2018 Imagi-Nation Fighter Rodeo

[redleg]

The Republic of Dalmatia is pleased to announce that the 2018 Fighter Rodeo will be held March 11th through the 17th at Vulture Field on the central coast of the ROD!

As is tradition, the week of St Patrick’s Day finds the Ministry of Defense hosting The International Fighter Rodeo – a week-long event that brings the best combat pilots together from all over the world to hone their combat skills and to promote camaraderie and interoperability.

The ROD invites each participating nation to send 2 squadrons to the event (one to compete as a fighter squadron and one to compete as an attack squadron). Each squadron will consist of 12 combat aircraft and no more than 150 total personnel. Additional support aircraft and personnel are welcome, though they will not be involved in the competition. The ROD will provide housing and meals for all participants, dignitaries, and media as well as fuel, live ordnance, training ordnance, and ground transportation.

There will be three competition categories: fighter, attack, and support.

Fighter Category
-Low-level course. All 12 pilots will complete a challenging course at low altitude, negotiating a series of man-made markers and natural terrain features designed to test a pilot’s ability to maneuver at low altitude. Score is based on time and accuracy.

-Drone shoot. 6 pilots will be selected to intercept an unmanned drone and destroy it with cannon fire. Aircraft will be airborne when the drone is launched and will be directed to the target by AWACS aircraft. Time will start when the fighter is 20 miles away from the target. Aircraft without internal cannon will mount an external 20mm gun pod for this event.

-Head-to-head. 6 pilots will be selected to participate in a 1-on-1 dogfight with another fighter. 2 points will be awarded for a victory, 1 point for a draw, and 0 points for a loss. Pilots will participate in 2 dogfights and then the pilots with the most points will enter a semi-final stage leading up to one pilot being named top dogfighter.


Attack Category
-Low-level course. All 12 pilots will complete a challenging course at low altitude, negotiating a series of man-made markers and natural terrain features designed to test a pilot’s ability to maneuver at low altitude. Score is based on time and accuracy.

-Cannon shoot. 6 pilots will be selected to attack a stationary ground target and destroy it with cannon fire. Points will be awarded for accuracy. Aircraft without internal cannon will mount an external 20mm gun pod for this event.

-Bomb drop. 6 pilots will be selected to attack a stationary ground target and destroy it with a 500 lb unguided bomb. Points will be awarded for accuracy.


Support Category
-Aircraft maintenance. A panel of distinguished aircraft maintenance experts will inspect all 12 aircraft and award points based on the overall readiness and condition of the squadron’s aircraft.

-Aircraft pit-stop. All 12 aircraft will begin the competition airborne with a full load of blue painted training ammunition and ordnance, but with minimal fuel. The entire squadron will land and be refueled by the ground crew. All ammunition and ordnance will be downloaded and replaced with a full complement of red-painted training ammunition and ordnance. Time will start when the first aircraft touches down and will end when the last aircraft lifts off after refueling and rearming.



The rodeo will culminate in a major air battle with all aircraft participating in a force-on-force exercise that will test combat skills as well as the ability to operate effectively in a multi-national force.

[GM’s Note: No real people or micro armor aircraft need to move for this event. Please just add pics of your aircraft and let me know who is participating. All competitions will be resolved by dice roll. Aircraft can be in any scale (1/285, 1/600, 1/2400). You do not even need to have a full squadron – the squadron commander’s aircraft will do!]


If you would like to participate, please notify the ROD Ministry of Defense and include the squadron designations and aircraft types.

[redleg]

2018 Fighter Rodeo Schedule of Events

Sunday March 11th (Daylight savings time begins!)
Squadrons arrive
Welcome reception & cocktail party hosted by Commander, ROD Naval Aviation

Monday March 12th
Fighter squadrons low-level course
Head-to-head fighter competition, round 1
Attack squadron pit-stop competition

Tuesday March 13th
Attack squadrons low-level course
Head-to-head fighter competition, round 1 (continued)
Fighter squadron pit-stop competition

Wednesday March 14th
Fighter drone shoot competition
Attack cannon shoot competition
Head-to-head fighter competition, round 2
Aircraft maintenance competition

Thursday March 15th (Beware the Ides of March!)
Attack bomb drop competition
Head-to-head fighter competition, finals

Friday March 16th
Massive air battle
Awards ceremony
Barbecue hosted by Commander, ROD Air Combat Command

Saturday March 17th (St Patrick’s Day!)
St Patrick’s Day Party and concert by rock bands Smegma Bomb and Slap Chop
Vintage aircraft air show and fly-by
Squadrons depart

[7.62]

The Balzac Self Defence Force is looking forward to this years competition.
12x JAS 39C Gripen from 7 Sqd (Black Flys) are set to make up the fighter element.
They will also have a few air and ground crew from 14 and 21 Squadrons attached.

The attack element has not yet been released but the BSFD has said it will not be sending the BAe Hawks of the training and OCU wing this year.

A large portion of 21 Sqd (the Hammers) are still deployed in Yer-Bouti providing CAS for the YB Army.


It is unlikely that they will completely return before the date of the Fighter Rodeo.
Some mention of a little known 2 Flight has been made.
Maybe this is the reason for the BAe Hawks staying home this year!!!!!

The "Avtur Brewery" of Balzac will once again be offering sponsorship for the after flying events.

[chrisswim]

The Commonwealth will attend the Air Rodeo for the 3rd year. We are looking forward to the opportunity to learn, compete and share ideas and experiences with great pilots and crews the world over. Fortunately, the conflict in West Sahara with Yer Bouti and the French appears to have ended, although fighting insurgency with Al Kabab continues, but the French are also dealing with Al Kabab.
The Commonwealth send 3 KC-737, 4 C-130, one EA-2, and one AEW-737 for the support and C4I role. Squadron 73, ‘The Flying Ducks’, will be competing in their 12 F/A-18 B aircraft. The other squadron, #8, will be with 6 A-4, four F-35C and two S-3 Viking aircraft. Three HH-3E Jolly Green Giant helos will be support role, including 18 MPs and 18 Rangers. One HH-3E will carry a section of butchers, handlers for goats, lambs, armadillo, and ostrich, and four chefs.
The Commonwealth would like to invite all crews, pilots and support for a Goat, Lamb, armadillo and ostrich Bar-B-Q. The main entrée will be flown over in a separate C-130, with only crew of 4 on board. They will have NBC ventilation equipment for survival. The animals will come from all areas of the Commonwealth.

[Guroburov]

PROG announced they would not be attending the annual Fighter Rodeo. They denounced the imperialist powers participating in the event. Despite receiving aircraft parts, Finland and baltic state based radars have not detected any aircraft activity of note over PROG airspace. We can only deduce they have no effective air force assets that could participate in the Fighter Rodeo. For CCNN, this is Blake Dyson.

[redleg]

We are very pleased to hear that the BSDF will be participating again this year, especially since it was a BSDF JAS-39 that was named Top Dogfighter in last year's fighter rodeo. Pus there is that fine brew that we can't wait to get a taste of! I'm sure it will go great with the various exotic meas that the CoC is bringing to the barbecue! As always we look forward to some good training and camaraderie with our friends in the BSDF ad the CoC.

We're disappointed to hear tat the PROG will not e participating. Perhaps we can take a lesson from the Olympics and have fighter pilots from PROG flying under the UIN flag? And speaking of the Olympics; there is a strict no-doping policy in effect this year. And pilots are not to fly with a blood alcohol level greater than .15!

[chrisswim]

As I understand it there is an exception to the blood alcohol level of 0.15, its the Brits, they are allowed twice as much at 0.30, is that true?

As for PROG... 'grumpy old men' personality. I wonder if the GatorState will send a team.

[panzergator]

Gator State will not. All matters regarding air force - aircraft, tactics, capability, are absolute secret.

[7.62]

The new Western leaning Prime Minister of the Yer-Bouti Government has announced a team from the Yer-Bouti Air Force will be at this years Rodeo.
The YBAF has had cadres of pilots under training in the the US, Balzac and Eastern Europe.
It is unclear which types will be attending at this time but IOC (Initial Operational Capability) may have already been attained by some units.

Deployment would be conditional on events on the ground in YB.

[7.62]

As I understand it there is an exception to the blood alcohol level of 0.15, its the Brits, they are allowed twice as much at 0.30, is that true?

As for PROG... 'grumpy old men' personality. I wonder if the GatorState will send a team.

Minimum 8 feet bottle to throttle.

[redleg]

After very intense competition in the ROD, our competing squadrons have been named!

The ROD fighter squadron is the ROD Air Force's 2nd Fighter Squadron - Banditos. (F-4E)

The ROD attack squadron is the ROD Air Force's 12th fighter Squadron - Vipers (F-16C)

We will post some pics very shortly (as soon as the GM gets off of the night ** CENSORED ** at work)

Just a little over a week until competition begins!

[chrisswim]

The Commonwealth has is competing squadrons, support aircraft, helos departing within the hour. The security helos and maintenance will depart prior to the fixed wing.
Tower, this is JA-14 with a group of Jolly Green Giants ready to taxi to take off, over. ....
JA-14, this is the tower, you are cleared for taxi and lift off. Skies are clear, not an airbourne aircraft within 25 km below 10,000 feet. Taxi to end of runway 28niner, .... fair travel. out.

[redleg]

Less than a week to go until the competition begins! Looks ike it will be just the ROD, the CoC, and the BSDF again this year. Mahishmati was going to send some aircraft, but then they ha to back out due to security concerns in their country. Th California Air National Guard was also going to send two squadrons to compete, but then they saw a tweet from the ROD Minister of Defense that questioned the importance of the academy awards ad tey decided to withdraw.

Pictured here are F-4Es from the ROD's 2nd Fighter Squadron - Banditos - as they get a final tune up in preparation for the fighter rodeo.

[redleg]

Any word from BSDF on an attack squadron participating in the rodeo? We kick off in 3 days! Here is a pic of the ROD's ayyack squadron - the Air Force's 12th Fighter Squadron.

[7.62]

With the return of all BSDF forces from Yer Bouti last week, it will be possible for the Gripen C's of 21 Sqd "The Hammers" to attend as the attack squadron.

(Sorry redleg I did hope to have a new type in BSDF service but life gets in the way as it will).

It is possible that the Yer Bouti Air Force may be able to attend.
I will be back tonight before midnight with an answer and hopefully goodies in my pocket,
Cheers, Mick.