- "This mission is crazy. All our commander thinks about is looking good for the General Staff Office."
- ― Spare Squadron pilot[1]
Operation Two Pairs was a battle during the Lighthouse War.
Prelude[]
Two Osean Air Defense Force squadrons, Cyclops and Strider, were conducting reconnaissance over the Stonehenge ruins. For unknown reasons, they were forced to abandon their previous route back to base and directed to take a new route, one that led right through Yinshi Valley, which was home to Erusean radar and anti-aircraft sites.
Battle[]
In order to protect the two squadrons, the OADF deployed Spare Squadron—likely due to the unfavorable flying conditions in the valley. During the battle, Spare Squadron successfully destroyed the radar and anti-air sites, but not before being detected. The Eruseans deployed MQ-99s, but Spare squadron shot them down, allowing their allies to withdraw from the airspace.[1]
Following their allies' withdrawal, Sol Squadron entered the airspace, and Mihaly shortly afterward, engaged by Champ. Despite AWACS Bandog's orders to disengage, Champ proceeded to dogfight. Mihaly outmaneuvered Champ and shot him down, before shooting down two more aircraft. Bandog then ordered Trigger to engage Mihaly in order to buy more time for the other allied aircraft to escape. During the dogfight, clouds began moving in, forcing Sol to withdraw from the airspace.[1]
Aftermath[]
Following the operation, Bandog guided Cyclops and Strider Squadrons to the 444th Air Base, where the two squadrons would resupply and remain for a short period of time.[1] Furthermore, most of the 444th members were thrown into solitary confinement by McKinsey for disengaging without permission.
