Operation: Picket Fence

[Moe]

Top Secret
Operation: Picket Fence​

Brazil's 2nd Carrier Group, headlined by the BZC Rio, has been ordered to be ready to be deployed in two days time. All leave has been cancelled. All ships will be fully fueled, exact armaments will be determined within a day. The battle group shall consist of the following ships:

1 Brazil Class Aircraft Carrier -BZC Rio
3 King Sejong the Great Destroyers - BZD - Salvador, Brasilia, and Sao Louis
3 Daegu Class Frigates - BZF - Natal, Amazonas, Parana
3 Arihant-class Submarines BZS - Formosa, Cabral, DeGama
1 Almirante Gastao Motta-class Tanker
1 Ceibo-Class Replenishment Ship

 

[Moe]

Top Secret
Operation: Picket Fence

Objectives:
1.) Dassault Rafale M fighters train taking off and landing at sea
2.) Helicopters train for ASW in coordination with submarines
3.) Train for resupply and refuel at sea for an entire Carrier Group

Deployed Ships:

1 Brazil Class Aircraft Carrier -BZC Rio
Complement:
2000 Including Air Group

Loadout: 36 Dassault Rafale M, 3 SH-60 Seahawks, 3 CH-53 Super Stallions, 3 MH-60 Jayhawks, 3 SH-3 Sea Kings

* Dassault Rafale M's fully fueled and armed with:
1 x 30 mm GIAT/DEFA cannon, Missiles8 x MICA air-to-air missiles, 2 SCALP stand-off submunitions dispensers
* SH-60 Seahawks fully fueled and armed with:
4 AGM 114 Hellfire missiles, 2 MK 54 Torpdeoes
* CH-53 Super Stallions fully fueled and armed with:
2× .50 BMG (12.7 x 99 mm) window-mounted GAU-21 machine guns
1× .50 BMG (12.7 x 99 mm) ramp mounted weapons system, GAU-21 (M3M mounted machine gun)
Other: Chaff and flare dispensers
* CH-MH-60 Jayhawk fully fueled and armed with:
1 × 0.308 in (7.62×51 mm) M240H medium machine gun in starboard door (MH-60T)
1 × 0.50 in (12.7×99 mm) Barrett M82 semi-automatic rifle (MH-60T)
* SH-3 Sea Kings
2× Mk 46/44 anti-submarine torpedoes
Brazil Carrier
* Various sonobuoys and pyrotechnic devices
* All weapons systems being fully armed:
* 3,500m³ gallons of jet fuel
* Food for 2,000 for up to 90 days
* Water 900,000 gallons storage capacity, complemented and supplied through desalinization plant.

3 King Sejong the Great Destroyers - BZD - Salvador, Brasilia, and Sao Louis
Complement: 400 each
Fuel for 20 days, Food and Water for 30 Days
* All weapons systems fully armed
* Aircraft carried: 2 SH-60's, Fully Fueled, Armed With:4 AGM 114 Hellfire missiles, 2 MK 54 Torpedoes

3 Daegu Class Frigates - BZF - Natal, Amazonas, Parana
Complement: 140 each
Fuel for 14 days, Food and Water for 30 Days
* All weapons systems fully armed
* Aircraft carried: 1 SH-60, Fully Fueled, Armed With:4 AGM 114 Hellfire missiles, 2 MK 54 Torpedoes

3 Arihant-class Submarines BZS - Formosa, Cabral, DeGama
Compliment: 95 Each
Nuclear Powered, Food and Water for 40 Days
* Formosa and Cabral Armed With: 12 × K15 SLBM, 6 × 21" (533 mm) torpedo tubes
* DeGama Armed With: K-4 SLBM, 6 × 21" (533 mm) torpedo tubes

The Almirante Gastão Motta
Compliment: 135
* 4,400 Diesel Fuel
* Food and Water For Crew for 20 Days
* Equipment, ropes, pulleys and hoses to transfer fuel to ships in need

1 Ceibo-Class Replenishment Ship
Compliment: 100
* 1000t of dried goods (eggs, powdered milk, canned soups, tuna, rice etc,)
* 100t of frozen fish, poultry, pork and beef and vegetables each
* 5,000 tons of fresh water
* 10,000 tons Diesel fuel oil
* 2,000 tons of flight fuel
* Pulleys, levers and multiple half ton boxes for shipping food and dried goods to other ships
* Pulleys, hoses, nozzles and levers to transport fuel and water

 

[Moe]

Orders:

Complete objectives in the North Atlantic. Capt. Juan DeGeorges, Commanding Officer of the BZC Rio, will also command Carrier Strike Force North Atlantic. Capt. Pablo DeSilva, captain of the BZD Salvador, will be his second in command. all sailors are now aboard and the mission shall commence.

Route: GJ>GK>FL>Quadrant 1C, refuel and resupply exercise, FL>GK>GJ. Stay in International waters at all times.

The Strike Force, one by one will leave Amapa Naval Base. Within 10km of the base they will settle into formation with the carrier Rio as the focal point of the group. To its port side sailing about 700m away will be the Ceibo Class Replenishment Ship. Sailing about 700m away from its starboard side will be the Alimante Gastao Motta.

The Formosa and Cabral will sail 1km ahead about 1km apart. The Formosa will sail 1km astern of the Rio.

The Salvador and San Louis will sail about 1km to the port side the Ceibo and will be joined by the Natal in the middle of the three ships separating themselves by about 700m to 1km each. 1 km to the starboard side of the Motta will be the Amazonas, Parana and Brasilia, with the Brasilia in the center of the three ships, who will also separate themselves by approximately 700 meters to 1km apart.

All ships will be sailing at 20knots. Subs will be submerged at a depth of 200m.

 

[Moe]

Now over 24 hours later, deep in the northwestern section of sector GK and out of Brazilian waters, four SH-60's prepare to take off from BZC-Rio. Call-signed Razor, Gaucho, Bullseye and Serpent they will go on sub hunting operations 100km from the Rio. Razor is responsible for the northern part of the convoy, Gaucho the south, Bullseye the east, and Serpent the west.

Once cleared by the Carrier Air Traffic Control Center, they take off 10 seconds after another and begin their patrols. Also on the flight deck is twenty-four Dassault M fighters, consisting of the Rio's A and B squadrons. They are going to train for take off, patrol and landing.

With both catapults loaded the first two fighters from Squadron A, blast their engines and and the fighter roars down the runway and lifts off into the air, seconds later the second fighter roars down the runway and takes off. The next two planes get into position and have the catapults put into place and they repeat the process until all the 24 fighters from squadron A & B are in the air. It drill should take less than five minutes.

Once in the air the squadrons will form into six four finger formations. Squadron A will form 3 finger four formations at 5000 feet fly north of the naval convoy, dividing into three sections to cover a 180 degree perimeter around the convoy, Squadron B will do the same but to the south.

 

[John]

Since the amount of time to travel had been allowed for the Brazillian ships to arrive in their selected location, which was not far from the coastline of Florida, the Radars at Coast Guard Station Port Canaveral would soon pick up the fleet. Not knowing the national origin as the Radars were not designed to detect the electronic signal to national origin, just to type of vessel, the control room would be buzzing as they attempt to find out what was happening. Soon, the officer incharge at the time would pick up the phone and place a call to Naval Station Mayport, the call being directed to Captain Wesley Mccall, the Commanding officer on Mayport.

"Captain Mccall.. Captain Stuart Reynell at Coast Guard Staton Port Canaveral. I'm sorry to disturb you, but we're picking up a medium sized surface fleet off the coast of Florida and I just wanted to confirm that these are possible vessels from Mayport?"

The line would be silent for a moment, before an audible sigh comes across the line.

"I'm afraid all vessels are in port at the moment, whoever they are, they haven't been invited here."

"Shit.."

"Shit indeed.. Can you get a cutter in the water to find out what is going on for me? I will organise a Destroyer Squadron to support you if need be."

"Yes Captain I can do that, I will speak to you soon"

The line would go dead as Captain Reynall leaves his office and issues the order for USCGS Waesche to be deployed as soon as possible, which would happen. After around an hour of the order being issues, the crew of 113 would board the ship, along with twenty members of the Maritime Safety and Security Team. Onboard the Cutter would be a single Eurocopter HH-65 Dolphin. The ship would be fully fuelled, atleast enough to investigate the fleet and return, whilst having enough ammunition to defend its self if possible.

Soon after everything was done, the ship would leave port and head directly for the fleet, keeping an eye on the Radar it would be noted that aircraft were also circling above the fleet.

Meanwhile, in Naval Station Mayport, USS Stethem, USS The Sullivans and USS Philippine Sea would have been going through the same process, making sure it is fully armed and fuelled to investigate the fleet amassing off the coast of Florida. The Sullivans and Stehtem would depart with 281 Personnel onboard, with two Sikorsky SH-60B Seahawks each, the Philippine Sea would depart with 330 personnel onboard, with two Sikorsky SH-60B Seahawks onboard. They would make haste towards the still currently unknown fleet.

 

[Moe]

Still in international waters, the planes from Squadron A have already landed back on the Rio as have squadron B's. The Seahawk helicopters are back onboard.

Capt. Juan DeGeorges on the Rio was about to talk his commanders aboard the aboard the Almirate and Ceibo I to begin prepping for the refueling and Resupply drill when he would get a call on his headset.

"Captain, this Juarez in Maritime. We have picked up several vessels approximately 200km to our northwest."

"That is fine. It is just the Americans. Continue to track their movements."

The Captain would then speak directly to the operations chief in the Carrier Air Traffic Control Center. "Scramble two Dassault's and two Seahawk's, ASAP. Have them track them track the vessels, but do not engage."

"Aye, aye, sir," the operations chief replies.

Captain DeGeorges would then contact his communications chief.

"Alvarez,"

"Yes, sir."

"I expect your English is good?"

"Yes, sir it is."

"Good, see what you can do about contacting the Americans, it seems as if they are going to make contact with us. And soon."

"Aye, aye, sir."

Captain DeGeorges would then contact each of his commanders on each ship over the scrambled mission frequency channel.

"Commanders, we didn't expect to do this but we may. Salvador, Brasilia, Sao Louis. Here are the coordinates for your LACM's. Brasilia 27.9506° N, 82.4572° W, Salvador 27.8531° N, 82.5030° W, Sao Louis 27.8531° N, 82.5030°. You know the drill. Vary each missile a half degree, degree, degree and half both north and west on your own, but we still want saturate the target."

"Aye, aye, Captain!" they shout in unison.

"Formosa, Cabral, DeGama, coordinates are...."

"Captain this is Juarez, I am prepared to send out a message to the ships 156.650 MHz, Channel 13. Please listen in."

"This is Officer Juarez of the Brazilian Navy, please identify. Again, this is officer Juarez of the Brazilian Navy, please identify."

Just then two Dassault M fighters and two SH-60 Seahawks take off from the Rio in the direction of the oncoming vessels.

@John

 

[John]

As the Coast Guard ship and US Navy ships come within both weapon and radio range of the Brazillian fleets,whilst remaining in US Waters, the call from the Brazillian Navy would come in on all of the ships. As the USS The Sullivan had been tasked with the lead ship of the Destroyer Squadron, its Captain - Commander Ian Gibb - would pick up the radio to respond to the Brazillians, "Fleet 25 miles east of Florida, this is US Navy Warship six-eight hailing you on channel one-three. Please Identify, over" The Captain would put down the receiver, picking up a second which was a direct line to the other ships. "I'm not comfortable with this gents, get ready to go to General Quarters, spin all SM-2ERs and Harpoon missiles."

@Moe

 

[Moe]

"This is the Brazilian warship Rio on channel one-three. Our convoy is in international waters on a routine exercise. Confrontation unnecessary. Over."

Captain DeGeorges continues with his orders on the mission frequency channel.

"Formosa, Cabral, DeGama, coordinates are 25.8195° N, 80.3553° W. Come up to launch depth. Confirm."

Just a second later there are shouts of, "Confirm!" into his headset.

"Task Force Rio, prepare to engage."

With that all radar and weapons operators realize the task at hand. All weapons systems are at the ready.

The two Dassault M fighters flying two abreast, confront the USS Sullivan immediately and make a pass about 500 meters from the convoy, tip their wings as they pass, indicating they mean no harm and scream away but they will be back in another minute once they make another loop.

"This is Officer Juarez of the Brazilian Navy on channel one-three. We are in international waters on a routine exercise. Confrontation unnecessary. Repeat. Confrontation unnecessary."

@John

 

[John]

When all of the weapons are readied on the Brazilian fleet, it would ping up on the systems in the Combat Information Centres onboard the vessels. "Bridge, TAO. SCUNK Alpha, Bravo and Charlie have just energized fire control radar!" Onboard each ship, General Quarters would ring out. "General quarters! General quarters! All hands, man your battlestations. General quarters is up and forward to the starboard side. Down and aft to the port side. The reason for general quarters is hostile activity."

As soon as this happens, the Radar would ping as the two Dassault M fighters enter US airspace to buzz the destroyers. The CIC would go into overload now, "TAO, air. New air contact."

"TAO, Surface manned and ready"

"Deploy SCAT. CIWS to AAW Auto.""

A radio transmission would be sent to the fighters, it would also be made available for the Brazillian ships to hear. "This is a United States Naval warship. Identify yourself and alter course or you will be subject to defensive actions"

The Destroyers would now activate their fire control radars, with the MK141 VLS tubes loaded with RIM-162 ESSM, four to a tube, to the rear VLS, allowing for 116 missiles. In the front VLS, it would be loaded with RGM-109B Tomahawk Anti Ship Missile and RUM-139 VL-ASROC. This would happen on all of the destroyers.

@Moe

 

[Moe]

"This is Officer Juarez of the Brazilian Navy contacting the US Navy on Channel one-three. We will alter course! Repeat! We will alter course!"

Captain DeGeorges would then shout orders to all ships over their private frequency.

"All ships take evasive action measures immediately. Exit Sector FL and continue to sector GK, where will continue with the exercise."

With that all ships turn and head in the opposite direction of the American towards sector GK.

He thens barks, "Juarez!"

"Yes, captain."

"Get me the President. Now."

"Aye-aye, Captain."

Captain DeGeorges then goes back to the frequency used by all of the ships in the convoy. "All ships be prepared to fire. We are not out of this yet. If you receive word to fire. Do not hesitate."

He then contacts the Carrier Control Tower.

"Put four birds in the air to provide us with cover. Instruct them to fly towards sector GK. Have the hover near us but without approaching the Americans. Copy, that?"

"Copy, sir."

A minute later fighters start taking off. They fly in two pairs at 3000 feet about 3km apart.

"Captain, this is Juarez. I have the president on the line and I'll punch him through."

"Captain DeGeorges, this is President Romero."

@John

 

[John]

All of this would have been relayed back to land, where commanders would be working overtime to find the best solution to the situation. The US destroyers, whilst staying within US waters, would follow the fleet as they begin to move away from Florida. They would remain in General Quarters for the duration. Meanwhile, at Tyndall Airforce Base, four F-16s all armed with: 1 × 20 mm M61A1 Vulcan cannon with 511 rounds, 4 x AIM-120 AMRAAM, 4 x AGM-84 Harpoon, 3 x 600 US gallon Sargent Fletcher drop tanks, would be prepared to take off to react to the fleet if they turn around and engage the US destroyers, at the same time, a single Boeing P-8 Poseidon armed with 6 x Mark 54 Lightweight Torpedo and 5 x Active sonobuoys would take off from Naval Air Station Jacksonville, to again, monitor the Brazilian fleet until they are far from US Waters.

"Brazilian Fleet, this is US Navy Warship six-eight on channel one-three. We will continue to monitor you until your exercise passes."

@Moe

 

[Moe]

The four Dassault's that were in the air have long since returned to the Rio and have debriefed their commanding officers.

The mood in the air is still tense on all of the ships. Sailors are still at General Quarters. Most have not had breaks for the twelve hours or so. Sailors from the mess halls have prepared sandwiches and thermoses of coffee that can imbibed on the quick.

"US Navy Warship six-eight on channel one-three. This is Brazil officer Juarez on channel one-three. Our fleet is in Quadrant FL, row 5, column 5. We are now 1500 kilometers off your eastern shores. We are over 500km from Puerto Rico. We are deep in international waters. You know exactly where we are. Feel free to tail us and watch ships practice resupply drills. We will have transport helicopters in the air."

With that the message goes dead.

Captain DeGeorges, then gets on the private fleet frequency.

"Commanders of the Natal, Amazonas, Parana, Salvador, Brasilia and Sao Louis, prepare to take on 1000 tons of diesel fuel each from the Ceibo and 500 tons of fresh water. Juarez, tell the flight control tower we need two Sea Kings to begin to pick up food crates from the Ceibo as well. Formasa, Carbral and DeGama, continue as ordered. Confirm?"

"Confirm, Captain," all the commanders announce in unison.

With that the sailors and crew of both the Natal and the Ceibo begin to prepare their ropes, pulleys and hoses as the two ships near one another and begin their refuel and resupply exercise. Minutes later 2 Sea Kings take off from the Rio to half ton crates of food and supplies for the Natal.

@John

 

[John]

Once the ships are miles away from the coast line, the US destroyers would turn back and begin to head back to Mayport Naval Base, meanwhile the P-8 Poseidon would reach the location that the incident took place, it would have been ordered to stay on its mission due to the possibility of Submarines lurking in the deep. Once it reach the location, the bay doors on the belly of the aircraft would open up and at a mile apart for each, active sonobuoys would drop out under deployed parachutes, floating into the water where they would activate to scan for any sub-surface contacts, which would directly link to the command and control on the P-8.

 

[Moe]

Stationed about 200 meters apart and sailing at speeds around 15kph three shot lines are fired from the Ceibo. They will be then attached with pulleys for hoses for oil, fresh water and crates of canned and dehydrated foods, and some fresh fruit and vegetables, milk, fresh eggs.

Crews on the Natal wait as the hoses are sent across via the lines and pulley system and placed directly into the Deisel Fuel and water tanks. Once they arrive the crews quickly attach the nozzles and begin to take in the fresh water and fuel into their respective tanks. Crews also wait for the first of four quarter tons crates of food. Once the first crate arrives it is hoisted up via a high-tension wire pulley system and then placed on the deck. Forklifts will then take the carte and load into the dry dock space of the ship.

This will be repeated three more times. Pumping 3000 gallons a minute, the half ton of fuel will be dispensed in just over 5 minutes. Within ten minutes the entire refueling for the Natal will be complete and she will take her place on the starboard side of the convoy.

The process will repeated for the Amazonas, Parana, Salvador, Brasilia and Sao Louis and just like her sister ship, they will also all retake their places in the convoy.

 

[Moe]

With the refueling training part of the mission complete Captain DeGeorges, then gets on the private fleet frequency and announces to his captains on the other ships.

"Captain's, we have further orders. Direct all of your ships in quadrant FL, to row ten column, five. Once there the Formosa,Cabral and DeGama will descend to a depth of thirty meters.

From there you will test launch your K-4 SLBM's. Each will launch one SLBM at precisely 0600 hours tomorrow morning. From row 10, column five in quadrant FL, at coordinate 30°34'19.7"N 76°08'34.1"W you will launch your SLBM's to this coordinate. 38°56'02.4"N 70°37'44.7"W. They will splash down without violating any other sovereign nations airspace, nor will they fall in any nation's Exclusive Economic Zone. Distance of launch approximately 1000km.

Prepare your sailors for a momentous day. Back at Amapa, the drinks are on me."

And with that the Helmsman on each ship would follow orders and navigate their ship to the precise destination. Crews in the hull would begin reconfiguring the new coordinates into the computer systems. All other missiles remain armed and ready to fire at their previous targets.

 

[Moe]

Back on the Rio Captain DeGeorges is ten minutes away from the biggest moment of his naval career. He is not going to let the bad navigational skills of so-called adversaries and the politics that come along with it get in his way again. He is then informed by his communications officer that he has an important and encrypted message.

"What is it, Alvarez?' he shouts.

"Captain, it is the President."

"What?"

"President Romero needs to speak with you. Now, sir."

"Tell him I will speak to him immediately in my cabin."

In his cabin, DeGeorges fires up his laptop and connects to a Skype line that is encrypted on both ends to talk with the President.

During the message the President informs DeGeorges that he must end his mission now, so as not to disturb our allies operations. And that one day, he will get the chance to lead a similar mission.

After the brief conversation with his President he orders the captains to turn around and reverse course and head back to Amapa. More determined than ever to strike back.

The carrier strike group reverses course and begins to sail back home.

Route: FL>GK>GJ

Mission Complete