Chapter 39: Laughing Proudly in the Vast Sky

  The "Long Lance" squadron encountered not a motley crew but the elite of the Indian Air Force.

  Being able to become a pilot of the Su-30MKI indicates that they are among the best and most outstanding pilots in the Indian Air Force. The average annual training time for Su-30MKI pilots is 260 hours, far higher than the average level of the Indian Air Force. However, they fought a wrong battle at the wrong time, in the wrong place, with the wrong opponent!

  Because the number is three times that of the opponent, in the first round of interception, the Su-30MKI fleet only used half of its medium-range air-to-air missiles. According to their experience gained in the previous days, those "Pakistani fighters" would turn away after launching medium-range intercept missiles. The first batch of R-77 launched by the Su-30MKI fleet all adopted mid-course inertial guidance mode, and the fleet also turned away after launching the missile. By the time both sides returned for a second round of engagement, the "Pakistani fighters" would have no more medium-range air-to-air missiles available, while the Su-30MKI fleet still had enough medium-range air-to-air missiles.

  Air battles change in an instant, one wrong move and everything is lost.

  The "Long Lance" fleet not only failed to turn around, but instead accelerated its approach. The airborne commander on the Indian early warning aircraft immediately ordered the Su-30MKI fleet to be divided into two batches, one for interception and the other for supplementary attack. If the interception was successful, the supplementary attack would arrive, and the "Long Lance" fleet would be subjected to a continuous attack by two batches of R-77 missiles, with no way to avoid it.

  The result was far from what the air commander had expected. In order to intercept the "Long Lance" fleet, 24 Su-30MKIs launched missiles, of which 11 were shot down by the "Thunderbolt-12" before evading, and the remaining 13 barely avoided the missiles, but scattered in all directions and heights, and the formation was completely disrupted.

  When J-10 began its dive, the 12-strong Su-30MKI formation immediately turned around.

  When they were ready to launch the missile, the J-10 formation had already become entangled with the Su-30MKI intercepting the "Long Lance" formation. The air battle entered a melee stage. In this situation, not only was it difficult for the fire control radar to aim at the target, but also under the forced action of the friend or foe identifier, it was impossible to use medium-range air-to-air missiles to attack enemy aircraft that were entangled with friendly aircraft. All 12 R-77s on the Su-30MKI became decorations.

  Before the dogfighting air battle began, the "Long Spear" aircraft formation had already taken the upper hand.

  Taking advantage of the Indian aircraft cluster being in disarray, the lead planes were looking for their wingmen and vice versa, without any effective coordination or cover. The J-10s, like tigers descending a mountain, relied on their excellent diving performance, with seven fighter jets using six air-to-air missiles and over thirty rounds of cannon fire to take down six Su-30MKIs, heavily damaging one more.

  Liang Guoxiang did not use a machine gun but chose "Thunder-11" air-to-air missile.

  He saw the "Thunder-11" catch up with the Su-30MKI. The fuse did not choose the proximity detonation mode, but chose the contact detonation mode. The missile directly drilled into the back of the Su-30MKI and exploded about one meter behind the cockpit, giving the pilots no chance to eject.

  In the screaming sound of DiPoching, J-10B almost scraped off the mountain ridge below.

  Although the absolute altitude of air combat is around 3,500 meters, the relative altitude with a plateau at an elevation of 3,000 meters is only 500 meters.

  The huge overload suddenly made Liang Guoxiang see stars, and he rushed too fiercely.

  As he pulled the fighter up, two wingmen approached from the left rear and right rear, scaring off an Su-30MKI that was about to sneak attack the J-10B.

  "Liang Zi, you're doing great, it's time for us to show our skills too." The pilot of the No. 1 wingman's eyes reddened.

  "You can keep watching from the sidelines, I haven't used up all my missiles yet." As he spoke, Liang Guoxiang couldn't help but smile. After serving in the military for over a decade and flying for just as long, he had finally achieved his first confirmed victory.

  "You just know how to eat alone, next time I won't partner with you."

  "Next time is next time's business, watch my back and don't give Ah San a chance." Liang Guoxiang said while searching the surrounding airspace.

  All four teams have achieved results and are all diving down, looking for enemy planes.

  "Brother Liang, left side, eleven o'clock direction." Di Boqing was more proactive than anyone else, the battle result belonged to the team, and he also had a share.

  "Got it!" Liang Guoxiang's actions were faster than his words, he wanted to "harvest" the second result in time, otherwise the bargain would be snatched away by others.

  As J-10B turned around to chase up, that lone Su-30MKI seemed to have spotted the enemy behind.

  Indian pilots do not have eyes in the back of their heads, but the Su-30MKI has a "third eye" on its rear. A small radar installed inside the tail beam between the two engine nozzles gives the Su-30MKI rearview capability, and if equipped with suitable missiles, it can even use over-the-shoulder attacks to deal with enemy aircraft behind it. However, the Russian R-73 "Archer" air-to-air missile provided to India does not have over-the-shoulder attack capability.

  Just as it was about to be bitten by J-10, Su-30MKI started a full-speed climb.

  "Think you can run away? Think again!"

  The "Taihang" turbofan engine let out a deafening roar, propelling the J-10B into the blue sky.

  The J-10B was left with only three air-to-air missiles and less than two-thirds of its fuel, while the Su-30MKI had seven missiles and a full internal fuel tank. The vertical maneuverability of the two aircraft was originally comparable, but the J-10B took advantage of its "light body" to surpass the Su-30MKI at an altitude of nearly 8,000 meters.

  Finding it unable to shake off the J-10B by climbing, the Su-30MKI immediately began diving.

  Liang Guoxiang still hasn't given a phone call back, J-10's diving performance is much better than Su-30MKI.

  Looking at the vast land rushing towards them, the pilots of both sides began to compete in courage.

  The Indian pilot was still defeated, and when he was 700 meters away from the ground, the Su-30MKI pulled up. The J-10B also immediately changed its dive and continued to closely follow the Su-30MKI.

  The air battle went from 8,000 meters to 3,300 meters, the Su-30MKI used all its vertical maneuvering skills, but still couldn't shake off the J-10B.

  In desperation, Indian pilots brought out the ace move of Su-27 family.

  "Awesome, Glasses Snake Move! Brother Liang, Ah San can actually do the Glasses Snake Move!"

  "At this time doing a cobra maneuver is simply asking to die!" Liang Guoxiang quickly dropped all the airbrakes of the J-10B and pulled up the nose.

  He didn't follow up with a similar maneuver but instead took advantage of the opportunity to lock onto the Su-30MKI.

  Before the Su-30MKI's nose crossed the zenith, the "Thunder-11" missile on the left wing tip of the J-10B had already been fired with a trail of smoke.

  "Brother Liang, you're too unfair!"

  "Thick skin? I was never thick-skinned to begin with, haha......" Amidst the explosion and flames of the Su-30MKI, Liang Guoxiang burst out laughing.

  The difficulty of making a stealthy aircraft is indeed very high, even America's F-22 can't complete it.

  The main tactical significance of this maneuver is to reduce the flight speed in an extremely short period, so that the enemy aircraft following behind cannot slow down and rush forward, making it easy to turn the tables. The disadvantage is that when performing a Cobra maneuver, the fighter will lose energy, and the whole process lasts for several seconds.

  Liang Guoxiang's reaction speed is very fast, and the J-10B fire control system's reaction speed is also very fast.

  Before the Su-30MKI could even react, the "Thunder-11" missile had already been fired. Having lost a lot of energy, the Su-30MKI was not only unable to make any evasive maneuvers but also did not give the pilot any chance to eject and escape.

  When the burning wreckage of the fighter plane fell to the ground, the air battle also ended.

  Against 12 J-10s, six Su-30MKIs were shot down without exception, and only two Indian pilots ejected in time.

  At this time, another twelve Su-30MKIs had received orders and withdrawn from the battlefield.

  Indian Air Force's air warriors have come to realize that they are not fighting against the Pakistan Air Force but against the Chinese Air Force.

  "Eagle Eye calls for Long Spear, Eagle Eye calls for Long Spear."

  "Long spear received, speak if you have anything." Di Boqing's voice was a little trembling, too excited.

  "Too good, too good!" The Pakistan Air Force commander on the AWACS was even more excited than Bedi. "The enemy aircraft have retreated, the threat is over, you can return to base now."

  "Long spear understood, return voyage immediately." Di Boqing said as he took off his oxygen mask. "Liang Ge, pack up."

  "Attention all units, combat is over, return to base." Liang Guoxiang finally managed to control his excited emotions. At least two victories, if there were any gains in the previous interception, it would be three victories.

  Before this, Liang Guoxiang had never thought that his first battle would bring such a huge harvest.

  Liang Guoxiang led the "Long Spear" fleet back when the other four air battles had also ended or were about to end.

  The first batch of Chinese air force troops to go to Pakistan for combat, three squadrons participated in three aerial battles and achieved a brilliant record of 3-4-47. In the other two aerial battles, Pakistani pilots who had just received the "Thunder" fighter jets also achieved a record of 11-12 in the aerial battle, tying with the Indian air force.

  In the dogfight on the seventh morning, the air-to-air exchange ratio between India and Pakistan was fifty-nine to fourteen.

  This day became the "Black Day" for Indian Air Force, even the IAF commander had to admit that on July 7, the Indian Air Force suffered its worst defeat since the start of the war.

  Among all the squadrons that went to fight in Pakistan, the "Long Spear" squadron performed the best.

  Shot down 24 Su-30MKIs, no losses on our side.

  The achievement of such brilliant results is inseparable from the fact that this squadron has six test pilots and has been supported by early warning aircraft throughout.

  In this aerial battle, two "Long Lance" squadron planes shot down three enemy planes, three planes shot down two enemy planes, five planes shot down one enemy plane, and seven squadrons shared the common result.

  Also on this day, the first Chinese air force pilot sacrificed himself in the battlefield of defending Pakistan.

  Liang Guoxiang only learned of the news after returning to the airport, that the pilot's fighter jet was shot down over Pakistan and his body had been found by local militiamen. Later, the Pakistani government paid 2.5 million yuan in compensation to the Chinese Air Force and 1 million yuan in consolation money to the pilot's family.

  That afternoon, the Indian Air Force, which had lost its nerve, did not dare to come and challenge them, and Liang Guoxiang and his comrades did not receive any new tasks.

  In the evening, the Chief of Air Staff of Pakistan personally came to award the "Honorary Medal of Friendship" to Liang Guoxiang and two other pilots.

  To boost morale, the Pakistan Air Force Chief of Staff awarded a cash prize of Rs 100,000 to 300,000 to eleven pilots including Wing Commander Liang Kuo-sheng who achieved results.

  Liang Guoxiang gave the money to Di Boqing. He didn't fight for the sake of money, and Di Boqing needed it more.