Operation Hush
Operation Hush was the Osean codename for a desperate final assault on the airspace surrounding the International Space Elevator, which served as the last major battle of the Lighthouse War. The operation aimed to prevent the unmanned ADF-11F Ravens Hugin and Munin from transmitting their flight data to drone factories across Usea, leading to an unending war[1] and the possibility of a drone revolution.[note 1]
Prelude
During Operation Daredevil, the International Space Elevator's communication systems were disabled in order to shut down Arsenal Bird Justice's Active Protection System. Following the destruction of the Arsenal Bird, two unmanned ADF-11F Ravens entered the airspace and inflicted significant damage to the Osean-Erusean coalition's air power. Outgunned, the allied aircraft were forced to retreat to the OFS Admiral Andersen.[2] The two drones—codenamed Hugin and Munin—aimed to transmit their flight data to drone manufacturing factories across the Usean continent by using the space elevator as a transmission tower once it powered back up, propagating their data into an endless army of UAVs that would ensure the war would continue in the Erusean Radicals' name,[1] but also had the potential to lead an AI revolution against mankind itself.[note 1]
Battle
- "The space elevator is able to broadcast and communicate. With the information infrastructure down, it's the only place capable of wide-area data transmission. The drones are waiting for it to power up again."
- ― AWACS Long Caster[1]
On November 1, 2019, the coalition squadrons approached the space elevator, where the drones were still waiting for the elevator to power up. As they approached, Hugin and Munin quickly intercepted and engaged the coalition forces, downing many Osean and Erusean aircraft in the dogfight that followed. After a difficult dogfight, Trigger managed to shoot down both drones. Losing altitude, one ADF-11 detached its wing unit and continued flying. While it continued to engage coalition aircraft, the drone analyzed Trigger's flying abilities and gathered data on him to be transmitted via the International Space Elevator. It was ultimately shot down by Trigger, however.[1]
Believing the coalition victorious, AWACS Long Caster began planning celebrations. However, Rosa Cossette D'Elise revealed over the radio in a panic that the other drone managed to detach its wings as well. The remaining ADF-11 then flew into the undersea tunnel connecting Selatapura to the space elevator. To stop the drone, Trigger and Count pursued it. While flying through the tunnel, the drone managed to cause noticeable damage to Count's engine. After entering the area beneath the elevator, Trigger managed to destroy the repeaters within the space elevator's geofront and shot down the final drone.[1]
Now trapped under the elevator, Count had an idea, telling Trigger to fly through the space elevator's windbreak to escape. As Count's engine was damaged, he instead attempted to belly land within the structure while Trigger escaped the elevator. An evac team was subsequently sent to rescue Count, who managed to successfully land.[1]
Aftermath
- "This is Captain Kei Nagase... of the spaceship Pilgrim One. The ocean of stars in our galaxy is finally within our reach. To the pilot who generously gave this spaceship a place to dock, we are forever grateful. The universe lies ahead of us, waiting to be discovered. And now, at last, we have a gateway to ascend to it. Over and over again. I salute the pilot, who gave us all a future."
- ― Kei Nagase[1]
Shortly after the Trigger exited the windbreak, the spaceship Pilgrim 1 docked with the International Space Elevator, completing its seven-year journey to the asteroid belt. Its captain, Kei Nagase, then thanked Trigger for giving the ship a place to dock.
With the destruction of Hugin and Munin, the Arsenal Birds, and the recapture of the International Space Elevator, the Erusean Radicals were defeated and a drone uprising was prevented,[note 1] bringing an end to the Lighthouse War.[1]
Gallery
Trigger battles a Raven
Footnotes
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 Mission 20: "Dark Blue", Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown.
- ↑ Mission 19: "Lighthouse", Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown.