Bunker Buster Bombs

- Jadayu Mark 2 Multi-role Fighters using mission packages of:

Two AGM-65K Maverick Air to Ground Missiles

- JAS-39D Gripen Multi-role Fighters using mission packages of:

Eight Joint Direct Attack Munition Mark 83 500 Pound Bombs

- A-10C Thunderbolt Ground Attack Aircraft using mission packages of:

Two GBU-28 5000 Pound Bunker Buster Bombs plus Three Mark 82 500 Pound Bombs
Four Joint Direct Attack Munition Mark 84 2000 Pound Bombs
Eight Joint Direct Attack Munition Mark 83 1000 Pound Bombs
Eight AGM-65K Maverick Air to Ground Missiles

-B-52H Stratofortress Strategic Bombers using mission packages of:

Two GBU-57A 30,000 Pound Massive Ordnance Penetrator Bunker Buster Bombs
Seventy CBU-100 Cluster Bombs
Seventy Mark 83 1000 Pound Bombs
Thirty Five Mark 84 2000 Pound Bombs

-B-2A Spirit Stealth Bombers using mission packages of:

Eighty Mark 82 500 Pound Bombs
Fourty Mark 83 1000 Pound Bombs
Twenty Mark 84 2000 Pound Bombs
Ten GBU-28 5000 Pound Bunker Buster Bombs


These air strikes would completely decimate the area in front of the Gulf Federation Army start line positions, which would clear the way for the start of the offensive which would start the following morning.

[VigilantWatcher]

[b]Day Four
04:25 Hours[/b]

[img]http://i876.photobucket.com/albums/ab328/AdamH312/GulfFederationArmyoffensivebegins.png[/img]

The ground offensive began with four Armoured Divisions, the 1st and 3rd making the northern most thrust, with the 5th and 7th making the most southern thrust. These pre-empted the four central thrusts by around two hours to ensure that the flanks were protected. The four central thrusts opened at around six thirty with three Mechanised and five Infantry Divisions pushing west.

Resistance from the controlled enemy units was fierce, with a counter attack being made on Long Island which took the 6th Mechanised Division two hours to neutralise with the help of A-10C Thunderbolt Ground Attack Aircraft. Otherwise the offensive was pretty straightforward due to the intense air campaign which had preceded the attack. At the end of the day, the front had been pushed close to White Lake, with the furthest spearhead making a ten mile gain.

[VigilantWatcher]

[b]Day Five
07:10 Hours[/b]

[img]http://i876.photobucket.com/albums/ab328/AdamH312/GulfFederationArmyoffensivegainmomentum.png[/img]

The ground offensive continued with three thrusts towards the area around Dyson Ditch. The units involved in the operation were now being supplied through air drops from C-130H Hercules Transport Aircraft and C-17A-ER Globemaster III Strategic Airlifter Aircraft so the columns could keep moving. The enemy forces were now completely on the run with their fleet now in ruins after the final cargo vessels were sunk by Shark Class Attack Submarines.


[b]Day Five
06:43 Hours[/b]


[img]http://i876.photobucket.com/albums/ab328/AdamH312/GroundOffensivelinksupwithMarineBridgehead.png[/img]

The objectives now given to the ground forces was to link up with the Marine beach head which had been subjected to almost constant attacks since the second day of the landings. The three spearheads now turned to clearing the enemy units south of Grand Lake. The offensive opened with a ten minute air strike bombardment before the ground units moved west again.

All through the day the offensive pressed forward, isolating pockets of resisting enemy units and leaving them to be destroyed by either air strikes or artillery. Enemy resistance in the area of operations began to falter as they were pressed against the Marine beach head whoese units probed forward to link up with the ground forces, achieving it at around five pm that same day. Marine units would now take over in the south while the Gulf Federation Army units would operate along the rest of the front.

[VigilantWatcher]

[b]Day Six
08:30 Hours[/b]

The combined Marine and Army force now struck for Calcasieu Lake. The enemy forces remaining were now being completely overrun by the now well supplied allied force. Throughout the day the Gulf Federation force moved steadily west. By the evening, a spearhead reached the lake, ending the exercise.

With the exercise over, the Gulf Federation Military would go to normal readiness, with the Gulf Federation Navy returning most of its vessels back to New Orleans Naval Base. The area would now be cleared of any unexploded ordinance and wrecked vehicles. The civilian population would also be returned to their homes and duly compensated by the government for the trouble.

Operation Home Shield was over. The exercise had been good for the military, with tactics and new weapons being tested for the first time. The lessons learned from the exercise would be implemented into the training programmes and any flaws would be quickly corrected.