Fire from the Sky

Fire from the Sky is the second co-op mission in Battlefield 3. The players take the role of pilot and gunner of an AH-1Z Viper.

Synopsis
A high-ranking General with top-secret intel within the United States Armed Forces was ambushed en route to base, and taken captive. Two units, callsign Warrior, are airdropped into the village in which the captive General is being held with the intent of safely recovering him. The players serve as close-air support, offering overwhelming fire to allow the Marines to move safely through the village to their destination.

However, the two units meet heavy resistance on their way. As they disembark from their UH-1Y Venoms, the Marines come under fire from two mortar positions. The two players use their rocket and 20mm cannon to destroy the emplacements. The two Marine units then advance towards two bridges, the only crossing points of a river which flows through the village. They get bogged down by RPG and small arms fire, and call upon the players to destroy the enemy infantry holding them back. Once the way is clear, the Marines advance into the village over the bridges.

However, they are again bogged down by RPG and small arms fire. As they trade fire with the PLR insurgents, two BMPs are deployed from the center of the village. The player can destroy these in a number of ways, including the 20mm cannon or the rockets. However, those two methods are noticeably ineffective, whereas the hellfire missile the gunner has control over can destroy one of the BMPs in a single hit.

Once the enemy armor is destroyed, the Marines work their way towards a building in which the General is being held. Along the way, the players provide support, killing several dozen PLR insurgents and destroying several technicals. The Marines then begin a sweep of the building where the general is held. Meanwhile, several BMPs and mobile anti-aircraft platforms begin to advance on the complex to stop the Marines from succeeding in recovering the general. Although the AA guns can cause significant damage to the players' AH-1Z Viper in a short period of time, they and the BMPs are ultimately destroyed.

By this point, the General has been recovered and is being extracted to a clearing near the complex, where the two UH-1Y Venoms will again pick them up. As they proceed, however, more PLR insurgents—a combined force of infantry, technicals, and BMPs—attack, pinning the Marines until the players successfully kill the PLR. The Marines and the General are then extracted from the village and head back towards the base.

Trivia

 * This is the only co-op level to not feature Snake 6-6 as the playable characters.
 * If you finish the mission without having to use the Fire Extinguisher, you can earn the Untouchable Achievement/Trophy.