DT Variant - Eagles & Falcons - Target List (Pt1)

While taking the actual targets struck on 22 Sep 1980 as a start I also needed to look at other possibles.  The IRIAF Air Defence Command Radar network would be viable targets.

Tehran – Dosheh-Tappen, Tehran Province

Karadj, Alborz Province
Tabriz , East Azerbaijan Province
Baboolsar – Mashhadsar, Mazandaran Province
Mashhad , Razavi Khorasan Province
ShahrAbad, Razavi Khorasan Province
Dezful – Dehlooran, Khuzestan Province
Dezful – Abdanaan, Khuzestan Province
Hamadan – Soobashi, Hamadan Province
Bushehr – Bushehr Province
Isfahan – Isfahan Province
Bandar-e Abbas, Hormozgan Province
Bandar-e Jask, Hormozgan Province
Kish Island, Hormozgan Province
Chah-Bahar (Incomplete)
Lengeh Near Bandar-e Lengeh, Hormozgan Province
Taheri Near Bandar-e Taheri, Bushehr Province
Kohkilooyeh Near Behbahan, Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad Province
Kerend Near Ghasre Shirin, Kermanshah Province


Nakhjir,  Not mentioned in any of the above.  If so the name would indicate it possibly being located in Markazi Province.

Of all these they will comprise the following elements
They will comprise:
Technical Area
Administration Area
Radar Dome
A HAWK Battery
A RAPIER Battery
AAA Concentration

DT Variant - Bekaa Blues - Syrian Aircraft (Pt1)

The Syrian airforce at this time appears from my simple research to be mainly MiG-21 and MiG-23s.  I have the Osprey for the MiG-21 in Arab Service which has some good shots but have had to rely on help to put together something for the MiG-23.

I had four MiG-23 which had been undercoated for my Iran-Iraq project.  I had completed a range of MiG-21 and Su-2x series aircraft but hadn't progressed the MiG-23.  So downside is that need another set of MiG-23 to Join the Iraqi Airforce.

In the meantime the four have been pressed into service as Syrian fighters for some late 1970s - Early 1980s themed games.

Simple scheme

• White Undercoat
• Iraqui Sand topcoat
• FS 30219 (Vallejo 874)
• FS 34102 (Vallejo Panzer Aces 348)
• Wash with Agrax Earthshade
• Second coat on the Vallejo 874 and PA348)
• Canopies in GW Shadow Grey (which I still have plenty of)
• Nose cone
• Light Blue undersurfaces
• German Cam black brown for the Exhaust exterior
• Orange and Yellow on the afterburners/jet effect
• Varnish
• Doms Decals (36" Syrian Roundels)
• Homemade Syrian flash
• Varnish
• Dullcote

RHS View

 Jet Effect

 LHS View

Close Up

DT Variant - Bekaa Blues - Concept (Pt 5)

Apologies for these short notes.  It is an attempt to keep track of my thoughts over the next couple of weeks.

I mentioned earlier that Mole Cricket 3 appeared in some narratives.  I found this little snippet in the 69 Squadron History accessed via wikipedia today:

"Tensions over Lebanon flared once more in 1981, and on May 29, 1981, the squadron carried out Operation Mole 9, striking Libyan SA-9 batteries protecting PLO bases near Beirut."

I also came across this little nugget of information:
"69 Squadron participated with 13 Tadmit and four follow-up free-fall bombers sent against the Syrians. The former operated individually, targeting Syrian fire control centers and radars, in all engaging seven SAM batteries." 

The Tadmit is an EOGB and takes me back to individual aircraft operations which isn't helping the model count on a small table.  The article does seem to indicate that the free-fall bombers didn't operate individually but that needs to be tested.

DT Variant - Bekaa Blues - Concept (Pt 4)

So...

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3

Lead to the idea that I need a lot of models.  More research ie idle browsing lead me to an article in the IDF News which mentions 60 flights of aircraft being involved.  As Mole Cricket 19 also includes the attacks on the GCI later in the day I am not sure which element this refers to.  If I take the 60 to include EW and CAP flights as well then I think this needs to be broken down into playing each game as a wave to keep the model count down.

More to ponder. 

DT Variant - Bekaa Blues - Concept (Pt 3)

Painting and modelling on hold while I sort out some paint and more research.  I did a quick check and found the following on the whiteboard (which is where all my aircraft are stored when not actually being used during a game).

9 F-4E Painted with decals
4 Skyhawk Painted with decals
2 F-15A Painted with decals
4 Kfir C2 Painted but need decals

So taking the numbers from Part 2 and some narrative of four ship flights I am somewhat at a loss.  I have around 50+ aircraft attacking somewhere between 9 and 19 Targets. This means that the effort descended into two ship packages (say one package of each type per site).  So I either have 13 Targets to be hit (out of 19 possibles) which means I would need a shed load more aircraft! just for the first wave.  The second wave of another 40 aircraft worked over the targets to make sure everything was destroyed which equates to another 2 aircraft per site or another 20 models.  Maximum numbers then for this are:

13/9 F-4E
13/4 Kfir
10/4 A-4
10/0 Kfir

So I need
4 F4-E
19 Kfir
6 A-4

Or I break the aircraft up into a number of 2 and 4 ship flights.  The 4 ships basically are loaded for bear and can deal with a number of sites with a smaller number of 2 ships to go after each site and finish it off.  Seems reasonable.  The only saving this gives me is that I don't need anymore F-4E but still need plenty of Kfir and A-4s so doesn't save me a great deal.  Next option is to go half and half.

3 Four Ship F-4E
7 Two Ship F-4E
3 Four Ship Kfir
7 Four Ship Kfir
2 Four Ship A-4
1 Two ship A-4
2 Four Ship Kfir
1 Two ship Kfir

This cuts down the number of A-4 and Kfirs in the second wave but still has in excess of 26 aircraft over the table.  The benefit of any of this is that they don't need a raid flight path as they are all SEAD tasked aircraft so can fly however and wherever they need.

Still doesn't save me a great deal in number of models :( but the upside is that two packs of Kfirs (8 aircraft) is under £5.  The Air Superiority Eagles and Falcons reading the narrative were committed in flights of four which also helps to keep the model numbers down.

Just musing at the moment but as I have a good chunk painted already it isn't that onerous and if I keep the scheme simple on the Kfir (ie two tone) it wont take too long to get underway.  Just need February to get out of the way so I can spend the money (on more paint) ;)

DT Variant - Bekaa Blues - Concept (Pt2)

Following on from Part 1.  I found some useful information on Operation Drugstore which was the defence suppression mission flow in June 1982.  Not sure how MOLE CRICKET became DRUGSTORE or if one is the overarching name with sub elements. 

For now, however, it means that I have the start of some numbers to work with:

• 26 F-4EII Phantoms
• 26 Kfir C2
• 40+ A-4 Skyhawk & Kfir C2s
• Top cover from the F-15 and F-16 Squadrons

There is a need for new stats for the F-15 and F-16.  I think that the existing stats for the F-4EII, Skyhawk and Mirage can be adapted for the older airframes.

In terms of Syrian Targets we have a mix of SA-2, SA-3 and SA-6 batteries.  I find it strange to find there is no integration with AAA either fixed of SP mounts, but that means I can add those in as variants or random events add to the difficulty.

If I take the standpoint this is a "SAM Day" in game turns the MiGs didn't come up to play until the F-4E phantoms returned to work over the remains from the first two waves.  So I can play this out without having to worry about the A2A element just yet.

Model wise I need to check on the Kfir paint scheme.  Mine are in the later 2 tone grey scheme but I do have A-4 and F-4E already to go.  The F-16A will have to wait as I definitely don't have the lighter green sorted out yet.

More to follow as usual:)

DT Variant - Bekaa Blues - Concept (Pt 1)

With so many projects on the go my gaming is a bit haphazard.  After spending last night at my best mate's house where we played Spearpoint 1943 and MNB GW I ended up coming back to the idea of the Bekaa Valley variant for Downtown (sparked off by a discussion over my recent Vallejo paint additions from Minibits.

I had been involved in some discussion on 1983 era games with Dan Cyr a while ago however I think I had overdone the airplanes things and needed a break.  As a result it hasn't gone anywhere.

So...back to 1981 when the IAF first began planning a SEAD missions against Syrian positions in the Bekaa valley.  The mission was orginally called MOLE 3 which was the number of SAM batteries it was designed to counter. As the number of SAM Batteries increased so the name continued to change according to popular press.  It eventually became MOLE CRICKET 19.  A little ahead of ourselves here as in 1981 the orginal planning was called off due to bad weather.

For a gamer it means that I could base a couple of scenarios in 1981 to gauge the ideas needed etc before committing to the Large operation. 

Table size in all things is the limiter for most gamers.  I am no different and as a result of needing to keep the footprint down I have decided to drop to a 1 1/2" hex size.  This reduces the foot print no end.  To start with I want to try and keep the action in a 3' x 4' area (90cm x 120cm) which is my dining table.  This gives an airspace box of 96km x 128km (or 24 x 32 hexes).  If I turn it through 90 degrees it means that Damascus can be included and the southern edge becomes the Israel - Lebanon border..

So far so good.  Down to forces.  My Israeli airforce will need some additions for this as they are most 1973 or earlier.  My spares box yielded four F-15 Fighters, 3 Kfirs and 6 F-16 Falcons.  I have enought MiG-21 and MiG-23 from the IrAF that can be pressed into service while I am playing around.  Ground Targets can include PLO and Syrian Regular units which means that I can add the odd SA-7/14 as well as ZSU-23-4 from the Elusive Victory ruleset.  The SA-6 and SA-8 Batteries will need some new stats to be developed.  Also need to do some research on CSAR capability.

MNB:GW - Campaign Expansion

The Campaign expansion for Modern Naval Battles: Global Warfare arrived this morning from Spirit Games (who are my most go to supplier of wargaming goodness).

The card pack was the usual high standard from DVG with several new ships for existing fleets, a representation of the Indian Navy with some "interesting" stats; Additional targets both land and sea based; Strategy and Mission cards to create the scenarios and a new rules sheet.

We played a mission from the short campaign option to get a feel.  I took the JMSDF and Josh took the Indian Navy to give them a try out.  Resounding victory for the Indian navy.  They have a good range of ships with Cruise missile capability which destroyed the 3 land targets in succession.  I couldn't get ahead of the curve despite limiting his hand with a surprise attack in the first turn.

New Rules

• There is now a mechanism to limit the number of shots when launching high damage strikes with missiles and torpedoes.
• You are now limited on the number of defensive cards you may play in a turn.
• You can only buy ships or Strategy cards from your fleet during a turn.  New additions to your fleet come by deducting points from your VP total.
• Initiative in the campaign switches back and forth.
• Your Strategy cards come off your fleet total and your mission limit.
• You can buy new strategy cards using VPs but you cannot buy a replacement strategy card for one you have already played.
• Some missions limit the number of VPs on the table which probably affect your Fleet choice.

Game Play
The Game played like most standard missions.  The Viraat is a command vessel which added +1 card to Josh's hand.  He used Inspiration quite early on as well which gave him an additional three cards in the second turn.  The Indian ships have a good mix of SSM and Cruise Missile capability which was hard to stop as I forgot to enforce the Ordnance depletion roll.  He had brought on a Sub as well which I couldn't deal with.  The mission was about killing his missile shooters and protecting the targets than killing things for me which meant he could do some attrition as well.  I managed to get a larget bomber strike onto his fleet however screening ships moved two of the attacks onto one of his FFG which didn't disrupt his shooting.  I think in my last turn I had one ship active which I chose not to commit.  30-0 and Josh only needs 10 to win.  As we played the game using today's date his reinforcement options are limited and he has used some of his strategy cards up early so if we carried on I could probably scrape some points back, but as he scored maxmimum points early on it would be hard.

Lessons Identified (because we always fail to learn from them)

• Some of the Indian Navy ships have an evade capability which isn't to be scoffed at and makes them harder to kill. Don't think you have an easy kill.
• The Campaign rules need a thorough reading a couple of times before playing.
• The new defensive limitation can be a killer so be aware.
• Remember to use the Ordnance depletion rules

Modern Naval Battles: Global Warfare in Miniature

Modern Naval Battles: Global Warfare is a card based naval combat game from DVG.  It is fantastic.  So good that I have both the ship expansion and the Campaign module and we have played on a regular basis at home.

The youngest is a keen gamer and has helped out in a lot of games and has come up with some good ideas himself.  He wanted to play MNB with models and I had seen someone else take the idea forward as a starter.  Okay what did that mean.  The fleets themselves do lend themselves to miniatures play.  There is some fantastic work out there with 1/700th ships which picqued the interest.  This MNB:GW 1/700th Game Report is an excellent example of the larger scale.  My budget and eyesight however don't go that big so we have downscaled somewhat to use NAVWAR 1/3000th scale ships together with 1/600th scale airpower (and possibly missiles).

We haven't decided on playing surface as the idea is to introduce some concept of movement into the game which seems to be possible (thinking here of a straight double the range indicators and use a hex system)  and then allow ships to move 2 hexes per turn.  This might allow the land based targets and amphibious warfare ships to have some context.  But to start with this will be RAW.  I think we might use the "Passive" defense option to locate a submarine in the opponents half of the table though which does seem to be a viable option.

Anyway early days.  Our starter pack has about a dozen or so ships in an eclectic mix.  US CVN, JMSDF DDG, Krivak III FFG, OH Perrys, Knox Frigates, French Lafayette etc.  The idea is for a small outlay we can gauge the size of the table/model to get a general feel for what may or may not work.  Current thinking is 4" hexes and a 3' x 3' board which is plenty of sea room.  Another one of those lets see how this develops.

Photos etc to follow and more updates once the metal arrives.

Great War - 1916+ Brits & Shell Holes

I have been toying with an idea to spread out the lead a little while waiting for 1/600th aircraft to dry.  This was prompted by comments about my "tidy" bases when I first ventured onto the Western Front.  I have played with Barbed wire and posts etc but these are the first I have done with Shell Holes.  There are two flavours.  The first is a simple 30 x 30 base to swop one for one into each 4 stand battalion of British.  This then provides a 3 figure base as reinforcements to the next division in the Corps.  Corps oh well that will be more artillery oh well.........

The second flavour is to act as casualty markers.  I currently use single figure bases but thought about trying something else.  I copied the idea from a fellow gamer who uses 15mm and came up with the concept of shell holes and casualty figures.  I didn't have any casualty figures per se so thought about combining live figures.  The idea is that you just count the shell holes and that tells you how many casualty figures.

Took a little more time than single figures but I am content with the look of these.  (The photos have a mix of flash on and flash off.  I am struggling with my old Samsung digi at the moment and couldn't get the contract right to show the depressions)

DT Variant - Eagles - Background (Pt 3)

23 Sep 80

• IRIAF launches Operation Kaman 99 with 140 F-4E aircraft in 3 waves against 15 Targets supported by approximately 20 F-5?
• Al-Dadjil
• Al-Hurriya
• U/I Number of F-5E but 3 reported lost
• Mousel/Mosul/Mosel
• 18 F-5E from Tabriz
• ? 48 F-5E from Tabriz strike Mosul airbase
• Shaibah/Shoibiyah/Shoaibah
• U/I Iranian aircraft strike Shaibah
• al-Rashid
• attacked by approx 12 F-4E from Hamedan
• 8 F-4E from Tehran conduct second strike
• al-Habbaniyah
• Part of 28 F-4E From Hamedan
• al-Kut airbase
• Part of 28 F-4E From Hamedan
• Nasiriyah/Nasseriyah
• 40 F-5E from ?
• Tallil
• Um ol-Qassr
• Tanumah Bridge
• F-5E from Dezful and Omidyeh
• Basrah Oil Refinery
• F-5E from Dezful and Omidyeh
• Al-Bakr
• 60 F-14A provide Air Defence of Iranian air space
• Undefined MiG-21R with MiG-23 escort intercepted by a Pair of F-14A
• IrAF Early morning raids including Tu-22B
• Ahwaz
• Dezful
• Sanandaj
• Hamedan
• Tabriz
• Esfahan
• Bushehr
• Nakhjir Radar Station
• 12 Aircraft

DT - Variant - Eagles - Background (Pt 2)

Chronology - Major Days

The IrAF initial attacks were spread across a number of Iranian regions.  I have now broken them down into rough areas in order to possibly playout each region (providing it offers some variety in doing so).

• 22 Sep 80.  The Iraqi Airforce attacks 8 airbases, 5 airports and 4 army locations. Attacks comprise 192 aircraft (one source states that 50% of these sorties were MiG-23BN), the second wave comprised approximately 60 aircraft:
• West Azerbaijan Province
• Urmia/Uromiyeh/Orumiyeh
• 1330hrs 5 MiG-21 attack the barracks and Landing Strip at Oumiyeh
• 1350hrs Second formation attack on the barracks
• Piranshahr
• U/I Attack

• East Azerbaijan Province
• Tabriz (TFB.2) – Defences include RAPIER AAGW
• 1^st Wave 1353hrs 8 Hunters attack TFB.2 and airport
• 2^nd Wave 6 Su-20 & 2+ MiG-21 Intercepted by 2 F-5E
• Tabriz Radar Station
• U/I
• Tabriz Refinery
• U/I
• Tabriz Thermal Power Plant
• U/I
• Kermanshah Province
• Kermanshah Airport
• 1^st Wave 1415hrs 5+ aircraft attacked for 20 minutes
• 2^nd Wave attack reported
• Bakhtaran/Kermanshah (reported as being 1^st Corps HQ location)
• 1^st Wave 1415hrs 5+ Fighter Bombers attack Kermanshah airport
• Qassre-Shirin area
• U/I Attack
• 2^nd Wave attack reported

• Illam Province
• Tu-16 reported as being shot down near Sar-e-pol-e-Zahab (Ilam) on route
• Illam reported as 2nd wave target but no details

• Hamedan Province
• Nojeh (Hamedan) (TFB.3)
• 1^st Wave 1345hrs Main package attacks Su-20 and MiG-21 reported
• 2^nd Wave 4 MiG-23BN and 2 Unspecified Sukhoi Attack both Nojeh and Hamedan Airport. 2^nd Wave reports mentioned 3 MiG-23 attacking Nojeh
• Hamedan civil airport
• 1^st Wave 1345hrs 4 U/I attack
• Assad-Abad Satellite Communications Station. (Intercepted by IRIAF fighters)

• Khuzestan Province
• Abadan Refinery
• Section of Su-20 aircraft attack refinery
• Ahwaz International Air Port
• 1^st Wave 1345 4 Su-20 attack (Rockets and Iron Bombs)
• 2^nd Wave 1440hrs 2 Su-7
• Ahwaz Radar Station
• 1^st Wave 1350hrs Radar Station
• Abadan City, Airport, Jetties, refinery, Oil Pumping station
• U/I Attacks
• Ahvaz (not reported as operational air base in 1980, possibly means the al-Jufair barracks or typo for Ahwaz but if so then this MiG-23 attack is not referenced elsewhere)
• 6 MiG-23 attack
• Aghajari dispersal
• U/I Attacks
• Bandar-e Mahshahr
• 4 Su-20 are intecepted by 2 F-4E from Bushehr.
• Dezful (TFB.4)
• 1^st Wave 1400hrs attacked twice at short intervals
• 2^nd Wave (1440hrs?) reported that 2 sections of 2 Su-20 attacked Dezful
• Kerendi EWR Station
• 1 Tu-22B attacks Khoramshahr and Port Installations
• U/I Attacks
• Omidiyeh AB
• 1^st Wave (1440hrs?) 2 sections of 2 aircraft attack
• 2^nd Wave 1500hrs 2 sections of UI aircraft
• Masjed Soleiman
• 1515hrs UI Large Attack Force attack the Helicopter base
• 
  
• Bushehr Province
• Bushehr
• 1^st Wave 1400hrs conducted by MiG-23BN.
• Evening Raid by MiG-23BN reported as last attack of the day
• Bushehr Naval Facilities
• Raid on naval facilities simultaneous with 1^st Wave attack
• Evening Raid attacks
• 4 Su-20 intercepted by 2 F-4E from Bushehr (3 Su-20 reported as lost)
• Tehran Province
• Doshen-Tappen/Doshen Tapeh/Doshan Tappeh
• 1^st Wave attack Target
• Merhabad (Tehran) (TFB.1)
• 1^st Wave 1420hrs 2 flights of 3 MiG-23 Attack (At least 2 MiG-23BN reported as being present and reported that only one flight reached the target).
• 2^nd Wave – 4 MiG-23BN and 2 Unspecified Sukhoi Attack at 1500
• Merhabad Fuel Depot (not sure if this is at TFB.1)
• 1 Tu-22B attacks

• Esfahan Province
• Isfahan/Esfahan/Khatami
• U/I Attacks
• Tu-16 reported as being shot down near Sar-e-pol-e-Zahab (Ilam) on route to this target

• Kordestan Province
• Sanandaj Airport
• U/I attack

• Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari Province
• Shahre-Kurd Sugar Factory
• 1420hrs Single U/I Bomber dropping 12 Bombs

• Target Locations not yet identified
• Khosro-Abad Barracks
• 1^st Wave 1400hrs 4+ Su-20
• Nakhjir EWR
• U/I Attack
• Islamabad West
• U/I Attacks
• 2^nd Wave attack reported

IRIAF Counter Attacks

• TFB.6
• 2 F-4E attack Um-ol-Qassr, 20 minutes later overflight by RF-4E.
• 2 F-4E attack Baghdad
• 2 F-4E attack naval force approaching Bushehr
• 1600 – 1800hrs 60 F-4 and F-5 aircraft reported as launching additional counter attacks
• Al-Rashid Air base – 31^st TFW tasked F-4E
• Kut Air Base
• Basrah airport
• Khaled-Ibn-Walid Bridge
• Ground attack units
• Zubair Petrochemical plant attacked
• Shaibah/Shoibiyah/Shoaibah Air Base 4 F-4E from Bushehr late afternoon
• Additional 20 F-5? Provide ground support

---

[i] Cooper/Bishop P72

DT Variant - Eagles - Background (Pt 4)

24 Sep 80

• IrAF
• 4 MiG-21 and 4 Su-22 are engaged by F-14A in the area of Dezful airbase
• 3 MIG-23BN attack Khark Island (subsequently shot down by F-14A)
• IRIAF
• 2 flights of 2 F-4 (6000lb bomb load) in two waves targets near Kut
• U/I Iranian aircraft strike Shaibah

25 Sep 80

• IrAF
• Tu-22B attacks against Tehran
• IRIAF
• a large raid was conducted by the IRIAF (20 F-4E reported) on the two Iraqi airbases at Tahmmouz/al-Habbinayah and al-Taqqadum. The striking Phantoms attacked in two waves 10 minutes apart. Reported that at least 12 MiG-21MF and MiG-23MS engaged the strike on egress).
• The al-Taqqadum strike comprised wave 1 of 5 F-4D and 3 F-4E and the second wave comprised 8 F-4 (undisclosed marks but assumed to be F-4E)
• 0500hrs two strikes one against al-Hurriya and the second against Ar Qayyarah
• ?hrs 8 F-4E and 1 RF-4E attack Al-Rashid

26 Sep 80

• IrAF
• 2 IL-28 Attack Panjwin
• IRIAF
• 2 F-4E attack ? Iraqi Airbase
• 3 F-4E from TFB.6 attack Bridge near Basrah with AGM-65

28 Sep 80

• IrAF
• Tu-22B attack Tehran

30 Sep 80

• IRIAF
• attacks on Baghdad and the Osirak Nuclear Reactor
• 2 F-4E are reported to have attacked the Osirak Reactor as part of a larger raid on conventional power stations in the area of Baghdad

3 Oct 80

• IrAF
• 2 Tu-22B attack Tehran (Rey Oil Refinery and Mehrabad Airport)
• 2 Tu-16 attack Mehran and are intercepted by 2 F-4E Scrambled from ?
• 2 MiG-21 on a hit and run attack are intercepted by F-4D (Mentioned in Osprey Arab MiG-19 and MiG-21 book but not on the ACIG.ORG database)
• IRIAF
• 30 Phantoms raid eight different targets in Iraq, including airfields and oil terminals near Basrah.
• 4 airfields
• 2 deep-sea oil terminals near the port of Faw

4 Oct 80

• IRIAF
• 2 F-4D with LGB attack Buzaragan oil pumping station

6 Oct 80

• IrAF
• 3 Tu-22B supported by ? MiG-23BN attack Mehrabad

12 Oct 80

• IrAF
• 2 Tu-16 attack Tehran intercepted by F-4E
• IRIAF
• 2 F-4D attack Tammouz/Al-Habbinayah Air Base
• RF-4E photo recon run over Baghdad

16 Oct 80

• IRIAF
• 2 F-4D escorted by 2 F-14A and Tanker support attack Tammouz/Al Habbiniyah

21 Oct 80

• IrAF
• 2 Tu-22B attack Karaj EWR near Tehran

25 Oct 80

• IrAF
• 4 IrAFi Su-22 intercepted by 2 x F-14A over Abadan

26 Oct 80

• IrAF
• 2 MiG-21MF and 2 MiG-23BN attack Abadan (0910hrs ?)

29 Oct 80

• IrAF
• Tu-22B heading towards the Iranian holy city of Qom or Esfahan intercepted by 2 F-14A (TFB.8)
• Tu-22B City of Qom bomb the Shahin-Shahr thermal powerplant
• IRIAF
• On 29 October, 1980, a complex raid on the al-Hurriyah airbase north of Mosul. Carried out to destroy a major part of the IrAFi Mirage fleet. The raiders (Sultan 1-10) approached from the north (rather than from the east, the most direct approach to the airbase from Iran), skirting several SAM sites and CAP MiG-21s in the process. To approach from this direction, the Iranian raiders required re-fueling tankers to accompany them on the raid. Two were assigned to this raid, and were escorted by two F-14As, one of which has 3 x AIM-7E-2 Sparrow and 2 x AIM-54, the other has 4 x AIM-9J. The raiders, consisting of six F-4Es armed only with 12 Mk-82 bombs each, were to bomb the airbase, then rendezvous with the tankers and then head back to Iran. As the raid was underway, two flights of two patrolling IrAFi MiG-23s happened to be flying towards the raiders. The F-14s left the tankers and took off after the MiGs, hoping to intercept them before they encountered the F-4s.

28 Nov 80

30 Nov 80

• IRIAF
• On November 30, 1980, a single IRIAF RF-4E - escorted by two F-4Es armed with air-to-air missiles - took off from TFB.3 to take pictures of Tuwaitha. The F-4Es entered Iraqi airspace first, drawing the attention of the Iraqi defenders away from the sole RF-4E. The recon-Phantom approached to the south of the target at low level, then turned back towards the east and made a single pass over the Osirak reactors while being fired at by several Iraqi AAA and SAM sites. Once out of the target area, the two F-4Es joined up again and escorted the RF-4E safely out of Iraq.

7 Jan 81

• IrAF
• 4 MiG-23BN interdiction raid near Ahwaz intercepted by a pair of F-14A

4 Apr 81

• IRIAF 6 F-4E and 2 F-4D attack 3 airfields making up the H-3 Complex support by two F-14A, two 707-2J9C tankers, one C-130H COMINT and two F-5E (TFB.2)

6 Apr 81

• IRIAF Attack on Haj Sen Airbase
• Tu-22 Bombers reported to be target

25 Apr 81

• IRIAF
• F-4E from TFB.3 Hamadan attack Shaibah. MiG-21MF CAP is reported as being present

AIRCRAFT LOADOUTS

22/23 Sep 80

F-14A 2 Phoenix, 2 Sparrow, 2 Sidewinder

F-4E attack al Rashid AB 2 Sparrows and 6 GP Bombs

F-4E attack al Rashid AB 2 Sparrows, 2 Sidewinders, 6 GP Bomb (Lead aircraft of each pair)