Chapter 457

Chapter 457: Seven Swords Under Paris

Eagles soaring in the sky have their own pride; until a true victor emerges, no one will yield. Just like a wolf pack, without a fierce battle, how could a wolf king arise?

“Come on, sit down first!”

Sergei Sulotov dragged Lin Mo onto the bus, found an empty seat, and forced him into it. As the bus doors closed, the driver pressed the gas pedal, following the convoy ahead.

This senior engineer’s methods were quite like the approach of "deciding first, reporting later." However, they were already in Paris, where he could meet up with Chen Haiqing’s National Defense Star at any moment. Naturally, Lin Mo did not worry that this old Russian would devise any schemes; he let the old man pull him along. If he didn’t want to, no tractor could drag him.

“The first few vehicles are going to Bourget Airport to observe the site and arrange things. Our bus is heading to a French air force base where the fighter jets from various exhibitors will be concentrated, both for static display and flight performances.”

Sergei Sulotov pointed towards their bus and then towards the buses ahead, clearly having another reason for pulling Lin Mo onto this last bus.

He continued to explain to Lin Mo, “We’ve brought over seven Su-27s, six for flight demonstrations and one for static display. However, we only have six pilots, so we needed one more. It would be a waste of time to run back and forth, but now that you’re here, it’s just perfect. I’d like to ask you to join our guys and fly all seven Su-27s directly to Bourget Airport.”

Fly over? Did they think the French air defense system was a decoration?

Lin Mo could hardly imagine what it would be like for their aerial knights to fly in another country’s airspace. Seven Russian fighter jets boldly flying over France would make them live targets!

This was not a performance of "Seven Swords Under Tianshan.”

Countries like France, Germany, Poland, Spain, Greece, and Italy are all members of NATO, while Russia was once part of the Warsaw Pact (the former Soviet Union).

The French also have significant achievements in the aviation industry, naturally possessing advanced missile technology.

Hearing Sergei Sulotov’s words, Lin Mo recognized the Russian military’s audacity and boldness to fly fighter jets over France, even empty; it represented something extraordinary.

At least in China, such a thing would never be allowed. During aerospace exhibitions, various air defense systems would be densely deployed nearby, all on alert 24/7. Even when national aircraft took off, they would receive the same treatment.

Lin Mo glanced at the audacious old Russian, asking, “What? Can’t it be transported by truck?”

All countries participating in the exhibition displayed their aircraft, and except for larger planes flying directly to the exhibition area, smaller fighters were gathered at a military airport for easier management, protection, and confidentiality. After all, Bourget Airport was always under construction every two years, constantly rebuilt, and the participating aircraft were real, not models; they naturally needed a designated space for storage.

“Traffic jam! Paris is experiencing a major traffic jam today; it’s impossible to transport them over. It’s not just the locals; tourists from all over Europe and the world are coming for the exhibition opening in a couple of days. If we hadn’t booked hotels in advance, we might have had to sleep in the streets these days, with the population in Paris surging. Therefore, flying directly over is the quickest and easiest way. We only have six pilots with us, and with you, we can fly all at once. Don’t tell me you’ve never flown a Su-27! Even if you haven’t, handling the takeoff and landing should be fine. It’s standard operating procedure; as a Chinese pilot, you should be able to adapt.”

Sukhoi’s senior engineer Sergei Sulotov clapped Lin Mo on the shoulder, adding, “I know that National Defense Star has the J-11 in their exhibition lineup, which is based on our Su-27—the Chinese version. If you help us out, I’ll treat you to some good vodka and foie gras; it will be worth it.”

Both Europe and America use similar standard operating procedures for design, aiding training and upgrades, which is beneficial for exports; only some small countries make clumsy modifications.

Though Sulotov offered to buy drinks, Lin Mo could hardly recall the taste of alcohol.

Compared to Chinese pilots who have strict dietary restrictions and lose their flying qualifications at the first sip, Russian pilots believe that a good pilot is one who can drink. While Chinese pilots abstain completely, can Russian pilots refrain from alcohol?

The two nations’ pilots are entirely different extremes.

No wonder this Sukhoi expert sought Lin Mo to ask for help.

For Sukhoi, the Su-27 was not something to keep secret from the Chinese since they were producing this fighter themselves, naming it the J-11, initially introduced as “Project Number 11.”

Thus, letting Lin Mo fly the Russian Su-27 had no restrictions and no obstacles.

Lin Mo felt it was not a big deal and, raising his hand, nodded in agreement. “I won’t drink; I’ll help you fly it over.”

“That’s great! Thank you so much!” Sergei Sulotov smiled, giving Lin Mo’s shoulder a hearty pat. What a good sport!

After traveling approximately five kilometers with the convoy, their bus indeed veered off in another direction, leaving the convoy behind.

Sergei Sulotov was right; the streets of Paris were not only filled with cars but also teeming with people, as visitors flocked to admire the biennial aerospace exhibition, as if the entire European population had swarmed together.

Everywhere on the streets were advertisements and flags for this aerospace exhibition.

These days, the sky and even higher altitudes belonged to the aviation industry.

It seemed Sukhoi had anticipated this traffic issue. The driver of their bus was quite familiar with the streets of Paris. He navigated through narrow roads, along the Seine River, bypassing much of the city, driving for over an hour until they reached an air force base on the outskirts of Paris.

Guarding the airport were the famous French Foreign Legion soldiers. From the bus, Lin Mo noticed that nearly a third of these foreign troops were black-haired, brown-eyed Asians, some even looked like they could be Chinese.

At this moment, in this less-known airport, the density of aircraft was astonishing, with manufacturers from various countries showcasing their main products (not necessarily the most advanced or excellent, but those allowed for export). Even the runways were crowded with various fighter jets.

In addition to the outer posts crowded with the French Foreign Legion, special forces teams from various countries guarded their respective fighter jet parking areas, with interference devices scattered around. Even if spies tried to scan or take photos, they would come back empty-handed; even digital cameras would only yield dark images.

The bus parked in the airport parking lot, and after all passengers underwent security checks, they walked towards their respective corporate areas where fighter jets were stationed, strictly following designated public walkways.

Among the world’s major powers, the stronger the country, the larger the area occupied by their aircraft, with America’s aerospace sector being the largest. Various fighter jets and helicopters crowded the area, with American soldiers armed and vigilant, scanning the surroundings and forbidding anyone from getting close or using digital devices for photographs.

Green berets!

Lin Mo’s keen eyes caught the insignia on their uniforms.

The green beret is part of the largest special forces unit in the U.S. Army, officially known as the U.S. Army Rangers. This unit is also the most favored by the President.

Like Lin Mo’s Night Special Forces, they are renowned internationally and navigate the shadows of battle.

The soldiers stationed here should be from the 10th Special Forces Group based in Stuttgart, Germany.

Lin Mo followed the Sukhoi representatives to their designated tarmac area, which was about the same size as the American area, guarded by Signal Flag special forces soldiers.

The Alpha Special Forces, known for their lethal capabilities, focus on domestic security. When the Russians deploy the Alpha, it means they are not playing around. Compared to the elite Signal Flag forces responsible for NATO countries, who must speak at least two foreign languages, Alpha forces are more suitable for defense tasks here.

The Chinese tarmac is located deeper within the airport, guarded by soldiers with no insignia, possibly from some elite unit. Chinese always keep a low profile, so it’s not surprising that Lin Mo couldn’t identify them.

Elite special forces from various countries gathered here, for national treasures cannot be easily entrusted to others. No one wants to let their aerospace secrets slip out, especially regarding aerospace industrial products. Even after payment, they may hesitate to share their secrets.

Here, various special forces are both colleagues and rivals, constantly on guard and restraining one another. Otherwise, with the number of these forces, given enough resources, taking Paris could be a walk in the park.

To the French government, these men are more terrifying than terrorists.

The aircraft parked here are mainly smaller, easily transportable aircraft, such as fighter jets and helicopters, while larger display items were already shipped to the exhibition area at Bourget Airport.