Chapter 178
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Chapter 178: Simultaneous Launch: Chinese Planes Fire American Missiles
At an altitude of ten thousand meters above the clouds, the cold moonlight illuminated the surroundings, dispelling the darkness. Thunder rumbled in the sky as shadowy figures with trailing flames chased each other, spewing bright, deadly trajectories.
Clearly, the two other FC-20s were locked in a fierce conflict with their opponents, facing significant pressure and unfortunate luck as they endured attacks from four MiG-29s. Lin Mo and Meat Sauce observed them engaging at knife point from fifteen kilometers away in the high sky.
Missiles certainly carried great power, but they were limited in number. Once they ran out, the rapid consumption of cannon fire rendered them helpless. Even an F-35 would be battered to the ground by a J-5 without its armaments.
“Quick, Gold Coin, shake him off! I’ll lock him in!”
“I hit him! My cannon hit him! Damn it! The point of impact isn’t enough!”
“Old Hen, I can’t hold on much longer.”
“Move, Gold Coin! Use high overload maneuvers! I’ll cover you!”
“Gold Coin, I’m firing a missile! Use the cannon to intercept him, buy time for the missile!”
A few projectiles narrowly grazed one FC-20, causing white smoke to quickly rise from one wing. Almost simultaneously, a MiG-29 was struck directly by a missile with an odd maneuvering trail, exploding into a fireball.
“Damn it! Bastard! I’ve been hit! Calling Old Hen, I’ve been hit!”
“Don’t worry, stay steady! I’m supporting you! Great! I hit him.”
“Wow, Old Hen, you did superbly! Thank God! Just a few cannon hits! Old Hen, now it’s my turn to help you. I can still take another round.”
Both Chinese and Indian volunteers busily conversed over the channel, even as the electronic jamming from Tiger Shark’s warning aircraft had little effect on the escalating air battle.
Outside the cockpit, the world spun chaotically, the planes wildly changing their positions while trailing lightly in the sky. The turbulent airflow at the wingtips caused condensation, leaving delicate trails that looked like beautiful dancing ribbons, a deadly ballet where even a moment’s inattention could result in an explosion, leaving no chance to eject and parachute.
“We’re going in!”
Lin Mo and Meat Sauce surged forward simultaneously, launching two missiles from beneath their wings.
Just then, a Mirage-2000, panicked and fleeing from the Wild Wolf squadron, barreled into the sight of Lin Mo and Meat Sauce. The Indian pilot suddenly realized his radar registered him perfectly within the attack range of two FC-20s.
The pilot of the Mirage-2000 was on the verge of tears; it was like an Old Hen paying New Year’s respects to a weasel! This was a death wish.
Seeing the danger, the Mirage-2000 attempted to turn and flee, but long streams of 23mm cannon fire swept towards it. The internal carbon fiber and boron fiber composite structure was ripped apart, and flames ignited rapidly. The aircraft shattered into pieces, the relentless bullets ruthlessly targeted the cockpit, tearing off the carbon fiber/light alloy honeycomb panel and killing the pilot instantly before he even had a chance to eject, turning him into a bloody pulp. From the outside, the once transparent cockpit canopy quickly turned opaque black.
No matter where the 23mm bullets struck the body, the result was just shredded flesh, akin to a knife slicing from the waist to the head. The glass fiber composite radar dome at the nose of the Mirage-2000 was blasted off, leading to a complete aerodynamic imbalance. In a few erratic movements in the sky, it exploded into another fireball, plummeting towards the ground.
Almost simultaneously, the two FC-20s swept past the enormous fireball created by the exploded Mirage-2000. Before the combined assault technique of Team Knights, the Mirage-2000 could not escape its doomed fate.
“Severe protest, Team Knights! You snagged our kill!”
The Night Hawk from the Wild Wolf A-5 fighter jet, which was about to enter an attacking position but had its target stolen, voiced his grievances. Damn it! Just as I was locking on, that reckless Indian pilot handed the Knights their achievement.
“Ha! What a surprise, purely accidental! Who told it to fly into our line of fire? It was irresistible!” Lin Mo grinned, clearly not meaning what he said.
“Just a reflex, nothing more! Hehe! You all understand.” Lin Mo’s partner, Meat Sauce, played along, resolutely denying any responsibility.
As for the achievements, securing them was what mattered.
Once again, two bursts of red explosions erupted in the sky. Gold Coin and Old Hen had each dealt with their opponents, while the missiles launched early by Team Knights had also worked hard.
“All MiG-29s neutralized! Gold Coin from the Ghoul Squadron is injured and cannot continue fighting. Requesting to return! Old Hen from Team Knights will assist the Wild Wolf Squadron!”
At the cost of one lightly injured FC-20, they had taken down six MiG-29s. Lin Mo and the others did not bask in victory; they merely attracted and annihilated the most threatening air dominance fighter jet, the MiG-29. However, the three A-5s from the Wild Wolf squadron would now face four Mirage-2000s.
“Persian Cat confirms. Agree to return. Do not push yourself. If you can’t hold on, eject immediately!”
“Gold Coin understands!” This Gold Coin was not the same as earlier; the pilot from Sichuan acted as bait to help shoot down a MiG-29, balancing the odds. If Pakistan had loaded more advanced missiles, like the Chinese-made fourth generation air-to-air missile SD-10 (the export version of PL-12), things would have been much easier—one volley of beyond-visual-range fire would have settled it all.
“AIM-7F Sparrow air-to-air missiles preparing, three missiles locked at beyond-visual-range! Tiger Shark warning aircraft assisting in guidance!”
Onward with the mission!
Returning fire with their own weapons!
The 40-kilometer range of the AIM-7F Sparrow air-to-air missile was perfect for launching a surprise attack.
It was baffling to see Chinese fighter jets firing American missiles.
There was no choice; the customer is king. Pakistan refused to purchase Chinese missiles, so the manufacturer in China adapted what they had at the factory.
The three FC-20s formed a trio sprinting toward the airspace where the Wild Wolf A-5s operated, three against three; it wasn’t a fight, just a delay.
The main mission of the Wild Wolf A-5 squadron was to bomb Indian armored vehicle camps. Designed primarily for ground attack, the A-5 was not a dedicated air superiority model; the two FC-20 squads would take on the primary air intercept tasks.
However, the highly skilled Chinese volunteer pilots maximized the advantages of the A-5. Though the A-5, based on the MiG-19 (J-6), was a newly modified model that fell short of the MiG-29 in terms of weight and speed due to technical lag, the A-5 squadron was specifically tasked with dealing with the technologically similar Mirage-2000 fighter jets.
This did not mean they were entirely at a disadvantage, however.
The Mirage-2000 had a slight technical advantage over the A-5, sporting a tailless delta wing aerodynamic layout and exhibiting better supersonic performance. Still, it wasn’t without flaws; the tailless delta wing performed poorly at low speeds, resulting in insufficient maneuverability. In comparison, the A-5 could almost hold its ground.
The Mirage-2000 resembled a robust giant attacking a nimble young A-5, which was adept at dodging the blows. A single hit from the Mirage-2000 could indeed prove lethal, but failing to connect would be a different matter altogether.
Understanding the Mirage-2000’s strengths, the Wild Wolf squadron daringly adopted super-low altitude dogfighting, perfectly utilizing the A-5 designed with MiG-19 wings for its low-altitude advantages. The Indian pilots could only forge ahead, taking risks amidst the mountainous terrain to engage in close combat. Firing missiles in these high-risk areas could easily lead to misses, with cannon fire becoming the primary combat weapon.
The experienced Chinese volunteer pilots bewildered the Indian pilots, disorienting them much like Lin Mo had done when he used the MiG-21 to outmaneuver two Su-30s. The sophistication of the weaponry was not the key factor; it was about who wielded those weapons.
These pilots, after facing such turmoil, might just think of fleeing at the mere sight of a Chinese aircraft next time, opting to bail out rather than risk capture.
In the midst of the chaotic brawl, Wild Wolf’s cunning pilot, Caviar, with his superb aerial combat experience, opened the score with a surprise attack. He dashed out from a valley and tore apart a Mirage-2000 with cannon fire, annihilating it mid-air.
The two 23mm cannons under the A-5’s wings unleashed a fearsome barrage, more intense than the FC-20’s.
“FIRE!” commanded the Tiger Shark warning aircraft.
The three ready FC-20s simultaneously unleashed a torrent of fire, streaking into the sky with eerie turns. Almost immediately, the Wild Wolf A-5 squadron dispersed skillfully, refusing to linger in combat.
The two Indian Mirage-2000s were left in shock; their disrupted radar screens finally displayed three nearby enemy FC-20s, while the six MiG-29s were either wholly annihilated or had escaped.
Three AIM-7F Sparrow air-to-air missiles thrust forward aggressively, causing the Indian Mirage-2000s to panic; even the Wild Wolf A-5 squadron ceased their pursuit and sped back toward Indian airspace, too fearful to climb higher, desperately attempting serpentine maneuvers to shake off the incoming missiles.
“Check fuel and ammo levels now!” The Persian Cat command center had learned of the battle’s conclusion and the Indian Air Force’s failed interception. They quickly issued the command.
