Operation Blackout
- "Head towards the ravine and terrain mask. Use the crevices. Get low and stay low!"
- ― Allied pilot #1[1]
- "What are you talking about?! It's suicide to fly into that ravine!"
- ― Allied pilot #2[1]
Operation Blackout was a tactical air strike on an Erusean solar power generator plant in Faith Park performed by ISAF fighters. The ISAF's goal was to cripple Erusea's military industrial complex, which received 60% of its power from these facilities. However, the operation would be particularly hazardous: the operational airspace would put ISAF pilots once again in range of Stonehenge.[1]
Prelude
With the Aegir Fleet incapacitated, ISAF naval operations resumed. In the buildup to the ISAF's counteroffensive on the Usean mainland, plans were made to cripple Erusea's war-effort in prelude to an invasion. The solar generator plants at Faith Park equaled nuclear ones in output and powered 60% of Erusea's weapons and vehicle manufacturing centers across occupied Usea.[2]
Summary
At 1640hrs on December 16, ISAF fighters performed a mid-air refueling and approached the airspace surrounding the generator plants. After evading and shooting down several Erusean defense fighters during their ingress, the ISAF fighters reached the generator plants. Solar panel arrays and control centers were destroyed. Allied pilots experienced light anti-air resistance at the facility itself and quickly disabled the solar focusing collector array at the north end of the plant.[1]
Soon after the destruction of the plant's critical systems, AWACS SkyEye detected high velocity railgun-fire incoming from Stonehenge. However, the trajectory of the explosive volleys was such that it could be avoided if the ISAF pilots assumed an altitude of less than 2,000 feet. The fighters dove into the Faith Park region's renown canyons and ravines and attempted to egress from the operational space below the impacts.[1]
Result
The ISAF had dealt another crippling blow to Erusea's war-efforts; the Erusean war machine was now in desperate need of power. However, during the ISAF's retreat, several fighters were lost due to Stonehenge itself, pursuing Erusean fighters, gunships hiding in the ravine and inexperience in flying in cramped spaces. These casualties were stark reminder to the ISAF leadership that victory would elude the Allies until Stonehenge had been eliminated.[3]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Deep Strike, Ace Combat 04: Shattered Skies.
- ↑ Briefing, Deep Strike, Ace Combat 04: Shattered Skies.
- ↑ Debriefing, Deep Strike, Ace Combat 04: Shattered Skies.