Battlefield Contractor

"Do you really think we don't have any hope?" Ernest saw Lin Rui.

"It's not only that I think so. Even you, and the generals under you, don't believe that you can use a frontal confrontation with the Moroccan army." Lin Rui replied, "It's just because of face, you can't say that.

But you hired us not to let me give you face. But let me help you get out of trouble and strive for the best result. "Lin Rui replied.

"Well, I can try to persuade everyone to give you full command authority. But nominally there will still be one of our personnel who will act as the commander." Ernest finally made up his mind.

"This is best because we have no time to waste. To win this battle, we need to make a lot of preparations. There are a lot of extra preparations, and we should start in time." Lin Rui replied.

Ennis Feature nodded in agreement.

In the early morning of September 27, two mechanized brigades and two independent armored battalions of the Moroccan forces launched a rapid raid along a predetermined route.

As expected by the actuary, in order to get rid of Algeria's influence as much as possible, Moroccan troops avoided the border with Algeria.

For this reason, the Moroccans also paid a certain price. They established supply points in two more remote areas to ensure the fuel and supplies of the combat team.

In addition, the air force was dispatched to conduct reconnaissance, and four American F16Black52+ fighter formations served as reconnaissance.

Compared with other models in the family, this fighter has a significant improvement in performance. Mainly reflected in the replacement of HP's new aero engine with increased thrust, improved cockpit interface, improved fire control radar and avionics, and increased types of mounted weapons.

With anti-radar and enhanced ability to throw jdam, this type of fighter did not enter service in the US military until 1993. It can be said that it is currently one of the most advanced fighters in Africa.

The armored forces did not stop waiting, but received the signals sent by the fighters during the high-speed march. The information sent by the F16 fighters showed that they had discovered the base of the People’s Front of Western Sahara and were conducting reconnaissance around the base.

When they were talking, the fighter pilot suddenly exclaimed, "Damn, they are attacking us. It's ZSU-23-4! More than one, there are several."

This ZSU-23-4 anti-aircraft gun was developed by the former Soviet Union in the 1960s and has been a series of years of actual combat, although it has been around for more than 50 years. But it is still the most effective anti-aircraft gun vehicle, and it is the pilot’s biggest nightmare.

ZSU-23-4 anti-aircraft gun vehicle. ZSU means anti-aircraft self-propelled artillery, 23 means that the caliber of the artillery is 23 mm, and 4 means 4 guns.

This anti-aircraft artillery vehicle is equipped with four 23mm cannons with a rate of fire of 850 to 1,000 shots per minute. The most effective distance is within 2.5 kilometers. Once close to this range, it is almost impossible for airplanes and helicopters to escape.

This air defense vehicle has participated in actual combat in the Middle East, Africa, Vietnam, Afghanistan and other places. During the Six-Day War and the Atonement War, even though the Israeli Air Force was indeed well-trained, it was extremely troublesome to face the ZSU-23-4 air defense vehicle position.

Because this thing is equipped with a J-band radar, it can detect aircraft flying within 20 kilometers, and the shooting control is quite simple. In the latest version, with a new numerical control system, laser ranging range and infrared thermal imaging camera, the detection performance is improved.

In order to avoid the range of ZSU-23-4, bombs can only be dropped from high altitude, but this can easily expose their whereabouts and become the target of air defense missiles.

Originally, the Moroccan Air Force thought that it would be difficult for the Western Sahara troops to pose a threat to them, but they did not expect that the Western Sahara troops would actually ambush an air defense gun position in advance.

Forcing several F16s to raise their height to avoid dense anti-aircraft fire from below. But they overlooked one point, that is, this type of ZSU-23-4 air defense gun is usually not used alone, but in conjunction with other air defense weapons.

The armament of the People’s Front of Western Sahara is quite crude, but this does not prevent them from obtaining the former Soviet Union’s s125 air defense missile, which is commonly known as the Sam-3 air defense missile.

An all-weather short-range surface-to-air missile used to intercept medium and low altitude aircraft. It is also equipment from the 1960s, using a 4-piece missile launcher. A Sam-3 missile battalion is equipped with 4 such launchers. In this way, up to 16 missiles can be launched at a time.

The fragment killing method is adopted, the number of fragments can reach 3670, and a salvo of 4 missiles can form more than 15,000 fragments.

It is this kind of air defense missile from the 1960s that has a glorious experience that is hard to erase.

In the Kosovo War in 1999, the air defense forces of the Allied Yugoslav Army used this missile to shoot down the world's most advanced US F117 stealth bomber. Thus breaking the myth that the stealth fighter cannot be shot down.

The Moroccan troops have conducted reconnaissance in this area many times before because of their equipment advantages, and Western Sahara did not respond. In this way they are a bit careless, and the Western Sahara military is indeed too backward.

This is not the first time that the Moroccan Air Force has performed missions without opening up air corridors. Pilots are also used to it. Unexpectedly, he was attacked by anti-aircraft artillery while lowering his altitude to detect.

This forced the pilots to raise the flight altitude immediately, but only a few seconds later the fighter's radar suddenly rang, and the pilots desperately shouted, "It's a missile, we are locked by the missile."

In the ensuing loud noise, an F16 fighter was completely lost. The Moroccan military commander who was listening to the report at the headquarters was also shocked by the sudden loud noise. He picked up the communication headset and said loudly, "Report the situation. I want you to report the situation on 003."

About a few seconds later, another pilot's communication came, "No. 003 has been shot down, and the pilot completed the ejection and escape before being shot down. In addition, No. 001 was hit by anti-aircraft artillery, and we are returning home. Repeat that we are now. Return home..."

"Damn, they shot down an F16." The Moroccan commander looked a little depressed.

"Sir, judging from the current intelligence, they are not only equipped with a large number of anti-aircraft artillery, but also equipped with a certain number of medium and short-range air defense missiles.

This was not mentioned in our previous intelligence..." An officer whispered beside him.

"They have an anti-aircraft artillery battalion. The Sam-3 missile is now considered quite cheap and easy to get. It has nothing to do with intelligence, because we underestimate the enemy.

But this also gave us a signal that it is likely to be the headquarters of the enemy army there. Otherwise they would not have so many anti-aircraft weapons.

We lost an F16, but it is very likely that we caught a big fish. Since this enemy command headquarters is so important, it is very likely that they are responsible for deploying all Western Sahara troops. "The Moroccan commander has a grim face.