Great Britain | Atlantic Patrol Tasking South

[Jamie]

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Atlantic Patrol Tasking South Private & Encrypted​

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Deployment List​

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[1] HMS Defiance (Type 45 Destroyer) Full Complement (Crew, Supplies, Fuel & Ammunition) [2] 700 Naval Air Squadron, A Flight, AgustaWestland Wildcat

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Operation Staging Areas​

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Designation	Location	Status
HMNB Portsmouth	HMNB Portsmouth	Active

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Operations​

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Operation	Location	Objective(s)	Status
Atlantic Patrol Tasking South I	South Atlantic	HMS Dauntless: Protection and Reassurance to British Interest in the South Atlantic	Successful
Atlantic Patrol Tasking South II	South Atlantic	HMS Defiance: Ongoing Protection and Reassurance to British Interest in the South Atlantic	On-Going

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From the United Kingdom, the crew of HMS Dauntless was embarking on their tasking to the Atlantic Patrol Tasking South; a patrol that was to cover South America and the African Region as an ongoing protection and reassurance to British Interests in those regions. Specifically opting to to South Georgia and providing additional support for those in the Falkland Islands. This tasking was to be one of many as Britain scales up it's global presence. Stopping at nearby British ports for refuel and resupply if required. IO>IN>IM>IL>HL>HK>HJ>HI>II>IH>IG>IF>JF>JE>IE>HE -- this route would provide a stationing point for the destroyer, occassionally navigating to the Falklands or South Georgia for making port, or as mentioned, resupplying.

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[Jamie]

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HMS Dauntless, now fully crewed and supplied had officially departed the United Kingdom. Sailors across the side of the ship as they take one last glance at their family in the crowds waving them off for their tour of duty that'll take them across the world; ready to respond to any eventuality in the South Atlantic Region. The Ministry of Defence has confirmed the deployment of HMS Dauntless will be an eight month deployment, returning to the UK in February 2013 where it will be replaced by another warship within the Royal Navy as per plans to have a global presence at sea. The Destroyer, ensuring it remained in International or British Waters, was to remain focused between South Georgia and the Falkland Islands unless otherwise specified, and would likely embark on exercise with the River Class already at the Falkland Islands.

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[Naio90]

After several days of navigation, the HMS Dauntless would have crossed the equator and entered what is commonly known as the South Atlantic. Following the indicated route, it would eventually venture into the sector denominated as HI, just few nautical miles away from the south american continent and the brazilian shores. As indicated in post #2, it would always remain in international or british waters, therefore, it would be assumed to be navigating at around 201 to 250nm from the continent, on international waters, following the pattern and route indicated in #2. As the speed was not indicated, it would be assumed that the warship was not navigating faster than an average of 16kn.

At this point the radar operators from the argentine Petrel Long Range Maritime Radar, a maritime OTH radar with a capacity up to 5,000km, located near the city of Itajaí in the argentine state of Santa Catarina would begin detecting the faint signal of the british war vessel (it was not indicated it would be navigating with radio silence or carrying any system reducing is radar signature). It would stand out as not being the normal figure of a commercial or leisure vessel following the ordinary trade routes.

The whole detection and tracking process, which would have started after the first contact, would be secret, same as all in and out going communications.

Due to geopolitical reasons, the argentine officer in charge of the radar operations would decide to inform the presence of the unidentified military vessel in the waters of the South Atlantic to his superiors. The encrypted report would go up the chain of command until it reached the Naval Headquarters in Buenos Aires.

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The report would eventually land on the desk of the Commander of the Argentine Navy, Admiral Roberto Sobral. Being one of the duties of the argentine navy to monitor the oceans near argentine waters, he would decide after some deliberation with this cabinet that this could be a good opportunity to give some of the naval units a bit of practical experience in addition to the routine exercises and drills and at the same time, identify the uninformed and unidentified war ship navigating just km away from south american and argentine waters.

Of course, this whole process would be secret.

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After additional discussions among higher ranking officials and decision makers, it would have been decided that an argentine submarine in the are should silently approach the war vessel, identify it and shadow it until it left the declared argentine "area of interest".

After some studying it would be decided that one of the Gotland-Class submarines of the 9th Submarine Squadron located in Paranagua, Province of Paraná, would carry out this mission.

The ARA Severino (S641) would be readied for the task, with its full 32 men crew boarding and its cargo holds fully supplied with the necesary means to sustain a navigation lasting its full autonomy capacity. With a range of 12,875km and a autonomy of 70 days without having to dock for supplies, it would be well suited for this mission.

With everything in place, it would depart from the port fully crewed, supplied, armed with 4x Tp 431 and its usual loadout and with all systems operating. Few km away it would dive into a navigational depth of 150m and head toward the assigned area of the detected unidentified warship.

The Petrel LRMR would track the unidentified ship and relay its information to the naval base in Paranagua, where it would be again encrypted and wired to the submarine, which would surface from time to time to communicate the latest events and get mission updates.

The ARA Severino would navigate at an average speed and head GG>HH>HI>II, navigating at full speed on argentine and international waters.

Should any technical problem come up, it would surface and head directly to the nearest port. All this would be secret.

 

[Jamie]

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HMS Dauntless maintained it's route, making port if any resupplies were required, and at this point, the vessel had made it's way in proximity to the Falkland Islands; in British Waters. With it edging closer to the British Oversea Territory, HMS Express, a River Class Patrol Vessel stationed at the islands had departed with a full complement to welcome the Type 45 to the South Atlantic. It's intention to circle the Type 45 Destroyer and allow one of the Lynx helicopters on board to bring a few crew members from Dauntless onto Express to get a briefing on the activity in the region. There were no attempts to remain hidden and the presence of the River Class was a routine sight for those on the Islands. The briefing that the crews would go through was any reported sightings, the role of the South Atlantic Patrol and the Area of Operations. Following this, the River Class was to return to it's Port, and the Type 45 continues it's active patrol in the South Atlantic Region.

Once out of British Waters, and remaining in International Waters for the main patrol, all systems were operation from Radars to Processing Systems, weapons able to be fired momentarily if required too. During it's normal patrol, it wouldn't be uncommon to witness off-duty sailors surrounding the Lynx Helicopter, bathing in any sun they had the opportunity to endure but ensuring the destroyer was always manned in terms of navigation and radar systems. Throughout the tour, the Lynx Helicopter was also routinely in the air, returning to the Destroyer when for resupply and kept in proximity of it. The air asset providing surveillance of the surrounding area, any other vessels and both the aircraft and vessel returning to the nearest British port if any technical problems reported.

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[Naio90]

The ARA Severino would arrive at the assigned position, but Having the unidentified vessel left the area it would be ordered to return to its homebase, following the same route it used to get there. All systems would be active and operational while the navigation was taking place. Standard operational procedure would be followed.

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In the meantime the Petrel LRMR would continue track the vessel until it left its 5,000km detection range.

However, other Petrel LRMR located more to the south (Río Grande and Caleta Olivia), would detect the ship once more after few days, which by now would be identified as a potential british war ship, given it would have been tracked entering waters around the Malvinas Islands.

It would be recorded leaving said waters after a short time, and begin operating in international waters.

All this would be done in secret.
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Argentine Naval Command would privately begin planning further steps.

 

[Naio90]

After 24h of confirmed radar tracking, the argentine navy would decide to dispatch a section of 2 Tu-22M3 belonging to the 1st Naval Air Attack Squadron based at the Río Gallegos Naval Base in the Patagonia.

The pilots would be duly briefed about what should be a reconaissace mission to make visual contact with the unidentified british warship Currently in international waters in the South Atlantic.

The crews would be task with approaching and hailing the vessel in order to identify it, as well as execute some patrol rounds in its area of operation. It was made clear that they would have to operate only in international airspace.

Few hours later Section B, consisting of units A-104 and A-107, would be taxiing, fully crewed, fueled, loaded with 2 KH-22 missiles each and with all avionics and systems operating correctly.

They were to flight at a 800km/h at an average altitude Of 7,000m, descending to 2,000m when approaching the target. The current location Of the british vessel would be relayed to them through encrypted channels.

They would flight on international waters on the shortest route possible towards the target on DE>GE>GD. Its high operational range would allow him to reach the destination without trouble.

Should any problem arise, they would automatically return to base. All this would be secret.

 

[Naio90]

With time passed and no reaction detected from the british war vessel (no change of course or speed recorded), it would be assumed that both argentine navy aircraft would have flown unnoticed until now, being the last reported location the ship on international waters in sector GD, where the aircraft where originally dispatched to (no counter post submitted).

As planned the Tu-22M3's would lower their altitude to fly Just under the layer of clouds, allowing visual detection of the ship. The onboard long range air-to-surface 1NV-1 radars would pick up the british ship, and also detect an helicopter operating around it.

The lead aircraft would pull ahead and followed at a safe distance by its wingman, carry out a flyover passing at around 200m from the bow Of the ship at an angle capable Of visualizing the hull number and possibly the name Of the british ship. This would be done at an altitude of 700m. Once done both aircraft would transmit the data and pull up to a patrolling altitude of 2,000m, watching all indicators and systems to be operating as they should.

The maneuvers would be monitored closely from the mainland thanks to the different radar and sensor systems. All this would be done in secret and communications would be encrypted.

 

[Jamie]

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At this point, the Type 45 Destroyer had begun to turn back, heading down back towards the Falkland Islands and actively maintaining a route that stuck them to International or British waters only; resupplying as and when needed at the nearest British, or ISAF base to the South Atlantic. With radars and other systems still active, the aircraft that appeared to be Argentine in origin had gotten detected and the information passed on through the ship, and to the Ministry of Defence as a report in the event of any problems. Nonetheless, the British warship showed no other interest in the aircraft. After all, it was just a routine patrol. Heading back to the Falkland Islands, the crew have been granted a week off the sea upon their arrival and safely make port at a designated site with the capacity to hold the Destroyer. This offered the crew a chance to relax on the islands themselves and get a little training in with the Falkland Islands Defence Force. The MoD have also confirmed that HMS Dauntless was to remain the active warship for the Patrol Tasking until December.

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[Naio90]

The lead Tu-22M3, number A-104, took video footage of the british vessel, identifying it successfully as a Type 45 Destroyer under the name of HMS Dauntless. The empty helicopter hangar would also be spotted on a second flyby, determining that indeed the detected helicopter belonged to this ship.

A third and last flyby would be conducted, coming in from the east towards the west and passing only 400m above the HMS Dauntless. Both aircraft would then increase its speed and altitude to an average cruising parameter and head on international airspace back to the Rio Gallegos airbase from where they originally departed. They would follow the same route.

After landing, the crews would be part in a formal debriefing where they would file a report including all the gathered information about the british operation in the South Atlantic.

The instruction would be given to the argentine radar and sensor networks to continue monitoring british activity in the area and reporting any news and anomalies.

All this would be secret.

 

[Jamie]

HMS Dauntless, supported by Lynx Helicopters from 712 Naval Air Squadron had been deployed to the South Atlantic for a number of months now, providing a continuous presence and reassurance to British Oversea Territories, namely the Falkland Islands and Ascension Island. However, their tour known as Atlantic Patrol Tasking South I was coming to a close. HMS Dauntless had been ordered to refuel and return home, and obey they did. The vessel ensured it was fully supplied before beginning it's venture home. Back in the UK, its replacement, was setting off:

[1] HMS Defiance (Type 45 Destroyer)

• Full Complement (Crew, Supplies, Fuel & Ammunition)

[2] 700 Naval Air Squadron, A Flight, AgustaWestland Wildcat

 

[Jamie]

HMS Defiance had arrived at the Falkland Islands, resupplying as required, ensuring fuel was full and navigating safely. Throughout the trip, the two new Wildcat Helicopters had carried out rehearsals and patrols side by side for formation practice with the occasional firing practice. Naturally they'd return to the ship when fuel required and safely land individually, ensuring there was enough room. In the Falklands, the ship making port safely would allow locals to visit, the Wildcats regularly performing flights in the area. After a few days to settle, the ship would be alternating between Ascension Island and the Falklands on a patrol route. Resupplying at each stop, back and forth to maintain a constant presence in the South Atlantic for the Royal Navy.