Chapter Fifteen: No More Emperor (Part Two)

  Two

  Over the southern part of Myanmar's Tanintharyi Region, fierce dogfights are still ongoing. Another battle is also taking place within the islands. In a secret Chinese naval base on the eastern side of Coco Island, an ASEAN fleet has just gone through a trial by blood and fire.

  In 1991, the second ship of the F-25T "Naresuan" class frigate, HTMS Taksin, which was newly designed and ordered by the Royal Thai Navy from China Shipbuilding Corporation, was hit in the port area by an Indian Navy PJ-10 "BrahMos" anti-ship missile. The high-speed incoming missile was like a flash of lightning in the air, more like a wave of vacuum blades, and in an instant, it cut the long hull of Taksin into two segments. The warship only supported itself on the surface for less than 5 minutes before disappearing in the waves off Koh Rang.

  The shrill air raid siren has been wailing on the bridge of the "Chakri Naruebet" aircraft carrier, stimulating the nerves of every survivor. Although still standing in his position, Admiral Veerachat can feel his hand holding the binoculars trembling non-stop. He is not unfamiliar with anti-ship missiles, but when he sees two flashing "BrahMos" flying towards his warship, that despair is hard to express. If it weren't for the Chinese Navy's soft and hard interception nets set up at the Dan Old Islands base, his aircraft carrier might have been sleeping on the seabed long ago.

  "What an unforgettable interception, indeed!" Watching the Chinese female cadet beside him with a cold expression, General Wicha managed to squeeze out a faint smile and said casually.

  "Yes... but it's not over yet."

  Leng Ziyu silently watched the last giant whirlpool within a hundred meters of the "Chakri Naruebet" - an Indian Navy PJ-10 "BrahMos" anti-ship missile that had been swooping in over the sea finally fell into the water surface of the harbor area under the dense double 35mm cannon fire, and the huge splash formed by the missile's impact and explosion once completely wetted the aircraft carrier "Chakri Naruebet".

  The soldier's instincts told her that it wasn't over yet, the Indian Air Force wouldn't give up their attack so easily. A more dangerous test was still to come.

  The massive Su-32FN shore-based reconnaissance and strike aircraft dived into the skies above the Danlao Islands at a speed of Mach 1. This was a daring dash, with Colonel Joshi in the armored pressure cockpit, tensely watching one ground intercept fire point after another appear.

  First, there is the core of China's long-range high-altitude air defense firepower - the old "Red Flag-2" B-type. This 10.8-meter-long, nearly 2-ton large air defense missile may be old, but the countless fragments formed after its high-speed flight and explosion are enough to make Colonel Joe and his colleagues break out in a cold sweat.

  Two Su-32FNs responsible for ground suppression quickly reacted. The Russian-made AS-17 high-speed anti-radiation missile, known as the "killer" of ground air defense systems, was launched in succession to try to suppress the Chinese army's interception. As for Colonel Joe and his wingman, they quickly turned into low altitude and continued flying towards the target.

  The ground was filled with dense anti-aircraft fire, the shells of China-made 90-type 35mm high-altitude cannons occasionally mixed with the fragments produced by the ancient 100mm high-altitude cannonballs, drawing out one death zone after another in the air. In the midst of the artillery fire, Lieutenant Colonel Qiao Xi felt like a lone swallow, his life as fragile as a breath. But the real test had just begun.

  A familiar missile on display: SA-15. The terrifying Russian S-300V, also known as the 9A83M-D in China, is called "HQ-17". This all-weather, mobile, vertically-launched single-carriage automated field air defense missile weapon system once showed off its prowess to Indians in New Delhi.

  The wingman was locked on first, and the poor Su-32FN quickly pulled up. But it was too late, the high-speed incoming missile pierced through the dense interference and destroyed the left wing of the Su-32FN. The doomed war eagle left its last glory in the sky and turned into a falling fireball.

  "Sacrifices will ultimately be worthwhile."

  Joshua's school faced a vast expanse of water. The harbor area was still burning with warships, amidst the rising and falling anti-aircraft fire. He welcomed his final test: 2 Thai Navy AV-8S Harrier II VTOL fighter jets that came to intercept him.

  The already aged "Sea Swallow" slowly flew in, and they looked so clumsy in front of the sharp Su-32FN. Colonel Joishi sneered and fired his own self-defense weapon - 4 R-73 short-range "air-to-air" missiles. With two bursts of flames, 2 AV-S "Swallow" fighter jets became two red "X"s on Colonel Joishi's flight path.

  "Finally, we meet, my princess." ("Chakri Naruebet" means "Royal Princess") Commander Josh pressed the launch button of the anti-ship missile, and the 70-kilometer-range ASM-M anti-ship missile roared out of the launcher...

  "Hit!" The wait wasn't long, with the signal coming from the radar. Lieutenant Colonel Joishi smiled in relief. But he was not satisfied, he still wanted to give the opponent a fatal blow. The fighter continued to fly low over the sea.

  A blue sea surface, the "Chakri Naruebet" aircraft carrier is burning fiercely, anti-ship missiles hit the warship's deck on the side, Lieutenant Colonel Jo seems to be able to see sailors running around frantically on the ship. The still operational MK41 "Sea Sparrow" vertical launch system shoots out white smoke and flames. The "Phalanx" 6-barreled 20mm close-in weapon system is still firing at high speed.

  Joshua Middleton scornfully pulled up the fighter, turning into a dive 2,000 meters above the aircraft carrier "Cherkasy Nibelungen", aiming at the bridge of the warship...

  Just as he was about to press the fire button, a white bright spot appeared in his lower left, an enemy signal indicated on the radar, giving Colonel Josh an ominous feeling. Soon, a high-speed incoming PL-8 made his premonition a reality.

  In the split second that Josh's F-16 plummeted towards the ground, he stared fixedly at the fighter jet that had shot him down - a Chinese J-7G.