Operation Whalebird

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This article is about an in-universe event. For the in-game mission, see Rendezvous.

Operation Whalebird
Preceding	Bombing of Sand Island
Following	Operation Silver Bridge
Details
Date	September 30, 2010
Part Of	Circum-Pacific War
Locations	Eaglin Straits
Outcomes	Yuktobanian victory Osean carriers Vulture and Buzzard sunk OFS Kestrel escapes
Combatants
Osea
Yuktobania
Commanders
AWACS Thunderhead Captain Andersen Captain of OFS Vulture Captain of OFS Buzzard
Strength
OFS Kestrel OFS Vulture OFS Buzzard Unnamed Aegis Wardog Squadron VFA-206
Scinfaxi 18x Sea Harrier FA.2 5x F-35C Lightning IIs
Casualties
OFS Vulture sunk OFS Buzzard sunk All pilots except Wardog Squadron and Swordsman shot down
All aircraft shot down

"I can't help but feel like everything's working against us."

― Kei Nagase

Operation Whalebird was an attempted rendezvous by the 3rd Osean Naval Fleet in the Eaglin Straits. The operation was aimed at creating a counter-attack strike group based within the Eaglin Straits, using the OFS Kestrel, OFS Vulture, and OFS Buzzard as the centerpieces of the force.

The rendezvous was a failure following the deployment of the Yuktobanian underwater aircraft carrier Scinfaxi, which launched various carrier jets as well as burst missiles to destroy the Vulture and Buzzard before leaving the area.

Background

Following their declaration of war, Yuktobania launched offensives against Port St. Hewlett and Sand Island Air Force Base within hours of each other, causing extensive yet non-crippling damage to the Osean armed forces. In response, Osea planned to develop a counter-attack force to fend off further Yuktobanian attacks as well as to tip the balance of the war towards Osea.

The plan involved creating a "base" using Osea's three aircraft carriers, the Kestrel, Vulture, and Buzzard, within the Eaglin Straits from where the armed forces would initiate any necessary operations. Osea called on all of their available air squadrons to support the initial rendezvous of the three carriers, set to take place on September 30.

Rendezvous

Aircraft insurgency

Enemy flights comprising of Harriers and F-35Cs armed with anti-ship missiles approached the carrier fleet, prompting both Wardog and VFA-206 squadrons to defend the fleet and engage the fighters. An air-to-air skirmish then ensued, resulting in a complete loss of Yuktobanian fighters.

Steel rain

Scinfaxi launched 2 burst missiles towards the fleet afterwards. The Kestrel, Swordsman, and the Wardogs barely managed to evade the blasts caused by the second missile.

Result

The mission ended in failure for Osea. The Vulture, the Buzzard, and half of the Osean Fleet were sunk. Most of the air units guarding the fleet were shot down, leaving VFA-206's Swordsman and the Wardogs. The Kestrel, the Andromeda, some escort ships, a tanker, and a freighter escaped the attack and headed to Kirwin Island.