Chapter 42: Preparations for War
To reduce the threat of ballistic missiles from the United States and the Soviet Union in the future, Lin Feng planned to establish China's anti-missile system. The system consists of ground-based anti-missile systems, sea-based anti-missile systems, and land-based anti-missile systems. The first established was the land-based anti-missile system, which consisted of: 2 launch sites, 5 laser launch sites, 3 command centers, 5 communication relay stations, 15 radar, 30 satellites, 250 underground launch silos, and 250 intercept missile systems. Specifically, the system consists of five major parts: early warning satellites, improved early warning radars, ground-based radars, ground-based interceptors, and combat management command control communication systems. Early warning satellites are used to detect enemy missile launches, provide warnings, and provide information on enemy ballistic missile launch points and impact points.
These satellites all belong to the space-based infrared system, that is to say relying on the infrared radiation signal emitted by the smoke and fire when the enemy launches a missile to detect the missile. The early warning radar, they are the "eyes" of the anti-missile system, can warn targets 4000-4800 kilometers away. Lin Feng not only needs to improve the existing ground-based ballistic missile early warning radars deployed in various places and the radars deployed in Northeast and Northwest China but also build a new early warning radar in Taiwan.
The ground-based radar is an X-band, wideband, large-aperture phased array radar that guides the ground-based interceptor missile to the combat airspace. The ground-based interceptor missile is the core of the anti-missile system, consisting of a booster rocket and an interceptor (warhead), the former sends the interceptor to the vicinity of the target, and the latter can automatically adjust its direction and altitude, after finding and locking onto the target, it collides with it and shoots it down in space.
The command and control system uses computers and communication networks to link the above systems together. Once deployed, 24 low-orbit warning satellites orbiting the Earth every day and 6 high-orbit satellites will track the infrared radiation signal of an enemy missile launch. Through the command and control system, the satellite not only "tells" the command center about the flight trajectory of the missile but also indicates the target to the early warning radar and ground-based radar. After the early warning radar detects the target, it transmits the tracking and evaluation data of the missile to the ground-based radar. Once the combat command department issues a launch order, the interceptor takes off. The interceptor relies on its infrared detector to lock onto the incoming missile and then collides with it at full speed (using kinetic energy), destroying both itself and the opponent.
The land-based anti-missile system will be jointly established with the mainland military, and is expected to be completed and put into use within the next ten years. As for the air-based anti-missile system, it will be built independently by Taiwan, and together with future space-based weapons, will form a comprehensive missile defense system. The sea-based missile defense system is composed of warships equipped with the "Chinese Shield System" to form a strong area defense system during wartime. Currently, four destroyers equipped with the Chinese Shield System have been put into service, which is enough to form an aircraft carrier fleet.
In June 1975, Lin Feng and Taiwan's radar troops set up two radar bases at the northern and southern ends of Taiwan to monitor incoming missiles from any direction. At the same time, in order to defend against Japan, Lin Feng ordered the deployment of a "Hunter" missile launch base on Diaoyu Island, garrisoning a missile battalion.
As 1976 approached, the atmosphere of war was becoming increasingly intense. During this period, countries around the world did not give up persuading China and Japan to abandon their warlike stance. They hoped that the two nations could resolve the crisis through negotiations, which clearly went against the wishes of both sides. For its own national security, Japan had to occupy Ryukyu, even without US support behind it; once its own strength increased to a certain extent, it would certainly take control of Ryukyu again.
China, due to Lin Feng's persistence and planning, has been moving towards a tough stance on the outside, and with today's Chinese leaders having come from a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood, they are not afraid of war at all. As a result, China and Japan have been gradually approaching the brink of war under the influence of internal and external factors.
However, everyone knows that this is only a local war, and China and Japan must fight for their own nation's strategic survival space. Whoever occupies the Ryukyu Islands will have the upper hand in the future. The US also understands that if China occupies the Ryukyu Islands, Japan, as a country to contain China's development, will completely lose its strategic value, and South Korea will also be strategically surrounded by China. In the end, the US may lose all its interests in the Far East. Therefore, the US secretly fully armed Japan, especially the Japanese Navy. In the first half of 1975, the US Seventh Fleet forcibly retired two active cruisers, four destroyers, and six escort ships, a total of twenty vessels, under the pretext of "needing repairs" and handed them over to the Japanese Navy, making the total tonnage of the Japanese Navy exceed 800,000 tons.
At the same time, the Japanese Air Force is equipped with more than 300 aircraft of various types. Although most are second-generation aircraft, there are only a small number of third-generation aircraft and some second-generation aircraft with some performance characteristics of third-generation aircraft. However, the strength of the Japanese Air Force should not be underestimated.
Firstly, in terms of numbers, the Chinese Air Force does not have an advantage. Except for Taiwan's approximately 100 fourth-generation aircraft, the mainland side is almost entirely equipped with second-generation aircraft, and only the Taiwanese Air Force can be relied upon for frontline combat.
Secondly, in terms of large-scale actual combat experience, the Chinese Air Force is clearly weaker than Japan. The Chinese Air Force has not experienced a single large-scale air battle since its inception, whether it is the mainland or Taiwanese Air Force, most situations are fought under extreme disadvantage.
The key to winning this war is the navy and air force, and now Japan and China are actively strengthening their naval and air forces. In July 1975, China's first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier was officially delivered to the Navy for use. At Keelung Military Port in Taiwan, Lin Feng and Navy Commander Song Changzhi witnessed the departure of China's first aircraft carrier fleet. Wu Shiwen (born July 24, 1934) is a Kuomintang military officer from Taishan, Guangdong Province. He graduated from the Republic of China Naval Academy in 1955 and later attended the Republic of China Naval Staff College for further studies. He has served as a gunnery officer on the Zhongjian warship, participated in the August 23 Artillery Battle in 1958, and was responsible for logistics support during the battle. Due to his meritorious service, he was promoted to head of the Ordnance Department, Director of the Personnel Office, Commander of the Fleet Training Command, and President of the Naval Academy. In January 1975, he graduated from the National Defense University's Naval Command and Staff College, and at Lin Feng's suggestion, took command of the Yue Fei cruiser. In July, he officially became the first captain of the Confucius aircraft carrier.
Commander Wu Shiwen stood excitedly in front of Lin Feng and Song Changzhi, saluting: "Reporting to the superior officer, aircraft carrier captain Wu Shiwen has come to report, all naval personnel are ready, please instruct." This aircraft carrier fleet will be led by the Kongzi-class as its flagship, accompanied by two Mingjiang-class missile cruisers, four Chengdu-class destroyers, two Emperor-class attack nuclear submarines, and two frigates, one comprehensive supply ship. Navy Commander Song Changzhi issued the order for the fleet to set sail to Captain Wu Shiwen, and China's first aircraft carrier formation began its two-month global journey. This is the second aircraft carrier in the world to embark on a global voyage after the US "Enterprise" aircraft carrier, and China has become the second country in the world to be equipped with nuclear-powered aircraft carriers. Since the news of China's aircraft carrier entering the Atlantic Ocean was released, Western countries have dispatched a large number of ships, reconnaissance planes, and satellites to track and monitor this fleet throughout its journey.
The Western media exclaimed that the "Eastern Sleeping Lion" had finally awakened, and some racists loudly shouted that the "Yellow Peril" had arrived, regardless of how European and American countries reacted. China's first aircraft carrier fleet passed through the Malacca Strait, causing a huge shock in Southeast Asian countries, showing that the Chinese Navy's strength has far surpassed them, making these countries with ulterior motives feel terrified.
Fleet Commander Wu Shiwen stood on the aircraft carrier's deck, looking through binoculars at the Southeast Asian countries' warships dodging and hiding, a cold smile spreading from the corner of his mouth as he said: "After dealing with Little Japan, we'll take care of these turtles." He then turned to the combat staff officer and said: "Notify the fleet to proceed at full speed through the Malacca Strait." Amidst the Southeast Asian countries' fear and trepidation, the aircraft carrier fleet successfully passed through the Malacca Strait.
July 20, 1975, the Chinese aircraft carrier fleet arrived at the Suez Canal, marking the first time the Chinese Navy entered the Atlantic. As the fleet sailed into the Mediterranean, radar systems of Western countries became busy, all hoping to accurately capture the location of the Chinese aircraft carrier, with some even not considering it a military exercise. However, what shocked Western nations was that none of their radars could detect the presence of the "Kongzi" aircraft carrier. The US also deployed reconnaissance satellites to track the fleet, sometimes even sending high-altitude reconnaissance planes to circle above the fleet, prompting the fleet's carrier-based fighter jets to take off and intercept them. Throughout its journey, the Chinese aircraft carrier fleet traversed the Atlantic, Indian Ocean, Arctic Ocean, and Pacific Ocean amidst constant struggles, finally returning to Keelung Military Port on September 15, 1975, successfully completing its global voyage.
The successful formation voyage of China's aircraft carrier fleet has brought huge pressure to Japan, and the atmosphere of pessimism and defeat is prevalent at home. As a major aircraft carrier power during World War II, Japan is well aware of the combat effectiveness of aircraft carriers. To counter China's aircraft carriers, Japan urgently purchased 10 active submarines from the United States, preparing to use submarine formations to attack Chinese aircraft carriers.
This is the same strategy and tactics adopted by the Soviet Union, which developed submarine technology to counter the US's powerful aircraft carrier fleet, using submarines as "aircraft carrier killers". When Lin Feng heard this news, he was not worried at all. He firmly believed in the current anti-submarine capabilities of the Taiwanese Navy. The four City-class destroyers, two for air defense and two for anti-submarine warfare, plus the embarked anti-submarine helicopters and powerful electronic reconnaissance capabilities, made Lin Feng confident that he could sink Japanese submarines before they entered the core defensive circle of the aircraft carrier formation. He even had confidence in facing the powerful Soviet and US navies, and it can be said that the current Taiwanese Navy's anti-submarine and air defense capabilities are absolutely among the world's top naval forces. Now China and Japan have made their preparations, with China believing this is the beginning of its return to the world stage, while domestically in Japan, it is seen as another war that will determine the fate of the nation. The Sino-Japanese War is on the verge of breaking out.
