New Command scenario: US Naval Air Power Debate: Baseline

April 25, 2014 · Posted in Command · Comment

Database – DB3000
Author – Tom Yochum ‘Yokes’

The US effort to replace cold-war era fighters with a new “low end” lightweight fighter has resulted in the F-35A, B, and C for the US Air Force, Marines, and Navy, respectively. It has also resulted in the largest and most expensive military procurement project in history.

Over-budget, past-schedule, and under-performing: the F-35 project has become a lightning rod for debate on the future of western air power.

Under the current plan it is likely that the US Navy will be forced to operate fewer air wings spread over fewer aircraft carriers, using a mix of legacy Super Hornets and F-35Cs. Many critics claim this is an unacceptable loss of capability.

One argument to cut costs while maintaining capability has been to eliminate the “supercarrier” from the US Navy and instead rely upon smaller, non-catapult carriers (like the upcoming Queen Elizabeth class from the UK) and utilize the STOVL (short take off vertical landing) F-35B exclusively. The smaller carriers are cheaper to procure and operate, so more than one would replace a single current carrier. This smaller individual “footprint” would provide greater flexibility by being scalable to the level of force required to accomplish the mission.

On the other hand, others have argued that the greater cost of the F-35C relative to the current generation of aircraft (F-18E/F/G Super Hornets) means fewer aircraft and therefore less capability. They argue that the Navy should forgo the F-35C entirely and continue to purchase Super Hornets until a new design can be devoloped without the burdens of commonality with the Air Force and Marine versions.

This scenario is part of a three-part series that attempts to test these three options (baseline F-35C/Super Hornet mix, F-35B only, and Super Hornet only) against a real-world crisis situation. The player is invited to try all three senarios and evaluate for themselves which option is superior.

This version presents the baseline: an estimated near-future carrier air wing reduced in number to represent an overall reduced number of aircraft (due to the greater cost of the F-35).

The crisis involves a military coup in the fictitious nation of OpForia. The US embassy is in danger of being overrun and an evacuation has been ordered. US Marine special forces, supported by air power from a nearby carrier task force, are tasked with extracting the embassy personel.

Editor’s note: I have attempted to make a fair balance of forces between the three scenarios. The baseline scenario has a mix of Super Hornets and F-35Cs that are purposely reduced in numbers to emulate a reduced total number of air wings and carriers. For the F-35B scenario I chose to replace the single Ford-class carrier with three Wasp-class “mini-carriers”. Each Wasp carries a squadron (12) of F-35Bs. Since the F-35B is (very) approximately twice as expensive as a Super Hornet, I gave the Ford carrier five squadrons (60) of Super Hornets along with supporting aircraft (Growlers and Hawkeyes). This is just for the sake of creating an equal comparison and is not meant to represent an actual carrier deployment.

Commander,

Military hardliners have staged a coup in the nation of OpForia. OpForia ground forces are currently busy capturing government buildings and rounding up all opposition. Intelligence indicates that these operations will be completed in 2-3 hours. Once completed, however, these forces are expected to storm the US Embassy to collect hostages for use as human shields or as bargaining chips against foreign intervention.

As a result, the President has ordered you to extract all US personel from the embassy within the next 2 hours.

Orders:

A rescue force of five MV-22B Osprey tiltrotors are scheduled to lift off at 21:00 GMT (in one hour). They will require 30 minutes on ground to load up all the personel.You are to eliminate any opposition to their trasit to and from the Embassy.

ROE:

Weapons free against all OpForian forces.

SitRep:

OpForian military commanders have already declared their intention to attack any foreign forces that violate their borders.

OpForian air forces consist of a mix of a few higher end fighters (mostly Flankers) and a larger number of low-end aircraft. There are a small number of bombers capable of naval strikes based at OpFor Airbases 1 and 3. Expect a mix of Russian and Chinese equipment.

The OpForian capitol is defended by a mix of SAM systems of Russian and Chinese origin and all of them mobile. HUMINT has spotted at least one S-300 system. Expect short-ranged systems to be emplaced near the Embassy.

The three Airbases currently have a large number of civilians holding “rallies” in favor of the new goverment in key areas of the airfields. Any attacks on the airfields would result in a large number of civilian deaths and therefore the President has declared them off-limits.

The OpForian navy has placed a DDG and two FFGs right along your ingress/egress route.

Good luck Commander.

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New Command scenario: Excellent Loon

April 25, 2014 · Posted in Uncategorized · Comment

Database – CWDB
Author – Mark Gellis

This scenario assumes that tensions increased between the Soviet Union and Canada in the mid-1970s.

By 1976, Canada had all but declared it would not permit Soviet military vessels to operate freely in its waters, or even in its Exclusive Economic Zone, except for innocent passage. And some of the more conservative members of Canada’s government have even questioned whether any passage of Soviet naval vessels through Canadian waters should be considered “innocent.”

The Soviets, partly to gather intelligence–what better time to test a potential adversary than when they are supposedly doing their utmost to detect your ships and submarines?–and also in the hopes of embarassing the West, have increased their patrols near Canada.

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Author’s Notes

For those unfamiliar with it, the loon is an aquatic bird somewhat larger than a duck. It is an excellent swimmer and can hold its breath and remain underwater for more than a minute at a time while it hunts fish and other prey.

Thanks to Chris (aka Randomizer) for some very helpful suggestions.

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*** FLASH *** FLASH *** FLASH ***

ATTN: Commanding Officer, Athabaskan

You are instructed to immediately initiate OPERATION EXCELLENT LOON.

INTEL/SITREP

We have reason to believe Soviet submarines have entered the Gulf of Saint Lawrence, in direct challenge to our declaration that foreign states will not be allowed to “conduct military operations, including training” in these waters without our express permission.

ENEMY FORCES

Current sonar data suggests two Soviet submarines are presently in the Gulf of Saint Lawrence, a ballistic missile submarine and a nuclear attack submarine. The latter is probably on station primarily as an escort to the ballistic missile submarine.

FRIENDLY FORCES

Your task force consists of DDH 282 Athabaskan, DDH 265 Annapolis, and S 74 Okanagan.

Designated aircraft at CFB Greenwood are chopped to your command.

MISSION

Locate the Soviet ballistic missile submarine in the Gulf of Saint Lawrence and force it to leave Canadian waters. This can be accomplished by closing to within one or two miles of the submarine, getting right on top of her and staying there, pinging her relentlessly with your sonar, and continuing to do this until it is obvious that we have discovered her and have a hard fix on her location.

As ballistic missile submarines rely on not having their location revealed in order to perform their missions, it is likely that once the Soviets understand we have a clear fix on the exact location of their submarine that they will move it out of the Gulf of Saint Lawrence.

EXECUTION

Focus your attention on the ballistic missile submarine.

Do not under any circumstances fire on Soviet submarines unless you receive specific orders to do so or are under attack.

COMMAND AND SIGNAL

Command: Athabaskan

Signal: EMCON State C (Unrestricted Emissions)

Good luck. God save the Queen.

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Jolly, Nimitz and Liaoning: Six new Command scenarios available

April 14, 2014 · Posted in Command · Comment

Miguel Molina has updated the Command community scenario pack. The new release contains six brand-new scenarios:

Podengo Monday, 1968 : Tanzania embraces communism, receives Soviet help and destabilizes Mozambique to liberate it from Portugal . The Portuguese navy is intructed to intervene.
Great Asian War: Southwestern Front, 2018 : The Second Sino-Vietnamese War, or Great Asian War, was marked by the PLA air forces launching the largest air campaign in mainland Asia since Operation Linebacker. In the course of this campaign, the Chinese used the Liaoning strike group in attacks on Cambodia, Vietnam’s vassal. This is China’s first use of a carrier group in anger.
Sandies and Jollies, 1968 : A Marine Corps F-4J was shot down over southern North Vietnam and both crew members ejected. A rescue mission is on standby at Da Nang Airbase. Take command and pick up the downed aircrew!
Med Conflict, 1990 : US assets and citizens in Libya and Algeria have been attacked. Available USN assets in the Med are placed on DEFCON-2, and the Marine group SAG-386 is instructed to move in to stop further atacks. Are these events isolated, or is it a Soviet trap?
Red Storm – Fill the Gap, 1990 : A coup in the Kremlin triggers World War III. NATO, having been taken by surprise by the coup, reacts as quickly as possible but fails to stop the capture of Iceland by the Soviets. With the GIUK line now compromised, the American, Norwegian and British Navies rush to fill the gap to contain the Soviet forces.
Red Storm – Vampire,Vampire!, 1990 : Soviet forces have captured Bodo and are preparing to assalt US carrier forces in the Norwegian Sea. The Nimitz CVBG is instructed to strike at captured Keflavik and defend against incoming Backfire raids. Can a single carrier hold the line?

As always, the community scenario pack is available at the Command downloads page: http://www.warfaresims.com/?page_id=1876

There are now 120 released Command scenarios!

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New Command scenario: Red Storm – Vampire, Vampire!

April 14, 2014 · Posted in Command · Comment

Database – DB3000
Author – Doug Joos ‘djoos5’

NATO vs. Soviet Union

Date/Time: 20th November 1990
Location: G-I-UK Gap and Iceland
Playable Sides: NATO

In 1990, inside the Soviet Republic, hardline Communists within the politburo and military, who do not abide President Gorbachev’s perestroika and glasnost stage a coup d’état and wrest the control of the Soviet power to themselves. Knowing NATO would be quick to react against them and would try to return the former president to power; they unleash the Soviet Navy and ramp up Eastern European Bloc forces. It is the onset of World War III.

NATO has finally had a chance to organcize its forces, but it is still a reactionary situation. The United States Navy having stopped the Soviet’s efforts to move missile subs into the Atlantic Ocean has moved their carrier battle group north to project power over Iceland and into the Norwegian Sea. The predictable move was expected, if not anticipated, by the Soviet Naval Air Command who now have the ultimate opportunity to sink the vaunted American carrier. It is time to see if land based bombers can overcome the Nimtz’s air and sea defenses and take the ship out of the fight. To do so will open up the sea lanes to Soviet bombardment, which will bring a rapid end to the war in Europe.

Note

This is Scenario 2, Vampire Vampire!, of a three-scenario campaign called Red Storm. In this second encounter, the United States, along with its NATO allies have finally had a chance to organize themselves after the sudden assault, but it was not without loss. Soviet forces have pushed into northern Norway and along with a sea-based landing, were able to capture the airbase at Bodø. The player still faces a situation with limited assets and a number of objectives, of which the Primary will be the ultimate goal for success of the scenario. Points will be earned on all objectives, but scores are affected most by primary goal success.

The final scenario will pick up where the last has left off and take into account munition usage, maintenance and losses, along with reinforcements. Additional assets will be made available to each side as the war progresses and the combatants gain a better control of their situations.

Orders for Commander NATO Forces

DEFCON-1. RULES OF ENGAGEMENT OPTION ALPHA NOW IN EFFECT. THIS MESSAGE IS TO BE UNDERSTOOD THAT HOSTILITIES BETWEEN NATO AND THE WARSAW PACT HAVE INITIATED. NUCLEAR OPTIONS ARE RESTRICTED UNLESS ORDERS COME FROM COMMAND AUTHORITY. TAKE ALL MEASURES CONSISTENT WITH THE SAFETY OF YOUR COMMAND.

Situation

NATO forces have had a successful start to the war, since the loss of Iceland. The Soviet Yankee subs that had attempted to break past Iceland through the G-I-UK gap were persecuted and destroyed before they could disappear into the expanse of the Atlantic. Still, the engagement did not go without losses of air, surface and sub-surface forces. The Nimitz has moved into a position project power over Norway, England and Iceland but now presents itself as a grand target for the Soviet Maritime Air assets.

The war in Europe has also had nominal results. The Soviet Army trying to make a quick knockout punch against Germany, and by so doing, break up the NATO alliance, has stagnated against vicious allied counterattacks. NATO air assets have had a demoralizing affect against the Soviet Army by hitting as many command and control positions, along with bridges and other transits along the Red Army’s path. But materials for war are on the side of the Soviets, who have a seemingly endless supply, and NATO Forces lines are starting to come undone due to this fragility. Resources from the United States are greatly needed and the resupply efforts are now priority. Convoys out of New York and North Carolina are now plying the seas in an effort to make the crossing with as little loss as possible.

Enemy Forces

The primary threat from the Soviet Union at this time is fast attack subs that pushed through the G-I-UK gap and air assets based in Iceland, Bodø and Kirovsk. Although the Nimitz battle group was able to damage the Soviet forces based in Keflavik, Iceland, the air corridor over the island is still open for the Soviet Backfire bombers to interdict the NATO efforts to resupply.

It is imperative that the bombers be shut down.

Friendly Forces

CVBG -9 [CVN 65-Nimitz (Nimitz), CG 52-Ticonderoga (Bunker Hill), CG 49-Ticonderoga (Vincennes), DD 963-Spruance (Stump), DD 965-Spruance (Kinkaid), FFG 9-O.H. Perry (Wadsworth), FFG 7-O.H. Perry (O.H. Perry), AOR 1-Wichita (Wichita)]

CAW: 12 F-14A, 12 F-14B, 24 F/A-18A, 10 A-6E, 4 EA-6B, 4 E-2C

SSN 704 SSN 704-Los Angeles (Baltimore)

SSN 713 SSN 713-Los Angeles (Houston)

Stornoway, UK AB [7 P-3C, 4 Nimrod, 14 F.3]

Convoy-900 [CG 59-Ticonderoga (Princeton), DD 977-Spruance (Briscoe), FFG 10-O.H. Perry (Duncan), FFG 21-O.H. Perry (Flatley), 8 Commercial vessels]

The USAF F-15C fighter regiment that had been redirected to Scotland at the onset of battle has been reassigned to its original stationing in Ramstein, Germany.

TOP SECRET: Having doubled the efforts of the yard in Norfolk, Virginia, the U.S.S Dwight D. Eisenhower will be putting to sea along with her entire carrier wing, and escorts, in seven days. The Eisenhower will be moving to position in support of Nimitz.

Primary Objective

NATO forces are to protect the two convoys that are transiting the Atlantic Ocean and see it to Le Havre, France.
CVBG_9 is to commence attacks on Keflavik, Iceland.
CVBG_9 is to seek and destroy as many of the TU-22M Backfire bomber raids that it can.

Secondary Objective

CVBG_9 is to be protected from the Soviet Naval Air attacks at all cost.

Execution

At your discretion; destroy enemy high-value targets.

Command & Signal

Command: USLANTCOM
Signal: EMCON StateC, unrestricted emissions

Rules of Engagement (RoE)

Only nuclear weapons are restricted unless ordered from USLANTCOM.

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New Command scenario: Red Storm – Fill the Gap

April 14, 2014 · Posted in Command · Comment

Database – DB3000
Author – Doug Joos ‘djoos5’

NATO vs. Soviet Union

Date/Time: 10th November 1990
Location: G-I-UK Gap and Iceland
Playable Sides: NATO

NATO, having been taken by surprise by the coup, reacts as quickly as possible but fails to stop the capture of Iceland by the Soviets. With the G-I-UK gap now compromised, the American, Norwegian and British Navies rush to fill the gap with attack subs so as to contain the Soviet forces. With SOSUS mostly out of commission, it is the only way that NATO can keep Soviet Boomers from sailing off their coasts. In France and Germany, the land forces clash and the Europeans desperately cry to the United States for resources. The US Navy 2nd Fleet, hampered by scheduled servicing of its ships, turns its one active carrier, the USS Nimitz, north towards Iceland and the Faroe Islands to project power at the island nation as well as into the Norwegian Sea.

Note

This is Scenario 1, Fill the Gap, of a three-scenario campaign called Red Storm. In this first encounter, the United States, along with its NATO allies have been taken by surprise by the Soviet aggression. The player will face a situation with limited assets and a number of objectives, of which the Primary will be the ultimate goal for success of the scenario. Points will be earned on all objectives, but scores are affected most by primary goal success.

The following scenarios will pick up where the last has left off and take into account munition usage, maintenance and losses, along with reinforcements. Additional assets will be made available to each side as the war progresses and the combatants gain a better control of their situations.

Orders for Commander NATO Forces

Situation

The Soviet Union has made a surprising initial strike against NATO forces both within Europe and at sea. Using a modified freighter, the Soviet Army was able to infiltrate troops into Reykjavík and captured the capital of Iceland. Their forces quickly took control of the airport within the capital along with the one at Keflavik and began to ferry in more troops, SAM batteries, and fighters.

With the capture of Iceland, the SOSUS net was disrupted and now it is unknown the threat that comes from Soviet fast attack and boomer subs. NATO must race to get their own subs in place to stop the Soviet submarines from leaving the North Sea and taking up positions along allied coasts. At the same time, the USS Nimitz is being moved north towards Iceland to project power and eliminate the Soviet forces before they can reinforce.

Enemy Forces

The primary threat from the Soviet Union at this time is fast attack and missile subs escaping out of the North Sea into the Atlantic. The presence of both classes of submarines will disrupt re-supply convoys to Europe along with increase the threat of tactical nuclear strikes against NATO.

Also, air units based in Iceland will also hamper shipping and air corridors between the United States and Europe. It is not certain but Norwegian spotters believe that a flight of Tu-16’s were seen passing over soon after the loss of Reykjavik. We can only assume that the bombers are now located on Iceland and could be a threat to land and ship forces.

Satellite and snooper vessels along the Norwegian and Kola Peninsula have reported the surge of nine subs – both nuclear ballistic missile boats and their fast attack escorts. The Soviet Typhoons have not been reported leaving their arctic patrols, but not so the Yankees. These less capable subs need to be maneuvered south to increase their potential strikes on NATO territories, both in Europe and the United States.

These initial unit advances are a priority for all NATO units operating in the Atlantic and North Sea.

Friendly Forces

CAW: 12 F-14A, 12 F-14B, 24 F/A-18A, 10 A-6E, 4 EA-6B, 4 E-2C

SSN 719 SSN 719-Los Angeles (Providence)

SSN 704 SSN 704-Los Angeles (Baltimore)

SSN 713 SSN 713-Los Angeles (Houston)

S 107 S 107-Trafalgar (Trafalgar)

S 318 S 107-Kobben (Kobben)

Stornoway, UK AB [10 P-3C, 12 F.3, 12 F-15C]

The outbreak of war and early loss of Iceland caused for a re-direct of a USAF F-15C fighter regiment to the United Kingdom. CINCLANT ordered the aircraft to be stationed in Stornoway, UK to assist with air cover until the US Navy could get carrier task force CVBG-9 into position. Once on station, the F-15C regiment is to move to Germany.

Due to other current operations, it will be at least 72+ hours before additional forces can be expected to arrive.

Primary Objective

NATO forces are to search for and destroy all three Soviet missile subs (SSBN and SSGN) that sailed from Polyarny within the last week. Destruction of the fast-attack subs is discretionary, but will assist in the overall effort.

Secondary Objective

CVBG_9 is to transit the Atlantic North/NorthEast and assist by rapidly attriting Soviet military capabilities stationed on Iceland. In particular: neutralizing air fields, land-based anti-air missile batteries and other high-order threats. As it is the only operational carrier in the region at this time, it is paramount that no damage comes to the ship.

Execution

At your discretion; destroy enemy high-value targets.

Command & Signal

Command: USLANTCOM
Signal: EMCON StateC, unrestricted emissions

Rules of Engagement (RoE)

Only nuclear weapons are restricted unless ordered from USLANTCOM.

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