Operation Arrow of God was a rescue operation carried out jointly between the Japanese Self-Defense Force and the United Kingdom during the 2021 West Africa civil war. It was one of the first major battlefield operations involving the F-3 Shinden II and its UK model, the Magnificent Lightning. The operation was named after Arrow of God, a realist 1964 novel written by author Chinua Achebe.[1]
Siege in Lagos[]
At 6:30 of October 15, 2021, a squadron of aircraft took off from the joint British-Japanese fleet stationed 200 kilometers off the coast of Nigeria to rescue a number of civilians and personnel trapped within the UK embassy at the city of Lagos. Two F-3s manned by British pilots took off from the deck of the cargo vessel Mashu, followed by two pairs of UH-60J and SH-60K gunships from the Maritime Self-Defense Force, along with an MCH-101 helicopter. The Blackhawks carried ground troops that would secure the embassy; the SH-60s would provide suppressive fire and the MCH-101 would loiter in the area in case of an emergency, while the Shindens would provide aerial cover.[1]
The squadron undertook an hour-long journey to Lagos, with the F-3s moving ahead to secure the local airspace. Weakened by hunger and a lack of sleep, the people inside the embassy regained hope after seeing the Shindens flying over the city. Confused about the situation, the Nigerian forces surrounding the embassy were caught by surprise and fled the site. The UH-60Js landed outside the complex, allowing Special Air Service troops to storm the site and evacuate the Britons inside while the Blackhawks loitered above. Nigerian soldiers and civilians responded by mountaing a desperate offensive against the rescue force. Braving heavy gunfire, the SAS extracted the civilians and made a 30m sprint to the UH-60s outside the embassy and escaped. A single man was hit by shrapnel, but survived.[1]
Nigerian counterattack[]
As the civilians and SAS prepared to make their escape, the Nigerian army launched a counterattack to stop the rescue force. An squadron of sixteen MiG-29ME Fulcrum fighters operated by Nigeria took off from Makurdi AFB in Benue State, while a ground force of Soviet-built tanks approached the outskirts of Lagos. Owing to the poor state of the equipment used by the Nigerian armed forces, their appearance came as a surprise to the multinational force, the blame being placed on the Blatnoi syndicate. At the same time, a fleet of vessels was headed to the city.[1]
Loaded with anti-air missiles, the Shindens prepared to intercept the MiG-29s, and engaged them in a brief dogfight over Lagos, diverting their attention long enough for the rescue helicopters to flee.[1]