Great Power Technology

Four hundred kilometers away, the USS Theodore Roosevelt aircraft carrier formation.

In the command room, the formation commander, aircraft carrier captain, and carrier-based air wing were gathering in the control room to discuss what had just happened.

"So, the opponent's aircraft carrier battle group is also going to the Bear Country? Is there any intention to contact us?"

the commander-in-chief of the aircraft carrier group asked.

"No - in addition, the opponent is not actually a standard aircraft carrier battle group, just a multi-functional ship formation."

"Judging from the footage we captured, their formation includes landing ships and minesweepers. It is probably a temporary formation formed to participate in this international military competition. All ships are prepared for the event."

"Their voyage is not a military operation, it is purely a, uh, maritime traffic operation."

"Are you sure? It's just a maritime traffic operation. Will it require full escort by early warning aircraft and aerial tankers?"

The commander-in-chief frowned, his words revealing a kind of natural vigilance and suspicion.

Hearing his words, the captain sighed.

In fact, any ship formation of any country has its corresponding combat effectiveness, even fishing boats - a warship of a certain country was hit and sunk by a fishing boat.

Judging from the attitude shown by the other party, he can't define the other party as a hostile opponent at all. He can't even define free navigation on the high seas as a hostile act.

After all, both sides are going to the Bear Country to participate in the competition. The other side at least has a fleet organized strictly in accordance with the needs of the competition, but what about our own side?

It is directly an aircraft carrier battle group.

Isn't it obvious who's more hostile?

After thinking for a moment, he answered:

"Of course the opponent has combat effectiveness. In fact, with just one of their 002 aircraft carriers and two 055Ds, their combat effectiveness is already extremely impressive. But as you can see, they did not take any drastic action after discovering us. , the early warning aircraft did not come close to conduct reconnaissance - this is already a very friendly way of handling it."

"If we had discovered them first, I think our carrier-based aircraft would have already swaggered to the opponent's fleet to clear the field at low altitude, right?"

The commander-in-chief's face was still cold. He looked at the commander of the carrier-based air wing and asked:

"Has our carrier-based aircraft taken off?"

"No. I don't suggest provoking the other party now. It is neither necessary nor good results can be achieved - this is on the high seas, and it is on a high seas that is not important at all. We will not go there all the time. Show your teeth, right?"

"why not?"

The wing commander was a little stunned by the commander-in-chief's question. He subconsciously asked:

"why would?"

The commander-in-chief's face immediately fell. He waited for the commander of the wing and said in a stern tone:

"Mr. Smith, I hope you will bear in mind your responsibilities. You are the commander of the carrier-based air wing. Your responsibility is to ensure that the aircraft carrier-based aircraft have combat effectiveness and can protect our fleet at all times."

"Now, the enemy is 800 kilometers away from us and within our warning range. You still ask me why the carrier-based aircraft takes off?"

"But they are not enemies - at least not now, right?"

"At sea, any fleet that does not belong to us must be treated as an enemy!"

"What you said is only theoretical, but I want to know, what is the significance of our doing this? Even if the news is passed to the country, the supreme commander will not agree with the decision you said."

"I have made it very clear that there is no need to provoke the other side. We are going to participate in the competition. This is not even an exercise or even a combat readiness cruise. Why do we do irrational things at this time?"

Seeing the stubborn expression of the wing commander, the commander-in-chief first stared angrily, then became restless. After pacing back and forth several times, he finally let out a long sigh.

Of course he understands the concerns of his subordinates. In fact, such concerns are also common in this fleet.

As the main force of the navy, the area they patrol is always the frontline, and they can always sense changes in the situation the fastest. Everyone knows that the current confrontation is becoming more and more tense day by day.

But no one wants to fight, and no one wants to fight.

So, a kind of conflicting emotions began to spread throughout the fleet.

On the one hand, they still retain the pride of being the strongest naval force in the world, hoping to use their combat power to crush their opponents into retreat; but on the other hand, when their opponents do not retreat, they have no intention of continuing to exert pressure and only I hope to stop the action as soon as possible to avoid inadvertently becoming the trigger of a major incident.

As the commander, he was the first to discover this emotion and the first to feel the danger of it.

There is no backwardness in technology or combat literacy, but the will to fight has begun to collapse. This is often the beginning of a decline in an army's combat effectiveness.

And if this momentum is allowed to develop, the decline in combat effectiveness will be extremely terrifying in a very short period of time.

He couldn't figure out why this happened.

Is it because of the successive technological breakthroughs made by the opponent?

This is probably the most credible explanation, but the problem is that the opponent's technological breakthroughs do not really threaten this fleet.

Whether it is electromagnetic guns, carrier-based aircraft, early warning aircraft, or strategic bombers, they have just come off the production line. They are far from reaching the level of large-scale hunting equipment, and their improvement to the opponent's strength is extremely limited.

More importantly, in addition to the electromagnetic gun, which Congress has always considered useless, they not only have several other types of equipment, but they are also more advanced.

How could such a comparison of equipment hurt our own confidence?

Maybe that's not the reason - maybe the living conditions on the aircraft carrier are really too bad?

Yes, due to the long-term ocean voyage, the life of any aircraft carrier formation was not much better. The food supply was fixed and the sanitary conditions deteriorated. He had heard complaints from grassroots soldiers more than once.

According to them, it is almost impossible to find a place to sleep quietly on the ship, and there are frequent power outages, no hot water, and poor ventilation. What's even worse is that the huge metal structure of the ship's hull amplifies the temperature outside, making it unbearable. .

In just a few months, more than a dozen suicide incidents have occurred in major aircraft carrier formations, but I am completely unable to understand such extreme behavior.

Because in my own eyes, these difficulties are not worth mentioning at all.

At least they weren't living in foxholes, right?

The commander-in-chief shook his head, and after dispelling the chaotic thoughts in his mind, he said:

"I know what you are worried about, and I also know why you are unwilling to carry out the mission, but what I must tell you is that this is not just a routine reaction on our part, but also an important one that shows our determination. Way."

"Historically, every time we have encountered them they have been extremely aggressive and the other side has responded to that attitude."

"We are both tacit opponents, and both sides are playing a fixed role - maybe everyone understands that no matter how aggressive we act, there will not be any real conflict, but we just have to act well. This scene.”

"It's like a Texas Hold'em game. We've been bluffing all the time. If we suddenly show weakness, even if we have good cards, the opponent will raise our bets without hesitation."

"What can we do then? Show hand (stud)? You don't know what the ending of show hand will be at this time, right?"

After listening to his words, the wing commander and captain fell silent.

They are also aware of their blind spots.

Yes, the reason why I was unwilling to take any action was essentially to avoid conflicts, but I ignored that it was this kind of withdrawal that was more likely to cause greater conflicts.

The commander-in-chief's method may seem radical, but it is genuine, within the rules, and the best way to avoid conflicts.

Just like two cowboys confronting each other with guns, the best way to maintain a peaceful situation is to always keep aiming even if there are no bullets in the gun.

Thinking of this, the commander of the carrier air wing said:

"Okay. You are right. Give your order, and I will immediately notify the carrier air wing to prepare."

After hearing his answer, the commander-in-chief finally nodded.

"Then follow the usual procedures and launch two Hornets - no F35s, no weapons, no onboard radars. I just want to put pressure on them, not to start a war. Do you understand?"

"clear!"

The wing commander saluted him, then turned and approached the command podium and began to issue orders.

The captain on the side shook his head helplessly and could only follow the opponent and began to dispatch other support preparations on the aircraft carrier.

A few minutes later, two FA/18 fighter jets roared into the sky. They maintained the optimal radar detection altitude of 4 kilometers and freely broke into the air defense area of ​​the opponent's fleet.

In the command room of aircraft carrier No. 002, a man frowned and looked at the F/A18 that had lowered its altitude and was flying around above his own head. He said to the people around him:

"So what's the point of having these ugly country guys come out like this every time? It's like their mother is performing a duet with too much oil and is burned?"

"That's not too much oil. The international oil price has dropped so sharply recently that they were so anxious that they almost poured the oil back into the well. Now if there is an opportunity to burn more, we must seize it - we must also play with them. , otherwise you will show your cowardice.”

The man sighed and said helplessly:

"Then let's play with them. What can we do? Launch two J-15s, don't hang weapons - just hang two sets of fuel tanks. I want to see who lands first!"

On the deck, two J-15s soared into the sky from the ski jump deck, then instantly activated afterburners and chased in the direction of FA/18.

A grand aerial stunt show kicked off in advance before the start of the aerial darts event of the international military competition.