Boston & Jane Dyer
12 March 14
Shattered Steel Headquarters
12 March 14
Shattered Steel Headquarters
"The AWACS will be remaining overhead for directing and aiding our operations and those of any other friendlies in the area. It won't be going forward to carry out the recon mission. But yes; I did have an eye on your two aircraft for that particular part of the operation. Obviously, we'll adjust accordingly once we're on station. But it seems like the most obvious choice, given both airplanes' particular features. We do have options though, given the aircraft we have at our disposal in the squadron.”
Boston nodded with some semblance of understanding. Yeah, they’d be the loitering one, probably with most hardpoints dedicated to drop tanks, sensors, and a handful of AIMs, and considering how big of a radar signature there’d be he expected they’d be the bait, too. The other aircraft could be a silent shooter, sure, and that gave him some comfort, but if they were using that plane for observation too…yeah, they wouldn’t be silent. He swallowed, continuing to listen to the Lt Col. The other bits and pieces were interesting, and good to know - especially the point about the weather - but was generally things to be expected. Boston was somewhat surprised by the fact that the transports would be taking off first, all things considered. If they got hit, there’d be a bad time and a half.
Jane sighed, long and deep. Yeah, the weather would be hell on their flight paths and even potentially on their radar picture. She knew they’d be taking pods, both for sensors and a jammer, but radar ducting would be a pain. Likewise, the woman was less excited about the prospects for flying patrol paths. Freight Train was fast and heavy, the turns would be annoying, and any patrol path could eventually be predicted by an enemy. Given enough time, the raiders could put together a good enough picture to fire on them even beyond their normal radar ranges, and with the potential hazards of the weather that could be more of a problem than normal. She leaned over a little, talking low.
“We’ll need an 184 and some buddies, y’know.”
He turned his head slightly, cocking his head back. An ECM pod and Little Buddies, ALE-50 towed decoys, that’s what she meant. “Probably, yeah. And some other stuff. We’ll see what they make us take and plan from there, though. Not the normal type of strike mission, I think.”
“Well, yeah. It’s Malta. Med’s always not been normal.”
“I hate it too, hun.”
"That goes for the rest of you, too. Be on the flight line at thirteen-hundred. Grab some chow, pack your gear, and I'll see you there. Dismissed!"
He stayed leaned over, seated while the others left. “I’ll order delivery on the way there, you want Mickey D's or Panda?”
“Panda. Definitely Panda.”
“I’ll pay.”
“Yeah, yeah. What’s today? They have what…tenders and fries for lunch at the mess?”
“Hamsters. It’s hamster day.”
“They have em burnt again, I’ll fight that cook for his job.”
“Then I’ll have an idiot in my plane. I know you’d win.”
“Yeah, yeah.”