Operation Silent Snowfall
*LEGAL*
This is a work of fiction, all names, locations, equipment and anything else used here is based on real world technology, the operations however are purely fictional and have not, or will ever, happen.
Enjoy
-SilverCreep
*END OF LEGAL*
Kaptain Vladimi 'Nix' Gusev settled himself into the cockpit of his Su-33 Flanker-D upon the flight deck of the Soviet Aircraft Carrier Admiral Kuznetsov, it was a prideful naval unit of its time and the Kaptian was quiet glad to be upon its sturdy deck. Not too long ago, he and his wing of 5 Su-33's known as Strelok Squadron had been deployed with 4 other fighter wings to the carrier. With the addition of two wings of Su-25's and almost a dozen Ka-27 type helicopters to the carriers flight capacity, Gusev couldn't help but feel something was up. He watched flight crew scurry around the deck as the snow gently fell upon his ballistic glass canopy, seeing it stick and melt as figures in various colour suits went about to prep him and his wingman for their flight patrol. Their craft were capable for all weather, and this snow only added beauty to the otherwise harsh and barren landscape of the North they were sailing through.
Prior to this patrol flight, Gusev and his squadron were stationed somewhere north of Poland, with tensions between the West and East still flaring, he had been assigned with his wing to act as fighter escort for the behemoth Tu-95 bombers that patrolled along the Iron curtain. His wing were quite experienced with the craft of the west and many times had they would come toe to toe with NATO aircraft. It was a unsettling game of chicken, neither side could simply strike the other without risking a full out war, something Gusev knew both sides weren't stomaching. Only a few days ago when he had arrived to duty that he and his wing would be reassigned to the Carrier.
"Strange, why now? I thought repairs to her were still under production?" Gusev had said to his CO, certainly rumours of the Admirals repairs were being pushed forward, but to suddenly go forth and complete them was unheard of, considering most of the military infrastructure had been...diverted to economic means.
"They were..." his CO had said "but things change, the state has decided to accelerate its repairs and she was finished just yesterday, they want your wing ready to leave in one hour."
The Kaptain saluted, taking heed of what his CO asked and went about to prep his men.
The year is 1996, ever since the 1950's, the Cold War had enveloped the world in a veil of fear and deception. Tensions between the two great super powers of the United States and the USSR have reached boiling point after boiling point, never breaking beyond full-scale war for as many times as their have been nuclear missiles pointed at both sides. A war would be too costly to fight, both sides knew that, Afghanistan, Vietnam, these kind of wars had brought much pain, suffering, and crippled the moral of the men who fought. It was devastating to deal with both the media's representation of these struggles and the sheer doubt that any peace could be given between the two sides. Yet, time and again, angers flare between the Capitalist West and the Communist East, leaving little chance to talk things over.
Gusev's father had served in Afghanistan, telling stories of how many nights they would go sleepless, watching for Mujahedin or 'Freedom Fighters" that were a constant thorn in their side, he had lost many friends, and much of their time was more to clearing out the enemy than completing proper objectives. It was a true test to the military might of mother Russia, and an absolute disaster when they were kicked out. Of course, the United States didn't fare well in Veitnam either, but, Russia had taken no direct involvement, simply supplying advisers and arms to the NVC and VeitCong.
Sometime in the late 1980's, Mikhail Gorbachev, the reigning Prime Minister, had stepped down from power leaving a vacant hole in the leadership of the Soviet Union. With the economy in shambles and the military without leadership, one man took power.
Anatoly Yavisnki was that man, an officer in the military who trained with the special forces, even fought in Afganistan. He had come to power saying the "people are the ones who matter, as the great Soviet Socialist party, we must look at the foundations of our people and bring them into the fold."
Oddly enough, many assumed he'd be picked off by the KGB, but even they had seen reason in this mans ideals. He had decided to switch over a large portion of our reserved military strength to help build the economy. Soldiers once trained for war were diverted to building roads, working in factories, tending crops and sending supplies to the furthest reaches of the Soviet union. Life had begun to improve, and while the Red Army was busy working with their country, every other Warsaw Pact country was pushed to develop their own military infrastructure.
The completed repairs of the Aircraft Carrier came to no suprise to Gusev, but something about its...timing was odd. So there he was, gathering what things he had, rallying his wing and taking off with little to any orders aside from a location.
Muramask, the Arctic Naval base of the Soviet Army. They had arrived to witness a fleet not seen since the Great Patriotic war; 15 ships, the Admiral among them, all waiting for whatever command they were to be given. As he flew over the group to wait their landing clearance, he could identify some of the ships cobbled together.
Bordering both sides of the carrier were two Kirov Heavy Missile Cruisers, some of the largest and most powerful warships the USSR Navy possess, and nothing in NATO's arsenal could confront with it. Further from that were several more groups of cruiser, destroyers and frigates to act as support for the fleet and larger ships. What Alec didn't know were the two 'special' ships his eyes picked out. He had been told that some prototype craft were going to be deployed, but he wasn't given much detail on them prior to arriving; real hush hush he had to figure. One looked like a Helicopter carrier, with the words "Moskva" written on the side. Similar to an aircraft carrier in use but smaller in size, it was capable of supporting a wide range of helicopter craft to support landing operations. The second ship was another new one, a landing ship of sorts, the name 'Peresvet' labeled on the side and the flag of the Spetznas command GRU flailing below the Russian Navy's.
"Strelok 01, you're clear to land, make it quick, you're the last v'ones to hit deck and the command breifing starts soon!"
"Roger, Strelok 01, coming in for landing." The major responded as he slowly leveled his craft, descending towards the carriers deck as he lowered his landing gear, easing his craft straight and true along the decks line. No matter how many simulations and practices, landing on an aircraft carrier, even a stationary one, was a daunting task; not only was the deck small, but if you went too fast, you'd overshoot and have to try again.
On an open sea, the longer you're in the air, the less fuel you have to make your attempts.
Gusev wasn't one to have to take a second try as he landed square on the deck, several thick cables catching his running hook to bring him to a solid stop as he was slowly led to taxi off the runway for the next craft to land. The captian looked about, seeing the flight crews already busying his craft as they began to pull it off deck to allow the next craft to land. As he was tugged to the hydralic lift, he began to turn off flight systems, deactivate weapons, and of course, remove his bukly flight helmet, letting his short, drity blond hair ease out from the dome shape his head was stuck in. As the Kaptian ran a hand to fix his hair, he looked about the cockpit, seeing his craft slowly settle upon the lift as it began to lower into the bowels of the aircraft carrier. Gusev had grown up around the military, it was in his blood, in his mind, and it made him strong to know their might was far greater than the West. He was proud to have been assigned to the Naval Aviation Division of the Russian Air Force, assigned to fleet carriers that would storm across the great seas, imposing the Motherlands might wherever it may need be.
Of course, that was fantasy, such a fleet of carriers was never planned, and only one had ever been built.
The Admiral Kuznetsov
Classified as a Heavy Missile Cruiser Aircraft Carrier, the Admiral was by far one of the most feared units on the Naval plane. No carrier in the west was capable of matching its firepower or aircraft carrying capabilities and above all, was capable of operating completely on its own. With such knowledge, the very thought of a carrier capable of operating anywhere without a large fleet needed was surely a fearful thought, and it certainly wasn't just the carrier that was fearful.
The Su-33, code named Flanker-D was also a peak of Soviet innovation in air superiority. It was a multi-role fighter based off the impressive Su-27 Flanker. Boasting high speed, maneuverability and agility, the Su-33 was superior to their NATO Counterparts in almost every way, and with a far heavier load set, it could carry a wide assortment of ordinance for air to air, ground and sea operations.
"Kaptain!" called a female voice as grounds crew suddenly surrounded the majors craft. The team already began towing the fighter to the hydraulic lift to lower it below as the major turned to see a female mechanic, donning the bright orange overalls of the 'maintenance crew' as she saluted.
"Praporshchik Alyia?" Gusev said in surprise "how did they bring you about?"
The female sergeant smirked "oh you know, connections with the state and military command, my father insisted i put my skills to work for your fighter wings, and my teams are some of the best, as you may know."
"I never doubted you or their skills for a moment Alyia, I'm glad to see a familair face working on my bird."
ALyia grinned, walking over to the Su-33 and patting its nose "She's in good hands Alec, you better get inside pronto, the big ups are preparing to gather the air crews once they all touch down, I have too much work to bother so I may ask for the details from you."
"Ah..." Gusev said "they may be classified."
"only to everyone else." Alyia winked as she went off to work on another Su-33 that had been towed in as the Major turned and went to the stairs to lead up to the upper levels.
Gusev entered the briefing room, already packed with other officers as he nestled beside a fellow flight captain, part of a wing of Su-25's, strike craft that the carrier also employed for ground attack missions. Several other 'Kaptains' of their wings stood around the room mixed in with naval officers of each ship, and two officers of the ground force units; one bearing a Spetznas patch, the other, a Airborne Commando VDV patch.
It was not often to be shown in any meeting, those special force units were often set before the main force, this certainly was gauging a higher level of security as Alec looked at the front of the room, seeing a rather tall, lankey man with thick rim glasses standing there.
"Comrades, your attention!" he said, his voice soft, but firm in presence as he pushed his glasses up.
"I am Mayor Mordika Dregovich, second in command of this operation. The Admiral..." he said, coughing a bit "is currently occupied with matters of the state and shall be-" he paused, a door behind him opened as the admiral, a shorter, stockery individual but with a build that could match a bear slowly trodded forward.
Burly was only the begining of this one, his bear and hair were thick and it was hard to see his eyes as he lifted his cap, showing a pair of blue eyes beneath the brown. In one hand however, he held a flask as he muttered something under his breath and took a stand at the podium.
"Ah...comrades~" he said, somewhat slurred as he took another swing.
"A-Admiral!?" The major asked
"Ah, Mayor Drego, hows the wife, she good yah? and the kids?"
"Uhm...Admiral..."
"Ah...yah?"
The Major points to the group as the admiral takes a long look.
"ah...ohh....Ah chjoy! I nearly forgot...comrades of branches, of air, sea and ground, v'elcome to the Admiral Kuznetsov" he said. slowly putting the flask away "Mayor Dragov, I'll take it from here....papers...please."
The major nodded, gathering a few papers and putting them on the podium as he snuck about and turned on the screen behind the admrial.
"Greetings comrades, I am Admiral Antoni Durcheiv, captain of this fleet.. You..." the admiral added, pointing a finger to the crowd "Have been selected by command and state to conduct a rather important operation. You probably wondering v'hat dat is ya? V'ell, let me be breif, tis very ambitions plan by command, very important plan tov'ards war, and very risky plan against the forces of the v'est...but...a plan dat if successful, shall stake claim against those capitalist dogs!"
There was a few hoorahs in the crowd as Alec huffed, what sort of mission did the state and command set for them, certainly with two special forces present, that meant it was serious.
"Operation Silent Snowfall comrades, dat is the mission command has saddled with us today..." the Admiral began as he turned to the screen, the first image that showed as the fleet composition as follows:
x1 Carrier
x2 Kirov BCC
x1 Pitovil Prototype Assault Transports
x1 Keiv Helicopter Carrier
x2 Cruisers
x4 Destroyers
x2 Frigates
Air units on Carrier
x2 Yak-44 for AWACS purposes.
x25 Su-33 (4 wings (5 aircraft per wing))
x15 Su-25
x6 Ka-27
x2 Su-33 Trainer
Helicopters on Transport Ship
x4 Mi-8
x2 Mi-24 Hind
x2 Mi-29 Havoc
x10 Ka-25
Vehicles on Assualt Ship
x2 BTR 40's
x4 BTR 70's
x4 T-64B's
x2 BMP-2
x2 Tunguska M1
"Comrade Admiral!" Gusev called up.
"Yes ah Kapitan?"
Gusev pointed to the screen "I don't tink I ever heard of some of these units, mind...explaining some of dem?"
"Ah...I thought you'd ask dat comrade Kaptian..." the admiral tapped his nose.
"First, dere is thetransport ship, Pitovil; dat comrades, is a prototy[e assualt craft, meant to allow a decent sized force to land on any beachead with enough firepower to cover dem. It v'ill be responsible for carrying most of the Spteznas ground units, trnasports, and heavy armour.. The second is the Helicopter carrier Moskva, also as important as it carries the VDV units helicopter gunships and transports for use in the missions to follow." he paused, inhaling deep as he pointed to the Yak-44 as a picture of the craft appeared.
"The Yak-44, Kaptain, is something you and the rest of the flight teams will be getting use to, they are new AV'acs units, simialr to Nato counterparts carrier-based verisons. dis v;ones can fly higher, longer, and faster den anything dey can use in propeller movement."
There were a few murmurs among the men as the screen went blank.
"Now den...your mission comrades is as follows:
The screen showed something no one epxcted to see; a land mass both foregin and familair all the same.
A large block of ice hanging off the very edge of one of the largest Western Nations.
"Sir...." one man said "is...dat Alaska?"
"Dat it is comrade...one and de same." He said as more murmurs rushed through the group.
"De state belives v'e can achive a full military take-over of dis provice, dere is low numbers of settled areas and only v'one military base; the prize however is dere oil fields, which v'e need." The map lit up several sections, settled areas were in purple, the military base in blue, and the oil fields in yellow.
"V'e begin by landing on the Northern cost, moving ground forces here right towards the military base. Air units from the carrier v'ill provide forward recon and air superiority as v'ell as close air missions for the ground forces. V'ill dis is going on, Air units from the VDV will drop into three settlements near the oil fields and hold dem. Once dey are clear and any rsistant removed, the ground forces should be able to claim de fields once de base is captured."
"And v;hat of the NATO response?" spoke somone.
"Ah..." The admirl grinned "Most of de fleet will continue on station to provide support, v;ith the Kirovs, dey v;ill not be so easy to attack v'ithout support. Dat alone should take more time den dey need to stop us."
Some satisfying murmurs went through the crowd as Gusev huffed, he felt a bit uneasy with the plan, how would they sneak a 15 ship fleet to Alaksa? The pacific would be a death trap ever since the Second World War, and anything else would be suicide.
"How...v;ill v'e get dere comrade Admiral?" Gusev asked as the Admrial flipped the screen...
It showed one route.
Right...North
Through the Arctic.
"V'e take the path dey least tink... through the pole f north v'ere dere Santa claws lays. Al'veady submarines have begun laying a course for the fleet to go v'ithout detection and have been prowling near the shores of Alaska since a few months prior, soon, v'e shall be upon dem...all v'e need to do is follow the trail."
And that was that...or at least, everything the Kapitan needed to know as he left the breifing. Part of him felt the whole thing was insaine, but...a sliver...a small sliver of him belived it was possible. Whatever the case may be, he was aprt of the Air Superiority group, he would certainly be facing against very tough contendors if the NATO and American forces in Alaska were up to date on their technology, certainly it would be a very difficult and...costly...engagement.
--
Leading up to a day later, Gusev and his wingman, Strealok 02, were preparing for take off on their first air patrols. Their craft, already loaded with several racks of air-to-air missiles, began to taxi across the rather sparse flight deck. They had already been set behind a Yak-44 that had launched sometime earlier, and their task was to locate and escort the AWACS along its designated flight path. Gusev felt a slight tingle in his gut, he had never launched from a Carrier either, so as he looked over to Strelok 02, he passed him a thumbs up in return.
"V'ell be okay comrade Kaptian, don't vorry." Strealok 02 spoke over the coms "Its easier den taking off on ground!"
Gusev huffed, rolling his eyes as he slid down his helments visor, slowly tapping a few controls to start up his cratfs weapon systems.
He began to run flight checks, looking behind to check his flaps and stabs, making sure his gun spun up and his missles and flares worked properly; couldn't fight with faulty equipment if they did run into anything out there. Once he was clear, he gave the crew a thumbs up as they made their final preperations.
"Strelok 02, you're first in line, take off v'hen ready." Spoke the control tower as Gusev watched his wingman give the okay signal as the crew scattered from the craft, all their checks and double checks completed as the launch master held his arms up above his head.
From behind Strelock 02 craft, a blast wall rose, stopping just behind his jet exhaust as the launch master ducked down and gave the go ahead.
Strelock 02 fired his thrusters to full and slowly moved forward, eventually speeding towards the giant ski=jump at the end of the runway and launched right off it, after-burns suddenly turning red hot as he started to ascend towards the sky above.
"Strelok 01, you're clear for launch!"
Call the command bridge as Gusev slowly eased himself into his seat, all checks turned out green as he watched the launch master before him, waiting for his turn as he slowly waved his hands to make the jet move just a smidge forward before stopping. The sudden groan of a hydralic wall behind his craft gave the tell-tale sign he was about to launch as the Launch master suddely lowered and gave the all clear.
Gusev put the throttle th full, slowly moving forward before his jets kicked into full thrust and he found himself rushing down the deck and off the ski-jump. No amount of prepartions can handle the stomach feeling the captian got as he felt his jet lurch upwards and take the sky, soaring higher and higher as he slowly banked to his left, making a single turn pass around the fleet just as Strelok 2 chimed im.
"I'm on your left v;ing comrade lead, ;ets do this nice and easy." he said as Gusev looked to his left, seeing the second Su-33 pulling up close as they flew over the slowly proceeding fleet and then turned about to fly off into the distance.
