Chapter 677

Chapter 677: Charge

If you can’t bear the loss, don’t think about taking down the ace.

Once the battle begins, the best tactics are the simplest; you must not give the opponent the slightest chance.

“I choose A!”

The Dragon Knight did not hesitate to opt for a head-on confrontation, going toe-to-toe with the enemy. The A tactic was entirely about returning the opponent’s tactics against them.

For Lin Mo, flanking was indeed safer, but it carried more uncertainties.

The enemy currently had a flight speed of 2.6 Mach, and in a head-on facing scenario, the closing speed between the two planes equaled the sum of their speeds.

If the X-1 and "Little Cutie" charged at a speed of 2 Mach, they would approach at a combined speed of 4.6 Mach, which would pose a relative speed akin to that of an extremely advanced air-to-air missile.

Ignoring suddenness and stealth, the risk of a head-on encounter was nearly equal. If things went poorly, the four fighter jets could collide and destroy each other.

However, if the enemy failed to respond in time, they could be caught off guard and potentially suffer a loss against Lin Mo and "Raccoon."

“Alright, then let’s do it!”

“Raccoon” felt he may have underestimated this young Chinese pilot. In a battle where an ambush was possible, he dared to turn the tables and adopt an aggressive counteroffensive tactic.

It would not be an exaggeration to say he had the skills and the courage.

“Speed at 2.2 Mach! ‘Raccoon,’ can your ‘Little Cutie’ handle this?”

Lin Mo set a flight parameter and communicated with "Raccoon," who was positioned to the right and slightly behind in the X-1.

No one would easily share their fighter’s real performance stats unless they were from the same national department. Even in a temporary team at the "Abyss Nirvana," fellow pilots would not divulge such information, even if they shared a bond of life and death.

Air combat skills knew no nationality, but aviators did have nationalities.

This kind of state secret was something no pilot would share easily, even with their families or loved ones.

“Raccoon” glanced at the X-1 and replied, “2.2 Mach, no pressure!”

They exchanged crucial information, confirming that both their fighters could achieve a cruising speed of 2.2 Mach.

“Afterburner countdown! Three, two, one! Go!”

Lin Mo slightly pushed the throttle and didn’t release too much fuel. The X-1, possessing supersonic cruising capabilities, quivered lightly as a ring of white condensation clouds enveloped the cockpit and quickly receded.

"Raccoon" could also easily increase the speed of "Little Cutie" past the speed of sound, closely following the X-1’s thrust curve.

“Little Cutie,” resembling the F-117 “Nighthawk,” evidently focused on enhancing its aerodynamic layout for supersonic performance.

Perhaps inspired by advancements in aerodynamic layout in the Chinese aviation industry, Canadian sponsors took the excellent stealth performance of the F-117 as a prototype. They boldly modified its aerodynamic layout to improve its air combat performance, turning "Raccoon’s" little plane into a high-speed stealth fighter.

“Distance 150 kilometers, enemy speed 2.7 Mach!”

“Distance 100 kilometers, enemy speed 2.6 Mach!”

“Distance 60 kilometers, enemy speed 2.9 Mach!”

The radar screen in "Little Cutie’s" cockpit remained entirely blank, showing no signals. "Raccoon" could only rely on Lin Mo to continuously report the enemy’s speed over the radio.

Lin Mo did not deceive himself; he concentrated fully on piloting the aircraft, activating the air-to-air missiles while preparing for the impending battle as the countdown began.

As the enemy approached the air combat zone near Damascus, their speed became more astonishing. The performance of the two aircraft was exceeding expectations.

The MiG 1.44 demonstrated a speed that exceeded its publicly announced specifications, reaching 2.9 Mach. This surprised Raccoon, as once a fighter jet surpasses 2 Mach, every increase of 0.1 Mach poses a challenge to both the engine output and aerodynamic design.

Raccoon did not let others know that his aircraft’s maximum speed could barely reach 2.8 Mach. This 0.1 Mach difference meant that in a chase against the MiG 1.44, Raccoon was likely at a disadvantage.

There was almost no chance of a rookie appearing among the ace pilots of the intermediate tier, especially not with a high-performance fighter like the MiG 1.44. The Russians would certainly not assign an ordinary pilot to such an aircraft.

Fighter test pilots from any country are all experienced air combat aces. In the "Abyss Nirvana" competition, ordinary military pilots were simply not allowed to participate in such deadly events.

Even the UFO, which had maneuverability comparable to conventional fighters and the ability to attack from all angles, could also reach the same speed of 2.9 Mach, truly frightening Raccoon.

If a regular pilot were in this situation, they might very well panic.

Fortunately, the more agile X-1 Forward-Swept Wing Fighter Jet took on the difficult task of dealing with the UFO.

Regarding the outstanding performance of the MiG 1.44, Raccoon could only hope that Lin Mo would quickly neutralize the opponent and come to his aid. The intermediate group was filled with danger, and Raccoon felt like he was walking on thin ice once again.

“I see them! Open fire!”

Raccoon shouted, and he and Lin Mo instantly launched close-range air-to-air combat missiles at the target that suddenly appeared within their line of sight.

This was the advantage of being prepared to face an unprepared enemy; the two government army fighters unleashed their techniques without hesitation, taking the initiative.

The four fighters were almost at the same elevation when they spotted each other simultaneously and without delay charged into a deadly clash.

On the radar screens of the X-1 and "Little Cutie," a small blip appeared simultaneously— the shadow of the MiG 1.44, whose 0.5-square-meter radar cross-section was the weakest in terms of stealth among the four fighters.

Even more chilling was the UFO’s stealth aerodynamic design, which turned out to be true to the rumors: it had zero reflection. Lin Mo and Raccoon’s radar screens still showed no response.

At a visual distance of over ten kilometers, both parties approached each other at a high speed of 5.1 Mach, closing in rapidly.

There was no chance to evade; there was no opportunity to evade.

In a narrow confrontation, victory belonged to the brave. Once battle commenced, neither side could retreat.

Launching missiles in such a supersonic state was not just a test of the missiles themselves, but also of the fighter jets’ launching mechanisms.

Any miscalculation could instantly disrupt the aircraft’s dynamic balance, leading to a terrifying mid-air disintegration.

Both the X-1 and "Little Cutie" used internal weapon bays designed to accommodate extreme supersonic launch conditions.

The onboard computer activated a special launch mechanism to forcefully eject the missiles from the bays. As the combat missiles exited the bay, they ignited with a brilliant tail flame and shot out.

The weapon manufacturers for the "Abyss Nirvana" organizers had also considered the extreme conditions of supersonic launching from the outset of their design.

The two trails of white smoke reached a length of six kilometers, and the fighters left only four ghostly afterimages in the sky as they crossed.

Boom!

Two fireballs exploded in the air.

Lin Mo and Raccoon looked grim; their first round of fire went completely astray.

The UFO’s perfect maneuverability allowed it to shift slightly, evading the approaching missiles while effortlessly deploying several bright infrared decoys in front of the unsuspecting close-range air-to-air missiles.

The outcome was predictable; the UFO’s pilot, Belong,With an impressive record of 11 kills, did not gain his reputation for nothing.

Russian fighters were known for their superior maneuverability in design, and both the Su and MiG models distinctly showcased this trait. The MiG 1.44 was no exception. Although it missed the chance to counterattack, it still managed to skillfully evade at a dangerously close range. The detonated fireball exploded less than 20 meters from its tail.

Despite the proximity, the powerful afterburner created a continuous barrier of high-temperature, high-speed airflow that pushed the shockwave and shrapnel away.

Like ancient knights, the four fighters passed each other at an astonishing speed. The pilots felt a violent shake in their aircraft caused by the chaotic gas turbulence.

In the first round, neither side gained an advantage.

“Sharp turn! Prepare for a counterattack!”

Raccoon yelled into the radio, completely forgetting everything else.

The faster a pilot could turn, the quicker they could accelerate; this was the fundamental principle of energy warfare techniques. The tactics of the Canadian Air Force were closely linked to those of the U.S. Air Force.

Turning tested the aircraft’s aerodynamic design and the overload capacity of both the aircraft and the pilot.

The X-1 Forward-Swept Wing Fighter Jet deployed an astonishing four airbrakes, sharply reducing its speed while yawing its body, creating a drift effect to pivot its nose. Meanwhile, Raccoon’s aircraft turned off one engine to utilize its center of gravity and non-axial thrust, achieving an impressive ultra-small-radius turn.

Utilizing the Light Mirror Technique, they locked onto each other with their cannons.

The distances between them were not very far; as Lin Mo turned, he immediately pressed the cannon’s firing button.

“‘Balor!’ Let’s show them who’s boss!”

Belong, the UFO’s pilot, shouted in frustration on the radio channel.