Colonel Kote's fingertips hovered over the touchscreen, like a hunter concentrating in the final mont before pulling the trigger.
On the screen, the green dashed line representing the "Reaper" UAV's trajectory overlapped seamlessly with the tiline of the F-16 attack formation, weaving a web of death onto the digital map of Tetrick City.
"Synchronization complete."
He withdrew his hand and took a sip of the now-cold coffee.
At forty-six, with a seventeen-year career as a professional soldier, he hadn't achieved any outstanding military accomplishnts.
When he was dispatched here, the Ilygo War was already wrapping up, and he was doing the cleanup work.
This is a chance to make a na!
Now, he needed this victory.
The six screens arranged in an arc within the command vehicle composed his entire world.
The screen on the left displayed real-ti satellite imagery, with resolution fine enough to discern the tread patterns on abandoned vehicle tires in the street.
On the thermal signal overlay, several faint dots congregated at the west of the city, marked as "suspected personnel gathering"—
These were targets identified after a night of surveillance by the "Global Hawk" UAV and RC-135 electronic reconnaissance aircraft.
The main screen in the center integrated all sources of information, with blue, red, and gray icons distributed over a three-dinsional terrain map.
Two thousand blue triangles represented Thunder Defense's contract fighters, six thousand light blue dots were the Kurd "Freedom Fighter" ard forces. They were like two pincers, slowly closing in from the northwest and southeast.
anwhile, red defense icons sparsely scattered in the city matched perfectly with intelligence estimates of "up to twelve thousand people, scattered defense."
Kote's gaze stayed on the main screen.
All elents were in place—
Technical advantage, firepower advantage, suddenness. At least from the satellite and UAV perspective.
He adjusted his earpiece and pressed the encrypted channel button.
"All units, proceed with final equipnt check imdiately."
"'Alpha' Company, report."
The first voice ca, belonging to Mike Rosenberg, commander of Thunder Defense's "Alpha" Company, forr Delta Force Sergeant Major.
"All personnel equipnt check completed, company's 'Big Crow' UAV already airborne."
Kote pulled up the real-ti footage of Alpha Company—from the UAV's overhead perspective.
Soldiers were performing final checks, the SCAR-H rifle bodies glowed matte in the pre-dawn light.
The massive body of the anti-mine vehicle resembled a crouching giant beast, with its rooftop weapon station slowly rotating for self-check.
"Bravo Company, report."
The second voice was low, belonging to Davis, forr Army Rangers officer.
"Fully geared up, ready for combat at any ti."
The screen switched to Bravo Company's assembly area.
Snipers were wiping lenses with cara cloth, observers were inputting paraters into tactical tablets.
The enormous barrel of the M107A1 glistened cold blue under the faint morning light.
"Charlie Company, report."
The third voice belonged to Deke, forr armored corps Sergeant Major.
"Heavy Weapons Company: six M2 heavy machine guns; three MK19 automatic grenade launchers; four Javelin anti-tank missile launchers; two Stinger air defense missile launchers. All vehicles equipped with anti-IED jamrs. Engineering squad carrying two mine-clearance equipnt sets. Ready."
Kote nodded.
This is the value of Thunder Defense—
Well-equipped, personnel are all retired Special Soldiers or elite unit officers, with top-notch tactical proficiency and efficient obedience.
These people have an annual salary starting at two hundred fifty thousand, but compared to the United States Governnt needing congressional authorization, public scrutiny, and political risks for deploying regular troops, this is still a "cost-effective" deal.
His gaze shifted to the light blue icons representing Kurd Ard forces.
Six thousand "Freedom Fighters," primarily equipped with AKM, PKM machine guns, RPG-7, a small number of Humrs and pickups with mounted DShK heavy machine guns.
They are the weights, the shield to attract fire.
"Weights and shield," Kote murmured.
In the "Balance Beam" plan, Kurd forces are the "fulcrum" bearing the initial pressure, while Thunder is the "sledgehamr" sliding towards the critical point along the "beam" of information flow.
Ti: 03:47.
Seventy-three minutes until the first wave of airstrikes.
Kote pressed the all-channel button.
"Gentlen."
His voice was digitally enhanced, steady and resolute, "I am Colonel Kote, commander of the 'Balance Beam' operation."
He paused briefly.
"The core of 'Balance Beam' is the absolute guidance of firepower flow by information flow. We have satellites, UAVs, AWACS, electronic reconnaissance aircraft—we can see their every assembly, hear their every call. And those 1515 fools are nearly blind in the electromagnetic fog."
On the screen, the icons representing Alliance Army information nodes flashed blue halos, like a large net covering Tetric.
He brought up the attack tiline, green dots arranged along the tiline.
"Tetric is not a fortress; it's rely a target for our tactical demonstration. Kurd forces will launch pincher attacks from the northwest and southeast, attracting and squeezing the enemy main force. After key nodes are removed by aerial firepower, Thunder Defense elites will airlift into the city center for 'decapitation.' Then, a full-line push to clear remaining enemies."
He paused again.
"Rember your training, trust your equipnt, follow your command chain. May God bless you, may precision and speed be with us."
He released the button.
Sporadic responses echoed inside the command vehicle.
Kote sat back into the command chair, the leather surface emitted a slight creaking sound.
He looked at the main screen, the blue icons had begun to slowly move, like two massive pincers starting to close.
Major Jas, his adjutant, handed over fresh coffee.
"Sir, everything is ready."
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