50s: Starting with a storage ring

Chapter 459 Dongfeng Express, Mission Accomplished
Despite being followed and harassed, our soldiers were not afraid and proceeded to the designated sea area in accordance with the original plan.

On May 8th, when our ships crossed the equator for the first time, all 18 large ships sounded their horns for 30 seconds to commemorate this special and historically significant moment.

May 9th, seemingly an ordinary day, shocked the world because of an announcement published by our organization.

当天咱们向全世界发出告示：“我国将于1980年5月12日至6月10日，由本土向太平洋南纬7度零分，东经171度33分为中心，半径70海里的圆形海域内的公海上，发射运载火箭实验。”

The news caused an uproar on Earth, because this ocean area is more than 5000 kilometers away from our home.

Although the exact launch location is still unknown, a weapon with a range exceeding 5000 kilometers is undoubtedly an intercontinental ballistic missile.

At this point, among the five permanent members of the UN Security Council, only Russia and the United States have intercontinental projection capabilities. If we succeed this time, it will undoubtedly solidify our status as a major power.

Upon receiving the news, various countries mobilized and dispatched reconnaissance vessels to the area, hoping to obtain firsthand data.

5月12号，我们的以远望一号和远望二号为主的舰艇编队，成功到达了南太平洋的预定海域，位置在东经171度40分、南纬6度44分。

Upon reaching the vicinity of the destination, the fleet split into two parts: one part was responsible for surveying, and the other part was responsible for escorting.

Then, all the ships got busy. Some were busy resupplying, some were conducting training, and others were doing maintenance, calibration, and salvage. In short, each ship had its own tasks.

While we were busy, other boats also gathered around.

Because of their advanced detection technology, the Russian bear and the bald eagle's ships always follow the research vessel at a distance, which makes everyone feel safe.

However, countries like Australia and New Zealand lack the necessary technology but still like to join in the fun. We can only get close enough to observe, and as a result, they often sail alongside our research vessels, almost face to face.

Those actions couldn't even be described as blatant; they even sent a helicopter to hover over our research vessel and take pictures, which made us extremely unhappy.

Although this is international waters and we can't restrict their actions, getting too close is indeed dangerous.

Moreover, the winds in this sea area have been very strong these past few days, causing the helicopters to sway precariously in the air, making it seem as if the people on board might fall at any moment.

Being surrounded like this isn't a solution; it's affecting our work. In the end, we had no choice but to have the destroyers take action and tell them to get lost.

Those who listened to the advice left, while the destroyers pressed forward to forcibly drive away the rest.

In fact, our opponents have never been these small countries. What we really need to pay attention to are the ships of the Russian bear and the bald eagle in the distance.

Their reconnaissance technology is advanced, and they may very well try to seize the data capsule from us.

Moreover, the ships and aircraft of those small countries around it are also a problem. If they keep surrounding it and affecting our salvage work, it will be troublesome.

With the test date fast approaching, we finally came up with a plan to slip away unnoticed.

On the night of May 17, our warships and crew quickly assembled and then sped away from that area.

Although ships and aircraft from other countries did not know what we were up to, they all sped up and followed our movements, moving far away from their original positions.

Early on the 18th, our ships, which were anchored in the new sea area, suddenly accelerated and sped back to their original location. Immediately afterwards, we set up three solid defensive lines around the firing range, effectively keeping out ships from other countries.

Then they realized that our test launch was today. So their soldiers immediately sprang into action, intently watching the helicopters on our ship.

At 10:00:23:302 AM on May 18th, China's first Dongfeng rocket was successfully launched from Jiuquan.

Separation of the first and second stages occurred 129 seconds after liftoff; separation of the nose and body occurred 266 seconds later. The aircraft flew over several Chinese cities before entering the western Pacific Ocean and then crossing the equator into the southern Pacific Ocean.

Upon receiving the news, all four helicopters on board were ready.

About half an hour later, a fireball fell from the sky. Our tracking ship's radar detected the target when the missile was still 8 kilometers away from the test range.

A helicopter immediately took off, followed the missile for 16 seconds, and flew straight towards the impact point.

At that moment, everyone saw a bright light rapidly approaching from afar, like a powerful dragon plunging into the sea.

Immediately afterwards, a silvery-white column of water, over a hundred meters high, shot straight into the sky. The people on our ship immediately erupted in thunderous cheers.

At this time, the separated data capsule had also fallen into the water, releasing a large amount of green dye that turned the surrounding sea green.

At this moment, our helicopter aimed precisely at the data bay's landing point and swooped straight towards it.

Midway through the journey, the helicopter unfortunately encountered thick fog and piled-up cloud layers, but the pilot disregarded the enormous risks and bravely continued to pass through these cloud layers.

In just four minutes, it successfully flew to the top of the data capsule and hovered 30 meters above a patch of sea that had been dyed green.

At this moment, the planes from Country M also spotted the location of the data capsule, and then they dropped sonar buoys around it.

Soon, two helicopters from Country M flew over and circled low about 50 meters above our data capsule, trying to seize it.

We immediately sent divers down to retrieve it. The divers rushed directly to the data capsule and retrieved it in just 5 minutes and 20 seconds.

Old M's divers were too slow. After they went into the water, they worked for a long time and only managed to pull up a bucket of green seawater. It was all for nothing.

此次发射的东风快递，飞行时间29分57秒，飞行速度5马赫，射程9070千米，落点为南纬7度42分23秒、东经172度15分36秒。

In this competition with data capsules from countries such as the US, Japan, Australia, and New Zealand, we emerged victorious. We have successfully become the third country to possess intercontinental delivery capabilities.

This single rocket immediately improved our country's international standing, and the two giants can no longer ignore us.

The Dongfeng Express missile is 32.6 meters long, 3.35 meters in diameter, weighs 183 tons at takeoff, has a maximum range of 12000 kilometers, and an accuracy of 500 meters, which can completely cover the territories of both countries.

It carries multiple warheads, has strong penetration capabilities, and is highly destructive, serving as a strong shield for safeguarding national sovereignty and defending national dignity.

The truth lies within the range of the Dongfeng missile. With this national treasure, the history of being frequently deceived in the past few decades will be a thing of the past.

(End of this chapter)