Ghost Recon: A Dolphin in the Shadows Act 2 - Operation White Hammer
You've all heard of Joint Special Operations Command elite tier one special mission units. Units such as Seal Team Six also known as the Navy's DEVGRU (Task Force Blue), The Army's 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment – Delta (Task Force Green), 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Task Force Brown), the Regimental Reconnaissance Company (Task Force Red), the Air Force's 24th Special Tactics Squadron (Task Force White), and finally the Intelligence Support Activity (Task Force Orange). These operators are some of the best the United States has to offer. But what most people don't know is that there is an even more elite and highly covert unit of warriors. They call themselves the Ghosts. A unit that is officially designated the Group for Specialized Tactics or Ghost Recon. They take the best operators of these elite SMU's and train them to be Ghosts. This is a story of Ghosts. The Silent Tip of the Spear.
Country of Georgia, January 2023
A man in an old beat up car drove along the dirt road. Up ahead was a dense forest. He parked the vehicle over a camouflaged tarp and exited. Walking into the cave complex, he saw rows and rows of crates filled with weapons and ammunition. The man smiled when he saw the person he was looking for.
"Arsen Kovac, what are you doing in my armory?"
Of course he knew what he was doing here. Making sure the Georgian Separatists got the necessary equipment needed to start the fight against the government in the North-Western part of the country. Regional tension between the Russian-speaking minority and the government have turned violent in recent months.
"Ah, Gregorvich. Good to see you my friend. Davit Sidamonidze will be pleased with the equipment our friends in the Kremlin gave us."
Gregorvich looked for a moment. Proud of the Army he was building for Russia. As a military advisor, he was inserted into the Forgotten Army by General Izotov to help advise and train this army of expats and other lowlifes from Europe and South America. The perfect distraction after Black Tusk failed in their objectives. War would come to the Caucasus and Russia would step in as liberator's. But now he needed to meet with Wolfhound, his counterpart in Voron to go over the final stages of the plan. He left the armory to go to the coordinates on his gps.
Fort Bragg, North Carolina,
Joint Special Operations Command Headquarters
Major Scott Mitchell looked around the lobby wondering why the Admiral wanted to see him. The crisis with Black Tusk was finally over and the country was safe again. Though Mitchell expressed his concerns that this was only the beginning of a larger plot. A female voice broke his thoughts.
"Major Mitchell. The Admiral will see you now."
"Thank you Susan."
He walked into the office and saw Admiral Briggs talking to another man on the large screen.
"Scott. This is Frank Simms from Task Force Orange."
Task Force Orange otherwise known as the Intelligence Support Agency was JSOC's premier source of intelligence. Without those analysts and intelligence officers they wouldn't be given target packages and other useful information necessary to accomplish their missions.
"Nice to meet you Frank. Admiral, I was overseeing one of my AFO Teams. Operation Roadrunner Sierra Leone."
"I see. We're finally going to get General Waraabe. That's not the reason I called you in though. We have a few things to talk about including a developing situation in Georgia". Admiral Briggs said
"Georgia. I haven't been to Georgia since 2008. What's going on?" Maj. Mitchell asked
"I'll have Frank explain it more." The Admiral replied
The Task Force Orange member typed and a series of maps appeared on the screen.
"Sirs. We have growing incidents of separatist activity in the North Western region. DIA sources indicate that they are receiving training, weapons, and funding by the Kremlin."
"Russian influence in the Caucasus is not good. The current administration is adamant in stopping Russian influence at any juncture." Admiral Briggs said
Mitchell frowned when he heard the politics again. He wasn't political, he was a soldier who fights for the country. He saw the Admiral turn to Frank.
"Give us the room Frank. I need to talk to the Major about something. Work with your guys at the ISA and create a plan for Georgia"
Mitchell was thinking about the implications of Russian influence in the region given the fact that they are involved in Africa, the Middle East, South America, and Ukraine.
"You're thinking too much again Scott. Listen, we're keeping an eye on Russia. Anyway, Shepard made a real mess of things. One of the good things he did was have the Marines Demon Dogs become a Tier One unit."
"I'm always thinking Sir. But I'm happy that Marine Special Operations is getting more funding. You have an idea how they'll be organized?"
"I do. The unit will be made up of 300 MARSOC operators and various vehicles including 20 Bell AH-1Z Vipers."
"Seems like a reasonable number."
"Good. I want you to lead JSOC once I retire."
Scott Mitchell was surprised at the revelation. But felt he wasn't the right man for the job. He was the leader of the Group for Specialized Tactics not some bureaucrat fighting for budgets.
"General. I'm honored that you considered me to be your successor. But I'm not the type to be a general. I'm a Ghost and my place is with my unit."
"There's no one else I'd trust with this. You've been a member of the Special Forces community for years. You know the needs of the special operations community."
Mitchell just smiled and realized that he couldn't argue with that line of thought. He had been in the Army for a long time. The Admiral broke through his thoughts and told him to go back to Ghost Recon's Tactical Operations Center and oversee his current operation. President Becerra had authorized the mission to capture or kill Waraabe.
Operation Roadrunner: Imperi, Southern Province, Sierra Leone, January 2023
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AFO Team Hunter
The AFO Team moved in silently on the kayaks as they glided through the river. The darkness of the night proved beneficial to the elite tier one operators. The only thing seen in the darkness was the light blue hue of the Cross-Com the ghosts wore. The mission was to kill or capture the warlord Waraabe and gain information on his illegal shipments. The humidity was less than desirable but as members of Ghost Recon, they took the toughest most classified missions. The Wetsuits kept them warm from the cold water.
They reached the rally point and safehouse provided by the CIA. Where their gear and equipment awaited them. Taking off the wetsuits, they changed into their combat gear. Each member wore multicam black pants and tops. In the humid weather they wore bonnie hats. The only thing that distinguished them were the blue Cross-Com systems. The team crouched down and felt the active camouflage hide them. They truly were Ghosts.
"Griffin, we made it the CIA safehouse. We're going to assault the compound." The leader of the team said
"Griffin copies. We have a UAV in the air. Good luck Ghosts".
Ghost Recon Tactical Operations Center, Fort Bragg, North Carolina, United States
Major Scott Mitchell made it to the tactical operations center just in time to see the team make it to the safehouse. He was glad to see that AFO Hunter was on schedule. This elite team of Ghosts used the latest version of Cross-Com and Skell Tech's beta optical camouflage. He wanted JSOC and the Pentagon to know that with advanced equipment and weaponry, the Ghost's can be even deadlier while out in the field.
The team of special forces operator's consisted of Captain Cedrick Ferguson (Hunter 1-1), Master Sergeant Robert "Pepper" Bonifacio (Hunter 1-2), Sergeant First Class James "30K" Grant Ellison (Hunter 1-3), and finally the youngest member of the team Staff Sergeant John Dmitri Kozak (Hunter 1-4). Each member of the team had unique skills and areas of expertise, but together they could accomplish any mission.
The UAV that was being used to keep an eye on things was the man-portable and compact AR-2 Darter. A new UAV that DARPA was testing. They frequently asked the Group for Specialized Tactics to test new and advanced weaponry. Some weapons that the Ghost's still use aren't even manufactured anymore like the HK XM8 Assault Rifle. With upgrades and improvements to the design, Senior Master Sergeant Marcus Kelso called it the XM9. About 20 of the rifles remain in service.
Mitchell looked at the thermal imaging and saw Hunter team move into position near a fence line. Everything was going according to plan.
Operation Roadrunner
Imperi, Southern Province, Sierra Leone, January 2023
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AFO Team Hunter
Kozak looked at the weapon he was carrying, an older weapon by 2023 but it was better than standard M4A1 Carbine. The XM9's sleek German design was apparent but he heard good things about it from the veteran's of Korea, Kazakhstan, and Mexico. The underbarrel XM322 grenade launcher made the weapon heavier than usual but it packed a punch.
Looking through his Cross Com device he saw a militia member taking a smoke. Taking out his knife, he crept up to the unsuspecting hostile. Covering the mouth with one hand and slashing the throat with the other.
"Sentry is down Ghost Lead. I see a guard in the sniper tower and another guy sleeping in a guard shack."
"Copy that 1-4. Hold tight while we move to you." He heard Ghost Lead call out. He acknowledged by booming his mic twice.
Once the team linked up with Kozak. They formulated the plan to take out the two guards when they heard Mitchell radio them.
"We got a situation. Waraabe is on the move. He just hopped into a technical and is leaving the camp."
"Copy that Griffin. We'll set up an ambush and sneak into the camp."
They heard the roaring of engines as the two vehicle convoy headed for the gate. Kozak saw 30K mount his Stoner 96 on a fallen tree branch while Pepper got his M110 Sniper Rifle ready. Looking at his weapon, he equipped his 40mm grenade launcher. Aiming his sights, waiting as the adaptive camouflage hid them. They initiated the ambush. The second truck was hit by a 40mm grenade, while 30K's LMG riddled the first vehicle with 5.56 NATO ammunition. After a minute or two, they stopped firing.
"Kozak, we'll create a diversion while you enter the camp and get any documents from his command tent."
Kozak nodded and silently moved into the compound. With the guards distracted, he found the command tent. Seeing what appeared to be manifests. Probably about weapon shipments. Sierra Leone was a hotbed of illegal arms shipments.
Moscow, Russian Federation
GRU Headquarters
Colonel General Sergei Izotov sat in his office awaiting his meeting with the head of Voron, the blacker than black spy organization under the umbrella of the SVR. His Tactical Operations Officer Major Alexei Noskov informed him of Chief Otto Romanov's arrival.
"He's here, comrade Colonel General."
"Good. No one is to disturb me under any circumstances."
"Understood sir."
Otto Romanov was a 50 year old man who was part of the former KGB before the fall of the Soviet Union. Now he was the head of the SVR's Voron Program. He grimaced as he entered the room.
"Colonel General."
"Chief Romanov. Operation Cossack is on schedule. Georgia will be in flames within the next 72 hours."
"Good. Wolfhound is in position at the safehouse waiting for your agent. Once they meet they'll plan the first wave of bombings."
"Excellent. We will be heroes, comrade. A New Russia will be born."
"We have an elite unit of Spetsnaz Commandos embedded with the separatists I assume."
"A correct assumption. But I want them pulled out. I have another mission for that unit. I need a proxy force, maybe one of the Ministry of Defense's PMC groups in the country."
"Wagner and Konni are out. I've heard concerning reports from Ukraine in regards to Wagner while Commander Makarov of the Konni Group is a wildcard and bogged down in the Middle East. Plus Makarov's Ultranationalist leanings are concerning. It doesn't help that he's in a Kastovian Gulag."
"What about the Battle Encounter Assault Regiment?" Romanov said
"A PMC that is relatively unknown to the West is certainly an option. They currently have operators in Thailand, Iran, and Kazakhstan. I'm sure the MoD could spare 300 of them for Georgia."
"You can leave now, Romanov."
"Sir."
Romanov stood up and left the room. After a few minutes of waiting he contacted his Tactical Operations Officer.
"Get me Colonel Valentin Ershov of Bear PMC on the line. I need his unit for a special mission."
Fort Belvoir, Virginia, United States
Frank Simms returned to Fort Belvoir after his meeting with the Commander of JSOC and was impressed with Major Scott Mitchell. Of course he worked with his Special Mission Unit multiple times as both a member of the CIA and Task Force Orange. Right now he needed to create a plan in case the situation in Georgia escalated. He just needed the right team of Ghosts and other JSOC operators.
Looking at his options, he found the perfect Ghost AFO Team codenamed Spear. The unit was composed of Ghost Lead Tom Gerard, Clay Spencer, Dallas, and Viper. For the other JSOC component he saw an elite team of Demon Dog snipers led by Major Cole Anderson, Captain Jonathan North, Master Sergeant Tyler Wells, and Gunnery Sergeant Marcus O'Neal. Now it was time to put together a plan with his analysts and send it up the good chain.
Few Days Later, Fort Bragg, North Carolina, United States
Clay Spenser was waiting in the briefing room with the rest of his team when Captain Tom Gerard entered. Team Spear was still getting used to working with the new Ghost Lead. At least he saw the familiar faces of Dallas and Viper. The Captain was a former member of CAG. The opened again and Kirk Graham entered and began speaking.
"Alright guys. We have a new mission priority. The Major is currently debriefing AFO Hunter. So, I'll do it instead. The country of Georgia is currently in flames. Pro-Russian Separatists bombed and attacked multiple locations in the capital of Tbilisi including the US Embassy. They also eliminated Georgian presence from the North-Western Region. State convinced them to allow the Marines to conduct peacekeeping operations in the capital. You'll sneak in with a JSOC Sniper Team. How you conduct missions is up to you. This is completely off the books. Blacker than black gentleman, which means no unit patches. Questions?"
"I have a question." Captain Gerald asked "Do we have any idea what kind of weaponry the separatists are using?"
"Unknown at this time but probably small arms and armor like BTR-82A's and GAZ-3937's."
"Copy that"
"The only UAV support will be from your portable drones. So take drone repair equipment. The location of your Safehouse will be on your maps. You have three days to prepare. Good luck, Ghosts."
