[Sweden]: Operation Molybdenum

[Connor]

HSwMS Vind​

TOP SECRET
Going to be Sore... Round Two!
By this stage the vessels were reaching the end of their final stretch, the 60+ hour journey had brought them deep into the South Atlantic Ocean and only a matter of a few courts from the Antarctic Penninsula where they intended to finalise their approach and plans to ultimately begin final positioning along the shoreline. This was very much the final stretch for Operation Molybdenum, reaffirming Swedish show of power in the southern hemisphere and protecting the Swedish Antarctic Territory. The Spanish were privately informed of the coordinates of all vessels within the South Atlantic Ocean for refuelling at their discretion. The addition of a further replenishment vessel took the fleet from twenty four to twenty five, making it undoubtedly the largest deployment to Antarctic waters in history.

HSwMS Vind would refuel as many vessels as it physically could before bouncing back and forth between the Canary Islands and their current position should further replenishment be required.

Upon the arrival of ESPS Patiño vessels awaiting floor would perform a sort of drive-through holding pattern, retaining full radio contact with Spanish for the replenishment process, following the essential cargo replenishment in the Canary Islands the only necessity was for fuel to pull the fleet across the final stretch. HSwMS Polär is the next ship to require the Spanish services...

"Patiño, Patiño, this is warship Polär of the Swedish Royal Navy. We are headed bearing two-four-zero and requesting refuel. Over."​

As they await approval from the Spanish they'd begin clearing the deck for the necessary refuelling procedures that were due to follow.

@Zak

 

[Zak]

​

The SPS Patiño had now arrived at the location of the rest of the Swedish ships and Rear Admiral Ariadna Piedrabuena had all soldiers active on deck as they were representing the Kingdom of Spain on a joint operation with the Swedish Navy. The bridge of the Spanish oilier was full of activity as they received the call for assistance from the Swedish Navy warship Polär.

"Swedish Navy Warship Polär, this is Spanish Navy oilier Patiño - your request for refuel has been heard and the appropriate protocols are being engaged. For your record or any other in your fleet, we are also carrying 1,687 tonnes of aviation fuel if your fleet require fuel to maintain your helicopters, over."

The relevant protocols would be followed as the Spanish ship pulled along its Swedish counterpart, keeping direct communication with them to safely complete the replenishment of the Swedish Navy warship and when all protocols had been completed and refuelling lines had been connected, the refueling of the Swedish Navy ship would be undertaken, taking a few hours as food, beverages and toiletries would be transferred to the Swedish ship if they required other replenishment.

@Connor

 

[Connor]

Antarctic Peninsula​

TOP SECRET
Penetration
HSwMS Polär would swiftly begin to match the course and speed of the SPS Patiño, aboard the ship the crew would begin to filter out of the secure and mostly warm confines of their quarters and onto the deck of the ships into the blisteringly cold weather - their approach to Antarctica was undoubtedly met with some of the coldest temperatures they had ever experienced putting the Arctic conditioning they experience at home to excellent use. The crew immediately don their appropriate protective equipment including life jackets, helmets, gloves and warm coats whilst they prepare the ships for refuelling. On the deck of the HSwMS Polär it was becoming time to ensure the ships came together in the most safe and controlled scenario as possible.

A member of the ships company stands at the side of the ship with a rifle, the simple objective was to secure a line from the HSwMS Polär across to SPS Patiño - upon discharge the red thin line would dart across the small amount of sea between them and caught by the Spanish crew. This line would later serve as a medium for the refuelling line to be shuttled across and connected to the appropriate port. A rope, fed across this line is handed to a line of crew members who continually pull this line backwards until the rope can be safely secured and fastened to the vessel. The refueeling line is then fed across the same rope which immediately enters, and penetrates, the hole aboard the HSwMS Polär allowing the precious juicy liquids to be fed directly into the tanks. This was not the first time this crew has to assist with some intense penetration but fortunately their experience made it so much more fun.

Completion came in no time allowing the crew to disconnect the refuelling line and allowing it to shuttle, at speed, back across to the Spanish replenishment ship. In and out, my favourite. From here the crew salute the Spanish as a sign of respect for their support in the mission, this was tradition within the Swedish Navy to show their appreciation to foreign flag-bearing ships that assist their cause.

The ships continue onwards to the Antarctic Peninsula, this time with the icebreakers within the fleet at the head and the various different vessels splitting into two separate single-file lines. The ice was minimal this early into the Antarctic expedition but despite this the positioning of the icebreakers allowed for more sturdy hulls to ensure safe passage of the warships and submarines following in tow.

@Zak

 

[Zak]

​

The crew of the Spanish Navy oilier Patiño had completed their mission of providing logistical support to the Swedish Navy and the SPS Patiño pulls back on its speed to allow the Swedish vessel to break away from the refueling position as safely as possible. Rear Admiral Ariadna Piedrabuena had directed the replenishment vessel to return to Spain in order to receive its next deployment details.

The journey home was of a relaxed mood, sailors had more downtime to relax as they made the journey home. Sailors had the opportunity to take part in a variety of sports and socialised with other sailors to pass the time by. Sensors and processing systems would be monitored throughout the journey back to Spain and this would be done 24/7 to ensure no maritime or air threats posed a ship to the replenishment vessel.

They made the return journey through routing GC > HD > HE > HF > HG > HH > HI > HJ > HK > HL > IM before arriving back at Rota Naval Base on the southern coast of Spain.

@Connor

 

[Connor]

Antarctica​

TOP SECRET
Let's Fly, Let's Fly Away
Icebreakers assist in pulling the fleet as close to the coastline of the Antarctic Peninsula as physically possible - whilst en route to such their various sensors are scrutinised at an unbelievable rate to ensure the safety of the crews and material being forced through the frozen waters. With all things considered this was certainly a challenge but one the Swedish Royal Navy and Polar Research Secretariat were determined to conquer.

The view of Antarctica was bespoke and certainly sight to behold. The white landscape trailed for miles at a time into the horizon line, meeting the clouded sky as if the land ran on forever. Snow piling up and over the rocky surface of the continent made the wide-reaching flatland appear as a somewhat absurd desert... a desert of snow. The Swedish were used to Artic conditions and had trained for long periods of time in the freezing cold crisp white now but this was unlike anything they had experienced before. On occasions the landscape was broken up by various rock formations forcing their way through the cracks in the snow forming a somewhat hostile environment. Not far in the distance the black facade of mountains dominate the region but only serving as little more than another challenge to the crews that'd been travelling for an unbelievably long period of time from one side of the globe to literally the other.

Without delay the lead icebreaker, SPRV Atle, begins the activation of it's horn in five short blasts - signalling to the other vessels that this was as far as it's possible to travel by water. This caused vessels to anchor to their current location and move to an idling speed. Despite their now stationary position they'd constantly monitor their onboard radars and detection systems whilst the research vessels begin the next steps of the mission; specifically OM-6A.

Onboard SPRV Atle and SPRV Frej:

"HELICOPTER CREWS TO DECK, HELICOPTER CREWS TO DECK"​

This, of course, was followed by the Swedish Royal Navy personnel darting from their current positions donning their appropriate flight gear and equipment before boarding the awaiting Sikorsky MH-60R Seahawk's carrier onboard both vessels. Swedish Polar Research personnel whom were suitably trained in the marshalling of aircraft had checked current weather formations ensuring it was safe for such a deployment before marshalling the aircraft away from the ship. Both aircraft lift at the same time being issued callsigns 'SOLAR' and 'STELLAR'.

Both aircraft are fully fuelled, the extremities and internal capabilities of each aircraft had been checked prior to deployment. From here, they fly directly towards the Antarctic Peninsula and begin scouting for an appropriate landing site.

 

[Alex]

It was winter in Antarctica, the winters of Antarctica were long and dark and cold. As the days and hours of the Antarctic winter passed, the waters around its coast would begin to freeze into solid ice as thick as six feet, only allowing icebreakers specifically made for such thick ice to be able to break through it. These two Atle-class icebreakers that would lead the entire Swedish fleet through the Antarctic ice, which would be very thick due to it being the coldest month of the winter. However the Atle-class would be able to break through the ice, the fleet following closely behind. As no specific location was given, it would be assumed that they made their way to the eastern coastline of the Antarctica Peninsula and would anchor in the Weddell Sea.

The moment the ships stopped, and anchored the loosed and broken ice would begin to reform and start surrounding the hulls of the vessels, trapping the ships, including the icebreakers. Due to it being June, the a cold and very dark month in the Antarctica winter, the crew would not be able to notice this is the darkness. Due to the low water current of their current location, the ice that surrounded each of the ships would be extremely firm. As none of the Swedish personnel currently on this expedition had any training or exercise in such horrid environments, panic would soon take hold of them.

When it came to the helicopters as the personnel marshalling had no training nor exercises in marshalling they would correctly assume the weather to be safe but they would overlook the fact of the extreme cold of the Antarctica winter. While the helicopters left the ships fully fueled and safely fly towards the Antarctica peninsula, these helicopters were not fueled by the specific fuel used in the Antarctic to resist the extremes of this region of the world. Because of this, when the helicopters finally arrived near the peninsula, their fuel would begin to freeze and their engines would stall, and without their height of flight being specified the helicopters would crash from an extreme height onto the hard ice of the peninsula - it would be assumed that no one survived.

@Connor

 

[Connor]

Flag of Antarctica​

TOP SECRET
Cute... Nice Try
The temperatures and the battering winter climate was a challenge for the personnel of the Swedish Royal Navy and the Polar Research Secretariat however presumptions were at tge very bottom of their considerations, they were dealing with the real hard facts. Fortunately the chosen destination for the initial phase of the Swedish expedition towards Antarctica was the Antarctic Peninsula and this was deliberate for a number of reasons, primarily the climate. The Antarctic Peninsula is the most northerly point of Antarctica and has the mildest climates within the continent. The temperatures here in the coldest of winter average from -15°C to -20°C; this was not too dissimilar to the Arctic region of Sweden, in-which the personnel have conditioned themselves and naturally had the appropriate training for cold-weather warfare and survival as part of basic training, where the temperatures also drop to below −15°C.

With this is mind the skilful movement of vessels would, as stated, only break ice as far as it's possible to travel by water - this obviously with the view in mind to prevent loss or injury to life or limb and to prevent serious damage to property, in this instance the vessels. Whilst sea-ice was particularly bad around Antarctica the crew had very clearly made a tactical decision to travel towards the Bellingshausen Sea within the coordinates of 'FC' as stated in their travel plans from refuelling with the Spanish fleet. Here the ice is some of the lowest levels around the continent and the ships would have no problem anchoring in a location where they were able to remain operational and prevent any damage to the ships themselves.

Marshalling fortunately required very little expertise and those aboard the vessel would have the suitable training, as stated, to allow the safe manoeuvring of a helicopter off the vessel. On the basis that the SPRV Atle has a helipad it would be absurd for none of the personnel on-board to have suitable training for the deployment of aircraft. Whilst the weather in the region was rough, it was impossible, and it was clearly stated that the crews would only deploy when weather allows. Ultimately the decision would come down to the Swedish Royal Air Force pilot that would've lift his aircraft in inhospitable weather conditions. The flight from the vessels to the tip of the Antarctic Peninsula was incredibly short to reach the mainland namely to a region of flat land on Anvers Island where the Swedish would make a safe and controlled landing, weather permitting.

The moment the helicopters landed on the surface of the Antarctic continent the crew would dismount, bar the pilot, and walk through the winds of the rotor blades and the blisteringly cold climate a short distance away from the aircraft. Here, whilst wearing the appropriate clothing for the climate including thermal under-garments, they would extend two telescopic chrome poles, on the end of which a Swedish flag and a Antarctica flag were rolled at the top. Upon extension the flags would catch the wind and begin flapping frantically. Sweden had not only been the first nation in the world to step foot on the continent but also the sole occupant of the region.

All aerial operations are conducted at the discretion of the pilot and weather would enable for safe deployment and landing.

An encrypted radio communication from the pilot of 'STELLAR' is made to the SPRV Atle confirming the planting of both flags, this was further fed back to the Swedish Department of Defence whom would engage plans to further develop the region.

 

[Connor]

Wilkes Land, Antarctica​

TOP SECRET
Engulf
Once adequately fuelled and when safe to do so, the next stage of the operation would be put into full force to ensure the regional security and stability whilst protecting the interests of the Kingdom of Sweden and the Nordic Council. It was undeniable that by this stage Scandinavia had unrivalled control of both poles and the next stage was to reinforce this with appropriate production and development of the region to ensure prolonged national security.

The Antarctic Defence Force had recently acquired a contract with the Kingdom of Norway to develop a series of Svalbard-Class Icebreakers which were soon to join the Antarctic fleet in order to serve as ocean patrol vessels for the region. Incredibly advanced and at the forefront of technological development the vessels are a fundamental addition to the force and it was necessary for onward progression to take place to efficiently adopt the expansion to the fleet. The plans as set forth by the Department of Defence were for the construction of Wilkes Military Base, one of two recognised building grades in Antarctica, which would consist of maritime, air and ground stations. This is likely to be the largest constructed military base by the Swedish government and set to cost billions however in the meantime the fleet needed to secure a presence in that region.

The fleet, in line with campaign registration OM-7A and objective 7 set within the Official Operation Order, would split in two; 3rd Frigate Division, 2nd Submarine Squadron, SPRV Frej and SPRV Tor Viking would separate bound for Wilkes Land whilst the remainder of the flotilla would stay put at the Antarctic Peninsula. The fleet would go on to transverse via FC > GD > HD > ID> JD > KD> LD > MD > ND > OC > PC.

Throughout the voyage HSwMS Vind would monitor fuel levels of all vessels via electronic data transfers from the fleet. Communications would remain encrypted however allow rapid reaction to avoid any equipment being stranded without fuel.

 

[Connor]

Operation Molybdenum is finalised and declared as concluded by the Department of Defence - the classification given on the Operational Directive remains in situ until otherwise determined.