Legendary Captain

Chapter 386 Merchant Ship Attack

"What do I think?" Xu Xian paused for a moment. "They definitely can't land on the aircraft carrier; it's too dangerous. Where are they now? If possible, let them land at Longjiang Airport."

The deck controller chuckled. "What if they don't have enough fuel?"

"Then let Longjiang Airport send refueling aircraft to refuel in the air. The situation on the aircraft carrier is still unclear, so we can't take off to refuel rashly," Xu Xian said.

Normally, refueling here isn't done by dedicated tanker aircraft, but rather by C-18s with external fuel tanks, refueling buddy aircraft after takeoff. However, now nobody knows which aircraft this screw fell from, or if there are any other screws or similar objects on the flight deck. Until the inspection is complete, no one can guarantee anything.

Therefore, it's impossible for the C-18 aircraft on the carrier to take off with external fuel tanks for refueling; the only option is for Longjiang Airport to dispatch refueling aircraft to provide support. The carrier strike group is currently not too far from Longjiang Airport, so they should still have enough time to arrive.

Furthermore, due to the potentially large amount of fuel required this time, the partner refueling technology cannot be used. Partner refueling is mostly for providing a quick boost to a companion in an emergency, and its refueling capacity is far less than that of a dedicated fuel pump.

Therefore, to ensure sufficient refueling, only dedicated tanker aircraft could be dispatched. Xu Xian recalled that China's aerial refueling technology was already quite mature, so there was no need to worry about the tanker aircraft.

Xu Xian thought for a moment and continued, "Longjiang Airport has a runway that is long enough to provide pilots with space for a gentle landing. However, we still need to notify Longjiang Airport to prepare contingency plans for emergencies."

Most military airports have relatively short runways. However, Longjiang Airport, as the shore-based base airport for the South China Sea Fleet, has a longer and wider runway than ordinary military airports because it needs to accommodate the take-off and landing of large transport aircraft. This makes it easier for pilots to reduce the ground load.

The method to reduce the ground load is not difficult. It involves using a relatively long, leveling process to dissipate the aircraft's energy evenly and slowly. Usually, by doing this, the landing load can be controlled to around 1.1G, which is already considered a very small ground load.

However, the only drawback of this method is that the drift distance is too long, making it unusable on the short and narrow runways of ordinary military airports, otherwise there is a risk of overrunning the runway.

Fortunately, the runway at Longjiang Airport is long enough to allow pilots to perform level-float maneuvers.

"What if the runway at Longjiang Airport isn't long enough? What would you do then?" The deck control director suddenly asked a question that was clearly not part of the normal procedure, as if he were testing Xu Xian.

"It's nothing," Xu Xian said, not seeming to care much. "There are two large airports along the coast, both with runways exceeding 4,500 meters. If it really comes to that, we can just use civilian airports for landings and takeoffs."

Under normal circumstances, military aircraft do not land at civilian airports. Even in special circumstances, their first choice is to return to a military airport. They primarily land at civilian airports, especially those with high traffic. This is mainly because landing a military aircraft at a civilian airport in an emergency could have negative social repercussions. Unless there is absolutely no other option, they generally will not choose to divert to a civilian airport.

In Xu Xian's view, if the runway length of Longjiang Airport is insufficient, then the only option is to divert to one of the two large civilian airports along the coast. Both of those airports are large airports with runways exceeding 4,500 meters in length, which is more than enough for pilots to maneuver.

"You really don't care about the consequences at all," the deck control chief laughed. "Not bad, you can raise questions and solve them, very good. Xu Xian from the First Squadron, right? After this is over, I'll report your merit to the higher-ups."

"There's even a reward for this?" Xu Xian's mouth twisted to the back of his ear; this was something he hadn't expected.

The deck control chief didn't hide anything: "We really hadn't considered the situation you described. If something were to happen because of this, it would be a huge problem. Do you think we should give this a commendation? However, it'll probably just be a verbal commendation, so don't get your hopes up too high."

"Just a verbal commendation?" Xu Xian was immediately disappointed; that was indeed of little use.

He's an extreme pragmatist; what's the use of verbal praise? It's much more practical to give him a couple of days off.

After leaving the deck command room, Xu Xian checked the time again. He knew he would miss the press conference, and since his mission for the day was over, he decided to go back and get some sleep.

Just as Xu Xian was sound asleep in the dormitory, he suddenly heard a loud shout in his ear, which startled him so much that he almost jumped up. When he turned around, he found that the company commander, Xiao Nian, had appeared by Xu Xian's bedside at some point.

The crew's rest area on the ship was not spacious to begin with. When Xu Xian sat up, his head was almost touching the bottom of the upper bunk. Moreover, since Xiao Nian was standing in the aisle, he couldn't get down and could only sit on the bed and watch Xiao Nian.

When his superior arrived, Xu Xian could only sit on the bed, feeling quite embarrassed. Fortunately, Xiao Nian realized he was blocking Xu Xian's way out of bed and waved his hand dismissively, "Never mind, you don't need to get down. I'm here to tell you something good!"

"Great news!" Xu Xian perked up.

Xiao Nian smiled and said, "You went to the deck control room, right? And you gave the director some suggestions? Hmm, those suggestions were very useful. Just now, three C-18s landed at Longjiang Airport. After inspection, we found that the landing gear of one of them was somewhat deformed; it was missing a screw. Your suggestion was excellent; without you, who knows what serious problems might have occurred."

Xiao Nian still broke out in a cold sweat when he talked about it. The three planes that landed at Longjiang Airport all landed gently, without caring about how long the glide distance was. Anyway, Longjiang Airport has a long runway, which is enough for the pilots to operate.

Even with such a gentle landing, the landing gear still deformed. If this had happened on an aircraft carrier with a high ground load, the landing gear would have been damaged instantly upon contact with the ground, and the consequences would have been unimaginable.

The deck control room chief was a straightforward man; he immediately reported Xu Xian's visit and the suggestions he had made. Therefore, Xu Xian had indeed rendered meritorious service in this incident.

Xu Xian immediately became excited: "Captain Xiao, does that mean there's a reward?"

"Of course there will be a reward!" Xiao Nian laughed heartily. "After deliberation by the higher-ups, it has been decided that your task of cleaning the deck is over, and you can resume flying tomorrow."

Xu Xian gasped, "That's it?"

"Is that all? You think it's not enough?" Xiao Nian laughed.

"I," Xu Xian's lips twitched a few times, "that's enough, that's enough, thank you, organization."

Xu Xian was doing normally, and he completed the task of cleaning the deck the day after tomorrow. As a result, the reward he received from above was that he was promoted a day early. What a "huge" reward!

"But you don't seem very happy?"

Xu Xian immediately feigned a delighted expression: "Why would I be unhappy? I'm just secretly delighted!"

"Secretly pleased, huh?" Xiao Nian couldn't help but chuckle. "Then keep secretly pleased in bed."

After watching Xiao Nian leave, Xu Xian buried himself in the covers and let out a series of cheerful "choked sobs".

The next morning, while it was still barely light, Xu Xian and Qin Qing had already arrived at the briefing room.

This time, Xu Xian and Qin Qing were in a two-person formation operation. Their mission was to simulate an attack on a radar station on an island. The mission was not difficult, but the flight distance was relatively long, which would test the pilots' endurance.

In this operation, Qin Qing was the lead pilot and Xu Xian was the wingman. This arrangement was normal, since Qin Qing had more seniority in the navy than Xu Xian.

Xu Xian didn't care who was the lead plane and who was the wingman; he just accepted whatever assignments were made by his superiors.

Before setting off, Xu Xian went to the toilet several times to ensure he wouldn't be in the embarrassing situation of needing to use the restroom during a mission. Compared to Xu Xian's ample preparation for "draining," Qin Qing appeared much calmer.

Just yesterday, Qingyuan Group's D903 aircraft successfully completed its maiden flight from Jianling Airport to Dianyun Airport. Xu Xian watched the press conference video again that evening; it consisted of routine questions and nothing particularly special, so he watched for a while and then turned it off.

After the successful maiden flight of Qingyuan Group's D903 aircraft, it will be rolled out nationwide. It seems that starting today, airlines that have purchased the D903 will begin using the new aircraft for flight operations. At least so far, the D903 is performing quite well.

Xu Xian had initially worried that some envious individuals might disrupt the press conference, but it now seemed he had worried unnecessarily. The operation of domestically produced large aircraft was an inevitable trend, and anyone who dared to play tricks on it would certainly suffer the consequences. He watched the press conference for the maiden flight, and the series of questions that were clearly planned told him that everything would proceed smoothly from thereafter.

With the D903's maiden flight now complete, Xu Xian felt a great weight lifted from his shoulders. Now, the question was when the SST-001 supersonic prototype would emerge. Ye Qing had mentioned that Qingyuan Group had finished the final stages of developing the low-bypass turbojet engine. This meant the future of the supersonic prototype didn't seem so uncertain anymore.

Relieved, Xu Xian breathed a sigh of relief, and his initial frustration over the "surprisingly" reward from his superior eased somewhat.

After giving Qin Qing the flight briefing, Xu Xian went to the restroom one last time, then collected his equipment and headed towards the tarmac.

When he arrived at the aircraft, the maintenance crew was waiting there as usual, and they greeted Xu Xian warmly.

"Two Flamingo anti-radiation missiles and six MK41 aerial bombs. Please keep a count." The mechanic said, "This aircraft underwent a routine check yesterday and there were no major repairs."

As he spoke, the maintenance crew handed the confirmation slip to Xu Xian.

Xu Xian took the order and carefully circled the plane. During the walk, the maintenance worker smiled and said to Xu Xian, "We really have to thank you for the screw incident. If it weren't for you, a major accident would have occurred, and we would have had to undergo a safety overhaul."

Theoretically, the screw falling out occurred somewhere between the pre-flight and post-flight inspections, something the maintenance staff wouldn't have detected. However, it is ultimately a mechanical malfunction, which can be traced back to maintenance issues. If a major problem were to occur, the maintenance department would still be held responsible.

While inspecting the aircraft, Xu Xian asked, "Have you found out why the screw came loose?"

The maintenance crew didn't hide anything: "This is because we underestimated the marine environment. The salt content in the air here is too high, causing metals to corrode much faster than usual. We're currently researching new maintenance plans, which will require more frequent maintenance. In short, we've learned our lesson this time."

Xu Xian curled his lip: "Our aircraft carrier program is just starting out, not as advanced as some foreign countries that have been doing it for decades. It's understandable that we lack experience in some details."

The operation of aircraft carriers is built on blood and tears, not something that can be figured out on a whim. Some foreign military powers have decades of operational experience. This experience is evident in many details.

Just like the operating environment of an aircraft carrier, due to the presence of salt in seawater, the aircraft carrier operates in a high-salt environment all year round, and the metal corrosion rate is much faster than under normal circumstances.

"Actually, we anticipated this. The maintenance frequency for carrier-based aircraft is much higher than that for land-based aircraft. We just didn't expect it to be able to withstand the speed of corrosion," the maintenance worker said helplessly.

The operating environment on an aircraft carrier differs from normal conditions, something the maintenance department anticipated, and they increased the frequency of aircraft maintenance. However, they weren't entirely sure of the optimal frequency. Judging from this screw incident, it's clearly still insufficient.

Xu Xian comforted him, "These things just come from accumulating experience; there's no other way."

To be honest, even in the ocean, the salinity varies from region to region, which leads to different rates of metal corrosion.

Does the rate of metal corrosion vary between nearshore and open ocean waters? That's impossible. These are things that are learned through experience over time; how could you possibly guess correctly out of thin air?

"You're actually thinking of us," the maintenance crew member said with a smile.

"I'm just stating the facts, hahaha!" Xu Xian laughed, finished inspecting the aircraft, signed the form, and handed it back to the maintenance crew: "Thanks for your hard work, I still have a long way to go!"

The maintenance crew took the order and advised, "I've reviewed your plan. Your route will pass through the Koshu Strait. Didn't we recently hear that a guided-missile destroyer from the Kingdom of Chenyan has mutinied? Your route is within its patrol area, so be careful."

"What's there to be afraid of?" Xu Xian patted his chest and said, "I will not offend others unless they offend me; if they offend me, I will retaliate."

A certain sea area near the Koshu Strait.

A domestic merchant ship sailed under the stars and moon, hoping to return to the embrace of its motherland as soon as possible.

In the wheelhouse, the captain and first mate were chatting and laughing, and looked to be in good spirits.

"Didn't I tell you to come over after seven o'clock? Why are you here so early? Couldn't you sleep?" The first mate said with a smile to the captain, who was doing some light exercise next to him, while keeping an eye on the ship's course.

The captain stretched his limbs and laughed, "It's been almost a month since I left, and I'm finally going home. I'm so excited I can't sleep!"

They were on a shipment to the Americas, and with the round trip and port calls for supplies, today is the 27th day. They haven't seen their families for almost a month, so of course they're eager to go home.

"You're getting more and more energetic from staying up all night. I don't believe you're not in a hurry to go home!" The captain patted the first mate on the shoulder and laughed heartily.

It was originally the first mate's turn to work the night shift today, and the captain was supposed to come back to the bridge to relieve him at seven in the morning. However, it's already past five o'clock now, and although the first mate's eyes are quite bloodshot from staying up all night, he still looks energetic and speaks with a strong voice.

Normally, the first mate should be drowsy at this time, not so energetic.

The first mate sighed, "My wife gave birth yesterday afternoon, a full week earlier than the due date. I really didn't expect it. This voyage didn't even allow me to witness my child's birth."

According to the original plan, the first mate should have been able to return from this voyage in time for his wife to give birth. After all, almost a week had been allocated. The due date estimates are quite accurate now; a difference of three to five days is normal, while a difference of a week is relatively rare.

However, fate was unkind; the first mate's wife gave birth a week earlier than her due date, causing him to miss a very significant moment in his life. This filled him with deep regret.

Compared to the captain, the first mate was the one who was truly eager to go home.

At the current speed, they should arrive at the port around noon. The first mate was so excited about seeing his wife and children that he couldn't sleep at all; what did staying up all night matter?

The captain hadn't expected this and felt sorry for the first mate: "If I had known this would happen, I wouldn't have gone to Norren Port for resupply. If we had rushed, we should have arrived yesterday morning."

Previously, we only resupplyed at Port Norren with food and supplies, not essential fuel. In fact, if we hadn't gone to Port Norren for supplies, we might have arrived yesterday morning. However, if we hadn't gone to Port Norren for supplies, we would have had to be more careful with our expenses for the second half of the journey, otherwise, we might have faced a food shortage.

However, it's not entirely impossible to manage, even if it's just a little bit. At least compared to seeing his child for the first time, the captain feels that enduring some hardship is acceptable. He believes the other crew members on board will understand as well.

The first mate was quite philosophical about it: "When we arrived at Port Norren, we didn't expect the journey to be completed so far ahead of schedule. Besides, if we hadn't gone to Port Norren to resupply, the supply of materials for the second half of the voyage would have been too tight. If something went wrong, it could have led to a food shortage, which would have been unacceptable. Perhaps this is fate; nothing in life is perfect. This time, I'll rest for at least six months and won't be going out again."

"That's for sure," the captain laughed. "You rascal, you didn't even tell us about such a big thing. I'll tell the brothers about the good news later. When we get ashore, take your time, we need to buy some gifts for you to take with you. This is just a gift for my nephew's birth yesterday; there will be a bigger gift when he turns 100 days old."

For a child, the birth day, 100 days, and first birthday are all celebrations. The gift for the first mate's child's birth day can only be a simple belated one; it's likely the first mate won't be in the mood to wait for them to carefully choose a gift once we're ashore. However, a proper gift will definitely be prepared for the child's 100-day celebration.

When the first mate mentioned his child whom he hadn't met yet, he smiled broadly: "If you can come, I'll appreciate your kindness. Gifts or anything like that don't matter."

"The sentiment is definitely there, but a gift is also essential. Don't argue with me about that. I'll have to think about it carefully when I get back, what should I buy?" The captain said, then suddenly remembered something: "Oh right, it's our son, isn't it?"

"Son, son, hahaha!" The first mate's eyes narrowed with laughter.

"Look at you, so sexist and old-fashioned!" the captain teased.

"No, no, it's just that my parents favor boys over girls. Giving them a grandson is enough to fulfill their mission, so they won't bother me anymore. Otherwise, they might even make me have a second child."

The captain said, "A second child is fine, it's not like we can't afford it."

"Money is one thing, but the energy expenditure is too great. I really can't take it anymore. Let's talk about it later."

"We'll talk about it later, we'll talk about it later. Let's focus on raising this nephew properly first." The captain laughed. "By the way, have you decided on a name yet? I heard the hospital requires a name for the baby within three days so they can get the birth certificate."

"It's ready, call it." The first mate was about to speak when a bright light suddenly shone from afar, causing the first mate and the captain to squint involuntarily.

Once their eyes had adjusted to the bright light, they noticed a warship not far away in the opposite direction.

"A warship?" The captain was taken aback, grabbing his binoculars and peering across the water. His first instinct was to check the flagpole of the opposing warship, and upon seeing that the flag wasn't from his own country, he asked, "Is this the flag of Chenyan Kingdom?"

The captain handed the binoculars to the first mate beside him. The first mate took them and looked towards the warship. After a closer look, he asked疑惑地问道, "It really does look like a warship from the Chenyan Kingdom. What does this mean? Are there military exercises here, or what?"

Sometimes, when sailing out to sea, if you accidentally enter a military exercise area, you will be driven away by warships.

"There are military exercises being conducted by the State of Chenyan in this sea area. We didn't receive any notification?"

Just as the captain was wondering what was going on, a loud cannon shot rang out, and in an instant, a burst of fire erupted from the bow of the merchant ship.

(End of this chapter)