Can US A-10 & F-16 Protect Tankers From Iranian MANPAD-Equipped Gunboat Swarm? (WarGames 152) | DCS

[@grimreapers]

LOTS OF YOU have asked for a follow-up using Cluster Bombs, already tried that here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/l2iteGqrgc6kbdE

[@johnaikema1055]

just do it😁

[@wolf06291980]

This is true. Respectfully, these boats are running 20kts slower than the referenced video. Perhaps that makes up the difference.

[@mm3mm3]

Will cluster bombs really work on water?

[@wolf06291980]

@@mm3mm3 Yes, The ones that fling out self homing pucks used to target moving tanks. Like the CBU-97

[@mm3mm3]

@@wolf06291980 Thank you very much

[@dennisarzubiaga2833]

The simulation I always wanted to see. Most realistic but dangerous mission.

[@acometsuranian1325]

well not realistic , remember that they are SAM sights on shore and islands.

[@voidwalker9223]

@@acometsuranian1325 sure but majority of them cannot reach other than maybe a Iranian S-300 (which they would not put on any of the islands only protect high value mainland cities) but still very limited. Even if they are in range most of the missiles would run out of energy by the time they try to hit the middle of the Gulf.

[@mm3mm3]

Thank you Cap for all of your hard work making these videos. I couldn’t start my day without them!

[@grimreapers]

thx

[@mohammadrezayazdani7913]

Iran now has vertical-firing air defense boats and boats with cruise missiles, torpedoes, and drones. These boats shown here are old.

[@grimreapers]

Agree but I don't have them in game yet.

[@dlocknessmonsta8431]

Really great gameplay. This reminds me of when I used to play Ace combat 5 on the ps2 many years ago. GG

[@MrNakedweasel]

Back in the 80's and 90's, we also considered the Rockeye II cluster bomb as a light anti ship Munition.

[@notsureyou]

A bunch of Lancaster's with Grand slam bombs, And create a massive wave close to and in front of the boats (causing them to capsize etc) Or B52's with M.O.A.B

[@A_Haunted_Pancake]

Valued Viewer Request: "Project Battle-Tanker" Dear Super Cap, Seeing the vast Deck Area of that Super Tanker, I started salivating / sniggering like a giddy child over the idea, how many mobile weapons-platforms you could put on there and what ridiculous enemies it thus could engage. I hope you will do your best / worst with that concept 😋 Best wishes Matt from Denmark

[@Davros-vi4qg]

Been modelled conceptually by at least two navies. ‘Containerised’ systems. Unfortunately containers are really good at not being waterproof and also build humidity… not what u want for electronics.

[@brianloomis9351]

The combination of F16's and A10's are a great combination. The F16's can arrive on station first, cause the Iranians to evade, thereby slowing the advance. Then, the A10's come behind and take out everything that's left. AMC, if necessary, the F16's could rearm and mop up.

[@casteg52]

Couple of MOABs, just for awesomeness.

[@kamcsatkaiarabiuszjeno9673]

Thank you Squirrel for the airshow!

[@fatboypilot]

I would have had one A10C or F16 as FAC or laser designator lazing. And use another two A10Cs with APKWS (HE) and just kept them in a yo-yo pattern at 5-4 miles from the boats. Fire one, break off. 45 to 60 seconds later, number two fires and so on while lazing hight above the boats. You could have two teams of three doing something like that

[@cryhavoc999]

Looks like a job for Brimstone! They are 50 KGs each with 30+ miles of range each with 6 kg warhead while Maverick is 210-300 KGs depending on version with 12+ miles of range but has a much larger warhead - 57 kgs. Typhoon can theoretically carry 18 of them on 6 pylons.

[@Pablo668]

That was really good. Strangely enough, I think it would be a tad more realistic if the fleet of attack boats turned tail and ran after a number of them were destroyed.

[@jugganaut33]

Why? When they’ve got 72 virgins waiting for them? They’re well aware they’re going to die attacking a fleet of warships. Most realistic would be AShm and suicide drones attacking at the same time. Attacking a US warship means war. If you’re gonna fire the first shot. It’s not going to be half arsed

[@Davros-vi4qg]

No ‘morale’ setting in DCS?

[@Abdullahkhan00881]

they would probably be punished *VERY* severaly

[@syncopatedfeb4770]

they are not runaway gay marines lol

[@Abdullahkhan00881]

@@syncopatedfeb4770 but still, iran has a slight history of punishing ppl that don't obey them

[@Ragnarok691]

Simba living on the edge. Nice flying.

[@Uriel77200]

Got to be a cheaper way to kill a small boat. Apache and Sea Cobra come to mind

[@jansenart0]

Navy needs a Seahog variant.

[@TheStormpilgrim]

For kicks and giggles, how about a C-130 dropping a MOAB into the center of their formation from 20,000 feet? The boats that don't get destroyed would end up being piloted by crews with ruptured organs.

[@ii_trooperlawz3912]

Ooh thats a good idea and maybe even a ac-130 vs alot of gunboats

[@kenbrown9773]

Just had some good thoughts on loadouts for this mission. Split the team into 4 evenly sized groups. First is the fastest and least equipped F-16s, their job is to be the "fast react" force. Second, fully kitted f16s because they are likely still faster than a10 and can bring a respectable amount of heat. Third and fourth, copy the same thing again with the a10. There will then be a continual shift from faster reaction to higher damage as the targets are driving directly toward you guys as the players.

[@gibbo_303]

5:45 I assume they would have a flight or 2 of A-10s orbiting like you would while running a CAP mission. Apparently they are also going to send F-35s to the Persian gulf region

[@brianloomis9351]

An F35 in beast mode loadout could be very effective

[@nigeldepledge3790]

Cap : " . . . Discipline will be everything. " Me : Yeah, but . . . BRRRT!

[@shaunb1156]

"We'll never get any gun kills" I laughed when I hear that. Great show!

[@jrizos06]

Cannonball and Drop came through in the end with some great shooting, nice job!

[@bladerunner9995]

Look at GR going all Team America at the end... NOICE!!

[@damongraham1398]

The could set up patrol zones. Set up refueling altitude above the range of the manpads. Since the rules of engagement are probably "no firing until fired upon" the tanker is captured and then it a cutting out party.

[@OzcarMike641]

Some great flying by Squirrel

[@piconano]

Love these Persian Gulf wargames.

[@paladamashkin8981]

Something to consider on this cap, is that the warthogs will be dragging on the tankers. That is why they sent them is because the high lawyer time they can just kind of hang out with the tankers and be closer instead of a scramble situation which is exactly what the falcons are for

[@Sterlingcape]

Great video Cap!

[@localracer]

How I love a good experiment! Nice work out there. Those look like the F-16s I saw today

[@rre9121]

Very nice setup and execution everyone, good viewing for sure.

[@wilson2455]

A10's were more successful in strafing when coming in longitudinally rather than at 90 degrees..

[@NigelTufnel612]

I can't think of many things more fun than strafing Iranian gunboat stragglers in a A-10 with my finger pressed on the trigger of the GAU-8 Avenger cannon!

[@grimreapers]

Agree

[@lenn55]

Load up the A-10s with cluster bombs. lol

[@grimreapers]

Version using Cluster Bombs: kzbin.info/www/bejne/l2iteGqrgc6kbdE

[@emmanuelgoldstein1918]

Just need 2 x AC-130 squadrons with tankers and AWAC + F-15 or F-22 CAP.

[@davidn3394]

This was so good thanks.

[@32mf32]

Distress call - Help us super cap, you are our only hope. Hopefully everyone watched starwars

[@alanmike6883]

Kobayashi maru scenario for the gang 😁

[@tom23rd]

Oh Super Cap you devil, finally A10s get some! Super excited to see what happens 😍💥😉

[@Anarchy_420]

I personally really liked how you had seperat Boghammars, one Gun Boat, and one was Missile Boat..??

[@cahilroberson]

It feels weird see other peoples perspectives on the stuff going down over here when I’m living in it

[@grimreapers]

Cool

[@Anarchy_420]

U.S. Navy VS Iranian Attack! Drone Sworm attack from one direction with Silkworms attackin from another with Flack and old SAM site's defending, and Iranian air-air F-14's protection! Iranian anti-ship F-14's, Iranian UH-1H's, and Gun/Missile Boghammars all attacking together! VS U.S. Carrier Fleet! 🙏👍

[@Anarchy_420]

Please use The Separate Boghammars! The old ones you used to use, 75% Gun Boats, and 25% Missile Boats! Something like that ;)👍

[@grav4315]

Thinking back to the video with the reaper drones. They might perform well in this scenario. I believe each one carried 10 hellfires, had a standoff range greater than 3 miles. I assume run colder than an A-10. Plus your confronting cheap swarm tactics with cheaper aircraft. Only minus is air speed. Just a thought.

[@AMOUREDD]

Uncle Sam oil is under threat in his enemy's yard

[@conmcgrath7174]

Great mission.In reality I would not want to be on the guns at the stern of those boats, think of the backblast from firing those manpads? Or maybe they 'soft-launch'? If they don't it would be hilarious to see them blowing holes in the hull and the legs off the gunners. Once you see the back of that thing pointing at you, best chance is over the side.

[@TheHoneyThief]

I personally would have attacked from a lower altitude from the rear. You guys, therefore, did way better! Getting a lock with the IR head from so far away is something I could never do.

[@jansenart0]

This assumes 100% hardened morale and discipline for the Iranian units. Probably so much different if they were Total War units.

[@franklincarroll6772]

You should do this same mission but with Iran sending F14s to intercept.

[@qacarxan3647]

That looked like a fun one to fly! For added realism and some spiciness, maybe throw in some SAM sites, F-14s, and perhaps a few Su-35s 😉

[@jamison884]

Very good job. I wouldn't mind seeing an even larger swarm trying to hit a group of commercial ships or perhaps some destroyers and frigates covering them, and then a large USAF bomber flight coming in to carpet bomb the entire grid (you'd have to calculate/test the lead so it works properly I guess). Lots of boom-boom and having the boats in formation but also a bit more spread out and haphazard rather than a literal grid would also be nice to see, just because it's more realistic versus the carpet bombing spread. I know it's all silly as the USAF bombers would ultimately just release dozens of guided bombs rather than dumb bmbs, but that's far too much effort I imagine?

[@theymusthatetesla3186]

...Simba's some baby, isn't he?!

[@Kevin-hb7yq]

Those Hogs would be happier if there was some fences or bushes to hide behind. Also you might have scared them with all those altitudes.

[@showcasebrix8740]

the seawise giant was the largest ship ever. it was initially sunk by iran in its attack on kuwait

[@Revivethefallen]

That had some great gun runs!🤘

[@NeedaNewAlias]

Doesn't broken arrow mean that you have lost a nuke? Like dropping it in mid flight, like the US have many times?

[@moopius]

Broken Arrow refers to the U.S. military's code word used during the Vietnam War. This call was used only in the direst of tactical situations, when a ground unit was overrun by enemy forces.

[@Phreekanon]

Simba** No, I just quit! 😂😂😂

[@DJxSKETCH]

Viewingtons > Valued Viewers

[@grimreapers]

Nice

[@GraydenMacLennan]

12:34 it looks like 3 of the 4 explosions here might have been boats killing each other!

[@ronaldmcboggled9855]

One question I always had when watching these type of scenarios. Would it be cost effective to drop non guided cluster bombs or very heavy “dumb” bombs to create huge waves and disrupt the small boats?

[@grimreapers]

Maybe a delayed fuse so is explodes under water??

[@MTBScotland]

kind of thing the brimstone excels in.

[@grimreapers]

Agree

[@BoraHorzaGobuchul]

Why give them idkfa manpads? They're unlikely to for now than a few iglas onto these boats.

[@grimreapers]

Hard mode.

[@mohammadrezayazdani7913]

Iran now has vertical-firing air defense boats and boats with cruise missiles, torpedoes, and drones. These boats shown here are old.

[@Stinger522]

I watched this yesterday before going to bed. Great sortie and now it's time for the review. What went right? stopping the boats before they got to the ship. What went wrong? The Hogs going into MANPAD range. Sure they survived and looked cool but with Mavericks and rockets still on the wings, there was no reason for them to do that. Being able to remain on station while the Vipers went back to rearm was the only worthwhile thing they brought to the table. I think Stormbreakers would've been better for this mission. The Viper can carry eight, the A-10C can carry sixteen, and the Strike Eagle can carry twenty.

[@Springer1-1]

plus a carrier airwing 😉

[@willwozniak2826]

Nice mission....something different.....very well done. Kamikaze A 10s....love it

[@BOATS_22]

B-52 with clusters

[@andrewfranson4756]

This was a fun watch. I think the F16/A10 mix might have worked to your advantage, it would be interesting to run the simulation with all F16, then all A10 as a control to measure the effectiveness of the individual planes getting to apply only one strategy to the fight.

[@doublebackagain4311]

If the tanker had 10-15 drones to use that would have made the job much easier.

[@smn475]

Rob us of seeing Brand0n getting the coup de gras thanks Cap

[@emmata98]

5:33 leuter and prevent attaks before they happen?

[@colinboneham7387]

Great Sim Cap yea I’d say a twin seat would do better than a single due to work load.

[@NSB2]

Would cluster bombs or sensor fuse weapons work better against the swarm?

[@captiveimage]

Exactly my first thought too. Cluster munitions easier to use / target a difficult to pinpoint, agile target?

[@BobH809]

Just what I was thinking. Also, this does show up a distinct lack of adequate weapons for situations like this (although not this many targets at once, but Iran, you never know).

[@grimreapers]

To get CBU's accurate enough you need to drop fairly low, where the manpads would chew you up. Drop them high and the wind just carries them away.

[@grimreapers]

Version using Cluster Bombs: kzbin.info/www/bejne/l2iteGqrgc6kbdE

[@Evocati-Augusti]

They would use the A-10 to make quick work of Iranian gun boats...so the F-16s would cover the area until the A-10s showed up...

[@Evocati-Augusti]

the gun boats would 100 % slow down and have second thoughts once F-16s showed up..

[@grav4315]

One day I want to see GR go into full silly mode and pit one battle ship against the Iran Navy. Just for the laughs. Or maybe Japanese WWlI Navy vs Iran Navy that maybe fun as well.

[@DUKWAK]

that was rad

[@notsureyou]

My first thought when reading the video title.... "I thought tankers cruised at an altitude that was outside the range of the manpads....." 😳

[@grimreapers]

oof

[@notsureyou]

@@grimreapers In my defence, I'm a shift worker, And this week I started doing shifts that are 12 hours out of sync with my previous shifts

[@BaddAtom]

fun! thanks

[@occamraiser]

What the US needs in this scenario is cluster munitions - and over the sea there is ZERO reason not to use them.

[@grimreapers]

To get CBU's accurate enough you need to drop fairly low, where the manpads would chew you up. Drop them high and the wind just carries them away.

[@grimreapers]

Version using Cluster Bombs: kzbin.info/www/bejne/l2iteGqrgc6kbdE

[@MiklaDfar]

Do you all fly with TrackIR or VR?

[@pjhaebe]

Hey GR, are you scenarios available for download somehow so the viewers can give them a go?

[@emmalyotier777]

imagine trying to aim a manpad from the back of a moving speedboat, it would be so hard

[@Bloodwhiner]

I would have loaded up with cluster or napalm. Either would have been effective against the soft targets that were these boats. An old BLU 82b dropped from a C120 would have taken care of them in one or two passes as well.

[@ProfileSantaCruz]

Thanks for doing this work.! I have a question, rather than retire the A-10 could we strip out the gun and load it up with either anti-air missiles to protect strategic targets or as many cruise missiles as it can carry and let loose?

[@BBP081]

As for response time, would there be planes in the air already? How long can the aircraft loiter?

[@TehBenju]

you -might- have 2 planes in the air at any given time doing a CAP flight / training flight but to get enough planes in the air to destroy 50 gunboats in short order is unlikely. but the key is, those 2 if put up when they expect there might be an issue, is a detterance. No commander is going to say "those 2 planes habe 12 missiles between them, if we send 20 boats we still get 8 to the target! that's a great way to end up lynched by your own troops. Iran can only seize a tanker if noone is paying attention, OR noone is willing to escalate the violence to stop it. The US sending an additional wing to compliment the existing A-10 squadron is a clear statement of intent that they are aware of what's happening, and are willing AND able to respond if forced. It also means you -know- there's unpanned drone flights watching Iranian docks for any type of coordination for this kind of strike, and satelites. And if anything looks fishy that's exactly when you put up one of those flights to disuade Iran from getting froggy.

[@BBP081]

@@TehBenju my thoughts exactly. Probably not worth getting 1 boat blown up for what is essentially a political stunt

[@aatwinner1377]

A load of APKWS rockets would have probably been the best option

[@pudder68]

A-10's destroying Iranian gunboats.... 'Murica! Fuck yeah!

[@9999plato]

Do they make cluster bombs for the A10?

[@jokiejoker2011]

Loved it

[@briandix4633]

I just started the video, but my guess is survivability. Even against the Igla's, the Warthogs should be able to close enough to use guns without taking too much damage.

[@9999plato]

Launch the F16s and a10s as the first response and delay the gunboats until a B52 0r B2b can arrive on scene to lay down the law from above with cluster bombs.

[@clangerbasher]

I think they sent A-10s because the USAF is husbanding resources.

[@pahtar7189]

Could an F-15EX take a dozen out per sortie?

[@gail_blue]

This seems like something an f35 would be great at.

[@olindbck]

Any cluster bombs available?

[@grimreapers]

To get CBU's accurate enough you need to drop fairly low, where the manpads would chew you up. Drop them high and the wind just carries them away.

[@grimreapers]

Version using Cluster Bombs: kzbin.info/www/bejne/l2iteGqrgc6kbdE

[@-Hardstyle-]

"Time to read the newspaper" 😅😂

[@sebastes0558]

Could Small Diameter Bombs, and or sensor fused weapons achieved a similar effect?

[@gunzelloharris3348]

Nice!!!

[@MoistGrundle2.0]

2:30 in. Quick math says you need to average 180kts over the trip. Pretty sure even the A10 can pull that off lol

[@miketabata7957]

The A-10s and F-16s will most likely use the APKWS system. They use 70mm rockets with a laser homing kit. They more than powerful enough to take out these fog hammers. The APKWS rockets can be put on 7 round rocket pods or 19 round rocket pods. They have a range up to 6.8 miles. Too bad DCS can't simulate this weapon system.

[@grimreapers]

I did try APKWS when making the mission but 80% of them missed the boats by about 50ft. No idea why...

[@mikehawley5108]

Not enough manoeuvrability, especially against moving targets

[@Gunfreak19]

Cbu-105. Drop from 20k feet laser guide them in. And watch the destruction.

[@grimreapers]

I was wondering if the boats are too spread out for CBUs?

[@Gunfreak19]

@@grimreapers They did indeed look a bit spread out, but with those fancy CBU97s or 105s they should be able to do some damage.

[@vicoschangoku609]

Best wargame so far :)