Grabacr Squadron

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Grabacr Squadron
Grabacr Squadron engaging Razgriz.png
Grabacr Squadron Emblem.png
Part Of
Belkan Air Force
Osean Air Defense Force
Grey Men
Designation
6th Air Division
4th Tactical Fighter Squadron (Belkan War)

229th Tactical Fighter Squadron (post-Belkan War)

8492nd Squadron (alias)
Leader(s)
Ashley Bernitz (Grabacr 1)
Members
Allen C. Hamilton (earlier)
Grabacr 3[1]
Two other members
Equipment
F-15 S/MTD
S-32
Su-47 Berkut
Su-47 -Grabacr- 4 Star Aircraft.png
Deployment
Belkan War
Circum-Pacific War
"An aggressor squadron comprised entirely of Belkan aces ... Well, that's the rumor, anyway. Even an old fox like me isn't sure they exist."
― Pops to Albert Genette[2]

Grabacr Squadron, variously known as the 4th Tactical Fighter Squadron under the Belkan Air Force, the 229th Tactical Fighter Squadron under the reformed post-war Belkan Air Force, and by the alias of the "8492nd Squadron", was a covert Belkan Air Force aggressor unit assigned to the Osean Air Defense Force. The squadron members' pro-Belkan sympathies compelled them to join the Grey Men and become provocateurs of the Circum-Pacific War.

Etymology

"Grabacr" is derived from "Grábakr," (meaning "greyback"), a serpent-like creature of Norse mythology that, like Ófnir, gnawed on the roots of the world tree Yggdrasil.

History

Origins and formation

"Since you started calling yourselves the Grabacr Fighter Squadron in the last war, I got sick of flying in the same sky with ya."
― Wolfgang Buchner to Ashley Bernitz[3]
Main article: Belkan War, or Operation Battle-Axe

Grabacr Squadron originated from the Belkan Air Force 6th Air Division's 4th Tactical Fighter Squadron. During the Belkan War, the unit began calling itself the "Grabacr Fighter Squadron" to reflect the callsign of its leader, Captain Ashley Bernitz.[3] Grabacr Squadron is known to have been present during the large-scale aerial engagement over Area B7R on May 28, 1995. During the course of the extended dogfight, Grabacr lost its flight lead after Bernitz broke off from the squadron and was shot down by the Allies' mercenary ace, callsign "Cipher"; Bernitz survived the encounter and returned to leading Grabacr soon afterward.[4]

The Belkan Air Force was reformed[5] in January 1996,[6] and as part of the reformation, the Grabacr Squadron was re-designated as the 229th Tactical Fighter Squadron.[7][8] In June 1998, the Grabacr Squadron was headhunted by and later brought into the Osean Air Defense Force as an aggessor unit, part of an effort to bolster Osea's numbers by recruiting Belkan pilots.[2]

Circum-Pacific War

Main article: Circum-Pacific War

At some point, Grabacr Squadron began conspiring with the secret organization known as the Grey Men to avenge Belka's defeat in 1995. Operating under the alias of the "8492nd Squadron," Grabacr perpetrated a series of unspecified events that compelled Yuktobania to begin spying on Osea.

Kidnapping Harling

The "8492nd Squadron" approaching Wardog and the transport's Akerson Hill landing site
"This is the Osean Air Force 8492nd Squadron ... Can you see us? You can leave the rest to us."
― Ashley Bernitz to Wardog Squadron[9]
Main article: Akerson Hill incident

On October 22, Grabacr's intervention was necessary to prevent the Osean president from holding peace talks with the Yuktobanian prime minister. Upon arriving at Akerson Hill's airspace, Ashley—under the guise of being the "8492nd leader"—relieved Wardog Squadron, promising to provide support until the crew of the president's transport was rescued.[9] Harling was subsequently kidnapped and taken into Belkan custody, which allowed hardliners to assume control of the Osean government in his absence.

Terrorism

Main article: Dresdene terrorist attack

On November 2, one day after Osea's invasion of Yuktobania, Grabacr attacked a civilian engineering college in Dresdene under the cover of jamming. Wardog Squadron was nearby performing Operation Hammerblow and received the blame for Grabacr's actions as Osea could not see Grabacr due to the jamming. While Wardog's members managed to clear their names in subsequent operations, Grabacr's attack succeeded in escalating the war.[10]

Attempts to eliminate Wardog Squadron

"Don't let them escape, no matter what. The future of Belka is hanging in the balance."
― Grabacr member[11]
Main article: Operation Supercircus, or Ambush at Vladimir

The Grey Men realized that Wardog Squadron was the trump card of the Osean military and sought to deal with them. On November 29, 2010, Wardog was defending November City from a Yuktobanian air raid. A nearby Osean squadron was dispatched to help Wardog, but Grabacr—posing as the 8492nd—convinced the reinforcements that the attack was a drill and should return to base. Although AWACS Thunderhead eventually called back the reinforcements, Grabacr partially succeeded, as the delay caused the death of Wardog 3, Captain Alvin H. Davenport.[12]

Despite the loss of their comrade, Wardog Squadron managed to assist the Osean Army in conquering Cruik Fortress, which was the final line of defense of Cinigrad, the Yuktobanian capital.[13] Grabacr realized that at this rate the war would end, and needed to destroy Wardog immediately. Once again, they posed as the friendly 8492nd Squadron, and lured the Osean pilots into a failed ambush over the Vladimir Mountains.[11] To prevent Wardog from revealing their existence, Grabacr's members deceived their former colleague and Sand Island's adjutant base commander, Major Allen C. Hamilton, into believing that the Wardog pilots were Yuktobanian spies.[14]

The "8492nd Squadron" pursuing the fugitive Wardog pilots over the Ceres Ocean

After Wardog commandeered four training jets and escaped Sand Island on December 7, the "8492nd Squadron" located and pursued the fugitive pilots through the Solo Islands. However, due to the islands' natural electromagnetic interference and Wardog's defensive flying, Grabacr lost sight of the fugitives and eventually broke off its pursuit.[3]

Sometime after the incident, Grabacr relocated to southwestern Belka to assist in the removal of several nuclear warheads from a storage facility beneath Mount Schirm. On December 11, a single unknown fighter penetrated the defensive radar network surrounding the facility; Grabacr scrambled to eliminate the black-liveried fighter, but was outran and unsuccessful.[1] Sometime before 1312hrs the following day, Grabacr helped escort three warheads safely away from Mount Schirm, which were destined for Belkan aggressors in both Osea and Yuktobania.[15]

Grabacr Squadron breaking formation over the Pobeda Peninsula

Several weeks later, on December 23, Grabacr was dispatched to the Pobeda Peninsula to prevent the escape of the deposed Yuktobania prime minister, Seryozha Viktrovich Nikanor. When Grabacr arrived at the target airspace, it was engaged and shot down by Razgriz Squadron;[16] however, all of the Grabacr pilots ejected to safety and quickly returned to service.

Destruction

Grabacr and Ofnir Squadrons over Oured Bay
"The two countries that defeated us will struggle in the grasps of this endless war!"
― Grabacr member[17]
Main article: Operation Arcadia

On December 31, Grabacr, accompanied by Ofnir Squadron, flew to Oured Bay to ensure that the Strategic Orbital Linear Gun (SOLG) descended through the atmosphere and impacted Osea's capital, Oured. During their approach towards the capital, Grabacr and Ofnir encountered Razgriz Squadron, which was bound for the satellite's descent point. Despite outnumbering the Razgriz two to one, the Belkans were shot down in the ensuing dogfight.[17] All of Grabacr's pilots are presumed to have been killed in action, and the squadron was likely disbanded soon afterward.

Gallery

Trivia

  • The Ace Combat Infinity emblem "Shield 12" features the name "8492 Squadron" in reference to the alias used by the Grabacr pilots during their time in the OADF.
  • The Su-47 -GRABACR EMBLEM- is available in Ace Combat 6 as a DLC variation of the Su-47 Berkut; the paint scheme features Grabacr's emblem along with the Belkan Air Force insignia.
  • In Ace Combat 5, an easily missable detail on Grabacr’s S-32 paint scheme is that multiple panels on the aircraft’s ventral surface are unpainted and still covered in yellow primer, commonly used on Eastern bloc aircraft in real life. This suggests that these S-32s were procured and prepared hastily in the last minute.

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Mission 21: "Solitaire", Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Scene 16: "Fortress #1", Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Mission 19: "Final Option", Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War.
  4. ↑ Assault Records #083: Ashley Bernitz, Ace Combat Zero: The Belkan War.
  5. ↑ Assault Records #167: Lars Matthaus, Ace Combat Zero: The Belkan War.
  6. ↑ Aces At War: A History (2011 ed.). Bandai Namco Entertainment. p. 136.
  7. ↑ Aces At War: A History (2011 ed.). Bandai Namco Entertainment. p. 127.
  8. ↑ "Grabacr" emblem description, Ace Combat Infinity.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 Mission 08: "Handful of Hope", Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War.
  10. ↑ Mission 10: "Blind Spot", Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War.
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 Mission 18+: "8492", Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War.
  12. ↑ Mission 17: "Journey Home", Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War.
  13. ↑ Mission 18: "Fortress", Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War.
  14. ↑ Scene 18: "8492", Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War.
  15. ↑ Mission 22: "Closure", Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War.
  16. ↑ Mission 25: "Heartbreak One", Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War.
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 Mission 27+: "The Unsung War", Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War.
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