Chapter 2: The North Korean War Begins

Part 1: First Contact

2, June 2017, 12:00N

Location: Over San Diego

The team was on an air combat practice flight with live missiles over San Diego when they were alerted by the air traffic controller of a contact out to the west. Commander: "Command Room to Shadow Squadron. We have a leaker, aircraft type unknown, twenty miles out, bearing 284. Buzzman, your flight is the only one close enough to make the intercept."

"Alright, guys this is it, your first real intercept. You ready?" Steve asked.

"Yeah! Ready anytime!" Irma responded.

"Let's do it!" Kim replied.

"Yeah!! Bring it on!" Robert said.

"I like that attitude! Let's roll!" Steve said as they headed out to intercept the contact. They were surprised when they saw that it was a Tu-95 Bear bomber. "What's a Bear doing all the way here?" Robert asked.

"I don't know, but I think we should check this out." Steve replied. "Attention, unidentified aircraft, you are in restricted US military airspace; squawk ident and proceed west out of the area." Steve said as he radioed the bomber's crew.

"Shadow 1 to Tower, contact is not squawking, request instructions." Steve said. "Shadow 1, Tower; escort the contact to base for identification." The controller responded.

"Attention, unidentified aircraft, we will escort you to Naval Air Station North Island. If you do not comply, we will use deadly force against you." Steve said to the bomber. The bomber turned away and began flying west.

Robert got close to the bomber and made a chilling discovery. "Shadow 1, this bomber has North Korean markings, I say again, this bomber has North Korean markings!" he said to Steve on the radio. Suddenly, the bomber's tail-mounted machine gun turret pointed itself at Kim's plane! Kim barely managed to avoid the burst of gunfire that came a second later.

"Tower, the bomber has attempted to shoot down one of my planes, request permission to engage." Steve said. "Roger, contact confirmed hostile. Cleared to engage." The ATC replied. "Roger that! All Shadow units engage!" Steve ordered.

Robert got behind the bomber, armed his weapons and hit it with a burst from his Vulcan. The bomber burst into flames and blew apart. "Shadow 4, splash 2!" Robert called out as they all watched the remnants of the bomber go down.

"Shadow Flight, your patrol is complete, return to base." The ATC ordered. "Wilco." Steve replied as the aircraft landed at North Island. The pilots later learned that any information regarding the encounter with the bomber was to remain classified until further notice.

Part 2: Second Bomber Encounter

3, June 2017, 9:29AM

Location: 1 mile west of San Diego

A pair of Tu-95s with similar markings to the one that was encountered attempted to penetrate American military airspace over San Diego from the west. Despite many warnings, the aircraft continued to fly through restricted skies.

The Shadows were sent in to intercept the planes.

"This is AWACS, callsign Sentinel; escort the targets to the ground. Do not fire at the targets, I say again; do not fire at the targets." AWACS called in.

"Copy, Sentinel, you hear that, guys?" Steve asked.

"Roger." Kim replied.

"Roger." Irma replied.

"Roger." Robert replied.

"Good, let's go." Steve said as they turned to make the intercept. Steve then spotted the bombers.

"Tally-ho! We have company, let's go!" Steve said over the radio as they closed in.

In a few minutes, they are behind the bombers. "Hey, Blaze, You mind sending the surrender request for us?" Steve asked Robert.

"With pleasure, sir! Testing...Testing! Attention, unidentified aircraft, you are in restricted U.S. military airspace, squawk ident and vacate the area immediately!" Robert radioed to the bombers.

"Good!" Steve said, impressed by Robert's message. "We will direct you to Naval Air Station North Island. Lower your gear if you understand." Robert continued. The bombers aimed their guns at the American fighters and fired several bursts.

"WHOA, WATCH OUT!" Steve ordered as the planes jinked around and backed off. "Sentinel, Shadow 1, we've been fired on, request permission to engage." Steve said.

"Roger cleared to engage." AWACS responded. "Get 'em, Blaze!" Steve ordered as Robert armed his weapons. He switched to his AIM-9X Sidewinder heat-seeking missiles and locked onto the first bomber.

"I've got tone." Robert said as the lock-on tone sounded. "Shadow 4, fox two!" Robert called out as he pressed the trigger to fire the missile. The missile flew off of the starboard wingtip rail and rocketed towards the bomber. The missile hit the bomber, tearing off its right wing.

"Shadow 4, splash one!" Robert called out as he watched the missile hit. Luckily, the bomber crashed in the hills just east of MCAS Miramar. Robert then locked onto the other bomber. "I've got tone!" Robert said as the missile locked on.

"Shadow 4, fox two!" he called out as he fired the other Sidewinder. The missile struck the bomber just as it turned to evade the missile. "Shadow 4, splash one!" Robert called out as he watched the bomber slam into the hills just east of the first bomber crash site.

"We've confirmed the kills, Shadow Flight, good shooting." AWACS said as the Shadows returned to base. "I don't know what's going on, but I have a feeling that it's going to get worse." Robert said minutes later in the pilots' lounge.

"Yeah, but if it does get worse, we'll be ready for it." Irma replied. "Yeah, we will be ready." Robert said. Little did any of the team's pilots know that things were going to get worse really soon.

Part 3: Conway's shootdown

5, June 2017, 10:00AM

Location: 5 miles west of San Diego

A ship that looked like some kind of aircraft carrier has been sighted in U.S. waters. At the same time, several recon UAVs have been seen over San Diego. The Shadow squadron has been sent to destroy the drones, but they have also been ordered to not fire at the ship.

"I have radar contact with the drones. All planes, engage!" Robert kicks it off by firing an AIM-120D AMRAAM at the first group of drones. "Shadow 4, fox three!" he called out as he fired the missile. "Shadow 1, fox three!" Steve called out as he fired an AMRAAM.

"Shadow 2, fox three!" Kim called out as she fired.

"Shadow 3, fox three!" Irma called out as one of her AMRAAMs flew off towards its target. A minute later, the missiles hit the drones, destroying them. "Shadow 4, splash one!" Robert called out as his missile hit.

"Shadow 3, splash one!" Irma called out as her target disappeared from her radar and HUD.

"Shadow 2, splash one!" Kim called out as her target was destroyed.

"Shadow 1, splash one!" Steve said as his missile took his target out. "Good kills, Shadow Flight, good work." AWACS said. A minute later, the group acquired the next group of four drones.

"I've got tone." Robert called out as he acquired one of the drones on his APG-79 AESA radar. "Shadow 4, fox three!" he called out as he fired the missile.

"Shadow 1, fox three!" Steve called out as one of his AMRAAMs flew off.

"Shadow 2, fox three!" Kim called out as she took her shot.

"Shadow 3, fox three!" Irma called out as she launched her missile. Within minutes, the missiles hit their targets. "Shadow 4, splash one!" Robert called out as his missile hit his fifth victim, which officially made him an ace.

"Shadow 3, splash one!" Irma called out as her target disappeared from her radar and HUD.

"Shadow 2, splash one!" Kim called out as her target was destroyed.

"Shadow 1, splash one!" Steve said as his missile took his target out. That group turned out to be the last group of drones. "Shadow, we have three bogies approaching bearing 284." Sentinel said.

"What, same vector as last time?!" Steve asked. "Roger, same heading as last time, 284." Sentinel answered.

"Jeez! These guys must be nuts!" he said as the F/A-18Es turned to engage. "Think you guys can handle a real dogfight?" Steve asked his fellow pilots. His wingmen responded by engaging the hostile aircraft.

A brief dogfight ensued, but the Shadow team turned the tables quickly. "I've got tone!" Robert called out as his missile locked onto one of the three Su-27Ks that had arrived in the area.

"Shadow 4, fox two!" he called out as he fired an AIM-9X Sidewinder at the Flanker. The missile T-boned the Flanker and blew it to bits. "Shadow 4, splash one!" Robert called out as he watched the enemy pilot eject.

"Shadow 3, fox two!" Irma called out as she fired a Sidewinder at another Flanker. The missile went up the Flanker's starboard tailpipe and detonated.

"Shadow 3, splash one!" Irma called out as she watched her third victim turn into a fireball. Robert locked onto the last remaining Flanker.

"Shadow 4, fox two!" he called out as his missile flew off of the port-side wingtip launch rail. The missile hit the bottom of the Flanker's fuselage and detonated, splitting the aircraft in two.

"Shadow 4, splash one!" Robert called out as he watched his seventh victim go down in flames. "Airspace sanitized, good work, Shadow Flight." AWACS said. Suddenly, the intelligence vessel fired a surface-to-air missile at Irma's plane!

"Tsunami, you've got a missile! Break right!" Robert ordered. But Steve came in and got the missile to chase his plane. He tried to shake it off, but it hit him in the left wing, tearing it in two. "Captain!" Kim called out.

"Hey! Save the waterworks! I'm just gonna punch out here! We can replace these planes, it's getting the crew home safely that counts!" Steve said before he ejected out of his plane, and landed in the water below.

"Warning! Warning! Shadow Flight! Head to the Ronald Reagan and land there immediately!" AWACS ordered.

"But the chopper isn't here yet!" Irma said. "Leave that to the rescue team! Land on the carrier, refuel, rearm, and stand-by for further orders! The enemy has declared war on us!" AWACS replied.

"WHAT!?" Irma said.

"No way!" Kim said.

"You've gotta be kidding me!" Robert said. And so, the three pilots headed to the USS Ronald Reagan, which was on its way towards the Hawaiian Islands.

Captain Steve Conway's parachute was found by the Sea Hunters Navy helicopter rescue team a few minutes later. All that they saw was the chute and the retreating enemy intelligence-vessel. There was no sign of him anywhere. As of now he is considered MIA. A few days later, 11 new aircrew members joined the squadron fresh from flight training.

Part 4: The War Begins

10, June 2017, 1:00PM

Location: Pearl Harbor

North Korea has declared war on the U.S. It has been confirmed that they are responsible for the other engagements over the last few days. At the same time they declared war, they launched a surprise air attack on Pearl Harbor. They were targeting the area's naval and air bases. Planes from all of the air bases scrambled to intercept the enemy strike planes. The Shadow team has launched from the Ronald Reagan and rushed to the fight.

"This is Sentinel to Shadow, Hero, you lead the formation." AWACS ordered. "Negative, Blaze, you take the lead. I'll cover you." Kim replied.

"Hero! Follow your orders and take the lead!" AWACS ordered again.

"No. Blaze is leading. I am NOT gonna lose another wingman." Kim replied. Just then, An F/A-18E Super Hornet of VFA-115 Eagles, piloted by Captain Jackson Thomas, flew by them. "

Quit screwing around, this is war! The enemy's all over and if you let your guard down for even a second, they'll eat you alive! Swordsman to Sentinel, give me the next target vector." Jackson said. All of the warships in the harbor were trying to escape into open waters, one of which was the USS Gerald R. Ford. Many transmissions flooded the radio airwaves:

"This is the destroyer Russell, facilities have taken heavy damage! Two ships have also been hit!"

"This is the missile cruiser Port Royal, the barge in front of us, you have to move away!"

"Oh, my, this sounds bad!" Kim said as they arrived in the battle zone.

"It IS bad. They're coming from all directions!" Robert said. "Let's get 'em!" Taranee said. With that, the Shadow Squadron went into battle. The North Korean War has begun! The squadron began establishing a barrier CAP around the harbor.

"We're almost out of the harbor! Someone cover us!" Captain Anderson (CO of the USS Gerald R. Ford) said. "Ford, Sentinel, We have multiple Frogfoots heading your way! Shadow Flight, head out to intercept!" AWACS replied.

"Wilco! Ford, we're heading your way now!" Robert said. "Roger, cover us while we get out!" Anderson replied. The team headed out to escort the fleet out of the harbor.

"Shadow 1, fox three!" Robert called out as he ripple-fired four of his AIM-120Ds at a group of Su-25 Frogfoots that were approaching the harbor. The squadron split off to secure the area. After a minute, the missiles hit.

"Shadow 1, splash one!" Robert called out as he engaged the next wave.

He and three of his wingmen then locked onto a group of Tu-22 Backfire bombers that were approaching.

"Shadow 1, fox three!" he called out as he fired the missile.

"Shadow 7, fox three!" Caleb called out as he fired an AMRAAM.

"Shadow 2, fox three!" Kim called out as she fired.

"Shadow 3, fox three!" Will called out as one of her AMRAAMs flew off towards its target. A minute later, the missiles hit the bombers, destroying them. "Shadow 1, splash one!" Robert called out as his missile hit.

"Shadow 3, splash one!" Will called out as her target was destroyed.

"Shadow 2, splash one!" Kim called out as her target was destroyed.

"Shadow 7, splash one!" Caleb said as his missile took his target out.

"Good kills, Shadow Flight, good work." AWACS said. A minute later, the group acquired the next group of four Su-25s.

"I've got tone." Robert called out as he acquired one of the Frogfoots on his APG-79 AESA radar. "Shadow 1, fox three!" he called out as he fired the missile.

"Shadow 7, fox three!" Caleb called out as one of his AMRAAMs flew off.

"Shadow 2, fox three!" Kim called out as she took her shot.

"Shadow 3, fox three!" Will called out as she launched her missile. Within minutes, the missiles hit their targets.

"Shadow 1, splash one!" Robert called out as his missile hit his fifteenth victim.

"Shadow 3, splash one!" Will called out as her missile hit its mark.

"Shadow 2, splash one!" Kim called out as her target was destroyed.

"Shadow 7, splash one!" Caleb said as his missile took his target out. "Airspace is sanitized; I say again, airspace is sanitized!" AWACS said. Just then, a voice came onto the radio.

"This is the port captain, the ships have been evacuated safely." the voice said.

"All enemy aircraft have been destroyed! We saved the fleet!" AWACS said. "Well, we're all safe. Let's go home." Robert said. I still can't believe that all my friends are here flying with us! Irma thought as they landed on the USS Gerald R. Ford.