As major Latin American and Sub-Saharan African countries joined the UN Coalition against the Caliphate, I decided to give them some love by sending the Sea Eagles. Enjoy!

...

Just another breakfast at sea.

Two days ago we're back in the frontline after having an opportunity for R & R in South Africa. We're enjoying the view of Cape Town and the Table Mountain (Tafelberg) from the island that used to be the place of Nelson Mandela's confinement, Robben Island, along with Castle of Good Hope and Soweto township.

I always want to see the country's main national park, Krueger, sadly there were no slot available for us.

The food are always tasty, and make me miss home more.

"Any information about, you know.." said Ronny.

"Our commanders don't tell us yet, but yes, those wanna-be mutineers mentioned those words. the GRM, to the judge." I replied.

"Honestly, such link are expected. Furthermore I've been suspicious with Capt. Yohanes back then, just my gut feeling, as he is our classmate as well back in the Academy, and than it happens."

Capt. Yohanes Winardi was the 509 NAS drone pilot that was implicated in that failed conspiracy for mutiny.

"Bala also told me last night that the 477 is purging hard in Biak. Three have already been arrested." I said.

"News fly faster than light. And we all know that the space center is pretty much a big target if there will be a coup." Ronny replied, understanding the implication.

"Those wanna be backstabbers sons of bitches deserve some Gaza treatment, and I said this as a Muslim." added Lt. Humaidi.

"Talking about those mutineers, people?" asked Yanuar. A week ago the Ugandans, fighting with the UNC as part of the African Union, had found our Commanding Officer alive, just inches from being captured by Fedayeen militias near the border of Uganda and UCC-occupied South Sudan. He's not cleared for flying yet but was already able to resume his command and administrative responsibilities.

"Yes sir"

"Well, as I've been authorized to tell you, people.. new intel indicated that those people came with various names tailored to local needs. Global Revolutionary Movement, Change for Europe, Gerakan Rakyat Merdeka (Independent People Movement), Bolivarian Restoration Movement, Pan-African Liberation Organization, and for the Koreans, the New Korean Independence Army, you name the few." said the Colonel. "World intel is still looking after them, but expect a long time, gentlemen."

"I think it's safe to say that Hezbollah and its allies in the Levant, the PUF might consider joining such movement, Colonel," said Humaidi.

"Those Pallywoods... Anti-Caliphate, but also anti-West and also anti-Zionist. Anti-capitalists make perfect allies, even if it's temporary. Strange world, isn't it, Colonel?" I said with a tone that almost resembles a laugh.

"There is such thing as syncretism, and I think that what those people are heading, well, whoever they are and their goal is.. what do you think will be their first move, gentlemen?" The Colonel asked us in a serious tone.

"Cyber-attack sir!"

"Exactly. Today's briefing, the CAG wants to remind you people about these matters. After breakfast!"

"Yes sir"

As we continue eating, I decided to tell Humaidi and Ronny something. "On the other hand.. about my statement of anti-capitalists.. not all of them want to do with the GRM, just for you to know."

"Hah, easy for you, you're a Catholic. You people, of course with others including Muslims, are active about these kinds of issues like more equitable distribution by supporting cooperatives and micro-small-medium business, to make more people own property especially land to reduce urbanization and keep villages and small towns alive, not to be confused with leftist land reforms or collectivization bullshit... what's the name of it nowadays?"

"Distributism. Copper." I answered him.

"Even if I am a Muslim, I honestly wonder if that Pope who got deposed turned to be right about this stuff. I read a lot of views from other faith including yours in my spare time. Heck, I even read names like G.K Chesterton or E.F. Schumacher."

"Ex-Pope Francis. Mixed legacy, he is. Like Laudato Si. And oh, Copper, I read it too in the Surabaya library way back in the Academy. Small is Beautiful."

"Oh yeah, that encyclical about environment and questioning technology.. ironic with the fact of this war," replied Ronny. "I'm no Catholic, Fishnet, and will never agree with you in some part, but yes... Pope Luke quoted part of it as the world dismantled all of its nukes, for example. As well as the fact that people, no need to be far, are going back to the land in an unprecedented tide. And did you know that according to statistics, 50% of former Civil War foreign volunteers who took Indonesian citizenship are actually involved in agriculture?"

"Yeah, the late Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI once told the world that the rural family must regain its place at the heart of the social order."

"And so I can link what I just say to the big question of how those politicians should treat the refugees and how to restore their basic state living... The only thing certain is the Europeans and to a lesser extent, North Americans won't take all of them to their land. For the sake of keeping their lands 'European'. They will need to be confined in like, Allied-occupied area in Northern Africa... " I said to all of my fellow pilots who want to listen.

"Japanese?"

"Hahaha, don't make me laugh, Goalkeeper. Language barrier will be the main factor. The same thing if we talk about the Koreans or the Chinese."

"There will be a time to think about such question, Captain," said Patricia. "Let's go back to things here and now."

.........

"Our forces are still locked in an attrition drone-against-drone battle with the UCC. The latter's drone forces are paired with a recently unveiled automated intercept system in their occupied territory of Egypt, Sudan, Iraq, and the Gulf States. Those things itself were unable to deny us naval or air superiority in liberated areas so far, thanks to the combination with manned assets in hunter-killer teams, but for at least.. an air parity above those regions and a few raids into our positions, that system works to make our offensive more costly especially our bombers. We are still exploiting its blind spots along with electronic and cyber efforts to give us more room to carry out strategic bombing missions, however, the dispersed nature of the UCC military industry is still effective to keep up the production of equipment including drones, along with smuggling. Another factor of their relative success to deny us full air supremacy so far, in particular, the Levant and North Africa, is this man."

He showed us the familiar face that Paulus once told me about.

"Colonel Rizieq bin Abdulaziz. CO of the 101st TFS "Waleed". NATO gave him the nickname 'Saladin in the Air' because of his leadership. Some of our own Air Force pilots had encountered him and lived to tell the tale.."

He then told us what to do if we encounter the Waleed Squadron and their current activities in the front.

"Furthermore, we began to shed the light about a new threat of our cause, the GRM movement, and how they are infiltrating peace organizations worldwide. Cyber attacks were always on the table to be used by anyone who wants to derail the war effort."

After an intensive reminder about cybersecurity and what to do if an attack occurs, including hijacked drones, IFF and or GPS spoofing, or even in the most extreme cases, the hacking of the ship's defense system (reminds me of a certain game), Colonel Suebu proceed to brief us about our upcoming sortie.

"Your sortie will be 20 minutes after this. You're going eastward, to DRC. South Sudan resistance fighters had notified Allied forces about an impending UCC drone attack on the Congolese president as he is going to visit the city of Gbadolite to inspect AU forces which are engaging local and UCC supported rebel militias in Nord-Ubangi province and what used to be the Central African Republic."

The Democratic Republic of the Congo, along with its neighbor the Congo-Brazzaville, has shown rapid development in the late 2020s, and now had relatively better infrastructure compared to the earlier part of the 21st century, such as paved road connection to all regions of the country along with better road and rail link to neighboring African countries. I have to admit, that the Chinese in their spirit of Belt and Road was strongly influential in the rejuvenation of the country's fortune, long wracked by political instability and mineral-linked insurgency. Nevertheless, it managed to take a page out of our book about the art of non-aligned diplomacy. And in this war, the country along with remaining stable African countries under the banner of the African Union had also joined the UN Coalition. Along with contributing troops it also facilitating the allied supply route to the South Sudanese resistance movement against the Caliphate occupation, the Free South Sudanese Army loyal to its government-in-exile, in Gaborone, Botswana.

Foreign forces present in DRC and the neighboring Central African Republic outside AU forces include Brigade Libertad/Liberdade, a joint Latin American brigade consists of three battalions of jungle infantry from Brazil, Chile, and Argentina; the French 12th Light Armored Brigade with its core element the 5th Foreign Infantry Regiment, which was reactivated in 2027. The brigade also includes one French-speaking Belgian 2nd Chasseurs Ardennais. Along with NATO and MERCOSUR effort, the Chinese also well present in the area with it's 56th Motorized Infantry Brigade.

"Your objective is to cover our drones and helicopters escorting the convoy from enemy aircraft and drones. Ensure all convoy reached Gbadolite safely. The callsign will be White Tusk."

"You will also be assisted with a squadron of DRC Air Force Su-35s. Along with that, a flight of Angolan Su-30SMs was also in standby in Bunia Air Base in the mining city of Bunia, near the border with Uganda. Argentinian Gripen Gs are also available; here, in this section of Lubumbashi-Kinshasa Highway. Alternate airbases with American ordnance available is in Kigali, in Ruanda-Urundi Confederation (1)."

"Any questions?"

"No sir!" answered the pilots.

"Good, now, get to the ready room and gear up! Let's show what we are to the people of Africa."

...

"Sea Eagle 213 and 214, you're clear to take off"

The No.1 and 2 catapults fired up, in a textbook fashion, meanwhile, the third and fourth catapult has Cakalangs hooked on it for a routine counter-insurgency operation somewhere in the Sahel.

Major Kurniawan is our mission leader, while our flight leader, is Major Syaiful Aidit, no relation to D.N. Aidit (2) with his callsign "Marvel". Just two weeks ago he has been assigned here in the 120 to augment our numbers, as attrition took its toll after three months of campaign in Africa, we lost three of our own in combat, one due to mishap, and one other has been confirmed as captured, 1st Lt. Akil Sujanto, was shot down in a CAS run above the city of Nouakchott while supporting Allied forces led by French Army and US Marines assaulting the city from land and sea. I don't know him well, as he's not yet fly as my wingman. Still, we're all feeling the impact.

"Sea Eagle 111 to all Sea Eagle callsign, rally on me." The crisp radio voice of Kurniawan went on my headset; along with my wingman Humaidi, and Marvel's own, another newcomer assigned on the same day as Marvel named Capt. David Renyaan, callsign "High Rise"

A few minutes later, we, along with the Congolese Su-35s reached the section of Kinshasa-Gbadolite Motorway when the convoy will pass through.

"This is AWACS Munduruku (an indigenous tribe in Brazil), Brazilian Air Force." said a commanding male voice with a significant Portuguese-accented English aboard the brand-new, Embraer E-Jet E2 based, E-109 AEW&C. "I will be the first to welcome you to the Democratic Republic of the Congo..."

We all cheered and eager to get it done.

"Be advised, one of our drones had detected the convoy is approaching your position in three minutes."

Soon I saw on my radar a formation of slow-moving contacts, we turned into its direction and they soon identified themselves as the helicopter flight, Congolese Air Force (FAC) Harbin Z-19s flew ahead of the incoming presidential convoy.

"Here comes the convoy," said Humaidi, my wingman.

"This is White Tusk requesting identification"

"This is Munduruku, Brazilian Air Force under the command of the United Nations Coalition, we are your airborne escort, do you copy, White Tusk?"

"Acknowledged. White Tusk. All aircraft began the operation, assist our drones and helicopters to defeat any threats on land while covering them from any air threats."

"Sea Eagle, affirmative" replied Major Aidit.

"This is Léopard lead, roger that, we're engaging." called our Congo allied leader inside his Su-35.

The convoy consisted of one siren-equipped Oshkosh JLTV with Congolese police marking, two Congolese Army MRAPs in the front, four identical armored SUVs, and eight more MRAPs.

"Be advised, we detected ten bogies on radar, get close and identify.. bearing 130, heading straight to the convoy and closing fast!"

Our own radar has soon detected the bogies as hostile Saeghehs.

"Intercept ASAP before they are in the firing range of the convoy!"

"Fox three!"

"Fox three!"

A barrage of radar missiles head toward the drones, their AI allowed them a chance for evasion, but some were still got hit and destroyed.

As the engagement continues, I downed two more drones.

I can see that the Congolese don't have laser weaponry of any kind; we have. Still, I am impressed with their courage and determination as they went close and fired a couple of R-73s into the remaining drones which scattered in response.

"He's in my six, can't shake him..." The frantic radio call from a Congolese went just in time I am lined up for a good laser shot on two Saeghehs which are trailing at his Flanker like a glue. Breath deep. three short bursts and I can see one drone burst to flames.

"Splash one drone!" I reported. Meanwhile, Humaidi also called the same.

"Thanks for saving my skin." said the Congolese pilot.

"You're welcome." I turned east, with Humaidi, to regroup with the rest of the flight.

"More drones incoming, same heading, same direction, engage!" called AWACS Munduruku.

Pretty soon the Congolese began to run low on ordnance, furthermore; they lost two planes.

"Be advised, Argentine San Luis and Angolan Lança (spear) flight are on their way from Lubumbashi, all units, hang in there. The convoy so far is fine with ground vehicles, helicopters, and drones are taking out enemy land targets. Keep this up!"

The AEW than ordered us to head back to the highway.

"White Tusk to Allied aircraft, multiple enemy MANPADS and ATGM up ahead, we are losing drones left and right and one of our helicopters were hit, requesting backup! Reminder, don't let those AT missiles to get a lock on the convoy!"

"Shit" Marvel swore. Thankfully we have Stormbreakers to deal with such contingencies in the central bay. Especially as more and more pictures of the threats emerge; one of them is the fact that the enemy is hiding in populated villages.

"Let's crash the toll gate," I said as we are heading towards the said village not far from one of the exits, when the enemy is waiting for the convoy.

"Bombs away!"

Before they can retaliate, we're already broke away from the village, with I had to pump flares as two SAM was heading towards me, and let the guidance system make short work on the turret-mounted MANPADS and anti-tank missiles installed on technicals and light armored vehicles stationed on that occupied village along with a couple of APCs, as the result we're quickly expended our SDBs.

Major Aidit laughed a little as we saw the explosions. "Hehehe, that's gonna be hurt". Our attack also opened the way for drones and helicopters in the area to mop up the remaining enemy vehicles.

"We got a Congolese Army infantry battalion advancing on the village backed by the French 12 BLB, Sea Eagles will remain with the convoy but San Luis will support the allied force on the ground."

"Wilco"

"San Luis here, acknowledged, we're in contact with the unit." replied the just-arrived Argentinian Gripen leader.

"Bogies, bearing 120, heading south-southeast.. angels 15" A couple of seconds later, the Brazilian controller updated the call. "Contact classified hostile, Inghimasi MiG-21s!"

Not long, the MiGs were in range of the AIM-122s.

Without delay, we and the 1st flight launched one missile each plane. Their flying in the straight line in order to crash themselves into the convoy proved to be their undoing with six out of eight missiles hit the target, the remaining four planes were too scattered to effectively resist our presence and were soon jumped by newly arrived Sea Eagle 3 flight dispatched as Alert Five, allowed us to refocus our attention to the convoy, now 25 kilometers from reaching Gbadolite.

"AWACS, what's the status of the convoy?" called Aidit.

"Their drone and helo escorts were quite dinged up dealing with ambushes and IEDs along with the loss of one MRAP but the President is safe. He had said that you've done a good job so far."

"Tell him you're welcome, Munduruku,"

"Check your fuel status, Sea Eagle 2," said the AWACS again.

"Good for 30 minutes of combat."

"Warning! New contact heading towards the convoy position!"

"Here we go!" said Aidit.

"Heads up, everyone" called Kurniawan.

"Oh hell.." I moaned.

............

Twelve Su-25SM attack aircraft, escorted with eight TF-1s were heading to the highway, ready to destroy the Congolese presidential convoy with their bristling load of air to ground missiles, guided bombs, and twin 30mm autocannons.

"Remember, people, you're free to engage anything and everything, we're the last hope to take out the Congolese President. He's a thorn in our side in Africa for too long!" reported the commanding officer, Major Siraj al-Filistin, callsign "Basilisk".

"But sir, we have confirmed information that the Allied aircraft in the area includes the Indonesian 120 Squadron. You know, those people who destroyed the Tariq Squadron above Niamey." answered one of his wingmen.

"Don't you tell me that you scared with their fighters. And we got escort with a reason." replied the leader.

"Indeed, Commander, I'm curious to see how they fight by myself." said the pilot.

"We aren't given the name of one of the Prophet's companions and martyr by the Caliph himself for nothing, people. Let's see how they will feel our firepower. Spread out and commence attack!"

------------

"Be advised.. this is Lança (spear) flight, we're ready to deal with the enemy escort."

"Ummm, are you sure?" asked the AWACS to the Angolan Su-30SM flight.