Disclaimer: Ace Combat does not belong to me. It belongs to it's respective owners, namely Bandai Namco Entertainment.

Belkan-Ustian border, Osean Continent, Planet Earth.
March 25th, 1995.

It was going to be their first taste of a real battle, the moment they had all been training for.
Not that the skirmishes from last year were a battle, but isolated incidents were not exactly what these pilots had joined the Belkan Air Force for as their service to the Fatherland.

And now, as part of the first wave of Belka's attack on the Ustian Air Force, the Rot Team from I Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 52 was enroute to an Ustian airbase in North-west Ustio, around 32 miles west of the city of Zarn.

Crossing the border, were four MiG-29Ms, decorated in a dark grey and red colour scheme and armed with 1 fully loaded GSh-30-1 autocannon, 4 Vympel R-73 short-range infrared missiles, 2 Vympel R-27R medium-to-long range semi-active radar homing missiles and 1 UB-32 rocket pod with 32 S-5 unguided rockets.

Ahead of the four aircraft formation, was the flight leader, with a red swallow decal on the nose of his MiG.
Major Detlef Fleisher, who was already prominently known amongst Belka as the 'Red Swallow' for his actions in the early 1990s, holding himself well during the border clashes with the Ustian Air Force, as well as an aerial battle on May 10th 1994, over Area B7R, in which he and his squadron downed three Ustian Mirage IIIs, and on May 15th 1994, when during another border clash, he and squadron battled against an Ustian ace and his four wingmen.
The former Belkan Air Force Major and veteran ace of many Belkan conflicts in the 70s, a Felix Bauschinger, was flying the latest addition to Ustio's Air Force, the F-20 Tigershark, and his four wingmen were flying F-5 Tigers.
After his flight lead was killed, the squadron had almost descended into complete anarchy.
But, Detlef managed to regroup the squadron under his leadership and reorganise it for his counterattack.
As a result, Bauschinger and his wingmen were downed, and this action earned him the Silver Cross.

Immediately, Detlef's rise as the 'Red Swallow' was assured, and shortly afterwards, 'Rot Team' was born.

Just before the war had broken out, many of his superiors were initially worried about his fame, so much so that they had feared losing him to enemy action, and the resulting impact to morale for not only the squadron or even the Air Force, but to the Fatherland, so they had tried to persuade Fleisher to transfer to a desk job. He had refused, insisting on having the same right to 'prove his worth in Belka's most grievous hour of need'. Apparently, arguments between his superiors had broken out, or so rumour had it, but eventually, Detlef was allowed to continue on as flight lead.

And today, the Red Swallow was full of absolute pride as he and his Rot Team would be a part of the first strike against their tearaway province, who absolutely had no right to call themselves a country.

Sitting in the cockpit, Detlef took a look to his right and saw his wingmen.
His number two, Hauptmann Jurgen Maier, was a newcomer to Rot Team, having been transferred from Jagdgeschwader 13 upon his promotion to Hauptmann last year, but was quite comfortable as the Red Swallow's new wingman.

Then, taking a look to his left, there was his numbers three, Leutnant Helmut Schnellinger, and the number four, Leutnant Karl-Heinz Sammer.
Two new recruits straight from the Academy, and were, under Detlef's tutorage, fitting along quite nicely in Rot Team.

With the upcoming war now starting, it was time to see if Rot Team would not only make a name for itself, but make a impact in the war to come, in Belka's favor.

Their target, was the small Ustian Air Force airbase by the name of Venbrì.

Comprised of F-5 Tigers and Pilatus PC-7 trainer aircraft, the base also housed significant anti-air defences in the form of 35mm Oerlikon GDFs, and Rapier surface to air missiles (which was replacing Ustio's ancient Bloodhound SAMs)

But as Rot Team made it's approach, one thing was apparent to Detlef.
Their missile approach warning receivers were not going off, so that meant that the SAMs were not targeting them.
No AA guns were opening fire, let alone training their sights onto the aircraft.
And no sirens were going off, alerting everyone.

Detlef smiled.
They had achieved complete surprise.

"Rot 1 to all craft. We are within sight of the target. Ustio's been caught napping. Now, let's give them one hell of a wakeup call. Commence the attack".
The replies were instant, "Roger".

As the MiG-29s rushed towards the airfield, the alarms suddenly started blaring away, and immediately, the lights across the airfield turned on, and people were rushing about.

Detlef, being ahead of the flight, flicked the switch on his flight stick with his thumb for the MiG's autocannon, and once he got a proper line of sight with the gunsight, pulled the trigger.
He could see the Ustians diving for the ground and spreading out all over the airfield as 30mm rounds hit the target, the main control tower and complex of the airfield.

The three other flight members also engaged with their autocannons, hitting the radar tower (which after a few rounds, collapsed pretty easily), the SAMs, some of the parked aircraft and vehicles, causing massive explosions to erupt from the airfield.

"Rot 4, this is Rot 1. Cover me, I'm about to make an attack on that hangar complex. Looks like Ustio's about to send up it's fighters, let's hit them before they take off".
"Roger that, Rot 1".

Switching from guns to rockets, Detlef then pressed a button, which unleashed a volley of unguided rockets towards the hangars.
At the same time, Leutnant Sammer's aircraft unleashed a volley of cannon fire at another set of hangars to Detlef's right.

The rockets exploded first, causing a massive explosion that erupted from the hangars, the fire ripping right through the air and engulfing everything within the hangar, including missiles and cannon ammunition for the fighters of Venbrì, while the cannon fire struck a couple of parked F-5 Tigers.

As they began to make another run of the airfield, searching for targets, Detlef got a warning from his wingman, "Rot 1, this is Rot 2. Ustio fighters attempting to take off!"

Taking a look around the airfield, Detlef spotted a pair of Hawker Hunters and de Havilland Venoms taxing from a set of hangars not targeted in the initial assault, and making their way towards the runway.

He then called out to the rest of the flight, "All Rot craft, do not let those Ustians get off the runway!"

And all four Rot craft began to set themselves up to strike at the Ustian craft about to take off.

Detlef's craft took out the lead Ustian craft with cannon fire, the Venom veering off the runway aimlessly as it then ran aground in the grass.

Then Rot 2 came in with with a strafing run of his own, that took out one Hunter and two Venoms.

And finally, Rot 3 unleashed a volley of rockets that took out two Hunters and damaged the runway with impact craters scattered across.

But Rot 4's strafing run missed, due to what seemed to be sheer luck in Detlet's mind.

Soon, around one Venom and one Hunter managed to manoeuvre around the wrecked runway, and get into perfect position to go full throttle and launch themselves off the runway.

Once off the runway and into the sky, the Hunter and Venom eventually turned sharply to confront the Belkans.
A big mistake, thought Detlef as he switched to his cannons, and drew a lead ahead of the Hunter.

And as soon as he pulled the trigger, a volley of 30mm rounds flew out from his MiG's autocannon and struck the Hunter in the fuselage and wings, causing it to leak fuel.
Shortly afterwards, the plane exploded, with no sign of the pilot having even ejected.

Quickly, Detlef turned his attention onto the Venom, only for the Ustian pilot to start evasive manoeuvres.
Every round missed, and Detlef was forced to switch over from guns to missiles.

While he pursued the Venom, he was also at work trying to acquire a lock-on for one of his four Vympel R-73 infrared missiles.

But however, the Ustian was good. His erratic evasive manoeuvres were ensuring him to survive just a little while longer.
This Ustian is good, Detlef grudgingly conceded, before smirking as he changed missile and started acquiring a lock-on for one of his two Vympel R-27R medium-to-long range semi-active radar homing missiles.
And when he successfully acquired it, he remarked with a smile, But not good enough...

Dropping from his pylon and, then kicking in it's rocket motor, Detlef watched with satisfaction as the missile managed to reach the Venom, slam into it and destroy the Ustian craft, killing the pilot along with it for good measure.

As he settled the MiG-29 into a holding position over the airfield, Detlef made the call, "Alright. All Rot Team members, sound off".

And he got three responses, earning a sigh of relief from him.
"Rot Two here. Alive and well".
"Rot Three. Same here. Do have some holes in my wings, but I'm still flying".
"Rot Four. I'm okay. Just awaiting orders, Rot Leader".

As all three of his wingmen formed up on his right, Detlef scanned the horizon, seeing that they were clear, before taking a look at his gauges and instruments.
Satisfied, the Red Swallow spoke to his wingmen, "Alright, well done, to all of you. We've managed to put this airbase out of commission. But the day's not over yet. And we still have a lot to do. Now, let's go and see if there are more targets of opportunity, we've still got enough fuel to hunt, and yet still be able to return to base. You with me?"

All his wingmen acknowledged in an affirmative, and smiling, Detlef manoeuvred his craft to bank into a left turn, and his wingmen followed close on his wing.

But as they left the smashed airbase behind them, and started to venture over the plains, hills and forests of Ustio, all Major Detlef Fleisher said as they left, was "Now, let's go hunting".

Whew!

That was exhausting!

But hey, another exciting one-shot for you, set in the Strangereal universe! Hope you enjoy.

Aircraft wise, I figured that since the Rot Team is supposedly a top ace squadron with a top pilot that is heavily publicised amongst the Belkan people, I figure that in 1995, the MiG-29 would be the most advanced aircraft for Belka to have.
Plus, it does feel like the closest thing to the Eurofighter Typhoon flown by the team in the game.

Anyways, don't forget to leave a review whenever you can and see you next time!