Operation Barbecue

The **Second Battle of the New Sea of Japan**, known as **Operation Barbecue**, is the second engagement between the Gra Valkas Empire and Japan in the Great Naval Invasion of Japan. With their military operation, the Gra Valkas Empire, consisting of the Riem Kingdom, attempted to conduct strategic bombing and naval bombardment of Japan and its cities, but the Japan Self-Defense Forces intercepted them. It is the second battle on the New Sea of Japan after the Parpaldia Empire fleet tried to attack Japan in the Japanese-Parpaldian War three years ago.

* Riem Kingdom
* Hilkiga Air Base Commander General Macina
* Operation Director Arley Tolliger †
* 44th Task Force Commander Zem †
* Dascht Ozean Captain (unnamed) †

**Riem Kingdom**
* King Bank
* General Rival Vale
	+ Cruiser *Dascht Ozean* (Flagship)
	+ Destroyer *Stone*
	+ Other 50 cruisers and destroyers
* 3rd Army Air Corps
	+ 345 aircraft
		- Antares fighters
		- Vega twin-engined bombers

**Special Extermination Operations Division**
* Super Heavy Bombing Unit
	+ 203 Guti Maun heavy bombers

**Riem Kingdom Navy Fleet**
* Dragon carriers (unknown number details)
* Magic ships-of-the-line (unknown number details)

**Riem Dragon Knight Corps**
* Wyverns (unknown number details)
* 100 F-15J Kai fighters
* 1 E-767 AWACS aircraft

**Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force**
* 200 Guti Maun heavy bombers annihilated
* 345 aircraft of 3rd Army Air Corps destroyed
* Riem Kingdom Navy Fleet annihilated

## Background

*Main Article: Battle of the New Sea of Japan*

### Gra Valkas-Riem Coalition

The Gra Valkas Empire lent the port of Xenia for the cruisers and destroyers anchored at Hilkiga and the airbases for the Imperial Army Air Corps stationed on the outskirts of the capital and other cities in the Riem Kingdom. Beidart Sval from the Foreign Affairs Ministry of the Gra Valkas Empire gave royal capital lord Kirtana the document about the explanation that he read that the 44th Task Force and the Imperial Army Air Corps would commence an attack on the Japanese mainland at the same time. However, Kirtana read the last sentence that the Riem Navy Fleet should sort out all ships and use all wyverns to attack Japan. He thought it was not stipulated that wyverns didn't reach the mainland of Japan in the cruising range. Beidart Sval knew the wyvern's cruising range wasn't enough, but Riem had a few dragon carriers. King Bank and the Riem officials decided to abide by the Gra Valkas Empire's will.

Before commencing operation to attack the Japanese mainland, a meeting was held between Gra Valkas and Riem military officials at the Gra Valkas Imperial Airbase in the Hikilga, Riem Kingdom. In the operation meeting room at the Imperial Army headquarters, a map of Japan acquired by Riem some time after their transfer and a map taken from the sky were spread out. Imperial Army Executive Murnow spoke the explanation to Imperial Air Corps Commander Macina, Super Heavy Bombing Unit Commander Arley Tolliger and 44th Task Force Commander Zem about the attack plan on Japan. He gave them an operation:

* *In order for Macina to avoid radar detection, the Air Corps consists of fighter-bombers would fly at ultra-low altitude to bomb Awara City, in Fukui Prefecture. The 3rd Army Air Corps also servesw as decoys to divert JSDF attention from the Guti Maun heavy bombers.*
* *In order for Arley Tolliger to make full 200 Guti Maun heavy bombers taking advantage of their extraordinary performance of ultra-high attitude to firebomb Nagoya into ashes. The operation could achieve the overwhelming projection power, ultra-high altitude navigation ability, and overwhelming speed of the super-heavy bombing regiment that far exceeds the attack aircraft of the Army Air Corps. It called Operation Barbecue.*
* *In order for Zem to make the 44th Task force consists of 56 ships in charge of radio blockage 300 km from Japan with air support from Riem Kingdom Fleet. Later, if conditions permit, they will assist the air force to bombard Awara City.*

The operation carried out in response was the Great Fleet’s attack on Nahanath, but the military headquarters officials didn’t touch on any of the specific details. No one inquired for more information either.

Then Murnow made other operation plans for Riem military officials:

* *The Riem Dragon Carrier Fleet will attack the city of Duro to destroy Japanese merchant ships to intimidate Japan and reduce their trading capability.*
* *After the attack in Duro is completed, the Riem Dragon Carrier Fleet will go to the northwest of Japan and act as bait to distract and disturb the JASDF.*

It was revealed that the Gra Valkas high command mostly retained their ultra arrogance and the false sense of supremacy, as they wholeheartedly believed their horrendous loss in Mu and the destruction of Valkyries Base were due to extreme military blunders and carelessness. Furthermore, even though the Gra Valkas Military HQ inaccurately re-evaluated Japan as the same level of power as the Kain Divine Kingdom back in Yggdra, the re-evaluation was still considered to be incredibly unbelievable and absurd, leading to the fact that no one in Gra Valkas military bothered researching Japan's mainland defense. This great mistake plus Caesar's desperate decision to cover up the destruction of two Advanced Fleets of the Great Fleet caused the Gra Valkas and their Riem ally to be far too careless than usual. Consequently, all the military officials and personnel of the Gra Valkas and Riem were full of extreme confidence and passion for victory, even Commander Zem took a sadistic glee at the prospect of turning Nagoya into a barbecue with firebombs, which was named Operation Barbecue.

Despite the general cockiness and recklessness of the whole attack force, there were still military officials who were cautious with JSDF military power, but their caution was replaced with blinded pride in punishing Japan for insulting the glory of Gra Valkas Empire and refusing to hand over Gra Cabal.

King Bank and the other Riem officials were excited about this attack operation since this would show the power of the Riem Kingdom toward Japan and extend the whole world.

## Japan

At the emergency meeting, the Prime Minister was informed that Japan's Escort Flotillas are stationed in three areas: one Escort Flotilla was in Kyushu, one Escort Flotilla was in the west of Japan, and the last was stationed around the Nahanath Kingdom, preparing to stall the Great Fleet Main Force's advance. Additionally, Japan has redeployed most of the Japan Coast Guard's patrol ship to the west of Japan, and also recalled all of the JASDF Air Wing back to the Japan mainland with exception of several squadrons from Rodenius Air Wing and the entire Nahanath Air Wing due to preparing of incoming attack from Gra Valkas Main Force.

The Minister stated that the defenses on the Nahanath Kingdom would be a tough battle considering only one Air Wing and one Escort Flotilla were stationed there. As for the Riem Kingdom, one of the Ministers proposed a pre-emptive attack on Riem's Xenia Port but was denied due to the Riem Kingdom's status that they bared no hostilities towards Japan and the risk of shooting the bombers, which would fall into civilians area, causing unnecessary casualties. Instead, they planned to launch the attack as soon as the entire Guti Maun heavy bombers had taken off from the airfield, destroying all of them within the airfield.

Unknown to the rest of Gra Valkas, JAXA satellites had managed to detect all possible movement of the Gra Valkas attack force enabling the Ministry of Defense to plan a proper attack on Gra Valkas and their Riem ally. During the midnight meeting to deploy counter-measure against the Gra Valkas Empire attack, Japanese officials expressed concern that Gra Valkas might have far more unexpected hi-tech military hardware judging from the appearance of the Guti Maun heavy bombers.

The JSDF decided to send 15 F-2 fighters to sink the 44th Task Force, while the 2nd and 3rd Escort Flotilla along with Japan Coast Guard would be in charge of Japan's coastal and mainland defense with the primary objective that no Gra Valkas force would reach Japan's mainland.

## Battle

### Destruction of the 44th Task Force

After the 44th Task Force fleet sails off from Riem, 15 F-2 fighters launch 63 Type 93 air-to-ship guided missiles (ASM-2) at them in a range of more than 170km. Minutes after leaving Riem's waters, Commander Zem, aboard the cruiser *Dascht Ozean*, shockingly witnessed his ships being picked off one by one from unknown directions by guided missiles, which he stated that the technology was absolutely impossible. Utterly panicked, he ordered his ships to open fire blindly to no prevail, and the flagship *Dascht Ozean* also narrowly survived the missile strike in the first three minutes.

Two minutes later, a missile landed directly on the flagship *Dascht Ozean*, bathing the superstructure in raging flames, killing him in the process as he was ironically burned to death, along with the remainder of the task force. Five minutes after the first hit, not a single ship remained unscathed. Fifty-two ships of the 44th Task Force were either sunk or reduced to the wreckage with no opportunity to report back to their base. 15 F-2 fighters returned to base and armed the JDAM bombs before peaparing next wave for ground attack.

### Destruction of the Riem Kingdom Dragon Carriers

After the 44th Task Force fleet sailed off from Riem Kingdom separately, the Riem dragon carriers were headed south for Japan at the same time. The JMSDF BP3-C Orion bombers launched the air-to-ship guided missiles at them and sunk them while the guided-missile destroyers from the Maizuru and Ominato District Forces would handle the rest. Returning to base after the attack, those same BP3-Cs were ready to pulverize the Hilkiga airbases in the Riem Kingdom.

### Destruction of the Super Heavy Bombing Unit and the 3rd Army Air Corps

Facing east, the Gra Valkas Imperial 3rd Army Air Corps and the Guti Maun heavy bombers from several bases began to take off and merged into their respective formations in the skies. In Japan, the Ministry of Defense discovered that the Antares escorts had taken off first before the Guti Maun bombers while planning to launch 80 F-15J Kai fighters and 50 F-2 fighters to destroy them. The ministry also received a report that the JASDF already had 15 F-2 fighters and 40 BP-3C Orion bombers that can be sorted anytime. Without wasting time, the ministers decided to dispatch 150 F-2 and F-15J Kai to destroy the incoming fighters and bombers and ordered that no enemy fighters and bombers would be able to reach Japan.

Leaving Riem Airspace, Arley Tolliger felt remorse that the low-altitude fighter squadrons of the 3rd Army Air Corps were simply being used as bait to make sure Guti Maun reached Nagoya. However, upon receiving the report that the 3rd Army Air Corps was destroyed, his bomber formation came under attack by beyond visual range missiles. Suddenly, the number 15 Guti Maun bomber, flying ahead of them, was engulfed in flames. The flames reached the munitions it carried, enveloping Bomber 15 in an intense secondary explosion. An unseen attack successively landed hits on the Guti Maun bombers supposedly boasting defensive capabilities, which proved invincible against machine gun fire, and was enveloped in flames one after the other as more of them fell into the sea of clouds below. Several more explosions bloomed in the sky. The bombers cut their wings and spun as they fell out of the sky in pieces.

After the storm-like attack ceased, one hundred and twenty Guti Maun bombers were destroyed in midair, despite being at a high altitude. Arley Trigger, in a panic, gave the order to turn back as he saw that losing over half of his forces was seen as a tactical defeat, and he couldn't risk losing the remaining 83 bombers while stating that the bombing operation was an utter failure. At that point, the F-15J Kai fighters came within visual range to finish them off.

The defensive gunners could not shoot down any of the jets, as they were too fast and could even fly higher than their bombers. The remaining bombers fell prey to heat-seeking missiles and M61 Vulcan fire. Arley Trigger was shocked to realize too late that the guided missiles were a reality before he departed this world as a missile sent his bomber into oblivion.

In the end, the JSDF successfully neutralized all aerial attacks on Japan's mainland, which counted for 548 aircraft in total.

## Aftermath

After JASDF F-2 fighters and JMSDF BP-3C Orion bombers annihilated the 44th Task Force and the Riem dragon carriers, they returned to base and armed the JDAM bombs before being ready for strategic bombing operation on the Gra Valkas Empire's Hilkiga Forward Operation Base in the Riem Kingdom. As a result, a moment later, the Hilkiga Air Strike would occur on the same day.

Meanwhile, The Ministry of Defense discovered these slow-flying objects as the Riem wyverns were headed south towards the direction of the Parpaldia Empire while the 548 of the Antares fighters and Guti Maun bombers had taken off the Riem on the radar. However, the JSDF ignored the Riem dragon knights that were heading to Duro at Parpaldia Empire since the Guti Maun bombers and 3rd Army Air Corps were the larger threat and took priority. They had called the Parpaldia imperial government in the capital Esthirant that Riem wyverns were heading for them.