Air Force One is the fifth level in the singleplayer campaign of Battlefield: Bad Company. With Marlowe driving President Serdar's personal Mi-24 Hind, the squad make their escape through a Serdaristani river valley lined with anti-air emplacements that force the helicopter to stay low.
The squad destroys key Serdaristani military emplacements in the region before running low on fuel, where they find a nearby depot to refuel the helicopter. After finding fuel and holding out while Sweetwater fixes Haggard's mistake when refueling the helicopter, the squad continues on until they are shot down by the Legionnaire in his own Ka-52 helicopter.
Synopsis[]
This section contains spoilers for Battlefield: Bad Company.
Helicopter Tutorial[]
The mission opens with President Serdar exclaiming how his helicopter is in disrepair, likening it to a crippled swan, and going off in a stupor of how he had a pet swan when he was younger named Marsha. Sweetwater tells him to shut up, surprisingly, and remarks how it feels good to tell someone else to shut up for a change. Redford tells them both to shut up and instructs the player to land the helicopter to repair it.
Sweetwater then exclaims that he can't believe Mike-One-Juliet just let the squad go. Redford assures him it wasn't her fault and that the US Army sold them out, mentioning he shouldn't have trusted them. Haggard asks why the army left them out to dry, to which Redford says things probably got out of hand, and that they are in "Bad Company" and as such are deemed expendable.
Meanwhile, the player is given instructions on how to fly the helicopter. Once they get a feel of how it works, they should make their way to the marker and land the helicopter. Redford will instruct the player to get out and find a repair tool to fix it. The tool can be found in a nearby house at the "X" mark. The player then only needs to return to the helicopter and fix it.
Redford will congratulate the player on fixing it upon getting back in. He then instructs the player to take out a bunch of M939 trucks nearby with the helicopter's rockets. after destroying one, Haggard will tell the player they can switch with him and try out the gunner seat, as he will keep the helicopter in place.
The gunner seat uses a 25mm autocannon that is very effective at light armored vehicles, such as the trucks. As Haggard will keep the helicopter in place, it will allow the player to get a steady aim on the trucks. The player may also want to use this mode later on in the mission to attack targets, but they will be very vulnerable to anti-aircraft and RPG fire from the ground when staying in place.
Move Out[]
Once the trucks are destroyed, the player will be instructed to follow the river. Sweetwater will mention how the player is flying pretty well, but pushes them to fly even better. Haggard will ask if they can just land the helicopter and kill the enemy on foot like they usually do. A couple of PBLs will move up the river by this time. They don't pose much of a threat unless the player is flying close to the water, but they might as well be taken out.
Serdar will then mention how he thinks the squad's escape plan will end soon as most of his army is located in the nearby valley, which surprises Haggard. Serdar then goes off saying how it is no longer his army, as the Legionnaire controls it now. Sweetwater asks if there is another way to escape Serdaristan, asking if they can go around the valley. Serdar replies that there isn't another way and feels they will all die.
Destroy Military Infrastructure[]
Redford then says they should hit the Serdaristani Army's weak points to "give them something to worry about". Upon approaching the nearby dam, the player will be given three objectives to hit in the valley: the fuel silos, the barracks, and the radio equipment, all roughly in a line along the valley.
The dam itself is guarded by a few soldiers and some trucks that are moving supplies towards the valley. they should be taken out, and the player will want to land here as the first gold bar of the level is located in the white building with the HVAC unit. Upon exiting the Hind, Redford will tell Haggard and the player to go out, while he and Sweetwater stay with the President. The area around the dam has a few weapons, including an SV98 in the same building as the first gold bar, a repair tool on the dam, and an LZ-537 in a shed on the far side of the dam.
When the player is done looking around,they should return to the helicopter to continue the mission. In the valley, Redford will tell the player to hit the nearby fuel silos. Redford will also tell the player there is an incoming BMD-3 Bakhcha AA as it approached from the bridge. Serdar will remark how the Legionnaire brought them is and that they were expensive. The silos are also guarded b a sparse amount of infantry, with RPG soldiers scattered among them.
The silos themselves can be destroyed with a single rocket for each of the three groups as one explosion will set of the others. The area round the silos is littered with gadgets, including a MRTR-5, DTN-4, an RPG7, another repair tool, and unoccupied Vodniks, as well as a PBL. The player can complete this mission on land, but it is far easier by using the helicopter.
The next objective, the barracks, is located nearby. The player will have to kill all of the infantry in the area before moving on. haggard should be able to kill most of the infantry if the player just hovers around the base, but they can also fire their rockets at the blue barracks to kill the infantry faster. If the player wises to land, they can find an AN94 in one of the barracks, another repair tool by the ammo box, and a mortar strike designator by the access road.
Once the area is cleared, the player can make their way to the last objective in the area, the radio equipment. It is located on the right side of the valley near a bridge. The player may also encounter a few more BMD-3 AAs along the way, with one on the middle of the bridge.
On approach to the communications building, Serdar will mention how his country was actually the first to have internet in the world, and that it is great for online dating. Redford will instruct the player to destroy it, and adds that they will have to take it out on foot. The player can land the helicopter at the nearby helipad and get out to make their way there. The area is littered with enemy Assault and Demolition soldiers, that Haggard may have hit upon approach. However, the player should take out any remaining soldiers before hitting the radio equipment.
The objective is located in the communications building, the large white building near the bridge. The player will have to head to the building's basement to destroy the equipment. When moving towards the building, an enemy Vodnik will approach from the side road to ambush the player. It can be taken out with 40mm grenades if the player has an assault rifle, or they can grab an RPG7 located in the right-most blue barracks on the second floor.
The building itself may have a few infantry leftover guarding the radio equipment. There is an MG36 outside that can spray a lot of rounds at them, or the player can stick with whatever weapon they have. There is also some DTN-4 located in the basement that should be used to destroy the radio equipment. At least four Assault soldiers will be in the room with the radio equipment.
Move Out[]
Upon destroying it and killing the soldiers, Serdar will exclaim how he is very sad to have no more internet in Serdaristan, as he was using the online dating services for his love life. Redford will congratulate Haggard and the player for taking out the equipment and instruct them to return to the helicopter. Before leaving however, the player will want to head to the other open room to the right of the DTN-4's location, as the second gold bar is right on the other side.
Another Vodnik will have come up from the side road and can be taken out just like the last one before getting back to the Hind. Redford will be glad they are done taking out the infrastructure in the area and tells the player to continue along the river. Another BMD-3 AA will be located on the tip of the larger island in the river that should be destroyed.
The small island next to largest one, with the ruins on it, should also be landed on, as the level's third gold bar is located here. It is defensed by a few Serdaristani soldiers that won't pose much of a problem for the helicopter. The gold bar is located within the ruins and is the second easily missed one in the campaign, due to no weapons or gadgets nearby.
Cut Off Serdar's Supply Lines[]
Redford will note that the next area is littered with supply trucks and orders the player to take them out. On approach to the trucks, the player will find another BMD-3 AA next to what looks like a missile silo. The trucks themselves are scattered about the harbor and refinery ahead. The harbor and refinery are defended by a number of soldiers including RPG soldiers, and three BMD-3 AAs scattered along the perimeter.
After eliminating the enemies and supply trucks, two Mark V patrol boats will come up the river. These vehicles are extremely deadly to the helicopter as they are moderately fast and are armed with rocket artillery and VADS anti-air guns. Serdar will also joke how his country doesn't have much for naval equipment as the only body of water Serdaristan occupies is a sewage treatment plant.
Reach The Refuel Base[]
Once the boats are destroyed, the player will hear a pinging noise. Sweetwater will ask if the helicopter is low on fuel, to which Serdar says they will now crash and die. Serdar will then remember there is a fuel depot nearby and will mark it on the map. The player has more than enough time to get there on full throttle, but before leaving the harbor, they should land near the white HVAC building on he southeast corner of the harbor. The building contains the level's fourth gold bar.
If the player wishes to explore the area before rushing off to the fuel depot, they can find another SV98 and MTR-55 at the refinery. On the Harbor side, there is an MG36 located in the northernmost large warehouse, an RPG7 on the wall overlooking the harbor, another RPG7 near some shipping crates, and a repair tool next to the gold bar location. Redford will constantly berate the player to return to the Hind while exploring as well.
Upon returning to the helicopter, the player should move as fast as the can to the fuel depot. On approach to the base, Haggard will note how the place is "self-serve, and it doesn't look friendly". Redford will tell the player to land the helicopter at the depot and then get some fuel. The base is littered with Serdaristani soldiers, but the player won't have much time to take them out and should just make their way to the helipad in back.
Refuel The Helicopter[]
Sweetwater makes an ominous note how this can't be where they plan to refuel, while Redford will instruct the player and Haggard to find fuel. Haggard mentions how he needs to take a piss anyways, and Serdar tells them they should look for a fuel truck. Redford will tell the player that he and Sweetwater will guard the helicopter, with Serdar saying they should protect him as well. Redford says they will only keep him around as long as he is useful. Serdar responds with his catch-phrase, "Very harsh, but fair."
Just then, an enemy Vodnik and some soldiers will assault the squad. The player should man one of the three KORD turrets and take them out. Once most of them are taken out, the player should make their way towards the white HVAC building in the middle of the depot. In it is the last gold bar of the level, and an RPG-7.
The player can the grab one of the three trucks spread about the depot and return it to the helipad. The closest one is in a large warehouse on the west side of the depot, directly down the road from the helipad and near the fifth gold bar location. If it is destroyed upon returning to the helicopter, the player will have to grab another truck; if all three are lost, the player will fail the mission.
Luckily, if the player kills most of the enemies along the way to the trucks and avoids damaging them with explosives, they shouldn't have a problem. Once the player returns with a truck, Redford will tell the squad to refuel the helicopter. Haggard excitedly says he will refuel it.
Sweetwater then says that he's happy to leave Serdaristan, but wonders where they are headed. Serdar then says that around the bend is a national bridge named after his mother. Redford asks where the bridge heads, and Serdar says it heads to Russia. Redford tells Serdar they don't want to head to Russia. Serdar tells him there is no alternative unless they want to stay in Serdaristan, as his military starts to attack the squad. Sweetwater asks if Haggard is done with refueling, while a small explosion comes from the helicopter.
Redford asks what Haggard did to the helicopter. Haggard says it wasn't his fault, and adds he was just refueling it when it exploded. Sweetwater tells him he put it in the cooling unit instead. Haggard says he couldn't read where the fuel was supposed to go as it is in Russian. Redford orders Sweetwater to fix the helicopter while the rest of them hold the area off from the Serdaristani Army that is moving in.
The player should man one of the KORD turrets and hit the infantry assaulting the helipad. After a while, Sweetwater will say he thinks he fixed it as the chopper starts up, but another small explosion goes off and the engines slowly shut off, as Sweetwater says that it still isn't working.
A Vodnik will move in as Sweetwater say he only needs a few more seconds, wile Haggard nags him that they don't have much time. The player can switch to the 9M133 Kornet on the left side of the access road to take out the Vodnik with one hit. Once it is destroyed, they should return to a KORD.
When all of the attackers are taken out, Redford will yell out that they were fairly easy to kill, seeing them as very weak. Serdar says its true his army is poorly trained, but he makes it up for high-tech equipment, such as the BMD-3s that approach. Redford tells Sweetwater he had better have finished fixing the chopper, as Sweetwater says he hasn't had time to reset something.
Redford says he doesn't care and tells the squad to get out of there as soon as possible. Sweetwater notes that if the chopper isn't working then they can't fly. However, as he is saying that, the helicopter starts up. Redford tells the player to get back to the helicopter so they can take off. The helicopter will then take of and fly away automatically.
Serdar will note how they are approaching the border and that they are leaving his country. Redford says that this is where he is getting off, as Redford is sick of dealing with the crazed man. Serdar says that Russia is very inadequate for his exile, mentioning he will need further transportation. Redford then tells him that where they are going, Serdar cannot come.
Sweetwater then asks where exactly they are going. Redford says he has a short memory, as Haggard says they are headed after the gold. Marlowe then says they have no idea where the Legionnaires took the gold. Redford says that with all the mercenaries in the area, they should be able to figure it out.
Serdar then figures out that they are talking about the Legionnaire's gold, mentioning he knows where it is. Haggard is surprised by this, and Serdar says that he feels they can come to an agreement. Haggard agrees to this and asks if Sweetwater heard that. Sweetwater says he did, but he'd like to know if they can come to an agreement about the black Ka-52 coming up behind them. Redford immediately tells Marlowe to turn the helicopter around to attack it, but just as he's about to, an missile from the Ka-52 hits the Hind, knocking out the helicopter as the mission ends.
Transcript[]
Related Achievements and Trophies[]
The following achievements/trophies can be completed on this mission.
| Image | Name | Criteria | Gamerscore | Trophy type |
|
Hold on! | Complete Air Force One on normal | 15 G | Bronze |
|
Russia? | Complete Air Force One on hard | 25 G | Bronze |
|
Death From Above | Kill 25 enemies in a helicopter | 20 G | Bronze |
|
Been There, Drove That! | Drive all vehicle types (Jeep, Tank, Heli, Boat) | 20 G | Bronze |
Trivia[]
- If the player flies too high, a buzzer can be heard. Sweetwater will ask what it is, and Redford will tell the player to fly lower as it is a locking signal from an AA site. Serdar will add that they should keep low in the valley, otherwise the missile sites lining the valley will shoot them down. However, when this happens, the player will just stop moving and will be forced to bring the helicopter lower before continuing, otherwise the mission is failed.
- Originally, two enemy Mi-24 Hinds were planned to attack the player while defending their helicopter as Sweetwater refuels it. The player would have a ZU-23-2 near the helicopter to defend against them. This is evidenced from a gameplay trailer released while the game was still in development. It is likely that the section was taken out due to time constraints before the game's release.
- It is unknown how the golden Mi-24 Hind got damaged before the mission started.
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