Operation Riverbed
Operation Riverbed was an operation where the Razgriz Squadron aided a resistance group of Yuktobanian intellectuals and students against the Yuktobanian military regime, who were searching the area for them. It is also when the Ofnir Squadron made its first appearance in the war.
Background
The Osean intelligence vessel Andromeda had recently been intercepting encoded communications from an anonymous sender, the format of which being a set of coordinates, a date, and a time. One set of coordinates pointed to a location inside Yuktobania, which was where a nuclear weapon was believed to be taken. The Razgriz was ordered to fly to the location of the message, the Payavlenie Ravine, on a reconnaissance mission. The Payavlenie Ravine had not been conquered by the Osean military, and the Yuktobanian air defense system was still active. Hence, the Razgriz had an altitude restriction on their mission and they were forced to fly in the canyon itself. They were permitted to fight any hostile forces as necessary.
Summery
Once the Razgriz arrived on station, they set their radios to the frequency described in the encoded transmission. A Yuktobanian resistance leader, only known by the alias Alyosha, was delighted when the Razgriz entered the canyon to aid them, detecting them via Yuktobanian alert signals. He briefed them on Yuktobanian forces searching the canyon for the resistance's hideout, and requested that the Razgriz destroy the enemy forces to buy them some time to dismantle a tactical nuke they had seized from the Yuktobanian military. These forces consisted of helicopters, boats, and some fighter jets. The mission was made more difficult due to the Razgriz not being allowed to fly above the rim of the canyon.
As the Razgriz finished off the last of the Yuktobanian forces, Ofnir Squadron arrived on station. Despite Ofnir's advantage of not having to worry about the air defense system as well as their own skill, they were all shot down by the Ghosts of Razgriz.
Aftermath
Alyosha thanked the Razgriz for fending off the Yuktobanian forces long enough for the resistance to dismantle the tactical nuke. He then delivered a message from Captain Jack Bartlett. Leaving their base, the resistance told the Razgriz that the former were heading out to the ocean in a submarine to discard every individual component of the nuclear device so it could never be used again.
Three days later, a communication was received detailing a Belkan nuclear attack on Okchabursk, whereupon the Razgriz was deployed yet again.