The A-37 Dragonfly attack aircraft, an attack variant developed based on the T-37 Tweet trainer that entered service with the US Air Force in 1957, was an old model by now. It was primarily used back then to combat the North Vietnase guerrillas.
Although it's an outdated model, it's more than sufficient for dealing with guerrillas and anti-governnt ard forces in South Arican locales that lack advanced anti-air weapons.
Colonel Lawrence's plan was nothing short of perfect—bombing—airborne assault—sweeping—consolidating—and then blooming at the center.
Once completed, the ELN's defensive front in the Ta Region would absolutely collapse.
Watching the UH-60L Black Hawk helicopters take off one after another, Major General Santos called out to Colonel Lawrence, "Colonel, let's head back to the command center and wait for the good news."
The jeep left the clearing, turning toward the command building.
Entering the command center, all sorts of communication desks, sand tables, and electronic battlefield screens had already been set up. Officers busied themselves, and staff were checking the deploynt of the troops, focusing on their respective areas of responsibility.
"Dorti, have your forces arrived at their positions?"
Santos questioned a middle-aged man in camouflage standing in front of a map.
"Our attack aircraft and airborne troops have already set off. Once Camp G1 is captured, I estimate we can sever the entire ELN ard defense zone within 48 hours. However, your troops at the north and south ends must launch a fierce offensive to prevent them from sending reinforcents to Ta."
"Don't worry, General."
Dorti turned around and pointed to the markings on the map.
"Our forces launched the attack twenty minutes ago. Currently, we're engaging on all fronts in directions of Ocaina, San Jose, and San Rita, but we've encountered fierce resistance. It seems Morins has deployed heavy forces at both the north and south ends, the fool!"
Dorti wore different armbands and shoulder patches from all other governnt military personnel on scene.
Because he was a major officer with AUC, as well as a representative sent here for the joint operation, specifically in charge of coordination work.
"Tell your boss not to fear casualties, not to run and suffer significant losses. You must make it impossible for the ELN to retreat from the north and south ends."
Lawrence, with an authoritative deanor looking down on the whole scene, commanded Dorti, "You contact your people imdiately and make them deploy all their strength right from the start. Don't think I don't know what you're up to. If I hadn't warned you yesterday, I reckon you'd have kept half your forces in reserve at the rear. Don't think I'm unaware! Tell Will, no tricks, or he'll lose everything!"
Dorti's face changed slightly.
Indeed, things were as Lawrence had stated.
The overall commander of the AUC forces, Will, had been holding back in deploying his troops. He believed that the ELN would fight desperately, aning the battle would be extrely brutal. Therefore, he thought to let the governnt army in the Ta Region attract more ELN forces while not committing too many of his troops too early. Once the battlefield situation beca favorable, he planned to strike hard.
However, such scheming had been detected by the US Army's aerial reconnaissance and shared with the Colombian Governnt Army. Major General Santos even called Will to berate him, warning him that if he continued to play such gas, the next step would be to take on the AUC.
Despite it being infuriating to be scolded like a dog, Dorti and Will swallowed their anger.
After all, the potential gain from this undertaking was imnse. If successful, the AUC forces would beco Colombia's largest ard force, on equal footing with the largest anti-governnt ard group, FARC, with the capability to compete with them.
If they could also eliminate FARC in the future, the AUC forces would be incorporated as part of an amnesty, transforming into a political party to launder their image and ascend the political stage.
This was the ultimate goal of this military force representing the landlord class.
"Colonel, 80% of our forces have already pushed to the front line. Don't you have aerial surveillance? Can't you see it for yourself?"
"Now indeed, but not earlier," Lawrence said. "Rember, I'm in command of this operation. You must follow my orders, understood?"
"Understood." Dorti suppressed his anger and begrudgingly replied, "We will comply..."
"Colonel! The bombers have reached the vicinity of Camp G1."
A staff officer turned from the computer and reported to Colonel Lawrence, "They are prepared to start the airstrike!"
"Switch the surveillance feed to the big screen."
Above the G1 camp.
The weather today was sowhat overcast. It was November, and the rainy season was nearing.
Above the northeast of the Tbilisi Mountain Range, there were so clouds. The visibility wasn't very good.
Four A-37 Dragonfly attack planes roared towards the G1 camp. The squadron leader looked at the thick cloud cover ahead and imdiately began calling his colleagues via radio.
"Attention all aircraft," he said, "cloud height is 1,100, two minutes from the target. I will descend to 800 ters and then initiate the attack. Follow my lead."
"Understood. Reducing altitude, following in for the attack."
"Understood!"
"Understood!"
The other three attack planes imdiately responded.
The A-37 Dragonflies pitched their noses down and dove towards the clouds.
Soon, the Tbilisi Mountain Range appeared in the distance.
After quickly verifying the terrain, the flight leader soon pinpointed the G1 camp hidden in the valley.
"Target at 10 o'clock, distance 1,300, altitude 845, prepare for bomb drop."
Saying so, the first plane swooped down, targeting the G1 camp nestled among the mountains, lowering its altitude more and more until, at a height of 400 ters above the target, it dropped all four aerial bombs it had suspended under its wings.
Though small in size, the A-37 Dragonfly carried a significant payload of up to 2.1 tons.
The three aircraft following the lead plane dropped their bombs one after another and then quickly climbed to avoid hitting the mountain.
Balls of fire rose from the valley, one after another, turning the G1 camp into a sea of flas within minutes.
After completing the attack, the group of attack planes turned around in the sky and circled back.
From the air, the pilots looked down upon the valley, now a world of smoke and fire.
Any living thing in that valley was probably now reduced to pieces and turned to ash.
"Dragonfly calling Viper, bomb drop accurate, G1 camp has been destroyed, G1 camp is completely destroyed."
He bragged about his success with great pride, pulling the nose of his plane up into a roll.
"Alright, guys, let's call it a day. Let's head back for a drink!"
Just as the attack planes had left for less than five minutes, ten UH-60L Black Hawk helicopters swooped onto the G1 camp like eagles, hovering in different positions. Fast ropes were thrown down, with machine gunners at the side of the cabin gripping M60 general-purpose machine guns, eying the ground below ready to shower any ELN soldier that appeared with a barrage of bullets to et their maker.
One by one, the AGLAN Special Forces soldiers rappelled down the ropes to the ground like dropping sheep pellets.
The camp was ablaze everywhere. The effect of the bombing was ongoing, and heat waves surged from all directions.
The first batch of AGLAN troopers to land imdiately spread out to establish a periter.
But they soon realized sothing seed off.
User Comments
0 comments from readers