Chapter Three.
Tillman Air Force Base
June 9th, 2019
1200 hours.
All six B-2s had returned to base safely and after being treated to a good breakfast and a long rest, it was now time for the debriefing. Major O'Grady and the others felt pretty confident that they struck the Eruseans hard, but know it was time to see how well they actually did. General Lennox turned on the screen behind him and began the debriefing.
"Exhibit A, gentlemen. What Charles Martel and Francine Air Bases looked like before your JASSM-XRs arrived." O'Grady and the others booed at the photos showing the two bases in pristine condition with aircraft ready to go. "And here is what they look like now."
The next two photos showed both bases looking like smoldering heaps with red circles over the critical areas.
"Looks like we did a damn good job, sir," O'Grady said.
"That's right, Major. Hangars, destroyed. Control towers, destroyed. Operation centers, destroyed Aircraft parked on the tarmacs, destroyed, fuel and munitions bunkers were blown sky high and thanks to the OFS Bana, the runways were hit with enough Tomahawk missiles to keep them out of commission for weeks. The base defenses did manage to intercept two of them, but that did nothing to stop the final outcome."
"What are the after-action results of our strike on the underground garages, General?" Captain Cortez asked.
"Did our Mop's do the job, General?" Lieutenant Wheeler added.
"Members of Cell Two, feast your eyes," Lennox replied then replaced the images of the destroyed airbases with those of big craters in the middle of desolate areas.
"It looks like our MOPs worked as advertised," Cortez commented.
"And as a result, the majority of the mobile missile units for the Erusean Coastal Defense Force are now out of the picture. The next time our warships position themselves off the coast of Erusea's capital, they shouldn't have any shore-based missiles to worry about. Just enemy ships and aircraft which they are more than a match for."
"How much of a number did our B-1 friends do on Farbanti with their missile strikes?"
"I thought you would never ask, Major O'Grady. The Erusean Royal Palace was paid a visit by one of their JASSM-XRs. The building took severe damage but the Erusean Royal Family survived. The goal wasn't to kill them but to demonstrate our ability to touch anything or anyone we want, even them whenever we please." Lennox paused to bring the before and after pictures of buildings in the Farbanti that were the real targets. The offices of government ministers, military service academies, the HQs of the Erusean State Police and Intelligence Services, and even two of their four power plants. All targeted buildings were reduced to piles of rubble and half of the city was going to be without power for a while.
"In conclusion, you guys and our B-1 friends have made the Osean Global Strike Command very proud and there will be more operations for us in the future. Until then, take time to celebrate your success."
The bomber pilots and their mission commanders erupted into cheers and congratulated each other.
Fin.