During the mission of securing the village of Al Raayan (032139), elements of the First Battalion 30th Infantry Reg, 3rd Infantry Division, and 2nd Aviation Det. "Brawlers" started taking indirect fire from the large island located in the area of 001011. Aerial reconnaissance discovered a large Air Base about 1.5 clicks off the coast of Al Rayak to the Southwest that is heavily fortified. With the First Battalion 30th Infantry Reg controlling 2 out of 3 of the seaport cities and 2 of the main airfields that ISTS once held North of the river, ISTS’s leader Abu Bakr al-Hussin has ordered some of his loyalists to make a stand at this Air Base. First Battalion 30th Infantry Regiment and elements of the 173rd Airborne, rangers of the 32nd Ranger Batt, and 75th Ranger will deploy to capture the Southern Airbase (001011).
With a stronghold of the Southern Airbase (001011), Alpha Co / Bravo Co, First Battalion 30th Infantry Regiment and elements of the 173rd Airborne will deploy during a night drop over the Southern Airbase (001011) in hopes to catching the ISTS off guard and knock out the Anti Aircraft emplacements, shortly after rangers of the 32nd Ranger Batt, and 75th Ranger will deploy into the AO by helicopter (Air Assault). Remaining forces of the First Battalion 30th Infantry Regiment will infil via watercraft at the Northeast side of the Air Base.