The target of the two Su-30MK2s belonging to the Third Simulation Blue Army was not Li Hai. They did not know Li Hai's existence at all. Similarly, Li Hai, who did not turn on the airborne radar, was not aware of their existence.
The two Su-30MK2 twin aircraft formation is temporarily called the Ruan Richun squad. The leader Ruan Richun is the number one ace of the third simulated Blue Army Air Force. In a previous encounter, their other two Su-30MK2s collided while chasing Li Hai and Wang Xiaowei. In the end, only one barely managed to return to the base.
For the Third Simulation Blue Air Force, which has a small number of third-generation aircraft, such losses are heavy.
This time they adopted a "sneak attack" method to plan a penetration reconnaissance of the second mixed fleet participating in the exercise. In fact, it also meant "retaliation".
However, they were approaching at low altitude and maintained radio silence, so they did not detect Li Hai, who was flying at an altitude of 5,000 meters 30 nautical miles away. Even if Li Hai turns on the airborne radar, he may not be able to detect enemy aircraft at an altitude of 200.
The second mixed fleet is even less likely to find anything, because the distance is more than two hundred nautical miles. At this distance, the detection distance of the phased array radar to low-altitude air targets is already very limited.
Li Hai did not fly directly towards the Second Mixed Fleet, but first flew west to the second section of the West Line, which is about 100 kilometers away from the west coast of the South China Sea, and then turned north and followed the north section of the Second Section of the West Line. The extended line flew for 150 kilometers and finally reached the sea area where the second mixed fleet was located.
The flight route is set by the exercise headquarters. Unless there are special circumstances or new instructions, Li Hai must fly according to the prescribed route.
Judging from the current situation, when Li Hai arrived 100 kilometers east of the west coast of the South China Sea, he coincided with the Soft Spring team. However, there was an altitude difference of nearly 4,800 meters between them, and one side remained silent while the other did not turn on the machine. carrying radar.
Ruan Richun's team dared to fly at a low altitude of 200 meters above sea level at night, which shows that this team's combat skills are very promising. As the number one ace in the third simulated Blue Air Force, Nguyen Nich Xuan has won the championship in the air power competition between Southeast Asian countries.
The radar deployed on Forgotten Reef did not detect Ruan Richun's team. So, didn't the radar on the west coast of the South China Sea also detect Li Hai?
It's obviously impossible.
Li Hai has long been under radar surveillance on the west coast of the South China Sea, and tactical information has been reported to Ruan Richun's team from the ground command post.
However, Ruan Richun decided to ignore it and continued to penetrate the Second Mixed Fleet according to the original plan.
It can be seen that Ruan Richun has a very clear tactical thinking, knows where the main target is, and is very calm. At the same time, it also reflects that this person is bold and adventurous. These are exactly the qualities that a combat pilot should possess.
Ruan Richun did not intend to fight Li Hai at all, but wanted to surpass Li Hai and break into the air defense range of the Second Mixed Fleet to conduct simulated combat reconnaissance.
Invisibly, Li Hai, standing between the Second Mixed Fleet and Ruan Richun's squadron, became the first barrier to the air defense of the Second Mixed Fleet.
Li Hai knew that he would definitely be discovered by the land-based radar of the Third Simulation Blue Army. After all, the distance was only more than 100 kilometers, unless the radar operator was sleeping.
However, the second mixed fleet is composed of more than 20 destroyers and frigates, and the smallest one has a displacement of more than 4,000 tons. Such a huge fleet is pushed flatly from north to south. The navy and air force of the third simulated blue army are generally Don't dare to come over and cause trouble.
However, not only did they dare to provoke him, they also sent their number one ace, Ruan Richun.
When Li Hai reached 100 kilometers east of the west coast of the South China Sea, he began to turn right, adjusted his heading to 360, and flew north along the northern extension of the second section of the West Line.
At this time, Ruan Richun's team flew below him, flying at an altitude of 150 meters.
Ruan Richun knew Li Hai's position in real time from the ground command post's report, but Li Hai didn't know that he had just passed by Ruan Richun, and that Ruan Richun's speed was 300 kilometers per hour higher than his.
In order to save fuel to the maximum extent, Li Hai flew at an economic speed of 780 kilometers per hour, while Ruan Richun's team reached a high subsonic speed of 1,100 kilometers per hour.
No other pilot in the third simulated Blue Army Air Force, except Ruan Nich Chun's team, could perform a 150-meter nighttime low-altitude penetration flight over the sea at such a high speed.
The Third Simulation Blue Army has made adequate preparations for this mission.
At this time, the two sides were 120 kilometers away from the second mixed fleet. If Ruan Richun's team uses air-launched anti-ship missiles to attack the second mixed fleet for kilometers, it will actually be spread out at this distance.
Just three minutes after Ruan Richun's team passed through at low altitude, Li Hai felt uneasy. The main reason is that he is flying along the northern extension of the second section of the West Line. He is flying close to the line, and on the left is the dedicated training airspace of the third simulated Blue Army Air Force.
When the exercise headquarters arranged such a route, it actually had the intention of warning in the direction of the third simulated blue army.
Taking into account the actual situation that the "Snowflake" Flying Leopard fighter needs to stay in the air for more than four hours, the flight altitude is stipulated to be 5,000 meters.
In other words, Li Hai cannot change the flight altitude.
But his heart became increasingly restless, as if something was about to happen.
In this situation, his first reaction was to quickly climb to a higher altitude and first occupy a favorable attack position. However, the exercise headquarters has an order not to change the flight altitude without authorization.
I can't report to the drill headquarters that I don't feel right and apply for altitude, right?
Li Hai had only the second option - to turn on the airborne radar and search directly ahead.
His response was timely!
After turning on the airborne radar, after a few seconds of warm-up, the JL-10A pulse Doppler radar starts to work.
When the JH-7 came out, the Air Force refused to purchase it because the fighter did not meet the Air Force's tactical indicator requirements. After the JH-7A prototype came out, the Air Force signed a procurement contract. The biggest difference is that the JH-7A uses more advanced avionics systems and airborne radar.
The JL-10A pulse Doppler radar uses part of the technology of the Type 1473 radar, which is the airborne radar used by the famous J-10 fighter jet.
Stronger ground/sea detection and tracking capabilities are the advantages of the JL-10A.
After two rounds of scanning, Li Hai keenly discovered a weak reflected signal, about 20 kilometers directly ahead and below. However, after the next scan, the reflected signal disappeared.
Li Hai immediately selected the radar screen sharpening mode, and the situation suddenly became clear.
There is indeed an unknown target. After analyzing the speed and flight altitude, it can be determined that it is a fighter plane. Only a fighter plane can fly at a speed of more than a thousand kilometers per hour at such a low altitude.
"Xuehua reported that an unidentified fighter plane broke into the exercise airspace from south to north. Repeat, Snowflake urgently reported that an unidentified fighter plane broke into the exercise airspace from north to south. The speed was 1100 and the altitude was 150. It headed straight for the Second Mixed Fleet. It’s over!” Li Hai reported decisively. He was directly under the command of the exercise headquarters and was directly connected to the air control channel of the exercise headquarters.
At this time, Ruan Richun's squadron was rapidly approaching the Second Mixed Fleet, and the distance was quickly approaching 100 kilometers. For the Second Mixed Fleet without carrier-based fighter jets, this was a very dangerous distance.
The exercise headquarters responded immediately and issued several orders in succession. One of the orders was to order the No. 16 aircraft carrier combat formation to take off J-15 carrier-based fighter jets to intercept.
Li Hai knew that the exercise headquarters would definitely do this. The No. 16 aircraft carrier combat formation was only 200 nautical miles away from here, and the J-15 carrier-based fighter jets could arrive in only 10 minutes at supersonic speeds.
Therefore, Li Hai received the order to keep surveillance on unknown fighters.
At this time, only Li Hai could detect and track the unidentified fighter, because the unknown fighter flew at a very low altitude. Even if the specific location was known, the Second Mixed Fleet had no way to track it from a hundred kilometers away.
But Li Hai clearly knew that his position was the best at this moment, and it would be too passive to wait for the arrival of the J-15 carrier-based fighter jets.
He turned on the afterburner to accelerate, but did not change the altitude rashly. At the same time, he immediately asked the drill headquarters for instructions: "Snowflake, please go to intercept! It's right in front of me, over!"
Zhuang Xiaoying, who was in the back cabin, smelled an unusual smell and cheered up. Due to communications discipline, she could not interrupt between communications between Li Hai and the drill headquarters. Zhuang Xiaoying could only suppress her curiosity and was always ready with her camera.
The exercise command thought for a few seconds and asked, "Snowflake, do you want to change the shooting plan?"
Li Hai hesitated for a moment and said, "Report to Nanhai that Xuehua will not change the shooting plan. I request freedom of movement. I can stop it!"
To perform an interception mission, the auxiliary fuel tank must be discarded and entered into combat mode. Then the fuel reserve will be greatly reduced, and subsequent shooting will definitely not be able to proceed as planned, so the exercise headquarters asked.
If the shooting plan is changed, Li Hai will have to return to replenish fuel, and will miss many aspects of the troops in specific conditions.
In order to ensure that the shooting plan would not be greatly affected, Li Hai decided not to abandon the auxiliary fuel tank to perform the interception mission. He only needed the exercise headquarters to lift the flight altitude restriction.
Considering that the J-15 carrier-based fighter would arrive in the designated airspace in 10 minutes, the exercise headquarters readily agreed to Li Hai's request, "Snowflake can lift the altitude restriction and perform interception. Safety is the first priority. Over!"
"clear!"
After receiving the approval, Li Hai's first action was to dive and quickly lose altitude!
His action suddenly hit the weak spot of ground radar on the west coast of the South China Sea...
Zhuang Xiaoying in the back cabin was startled. At this moment, her heart seemed to jump to her throat, and she almost screamed, just like riding a roller coaster down a vertical slope.
She really wanted to shout: "How bad are you!"
