It was fixed so we took off, donned our goggles, and headed to the tanker. The air to air refueling went as planned. While on the tanker we could see the weather over towards Kosovo and it was difficult to tell whether we were actually going to be able to get to the target area. There was a strike package going close to our target area a little earlier than us. They were going to check the weather for us and we hadn't heard a mission cancel so it looked like ‘a go’.
We left the tanker by twos with the intention of rejoining in the hold area. As we approached the holding area there were light wispy clouds at our altitude, which made the rejoin difficult. The first two elements got a visual on each other as we pushed but the third couldn't, so it remained in a 2-4 mile radar trail. We hoped the clouds would clear and we would all rejoin to the pre-briefed two ship in line abreast followed by a four ship in fluid 4 prior to the IP. About half way there it wasn't looking good and it was even difficult for the lead elements to stay visual. Fortunately, we broke out of the weather and got to the prebriefed formation shortly after that. It was critical to our attack plan to have this formation so we could have the bombs impact in a very short span. If we were strung out too much one set of fighter's bombs would obscure the other's laser guidance beam and probably cause the others to miss. We had also come up with a new way to set our laser guided bombs up so that the last two sets to hit would not conflict with each other. It was quite unconventional but we couldn't figure a better way to set it up given the target array. We didn't want to miss so all knew the plan cold and now that we had the formation together, we were ready to go!
Just then we began to receive comm jamming our interflight frequency so we began a chattermark or switch to another frequency. These normally don't go that well since someone inevitably ends up on the wrong frequency, but since it was just our six jets I didn't really worry too much. About 10 seconds later AWACs called for a chattermark for all 30 aircraft on the strike freq. I was now uncomfortable but we were about to cross the fence headed for the target so I put it behind me and hoped for the best. I looked up to the north and saw some medium caliber anti-aircraft artillery or AAA going off. Our air to air escort was up there so I figured they were getting shot at. The AAA didn't come up to our altitude so I figured the air to air guys were safe since they were higher than us. We now turned north to the target. I got the boys in a nice fluid 4 where we could do a good look around for surface to air missiles (SAMs) and AAA being shot at us. I checked laser targeting pod and for now the target was obscured by clouds. I noticed a High Speed Anti-Radiation Missile or HARM come off the Italian Tornados to suppress the SAMs in the target area. I knew they climbed after launch but this thing looked like a moon shot. I could see why folks had mistaken them for SAM launches in the past but felt good that there'd be iron raining down on the threat as we entered it's engagement zone. I also noticed a lot more AAA well to the west of us. There really wasn't anyone over there so I wasn't sure what they were shooting at. We were coming up on about a minute or so til our planned release when the flight out in front of us said the target was clear. I looked down and identified my target in my targeting pod and got ready to release and guide my two 2000lbs bombs. Also, I continued to search for SAMs and AAA but it was quiet by us. I released my bombs and checked to start my lase leg. About 15 seconds prior to my weapons’ impact I saw the lead elements go off. Both shacks are right on target!!! I waited for mine to impact and noticed them enter the screen a couple of seconds prior to impact and knew they would hit the target. Kaboom!…my bombs went right in the middle of the headquarters and I noticed pieces of it flying everywhere! Then I noticed 2, 3, and 4's shack their aimpoints too. I quickly shifted my attention back outside to scan for threats as I made the turn to the egress and selected mid-afterburner.
My jet began to accelerate nicely from both the weight and drag of the bombs leaving and the substantial increase in power. I guess we woke them up as AAA was coming up at us. Again it fell off well below us. No SAMs, SH! We'd be home free in a second as our jets accelerated through the speed of sound. As I came out of the turn, I didn't see my wingman so I asked him for his position. No response. I noticed a jet below me and figured it was him but it turned out to be the lead man from the front two ship. I called for my wingman again, but got no response. I wasn't too concerned since we hadn't seen any SAMs and the AAA was below us. Just then both the other flight lead I was with and I noticed a jet with an afterburner plume the length of his airplane go rocketing by below us. We were supersonic so I knew this guy was hauling the mail. I figured it was my wingman so I pushed it up to max AB as I felt I too needed to deliver some express mail. I figured my wingman had probably gotten onto the interflight frequency during the chattermarks so I spoke to him on the strike common and got him back on frequency and back in formation. It turned out he'd lost sight of me as he'd watched the AAA coming off target. He'd picked up a visual that he thought was me well out in front of him but it was really a star. He didn't want to be left behind so hence his attempt to get to orbital speed.
The rest of the sortie was quiet as we post strike refueled and returned to the base. It turned out after film review that we'd hit all six of our targets plus got a bonus as one bomb didn't guide but shacked a building in the army complex short of the intended target. We were quite proud because during the previous two days of strikes none of the NATO strikes had hit all their targets. We hit ours plus another. We also noticed news footage of the area the next day on CNN and knew we'd been hugely successful.
Buzzard Standard!
Pigpen
