Futuro Canal
- "Those greedy Osean bastards. I knew they'd come for our canal."
- ― Belkan Air Force pilot[1]
The Futuro Canal is a long artificial waterway that links the Great Lakes to Oured Bay. The canal is situated along the border between the Osean Federation and the Kingdom of Sapin. During the Belkan War in 1995, the Futuro was seized by Belkan forces, allowing Belkan transports and resupply vessels access into the Osean mainland.
Description
The Futuro Canal is located in an arid, desert region north of Oured Bay. Although unconfirmed, it is possible that the canal was constructed through the joint efforts of Osea and Sapin, which respectively control the Futuro's western and eastern banks.[2]
It is a major shipping route, granting access from the ocean into the vast inland waterways of the Great Lakes. The canal's southern entrance opens into Oured Bay's northernmost inlet; its northern entrance opens into the easternmost Great Lake, southeast of Lake Harwood.[3] Futuro is several kilometers long and wide enough to allow three warships abreast, including an aircraft carrier, to pass through with ease.[2]
History
On April 24, 1995, the Allied Forces launched Offensive Campaign No. 4101, a counteroffensive operation designed to push the Belkan occupation forces back towards Belka. The first strategic move was to capture the Futuro Canal and secure an inland shipping route for the Allies. The operation was a three-pronged attack, consisting of Operations Gelnikos, Round Hammer, and Costner.
At 1140hrs that day, Allied fighters (including Galm Team) attacked the canal. First was Operation Gelnikos, which was aimed at neutralizing the Belkans' air, ground, and ECM defenses guarding the canal's southern entrance.[4] Next came Operation Round Hammer, which targeted remaining air and ground forces at the canal's northern port facilities, as well as the Belkan naval vessels stationed in the Great Lakes.[5] The final mission, Operation Costner, involved escorting the 3rd Osean Naval Fleet and its new, state-of-the-art carrier, the OFS Kestrel, through the canal and into the Great Lakes.[6] Ultimately, each operation proved successful, and Futuro Canal was subsequently retaken by the Allied Forces.
The Winds of Futuro
The "Winds of Futuro" were some of the Belkan Air Force's most experienced pilots, who were assigned to maintain air superiority over the canal. The Winds of Futuro consisted of several ace pilots and three, two-man squadrons: Gabel, Schakal, and Postler. The aces were ultimately shot down by Galm Team, and several were killed in action.
Gallery
A destroyed bridge near the canal's north entrance
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Trivia
- "Futuro" is Spanish for "future".
- The Futuro Canal is likely based off the Suez Canal in Egypt, which also links two major bodies of water through a narrow, arid isthmus.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Juggernaut, Ace Combat Zero: The Belkan War.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Briefing, Juggernaut, Ace Combat Zero: The Belkan War.
- ↑ Strangereal map. Retrieved January 14, 2017.
- ↑ Operation Gelnikos - Juggernaut, Ace Combat Zero: The Belkan War.
- ↑ Operation Round Hammer - Juggernaut, Ace Combat Zero: The Belkan War.
- ↑ Operation Costner - Juggernaut, Ace Combat Zero: The Belkan War.
