Special Extermination Operations Division

The **Special Extermination Operations Division** is a long-range bomber wing of the Gra Valkas Empire's Army Air Corps. They are led by General Kaizal.

## Overview

The Special Extermination Operations Division is a bomber wing that was newly-formed just before the Gra Valkas Empire had been transferred to the New World. The concept behind this wing is to bomb targets from extremely high altitudes. The idea of the Gra Valkas military is that if a bomber is too high for fighters to reach, then it could attack targets without the need of fighter escorts for protection. The Guti Maun is seen as the perfect aircraft for this type of mission.

## Service History

The Division is given its first mission during the New World War. After the disastrous and failed invasions of the First and Second Advanced Fleets, the bomber crews are ordered to begin attacking Japanese cities. Their first target is Nagoya. To reach Japan, they plan to take an overland route through the Third Civilization and refueling at five key stops starting from Leifor, with the last being the Riem Kingdom. Kaizal feels this is the best route to take as there won't be any interference from enemy fighters due to the bombers flying at too high an altitude.

However, due to important information about Japan's military might being withheld, and only a warning to watch out for guided missiles but most all the total ignorance of the Gra Valkas military about Japan's defense networks as well as homeland defense, the 200 bomber crews do not realize that they are heading toward a killing field of jet fighters and surface-to-air missile batteries, unaware that Japan can notice them with their long-range advanced radar.

### Operation Barbecue

After re-fueling at the air base in Riem, the bombers are loaded with incendiary bombs, and are led by Guti Maun Super Heavy Bombing Regiment Operation Director Arley Tolliger. The plan is to let a formation of 348 Antares fighters precede the greater than 200 Guti Maun bombers in a low-level assault on the city of Awara. In addition to attacking the Japanese mainland, the fighters are to act as decoys to draw away any anti-aircraft defenses and intercepting aircraft. While the Japanese are distracted, the Guti Maun formation would reduce Nagoya to ashes from high-altitude. In addition, the 44th Task Force would form a radio blockade to disrupt Japanese communications and assist in the bombardment of Awara if possible.

However, this plan was doomed to fail from the start. Just after launching from Riem, both formations were immediately detected and the JASDF launched a massive wave of F-15J and F-2 fighters to intercept them. A few minutes before that, a flight of fifteen F-2 fighters launched an anti-ship missile strike against the 44th Task Force, sinking all 52 warships. The low-level formation of fighters was destroyed first, then the Guti Maun formation was then attacked by radar-guided missiles from beyond visual range. One hundred and twenty bombers were shot down in a matter of minutes. Seeing that he had lost more than 50% of his formation, Tolliger ordered the remaining 83 bombers to turn back, seeing that it was a tactical defeat. Unfortunately, he and the remaining planes would not make it back to Riem as the F-15J fighters came within visual range to finish them off. The jets easily outperformed the bombers and the defensive firepower of the Guti Maun was could not shoot down a single Japanese fighter. Tolliger would be killed in action as his bomber was hit by a heat-seeking missile. The remaining bombers would also perish.

The operation would end in complete failure with the loss of 52 ships and 548 aircraft.