Changes: Sand Island Air Force Base

Revision as of 14:00, 1 October 2019

"On a distant island, far away from civilization, the protectors of the peace take to the skies."

Sand Island Air Force Base, frequently referred to as simply Sand Island, is a former Osean Air Defense Force base located on the eponymous island in the Ceres Ocean, west of Cape Landers. It is the former operating base of the OADF 5th Fighter Wing, 108th Tactical Fighter Squadron "Wardog".

As Osea's westernmost outpost, Sand Island was at the forefront of hostilities between Osea and Yuktobania during the Circum-Pacific War; several consequential engagements took place over and around Sand Island.

Description

Sand Island NZ — A view of Sand Island Air Force Base

Sand Island is part of a volcanic atoll, which eroded over time into an island; the remains of volcanic activity can be seen within the surrounding area. One of the nearby landmasses features mountainous terrain and is evident of this ancient volcano.

The island itself is flat and oblong, making it an ideal location for an airstrip. The shoals immediately surrounding the Sand Island atoll possess a stunning turquoise hue, and the island's location just north of the equator provides for a tropical, humid climate.^[3]

History

Classified training incident

Main article: 2010 Osean airspace intrusions

On September 23, 2010, days before the Circum-Pacific War officially began, a flight of Sand Island's rookie pilots was engaged by unknown aircraft while performing training exercises over Cape Landers. Two of the three flight leads and all of the trainee pilots (except Kei Nagase) died during the incident. Sand Island base security quietly confiscated OBC reporter Albert Genette's camera, which may have captured images of the skirmish, and the Osean command assumed an air of business as usual.^[4]

Classified pre-war engagements

Main article: Operation Lagoon

The next day, September 24, an unidentified reconnaissance aircraft was spotted violating Osean airspace over Cape Landers. Sand Island's Wardog Squadron, under the command of Cpt. Jack Bartlett, was sent to make the intercept. During the operation, the Sand Island pilots were once again ambushed by unknown fighters. Despite direct orders not to fire, Cpt. Bartlett ordered his pilots to defend themselves, and the hostile bandits were shot down. Osean Central Command later issued orders to all Sand Island personnel classifying the incident.

Main article: Operation Gyre

Three days after the Cape Landers engagement, on September 27, a mysterious spy vessel was spotted west of Sand Island. The ship launched numerous reconnaissance drones throughout Sand Island's surrounding airspace. Wardog Squadron was dispatched to shoot down the drones, when it was ambushed yet again by unknown fighter aircraft. The unidentified hostiles were once again shot down, but during the skirmish, the mysterious vessel fired a surface-to-air missile, which hit Cpt. Bartlett (later listed as MIA). Shortly after this engagement, Yuktobania formally declared war on Osea.^[1]

Circum-Pacific War

Ap10 — EA-18G Growler flying over Sand Island

Main article: Bombing of Sand Island

At dusk on September 27, Sand Island fell under attack by a Yuktobanian strategic bombing unit. During the air raid, Wardog's leader, Lieutenant Colonel Ford, attempted to land despite Sand Island control tower's protestations; Ford was shot down and KIA by the Yuktobanian fighters, forcing a pilot known only as "Blaze" to assume command of the Sand Island squadron. Sand Island was successfully defended against the Yuktobanian aircraft, and base personnel set to work repairing the damage from the raid.^[5]

Main article: Operation Vanguard

On October 4, 2010, the Yuktobanian Navy launched an amphibious assault fleet to capture Sand Island and establish a forward base into Osean territory. Sand Island fell under bombardment from Yuke naval guns as Osean forces defended the island against the Yuktobanian landing units. Although the Osean air forces suffered considerable losses that day as a result of the Scinfaxi's burst missiles, Sand Island was successfully defended and Osea emerged victorious.^[6]

Several months later, in the early morning hours of December 7, Major Allen C. Hamilton, Sand Island's adjutant commander, informed base commander Orson Perrault that he had reason to believe the Wardog pilots were enemy spies and brought to light Peter N. Beagle's Belkan heritage. Believing traitors were running loose on the base, Perrault ordered Sand Island locked down, and security patrols were placed on high alert. The fugitives commandeered several training planes from an unattended hangar and made their escape from the island.^[7] (The traitors were later intercepted north of Sand Island and shot down; the pilots are listed as KIA.^[8])

Details regarding Sand Island's combat operations following the events of December 7 until the end of the war are unknown. When the war finally ended, however, Sand Island Air Force Base was shut down and abandoned; its tarmac is now populated by colonies of seabirds. Kirk has been observed on the runway, suggesting that Pops still resides on Sand Island in some capacity.^[9]

Gallery

Sand Island at daytime
Sand Island at daytime
Sand Island at daytime
Sand Island at daytime
Sand Island at dusk
Sand Island at dusk
Sand Island at dusk
Sand Island at dusk
Top view of Sand Island
Sand Island viewed from the south

Trivia

Sand Island Air Force Base is based on an island of the same name and shape in Midway Atoll; its real world counterpart also made an appearance in Ace Combat: Joint Assault.
Sand Island is one of the most recurring locations in the AC series: the area in and around Sand Island appears in Ace Combat 5 a total of five times (Missions 1, 2, 4, 7, and 19). Comparable locations include Area B7R in Ace Combat Zero and Gracemeria in Ace Combat 6.

References

↑ ^1.0 ^1.1 Open War, Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War.
↑ Cutscene 01, Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War.
↑ Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War.
↑ Cutscene 02, Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War.
↑ First Flight, Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War.
↑ Front Line, Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War.
↑ Cutscene 18, Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War.
↑ Final Option, Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War.
↑ Cutscene 29, Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War.

[AC5-M02-1] 1.0 ^1.1 Open War, Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War.

[AC5-Cut01-2] Cutscene 01, Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War.

[AC5-3] Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War.

[AC5-Cut02-4] Cutscene 02, Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War.

[AC5-M04-5] First Flight, Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War.

[AC5-M07-6] Front Line, Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War.

[AC5-Cut18-7] Cutscene 18, Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War.

[AC5-M18-8] Final Option, Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War.

[AC5-Cut29-9] Cutscene 29, Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War.

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[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

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@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
+{{Location
-{{location
+| image          =
+<gallery>
+AC5SandIsland.jpg|AC5 (Day)
+Sand Island at dusk.png|AC5 (Dusk)
+</gallery>
+| type           = Military installation (air base)
+| altnames       = Sand Island
+| location       = Sand Island, [[Osea]]
+| coord          = 08°01'13" N, 145°24'34" E{{Ref|AC5-M02|[[Open War]], ''[[Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War]]''.}}
+| events         = [[Operation Gyre]]<br>[[Bombing of Sand Island]]<br>[[Operation Vanguard]]
+| appearances    = ''[[Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War]]''
+}}
+{{Quote|On a distant island, far away from civilization, the protectors of the peace take to the skies.|[[Albert Genette]]{{Ref|AC5-Cut01|Cutscene 01, ''[[Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War]]''.}}}}
+'''Sand Island Air Force Base''', frequently referred to as simply '''Sand Island''', is a former [[Osea]]n [[Osean Air Defense Force|Air Defense Force]] base located on the eponymous island in the [[Ceres Ocean]], west of [[Cape Landers]]. It is the former operating base of the OADF [[5th Fighter Wing]], 108th Tactical Fighter Squadron "[[Wardog Squadron|Wardog]]".
+As Osea's westernmost outpost, Sand Island was at the forefront of hostilities between Osea and [[Yuktobania]] during the [[Circum-Pacific War]]; several consequential engagements took place over and around Sand Island.
+==Description==
-|name = Sand Island Air Force Base
+[[File:Sand_Island_NZ.jpg|thumb|250px|A view of Sand Island Air Force Base]]
-|image = [[File:AC5SandIsland.jpg|Photo of the island|300px]]|undefined
+Sand Island is part of a volcanic atoll, which eroded over time into an island; the remains of volcanic activity can be seen within the surrounding area. One of the nearby landmasses features mountainous terrain and is evident of this ancient volcano.
-|type = Air Force Base
-|location = [[Osea]]
+The island itself is flat and oblong, making it an ideal location for an airstrip. The shoals immediately surrounding the Sand Island atoll possess a stunning turquoise hue, and the island's location just north of the equator provides for a tropical, humid climate.{{Ref|AC5|''[[Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War]]''.}}
-|games = [[Ace Combat 5]]
-|events = Many events in the [[Circum Pacific War]]}}
-'''Sand Island Air Force Base''' is a major location in ''[[Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War]]'', and is the first setting of the story. It is where the pilots of The Unsung War were trained, and was also their base of operations for the first half of the game. The geography of the Sand Island is an old volcanic island that eroded into an atoll, over time. The remains of this volcano can be seen within the local area. One of the islands that is close to the base has mountainous features and provides evidence of this ancient volcano. Sand Island Air Force Base is the closest [[Osea]]n Facility to the [[Yuktobanian]] Continent and the home of the [[108th Tactical Fighter Squadron]] of the [[Osean Air Defense Force]].
 ==History==
-===The Classified Training Incident (September 24th, 2010)===
+===Classified training incident===
+{{Main|2010 Osean airspace intrusions}}
-On September 24, 2010, days before the [[Circum-Pacific War]] officially began, Sand Island Air Force Base had confirmed unknown aircraft entering Sand Island's air corridor. At that time Sand Island ATC contacted Captain [[Jack Bartlett]] (callsign Heartbreak One), who was in the midst of training the rookies under him, with [[Osean Broadcasting Corporation|OBC]] reporter [[Albert Gennette]] as a guest. Heartbreak One and three other instructors climbed to intercept the unknown fighters, and the trainees were sent by Bartlett to a low altitude area to stay out of the fight. However, the Sand Island command room, in the words of Gennette, had "misplaced some zeroes," and gave Bartlett an incorrect altitude. The bogeys were actually right in front of the trainees. All but one of the trainees, [[Kei Nagase (AC5)|Kei Nagase]], were killed in action and only two instructors made it successfully to base; one of them being Jack Bartlett. The other instructor survived the fight, but crashed on landing, most likely due to a damaged aircraft.
+On September 23, 2010, days before the Circum-Pacific War [[Bombing of St. Hewlett|officially began]], a flight of Sand Island's rookie pilots was engaged by unknown aircraft while performing training exercises over Cape Landers. Two of the three flight leads and all of the trainee pilots (except [[Kei Nagase (AC5)|Kei Nagase]]) died during the incident. Sand Island base security quietly confiscated [[Osean Broadcasting Corporation|OBC]] reporter [[Albert Genette]]'s camera, which may have captured images of the skirmish, and the Osean command assumed an air of business as usual.{{Ref|AC5-Cut02|Cutscene 02, ''[[Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War]]''.}}
-===Classified Pre-War Engagements (September 24th and 27th, 2010)===
+===Classified pre-war engagements===
+{{Main|Operation Lagoon}}
-[[File:Sand_Island.jpg|thumb|An image taken from the site.]]
+The next day, September 24, an unidentified reconnaissance aircraft was spotted violating Osean airspace over Cape Landers. Sand Island's Wardog Squadron, under the command of Cpt. [[Jack Bartlett]], was sent to make the intercept. During the operation, the Sand Island pilots were once again ambushed by unknown fighters. Despite direct orders not to fire, Cpt. Bartlett ordered his pilots to defend themselves, and the hostile bandits were shot down. Osean Central Command later issued orders to all Sand Island personnel classifying the incident.
-The remaining pilots of the 108th Tactical Fighter Squadron "Wardog" were [[Kei Nagase (AC5)|Kei Nagase]] (callsign Edge) and the two trainees who weren't in the air during the attack: [[Alvin H. Davenport]] (callsign Chopper) and a pilot known only as [[Blaze]], as well as their leader, Capt. Bartlett. The same day as the first attack, they were sent on an intercept mission supported by AWACS Thunderhead. The Osean ADEZ Air Defense System had successfully tracked, fired upon and damaged an SR-71 of unknown origin; the damaged aircraft was attempting to egress towards the Ceres Ocean. The 108th made contact with the recon aircraft and ordered it to land at a near by air strip, but they were attacked by multiple unknown armed aircraft. Though they were ordered to hold their fire, Capt. Bartlett ordered the squadron to engage in order to defend themselves. All unknown aircraft were destroyed.
+{{Main|Operation Gyre}}
+Three days after the Cape Landers engagement, on September 27, a mysterious spy vessel was spotted west of Sand Island. The ship launched numerous [[Searcher MK. II|reconnaissance drones]] throughout Sand Island's surrounding airspace. Wardog Squadron was dispatched to shoot down the drones, when it was ambushed yet again by unknown fighter aircraft. The unidentified hostiles were once again shot down, but during the skirmish, the mysterious vessel fired a surface-to-air missile, which hit Cpt. Bartlett (later listed as MIA). Shortly after this engagement, Yuktobania formally declared war on Osea.{{Refcall|AC5-M02}}
-Three days later on September 27th, a spy vessel was spotted near Sand Island, launching [[Searcher MK. II|recon drones]] of unknown origin. The 108th was deployed from Sand Island to destroy the UAVs, but not engage the vessel. Upon destroying the final UAV, multiple aircraft entered the area and engaged the Wardog. Once again, the 108th fired without having clearance to fire and destroyed all aircraft. At the end of the battle the spy vessel fired a surface-to-air missile (SAM) at Wardog Two, Kei Nagase. However, Capt. Bartlett flew in front of the missile and took the missile strike. Bartlett ejected from his damaged aircraft, but was not able to be watched over by the 108th TFS. The 108th were ordered to return to Sand Island immediately because the Union of Yuktobanian Republics had just declared war against the Osean Federation and had launched an air raid on Port St. Hewlett. The 108th flew to Port St. Hewlett immediately after refueling and rearming. On the way, Nagase was told to lead the formation, but declined and told Blaze to lead.
 ===Circum-Pacific War===
+[[File:Ap10.jpg|thumb|250px|[[EA-18G Growler]] flying over Sand Island]]
-At the end of the opening day of the war, the 108th had returned from defending the Osean 3rd Fleet at Port St. Hewlett. As the Wardog pilots began to rest and the sun set, Sand Island Air Force Base was suddenly attacked by a formation of Yuktobanian aircraft. The Wardog squadron managed to takeoff in the midst of the attack and destroyed the first wave of the attackers. As [[Ford|Lieutenant Colonel Ford]], Wardog Leader, attempted to land (even though Sand Island air traffic controllers told him he couldn't land), he was suddenly shot down by the second wave of attackers. With Lt. Col. Ford KIA, Blaze was officially named the commander of the 108th. Between the first and second waves Airman First Class Hans Grimm (callsign Archer) joined the Wardog Squadron as Wardog Four and helped the squadron destroy the last of the Yuktobanian aircraft.
+{{Main|Bombing of Sand Island}}
+At dusk on September 27, Sand Island fell under attack by a Yuktobanian strategic bombing unit. During the air raid, Wardog's leader, Lieutenant Colonel [[Ford]], attempted to land despite Sand Island control tower's protestations; Ford was shot down and KIA by the Yuktobanian fighters, forcing a pilot known only as "[[Blaze]]" to assume command of the Sand Island squadron. Sand Island was successfully defended against the Yuktobanian aircraft, and base personnel set to work repairing the damage from the raid.{{Ref|AC5-M04|[[First Flight]], ''[[Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War]]''.}}
+{{Main|Operation Vanguard}}
-After the air raid, things at Sand Island were quite for a time. The only activity involved the 108th taking off from Sand Island to cover the [[3rd Osean Naval Fleet]] passing through the Eaglin Straights.
-On October 4th, 2010, wanting to establish a front-line base against Osea, the [[Yuktobanian Maritime Force]] launched a large amphibious fleet in order to take Sand Island. The Wardog Squadron and supporting trainees brought from [[Heierlark Air Force Base]] launched from Sand Island to repel the fleet, while Sand Island Air Force Base defense forces fought Yuktobanian forces on the island's beaches while being shelled by the amphibious fleet.
+On October 4, 2010, the [[Yuktobanian Navy]] launched an amphibious assault fleet to capture Sand Island and establish a forward base into Osean territory. Sand Island fell under bombardment from Yuke naval guns as Osean forces defended the island against the Yuktobanian landing units. Although the Osean air forces suffered considerable losses that day as a result of the ''[[Scinfaxi]]''{{'}}s burst missiles, Sand Island was successfully defended and Osea emerged victorious.{{Ref|AC5-M07|[[Front Line]], ''[[Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War]]''.}}
+Several months later, in the early morning hours of December 7, Major [[Allen C. Hamilton]], Sand Island's adjutant commander, informed base commander [[Orson Perrault]] that he had reason to believe the Wardog pilots were enemy spies and brought to light [[Wolfgang Buchner|Peter N. Beagle]]'s Belkan heritage. Believing traitors were running loose on the base, Perrault ordered Sand Island locked down, and security patrols were placed on high alert. The fugitives commandeered several training planes from an unattended hangar and made their escape from the island.{{Ref|AC5-Cut18|Cutscene 18, ''[[Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War]]''.}} (The traitors were later intercepted north of Sand Island and shot down; the pilots are listed as KIA.{{Ref|AC5-M18|[[Final Option]], ''[[Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War]]''.}})
-During the naval engagement, the Osean Air Defense Forces managed to destroy many of the lead Yuktobanian ships of the fleet. As the Osean aircraft continued the attack, an anti-submarine detection plane callsign "Blue Hound" detected submarine screw noise and identified the submarine as the '[[Scinfaxi]]'. The Scinfaxi began firing burst-type cruise missiles at the Osean aircraft. With coordinates being transmitted from Blue Hound, the Osean Space Plane "[[Arkbird]]" engaged all Scinfaxi launched missiles from orbital altitude, with its Anti-Space Debris High Powered Laser Unit. After deflecting a volley of missiles, the Scinfaxi fired three in rapid succession. The Arkbird was unable to target one of them, which exploded and struck the Osean Air Defense Force trainees. The Arkbird then targeted the Scinfaxi and fired its laser into the Ceres Ocean, striking the Scinfaxi and forcing it to surface. The Scinfaxi then launched fighters to engage the OADF fighters. Wardog attacked the Scinfaxi until its defenses were knocked out, along with its ability to launch aircraft and cruise missiles. With the combined fire power of the Arkbird and the Wardog Squadron, the Scinfaxi was destroyed and the assualt ended.
-Months later, in the midst of the Yuktobanian ground campaign, the Wardog Squadron had successfully returned to base after providing support to [[Osean Self Defense Force]] units attacking [[Cruik Fortress]] and surviving a suprise attack from [[Belka]]n forces. Upon their arrival, the Wardog pilots were to be arrested since [[Allen Hamilton|Captain Allen Hamilton]], the base's Adjutant Commander, had accused them of espionage. The pilots eluded base security and with the help of [[Peter N. Beagle|Peter Beagle]], known as "Pops," managed to escape the island in his trainer aircraft. From Sand Island Air Force Base, the squadron, now classified as "rogue," flew towards the Solo Islands. After eluding persuers for a time, they were shot down by [[Osean Maritime Defense Force|OMDF]] pilot [[Marcus Snow |Capt. Marcus Snow ]](callsign Swordsman). When no bodies were found, they were listed as KIA. However, it is rumored that they actually survived, and formed the [[Ghosts of Razgriz]].
-When the war finally ended, the base was shut down and abandoned, now populated by colonies of seabirds, though [[Kirk]] is seen on the tarmac, suggesting that Pops still resides on the island.
+Details regarding Sand Island's combat operations following the events of December 7 until the end of the war are unknown. When the war finally ended, however, Sand Island Air Force Base was shut down and abandoned; its tarmac is now populated by colonies of seabirds. [[Kirk]] has been observed on the runway, suggesting that Pops still resides on Sand Island in some capacity.{{Ref|AC5-Cut29|Cutscene 29, ''[[Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War]]''.}}
+==Gallery==
+<gallery>
+sandisland1.png|Sand Island at daytime
+sandisland2.png|Sand Island at daytime
+sandisland3.png|Sand Island at daytime
+sandisland4.png|Sand Island at daytime
+sandisland dusk1.png|Sand Island at dusk
+sandisland dusk2.png|Sand Island at dusk
+sandisland dusk3.png|Sand Island at dusk
+Sand Island at dusk.png|Sand Island at dusk
+Top view Sand Island air base.jpg|Top view of Sand Island
+Osean air base Sand Island.jpg|Sand Island viewed from the south
+</gallery>
 ==Trivia==
+*Sand Island Air Force Base is based on an island of the same name and shape in {{Wp|Midway Atoll}}; its real world counterpart also made an appearance in ''[[Ace Combat: Joint Assault]]''.
-*The Sand Island Air Force Base is based on the real-world Midway Islands, a series of islands in Hawaii that saw a decisive air and naval battle on June 4, 1942. This battle was the beginning of the end for the Japanese Navy. In fact the fourth mission, First Flight, is actually a reference to the Midway attack, except that this time the victor is the attacked, not the attacker.
+*Sand Island is one of the most recurring locations in the ''AC'' series: the area in and around Sand Island appears in ''Ace Combat 5'' a total of five times (Missions 1, 2, 4, 7, and 19). Comparable locations include [[Area B7R, Belka|Area B7R]] in ''[[Ace Combat Zero: The Belkan War|Ace Combat Zero]]'' and [[Gracemeria]] in ''[[Ace Combat 6: Fires of Liberation|Ace Combat 6]]''.
-[[Category:Ace Combat 5]]
+{{Reflist}}
+[[ru:Авиабаза "Песчаный остров"]]
+[[Category:Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War]]
 [[Category:Bases]]
-[[Category: Geography]]
+[[Category:Osean Air Defense Force]]
-[[Category:Osean Defense Forces]]
+[[Category:Osean Federation]]