Version 1.0, tested on Command v1.10. Download scenario file (68K).

Scenario Description

As Asian air forces continue to modernize their equipment, the “COPE” series of international military exercises conducted by the U.S. Pacific Air Forces (PACAF) has captured the attention of analysts worldwide as a showcase and testing ground for fifth (and “near-fifth”) generation airpower. One of these was COPE TAUFAN 2014, a biennial game hosted by the Royal Malaysian Air Force, beginning on June 6 and running for a full two weeks. This was the first time that the F-22 Raptor appeared in Southeast Asia, and at this event it would fight alongside (and against) the RMAF’s exotic Su-30MKM Flanker-Gs and MiG-29N Fulcrums. The notional “war” involved a threat to the Malaysian peninsula from the sea, with Americans and Malaysians taking turns as invaders and defenders.

This scenario depicts a diverse and chaotic large-force-employment mission event during the exercise, later described to the press as involving “eight USAF F-15s intercepting two RMAF C-130s and a USAF C-17 which were escorted by four RMAF Su-30MKMs, six USAF F-22s, two RMAF MiG-29s, and two RMAF F-18s.” It is designed to be played as BLUFOR (the F-15 defenders).

For their first overseas joint exercise, the Massachusetts Air National Guard has brought along eight of the most modern and deadly F-15C Eagles in the force, recently upgraded with the new APG-63(V)3 AESA radar. They will stage out of RMAF Butterworth, and will be fully supported by the RMAF ground-based air surveillance and tracking radar network. BLUFOR’s primary objective is to prevent the transport aircraft (which are carrying special operations forces) from landing at RMAF Kuantan in the southeast peninsula.

As is typical for wargames of this sort, the F-22s opposing them will be operating under severely restricted rules of engagement: for this event, AIM-120 shots at ranges exceeding 10 miles are prohibited. In addition, to test the expensive new Ground Master radar in the Malaysian air defense network, some of the F-22s will be carrying their weapons externally and will suffer the resulting increase in radar cross-section. However, the Malaysian Su-30s, MiG-29s, and F/A-18s will not be operating under any special restrictions, and will shoot at maximum range at any confirmed hostile. The OPFOR transit package is generally expected to move in a large escort box with F-22s working with Su-30s in an “eyeball-shooter” arrangement, but OPFOR has enough jets available to generate some surprises.

This scenario comes with three (3) pre-planned BLUFOR air defense plans that deploy the F-15 elements to different patrol stations throughout the exercise area. These pre-planned options are executed by the player through the “Special Actions” menu. Alternatively, the player may reject all of the provided options and instead construct a custom strategy or assume manual control.

BLUFOR receives 3 points for each F-22 kill, 1 point for each non-F-22 fighter kill, and 15 points for each transport. It loses 2 points for each F-15 lost. If OPFOR incurs too many escort losses, the transports will abort their mission and bug out to the east. BLUFOR receives 25 points for forcing such a mission abort. OPFOR is airborne at exercise start, and the event runs for a maximum of four hours before terminating at 13:00 local (06:00Z).

EVENT ORDER OF BATTLE