As my flight rolls down the runway AWACS is already calling out threats inbound. Leaving the afterburners plugged in I race toward the intercept as I turn on the radar and start seeking out contacts.
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Once again the skies are full of both enemy and allied aircraft. The E-3 AWACS presides over it all and care must be taken to positively identify targets as enemies since some of our coalition partners are flying Russian produced equipment.
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If ever there was an aircraft the screamed “air superiority” it certainly has to be the beautiful Su-27 Flanker.
This battle is shaping up to be a real force on force meeting as aircraft from both sides converge. The AWACS feed paints a frightening picture and I already know I’m not skilled enough to be a decisive part of this fight. Jamming fills the radar screen but radar contacts soon bleed through allowing me to start picking out targets. I query AWACS to assure I don’t commit fratricide but my grasp on the “big picture” is tenuous and as the battle progresses I feel myself getting further and further behind the 8-ball.
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As the distance closes to long range missile range I release my wingmen to hunt on their own and I trade BVR shots with an Su-27. My initial shot misses and my TEWS is going nuts so I pull hard away dumping chaff and flares hoping against hope that I’m not about to eat a missile. I really have no clue what is going on around me; a total breakdown of situational awareness.
