Korean War 2005

FreeFalcon III 

A brief History lesson 

US - North Korean relations

Relations between North Korea and the US have been rocky since the end of World War II. When Japan surrendered in 1945, it gave up its claim to the Korean peninsula, which it had occupied for fifty years. At that time, the allies drew a line at the 38th parallel -- the 38th degree of latitude on the map -- dividing Korea into northern and southern regions.

The Soviet Union occupied the North and the US occupied the South. The goal was to eventually unify Korea, but the Cold War made the division permanent as of 1948. On June 25, 1950 North Korea attacked South Korea and the Korean War began. Eventually an armistice - a temporary cease fire agreement -- was signed in 1953, ending the fighting.

The two sides have never agreed on a political solution. Korea remains divided at the 38th parallel, known as the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). The DMZ is one of the most heavily armed borders in the world. North Korea remains a Communist nation, controlled by leader Kim Jong Il.

The 1994 agreement

Over a period of years the strictly controlled economy of North Korea has failed to produce enough food to feed its people.  As a mechanism for compensating for their lack of food production the North Koreans have resorted to the sale of contraband, which includes drugs and weapons to countries and/or groups hostile to the United States.

In 1994, the Clinton administration negotiated a deal with the government of North Korea to stop its nuclear weapons program and allow United Nations monitors into the country. The US and other countries, in return, would pledge to replace North Korea's nuclear power plants that produce plutonium, a key ingredient in nuclear weapons, with light-water reactors, which don't. They also agreed to send North Korea oil to help replace the electricity lost when the nuclear plants shut down.

Both sides also agreed to lift trade barriers and pursue diplomatic and economic relations, including economic aid to North Korea.

However, North Korea's admission that it had not completely ended its nuclear program angered the US enough to stop the fuel oil shipments. North Korea countered that the US did not fulfill its promises from the 1994 agreement, including the construction of the power plants.

North Korea's nuclear program

The resumption of the North Korean Nuclear arms program has anger and caused much concern in the world community.  The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)-- a group that monitors nuclear facilities for the United Nations -- says North Korea has now moved fresh fuel to a nuclear reactor.   Additionally, the North Koreans removed monitoring seals and cameras at the Yongbyong complex, 55 miles north of the capital, Pyongyang. And in a further display of disregard for the UN they expelled the U.N. inspectors.

This could only lead to the logical conclusion that the North Korean government was intent on joining the nuclear club.  

Fiction from this point on: 

Based on intelligence gathered from South Korean agents, we were able to locate the storage facility that housed the few North Korean Nuclear weapons.  A US led commando raid secured the nuclear devices and a follow up raid destroyed the complex at Yongbyong.  In the process this raid killed many of the North’s top scientists.   The North’s reaction was predictable and expected.  Streaming across the DMZ they were met with fierce resistance from South Korean troops backed up by American soldiers and American airpower.  The north utilized out dated human wave tactics in the face of withering firepower resulting in horrific losses on their side.  Although the Chinese are providing some support by way of equipment and food, thus far they have not sent troops into the battle.  The North Korean tactic of indiscriminately lobbing artillery shells into downtown Seoul has turned and already frustrated world community against the North Korean cause and firmly on the side of the allies.  A UN vote(with France and China abstaining)  cleared the way for the United States and Britain to move militarily against North Korea and gave the rest of the world some political cover for siding with the United States.  As usual, the United States, and the Brits are doing the heavy lifting.  The South Koreans see it as a fight for survival and reunification of the peninsula so they have committed everything to the battle and have everything to gain/lose.  Australia, Canada, Italy, Spain and our new best friends Romania, Bulgaria, et al. have contributed what they can to the effort.  The French…well the French are French.  They watch on CNN and bash the US at every opportunity.  The Russian Federation committed a few air defense battalions and several volunteer fighter squadrons to defend Seoul. 

August 19, 2004

RedTail6

127th Fighter Regiment

Russian Volunteer Group (RVG)

Russian Federation

We were all surprised and amazed when we started to hear rumors that we would be joining the coalition to topple Kim Il Jong and his repressive regime in North Korea.  We would be going up against some planes built in the same factories as our machines and pilots training in some of our academies.  Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) would be a major concern for me an my men as many MIG happy western pilot might be tempted to take a shot at any Russian manufactured plane prior to proper identification.  All these concerns became secondary as I opened and read the orders to deploy to South Korea.  We had been preparing for the move since the onset of hostilities but never with a realistic thought that we would enter the fray.  In a matter of days our support equipment had been flown out and we were loaded up and ready to depart.  The 127^th was comprised of 18 Sukhoi SU-27 Flanker fighter aircraft.  I know many would/could argue, but for my money this is one of the finest fighter aircraft actively in service today.   

As I sit on the active waiting clearance I am still a little in shocked that we are actually going to do this.  Looking to the left and right I see live Alamo and Archer missiles attached to my hard points.  Normally those stations are occupied by training munitions.  We will fly from our base in Russia hit a couple of tankers, landing at Vladivostok were we will spend the night.  Then off again in the morning were we will fly out over the Pacific, pick up a couple of American F18s (it should be cool to fly formation with the Hornets) hit a couple of US Navy Tankers and then come into South Korea.  We will not find out our final landing point in Korea until we hook up with the F18s.   

Pushing the throttle full forward, my plane lurches into the air and I head off to the rally point.  With my wing to my right, all plane form up we head to our first rendezvous with our airborne gas station.  Following the long trans-continental flight we land at an airstrip designated R601 in central South Korea.  Our maintenance crew, and support equipment are already set up and waiting.  As soon as we land four planes are turned around in a matter of minutes.  Fully fueled, and armed for combat.  Two planes will serve the ready watch in case enemy air penetrates our defenses.  The other two are ready for our first Combat Air Patrol (CAP) that was scheduled even before our arrival.  I will have the honor of leading this first flight.    

August 19, 2004, on this muggy August morning we are dead tired but duty calls and everyone is eager to show the world what we can do.  This will be the first such showcase for the SU-27 and the modern Russian Pilot in combat.  So we are eager and proud to be the pointy end of the Russian spear. Me and my number two walk over to the operations shed and quickly scan the maps depicting the battle field and the placement/movement of military assets from both sides.  We will be operating slightly behind the Forward Edge Battle Area (FEBA).  I think the initial plan is to keep out of enemy airspace, at least initially, to avoid friendly fire incidents.  I think this is a very good idea for the time being.  I munch on a chewy granola bar and suck down some stale coffee as I study the map and talk strategy with Ziggy who will be flying on my wing.   We will depart in 30 minutes, so we don’t have much time.      

Walking back to the airstrip, each of plane has been armed with 4 AA-10 Alamo all aspect combat missiles and 4 AA12 Adder (what the Americans refer to as the AMRAAMSKI) all aspect medium range missiles.  Our 30MM cannon will handle all close in chores.  This combination of fire power makes for an extremely potent weapons platform.  Our hasty departure from Russia has left us in Frontal Aviation winter white camouflage.  “Well if nothing else we will look damn goodJ” I think as I walk towards my machine.  I am eager to get our planes in the air so Ziggy and I do not spend a lot of time chatting.  I have known him for years, as he knows me.  We each have years of experience in the Fulcrum and now the Sukhoi, our tactics are well rehearsed and we are eager to get into the fray.  We do a quick, but thorough, visual inspection of our planes finding them in good shape considering the recent long trip.   

I scamper up the ladder and situate myself in the cockpit which will serve as my office for the next few hours.   

Methodically, I work my way down the check list doing the dance of switches until I am set up for engine start.  My canopy still up I look over to Ziggy and he gives me a big thumbs up.  Looking down at my crew chief, I follow his cues and  work my ailerons, flaps and rudder to ensure smooth movement and that everything is doing what it is supposed to do.  Once satisfied that the plane is responding as it should I release the first drops of fuel into the pair Lyulka AL-31Ffand engines that I will ride.  Each engine is capable of producing 12,550 kg of thrust propelling the mighty Flanker to speeds in excess of Mach 2.2.  The engine each belches out a large puff of black smoke as they spin to life.  Looking over to Redtail62 I drop my canopy and key the mike "62 fall in trail follow me to the active"  This is broadcast on our mission channel where only Ziggy can hear.  Since we have not tower at this airfield we will contact Mongo (AWACs) once we get airborne. But before that we will broadcast in the open before leaving the ground.  It is a short taxi to the active runway.  On the open channel "Redtail6, is a flight of two departing from R601"  With that I push the throttle slowly forward until I am in full afterburner. 

Accelerate down the runway my speed picks up rapidly and I achieve flying speed in only a matter of seconds. rotating the nose skyward, my plan leaps fro the runway and I initiate a slow northern turn as I continue climbing.  Redtail62 is on my tail and I call for him to tighten up, which he does.  We continue north for several minutes before I push my radar range out to see what lies ahead.  We are pretty deep behind our own lines so most of the contact are friendly.  As I push the radar further and further north there are several groups of bogies out over the enemy base at Wonsan.  This is several clicks north of our patrol area but I am eager to make strike a blow for mother Russia.  As we pass through our second steer-point I continue pushing north instead of east as our pre-planning called for.  "Mongo1 from Redtail6, request clearance to push our patrol area north to area K"  "Redtail6, permission granted look for friendlies in the area".  With that we continue and start to sort the bogies. 

  "62, I have a flight of 3 looks like H-5s (IL28s), scan high for fighters" "Mongo1 from Redtail6 declare", "Redtail6 contact H-5 cleared hot".  OK, all the confirmation I need.  "62 weapons free" a double mic click is the response as we close the distance on the targets.  I lock up the leader and continue to close with an eye on my Radar Warning Reciever (RWR).  quickly I lock up the trailer and pass him to Ziggy "62 attack my target" I command as I switch back to the leader.  Once my range indicator comes within lethal range, I launch the first of my Adder missiles. The missile jumps from the rail and streaks towards the target, I watch as the motor burns out.  A few seconds later a brilliant flash and a tumbling ball of smoke confirm that my target had been destroyed.   Missiles streak across the sky as 62 fires on the trailer in the formation. As we continue to close the I tuck 62 back into formation as the last H-5 comes within visual range.  Stepping down to my cannon I tell Ziggy to watch my tail as I swing in for a guns kill. I close rapidly and all most feel sorry for the crew the H-5 as they are helpless under my guns.  "Pop,pop,pop" pieces fall off the H-5 as it sparkles and starts to burn.  Three chutes open and the plane noses over and plunges to the ground.  Rejoining we close up and continue towards Wonsan where we are sure to find more targets. 

As we approach Wanson we can notice that there are flights stacked up to land at the base.  "Percfect" I say into my mask. Most planes in the North Korean inventory would have a difficult time with the Flanker, but plane configured for landing would stand no chance. 

We start to sort targets no need for AWACs here as everything this far north is enemy.  Our first prey appears to be a pair of MIGs.  From their airspeed and flight profile, I guess they are 15 or 17s.  Diving down I lock up the leader and set 62 free for the attack.  62 immediately fires a missile followed seconds later by my own.  The MIGs immediately break off their landing and put their noses on our formation.  I watch as my missiles motor burns out.  Suddenly, and to my horror, I see a flash from under the wing of what was my prey who has the nerve to fight back...imagine that...  Temporarily on the defensive, I dump flares and chaff and turn tightly across the missile’s path and into the vertical.  I think the missile was within Rmin when it was launched as it never seemed to guide on my airplane but it was unnerving non-the-less.  I rolled inverted to keep the MIG in sight and pull my left vector down dropping into his six.  Now sitting in a deep 6 position I toggle up my AA-10.  This missile reaches out and touches the MIG in the aft section just above the exhaust pipe.  The airplane seemed to break in half before my eyes.  I could see the little cracks become big cracks as the plane came apart.  Pulling up sharply I avoid the debris and look for a parachute...I see none.   

Quickly I turn my attention away from the dead bandit and pick up Ziggy who is working on the rest of the formation. What Ziggy does not see is a pair of MIG 29s closing on his 6. "62 break break break!" I shout into the microphone.  Ziggy, with his fangs out and locked onto his target does not react.  I roll inverted, plug in my burners and try to close on the Fulcrum.  Ziggy's missiles strikes his prey just as the Fulcrum launches on him.  "Ziggy, break high Gawd-damnit!"   Ziggy receives this warning and pulls hard into the vertical.  The enemy's missile tracked beautifully and strikes 62 in the center of the left engine exhaust.  It seems that the MIG did not have another missile as he tried to close to guns.  "Not today boy" I swear into my mask closing fast from the rear.  Putting my systems in Air Combat Mode (ACM) I quickly have the MIG locked up. My missile seeker hums its approval and I release one missile and watch as it flies straight up the tail end of the MIG. He never maneuvered our deployed any defensive measures, an indication the he never knew I was there.  After being hit he broke trying to maintain control of his airplane...too late. I drove to the elbow and started to pump cannon rounds towards the MIG.  The MIG tries valiantly to defeat my cannon shells, vortices swirling off the wingtips as the MIG banked as hard as he could with his damaged plane.  Although valiant, these effort proved to be futile as a clean Fulcrum would have and extremely difficult time with a SU-27.  The pilot struggled to keep control of his airplane so I was able to get in very close.  Filling my HUD with Fulcrum, I walk shells down the spine of the Fulcrum.  After a few seconds long streams of flame belch out the aft end of the Fulcrum.    I pull up and climb as the Fulcrum disintegrates below me.   I assume that his buddy would be crawling up my tail by this point but he is now where to be found.  Maybe 62 took him down.

I climbed back to altitude and searched for RedTail62.  Over to my right at about 5000 feet I notice the smoke trail that is RedTail62 who is already heading for the confines of friendly airspace. Smoke emits from the tail section of RedTail62, as I close in I take a quick visual inspection.  Formed up I continue to watch as the smoke turns to flame.  "62 your on fire eject eject eject" I call.  "Rgr, my master caution and fire lights are on, I'm out of here".  The canopy flies off as the rocket motors under Ziggy's butt ignite.  I circle around and watch as Ziggy sits comfortably in his chute.  "Mongo1 RedTail6, need a SAR 10 miles north of our steer-point number two.  

I circle around and wait until Ziggy is on the ground and I have a signal from his rescue beacon.  I give a wing flash and turn south for home.  I am feeling a little saddened at the loss of one of our planes and the worry that Ziggy could be captured.  I punch in the Guard frequency and listen to the rescue efforts for Ziggy.  I pull back on the throttles and settle in for the ride home when  I get an audible tone that indicates that an air-to-air missile had been launched at me.  Up until this point I had really not paid much attention to my RWR, a major no no.  I instinctively put max Gs on my jet and strain to pick up a visual on the missile.  Finally, in the distance I spot a missile trail that is streaking towards me.  I put the missile on my 3-9 line, hit my jammer, and start popping flares and chaff.  I watch as the missile closes and at the last possible second I rolled inverted and pulled earthward.  I lost sight of the missile as it flew over my plane.  I knew I had won that little battle, as I was still alive.  Quickly I rolled back right side up and started searching for the launch platform that had fired at me.  Soon the guilty party is observed. 

I can't believe it, one of those MIG15s has followed me and taken a shot at me.  "Hmmm, bad move on his part"  I am fairly pissed at this point and quickly put my nose on the MIG.  We flash past canopy to canopy each turning into the other for a classic one circle fight. Given the planes involved this is hardly a fair fight.   

I achieve a position of advantage quickly and drive to the elbow of the hapless MIG.  I take a couple of shots with my cannon but my cannon run dry...we are slow and low, not a good place to be.  Looking at the MIG I see no missiles so I decide to put some distance between us.  Plugging in the burners I climb away from the MIG.  I keep him in sight just in case he does have a missile.  Climbing away, I watch as the MIG tries to match my climb.  Lacking the power that I posses, the MIG struggles to keep up but the distance grows.  Once I see the MIG fall away I kick the right rudder and swing the nose around and go back to ACM mode. 

The MIG is locked almost immediately and I let fly with one of my remaining missiles. My missile's track is true and I am rewarded with a direct hit on the MIG.  The MIG belches long streams of smoke and flames as the plane spirals to the ground.  Sitting above, I watch as the pilots leaves his stricken plane.  My fuel is becoming a problems so I decide to skip the remaining steer-points and head directly for home base.  This time I am paying attention to all my systems and my head is on a swivel.  Crossing into friendly airspace I relax a bit as I here the final radio calls on the rescue of Ziggy.  My spirits are lifted a bit as Ziggy is safe, and we have destroyed several enemy planes. 

Returning to base I decide to take a straight in approach.  Again with no tower I broadcast in the clear "RedTail61 inbound for landing direct approach to R601, all aircraft are advised".

With the airstrip in view, I raise my brakes and lower my gear.  I slow to landing speed keeping my velocity vector on the number 6 on the runway.  My back wheels gently touch down with a screech and my drogue chute deploys (needed on this short runway).  Coming to a quick slow down, I turn off the runway and pick up the "follow-me" truck to parking.  As I am coming in another pair taxi out to begin their mission. 

Despite the loss of one plane I feel pretty good that the unit has made a mark on it's first day in theater.  I was given credit with four kills (Although I count five), almost and ace in one day.  Ziggy got three.  The skies over North Korea just became a little more hazardous!        

Maj. Arnold “Puma” Bell

127th Russian Volunteer Group (RVG)