Chapter 407

Chapter 407: For the Sake of Chaos

In just the past thirty minutes, Major Wang Xuejun, group leader number two of Group A, truly lived up to the qualities and talents nurtured by his parents to become a pilot. He continuously defeated numerous elite pilots from around the country. When he surpassed five victories, more and more candidates began to chant in unison, “ACE! ACE!”

There are certainly many who thrive on chaos!

The term ACE originally came from French, meaning “outstanding person.” Now it has gained a new meaning, representing the honor of air combat heroes. Ace pilots, also known as fighter aces, or simply “aces,” first appeared during World War I.

After the advent of fighter planes, the term evolved to refer to “someone who shoots down five enemy aircraft.” Initially, the condition of downing five enemy planes was simply a standard for being labeled a “killer,” without special significance.

However, later on, among fighter pilots, the saying that shooting down five aircraft qualifies one as an ACE became widespread.

Unlike the manufacturing costs of fighter planes before World War I, modern fighter jets fully reflect the industrial capabilities of a nation. The intricate components encompass most of the country’s industrial system, representing the balanced development of industrial technology. Even a slight shortcoming in technology can mean the failure to produce advanced main combat aircraft.

For every fighter jet shot down, it not only represents losses in personnel and economy for the air force and the nation but also signifies a failure of the national industrial system.

Thus, every confirmed kill becomes exceptionally valuable. The worth of modern air combat aces is much higher than that of their counterparts from the two previous World Wars.

In World War II, the German Air Force’s top ace pilot, Erich Hartmann, set an unprecedented record of shooting down 352 aircraft. If placed in modern times, this would drive any country to extreme measures, even resorting to nuclear weapons to eliminate such an ace, or else their air force would face bankruptcy.

Having over three hundred aircraft downed by one person is simply unimaginable.

In response to Lin Mo’s challenge, not only did the members of Group E rally behind their leader, but many candidates from other groups, including several from Group A, also cheered for the courage of the Group E leader.

With many thriving on chaos, the mysterious number one challenges the seemingly ace number two. Everyone anticipates the showdown, including Major General Sun, who shows a glimmer of expectancy on his face.

“Go for it! Number one! Show us what you can do!”

“I believe in you! Let’s see if you can walk the walk!”

“Go, Group E leader! You are number one! The best!”

The crowd in front of the simulator parted to let Lin Mo step forward, with his loyal sidekick, Tabby Cat Meng Yinan, following closely behind.

The pressure suit designed for the simulator is a customized version, completely different from conventional pressure suits.

Once he put it on, Lin Mo felt as if his body had suddenly gained over thirty pounds. The suit had steel plates embedded throughout, and it seemed to possess some weak magnetic properties.

Lin Mo immediately understood the principle behind it: it utilized changes in the magnetic field outside the cockpit to create pressure for the suit. The stronger the magnetic field, the more it simulated gravity through attraction, allowing the pilot wearing the suit to feel significant overload and even simulate the direction of the overload.

It cost little and had a simple technology, yet one had to admire the designer’s brilliant concept—a true example of transforming the mundane into the extraordinary.

“Go get him! Hit him hard!” Meng Yinan said as he helped his leader put on the pressure suit.

Due to size limitations in spacecraft cabins, there are specific height and weight requirements for astronauts. Hence, the pressure suit is designed to accommodate all candidates, perfectly fitting those ranging from 1.6 meters to 1.72 meters tall and weighing between 55 to 70 kilograms.

The initial provocation did not receive a response from Lin Mo, but that didn’t mean others would underestimate him. Those who made it this far were not inexperienced novices; they had seen the world.

Clad in the specialized simulator pressure suit, Lin Mo donned the helmet and slid into the simulator’s seat, pressing the entrance switch to begin his ascent into the simulation chamber.

Inside, it was dimly lit, and a gray, shadowy initial screen appeared around him.

As a fighter pilot, Lin Mo was no stranger to simulators. Even though it was his first time on this extremely expensive aerospace simulator, the fundamentals remained the same, and he quickly identified the patterns. He even found the familiar ejection switch underneath his seat.

Just as Lin Mo securely fastened himself, the voice of number two came through his headset:

“Number one, for the sake of fair competition, you can choose any aircraft model. Whatever you choose, I will choose the same. This simulator can replicate the operational modes of any fighter aircraft in the country, and you can even customize the parameters.”

“Great! The J-10! Standard configuration.”

Lin Mo confidently accepted the challenge, suggesting a currently mainstream aircraft model.

Since he has a father who is an aviation division leader, he must be familiar with the J-10 model, which is currently being upgraded.

“J-10? It seems number one is no ordinary contender!”

Both number two, Wang Xuejun, in another simulator, and the onlookers outside were a bit surprised.

Although the J-10, known by the nickname “Stick,” has been widely recognized, the air force has not fully transitioned all its aviation units yet.

The reasons are limited production and high costs, which burn through the hard-earned money of the common people.

This is not like a Porsche or Ferrari that rolls off an assembly line; the manufacturers within the Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group work long hours to meet orders while considering export orders, resulting in driving the J-10 still being a privilege of a select few elites.

To complete the full upgrade, the Chinese Air Force will likely need at least five more years.

Many J-10 pilots have upgraded from the J-8, and those who can master the J-10 fighter jet are basically elite pilots, not easily underestimated.

“Okay! Free choice of ammunition, one minute to prepare.”

Wang Xuejun did not underestimate Lin Mo any longer as the countdown to the challenge began.

Despite having more flight time than most, and solid tactical movements and flight fundamentals honed since childhood, Wang Xuejun was still cautious.

As Lin Mo selected the aircraft type and ammunition mode, the simulator inside brightened, and it felt just like being in a real J-10 cockpit, with changes reflected in the dashboard and control systems.

The immersive display system showed impressive 3D simulation technology, featuring pure naked-eye 3D presentation. Combined with the 3D polarizer on the aviation helmet, the sense of depth in his field of vision intensified.

A J-10 was ready on the runway, showcasing the simulator’s greatest advantage: no need to worry about maintenance and logistics, just jump in and start flying.

With the engine ignited, the aircraft began to accelerate slowly, and the feeling of being pushed back became more pronounced. This wasn’t real overload; rather, it was the pressure suit and the steel plates in the helmet feeling the effects of the gravitational field behind him, applying pressure over every inch of skin.

As the roar intensified, Lin Mo pulled the control stick, and the image on the seamless display immediately changed, due to the powerful computational performance of the mainframe computer supporting it. The operation feedback was lightning fast, and with all effects activated, the dual 3D overlay created an incredibly immersive experience.

Each simulator costs 12 billion yuan, which is not an insignificant investment. Since it’s a simulation, the goal is to make it as realistic as possible.

At 300 meters, the ultra-short takeoff and landing were displayed on the large projection screen outside, showing Lin Mo’s aircraft climbing steeply into the sky, prompting gasps from the audience. The J-10 excels in short-distance takeoff and landing capabilities, but to fully utilize this, one must be very familiar with the aircraft’s performance and operations.

The radar showed no response; both sides were using the J-10 as their weapon, making their performance parameters identical. This is one of the flaws of normal simulated flights—too perfect can sometimes be a flaw.

In reality, slight differences in aircraft performance occur due to usage and maintenance; pilots refer to this as the “temperament” or “character” of a fighter jet. If one does not familiarize themselves with these differences, they might make critical mistakes when facing unexpected situations.

Ding!

As the alarm rang, a bright spot suddenly appeared on the radar—it was Wang Xuejun’s aircraft, and the air combat map for their duel wasn’t very large.

Lin Mo decisively turned the nose of his aircraft with a simulation of the sound barrier being broken and a slight vibration, charging full speed toward his opponent. The airspeed climbed rapidly to 2.2 Mach.

The J-10’s fire control radar activated and locked onto the target beyond visual range, with a PL-12 medium-range air-to-air missile ready for launch.

In the simulator, Lin Mo’s Light Mirror Technique had no place; he could only rely on his rich tactical experience and piloting skills.

In their head-on encounter, the likelihood of both being within each other’s attack angles was extremely low. Lin Mo was betting on this probability; if the nose of the opponent’s aircraft was not pointed in his direction, then he could gain the initiative.

Taking advantage of the single-sided attack angle to envelop the target, he suddenly accelerated to close the distance, improving the odds of a long-range attack. This interconnected tactical thought was a technique only seasoned pilots with extensive combat experience would understand.

Clearly, as Lin Mo spotted the enemy on the radar, the enemy also saw Lin Mo at the same time; however, the very beginning of their encounter favored Lin Mo.

Wang Xuejun quickly sensed something was off and was about to initiate evasive maneuvers when Lin Mo’s J-10 shuddered, and a flash of fire and white smoke shot forth.

The PL-12 medium-range air-to-air missile raced toward Wang Xuejun’s aircraft.