While conducting Freedom of Navigation operations in the Persian Gulf, your F-14 Tomcat was downed by hostile fire during severe weather conditions. Blown deep into Iranian territory by intense storm winds, you and your Radar Intercept Officer (RIO) have located an operational F-14B within a hangar at Shiraz International Airport. Iranian Security Forces are en route to secure the site. You are to commandeer the aircraft and egress the area before capture.

**1.1 Update - June 23rd, 2025**

----------BRIEFING----------

**DATE: May 6th, 2025
**TIME: 05:50
**LOCATION: Iran, Shiraz International Airport
**WEATHER: Overcast and rain, high winds


**COMMS**
CVN-73 USS George Washington
- TACAN 73X | ILS 13 | CVN73 | 127.5 MHz | Link 4 332.0 MHz
Refueling
- S-3B Recovery | Texaco 1-1 | TACAN 14X | 305 MHz AM
AWACS
- E-3A | Overlord 1-1 | 251 MHz AM


**SITUATION**
While conducting Freedom of Navigation operations in the Persian Gulf, your F-14 Tomcat was downed by hostile fire during severe weather conditions. Blown deep into Iranian territory by intense storm winds, you and your Radar Intercept Officer (RIO) have located an operational F-14B within a hangar at Shiraz International Airport. Iranian Security Forces are en route to secure the site. You are to commandeer the aircraft and egress the area before capture.


**MISSION**
Execute an immediate exfiltration from enemy territory. Launch from Shiraz International Airport and proceed via Nap-of-the-Earth (NOE) flight through the Zagros Mountains to evade detection and engagement by Iranian hostile aircraft and surface-to-air missile (SAM) systems. Navigate to open waters and return to friendly forces aboard the USS George Washington. The F-14B is loaded with two AIM-9L missiles as well as full gun ammo and fuel.

**EXECUTION**
    Departure Protocol:
    Follow the cleared path to Runway 11R. Your RIO has rigged a nearby ammunition depot with explosives to create a diversion. Upon detonation, hostile forces are expected to misidentify your aircraft as friendly as it moves away from the explosion to safety, enabling a short window for takeoff. You have a maximum of five (5) minutes before your true identity is compromised.

    Flight Path:
    Once airborne, maintain NOE flight to minimize radar signature and avoid engagement. Enemy SAM sites, AAA, and air patrols will be searching for the stolen aircraft. Located 160nm south-southwest of Shiraz Airport, the USS George Washington's TACAN (73X) is blocked by the Zagros Mountains at takeoff.  

    Recovery:
    Upon reaching the Persian Gulf, establish radio contact with the USS George Washington and request Case II recovery. If fuel reserves are critically low, rendezvous with an S-3B Viking tanker maintaining a recovery orbit in the vicinity of the carrier group.

**END STATE**
Mission success is defined by the successful recovery of the stolen aircraft and crew aboard the USS George Washington.


**SUPPORT**
- AWACS "Overlord 1-1" on station west of CVN-73
- S-3B Recovery "Texaco-1-1" is available at angles 7 for refueling above CVN-73


**GAMEPLAY**
- Single Player is intended to fly a single F-14B or Substitute F/A-18. Secondary F-14B and F/A-18s are intended for multiplayer.
- Multiplayer pilots are recommended to stay close together (~25ft) while taxiing
- Once detected, re-spawning will draw fire from Iranian troops.
- Use Comms F10 option to remove SA-10 SAM site near Shiraz Intl to reduce difficulty at takeoff.


**CREDITS**
Mission Design by SimMotionTuning https://www.simmotiontuning.com/dcs-missions
Top Gun Anthem by Harold Faltermeyer
* Music used for entertainment purposes only. All credit goes to the original artists and copyright holders.


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Change Log
v1.0 - 6/6/2025 - Initial Release
v1.1 - 6/23/2025 - Added Comms F10 option to remove SA-10 SAM site near Shiraz Intl to reduce difficulty at takeoff, ground troop pathing fixes, kneeboard updated
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