Operation Highlander

Operation Highlander was an operation that took place in the Summer of 2019 in both Chenarus and Livonia.

Background
Following the Russian ground invasion of Chenarus in 2019, NATO forces withdrew from the area quickly leaving the defending CDF forces vastly outnumbered. To help bolster their numbers the Chernorussian government contracted SLK to help in the defense of the last remaining airbase in northern Chenarus. At the same time ION Services also contracted SLK Safety & Logistics to extract a high value package from the same airbase. This package would go on to vastly change the operation later on.

Chenarus Defense
As the Russian forces pushed the airfield, the CDF and SLK Safety Logistics 1st Expeditionary Section set up 2 phase-lines that would be used to attempt to halt the Russian advance. Meanwhile, the Hazardous Environment Combat Section would work on loading the package ION contracted them to evacuate into a C-130 call-sign 'Sacred Eagle'.

The first phase-line would be destroyed rather quickly by mortar fire, and the remaining personnel would retreat to phase-line 2. This line would hold much longer thanks to the efforts of 2nd Attack Squadron "Gunfighters". As the ground troops held off incoming infantry, Gunfighter worked on destroying enemy aircraft as well as ground vehicles. Eventually however, the line would be broken and the remaining SLK forces would retreat to the airfield. It is assumed no CDF troopers survived the defense.

Just as the HECS contractors finished loading up 'Sacred Eagle' the remaining ground forces would join the c-130 and take off from the airfield with cover from Gunfighter Squadron.

Crash in Livonia
Just as the C-130 'Sacred Eagle' and the remaining aircraft of Gunfighter Squadron entered Livonian airspace, both flights started experiencing major electrical problems. They would lose radio contact with each other and soon all control over their aircraft. Both the C-130 and Gunfighter Squadron would go down over the fields of livonia, leaving SLK contractors scattered over the region.

After ejecting from their aircraft, the pilots of Gunfighter would be tasked with locating each plane's SERE (Survival, Evasion, Resistance, Escape) kit, which included a weapon and long range radio they could use to attempt to contact the rest of SLK. Eventually they would coordinate a meeting point and begin to reassemble. After scouring the radio waves to attempt to contact Command, they would gain a little bit of intelligence via the LDF Emergency Radio Frequency. They heard over the radio that there were Russian Special Forces operating in the region, and SLK assumed they were probably looking for the package that 'Sacred Eagle' was carrying. They would then set out across the countryside in search of the package and any remaining SLK members scattered around the area.

Eventually SLK would find the crash site of the package in an abandoned town, with help from a Livonian Park Ranger. Contractors who got close to the wreckage would complain of severe head pain the closer they got to it. The team split at this point, one squad would guard the crash site, and the other would search for a vehicle they could use to transport the package to safety. During this time both squads would be engaged by Russian Spetsnaz teams. The Livonian Ranger who helped SLK find the crash site would be killed during a strafing run by a Russian helicopter. After finding a flatbed they could use as transport, both teams linked up once again to transport the package to the south where they would exchange it with Livonian military personnel.

Trivia

 * The follow up operation to Highlander, known as Operation Golden Bat is considered to be no longer canon.
 * This op is Notorious in the SLK discord for when a contractor who will remain unnamed rammed the gate of a Livonian base, causing them to be friendly-fired by Livonian troops.