Chapter 7: The Tiger in the Jungle (3)

  Three

  In the northern part of the Java Sea, Karimata Strait, China's South Sea Special Mixed First Sea and Air Attack Group is heading south at a combat cruising speed of 18 knots. After the brutal "Natuna Islands Naval Battle", the overall combat effectiveness of the "Shanghai" nuclear-powered aircraft carrier formation has decreased by more than 30%, especially the consumption of shipborne aircraft.

  The 7th Carrier Air Wing, which has 81 fighter jets of various types, lost a total of 26 fixed-wing fighters in the naval battle. The fatigue level of pilots and aircraft is almost at its limit. However, they still have a mission tonight - to provide air support for our troops' landing site at Sanbao Ridge International Airport and Tamiao area.

  "Winds of force 4 on the sea surface, waves 5 meters high, meeting takeoff standards; flight deck cleaning completed; first wave of attack aircraft ready, requesting to land on board; No. 1 elevator ready, deck aircraft towing team ready to take over."

  The bridge of the "Shanghai" nuclear-powered aircraft carrier is bustling with personnel from various departments.

  "Hey, it seems like you've taken my seat?!"

  "Shanghai No." Captain Ma Lan Zhong patted the shoulder of Xu Jie, commander of the South China Sea Special Mixed First Sea and Air Attack Group, and said, "Hehe, don't be so petty!" Sitting in the captain's seat on the left side of the bridge, which overlooked the entire flight deck through the window, Xu Jie held a teacup and said lightly.

  "How's the troop's rest?" Xu Jie asked, turning his head back after taking a sip of the Bi Luo Chun tea in his hand. "It's okay, everyone should have slept well after last night's celebration party. However, according to intelligence reports, there are enemy mobile air defense systems at both Sanbao Ridge International Airport and the Danmu area, which poses a considerable risk for our ground support mission!" Colonel Ma Lan said with a furrowed brow, taking over the tea cup handed to him by the duty soldier.

  "That can't be helped! Before Sun Lijun's land-based support fleet and Liu Yi's South Sea Composite Fleet 2nd Sea-Air Attack Group arrive, we must take responsibility for the battlefield situation."

  Xu Jie stood up and walked to the window, gazing out at the brightly lit flight deck. In his mind, he couldn't help but conjure up Colonel Sun Lijun's amusing face.

  Colonel Sun Lijun is an old colleague of Xu Jie's. As early as when he served as the deputy captain of destroyer No. 177 in the second flotilla of destroyers, Xu Jie knew Colonel Sun. Colonel Sun has a very interesting nickname "Little Cannon on the Sea", this nickname not only comes from his straightforward personality and rough language, but also because he has his own thoughts on the development of the Chinese Navy.

  "From sea to land is a major direction for the development of world navies. China does not have the economic strength like the United States to support more than a dozen aircraft carriers. The fleet that can exert the greatest firepower against land with existing naval vessels is the 'Zhejiang-class'."

  "Must-do homework before amphibious assault ships are launched!" Sun Lijun's proposal was recognized by the new generation of Chinese naval commanders in the "Navy Salon" of the People's Liberation Army Navy South Sea Fleet.

  And in 2005, the intervention in the Vietnam War also gave Sun Lijun the opportunity to turn his ideas into reality. In the Battle of Hue, the ground support fleet commanded by Sun Lijun fully demonstrated the effectiveness of large-caliber naval guns against land targets. The old-fashioned coastal defense ship - the Taizhou-class destroyer - achieved extraordinary results in attacking coastal targets, astonishing the Central Military Commission. As a result, over the next two years, Colonel Sun Lijun was entrusted with full powers to build an efficient and cost-effective Chinese offshore support fleet to fill the gap left by the three "Zhejiang-class"

  The amphibious assault ship fills a gap in the PLA Navy's ability to conduct land-attack missions.

  "In principle, the main role of an aircraft carrier is to seize control of the seas. Although since World War II we have seen Americans cruising in their 'sea fortresses' along the coastlines of other countries. That's because there hasn't been a fleet that can compete with the US military for sea power. Some people advocate for 'asymmetric warfare', but who knows that only by being 'symmetric' can you achieve the goal of 'asymmetry'.

  Recalling the debate in China a few years ago about whether to build an aircraft carrier and what type to build, Major General Xu Jie couldn't help but smile. Perhaps the Chinese Navy should thank Vietnam, because they provided the Chinese Navy with an opportunity, an opportunity to prove its effectiveness."

  "Alright, order the troops to take off." Looking at the "Eagles" of the Chinese naval aviation entering the takeoff position one by one through the elevator, Xu Jie felt a strange sense of excitement tonight. "But remind the pilots to pay attention to protecting themselves. They are the country's most precious wealth after all."

  The requirements for night takeoff and landing missions are quite high, and even the elite troops of the 7th Carrier Air Wing on "Shanghai No." can only undertake such tasks with a success rate of about 70%. Tonight's departing fighter jets will be divided into two teams. Team A consists of 4 J-11Hs and 8 J-10H fighters, mainly responsible for attacking ground targets in the Dagu area that are besieging the 22nd Airborne Division by the Japanese "Nanyang Expeditionary Army". Team B consists of 2 J-11Hs and 6 J-10H fighters, mainly undertaking air cover missions.

  "Major Yang Ruolan, born in 1978 in Xuzhou, Jiangsu Province, graduated from Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics in 1997. He enlisted in the army in 1997 and transferred to the naval aviation ground support troops five years later. His father is a senior engineer in the Nanjing Military Region Air Force." The deputy pilot, Little Wang, ran over mysteriously from the rest room and whispered this in Lieutenant Colonel Liu Qingzheng's ear.

  "What are you telling me this for, you little brat?" Although he was grateful to Xiao Wang for the information in his heart, Liu Qingzheng still pretended to scold him. "Hehe, Captain, that's where you're wrong. You were clearly concerned about her to death, and yesterday at the celebration party, she didn't come, but kept asking people from the ground crew about it, and even hinted to me to help you investigate. Now you've turned your back on me and don't recognize me? Luckily I didn't tell you the most crucial information, otherwise, there might have been a possibility of killing someone to silence them."

  Xiao Wang smiled and easily lifted Liu Qingzheng's stomach.

  "Are you going to say it or not, you little brat."

  Liu Qingzheng couldn't help but ask. "I said, I said. Captain Yang Ruolan got married in 2002, her husband Senior Captain Gao was a test pilot for Shenfei. Unfortunately, he died in a flying accident in 2004." Although Little Wang spoke lightly, Liu Qingzheng seemed to clearly feel the pain of losing a loved one forever.

  "Oh! That's it." Liu Qingzheng ignored Little Wang and walked towards the elevator leading to the deck alone, "Captain, remember you promised me a double serving of nutritious breakfast!"

  Xiao Wang's voice came intermittently from behind, but Liu Qingzheng didn't hear it at all. The ground crew on the deck were making final checks on the fighter jets about to take off. As he walked up to his own plane, Yang Ruolan emerged from under Liu Qingzheng's plane, covered in oil stains.

  "Yang Gong, I was too impulsive yesterday." Under the light, looking at Yang Ruo Lan's somewhat haggard face, Liu Qing Zheng hurriedly opened his mouth to apologize. "Liu team is being polite. The ground crew colleagues have already conveyed your apology. Actually, it's nothing, I didn't take it to heart."

  Yang Ruo Lan smiled slightly and patted Liu Qing Zheng's shoulder, saying.

  "Be careful flying, we just had an intense dogfight yesterday." The beauty of that moment made Liu Qingzheng lose control of his emotions, "Yang Gong, I want to take care of you." This seemingly nonsensical sentence conveyed a meaning that couldn't be clearer.