ISAFIndependent States Allied ForceISAF was established in August 2003, following Erusea’s invasion of San Salvacion and takeover of the Spaceguard Turret Network (STN). Member states of the Continental Nations’ Economic Alliance (CNEA), a trade bloc centered around the FCU, created a joint command structure for their militaries and agreed that an attack on one nation would be considered an attack on all. Collectively matching Erusea in strength, ISAF set an ultimatum: that Erusea withdraw from the STN before September 14th or the alliance would launch an offensive to retake it. [1]
Erusea did not vacate the STN; when ISAF attacked, Erusea used the railguns to deny close air support to ISAF’s ground forces. ISAF retreated east as the STN grounded and destroyed their warplanes. As Erusean ground forces drew closer to the ISAF general headquarters (GHQ) at Los Canas, a large strike package of ace pilots attempted a strike on the STN. The mission was a total failure, forcing ISAF to abandon Los Canas and reconstitute their headquarters in North Point. [2] Materiel and personnel losses continued to hamper operations after retreating outside of Stonehenge’s engagement range, and by summer 2004 all surviving ISAF forces had fled to islands off the continent’s east coast and a small defensive perimeter around Saint Ark. [3] At a safe distance from Stonehenge, ISAF aircraft defended the relocated GHQ at North Point from strategic bomber strikes until Erusean spies destroyed the archipelago’s early warning radar network in September 2004. [4] An ISAF strike package retaliated by destroying a significant number of bombers on the mainland, granting ISAF a respite before more bombers could be moved to the front. [5] They took advantage of this time by dismantling the infrastructure supporting Erusea’s expeditionary Aegir Fleet, ultimately sinking the fleet in November. [6] The destruction of the Aegir Fleet allowed ISAF’s naval forces to operate with more freedom, and in January 2005 they launched Operation Bunker Shot: a large-scale landing operation on the mainland’s southeast coast. [7] The operation was a tremendous success, but further progress was stymied by the STN. On April 2nd, a small strike package penetrated deep into Erusean territory and destroyed the STN. [8] Within the next month ISAF took control of the entire southeast quarter of the Usean mainland and launched secondary landing operations at Snyder's Top and Saint Ark. The southern landing forces maintained their inertia and reached San Salvacion in July, liberating the city in conjunction with local resistance forces on the 10th. [9] The southern forces pushed into Erusea’s prewar borders and linked up with the northern landing forces in September 2005 for a final push against the Erusean capital city, Farbanti. The city fell on the evening of September 19th. Much of Erusea’s top brass were killed while evacuating, including the nation’s military dictator. Erusea accepted ISAF’s terms for surrender, and the war officially came to an end. [10] Despite the capitulation of Erusea’s government, many extremist factions resisted the peace agreement. ISAF continued to exist in the wake of the war in order to aid in Erusea’s reconstruction and stabilization. ISAF also took part in a border dispute involving the nation of Delarus following the Continental War, [11] as well as the suppression of the first Free Erusean uprising. [12] Eventually, the CNEA dissolved the military alliance, with peacekeeping activities in Usea being transferred to the Osean-lead International Union Peacekeeping Forces. Some former ISAF units continued to exist as components of the IUN-PKF. [13] Citations[1] Gaze 2003, “War?”
[2] ACES WEB AC04 World [3] Ace Combat 04 Mission 1 [4] Ace Combat 04 Mission 1 [5] Ace Combat 04 Mission 2 [6] Ace Combat 04 Missions 4-6 [7] Ace Combat 04 Mission 9 [8] Ace Combat 04 Mission 12 [9] Ace Combat 04 Mission 15 [10] Ace Combat 04 Mission 18 [11] Ace Combat Zero [12] Ace Combat 5 Arcade Mode [13] Ace Combat 7 VR Mode |