Chapter 546

Chapter 546: The Strong "Doudou"

There were even some tactical maneuvers they had never seen before, yet aviation experts from various countries could still recognize the performance advantages of the F/A-XX.

Everyone could now identify the unmanned version of the F/A-XX fighter jet, which showcased an immense overload capacity, making its flight posture quite dramatic. The human body simply could not endure such extreme overload; only the unmanned F/A-XX could accomplish this.

Two F-22 Raptors also took to the skies, engaging in simulated combat against two groups of F/A-XX fighter jets, primarily focusing on dogfight drills.

Six Global Hawks provided a 360-degree perspective of the battlefield, capturing every detail without missing a thing.

Despite the experts from Lockheed Martin gritting their teeth in frustration on the ground, the Boeing team was exhilarated.

Sixth generation against fourth generation, what a thrill!

The maneuverability of the sixth-generation fighter was astonishing. In addition to the well-known classic tactical movements, it also demonstrated numerous unique dogfighting techniques.

Although no real missiles were launched, the movements and guidance from the nose of the aircraft indicated that whether in one-on-one engagements or two against one, the F-22 Raptors were nearly no match for any of the F/A-XXs, being overwhelmingly dominated instead.

As this was a demonstration, the emphasis was on maneuverability. The movements of the four F/A-XXs were not as decisive and concise as they would be in real combat, showcasing various classic maneuvers that also reflected the aircraft’s capabilities.

“Lin Mo, see that? It looks very much like your style!”

Professor Yan pointed to the sky, where the four F/A-XX fighter jets performed consecutive intricate maneuvers, alongside the unfortunate F-22 Raptors.

It resembled a tactical maneuvering warehouse, prominently reflecting Lin Mo’s ever-changing style.

A few experts from the aviation team, who had participated in the National Defense Star test flight activities, nodded in agreement without prior arrangement.

“Take notes, bring it back, and crack it! Hehe.”

Some experts familiar with Lin Mo’s background felt a warm sense of excitement, their thoughts oddly synchronized.

Building fighter jets and piloting them are entirely different. Even if they could guess the operational methods for these maneuvers, they wouldn’t be able to predict the timing of those operations.

A slight error can lead to a major disaster. Simply reverse-engineering the operation through mechanical principles carries immense risks; otherwise, renowned classic maneuvers wouldn’t be mastered by only a few individuals.

No one would risk lives for reverse reasoning, especially not for flight maneuvers that could lose accuracy through second-hand accounts.

Boeing had never imagined that among the experts they invited, there was a hidden ace pilot lurking in their midst.

The previous day’s carefully arranged event, where they engaged in human-machine dialogue with "Adam," was essentially Boeing and the U.S. Military discreetly testing these experts’ backgrounds, particularly focusing on those who were younger and less known, to ensure there were no top foreign pilots hidden amongst them for today’s flight demonstration.

Top fighter tactics relate to national defense strategies; even Americans wouldn’t easily show them to outsiders.

The U.S. Military’s caution was not unfounded; Lin Mo truly displayed a distinct presence among the Chinese aviation experts.

He had easily thrown off two agents and cracked the granite floor of the hotel lobby, all captured on surveillance cameras installed in the lobby.

After analysis by behavioral experts, every move Lin Mo made subtly reflected a close-combat style deeply ingrained in him. Even Lin Mo himself hadn’t realized that the Dragon Knight’s aura and behavior were mistakenly interpreted by Americans as signifying he was a powerful bodyguard within the experts’ group, with a greater chance of being a brawler than a pilot.

No pilot possesses such terrifying strength and aggressiveness, which further explains Lin Mo’s ferocity.

A Dragon Knight becoming a fighter pilot already defies common sense; no one could guess Lin Mo’s true military specialty.

The organizer was Boeing, not Lin Mo’s old rival Lockheed.

Even if Lockheed knew something, they wouldn’t tell Boeing about it. Moreover, they quietly made some changes during this test flight organized by Boeing.

At this moment, four small black dots flew in from the west.

“Ah! Target drones taking off from Edwards Air Force Base; they’re arriving.”

Boeing’s vice president, Will Ketch, glanced at his watch to confirm the next phase of the demonstration.

General Rogers guessed something and asked, “Is it a demonstration of air-to-air weapons?”

Will Ketch nodded and replied, “That’s right. The latest T3 missile is a product we developed in collaboration with Raytheon. Today, we are testing its compatibility with the F/A-XX.”

The “Three-Target Terminator” T3 was funded by the U.S. Department of Defense’s Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) for Boeing and Raytheon to develop a next-generation multifunctional air-to-air missile.

It required high speed and long range, capable of attacking enemy aircraft, cruise missiles, and ground targets (including anti-radiation missiles). The T3 was primarily designed for internal carriage, with a guidance system that includes various modes, including network-centric data links, enabling a high capability for target discrimination. Additionally, the new missile featured a multifunctional warhead, capable of inflicting maximum damage on multiple targets.

“Boeing really makes people look at them with new eyes! I am increasingly looking forward to it; your demonstration event is impressive.”

General Rogers gave a bit of praise to Boeing, causing vice president Will Ketch’s smile to grow wider and his attitude more respectful.

A good horse is common, but a true talent is hard to find. Will Ketch clearly regarded General Rogers, representing the U.S. Military, as a rare talent and confidant.

As expected of a world-class enterprise, Boeing’s marketing efforts were pervasive and their marketing creativity was seen everywhere.

As top marketers say, we don’t just sell products; we offer a complete and well-thought-out solution, meticulously crafted for the customer. The customer only needs to say YES or NO!

According to the American philosophy, as long as you pay, any problem can be solved; you just wait for the results you need. Boeing’s actions perfectly aligned with American characteristics.

The four F/A-XXs immediately spread out into two attack groups, each heading towards the incoming target drones from the side. The lead and wingmen had clear roles, moving from cruising to attack posture smoothly like flowing water.

The two F-22 Raptors that completed the simulated combat tactfully moved aside to watch.

The unfortunate target drones were merely cannon fodder for the fighter pilots’ "Doudou".

However, history has seen exceptionally resilient "Doudous" that just wouldn’t go down, continuing to wander leisurely in the sky, nearly forcing the surface-to-air missile manufacturers to go hungry. Ultimately, political pressure was used to resort to underhanded means to force the production of this formidable "Doudou" to cease, preserving their jobs instead.

This "Doudou" hero was named the AQM-60 "Kingfisher", and everyone knew its unfortunate manufacturer—poor Lockheed.

Boeing absolutely would not allow the same mistake to happen; otherwise, it would be a blatant slap in the face.

For this reason, both the missile project team, fighter jet project team, and the "Adam" project team responsible stood before vice president Will Ketch and confidently guaranteed that everything was foolproof, even signing a military order.

“Hmm, well done! I can hardly tell which aircraft is piloted and which is unmanned. Are Bak and Colonel Holmes piloting those two F/A-XXs?”

“Correct! It’s them. Thank you very much for the compliment, General. The purpose of ‘Adam’ is to replace humans, reduce casualties, and spare families from pain. Colonel Bak and Colonel Holmes are true fighter aces, and we put in a great deal of effort to convince the Pentagon to loan them for this test flight. We prepared for a long time for today.”

Will Ketch understood that Boeing had nearly spent two full years preparing for this test flight, investing unprecedented resources and using extensive personal connections to ensure that their best product received military approval.

The first pair of F/A-XX twin aircraft launched two T3 missiles, with very noticeable white trails visibly cutting through the blue sky, growing ever longer.

The unmanned target drones began to evade, but there was no escaping the relentless missiles closing in on them.

The two fireballs and smoke clouds in the sky earned enthusiastic applause from everyone on the ground.

“Well done, Will! I will truthfully report everything I witnessed today to higher-ups.”

General Rogers clapped his hands vigorously and congratulated vice president Will Ketch. The simultaneous launch was a remarkable achievement.

In real air combat, as long as the pilots’ capabilities and aircraft types are not too imbalanced, it’s not common to see air-to-air missiles score perfect hits.

“Next up is a drone demonstration! Please continue to enjoy, General Rogers. I believe you will be even more amazed.”

Will Ketch smiled modestly, happily accepting General Rogers’ congratulations on behalf of the military.

In the earlier flight demonstration, also featuring the F/A-XX fighter jets, the performance of the "Adam" intelligent unmanned combat system was just as good as the two ace pilots, showcasing very clear advantages in certain aspects.

The two F/A-XXs controlled entirely by the "Adam" intelligent system moved as if they were truly being piloted, adhering strictly to the maneuvers without a single error, showcasing the rigorousness of the computer program to perfection.

Facing two unmanned target drones engaged in various evasive maneuvers, the unmanned F/A-XX formation suddenly launched two white smoke trails that shot out rapidly from beneath their bellies.

As everyone watched, an unexpected event occurred.

The targets of the two T3 missiles were not the unmanned drones everyone had assumed, but rather the F-22 Raptor twin aircraft nearby.

Will Ketch was right; it truly would be even more surprising.