Events / Scorching Trust / M01

Operation Scorching Trust

M01 Opening Strike

ATO

STRIKE

Push

0045L

Date

17 OCT 2012

A2A ALR

LOW

A2G ALR

MEDIUM

SEAD

PARTIAL

Threat picture

Known threats

Ground

SA-2 · SA-3 · HAWK · Tor (9A331) · Osa (9A33) · Strela-1 (9P31) · ZSU-23-4 Shilka

Air

F-16 Block 50 · Mirage-2000C · MiG-21bis · AH-64D · SA-342M

Sea

Oliver Hazard Perry frigates · Fast attack boats

Acceptable level of risk

ALR — M01

A2A LOW: Accept only favorable engagements. AMR 2+:1. Defensive unless briefed. Losses not acceptable above 5%.

A2G MEDIUM: No single-ship FLOT. Enter SAM WEZ only with SEAD partially effective. Low-level only on primary objectives.

SEAD PARTIALLY EFFECTIVE: Cannot fully deny IADS; can delay, degrade, or distract SAM guidance.

M01 packages

Objectives

ALPHA — DEAD IADS

Destroy / degrade Egyptian IADS. Coordinates pending (which SAM sites are operational). TOT min 20 / max 30 min after TLAM. Assets: BGM-109 TLAM, A-10C II (75th).

BRAVO — TV / radio towers

TOT via Strike Common once airborne and in hold. Assets: F-14B/U (VF-143), F-16C (667th) SEAD escort. Bravo impact within 5 minutes of TLAM.

1 N 30°01’41.91″ E 31°16’51.50″ · 2 N 30°01’38.50″ E 31°16’55.12″ · 3 N 30°01’36.10″ E 31°16’55.32″

4 N 30°01’33.73″ E 31°16’51.96″ · 5 N 30°01’34.80″ E 31°16’58.02″ · 6 N 30°01’27.32″ E 31°16’57.50″

CHARLIE OBJ 01 — Antiship

Destroy frigates blockading Suez north inlet. TOT N/A. Asset: F/A-18C (VFA-211). Hornets push immediately at mission start.

1 N 31°17’00.70″ E 32°19’58.49″ · 2 N 31°15’16.37″ E 32°21’28.93″

CHARLIE OBJ 02 — SHORAD

Destroy SHORAD around north inlet after maritime threat reduced. Assets: AH-64D / OH-58D (1st Regiment).

1 N 31°15’24.82″ E 32°19’37.19″ · 2 N 31°13’34.70″ E 32°21’43.09″ · 3 N 31°16’29.34″ E 32°14’46.72″ · 4 N 31°16’00.01″ E 32°19’12.91″

Air tasking order

Flight	Pkg	Task 01	Task 02	Home
F-14B/U	BRAVO	TV/radio towers	None	CVN-72
F-16C	BRAVO	SEAD escort Bravo	Assist Charlie	Ramon
AH-64D / OH-58D	CHARLIE	SHORAD north inlet	None	LHA / rig
F/A-18C	CHARLIE	Anti-ship frigates	SEAD cover Bravo	CVN-72
A-10C II	ALPHA	IADS cleanup after TLAM	None	Ramon

Weather

Start

0045L

Altimeter

29.92

Temp

68°F

Vis

43 NM

Lightly scattered · base 8,202 / tops 8,858 ft MSL · no precip, fog, or dust. Sunrise 0557L · sunset 1725L.

Winds: SFC 090/4 · 6,500 135/14 · 26,000 045/24.

SPINS

Procedures

F/A-18C pushes immediately against frigates. All other manned elements hold and report READY on Strike Common.
TLAM TOT passed on Strike Common. Do not push early. Bravo impact within 5 minutes of TLAM.
Reattack: WEAPONS FREE. BDA only if threat/fuel/timing permit — do not delay egress for BDA.
Lost comms: last clearance; Tactical Common → Strike Common → AWACS → GUARD 243.000.
Divert Hatzerim 251.400 AM / TACAN 96X / ILS 28L 111.30. CSAR authority: TAC Command.

Word

EYEGLASS

Number

Challenge

COUGAR

MOON

Duress

FOCACCIA

SARNEG

AFTERSHOCK

Radios

OVERLORD 1-1 / AWACS	250.000 AM
MAGIC 2-1 / AWACS	272.600 AM
TEXACO 1-1 boom	251.000 AM
TEXACO 2-1 boom	252.000 AM
ARCO 1-1 probe	254.000 AM
Tactical Common	270.000 AM
ALPHA / BRAVO / CHARLIE	271 / 272 / 273.000 AM
Strike Common (DRAGNET)	275.000 AM
GUARD	243.000 AM

TEXACO supports Ramon F-16/A-10. ARCO + SHELL support CVN-72 F-14/F-18.

Rules of engagement

Weapons free — with PID

Positive ID required. Hostile act/intent = self-defense. A2A needs NCTR, IFF, or AIC BANDIT. Minimize collateral. No civilian/neutral traffic. Reattack when fuel, threat, timing, and deconfliction permit.

Flight briefings

Gameplans

75th Tiger Sharks — ALPHA

Follow-on IADS cleanup after TLAM. Hold, report READY, engage surviving inactive IADS, reattack, tanker TEXACO 2-1 252.000 / 52Y, recover Ramon 251.500. Alpha 271.000. Divert Hatzerim.

VF-143 Pukin’ Dogs — BRAVO

JDAM on TV/radio towers. Hold for TLAM TOT, strike, egress under Hornet/Viper support. Dep/arr CVN-72 272.400. ARCO 253.000 / 53Y, SHELL 272.800 / 122Y. Bravo 272.000.

667th Black Knights — BRAVO

SEAD escort for Bravo; flex to Charlie if directed. Ramon 251.500. TEXACO 1-1 251.000 / 51Y. Bravo 272.000.

1st Regiment — CHARLIE OBJ 02

Hold while Hornets kill frigates, then destroy SHORAD. Tarawa/rig 264.400. No AAR. Charlie 273.000. Divert Hatzerim.

VFA-211 Fighting Checkmates — CHARLIE OBJ 01

Push immediately, kill frigates, then SEAD for Bravo egress. CVN-72 272.400. ARCO/SHELL as Tomcats. Charlie 273.000.

Considerations

Cleansed .miz files per squadron for waypoints, DTC, radios, loadouts. Plan holds close to targets for dynamic TOT. Mixed taskings — load thoughtfully. Expect pop-up attacks.