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Malignant Mustelids

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Silver Fox:
When Canada's Harper Government tired of the protracted acquisition adventures involved in replacing both the CC-115 Buffalo/CC-130E Hercules SAR types and the CC-138 Twin Otter Northern Utility aircraft in early 2012 few expected how far reaching the effects would be.

The Buffalo/Hercules pair was replaced by SAR variants of the CC-130J Hercules, but only 12 airframes were purchased to replace the 15 retired. Part of the reduction was a cost saving measure, part was driven by the feeling that the short-bodied SAR Hercules offered so much commonality with Canada's stretched transport Herc's that increases in aircraft availability couldn't help but be improved.

On the Northern Utility front an expansion occurred. Part of the funding saved with the smaller SAR acquisition was reinvested in the new Northern Utility type, with the RCAF buying 12 Viking Air Guardian 400 Twin Otters to replace the 4 earlier Twin Otter variants. The new birds would be split between East and West, affording a better balance of RCAF presence in the North.

By 2014, the RCAF had mostly forgotten that the Guardians were pretty much forced on them. Numerous northern exercises has show the type to be very useful, and the expanded capabilities had proven to be very welcome. The Canadian Army had also noticed the diminutive patrol bird and had been quite impressed with the Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance capabilities it offered to small units. Army pressure was sufficeint to see another 12 aircraft purchased, to be tasked in support of small Army detachments when deployed overseas.

In 2015 the RCN made the surprise announcement that two large RO-RO (Roll On-Roll Off) transports based on the still building 3-hull Joint Support Ship class were to be acquired. The first of this class entered service in 2019 and service trails saw a Guardian make a free-deck landing on the 550' long flight deck. The transports had specifically not been designed for the carriage of any aircraft other than helicopters, but the STOL capabilities of the Twin Otter made the point moot.

RCN and RCAF representatives approached Viking Air about the possibility of folding the wings on a Guardian to make it fit the elevators of the new transports. RCN interest was based on the types ability to provide a modest COD capability for the new transports. Viking responded with a major update, creating the Guardian 500. Unlike the earlier variants the new Guardian featured a stressed wing that required no struts, and was fitted with a semi-retractable landing gear. Viking revealed that both updates had long been planned, it was Canadian Forces funding that had been the final impetus in construction. 12 Guardian 500 aircraft were ordered in early 2021. Deliveries were rapid, with the whole batch delivered before the end of 2022.

January of 2023 would see the attempted nuclear test by the Islamic Republic of Iran. Canada was quick to answer the call for forces to impose a blockade on Iran, a fleet of 6 RCN ships departing for the Persian Gulf by mid- February. Amongst the fleet was HMCS Kapyong, the second of the RO-RO transports. The RCN was given primary responsibility for the Allied support fleet operating on the west side of the Persian Gulf.

March 1st, 2023 would see Iranian forces launch a series of raids and feints at Allied forces. One of the "feints" was against the support fleet elements in the Western Gulf. A number of small vessels, originall believed to be fishing boats, had slowly closed on the various tankers and transports the Allies had gathered there. The escorts surrounding the support vessels had monitored the slow approach, but few had perceived a threat. Allied air support had slowly shifted both north and east, and for the moment at least, the support fleet was on it's own.

At a range of 13 miles the plodding, 8-knot approach of the "fishing boats" was revealed for the hoax it was. 9 fishing boats broke up on radar into 36 fast, small attack boats. Worse, sophisticated jamming was activated which suggested that this was the primary attack for which the Iranians had been building all night. Only minutes separated the support fleet from what was shaping up to be a classic swarm attack.

On board several of the support ships crews reacted with confusion as the sounds of Kapyong launching her Guardians could be heard. First 4 aircraft, her entire known compliment. More confusing was the fact that the Guardians could be seen on radar to be racing east.

A few minutes after takeoff the answer was clear... the Guardians were armed! Each Guardian carried 4 rocket pods, each with 7 laser-guided CRV-7 rockets. The Guardians attacked, but they were aiming to disable as many of the attacking boats as possible, not sink them. Only 3 of the small craft ran the Guardian's gauntlet, these were dispatched easily by the guns of the escorting destroyers and frigates.

13 of the attack boats had sunk under rocket fire, but this still left 20 crippled attack boats. At this point 2 further Guardians lifted off from Kapyong the two newcomers standing off at extreme range as the first 4 bored in. 5 of the surviving Iranian boats proved capable of accurate fire from heavy machine guns and these were dispatched by the antitank guided missiles launched by the 2 overwatch Guardians! The first 4 started a slow orbit over the Iranian fleet and one-by-one hammered them with fire from door mounted M134 miniguns. 12 vessels were sunk before the survivors were convinced of the inevitability of death at the hands of the malignant mustelids. The crews of the final 8 Iranian boats surrendering to HMCS Athabaskan.

After the battle was concluded the RCN Commander was chagrined. He admitted that he had almost been caught flat footed. He had ordered his planes armed for landing support, which had put rocket pods and minguns on most of the birds. Seeing the developing tactical situation he had then ordered a rearming to fleet support, with guided missiles. Only 2 planes had been so armed, but not on deck, when the Iranian ruse had been unmasked.

The Allied commanders were bemused, "almost late" or not, it was the efforts of the malignant mustelids that had saved the day. For the remainder of Canada's 'Persian Excursion II' the Guardians would openly fly with weapons. Most people had forgotten that the type could be armed, but from now on it was not going to be forgotten again.

apophenia:
Stroke of genius, Mr. Argent Vulpid!

A few nerdy details for the uninitiated. Many people assume that the CC-138C is a separate model of Twin Otter. In fact it is a question of equipment fit. 'Tooled up', any CC-138B Guardian can become a CC-138C (sometimes known as a 'CA-138'). CC-138s also sometimes have wing pylons -- used to mount search lights, survival packs, etc.

Note that HMCS Kapyong CC-138s, like all RCAF 'Persian Excusion' aircraft have few markings. 'Lucky 13' has both her fin squadron badge and nose 'personal marking' scrubbed out for the deployment.

Silver Fox:
That Guardian 500 is gorgeous! Almost exactly as I would have pictured it, but I had pictured a radar... obviously there isn't room.

Not exactly your daddy's Twotter! I wonder what Viking Air would think? :)

upnorth:
That's great, both story and profile!

That profile looks like what might happen if Shorts got their hands on a Twotter.

Rafael:
I remember seeing a grainy photo of a Guardian armed with what appeared to be forward firing minigun pods attached to the wheel covers 8)

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