The F-4 Phantom fighter jet, though not as advanced as the F-16 Fighting Falcon, was absolutely a hegemon-level presence on the vast land of West Africa.
Moreover, most areas in West Africa have a warm and humid climate, so there's no need to worry about the fighter jet's adaptability issues. As long as regular maintenance is performed properly, the severe attrition rate seen in Iraq wouldn't occur here under non-combat conditions.
Colonel Lazraq Lies quickly finished checking the instruments.
The voice of the Weapons Systems Officer (WSO) in the rear seat also came through the headset: "Check complete."
The cockpit layout of the F-4 fighter jet is uniquely designed, using a tandem two-seat configuration. This allows the pilot and the WSO to operate independently, improving combat efficiency.
After confirming the rear seat's situation, Colonel Lazraq Lies started the engines, released the brakes, gently pushed the throttle with his left hand, and taxied the aircraft onto the runway.
Once aligned with the main runway, Colonel Lazraq Lies checked all the instruments once more and, after confirming the rear seat's status with the WSO, silently awaited the control tower's command.
"Three, two, one." Three orange signal flares shot into the sky, releasing beautiful streaks of light.
The two powerful J79-GE-17 afterburning turbojet engines spewed pale purple flames. The afterburners were engaged, and the massive thrust of 79.6 kN * 2 propelled this ugly "Phantom" to accelerate down the runway.
The powerful G-force pressed Colonel Lazraq Lies firmly into his seat. The runway markings began to blur in his vision. Looking at the head-up display, the speed had already exceeded 300 km/h.
Sufficient speed. Colonel Lazraq Lies pulled the control stick back with his right hand.
The next moment, all scenery retreated from his view. The fighter jet abruptly lifted off the ground, soaring straight into the sky.
Under the fuselage and wings hung two gray external fuel tanks.
Under the wings were two 908 kg bombs, and at the wingtips were two Sidewinder missiles.
Under the nose of the aircraft hung an M61 "Vulcan" 20mm rotary cannon.
The mission this time was to bomb a rebel base in neighboring Liberia. For Colonel Lazraq Lies, this was a simple task.
In West Africa, apart from Guinea, there was virtually no air defense awareness.
...
Matthew Doe and his troops were stationed in the Zor Zor area.
Zor Zor is a town in northern Liberia, located about 80 kilometers south of Voinjama, with a population of approximately 5,000.
Yes, you read that correctly, the population is 5,000.
There is a gold mining center here, and this small town is a gathering point for gold prospectors. Nearby, there are also some nomadic tribes.
Matthew Doe had an army of about five hundred men. Don't underestimate the number; they were considered "elite."
Well, at least within Liberia, this force was elite.
"Tomorrow we can capture Salala and Bakwai. In a week, we can attack Monrovia," a thin, middle-aged black man was shouting in front of a map. This was Matthew Doe.
After pumping up his subordinates with adrenaline, Matthew Doe turned and asked his deputy: "When will the others arrive?"
"Tonight, but they don't have weapons."
"No problem. After we take Bakwai tomorrow, the military base there has enough weapons to arm them. By then, I want to recruit ten thousand people to fight for me."
...
After taking off, Colonel Lazraq Lies pushed the control stick slightly to the left.
Simultaneously, he gently pressed the left rudder pedal. The fly-by-wire system transmitted moderate feedback.
The aircraft rolled smoothly in the sky, banking left.
If it were an older model F-4 Phantom with a hydraulic control system, at low altitudes where air density is high and resistance is greater, more control force would be needed. In thinner air at high altitudes, less force is required.
But this new model Phantom, equipped with advanced avionics, had been upgraded to a fly-by-wire system.
Specifically, the control stick contains sensors that send commands to the aircraft via computers.
With this control method, whether at high or low altitude, the pilot only needs to move the control stick accordingly.
More complex operations are handled by the computer, significantly reducing the difficulty of use.
The westerly wind was fierce. The over 300-kilometer distance was covered in an instant. The aircraft streaked across the border between Guinea and Liberia.
Theoretically, after entering Liberian airspace, to avoid detection by enemy radar, the altitude should be lowered to below 80 meters.
However, Liberia simply didn't have things like air defense radar, let alone expensive AEW&C aircraft. So, Colonel Lazraq Lies continued to operate the aircraft, flying arrogantly through the sky.
The target was a small town called Zor Zor.
Most of Liberia's population is concentrated in coastal areas. The inland regions are mostly inhabited by nomadic tribes, with population centers only near a few important mines.
Matthew Doe and his soldiers were stationed at the foot of a hill about three kilometers outside the small town.
Liberia is rich in forests and arable land.
After entering Liberian airspace, all Colonel Lazraq Lies saw along the way were continuous forests.
Flying at high speed for a long time while seeing only one type of scenery, similar to flying over deserts or oceans, can easily cause pilot illusions. A slight lapse in attention could lead to a crash.
The way to overcome this is none other than repeated, rigorous training.
Colonel Lazraq Lies was an elite pilot from the Iraqi Air Force, having participated in several combat missions against Kuwait and Iran, including air battles and bombing campaigns.
One external fuel tank was empty.
Colonel Lazraq Lies jettisoned it as they passed over a forested area.
He immediately felt the aircraft become noticeably lighter.
He glanced at the digital clock on the instrument panel.
It was already 5:00 PM, but the sun still hung high over the African continent, reluctant to set.
However, Colonel Lazraq Lies felt that Africa was still more comfortable than his homeland, Iraq. At least here, there was more rainfall, which cooled the land a bit, unlike being stuck in an "oven" all day.