Legendary Captain

Chapter 381 I can't launch missiles!

On the island superstructure, in the control room in the tower, a considerable number of people had already gathered. Just moments ago, the fleet commander had arrived and begun his inspection.

Fleet Commander Cai Guangming and Carrier Strike Group Commander Chen Cheng stood side by side, chatting casually, with no other personnel nearby. Everyone else present consciously gave the two ample space to talk.

"Old Liao specifically mentioned that kid Xu Xian to me yesterday, telling me to keep an eye on him, saying he's a promising talent and we shouldn't let our fleet be so stingy with his own abilities," Cai Guangming laughed. "This is the first time I've seen Old Liao specifically mention a new recruit to me. That Xu Xian is an Air Force Captain now, right? He's only been in the Western Military Region Air Force for less than a year, and the top commander of the Western Military Region Air Force is already thinking about him so much. He truly has a bright future ahead of him."

The "Old Liao" that Cai Guangming mentioned was Liao Yuan, the commander of the Western Air Force, a fact that Chen Cheng knew.

"Commander Liao is overthinking it. Since our South Ship has agreed to take in Xu Xian, we will definitely treat him equally. We will teach him all the naval aviation technology. Of course, we won't hold back what we should teach him. Whether he can learn it or not depends on his own comprehension," Chen Cheng said.

Becoming a carrier-based pilot isn't something everyone can do. Even though Xu Xian received a lot of attention in the Western Air Force, it doesn't necessarily mean he can adapt to the operating environment of carrier-based aircraft. Previously, many pilots transferred from other units, intending to quickly build carrier-based aircraft squadrons, were ultimately eliminated and returned to their original units.

Chen Cheng believed that in order to support the construction of the carrier-based aircraft force, the friendly forces would not excessively withhold their best pilots. Even if they didn't send all their resources, at least the pilots they could send would be among the best. After all, these pilots represented their own reputation; if they were too poor, wouldn't they ultimately lose face?

When the carrier-based aircraft force was established, the majority of the pilots selected came from the Air Force, with some also coming from the Army Aviation Corps and the Navy Aviation Corps.

Yes, the Army also has its own aviation force. However, compared to the Air Force, the Army Aviation Force is greatly limited in terms of both aircraft types and operational range. The Army Aviation Force primarily performs auxiliary missions such as transporting troops within its own theater of operations or conducting reconnaissance. Even when it undertakes missions involving fire support, the main force is armed helicopters.

The Army Aviation Corps mainly uses helicopters, unlike the Air Force which has a complete range of aircraft such as fighters, bombers, helicopters, and transport planes.

Before the formation of carrier-based aircraft units, the navy also had its own air force, but these were limited to take-off and landing at coastal airfields and lacked long-range delivery capabilities, so their scale was not large.

However, even among these pilots transferred from other friendly units, quite a few were sent back. Chen Cheng didn't believe that these pilots were simply not working hard. Throughout the world, Chen Cheng always believed that all soldiers in his country were excellent, and those who were lazy and negligent were extremely rare.

However, no matter how hard these transferred pilots tried, many still didn't stay. What does this mean? Carrier-based pilots also need talent and aptitude.

The Western Air Force commander specifically instructed the Southern Fleet to teach Xu Xian all their skills without reservation, showing that they had high hopes for him. The Southern Fleet wasn't the type to hold back; they would teach him what needed to be taught. But if Xu Xian didn't live up to expectations, the Southern Fleet wouldn't be to blame in the end.

As the commander-in-chief of a carrier strike group, a symbol of a great power, Chen Cheng had his own pride. He did not believe that just any pilot could adapt to life in a carrier-based aircraft.

The expectations of Liao Yuan, the commander of the Xi'an Air Force, are understandable, but ultimately it depends on whether Xu Xian can live up to them.

"Comprehension?" Cai Guangming smiled slightly. "I think that kid has plenty of comprehension! He's a natural talent, so you don't need to worry about that. Just put in a little effort and attention on him, otherwise Lao Liao will bother me later. Lao Liao specifically told me about him before. This kid is top-notch in terms of technical skills and combat talent. Lao Liao is a big shot, and he speaks highly of him. Are you worried that he won't be able to adapt to the operating environment of carrier-based aircraft? The only tricky thing is that this kid is lazy. Back then, it took some effort to get him officially transferred to the Western Air Force."

"Lazy by nature?" Chen Cheng's lips twitched a few times. To be honest, he couldn't say anything too harsh only in front of his own superior. Otherwise, given his personality and ideas, a lazy person would not be suitable for military service.

Chen Cheng naturally trusted Commander Liao's judgment; after all, he was a veteran with decades of military experience, and his insight was incredibly sharp. If he said Xu Xian was top-notch in flying skills and combat talent, he certainly wasn't lying. Chen Cheng wasn't arrogant enough to think he could surpass Commander Liao's judgment.

However, since Chief Liao said that Xu Xian is lazy, then this kid is probably a lazybones too, otherwise why would the commander of the West Air Force specifically mention this trait?

"In terms of technical skills, we will definitely teach him everything we know. But if he can't adapt to the discipline of daily training and life, then I won't be able to keep him," Chen Cheng said.

Since there are no technical issues, the most likely consequence of personality problems is a problem with conduct. Conduct issues aren't particularly difficult for self-disciplined people; at least, they're rare among Chinese military personnel. But it seems Xu Xian will suffer for this conduct problem in the future.

The issue of conduct is not merely a narrow definition of lifestyle, or what some people understand as only romantic relationships. It encompasses a wide range of other aspects. Lazy people are very prone to conduct problems, and the consequences of conduct problems often outweigh those of technical issues.

Cai Guangming: "Didn't we have that emergency on a civil aviation flight a while ago? This kid was on the plane. I had already agreed to upload the terrain data of Longjiang Airport, but at the last minute, he stubbornly refused. I've listened to the cockpit recording of that flight. 'I'm a soldier, and I'm responsible for the South China Sea Fleet.' What a good kid! Maybe he was a lazy person before, but since that emergency on civil aviation, I can at least be sure that he's changing."

I am a soldier, and I am also responsible for the South China Sea Fleet!

This recording of Xu Xian in the cockpit has now circulated among many high-ranking officers on the South China Sea frigate. At least from this statement, it's clear that Xu Xian genuinely cared about the South China Sea frigate. This has given many leaders on the South China Sea frigate a favorable impression of Xu Xian.

"I know." Chen Cheng nodded. "If this man could shed his lazy nature, he would truly be an invincible blade! Now I can understand why Commander Liao values ​​him so much."

Chen Cheng, being a former pilot himself, could better understand the miracle that Xu Xian had managed to mentally calculate a path to avoid obstacles during that emergency.

Especially after learning that Xu Xian was also the legendary figure from the Western Air Force who single-handedly defeated ten opponents and wiped out the entire Guangdong Air Force fleet, Chen Cheng finally understood what a prodigy truly was.

Commander Liao Yuan directly applied to the Ministry of National Defense to transfer Xu Xian to the Navy, demonstrating his deep concern. In modern warfare, an individual's strength is very limited, but when a person's strength exceeds a certain limit, they may indeed be able to influence the course of a war.

"However, I still think Commander Liao's idea is too simplistic. Haven't you heard that those who follow the will of Heaven are at ease, while those who defy it are weary; what is destined cannot be taken away by reason, and what is fate cannot be forced by man?" Chen Cheng was trained by Cai Guangming. Although Cai Guangming's position and rank were higher than Chen Cheng's, Chen Cheng, being trained by Cai Guangming, did not hold back when speaking.

Modern warfare is a massive undertaking, in which an individual's strength is like an ant, with a very small role to play. Chen Cheng believed that Commander Liao's ideas were somewhat too idealistic.

Cai Guangming knew that Chen Cheng was a pure rationalist who didn't believe that individual agency could influence the course of a war. However, Cai Guangming disagreed: "You don't need to be so absolute. You must know that human will can overcome fate!"

"Man can conquer nature. I'd like to see how he actually does it," Chen Cheng said calmly.

Cai Guangming knew that this was a difference in ideology, and there was no need to dwell on who was right or wrong. He also did not want to change Chen Cheng's ideology. He just looked down at the island superstructure and saw that the deck was already bustling with activity, obviously just in time for a concentrated catapult launch.

"Didn't I say I wanted to see Xu Xian's anti-ship target practice when I came here to inspect the work? Have they already taken off?" Cai Guangming casually changed the subject and brought up Xu Xian's anti-ship target practice.

Indeed, Cai Guangming's visit wasn't entirely for Xu Xian's sake. Even if Cai Guangming admired Xu Xian to some extent, it wasn't to the point of making a special trip just to watch a simple anti-ship target practice exercise. Cai Guangming's main purpose in coming here was to inspect the daily operations of the carrier strike group and, incidentally, observe Xu Xian's training.

Chen Cheng glanced at the deck and gestured with his chin, "Isn't this right on catapult number one? Ready for takeoff."

"Oh?" Cai Guangming glanced down and immediately locked his gaze on Xu Xian's aircraft on catapult number one. He turned to Chen Cheng and asked, "Where is the target ship? Is it far away?"

"Not far." Chen Cheng pointed in a direction and handed Cai Guangming a pair of binoculars: "Can you see it? This time the target ship is a decommissioned missile destroyer."

"A missile destroyer? You guys are really rich and powerful!" With the help of his binoculars, Cai Guangming could indeed see a floating warship.

"This guided-missile destroyer is too old. If we wanted to convert it into a coast guard vessel, the cost would be almost the same as building a brand new coast guard ship. So, we'll just use it as a target ship!" Chen Cheng explained.

The best fate for a decommissioned warship is to be converted into a coast guard vessel and put it back on the road. Alternatively, it could be turned into a naval museum. However, this guided-missile destroyer is simply too old; even by coast guard standards, it seems somewhat inadequate. Converting this guided-missile destroyer into a qualified coast guard vessel involves far too many modifications. Basically, with a little extra money, a brand new coast guard vessel could be built. Therefore, converting it into a coast guard vessel doesn't seem cost-effective. The naval museum option isn't very economical either, mainly because guided-missile destroyers aren't particularly interesting. Older battleships, on the other hand, offer something to see—a true aesthetic of raw power. In comparison, guided-missile destroyers appear somewhat sparse and lack appeal. If it can't attract enough visitors, the ongoing maintenance costs will also be considerable.

Therefore, all things considered, it's probably best to just use it as a target ship.

On the deck, after the bomb loaders have finished their work, the forward sergeant returns to the catapult position and directs the aircraft to move forward slightly so that the catapult lever passes the reciprocating carriage. Once the catapult lever passes the reciprocating carriage, the catapult applies a small amount of pressure, and then enters the "tensioning" phase.

During the tensioning phase, the catapult pulls the aircraft slightly to ensure there is no play between the catapult lever, reciprocating carriage, limit lever, and buffer pawl. Finally, the forward sergeant conducts a final check to confirm that the catapult connection is secure before evacuating the aircraft.

After the sergeants at the front evacuated the aircraft, the guide gave Xu Xian a hand signal, indicating that Xu Xian should raise the ejection lever. Of course, at this point, the ejection lever was stuck on the reciprocating vehicle, and after the operation, the ejection lever would not actually be raised.

At this point, command is transferred to the catapult safety officer, who is in charge of the catapult and is responsible for giving the pilot the takeoff signal.

After confirming that there was no problem with the catapult, the catapult safety officer pointed at Xu Xian with one hand and quickly turned the other hand, indicating that Xu Xian could increase the throttle.

The training location was very close to the aircraft carrier, with limited weapon load and no external fuel tanks. The aircraft was not heavy enough to require afterburners.

After increasing the thrust to the maximum, Xu Xian began a final check of the control surfaces. At this point, the final inspectors on both sides would help Xu Xian confirm that the control surfaces were operating normally.

After confirming everything was in order, Xu Xian turned on all the external lights and saluted the catapult safety officer. Upon receiving the salute, the final inspector at the rear of the aircraft would give the catapult safety officer a thumbs-up to indicate that there were no personnel around the aircraft. Once the catapult safety officer had confirmed that the area around the aircraft and the runway ahead was clear, they would give a "go" signal.

Once the catapult operator inside the ejection bubble chamber saw the safety officer's hand gesture, he pressed the ejection button.

Immediately, Xu Xian felt a tremendous surge of acceleration, far more intense than the feeling of taking off with afterburner at a land-based airport. Within a mere forty-five meters, the aircraft accelerated to a speed of 250 kilometers per hour. Almost in the blink of an eye, Xu Xian was off the aircraft carrier deck, and the plane took off.

After takeoff, Xu Xian immediately retracted the landing gear and flaps, and at the same time turned 20 degrees to the right to clear one side of the airway, while maintaining an altitude of no more than 500 feet and a speed of no more than 300 knots.

After turning 20 degrees to the right, turn 20 degrees to the left and return to the carrier's BRC. After maintaining the course and altitude for seven nautical miles, the restrictions are lifted, and the aircraft can climb and accelerate on its own.

After the restrictions were lifted, Xu Xian immediately caught up with Lü Ping and Qin Qing, who had already taken off. As planned, Lü Ping and Qin Qing did not accelerate too quickly after takeoff, but maintained a low speed while waiting for Xu Xian to rejoin the team.

On the DDI to the right of Xu Xian's aircraft, the positions of the other two fighter jets in the formation are clearly visible. Their planned rendezvous point is Point 1, which was set before takeoff.

Previously in the briefing room, based on the planned speed, barring any unforeseen circumstances, Xu Xian would definitely rendezvous with the other two fighter jets before the first navigation point.

With the waiting area ahead, Xu Xian could clearly see Lü Ping and Qin Qing's vehicle from about five nautical miles in front of the first waiting point.

"104, in position!" After joining the lead aircraft at approximately seven o'clock to the left rear, Xu Xian notified Lü Ping via the queue channel that he was in position.

Xu Xian's call sign in the Western Air Force was 054, but now that he's in the Navy, the call sign has to be changed, so it became 104, the last call sign of the First Squadron.

Due to the limited viewpoint, Lü Ping couldn't see Xu Xian's situation behind him, but Qin Qing, positioned at five o'clock, could clearly see Xu Xian's car to his left. In fact, the two planes were so close that Qin Qing could see Xu Xian's face through the canopy.

Xu Xian was already very familiar with controlling the distance in formation flying. No matter how the lead aircraft flew, Xu Xian could maintain the same distance and altitude at all times as needed.

"I'll share the radar data with you. 104 will launch the first attack, 103 the second, and I'll finish last. Got it?" After Xu Xian took his position, Lü Ping began assigning the attack tasks.

For a destroyer, most of the time, unless the ammunition depot is hit directly, it is difficult to sink it with a single missile, so subsequent attacks are inevitable.

This is why most offensive missions against buildings or large surface ships are carried out in formation. Attacking in formation can minimize the interval between attacks and raise the upper limit of offensive capabilities.

Generally speaking, three anti-ship missiles hitting their targets all at once can sink a destroyer. After all, most destroyers are not very large and their damage-bearing capacity is not very strong. However, against cruisers or even aircraft carriers, which are generally much larger, three anti-ship missiles may not be enough.

The order of attack was already discussed in the pre-flight briefing. After all, it's anti-ship target practice, and Lü Ping is already a squadron leader; it's not primarily a test for him. Younger people should be given more opportunities to demonstrate their abilities. This is a tacit rule in the military.

Prior to this, the AWACS aircraft had already transmitted the target ship's position data to its lead aircraft. In modern warfare, most prepared combat missions are carried out with the support of AWACS aircraft. The radars on AWACS aircraft have detection capabilities that are significantly stronger than those on fighter jets.

So, strictly speaking, Xu Xian and his team's mission this time was simply to lock onto the target ship according to the instructions of the early warning aircraft, and then launch anti-ship missiles to sink it.

Isn't it simple? Of course, for a seasoned pilot, this is indeed a relatively simple task.

In the military, these routine daily training exercises are generally not too difficult. What's really difficult are the surprise inspections that can be carried out at any time.

Xu Xian was so confident precisely because he knew the anti-ship target practice would not be difficult. He figured it was simply a matter of approaching the target ship under the guidance of an early warning aircraft, locking onto it with radar, and then pressing a button – simple and easy.

"After passing navigation point number one, we'll be approaching the designated combat area. Get ready," Lu Ping said.

"Received!" Xu Xian and Qin Qing responded respectively. At the same time, Xu Xian began preparing his weapons.

First of all, although the target ship is a surface target, it is still included in the air-to-ground mode. Xu Xian selected the air-to-ground mode in the combat mode selection switch, and then the weapon loading screen was displayed on the left DDI.

A simulated image of weapon mountings is displayed in the center of the DDI screen on the left, representing the weapon status of the simulated wing hardpoints. Depending on the status, additional prompts such as Ready, Standby, Selected, Unlocked, and Locked will be displayed near the weapon abbreviation.

Xu Xian is currently preparing to select the Flying Shark anti-ship missile in advance. Once he gets closer to the target ship and the radar locks on, he can launch the missile at a suitable distance.

When Lü Ping asked them to prepare, he meant to prepare the weapons. Since the objective is clear and the battle plan is well-defined, why not prepare in advance and launch the missiles cleanly and efficiently?

As Xu Xian was working on the weapon page, he tried to select the Flying Shark missile but was unable to do so. After several attempts, Xu Xian felt something was wrong and wondered if there was a problem with the weapon system, which made him a little nervous.

It would be quite unpleasant if the plane encountered problems at such a critical juncture.

After several unsuccessful attempts, Xu Xian had no choice but to report to the lead aircraft: "Captain, something seems wrong with the 104 weapon system!"

Xu Xian was speaking when he suddenly noticed something. He squinted at the area next to the abbreviation for the Flying Shark missile and his expression immediately changed: "Why is the Flying Shark missile still locked?"

(End of this chapter)