Strike on Songnim Steel Mill - By Mark "Tsunami" Coyle
Its Midday on Day 3 of the Campaign, we turn up for the mission briefing. The target is Songwin Steel Mill, an important plant for the DPRK, only slightly damaged in a previous attack. There are 6 of us in total Viper51 and 52 flying escort and Stud51 - 54 making the strike. Take Off is set for 17:20 with the Time on Target 17:50:23. After reviewing the mission details I request Viper make their attack 1 minute earlier to allow some deconfliction time. The 4 F16s of Stud flight are to carry 4 GBUs each and 2 External Fuel Tanks. After the initial briefing we move to the Intelligence Section for a more detailed look at the target area.
A detailed examination of the Steel Mill reveals only 6 undamaged sections, and we're taking 16 GBUs. We rethink the plan and identify some good targets in the vicinity. The loadouts are changed to 2 GBUs, 6 Rockeyes, 2 Aim 120, 2 Aim 9 and a Centre Fuel Tank, giving up the ECM pod. That should give us a good capacity to inflict damage on the armoured targets.
Priorities are set as Steel Mill, SA5 site, Mobile HQ, Mobile Column and finally the Depot.
There are significant threats in the area, so I will be generally flying below 1000ft and all munitions will be dropped with a standard CCRP toss manoeuvre to minimise exposure.
Weather forecast is good, it will still be light enough at the Time on Target, there is a slight North wind. This all takes a couple of hours and I finally make a sketch of the target area for my kneeboard showing the targets, navigation aids, threats and the orientation of the ground vehicles to maximise the effectiveness of the Cluster Munitions.
With all preparations made we have a little time to prepare ourselves before suiting up and getting into the cockpit. After preflight checks and arming the weapons we roll out to prepare for take-off. Viper Flight is already on its way.
Stud53 and myself go to full burner and accelerate down the tarmac shortly after Flight Lead and his Wingman. We turn to the ingress course and climb to 20,000ft, getting visual and maintaining about 4000ft separation.
Shortly after Steerpoint 2 we descend to 1000ft, crossing 2 ridges, but we're still over friendly territory. I continually check the positions of the Flight: Stud51 and 52 in front.
And Stud53 off to my 9 o'clock, just above the horizon
I check every minute or so with AWACS, but all is clear for now. As I start getting the A-G Radar set up and select one of the GBUs we hear Viper calling 'Go Trail'. Then its '1 in', '2 in', '3 in' and of course '4 in'. Flight Lead also calls 'Go Trail'. As I set the Radar to STP and slave the GBU in CCRP I reduce throttle slightly to fall back a little. Viper calls 'CBUs Away' as we close on the target. With the Strike Steerpoint selected, I lock onto one of the undamaged structures. I line up and accelerate towards the target at Mil thrust. As the solution cue flashes I start to climb from 500ft, wishing for as soon as a release as possible as I climb into the sky. 'Paveway' finally and I pop flares and break left trying to get low as the RWR flickers, some flak opens up and small arms fire streaks by. The GBU falls true and destroys the building.
I'm heading out West a few miles from the target to get enough time for the second attack. I note how tight turns really hammer the airspeed as I turn right to line up the second drop.
I hear the other flight members calling out their drops, this target is taking a pounding, some of the Rockeyes are also being dropped on the defences. The second drop also goes well, I break off left, dropping flares and getting back below 500 ft as explosions flash across the sky. Heading South by Songwin I turn left to line up on the HQ reported by the recon. After changing the radar to GMT and SnowPlow I find it and get visual just as it start to get wiped out by another friendly, not sure if it was our flight. So I turn North to prepare an attack on the SA5 site. The Steerpoints create a convenient box to navigate within. I turn East, 500ft, 350knts and get the SAM site locked up, the most Northern returns are from the SAMs. 2 Rockeyes, 175ft sep, BA 1500ft and I accelerate in making the toss and breaking off North dropping Flares as I go inverted and pull the aircraft back to safer altitudes. I circle anticlockwise to set up a drop on the Artillery column, flying straight down them the get the best effect for the 2 Rockeyes. I lock up the centre of the targets and make the toss. A good hit and the centre targets are destroyed.
I figure this column should be easy meat for a strafe run, I circle back round and make the attack, but I'm too low to be very effective and pull up dangerously low after taking out a couple of vehicles. The ACMI later shows my altitude as low as 23ft !. With 2 Rockeyes left I head South in search of the enemy supply Depot. At my 2 o'clock I manage to spot the radar mast and turn to intercept, locking it up just in time to make the climb for a toss. Good hit and secondaries are spotted.
I continue the climb and chase after the rest of the flight, jettisoning the unwanted kit from my aircraft and setting up the TACAN.
They all left around 5 minutes ago, as I catch up I reflect on how lucky we've been ; all survived apparently undamaged, no enemy fighters, no SAM launches and minimal flak.
At 20,000ft I catch up with Stud53, 3 miles behind Flight Lead, but they're at 5,000ft. I descend and close up to Stud53 as the ATC starts to issue commands. Kunsan is pretty busy and we are given an indirect route to follow. We fly by the Airbase and come round to land on runway 34R
We taxi over and get out the cockpit for some congratulations and a much needed rest.
Recon later confirms the Steel Mill at 10%, SA5 gone, and Depot at 10%.
