In the early morning of October 18, when the sky was about to turn dark, four J-11B heavy fighter jets in navy paint took off from Shuiling Airport, roaring south in two twin formations.
Half an hour later, the cover team broke away from the formation, turned on afterburner and rushed towards the mission airspace. The attack team continued to fly at cruising speed at an altitude of 8,000 meters and continued to approach the mission airspace.
Two J-11B heavy fighter jets equipped with air-to-air missiles serve as cover for the cover unit; the other two J-11B heavy fighter jets mounted with sea attack missiles serve as anti-ship missions and serve as the attack unit.
The small blackboard in the command tower of Haiba Division said——
Subject: Anti-ship combat drill.
Purpose: To hone the troops' long-range penetration and anti-ship combat capabilities through exercises.
Content: The air combat formation attacks the enemy surface ship formation.
Method: Use air-launched anti-ship missiles to attack enemy targets.
Time: October 18th.
Location: Sea Area 3.
Requirement: Sink an enemy ship.
For a certain unit of the Eighth Hai Division, their purpose today is to "sink" a ship of a certain driving escort detachment, while for a certain driving escort detachment combat formation, what they are training is the formation's air defense capabilities.
As for the Forgotten Reef Squadron, it is basically a soy sauce role - adding some trouble to the J-11B fleet that acts as the blue army. The superior leadership does not expect those J-8Fs to be able to withstand it, let alone give such a task .
Air cover Air cover is to help the surface combat formations keep the Blue Army fighters at the periphery. However, it is obvious that the higher-level leadership agencies have focused on the air defense capabilities of the surface combat formations.
Therefore, Li Hai should write on his blackboard - subject: making soy sauce...
Simply, Li Hai reported "making soy sauce" as a tactical call sign in a self-deprecating manner, and the superior leadership actually approved it.
Yes, fight the soy sauce team.
The surface combat formation composed of two 052D air defense destroyers and two 054A "New Youth" guided missile frigates is the Red Army. They have entered Sea Area 3 and are sailing in the direction of the rising sun. Their sides were pointed towards the north, which was the direction from which the Blue Army fighters were attacking.
At 7 o'clock in the morning, the sun has already filled the islands and reefs.
As soon as the transfer bell rang, Li Hai and Dang Weimin, who had been waiting in the flight briefing room early, rushed out with flying helmets in hand and quickly boarded the J-8F fighter jet parked nearby. Li Hai's plane has not yet been repaired. He is flying Xue Zhengrong's No. 81101 J-8FR tactical reconnaissance aircraft, which has limited air combat capabilities.
Both fighters were equipped with two PL-9C combat missiles, and nothing else.
Compared with the J-11B fleet that is armed to the teeth, it is really shabby.
"Dongyao, enemy situation report, a batch of two targets are attacking our formation at high altitude. The command post requires our unit to take off urgently to intercept!"
Zhao Feiyan on the tower entered the drill state and immediately issued enemy situation reports and instructions.
Li Hai quickly checked the status of the fighter and replied, "Dongyao received, ready for takeoff, please take off!"
"Dongyao can take off in formation!"
"clear!"
The two aircraft quickly taxied out of the runway and entered the take-off position. Without stopping, they directly accelerated the throttle to the bottom and taxied to take off in formation.
The two cooperated tacitly, and while climbing south along the take-off direction, they both turned 180 degrees to the right. After drawing two beautiful arcs in the air, the nose of the aircraft was pointed towards the north direction.
Although Li Hai was unwilling to do so, he had no choice but to do so when his superiors ordered him to do so. The two aircraft accelerated at low altitude and flew over the surface combat formation. When Li Hai turned his head and looked down, he could see four long white trails dragged out by the four ships sailing at high speed. The feeling of looking down from the air is so refreshing, which is one of the reasons why he likes flying.
"Tower, I have arrived above the formation. It's over." Li Hai reported.
Zhao Feiyan looked at the mission log and said, "Adjust the wave number and follow the command of the formation air defense command center. I wish you good luck."
"Understood, adjust the wave signal and follow the command of the formation air defense command center. Over."
Li Hai and Dang Weimin immediately adjusted the communication wave number and called the formation air defense command center, "Drawing soy sauce No. 1, call No. 1, repeat, this is soy sauce No. 1, I have arrived above the formation, over."
On the bridge of one of the 052D ships, in the air defense command center, the commander codenamed No. 1 saw two J-8Fs in the sky through the cabin window. The radar signals matched and the identification of friend or foe was completed. He said with a smile, " Received on the 1st, welcome to the 1st, and on behalf of my formation, I would like to express my gratitude to you and your comrades."
Being so polite obviously regarded Li Hai and others as guest actors.
What could Li Hai do? He smiled helplessly and said, "Thank you. I will follow your instructions. It's over."
"Please adjust to the backup wave number. We have a dedicated person responsible for guiding you." Number 1 said.
Hell, even soy sauce is not welcome. No. 1 obviously didn't want to pay attention to them, so he was handed over to a young staff officer. In fact, there is nothing that can be done about it. The J-8F's tactical system is not connected to the naval formation combat data link, which means that all command and intelligence reports for the J-8F must rely on the commander to communicate through voice communication.
How can Commander No. 1 have the time to "serve" the two masters?
This is also the reason why the superior leadership did not put forward any specific requirements when assigning the mission to the Forgotten Reef Squadron. To put it bluntly, Li Hai and Li Hai helped to create a battlefield atmosphere so that the J-11B would not confront the air. The atmosphere group!
"...I understand, soy sauce No. 1, adjust the wave number to the backup wave number..." Li Hai replied listlessly, turned his head and glanced at Dang Weimin, who was about thirty meters away on the right, raised his right hand, Wearing bright white labor protection gloves, he spread his hands to express helplessness.
Dang Weimin returned the same gesture, also wearing white labor protection gloves.
Soon, Li Hai connected with a young voice. The young staff officer was in the corner of the command center. He didn't even have an independent tactical display terminal, so he could only swing his head to look at other people's.
"The targets are two in a batch. The distance is 150 kilometers, the altitude is 6,000, and the heading is due south. Well, they are coming towards my formation. Please go to intercept them immediately." The young staff officer was also listless, gearing up to prepare for the drill. After putting on a good show, he was assigned such a position, so naturally he couldn't get excited.
Who doesn't know that commanding two old fighter jets is a soy sauce position? Even the tactical call sign is called soy sauce!
"I received it on the 1st, so go and intercept it immediately!"
Let's make soy sauce, let's use atmosphere group, let's use atmosphere group. Who makes our fighter planes not connected to the naval formation combat data link because they will be eliminated soon? The air defense network without a way to integrate into the surface combat formation will not be able to play its role.
Li Hai secretly thought to himself, at worst, I will go it alone, even if I can't defeat him, I still have to stir up the atmosphere!
