Instead I assign myself to Cowboy1 flight as lead, check the loadouts for myself and the Strike package, and hit the Fly button.
Moments later, I find myself and my wingman alone at home plate. Why alone? Well, I sent everyone else before us, I just couldn’t imagine the congestion and didn’t want to cause any pain to the nice lady (we’re having dinner upon my return) in the tower.
We depart and set course. I remember to make sure the Master Arm switch is set to On, and that my ejection seat is in fact armed. Something I hope not to be using, but just in case. I set up my bombs for the release desired, remembering that 250 feet is just plain wrong. I see a “14” light up on the RWR and go to check it out.
Oh yeah, good to have those guys. I recall I have my AWACS now and request picture. The nice lady informs me that the picture is clear and I begin wishing I could have joined the crew on the AWACS bird. Then, at 73 miles distance from our waypoint 3, AWACS advises of a hostile launch, 300 miles out. Wow, how cool is that! I become aware of the radar scope returns, quite a few more than our earlier flight. Shortly thereafter, they advise of enemy aircraft 80 miles away. I didn’t even have to ask, they offered. The radio activity is just intense. Fury1, the SEAD Escort, is going berserk. I begin wishing I’d flown that flight. As we near steerpoint 3, the scene looks like this.
Some action coming up, I’ve got a feeling. Those hairs on the back of my neck thing. I’ve had my jammer and auto chaff/flares program up for a while, when the first shot is fired. SAMs are in the air.
Yowser, things are getting hot around here. I decide to drop down in the weeds for the rest of the ingress to target. The SAMs are mad and the MiGs are hostile.