NationStates Jolt Archive

Synopsis

An ex-Neuvo Rican populace in the southern provinces of Chubut, Santa Cruz, and Tierra del Fuego numbering 900,000 to 1,000,000 has yet to be pacified by the Russian Federation. Early in August 2007, Russian forces invaded and annexed a large portion of Argentina, where fighting was sporadic and unorganized. It was during this time that Layartebian forces entered Tierra del Fuego to prevent refugees from crossing to the Falkland Islands. Their occupation lasted thirty days and Layartebian Marines were withdrawn in mid-September 2007 while Layartebian forces invaded to quell violence in Mato Grosso, bordering the Layartebian Amazonian Control Territory. It was during their occupation that the city of Ushuaia became rocked by unknown and unexpected terrorist violence. Layartebian Marines were unable to stop the violence and terrorism, which ended abruptly on September 5, ten days prior to the Layartebian withdrawal. Thousands were killed during the terrorism campaign, presumably waged by Neuvo Rican nationals against the Layartebian occupation. No suspects were found and the violence ended as quickly as it began.

When Layartebian forces withdrew in mid-September, so did Russian forces, joining the main attacking forces in the north, abandoning a large military base in the region in the process. During the spring and early summer months of November and December, nationalism rose in the areas of southern Argentina and particularly pointed at the impending Russian invasion from the north and the month of Layartebian occupation, which left scores dead. Unhappy with the mess left in the wake of the Layartebian occupation and the impending Russian invasion, the nationalists sought to declare outright independence but, lacking the weapons to defend themselves against the Russian forces to the north, they sought an eastern solution, the Falkland Islands, sovereign territory of the Empire.

Layartebian control of the Falkland Islands had created a large military unit throughout the island group, including tactical nuclear weapons, the primary objective of nationalist forces. Stationed on the island was an entire division of Layartebian Marines aboard the 10th Amphibious Assault Group, the same unit that had occupied Tierra del Fuego. Aside from this massive naval unit, the Falkland Islands were home to tactical fighters and fighter-bombers, medium-ranged bomber aircraft, and a small contingent of soldiers. In contrast, the Neuvo Rican nationalists possessed only a handful of aircraft, few naval vessels capable of withstanding modern naval warfare, and a decent sized army force. Completely outmatched by the Layartebian forces on the Falkland Islands, the Neuvo Ricans took to a short waiting game. To achieve this, Neuvo Rican nationalists sent small groups of soldiers north, to harrass and slow down the Russian advance in provinces, buying them additional time. With only about 90,000 soldiers in their entire inventory, the Neuvo Rican nationalists sought a time when the most important asset of the Falkland Islands' protection wouldn't be there, the navy. Despite having a better inventory than most rebel forces would have, they were no match for the technologically and numerically superior Layartebian forces. Their commanders, on the other hand, had tactics that the Layartebians had only brushed against in their years of fighting.

Their chance came in early January 2008, when the Layartebian 10th AARG permanently moved out of the Falklands to head north, to the Colony of Denmad in eastern Brazil, over 3,000 nautical miles away. The 10th AARG would move there in support of establishment operations in the colony as foreign investors and capital poured in and the Layartebian military sought to build up its presence there. This left the Falkland Islands defended by a small contingent of 228 aircraft of all types, a single air defense destroyer, several small patrol boats and submarines, and a single destroyer optimized for anti-surface warfare, as well as a battalion of men for the ILDF.

Due to January being a summer month in the Falkland Islands, the average temperature woulds 48°F with an average rainfall of 2.83 inches. The days were usually sunny with frequent sprinkles of rain. Winds were high, averaging 15 knots, and the temperatures generally stayed in the 40s and occassionally peaked into the 50s. There had been 66°F temperatures recorded but they were rare.

Layartebian Forces

All entries with the asterick (*) are top secret IC meaning that specifications on them are not public, performance is not public, their existence is not public, and knowledge of their existence may be deduced only to rumors and grainy photography taken by a lucky UFO nutso who may have gotten close enough to a secret airbase to actually get a shot off.

Order of Battle
Falkland Islands

Imperial Layartebian Air Force
Location: Mount Pleasant Airfield, East Falkland, Falkland Islands, Atlantic Republic
Elements: 19th Space Control Wing
Personnel: 100
Pilots: 12
Base Air Defenses: AADMS Site (1), APDS Units (4), Crow Air Defense Site (1), LAADS Units (4), Wizard MANPADs (20+)


1909th Space Control Squadron: RQ-4B Global Hawk (6)


Imperial Layartebian Defense Forces
Location: Port Stanley, East Falkland, Falkland Islands, Atlantic Republic
Elements: 18th Air Defense Wing, 6th Air Mobility Wing, 5th Coast Guard Group, 7th Coast Guard Wing, 5th Defense Force, 7th Maritime Defense Wing, 5th Maritime Patrol Group, 6th Space Wing, 6th Tactical Defense Wing
Infantry: 576
Personnel: 3,500 - 4,000
Pilots: 1,588
Sailors: 865
Base Air Defenses: APDS Units (3), LAADS Units (3), Wizard MANPADs (20+)


1801st Air Defense Squadron: F-46A Enforcer (12), EF-46B Enforcer (4)
1802nd Air Defense Squadron: B-10A Badger (6), EB-10B Badger (2)
1803rd Air Defense Squadron: F-41B Defender* (16)
1804th Air Defense Squadron: F-26A Typhoon (16)
1805th Air Defense Squadron: F-35A Raven (16)
601st Air Mobility Squadron: C-130J Super Hercules (8)
602nd Air Mobility Squadron: KC-130J Super Hercules (2)
603rd Air Mobility Squadron: KC-10B Extender (2)
604th Air Mobility Squadron: UV-24D Bulldog (8)
705th Coast Guard Squadron: HC-130J Super Hercules (6)
706th Coast Guard Squadron: HH-60J Jay Hawk (12)
707th Coast Guard Squadron: HH-92E Super Hawk (12)
708th Coast Guard Squadron: HU-21E Learjet (6)
701st Maritime Defense Squadron: MH-60R Sea Hawk (16)
702nd Maritime Defense Squadron: P-7A LRAACA (4)
703rd Maritime Defense Squadron: P-8A Poseidon (4)
601st Space Squadron: E-9A AWACS (2)
602nd Space Squadron: E-10A MC2A (2)
603rd Space Squadron: EP-8B Excalibur (2), RQ-17A Barracuda (4)
604th Space Squadron: MQ-1B Predator (4), MQ-9A Reaper (4)
605th Space Squadron: MQ-14A Firefly (8), MQ-15A Zweihänder (8)
606th Space Squadron: RQ-4A Global Hawk (6)
607th Space Squadron: MQ-8C Fire Scout (12)
608th Space Squadron: WC-130J Super Hercules (2)
605th Tactical Defense Squadron: MH-60G Pave Hawk (6)
606th Tactical Defense Squadron: MH-100A Explorer (6)
607th Tactical Defense Squadron: AH-99A Anasazi (6)
608th Tactical Defense Squadron: RAH-70A Arapaho (4)



5th Coast Guard Group: El Hierro Class (2), Fuerte Ventura Class (2), HH-92E Super Hawk (2), La Gomera Class (1), La Palma Class (1), Tenerife Class (1)
5th Maritime Patrol Group: Avenger Class (1), Barracuda Class* (2), Dnalkrad Flight II Class (1), Druid Flight I Class (2), Eel Class* (2), Leopard Flight II Class (1), Loke Class* (1), MH-60R Sea Hawk (1), MQ-8C Fire Scout (2), SH-102A Sky Lord (1), Verrazano Flight II Class (1)



Infantry (Enlisted): 525
Infantry (Headquarters): 14
Infantry (Officers): 51
Reserves: 200


Imperial Layartebian Navy
Location: Port Stanley, East Falkland, Falkland Islands, Atlantic Republic
Elements: 6th Fleet, 6th Carrier Strike Group
Infantry: 0
Personnel: 4,875
Pilots: 352
Base Air Defenses: APDS Units (4), LAADS Units (4), Wizard MANPADs (20+)


Dnalkrad Flight II FFGN: 1
Emperor ASN: 1
Hampton AON: 1
Heretic FFGN: 2
Indefatigable Flight II DDGN: 1
Mexia Flight V BCGN: 1
Supply AOE: 1
Unforgiven CGN: 1
Verrazano Flight II DDKN: 1
Virginia Flight II SSN: 1
Ynoga CVLN: 1



AH-99B Anasazi: 6
F-35B Raven: 8
MH-60R Sea Hawk: 13
MH-60S Knight Hawk: 3
MQ-8C Fire Scout: 18
UH-92A Super Hawk: 1


Nationalist Forces

90,000 soldiers = total force size

Air Defense & SSMs
Avenger SAM
48x Exocet coastal batteries with 384 MM.40 Exocet missiles
M6 Bradley Linebacker
M163A2 Vulcan ADS
SLAMRAAM (AIM-120 on HMMWV)

Aircraft
12x A-10N Thunderbolt II
4x AC-130U Spooky
36x AH-1Z Super Cobra
36x AH-64D Apache Longbow
4x B-1N Lancer
4x B-2N Spirit
12x B-52H Stratofortress
8x C-5B Galaxy
12x C-17A Globemaster III
24x C-130J Super Hercules
12x CH-47F Chinook
36x CH-53E Super Stallion
3x E-3 Sentry
3x E-8 J/STARS
12x EF-111N Raven
36x F-15C Eagle
36x F-15E Strike Eagle
48x F-16C Blk 52 Falcon
48x F-16N Falcon
24x F/A-18C Hornet
24x F/A-18E Super Hornet
12x F-22C Raptor
24x F-35C JSF
12x F-35N JSF
12x F-111M Aardvark
4x KC-10A Extender
12x MH-60K Black Hawk
24x OH-58D Kiowa Warrior
3x P-3C Orion
36x RAH-66N Commanche
24x SH-60F Sea Hawk
48x UH-1N Huey
48x UH-60L Black Hawk

Ships
2x Archangel Class DDGN
2x Hades Class SSN
2x Shield Class SSK
1x Supply Class AOE
2x Ticonderoga Class CG
2x Twin Towers Flight II Class FFGN
1x Ynoga Class CVLN

Vehicles
Challenger II
FV510 Warrior
M1A2 Abrams
M2A3 Bradley IFV
M109A6 Paladin
M113A3 APC
Stryker

Rio Grande, Tierra del Feugo, San Florence's Hospital/Neuvo Rican Imperial Army Head Quarters

Sitting behind his desk, in hospital administrator's office at the San Florence's Hospital, Generalissimos Martinez was judging the man who just entered the room with his gaze. The man was pale, with mild complexion, he wore a black suit and carried a brown leather briefcase. Yet Martinez could sense it the man in front of him was confident in himself enough to not look distracted after witnessing the horrors that were going on in the streets below. Finally Martinez leaned forward and began to speak with his visitor.

"My friends told me you were a serious man, I trust my friends, how may I call you then?"

"You may call me Mr. Parker, sir."

"That will do, Mr. Parker, please sit down and let us talk business."

The man who claimed his name was Parker set down on the chair opposite Martinez. He immediately put his briefcase on the table and opened the latches that secured the top part. Out of the case came a dark brown, plastic folder, he tossed it on the table right in front of Martinez.

"Please sir, review the contents of this documents, you will find them most interesting. A man of great intelligence such as yourself will be able to make great use of this information."

Martinez flipped through the stack of papers neatly placed inside the folder. He raised his eyes towards his visitor.

"Who are you working for?"

"No one that wishes their involvement in this to be discovered, sir. I am sure you can understand the position of my clients. If where is no questions relating to the contents of the documents I have presented to you I will have to ask you to excuse me, I have to leave."

Parker started getting up from his chair and grabbed his briefcase, looking at Martinez the whole time. The General was puzzled but only for a second, he looked at his visitor one more time then Parker was already half way through the door.

"I thank you Mr. Parker, and your clients, for this will change the fate of my people."

Parker turned his head slightly towards Martinez and grinned.

"Indeed it shall, best of luck to your cause."

Parker disappeared through the doorway. Martinez took out a cigar from a desk drawer and lit it up, he got up from his desk and went towards the window. He opened it and let the fresh air come into the room. The sun was shining brightly on yet another cold morning in Tierra del Feugo, the wind was howling as loud as ever as if it was attempting to cover up the screams of those on the streets. Martinez followed Parker with his eyes as the man walked to a Jeep that took him down the road towards the gate. Martinez took a drag from his cigar and released the smoke into the wind, he had many questions, questions a man in his desperate situation could not afford. He was given the tools to accomplish his goal, nothing else should have mattered, but it did. He went back to his desk and picked up the documents from the folder. There were satellite pictures of missile sites, description of where those missiles were located, how many there were and their nuclear yield. There were also photos taken from a plane, photos of ships and a naval base and a flag that of the Layartebian Empire. Martinez picked up his phone.

"Hernandez and Moreno, in my office, now."

------------------------------------------

Russian Federation Global News

English Language Edition

Special Report

Horrors of Tierra del Feugo

It has been too long since this cold, barren wasteland last saw peace and stability, so long in fact that non of the local residents remember the last time they felt safe in their own land. The sad part is that only a few months ago it seemed that hope was returning to Tierra del Feugo, yet now it is once again gone. Both the Federation and the Empire suddenly lost interest in the region in September, the refugee camps that were home to hundreds of thousand of those escaping the war up North were now largely abandoned. The Layartebians withdrew their Marines to home bases, the Federation withdrew its peace keepers for combat duty as aid to its larger force in the north of the country. After they left chaos erupted almost immediately. Being pressed on by Federate troops many bands of rebels moved down south attempting to regroup so they may better counter the Federation's advance, the majority of these bands are lead by men who can be described only as merciless warlords, many of them claim that the refugees who asked the Federation and the Empire for help are traitors of the formerly great Neuvo Rican Empire and are fit for nothing else but ruthless execution. There is a genocide going on in Tierra del Feugo and the world is indifferent to it. The Federation military spokesman had this to say on the topic: "We realize that the South of the country is destabilized, but we can not afford to charge in ahead without first clearing the areas leading up to Tierra del Feugo of insurgency. This tactic is working very effectively, we have already secured and completely stabilized a large portion of the country. We intend to proceed as we have in the past in these situations, these rebels are like an infection and we must cleanse this nation with hot steel, part by part, before we begin to heal its wounds." These words are no relief to those who suffer in this cold, heartless land of sorrow and sadness.

------------------------------------------------

Rio Grande, Tierra del Feugo

Neuvo Rican Imperial Army's (NRIA) troops were moving, they were loading on to their ships, all that remained from once great navy, set to sea for the first time since the collapse of the government they were transported and stored on land to hide them from Empire's enemies. But today was the day when once again they would sail the sea to war and glory, the Neuvo Rican flag flew proudly hanging on from their masts. NRIA was going in with everything it had for it was truly its last stand, the last effort to set things right and force the Fate's hand towards a future that they deserved. A wave of static came in through everyone's radio and then Generalissimos Martinez spoke to his men:

"Friends, brothers, countrymen the day we have all been waiting for has come. This day will be remembered in history as the grandest victory over evil man has ever known! The bear and vulture think that they can decide our fate, they think that they can make us forget our heritage, our birthright! Well after today they shall know that the Neuvo Rican people can not be broken, can not be assimilated and can not be made to forget the pride and glory that is in their blood. WE WILL OVERCOME!!! From the vulture we shall take its claws and with them defeat the bear! God is with us my brothers, so who can oppose us! FOR NEUVO RICA!"

"FOR NEUVO RICA!" replied the thousands of soldiers. The fleet began to move east, their destination, the Falkland Islands there the vulture made its nest.

---------------------------------

Forty minutes later, 2nd Neuvo Rican Eagles Fighter Squadron, ~170 kilometers west of Port Stanley, East Falkland

"Target is in range, I repeat target is in range"

A squadron made up of four F-22 and eight F-35 fighters were keeping close to the water in hope to avoid detection. As the squadron leader's message came through their intercoms they quickly started gaining altitude. They rose up to the skies and stopped climbing, they were now ready to fulfill their purpose.

"Arm you missiles." squadron leader spoke again, he waited a few seconds for the reply from his subordinates.

"Missiles armed."

"Fire when ready, for Neuvo Rica!"

Almost simultaneously the 12 pilots firmly squeezed their triggers. Twelve Exocet anti-shipping missiles sped off towards the Layartebian fleet.

Port Stanley was quiet. Few other words could describe the capital and largest city of the Falkland Islands, which was part of the Atlantic Republic. Sitting in port were elements of the 6th Carrier Strike Group as well as a few vessels from the ILDF. Out to sea were both Dnalkrad air defense frigates, one Verrazano anti-submarine destroyer, several submarines, and a few Druid patrol boats. Air patrol was limited as well. The Ministry of Intelligence had been carefully watching the situation in southern Argentina but had yet to deem it threatening to the Falkland Islands. No heightened state of alert existed on the Falkland Islands when the first anti-ship missiles started speeding towards Port Stanley and north of it.

The two Dnalkrads were stationed north of Cape Dolphin, to the north of the island group and the other to the south of Fox Bay East, towards the south of the island group. Both of them were sophisticated and highly capable frigates tasked primarily with air defense. They could; however, provide limited surface defense against ships and submarines, based on its loadout. Usually, the frigate's 144 VLS cells were equipped with 44 RIM-188F Crow anti-ballistic missiles, 56 RIM-188E Crow long-range surface-to-air missiles, 132 RIM-162E ESSM medium-range surface-to-air missiles, and 44 RIM-162F ESSM long-range surface-to-air missiles. She also carried a pair of Phalanx III CIWS units and two RAM mounts with 42 RIM-116C Rolling Airframe point-defense missiles. She was equipped with a single 5" ETC cannon and several heavy machine guns and her crew had a number of shoulder-launchers with missiles for point defense. Rarely were these elements used as the Dnalkrad was meant to defend threats at medium to long range, almost always over the horizon. This was capable because of her extremely powerful sensor suite, which was always active while she was outside of port.

Capable of detecting targets as far away as 800 nautical miles, the AN/SPY-4 AODSSS, codenamed AEGIS IV after its predecessor, the AN/SPY-1, was fine tuned to detect both incoming missiles and aircraft. However, they never detected a wave of 12 enemy fighter aircraft just 100 nautical miles away partly due to their flying altitude and stealth features but also due to several technical errors on board the ship protecting the western half. The vessel, which was 48 nautical miles north of Cape Dolphin was the primary defense to the west and the north while the other covered the south and east. In conjunction with land-based radar, the two ships could provide a sphere around the Falkland Islands to defend it. Somehow though, it didn't detect this.

The MM.40 Exocet missiles travelled subsonically towards Port Stanley at 700 mph and at 6 feet off the surface of the water, close enough to hide from a significant portion of the Dnalkrad's defenses. However, they wouldn't get too far without being noticed. With a flight time of nine and a half minutes, the missiles were spending a long time in the air, long enough to get noticed and they were, as they closed to within 50 nautical miles of the Dnalkrad. "VAMPIRES! VAMPIRES! VAMPIRES! Coming in from the west! Low altitude, subsonic! Ten of them!" One of the panel operators on board the vessel yelled as his radar screen suddenly showed ten inbound tracks from the west. "Range! 5-0 nautical miles. Speed 612 knots! Altitude sea-skimming!" He yelled again as the radio call echoed throughout the vessel and throughout the Falkland Islands as the commanders at Port Stanley listened in to all communications. In the background, the general quarters klaxon barked as the Dnalkrad came about and sprang to action. Presumably, the target was unknown based on the trajectory of the missiles but the crew aboard the Dnalkrad guessed their target to be Port Stanley.

Immediately, the AODSSS system sprang to action and locked onto the ten inbounds. They were almost within range of the medium-range ESSM and the system immediately categorized them as Exocet missiles, with a 98% probability. This was loaded into the missile computer's and the tracking system and the missiles were, instead of being fired in automatic mode, would be slaved to command guidance. The AODSSS would automatically guide them to their targets. The ship roared as five VLS hatches opened randomly throughout the vessel. The missile loads were staggered, to allow multiple firings at once without cause for collision and the system automatically launched the missiles accordingly. Twenty missiles took off from the VLS systems of the Dnalkrad and sped towards their targets, two missiles per target. Fighter aircraft on the tarmacs suddenly sprang to action throughout the island group as the Dnalkrad fired off its missiles. They would be in the air quickly. With the classification of the missiles, they knew it was not a nuclear threat but, without detecting the launch platform, they had no idea what was coming for them.

As the Sea Sparrow missiles sped towards their Exocet targets, the Dnalkrad crew continued to watch for other missiles and inbounds, failing to see two that were heading right for them. Moments after the ten Exocet missiles erupted into flames over the sea as the ESSMs intercepted them, a pair of missiles came into visual range on the Dnalkrad. It was too late and the first and only warning that they were there came from the lookout who suddenly saw them through his binoculars as they roared towards the vessel. "Holy shit! INBOUND! TWO VAMPIRES! PORT SIDE!" Seconds later, the missiles struck. The first one ripped into the hull of the vessel but failed to detonate, opting to spew flaming rocket fuel in its path instead. The second, on the other hand, did not fail to detonate. Its 360 pound warhead shook the Dnalkrad and ripped several compartments instantly to shreds as water began to flow into the vessel.

Distress calls went out as the Dnalkrad, now smoking from its ten by thirteen foot hole, began to list. Damage control went on immediately and the Dnalkrad was, essentially, offline. The additional coverage would now be tasked to airborne early warning craft flown from Mount Pleasant Airfield.

.:. bump .:.

NRIA 1st Naval Group, on approach to Falkland Islands

An hour an thirty minutes has passed since the initial air strike against the Layartabian fleet and there was still no response. The cold wind was chilling the Neuvo Ricans to the bones as they have assembled on the decks of their ships political officers bearing news of the successful first strike. The board was set, the pieces were moving, it was only a matter of time before the opponent would retaliate.

Rawson, Russian Federation 1st South American Front HQs

"It seems the Layartebians got their feathers burned comrade General."

"I can see that."

"Should we issue a response stating that it was not us?"

"Let the diplomats in Voronej worry about that, we have other issues. Your report does mention a large NRIA troop formation that is currently moving towards our established front line."

"That is correct, we have a pretty good idea of which sector they are trying to penetrate."

"Good, good, you know the procedure, draw them in, put 2nd and 4th divisions of the 3rd Gvardia in their way, army group 'Granit' can start attacking their flanks. Parachute 23rd VDV division into their rear and start closing in, take as much time as it takes and pound them with all the air support we have in the region. This is very good for us, after we annihilate these bastards we'll make it to Rio Gallegos without much further interference. You have your orders comrade Polkovnik (Colonel), carry them out."

"Yes, sir comrade General."

The strike against the Dnalkrad was devestating. The first missile tore through its hull but failed to detonate, spewing rocket fuel in its path, which ignited and caused many secondary fires. The second missile, on the other hand, did detonate, shaking the hull of the frigate as its explosive force buckled several compartments and blew a hole in the side of the ship twelve feet wide and almost ten feet high. The whole vessel shook when the missile exploded as it sent waves of explosive force throughout the vessel. Instantly, fourteen men were killed and twenty-three more were critically and seriously injured. Coast Guard Jay Hawks and Sea Lords had already made three trips to the listing and burning ship to evacuate the most critically wounded. Damage control parties worked to put out the fire and stop the flooding. It was a tough, uphill battle but they were working overtime adn their training was definitely helping them.

Overhead, an orbiting E-9A AWACS had been launched to fill the void in the Falkland's air defense coverage. Along with the orbiting AWACS, two flights of three F-26A Typhoons had been launched, armed with air to air missiles to provide top cover. One flight overflew the burning and listing frigate about an hour and a half after the incident and the pilots looked down at the wounded and crippled vessel. They banked to the west after the overflight. In the far distance, Neuvo Rican nationalist forces were preparing themselves for something entirely different. At the same time, the Layartebian forces on the Falkland Islands were getting ready for their own retaliation. A flight of three B-10A Badger medium bombers were preparing to take off to conduct a strike missile against the airbase that launched the hostile aircraft. Reconnaissance and satellite imagery had confirmed that the attack had come from the southern portion of Argentina, where Russian forces had yet to reach and where ultranationalist Neuvo Ricans prepared for a battle of large proportions.

The Badger bombers were just one component of a striking force. Inside each of their stealthy airframes, they carried an array of weaponry. Each bomber had three internal bays, two side ones rated for light air to ground or air to air stores and a main bay in the center, which housed a tactical rotary launcher. The three bombers would be carrying an identication loadout with two AGM-88F AARGM Block I missiles in their side bays. In their main bay, they carried six 2,000 pound JDAM II GPS guided bombs. Their main mission was to act as the striking force against the airbase. The rest of the package consisted of a single EB-10B Badger armed with a slew of electronic warfare equipment and nine AGM-88F AARGM Block I missiles, a flight of four F-35A Ravens armed with six AIM-221A LRAAAM and two AIM-204A Escape air to air missiles, and a flight of three F-46A Enforcers armed with two AIM-221A LRAAAM and two AIM-204A Escape air to air missiles and eight AGM-205A AMESM missiles. The flight package was arranged to attack in layers. The EB-10B Badger, which would provide electronic escort in the way of jamming and suppression of air defenses would arrive over the target a few minutes prior to the main strike package, which would be the B-10s. While the EB-10s located, jammed, and engaged air defense sites within range of the airbase, the main strike package of B-10s would arrive over the target and drop their ordinance. They too would carry anti-radiation missiles to engage and destroy any radars or emitting air defense units. Their main payload of 2,000 pound bombs would be used against the hangars, control tower, and runway intersections. Guided to within just a few feet of their aimpoint, the JDAM II bombs could penetrate hardened structures and crater the runway. Eighteen bombs would be enough to target out all of the hangars, the air control tower, and the runway. The Ravens would act in the air cover role, providing escort to and from the target. Lastly, the Enforcers were out there as a precautionary measure. Armed with AMESM missiles, they could bring their ordinance down on any type of target ranging from ships to structures. Electronic intelligence reported the possibility of shipping in the hands of ultranationalist forces, which meant that the AMESM missiles could be brought to bare against them, doing far more damage than the Exocet missiles ever could.

The strike package was also optimized for stealth. The Badgers were stealthy aircraft to begin with and though the EB-10s carried external pods, they were specifically manufactured to have a low cross section. The EB-10 wouldn't begin jamming until it was over the target, which would allow them to stay quiet for some time. The B-10s carried everything internally and would not bring their ordinance to bear until they too were over the target. The Ravens were carrying external munitions but they would be flying far enough away from the strike package to act as a sort of decoy. The Enforcers would maintain low-level flight, keeping them largely hidden from radar until they were on the horizon, putting the ships or other targets well within range of their AMESM missiles, which could strike as far away as two hundred miles.

When the package took to the skies to begin their strike against Neuvo Rican forces, they kept subsonic and moved up to medium altitude, above 20,000 feet. It wouldn't be long before they were over the target themselves and in Argentine airspace. Once they were, they would launch a pummelling strike against the ultranationalist forces. As they flew towards Argentina, in strict radio silence, the Falkland Islands command staff were reporting what happened to the Ministry of Defense.

NRIA 1st Naval Group, on approach to Falkland Islands

"Our enemy fears us brothers!!! That is why they can not gather up the spirit to respond to our first strike!!!"

The political officer aboard one of the lead ships was yelling at the top of his lungs to his troops trying to be heard over the sound of the falling rain. His last cry was followed promptly by a massive explosion coming from the left. The first Layartebian missile hit, the first Neuvo Rican ship began to sink. The alarm sounded off, the Naval Group was under attack.

"Everyone, get on the landing craft!"

One of the officers yelled through the intercom. The enemy could not be seen, the air cover was elsewhere. The soldiers ran as quickly as they could to the landing craft, the Neuvo Rican commanders never had much hope of their fleet making it to the Falklands, however the soldiers had a better chance of getting to their target on landing craft while the enemy took their time to destroy the surface fleet. Ships were sinking all around now as dozens of smaller boats packed with soldiers began quickly making their way towards the Falklands.

The air attack had been a brutal success. Reconnaissance showed that the Nationalist forces had taken hard and heavy hits, with ships sinking in port and fires burning at various other target sites. It would buy the Layartebians some time while the listing and badly damaged Dnalkrad was taken under tow and pulled to port for repairs. Though it was damaged by a pair of missiles, it was not going to sink. The impressive design of the ship, the experience of its trained personnel and damage control parties, and its closeness to the shore made sure that help could arrive fast and that the ship would survive. It was definitely out of commission and probably would be for months but it would not sink and its death toll would not continue to climb. That incident was now over. With AWACS in the air providing a blanket for search operations, there was a deadly calm over the Falkland Islands. All military forces had gone to high alert and the Marine group in Denmad was immediately put into motion though they were still over five days away. Five days was a long time, especially for the Falkland Islands, an outpost of the Empire that was cut off by the South Atlantic Ocean from any other territory in the Empire. The nearest place was the Colony of Denmad, over 3,000 nautical miles away. Even at high cruise speed that was still a five day trip.

What came next was something out of a badly scripted war movie. Nationalist forces had moved to landing craft and had already moved out of port. Moving fast, they made their way to the western coast of West Falkland Island, the lesser inhabited of the two. There were military forces there but not nearly as many as on the eastern island. A sizeable force could take a foothold on the island, secure it, and make life hell for Layartebian soldiers trying to take it back. When the landing craft finally reached the shore, they did so, under the cover of darkness, underneath radar, and before the soldiers could react. This was going to be a large failure for the Layartebians and the Nationalists knew it.