A/N: I based this entire chapter on a similar set of events in the movie The Sum of All Fears. The F-16G Sea Falcon is a fictional carrier-based variant that was developed by the company that manufactured it, Lockhoof Maretin.
Atlantic Ocean, 150 miles east of Mareami, Equestria
July 24, 2016, 1:25 AM
The Equestrian Royal Navy aircraft carrier ERNS Friendship was en-route to rendezvous with the other ships of Task Force 129, located 200 miles to the south on a course of 170 at 35 knots.
On her flight deck, four of her F-14 Tomcats were on the catapults, on alert 5 readiness and ready to launch quickly.
In the carrier's CIC, one of the radar operators spotted a dot on his screen.
"TAO, EW, I'm picking up intermittent radar bearing 087." the operator, Operations Specialist Third-class Seeker, a young earth pony whose cutie mark was, in fact, a radar screen, said as he tracked the radar signature with his eyes.
"Where?" The TAO asked as he came over to see what Seeker was looking at.
Suddenly, the blip on the screen disappeared. "Now it's gone." Seeker said.
Meanwhile, a flight of six Tu-22 bombers were racing towards the carrier. They were flying at low altitude, below radar coverage.
"Target acquired, initiate attack run." the lead bomber pilot ordered.
On the carrier, the blip reappeared on Seeker's screen. "There! It's a weak signal, low on the horizon!" he said.
"TAO, Air Sup, inbound contact!" the air supervisor said in a slightly nervous tone as he spotted the bomber group on his screen.
A minute later, the Tu-22s each launched a pair of AS-16 Kickback anti-ship cruise missiles in a single wave.
After the missiles were in flight, the Backfire-Cs turned away.
"Multiples on the same bearing!" the air supervisor said urgently as he spotted the missiles on his screen.
"Vampire! Vampire!" Seeker said as he spotted the missiles on his screen heading straight for the carrier.
"Fast-movers inbound, I've got seven, eight, no, nine of them!" the air supervisor reported, his voice full of horror and near-panic.
As the missiles approached, the ship's port-side Mk 15 Phalanx CIWS (Close-In Weapons system) mounts began to automatically track the inbound missiles as they began unleashing a torrent of rounds at the incoming threat.
Most of the missiles were destroyed, but one of them struck the aft end of the island, taking out the primary flight control center (Pri-Fly).
A second missile hit the port side forward, underneath the catapult. The last missile went into the hangar deck through the open door and struck the bulkhead on the other side.
Massive plumes of thick, black smoke rose from the stricken aircraft carrier as fires from the missile impacts and the resulting spills of JP-5 jet fuel raged.
Damage control teams fought desperately and after nearly two hours, managed to put out the fires and contain any flooding.
They managed to save the ship, but she had lost her ability to launch or recover aircraft, her arresting cables being damaged by the third missile impact.
ERNS Friendship was forced to return to her home-port in Seaddle for repairs.
Two hours later
A flight of F-16G Sea Falcons from ERNS Generosity were headed for Talon Air Force Base, where it was discovered that the attacks on the cruise ship several days ago, and the recent attack on the ERNS Friendship just two hours earlier, had originated.
Their mission: destroy the base facilities.
A flight of ERAF F-117A Nighthawk stealth strike craft was leading the pack to destroy the enemy radar sites around the base.
"This is Ninja One, ordnance away!" Captain Nightfall, the lead F-117A pilot called out as he released his aircraft's two Paveway III laser-guided bombs from his aircraft's twin internal weapons bays.
The F-16 pilots watched as plumes of flame erupted from the ground near the horizon as the Nighthawks deployed their payloads.
At the same time, the F-16s acquired their targets as they prepared to attack.
"Falcon's Nest, this is Falcon One, we have target acquired." the lead F-16 pilot, Captain Hunter, said as he spotted the base on his targeting display.
"Target is lit." Hunter said as he activated his aircraft's laser designator to put a laser spot on the target to give his laser-guided bombs something to home in on.
"Goodbye!" Hunter said as he released his payload of two Paveway III 2000-lb laser-guided bombs on the base facilities, his fellow pilots following suit just after.
Another wave, this one of Arcadian Navy F/A-18F Super Hornets of the 12th Naval Strike Fighter Squadron from AFS Arcadia, dropped Mk 20 cluster bombs on the flightline to destroy the base's aircraft.
The bombs all hit their marks, and the base was rendered combat ineffective, its facilities and aircraft obliterated in a single, massive blow.
The strike planes all turned around after releasing their ordnance.
They dipped back to their egress altitude and returned to their carriers without incident, having successfully carried out the first strike against Akael on their home territory.