Summoning the Union of South East Asia (USEA)

Intermission: Crumbling Order

Author's note: I know it a took a while but real life can be a hassle so here's an update I was able to squeeze out. 

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USEAN Air Force 149th "Garuda" Squadron, Skies Over Northern Louria

March 7, 1641

Beneath the watchful rays of the moons above Rodenius, a gale blew over the barren landscape of the occupied nation of Louria. It carried with it a voice, a message, an omen for the long regarded "superpowers" that were native to this world. Its scent, tainted by the pungent odour of burning kerosene. Its aeolian sound, akin to deafening roars of thunder.

The patches of rolling clouds would ever so often break apart, unravelling another layer. It was just that this time, they weren't of water droplets, but of titanium alloys.

The fuselages of Garuda Squadron were among the many that reflected the calm moonlight emanating from the heavens above. Forward deployed from Paya Lebar Air Base, a total of 24 F-15ES' flew at about 30,000 feet above sea level, their hardpoints bristling with the short-range, domestically made Sumpit-1 or American made AIM-9 Sidewinder infrared Air-to-Air missiles and beyond-visual-range AIM-120 AMRAAMs. Their dual Pratt & Whitney afterburning turbofan engines whined with a pitch as it propelled the fighter at speeds of up to Mach 2.5 towards its area of operations.

Their objective was simple, fly top cover for Hornet Squadron that flew several thousand feet below them. Comprised of the lighter and very much older F-5E Tiger IIs, Hornet Squadron's aircraft were loaded to the brim with Mark 82 unguided bombs for ground strikes against Milishial and Parpaldian positions. The reasoning for the utilization of Mark 82s when JDAM kits were widely available was simple: Cost and target characteristics. The unfortunate recipients of such a payload, based on the briefing mere hours before they took off from the Antonio Luna Base, was an important logistics hub situated within an old Lourian castle that had been repurposed by the Parpaldian occupation forces due to its defensible nature. It was understood that aside from horse drawn carts, what was described as Milishial trucks were present entering and leaving the fort with supplies and manpower as part of the nominal superpower's commitment to this side of the world. The same type of loadout was mirrored on other squadrons assigned to targets that were deemed "low risk" of causing "significant" collateral damage. For those assigned to strike targets close to civilian dwellings such as those in the city of Jin-Hark, guided bombs were issued in the form of Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAM) as a way of minimizing unnecessary civilian suffering and death.

Flying farther back at around the same height as Garuda Squadron, an E-2C Hawkeye constantly monitored the surrounding airspace with its rotodome mounted AN/APS-145 radar system, its radar screen under the ever-astute eyes of the radar operator who not only relayed information to the squadron he was assigned to command and direct, but also receive and interpret reports coming in from other AWACS aircraft in other areas of operations. The operation called for a simultaneous air strike all over the occupied territory for the purpose of crippling and demoralizing the fighting forces present on the continent in what is formally known as "Rapid Dominance". Of course, it was also known by a more common name, Shock and Awe.

<<This is Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) Shrewd Owl to all aircraft: 12 bandits at bearing 2-7-0. Garudas 5 to 8 are to intercept, over.>>

<<Garuda 5, copy. Alright gents let's get a move on.>> Came the affirmation from one of the F-15s as it along with 3 others banked away from the rest of the flight to engage the incoming hostiles. As Garuda 5 led his flight of four F-15s away from the main strike force, the rest of Garuda and Hornet squadron flew as planned through the cloudy azure night skies. The report from the AWACs quickly drowned out by the whistling of their aircraft's intakes as they pressed on. Inside the lead craft Garuda 1, Weapons System Officer (WSO) Kiet noticed that his breathing was heavy, his heart was racing, and his thoughts wondered just how this war progress will and more importantly, end. The briefing before had made one thing clear, this was an open war against two superpowers of this world and should be viewed as such.