After Action Report: Simulation 2019 Chasing Aphrodite

The Hellenic Airforce (HAF) has the mission of protecting not only the Greek but also the Cypriot Airspace if asked by Cyprus’s government

After the release of the Beta version of the simulation scenario in CMANO 2019: Chasing Aphrodite (detailed description with the participating forces from both sides and some political insight, better read this first to have a broader view) we gave the chance for various users to send their feedback towards a Combined Air Operation south of Cyprus.

The main goal of this scenario is to reveal the strengths and weaknesses of both , Hellenic and Turkish Airforce, operating in a region inside the Cypriot Exclusive Economic Zone, dozens of miles south of the island. The main target is a possible future Sea Drilling Platform known as Fatih (The Conqueror, given the same name with the current Sea Exploration Drilling ship Fatih operated by Turkish Petroleum Corporation, TPAO) which might violate Cypriot EEZ and start drilling operations and oil extraction.

The operation can be divided into 6 phases:

Phase 0: Recon/SIGINT Operation, gathering Intelligence about the composition of the Turkish fleet south of Cyprus and also the presence of the Turkish Airforce around it

Phase 1: Offensive Counter Air (OCA), clearing the sky before the strike packages get close to the target area

Phase 2: SEAD, limited operations to suppress or destroy the naval air defenses around the main target

Phase 3: Defensive Counter Air (DCA) against approaching Turkish fighters targeting the strike packages

Phase 4: TASMO, with combined use of Exocet missiles and HARM/JSOW which are present in the Greek Inventory

Phase 5: Sweeping Strike from F-4 Phantoms armed with LGB, Maverick missiles and Mi-35 Helicopters armed with AT and heavy rockets

In time of crisis the 331 and 332 Squadron are on high alert, preparing for TASMO and Defensive Counter Air Operations

The main objective of the strike package is the Sea Drilling Ship Fatih (The Conqueror)

In short the Greek aircraft will operate from the following AFBs :

Andrabida AFB, F-4 Phantom

Tanagra AFB, Mirage 2000/-5

Souda AFB, EMB- 145 Erieye AEW & C, F-16, Heron/Pegasos UAV, P-3B AUP

Paphos AFB, 5 Mi-35 Attack Helicopter

Before starting to send any strike aircraft packages, the Hellenic airforce needs to identify and clarify the presence of Turkish air/naval assets in the area. The use of P-3B AUP MPA near the Turkish naval armada before any hostilities start can provide valuable info . The EMB-145 Erieye will provide both Early Warning and ESM/SIGINT

2 Pegasos UAVs along with 1 Heron UAV departed from Souda AFB to provide close recon near the Turkish Naval vessels identified (without accurate position) by the P-3B ESM system

While the Pegasos and Heron UAV are very good at Recon, they lack the speed to tranist to the area of conflict. Travelling with 115 the Recon UAVs needed around 3 and a half hours to cover the 370 nm distance from Souda AFB to the Turkish naval Armada

A Turkish E-737T Wedgetail radar has been deployed and identified by the Hellenic Air Force. This is a top priority opportunity target. Turkish F-16s are all around the area. Some S-70B helicopters has also being deployed. While the P-3B opens its 80nm range AN/APS-80A radar, it provides accurate tracking info from the Turkish  naval armada

A closer look to the Turkish Surface Attack Group (SAG). It comprises of one upgraded Perry (armed with 32 ESSM), 2 original Perry FFGs (SM-1 missile), 1 MEKO 200 Yavuz (NSSM), 1 MILGEM ( CIWS RAM) Corvette 1 A69 corvette along with 2 unidentified naval targets

The Turkish navy have a very stong foothold especially when it comes to ASW assets (ASW aircraft/Helicopter, submarines in SSK role, Frigates)  protecting the SAG group from possible OPFOR submarines

Both the F-16 and Mirage 2000 are present in the inventory of the HAF in various roles OCA/DCM/SEAD/Strike. The combined use of them leverages the advantages of both aircraft types and minimises their drawbacks

Except the F-4 Phantom Strike package which will follow on in later stage, in total 6 Mirage 2000-5 armed with MICA along with 6 F-16 armed with AMRAAM will sweep the skies of enemy air activity. The next wave will include 4 F-16 in SEAD role (750nm strike range) along with 10 Mirage 2000 (long-range mode with 1 Exocet and 1 extra 1700 liter drop tank, 480 nm strike range) and 4 F-16 heavily armed (4xJSOW, 390 nm strike range) in naval strike

While the main part of the Operation: Chasing Aphrodite will be done by the Hellenic airforce, the Greek Navy’s submarines are approaching the Turkish naval armada

The Turkish Airforce sends reinforcements, 4 more intercept aircraft which had 2 min readiness, are launched. Both Incirlik and Konya AFB are around  270 nm away from the Turkish Fleet

The success of the operation relies heavily on the Mirage 2000 Strike Package armed with Exocets. If this strike package is damaged or lost, we have a mission kill also for the rest of the aircraft

Turkish main CAP fighter cover mainly two large areas. One directly around the Turkish SAG and the other around 60 nm forward of the turkish SAG Group. In the second area to avoid excessive use of fuel (thus stay the turkish CAP fighter patrol on the Northern part (red sector) and if any hostile or unidentified aircraft approaches they will prosecute also on the south

The Greek F-16 OCA fighters gained altitude, increased speed and started to get closer to the incoming Turkish Aircraft. Even if they are outnumbered they will try to get them as far away as possible. Considering that any allied (from other nations) F-16s werent flying in the area, any unidentified aircraft emitting with an APG-68V9 radar was considered as hostile

While the Greek F-16s started attacking the Turkish patrolling aircraft with Amraams, the Turkish Artillery had a surprise for the Greeks. 9 Yildirim Ballistic missiles are launched against Cypriot radar sites and Paphos AFB, S-300 battery on high alert !

 

The first Turkish F-16 is shot down, S-300 battery  started engaging the approaching Yildirim. Due to their very high-speed of almost 3 Mach, the S-300 gets imprecise data at longer ranges

Buk and S-300 batteries started engaging the Yildirim (1 down) and Turkish F-16 north of Cyprus (1 shot down by a 48N6E1 missile)

The Turkish Yildirim Missile proves to be a very hard missile to intercept in the intermediary flight phase

Another two Yildirims are shot down. In Total around 24 48N6E1 missiles were used, leading the S-300 battery to start reloading procedure (supposing that 6 (x4) launchers are present in Greek configuration)

Another two turkish F-16s shot down with one also Greek Mirage blown. While the MICA lacks the range, they prove to be quite deadly (high Pk) at medium range

A Mirage 2000-5 mk2 in the Greek arsenal, when in BVR is armed with 4 MICA EM and 2 MICA IR. The combined launch of both missiles against an opponent diffuse its defensive tactics

The airspace around the Turkish SAG group is thinned, while Turkish F-16 in the north have suffered casualties or run out of missiles and RTB

The 5 remaining Mirage 2000-5 keeps pounding the Turkish F-16. Another one was shot down. Momments later a S-70B 28 helicopter (mistakenly in the image CN-235) was shot down from a long-range. Even if the big range of modern BVR missiles is not fully exploitable against modern fighters This event alerted the Turkish navy who has ordered the ASW aerial assets to withdraw from the area

With many BVR missiles on the sky and greek fighters approaching, Turkish Navy ordered its valuable ASW (ATR-72) assets to withdraw from the area. A mission kill

Almost every aircraft in the area is engaging (even some SEAD aircraft, taking an opportunity attack against two lone turkish F-16). The first WVR engagement also takes place in the north

Flying tactically close with each other the Mirage 2000-5 used massive launch of a combination of MICA IR and EM to overwhelm the opponent F-16. Their ability to carry 6 BVR MICA and to engage with their radar 4 targets simultaneously proved Priceless

While tried two times to spoof the MICA EM, the AN/ALQ-175 Rapport failed. Another Turkish F-16 was shot down. In total 7 turkish F-16 and 2 S-70 B 28 were shot down against a single Greek F-16 and a Pegasus UAV

2 more turkish F-16 got hit. It seems the simultaneous launch of a radar guided BVR missile and a IR guided proves to be quite useful. The extra range of the Amraam missile can be used as a first shot deterrent

While the Greeks are engaging west of the Fatih Drilling Platform and the S-300 battery seized to operate (reloading),  4 Turkish F-16 SEAD aircraft launched 8 HARM missiles against BUK and TOR SAM batteries along with the Snow Drift Search radar

The use of Turkish F-16 armed with HARM missile at the critical time when S-300 were reloading proved deadly. Most of the HARM missiles found their targets decapitating 1 Snow Drift Radar, 2 Score Air Surveillance radars and 1 Sa-15 TOR SHORAD

 

While the Buk M1-2 successfully defended itself against 3 HARM missiles, a TOR SHORADS was destroyed along with a Snow Drift and 2 Score Search radars

At the same time the Greek TASMO strike package consists of F-16 with JSOW and HARM and Mirage 2000 armed with Exocet missile is approaching. This is the naval picture before launching the strike

With the skies clear around the Turkish naval armada, the COMAO strike package initiates its attack

A few remaining Turkish F-16 Fighters are trying to approach the strike packages

The tactical advantage of two parallel main CAP fighter groups hammering the turkish fighters continued. Another one was shot down

Another kill from the Amraam family against a CCIP turkish F-16

While the strike package releases the long-range JSOW they get attacked by a pair of turkish F-16s, 4 of them are coming their way. In total the Greek side launched 4 UGM Harpoons, 16 JSOW, 6 RGM 84 Harpoon  8 HARM missiles and 10 Exocets

While the 3 Turkish Perry FFG were occupied with dealing with 16 JSOW missiles incoming with a speed of 520 knots, two Greek F-16 SEAD fighters sneaked in and launched 3 High Speed Mach missiles against the southern Perry FFG. Each Perry FFG has only one Stir FCR available and thus can engage only one target

The high-speed HARM cannot be engaged from maximum distance for the ESSM or the SM-1MR. At around 15nm the first ESSM were shot to protect the nearby Perry FFG

Two out of three missiles hit the F491 Giresun Perry FFG. Almost all its radars were either damaged or destroyed. From the explosions, the Towed array was also destroyed. One HARM was shot down by two ESSMs and not the outdated SM-1MR missile. With its sensors gone, the 3 incoming JSOW will blow to pieces the wounded Perry…raising speed to avoid those missiles will also raise their heat signature making the IIR seeker of JSOW locking on it with greater precision (leading to a deadlock)

A few moments later, the turkish FFG got stuck by a 1000 lb JSOW missile. Its 454 kg BROACH warhead penetrated its hull and exploded

The JSOW C proved to be a versatile weapon against land and surface targets

Things are going to get ugly…

The following video shows the combined strike against the Turkish Naval Forces. In the meantime two (2) greek F-16 fighters got shot down engaging in WVR in the north (not part of the video)

In total 3 TDK vessels got hit along with the huge 90000 ton platform (The Conqueror). 1 MEKO 200 was sunk and 1 Perry FFG got inoperational taking 60% damage. Also an upgraded Perry FFG lost its Mk92 Mod6 CAS FCR radar being unable to effectively provide terminal guidance for the ESSM missiles  and thus unable to provide AAW cover which was its main mission

A Legend from the past arrived as a second strike package. Six F-4 AUP Phantoms armed with 2 GBU-24 each are approaching fast.

Currently the only effective Anti-Air cover is the CIWS RIM-116 RAM of the nearby Ada Class Corvette

Regrouping and engaging at the same time proved effective to surpass the RAM defenses in the North

While initially in our scenario we used a mix of GBU-24, Maverick and GBU-10 armed F-4 launching from Andrabida AFB, later on we re-evaluated this mix. Only the Maverick armed F-4 had the range to attack the remaining Turkish fleet. So a change to the AFB (From Andravida to Souda AFB) launching the F-4 is needed. It will be updated in the .scen file shared in steam and the CMANO forum. The 2000lb GBU-24 has a devastating effect in any hardened target, especially when BLU-109 is used as a core bomb

While the RAM tried to engage the Greek Fighters, it lacked the design feature to fullfil that task engaginh the GBU-24 until it was too late

The Turkish Oil Platform is sinking, return to base

DEBRIEFING

From the above simulation some critical needs to be addressed:

1. The F-16 SEAD aircraft even armed with the AGM-88 B aircraft is quite effective against any SAM system. The tactic we used for both SEAD operations (Greek SEAD operation against turkish FFG and Turkish SEAD operation against Cyprus EW radar sites) is to create a diversion ( eg 16 JSOW missiles launched) and while the enemy SAM are engaging those targets (not any other remaining FCR channels) the SEAD aircraft come closer and launch the high-speed HARM missile. This creates a situation which doesn’t let much time to react
2. The JSOW missile proved quite versatile against any surface target. Its medium range let the strike aircraft to escape safely. Also in case of the explosion inside a Perry FFG, its penetrating BROACH warhead proved quite deadly
3. The RAM CIWS is a quite effective last defense system. But when the target is not the Corvette itself (Ada Class corvette), it doesnt have neither the range nor the speed to protect effectively the nearby (2nm away) Oil Drilling Platform – The Conqueror which was the main target of the Greek strike fighters
4. The Mirage 2000-5 is a very capable Air Superiority fighter. Utilising its 6 BVR missiles along with its ability to target 4 targets simultaneously (we abused this tactic extensively) overwhelmed the Turkish F-16. In many cases a turkish F-16 was targeted by 3 different Mirage 2000-5 (each one launching either a radar guided Mica EM or a passive heat guided Mica IR) from different directions. This raised the Pk of the BVR engagements
5.  The F-16 in CAP OCA role was used mainly as a detterent force in combination with the Mirage 2000-5
6. A Mirage 2000EG was destroyed while landing in Paphos AFB. In case that the Turkish airforce retalliated against the Greek Forces in Cyprus island the single S-300 battery along with the remaining Buk M1-2 batteries (unknown official number) and the Skyguard Aspide SAM (zero effectiveness against Yildirim ballistic or HARM anti-radar missiles ). The Cyprus Goverment should reconsider the aqcuisition of 2-3 Hi-SAM batteries to protect the island from the Turkish Airforce and create a A2/AD (Anti Access, Area Denied) enviroment for the Turkish airforce
7. The Greek Elli FFG escaped the retaliatory Harpoon missiles from the Yavuz Frigate due to the fact that was positioned near the edge of the maximum range of the Turkish Harpoon. After launching their Harpoons against Yavuz from a distance of 135km, it raised its speed to 30 knots  (55.56 km/h). It needed less than 4.5 minutes to escape the 4 km difference (138.9 km maximum range of Harpoon). At the same time the Turkish harpoon missiles arrived after 7.5 minutes. While it remained safe a future attack against it by turkish F-16 armed with SLAM-ER can be deadly against it at second time
8. We re-evaluated defencegreece (our site) opinion about the modernization of the P-3B ASW aircraft. The Heron ASW UAV that was proposed by IAI lacks the speed which is critical during any crisis period. While the intermediate repaired aircraft (used in the scenario) lacked a long range radar, the upgraded P-3B AUP aircraft will have new radar (range 200 nm) which will provide precise image of the oponent’s naval forces. This in addition with the ensurance (16+hours) and increased speed make it a very potent asset for many roles (also excellent ESM). The choice of the Hellenic Navy seems to be promising with the contribution of the Hellenic Airforce (only issue missing is a new long range Anti-ship missile for the 85 Upgraded F-16 Viper)

Greece losses 

2 F-16 Block 52+

1 Mirage 2000-5

1 Mirage 2000EG

1 UAV Pegasos

1 Snow Drift Radar (the ability for Early Warning is greatly reduced, no official info about other types of long range Cypriot radars)

2 Score Radar (the ability for Early Warning is greatly reduced, no official info about other types of long range Cypriot radars)

1 TOR VSHORADS

*1 Elli FFG (Kortenaer S – Class) future possible  (while not sunk in the scenario, unless the Hellenic Airforce provides  CAP fighter squadron to protect the Elli FFG returning to Greek waters, it will definitely be the target of turkish F-16 HARM/SLAM-ER armed aircraft

Turkey losses 

6 F-16 Block 40 CCIP

6 F-16 Block 50 CCIP

2 S-70 B-28

1 90.000 ton Oil Drilling Platform – The Conqueror/Fatih (main target)

1 MEKO 200 YAVUZ Frigate

1 Perry FFG (non upgraded frigate)

1 Perry FFG (non upgraded frigate), damaged in 63% with most of its system destroyed or badly damaged, while sailing in the scenario the fire spread to all the compartments of the vessel destroying it completely

*1 Perry FFG (upgraded frigate). Destroyed Mk92 FCR, very vunerable to air attacks Unless the Turkish airforce. Being 212 nm from the Attaleia port it will be definitely the target of Greek Aircaft Attack/Strike (or even helicopters Mil 35 P have a 150 nm range from Paphos AFB) packages unable to counter air threats

 

They say a picture speaks a thousand words…