| Battle of Popondetta | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of the War of the Northern Coral Sea | |||||||||
 NewAustralian troops on the ground in Popondetta. | |||||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||||
 NewAustralia
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 Natural Conservation League
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| Commanders | |||||||||
| Keegan Williams Daniel Scarlett |
George Gordon Ian Morton
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| Strength | |||||||||
| 6,000 NewAustralian soldiers 250 Chinook CH-47 helicopters 20 Apache AH-64 helicopters 300 tanks 1 IAI Heron drone |
9,000 NCL soldiers | ||||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||||
| 774 killed 210 injured |
2,031 killed 900+ injured 2 missing | ||||||||
The Battle of Popondetta was a battle fought between NewAustralian forces and the Natural Conservation League. It began shortly after NewAustralian troops landed at Popondetta Airport and made their way day to the town. Shortly after their arrival they came under fire from the Natural Conservation League.
May 31[]
NewAustralian troops took cover as Apache helicopters were sent en route to their position. As troops sought cover, NCL troops began to gain ground and were getting closer. Before the NCL troops could make their way into the town 20 Apache helicopters fired upon the insurgent forces. They retreated and no sign of them was seen until the following day.
June 1[]
As tanks landed at Popondetta Airport and made their way down to the town, the NCL launched another attack on the NewAustralian forces not long after PrimeMinisterEdward issued the NewAustralian Declaration of War on the Natural Conservation League. The NewAustralian forces were not ready for this attack and as such were pushed back to the edge of the forest. Before an evacuation could be called around 200 NewAustralian tanks rolled through Popondetta and began firing upon the NCL forces. The NewAustralian began to reclaim ground as the 20 Apache helicopters from the previous day returned and reigned down upon the insurgent forces. As the NCL forces continued to retreat into the forest, an IAI Heron flew overhead tracing the forces back to an area 5 kilometres from Popondetta. This was believed to be the site of the ballistic missile launch.
Aftermath[]
After the conclusion of the battle NewAustralian forces set up a base camp in the town of Popondetta. Popondetta Airport and Girua Airport were also converted into air force bases after the Papua New Guinea government allowed it. Several more surveillance UAV's were sent to scout the area around the believed ballistic missile launch.