Matt soon learned that their next sortie is a recon mission. He wasn't a fan of these types of assignments, preferring action-packed dogfights and engagements much more. Of course, he knew that reconnaissance was an absolutely vital part of any long-term plan for success, he just liked to get his hands dirty and leave the "preparations" for others. Unfortunately, there weren't many others he could rely on in the squad, as their numbers - as the Colonel pointed out - dwindled greatly after the first mission and the following events. It was up to them, the five remaining pilots to fly deep into enemy territory, gather intel on their most valuable arms and come out unscathed, at least without losing anyone. Despite the harsh odds, Matt didn't let his spirit go down. He learned just how much mentality and a positive state of mind means when he was - undeservedly - kicked out of the HAF. He could've easily given up on his aviator career at that time. He didn't and now he's amongst the five people whom half the world counts on. There was much on the line for Excalibur and the UN, he needed to give his best at all times. No matter the situation.

After hyping himself up like that, he paid careful attention to the rest of the briefing. Given the Jaguar's versatility, it was assigned as one of the two toting the recon pods and thus even more depended on Matt's ability to fly undetected and take quality pictures for the Navy to use in upcoming strikes. Ariella made it clear that they should not engage offensively, as they will get overwhelmed very soon. AAA and SAM installations were also prone to make their life more difficult. He seeked thrill, excitement and danger - all these hazards should by all means give it to him.
[i]I'll look up some maps and previous intel from our areas of interest...Good luck everyone.[/i] he said after the briefing. They've got 90 minutes until debrief and eventually takeoff, he needed to spend the time wisely. He took his tablet into hand once again and started digging into the topic.