Operation Long Shadow

DATE: 03/12/2025

TIME (GMT): 19:00

ERA: Modern

MAP(S): Persian Gulf

TYPE: COOP

GAME: DCS

EVENT: Official

AUTHOR(S): Kofeina

SLOTS: 8 / 16

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RATING: (5)

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Operation Summary

With Ghost Rider completed and enemy structures across the south and southeast collapsing, the regime has lost effective control of large portions of its territory. Popular uprisings have intensified, forcing the regime to pull most remaining loyal units back toward the new seat of power in Shiraz. Intelligence indicates that the regime is also seeking emergency military support from a third-party power, increasing the urgency of the next strike.

Shiraz has now been transformed into a dense air-defense fortress. Multiple generations of SAM systems — SA-2, SA-3, SA-10 — along with extensive AAA belts surround the city and its airfield. This concentration of air defense assets is mirrored by a massive buildup of ground forces: armored vehicles, support trucks, and large numbers of aircraft packed into the airbase. While dangerous, this density turns Shiraz into a high-value target cluster ideally suited for precision and stand-off strikes.

Operation Long Shadow aims to break the regime’s last major stronghold before foreign assistance can arrive. The opening phase will focus on confusing and degrading the enemy’s A2D network, forcing gaps and misdirection in their radar picture. This disruption will allow a low-flying F/A-18 strike element to slip through and conduct a focused attack on the Shiraz airfield, rendering it unusable.

Once the airfield is neutralized, follow-on elements will begin a systematic stand-off strike campaign, engaging concentrations of aircraft, vehicles, fuel, and logistics using AGM-154 JSOW, AGM-84E/H, and other long-range precision weapons. Continuous pressure from altitude and distance will prevent the regime from regrouping and ensure Shiraz’s role as their final staging point collapses under sustained fire.

Operation Long Shadow is designed to be the decisive blow: a combination of deception, precision, and overwhelming long-range firepower to eliminate the regime’s last major hub before external reinforcements can alter the balance.

Objectives
1) Shiraz Airfield
● Targets
○ Runway 29L
■ Lat Long Standard: N 29°31'45" E 52°36'30"
Altitude: 1487 m / 4879 feet
○ Runway 29R
■ Lat Long Standard: N 29°31'59" E 52°36'38"
■ Altitude: 1487 m / 4879 feet
○ Parking Area South
■ Lat Long Standard: N 29°32'02" E 52°34'58"
Altitude: 1487 m / 4879 feet
○ Parking Area North
■ Lat Long Standard: N 29°33'01" E 52°34'35"
Altitude: 1487 m / 4879 feet
● Threats: SAM/AAA

2) Shiraz Town
● Targets
○ HQ Building
■ Lat Long Precise: N 29°33'44.51" E 52°35'08.79"
Altitude: 1488 m / 4881 feet
○ Command Bunker
■ Lat Long Precise: N 29°35'58.66" E 52°32'15.15"
Altitude: 1530 m / 5020 feet
○ MLRS Unit (Cluster)
■ Lat Long Precise: N 29°33'53.84" E 52°34'38.02"
Altitude: 1488 m / 4881 feet
○ Mechanized Unit (cluster)
■ Lat Long Precise: N 29°34'08.36" E 52°34'13.86"
■ Lat Long Precise: N 29°34'09.43" E 52°34'14.89"
■ Lat Long Precise: N 29°34'11.07" E 52°34'16.42"
■ Altitude: 1489 m / 4885 feet
○ Logistics Unit (cluster)
■ Lat Long Precise: N 29°34'24.23" E 52°32'38.11"
■ Lat Long Precise: N 29°34'24.85" E 52°32'36.41"
■ Lat Long Precise: N 29°34'25.39" E 52°32'34.77"
■ Altitude: 1516 m / 4974 feet
○ Warehouses South
■ 1. Lat Long Precise: N 29°33'37.44" E 52°32'59.10"
Altitude: 1506 m / 4940 feet
■ 2. Lat Long Precise: N 29°33'40.02" E 52°32'52.79"
Altitude: 1506 m / 4942 feet
■ 3. Lat Long Precise: N 29°33'42.23" E 52°32'47.32"
Altitude: 1507 m / 4945 feet
○ Warehouses North
■ 1. Lat Long Precise: N 29°34'44.69" E 52°33'38.91"
Altitude: 1512 m / 4960 feet
■ 2. Lat Long Precise: N 29°34'46.35" E 52°33'35.55"
Altitude: 1512 m / 4962 feet
■ 3. Lat Long Precise: N 29°34'47.97" E 52°33'32.36"
Altitude: 1513 m / 4964 feet
○ Ammunition Bunkers (Anti bunker)
■ 1. Lat Long Precise: N 29°32'58.44" E 52°35'56.79"
Altitude: 1487 m / 4879 feet
■ 2. Lat Long Precise: N 29°32'55.08" E 52°35'59.07"
Altitude: 1487 m / 4879 feet
● Threats: SAM/AAA

3) SAM Sites
● Targets
○ SA-10 Shiraz
■ Lat Long Precise: N 29°32'33.86" E 52°38'19.33"
Altitude: 1488 m / 4880 feet
■ Lat Long Precise: N 29°32'33.95" E 52°38'25.03"
Altitude: 1487 m / 4879 feet
○ SA-3 Shiraz
■ Lat Long Precise: N 29°37'17.09" E 52°30'11.69"
Altitude: 1564 m / 5132 feet
○ SA-3 North
■ Lat Long Precise: N 29°57'59.10" E 52°29'55.19"
Altitude: 1596 m / 5236 feet
○ SA-3 East
■ Lat Long Precise: N 29°41'27.58" E 53°05'19.88"
Altitude: 1571 m / 5153 feet
○ SA-3 South-East
■ Lat Long Precise: N 29°15'24.11" E 53°00'28.93"
Altitude: 1470 m / 4822 feet
○ SA-3 South
■ Lat Long Precise: N 29°07'59.27" E 52°51'16.15"
Altitude: 1478 m / 4851 feet
○ SA-2 West
■ Lat Long Precise: N 29°24'43.20" E 52°22'51.66"
Altitude: 1739 m / 5706 feet
○ SA-2 North East
■ Lat Long Precise: N 29°48'47.35" E 52°53'40.21"
Altitude: 1589 m / 5213 feet

Enemy Forces
Air: Possible MiG-21/23/29.
Air defense: SA-10, SA-3, SA-2, AAA emplacements.
Surface: None
Ground assets: Bunkers, warehouses, armored vehicles, MLRS, trucks.
Airfield: Runways, cargo and fighter planes.

Friendly Forces
Carrier Task Force 60
● 1 x CVN-71 — strike recovery and task force coordination
● 2 x CG — Ticonderoga-class — medium/long-range air defense and ASuW support
● 2 x FFG — Oliver Hazard Perry-class — close escort, ASW/ASuW
● 1 x S-3B tanker callsign TEXACO
● 1 x E-2D Hawkeye callsign MAGIC

Waypoints
1 - Feet dry
2 - Fence in
3 - Turn 20nm
4 - Turn 12nm
5 - Turn final
6 - Shiraz Airfield
7 - Escape turn
8 - Valley waypoint start
9 - Valley waypoint end
10 - Fence out
11 - Safe zone
12 - Feet wet

Tanker Information
Texaco - TACAN 13X

Carrier Information
CVN-71::
– TACAN 1X
– ICLS 11
– Link 4 335MHz (ACLS enabled)