Chapter Five: The Arrow on the Bowstring

  The S-300 (SA-10) is not an upgraded version of the S-200 (SA-5). The two are different systems.

  SA-6 is a medium-range surface-to-air missile, over five meters long, with a range of up to 25 kilometers. SA-7 is a shoulder-fired short-range missile, over one meter long, with a range of four kilometers, used for individual air defense.

  Zhang Feng saw the SA-7 missile box and was overjoyed. Now, the other side will have a headache!

  This missile, the results are also very rich. In August 1969, the SAM-7 air defense missile was first put into actual combat use, Egypt used it to shoot down six Israeli aircraft in a battle in the Suez Canal area. During the Fourth Middle East War, Egypt and Syria used eight-wheel self-propelled SAM-7 air defense missiles, heavily attacking low-flying Israeli planes and helicopters, causing the Israeli military to lose 78 aircraft within a week of the start of the war, making a huge contribution to the Arab army's initiative in the early stages of the war.

  But why didn't that damned Varick tell us he had such a weapon?

  "Wait!" Zhang Feng shouted loudly.

  "Yes, Lord Kusay." Varick came running over, sweating profusely. A high-angle gun had malfunctioned and he was frantically trying to repair it.

  "With SAM-7 missiles, how come you didn't tell me?"

  "Down in Kusay, this kind of missile is only used by the Missile Battalion people. They're all gone, we won't use it." Varikh said with an innocent face.

  It seems that the training of the Iraqi armed forces is too monotonous, this kind of thing should be used by everyone. Even terrorists will use it in the future, and as early as 2003, they hit a civilian airliner, opening up a precedent for attacking civilian aircraft.

  Zhang Feng looked at those missiles with great disappointment and left two for himself. The rest were all taken back by the truck.

  He unpacked the package, immediately started assembling it, connected the thermal battery, powered on self-test, connected the cold air bottle, checked the gas volume, and when the time came to launch the missile, he would be blown up if it didn't go out.

  Varick was stunned: "Kusayagi-san, how can you even use this kind of missile?"

  "I've even been on a nuclear submarine, let alone something as small as this shoulder-fired missile." Zhang Feng said with his head down.

  Continuous ultra-low altitude flight is a test of endurance for pilots.

  At this moment, the flight control system linked with terrain has not been studied yet. Otherwise, using external navigation and terrain matching pods, in conjunction with fly-by-wire systems, can hand over flying tasks to computers themselves.

  Raz glanced at the navigation chart: 17 hours and 10 minutes, they had already entered Iraqi airspace.

  Behind them, three F-16 fighter jets and Raz's plane formed a V-shaped formation, flying low and fast. Further back, four more F-16 fighter jets led by Nahumi formed the second group, practically hugging the ground as they flew.

  Only thirty meters above ground, yet flying at a speed of 0.8 Mach, this is simply dancing with death.

  Having abandoned the auxiliary fuel tank, it reached 0.8 Mach without afterburning, and if afterburning was turned on, it could break the sound barrier at low altitude, causing buildings on the ground to collapse due to sonic booms wherever it went.

  The third group consisted of six F-15 fighter jets, which would soon climb high and take on the task of intercepting enemy fighters.

  The timing of the attack was carefully chosen, as the nearby Iraqi air base was preparing for dinner and was at its most relaxed. After completing the bombing, they could also take advantage of the night to return.

  Raz glanced down at the weapon slung under his wing: an MK84 907kg bomb, a dumb iron bomb with no guidance system. But this bomb weighed nearly a ton and could easily smash through the steel casing of a nuclear reactor if dropped from a kilometer high. The delayed fuse would ensure that the bomb exploded inside the reactor, causing thorough destruction. It was the heaviest bomb that current air force fighter jets could carry. After more than a year of repeated practice, all pilots in the squadron were able to guarantee accurate delivery of this bomb onto the nuclear reactor.

  Another advantage is that after the bomb is released, the aircraft can climb and quickly leave the battlefield. In contrast, laser-guided bombs require the laser to continue illuminating the target until impact, increasing the risk of losses as exposure time increases.

  After hanging one of these bombs on both sides, the plane had been flying hard all the time. After throwing the bomb, it could be as light as a swallow.

  On both wingtips, two AIM-9L Sidewinder missiles are mounted for self-defense.

  However, the possibility of encountering enemy aircraft is extremely small. All the way here, they didn't even trigger Iraq's air defense network. They must still be unaware of their arrival. When they give them a dazzling fireworks display, Saddam's old face will surely be shocked.

  In a few minutes, the six F-15s of the third group will quickly climb to gain air superiority and be ready to shoot down any Iraqi fighter jets that take off, covering their own bombing operations.

  The F-15 is a pure air-to-air combat aircraft, with two F100-PW-100 turbofan engines providing sufficient power, and a thrust-to-weight ratio of over 1 (the ratio of engine thrust to aircraft weight), allowing the aircraft to climb vertically without effort. In terms of combat armament, it carries four AIM-7F Sparrows, two AIM-9L Sidewinders, and an ALQ-119 electronic countermeasures pod, making short work of Iraq's MiG-21s and MiG-23s with ease.

  Colonel Bahari flew the F-15 fighter jet, looking at the navigation information, knowing that he had already arrived at a predetermined location forty kilometers west of Baghdad.

  "F-15 fighter squadron, start climbing." Bahari broke the radio silence.

  As he spoke, he opened up the throttle and pulled the control stick back with his right hand.

  A strong push-back sensation came again, and the fighter jet was like a awakened fierce beast, piercing through the sky.

  During the climb, the F-15 fighters began to make planned turns, 6 F-15s divided into three dual formations, opened their radar and flew towards the predetermined three intercept points.

  The first squadron was responsible for Habbaniyah (TQ) and Al Taqaddum Air Base, the second squadron was responsible for Al Muthanna and Rasheed Air Base in Baghdad, while the third squadron patrolled near Salman Pak. All three bases had Iraqi fighter squadrons based there, posing the greatest threat to bomber squadrons.

  "Look down, there's an airplane!" said Warikh.

  "Don't mind them, those are F-15 air-to-air combat aircraft. What we're going to attack is the F-16." Zhang Feng said calmly. "Issue the order, raise vigilance, no one is allowed to fire prematurely. If the target is exposed, military law will be enforced!"

  The F-16 is carrying nearly a ton of bombs, which pose a lethal threat to nuclear reactors. The most powerful weapon on the F-15 is the Sparrow medium-range air-to-air missile. If the F-16s are eliminated, those F-15s will have to return without accomplishing their mission.

  Since the opponent's escort fighters have climbed and started providing battlefield cover, then the F-16 responsible for bombing will also arrive soon.

  The F-15 definitely opened afterburners and quickly flew to the combat zone, while the F-16 was carrying a large bomb and flying at low altitude in dense air, not very fast, and would arrive in just a few minutes.

  Zhang Feng felt a surge of excitement in his heart, and the consciousness of being a warrior was slowly awakening within him. His blood had not yet cooled down.

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