On the morning of the attack the sniper teams took up position unnoticed and a US drone flew overhead providing live video coverage to the operation commander. Intelligence operators provided a live translation of conversations within the house.

At 08:00 the three terrorist suicide bombers left the house and the operation commander gave the order to open fire when they were well clear and all in vision at the same time. With three shots the bombers were killed, without detonating their explosive vests, and the support troops moved in to secure the area and search the bodies and building.

That is how an operation should work. Clean and quick with no drama.

Seconds later a call comes in over the radio, ‘Alpha 9er this is Alpha 1, a convoy is approaching our location from the west at speed. Distance 3½ miles. 12 vehicles, company of infantry and light armour, over.’ You reply, ‘Alpha 9er, copy that. RV extraction out.’ Looks like someone is coming to take a look. Probably the locals will not get involved but you had better warn the fly boys. ‘Heelo 9er this is Alpha 9er, we have local troops three miles from extraction over.’ ‘Heelo 9er copy that. I confirm extraction. Out.’

All your teams arrive at the extraction point together although two men from Alpha 5 are being carried. You look to your sergeant, ‘Form a perimeter, strong on that side please’. The men are already rushing to form a loose circle to protect the Blackhawks as they land except for the wounded who are being tended in the centre. The choppers will come down one at a time to take up the men, wounded first. Moments later the distinctive sound of chopper blades brings a smile to a man’s face. ‘The cavalry’s here.’

A HH-60G Pavehawk loads men immediately after a successful operation. (USAF)

The first Blackhawk touches down, loads men and soars away. The next lands, loads and away, then the third and last approaches. A rocket trail lances up from behind a low hill and an explosion rocks the second chopper. Trailing smoke it switches to auto rotate and begins to lose height quickly. ‘S**t!’ The third chopper aborts its approach and speeds off low over the ground sprouting anti-missile flares as it goes. The damaged aircraft hits the ground with a crunch of metal just audible.

You call the Blackhawk commander: ‘Heelo 9er, Alpha 9er do you have a visual on the downed chopper?’ ‘Heelo 9er the air frame in intact and men are climbing out over.’ ‘Alpha 9er can you extract them and us over?’ ‘Heelo 9er that is a negative. The locals have missiles. Sorry Buddy, withdrawing my callsign from range. Will remain within theatre, out.’ The men close to you are watching. They know the choppers will leave them and their mates in the downed chopper rather than risk more aircraft and crew. What are you going to do?

You switch channels to your commanding officer. ‘Sunray Alpha this is Alpha 9er over.’

‘Sunray Alpha send over.’

‘Primary mission accomplished. We have contact with local forces. They have missiles and one chopper is down. Ground team under fire. Request permission to destroy locals over.’

‘Sunray Alpha wait out.’ So now you just have to wait for a decision from brigade headquarters about destroying the missile launchers.

Command decision one

Air support is granted.

As you wait first one, then a string of 82mm mortar bombs drop around your position. A heavy machine gun is firing high and you can see the tracer rounds flash over. The enemy are less than half a mile away and you have no heavy weapons. How long will HQ be in making a decision? Will someone think it is easier to make no decision than the wrong decision?

You make a decision and switch channels. ‘Reaper 9er, Alpha 9er take down the enemy missile launchers and infantry over.’ ‘Reaper 9er confirm target missile launchers and infantry over.’ You confirm, ‘Alpha 9er confirm target missile launchers and infantry over.’ ‘Reaper 9er wait out.’ Your sergeant looks you in the eye, ‘He doesn’t think you have clearance Boss. He’s going to check.’

Then all hell breaks loose as missiles, Paveway bombs, cluster bombs, all sorts of munitions rain down on the enemy and destroy them in seconds. ‘I think we owe the Reaper detachment a few beers lads.’ The radio squawks into life, ‘Alpha 9er this is Heelo 9er confirm continue extraction over.’

‘Alpha 9er confirm extraction out.’

A Blackhawk swoops in to collect the last of your men while Heelo 9er collects the survivors and bodies from the stricken chopper himself. As you pull away a CH-53E Super Stallion, which has been held in reserve to allow for accidents, prepares to recover the Blackhawk airframe.

Command decision two

Alternate command decision when the air support is refused.

‘Alpha 9er this is Reaper 9er we do not have clearance for this mission over.’

You reply, ‘Alpha 9er copy out.’ You change channels and call the Pavehawk commander.

‘Alpha 9er. Can you give me some suppressive fire with those miniguns over?’

‘Heelo 9er. Sorry buddy, just had a straight negative order on that. Over.’

You think for a moment.

‘Alpha 9er. You have 16 of my men aboard two of your callsigns. Can you drop the 14 who can walk for me?’

‘Heelo 9er. I certainly can bud. So long as I can keep my ships away from those damn missiles. Will take figures 5 as they are on their way home. Where do you want them?’

‘Alpha 9er. Just shy of the top of that hill a click north east of me on the side away from the enemy.’

‘Heelo 9er, that is affirmative. They have a pair of grenade machine guns on board ready for infantry use. Shall I drop them as well? Do you want the enemy radio net jamming?’

‘Alpha 9er both would be very welcome. Alpha 9er out.’

You turn to your sergeant, ‘Billy, we are going to line out to face the enemy. They will either turn or fight. Lets see what they do.’

‘Right Boss. I’ll sort it.’

Billy scurries off to the men, bent low. As he leaves them each group moves to their new position facing the approaching enemy.

You change channels to address the men on the local net. ‘All callsigns this is Alpha 9er. I want the enemy to stop before they reach us, and hopefully go home, so we will open a steady suppressing fire as soon as you see targets.

The first burst of gunfire comes from your line, quickly followed by another and then general firing breaks out. You take out your binoculars and scan the advancing enemy. There are more than 100 infantry approaching in a rough line and you can see three armoured vehicles in support. Eight-wheeler BTR 80 APCs firing 14.5mm heavy machine guns from their turrets. But the fire is still high. The enemy infantry drop to the ground 300 yards away and continue their approach in pairs, using the fire and movement system, with one man moving as his buddy gives suppressing fire. The mortar fire continues steadily and the heavy machine guns from the armour are getting the range. They have been joined by medium machine guns and rifle fire from the front of each vehicle.

‘Looks like he is going to try for a win Billy. Getting sticky.’

You change channels and call the Pavehawk commander, ‘Alpha 9er. Can you give me an ETA for touch-down over?’

‘Heelo 9er. ETA minutes 1 over.’

The reinforcements confirm this over the comms. ‘Alpha 4. We are on the ground 50m short of the top of the hill. The ship with Alpha 3 is landing now. The Pavehawk crew gave us a shiny new Golf Mike Golf and a crate of ammo over.’

‘Alpha 9er. Get yourselves to the top of that hill and tell me what you see. Get the GMGs rigged up ASAP.’

The enemy are now within 200 yards and your rifle fire is bouncing off the BTR 80s but you have killed several of the infantry although you have three casualties of your own.