Power Games: Operation Enduring Unity I by R A Peters Read Free Book Online

We’ll secure that airfield and ammo dump right quick and then curl up like a masturbating porcupine until reinforcements get there. That’ll make the rules of engagement pretty simple: Stay out of our way or pay.”
    The last was delivered as a yell and rapidly picked up in a “Hooah” chant from the rest of the company. The pilot’s “20 minutes till drop zone” announcement only heightened the war whooping.
     
    *
    Fifteen miles behind them and a couple higher up, two much more subdued Florida Air National Guard pilots switched on their radar sets. This electronic equivalent of a warning flare from the F-15’s did not go unnoticed. Guided to their targets by ground-based radar, the interceptors surprised the hastily thrown together federal task force. Surprised or not, two pairs of F-22’s flying escort for the cumbersome transports peeled back and rocketed towards the interference.
    Over the emergency Guard radio channel a Key West twang laid down the law.
    “Unidentified aircraft, you are not authorized to enter Florida airspace. Return ‘mediately to the nearest federal airfield or you will be considered hass-tile.” In the face of all that high tech death racing towards him, the bluff sounded impotent to the Guard pilot. To the thousands of people listening into the unencrypted channel though, he came across as deadly serious.
     
    *
    The Air Force section leader racing towards the National Guard flight couldn’t believe just how far off the reservation these nutty Floridians had gone. His slow Texas drawl didn’t disguise the anger he felt.
    “All Florida Air and Army National Guard forces have been federalized by order of the President of the U ‘nited States. As the senior federal officer on the scene, I order allll National Guard elements to immediately stand down and return to base.” Not without a dose of showmanship himself, he couldn’t resist tossing in a little white lie to up the stress factor. “This is your first, last and only warning. Lethal force has been authorized.”
    Another thousand civilians tuned in just in time to catch his empty threat.
    *
    The National Guard flight leader never paid much attention to all the talk on the news about the president trying to play dictator. Politics wasn’t his thing, but he sure started to believe the rumors now.
    With a combined closure rate of over one thousand knots, the two sides didn’t have much time to make up their minds, or even to bluster further. Years later, historians would passionately argue about why the threat receiver light began blinking on the lead Air Force F-22. Provocation or malfunction, it really made no difference. Even explicit orders on both sides to avoid firing go out the window when you believe your ass is on the line.
    Training, reflex and a dose of fear took over when the warning bulb flashed. Without any further confirmation of an attack, the Air Force flight leader uncovered his fire control safeguard and let a Sidewinder heat-seeking missile fly towards his Florida National Guard counterpart. His well-disciplined wingman followed suit without a second thought.
    Barely two miles away was practically knife-fighting range for modern jets. At that speed, the missiles reached their targets in only three seconds. There wasn’t a point, or a chance, in evasive maneuvering. The National Guard pilots didn’t even have a moment to fear their oncoming death. They did have just enough time, at least, for one of the Floridian F-15 pilots to snapshot off a return missile before becoming a thousand flaming missiles his self.
    All the US Air Force fighters passed easily out of the oncoming Sidewinder’s engagement envelope before it had a chance to arm. The five heavily loaded, slow C-130’s a few miles farther along were a different story. While ground controllers for both sides burned the airwaves up screaming about “deescalating” things, the fire-and-forget missile acquired a target and proceeded to avenge its