Back in 1978, I was admitted to Northwestern Polytechnical University.

Chapter 204 The Ace of the Skies: The Persian Cat!
Regardless of the type of radar, when attention is focused in one direction, monitoring in other directions will become weaker.

Active phased array radars are no exception. They allocate beams to areas where targets are detected, while fewer beams are allocated to other areas, thus reducing their search capability.

Not to mention the E-2 early warning aircraft that uses meter-wave technology!

They flew over the land of Langtuo to provide intelligence support and early warning for the four rescue helicopters. Therefore, the beam was mainly focused on the direction of the rescue helicopters. When they discovered that there was a situation there, they focused even more on that side. Unexpectedly, aircraft appeared from other directions, and judging from the flight path, they were coming towards them!

"Target spotted, 3 o'clock position, 300 kilometers away, rapidly approaching!"

The atmosphere inside the cabin instantly became tense.

What the hell is coming?

"Eagle Eye calling Bat! Eagle Eye calling Bat! Unidentified target spotted at 3 o'clock! Proceed to intercept immediately!"

"Bat received!"

The escorting fighter jet on the right immediately made a nimble small-radius turn, then swept its wings back, activated its afterburners, and quickly headed towards the designated airspace.

At the same time, the radar officer in the back seat had already activated the airborne radar, PDS mode! Soon, a bright spot appeared on the screen.

"We've spotted it!" the radar officer said smugly. "After flying another two hundred kilometers, we can launch Phoenix and take down this damned thing!"

On the early warning aircraft, everyone breathed a sigh of relief. No matter what the target was, it had to be shot down. It couldn't be allowed to threaten the early warning aircraft. Even if it was just a carrier-based early warning aircraft, it was still of great value!

"Report! Unidentified target spotted at nine o'clock!"

again!

"Eagle Eye calling Wood! Eagle Eye calling Wood! Unidentified target spotted at nine o'clock! Intercept immediately!"

The escorting fighter jets on the left also immediately agreed.

According to the normal organization of the U.S. Navy, an early warning aircraft is usually surrounded by two escorting fighter jets. Now, both fighter jets have been lured away!
For some reason, the commander of the early warning aircraft began to twitch involuntarily; he seemed to have a bad feeling...

"Damn it, those two targets suddenly changed course! The flight path is turning towards us!"

The two fighter jets that were initially heading towards the helicopter formation had already passed each other, but unexpectedly, they weren't going for the helicopters, but were flying towards the early warning aircraft!

"One of the targets is accelerating!"

"Mach 1 speed!"

"Mach 1.5! My God, that must be a Tomcat, it can reach Mach 2.35 at its fastest, but even with the Phoenix missiles, it can only reach Mach 1.8 at its fastest, we..."

"Turn around and head back immediately!"

Mach 1.8 is also incredible, considering that their early warning aircraft can only fly at subsonic speeds. Now that they see planes chasing them, they have to run away as soon as possible. Once they are out of the sky and at sea, they will be safe!
It was all a trap. The enemy had been targeting their AWACS aircraft from the very beginning! The unidentified targets on the left and right sides drew away the escorting Tomcat fighters. Then, the fighters, which were initially thought to be attacking the helicopters, suddenly drew their weapons and charged at their AWACS aircraft!
"Calling the aircraft carrier! Send fighter jets to provide support!"

At sea, steam filled the deck of the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier, and Tomcat fighters were launched one after another. Soon, in the first wave, four Tomcat fighters took off. However, this was not enough to quench the immediate thirst.
They could only listen to the desperate calls coming from the AWACS aircraft on the radio.

"Mach 2! It's flying at Mach 2, damn it, what is that thing?"

Although many fighter jets have a maximum speed of Mach 2, this figure is exaggerated and can only be achieved without external stores!
With missiles attached, drag increases and speed decreases; with external fuel tanks, it's even rarer to fly supersonic!

Even with external stores, the Tomcat fighter jet cannot fly at Mach 2!
"It's still accelerating! It's reached Mach 2.2!"

"Mach 2.4!"

"Mach 2.5! Damn it! Lord, please bless your devout believers."

Needless to say, the carrier-based aircraft launched by the aircraft carrier couldn't catch up, and even the two escort fighters on their mission couldn't catch up because the other side was too fast!
At that moment, Minuseper was incredibly excited in the sky.

During the test flight, his Tomcat reached Mach 2.5. At that time, the engine actually had spare power, but there was a concern that the aluminum alloy would soften due to friction and heat. Now, with the externally mounted missile, it can still reach Mach 2.5 under the surging thrust!

Hey Americans, let's see how you escape now!
In the rear cabin, the radar officer is operating the airborne radar in PDS mode. Target detected!
Two hundred kilometers, one hundred and fifty kilometers, one hundred kilometers!
PDSTT mode, target locked!
"Launch the missiles, two Phoenix missiles!" Minuseper gave the order.

On the wing box pylon, two Phoenix missiles detached from the pylon, drifting down a meter or two. Then, the engines ignited, and the missiles accelerated rapidly, climbing! In the darkness, the two flames were extremely bright.

E-2 early warning aircraft.

"Oh, damn it, they launched a missile! The missile is climbing, 15,000, 20,000, 24,000... The missile is accelerating! Mach 2, Mach 3... What the hell is that?"

"It must be a MiG-31 that the Soviet Union had not yet officially put into service!"

It can't be the MiG-25, because although the MiG-25 is fast, the missiles it carries have limited capabilities, with a maximum range of only forty kilometers!

The Russians were not entirely satisfied with the MiG-25, and since the secrets of the aircraft had been leaked, they improved upon it to create the MiG-31 fighter jet. They replaced the engine with a turbofan engine, and although the maximum speed was reduced from Mach 3 to Mach 2.8, the range was greatly increased. It was also equipped with a huge passive phased array radar, which, together with the R-33 long-range air-to-air missile, enabled it to hunt targets at a range of over 100 kilometers.

Now, the fighter jet flying at Mach 2.5 must be a MiG-31. Moreover, it launched a missile but is still flying in the original direction, which is also a characteristic of semi-active missiles!
Although the R-33 is called the Phoenix-ski because of its similar appearance and range, its seeker is still semi-active and requires radar illumination. These characteristics are consistent with those of the MiG-31!

They certainly wouldn't know that Minuspel didn't fly away immediately, but only so that he could continue to finish off his enemies.

As the missile detached from its pylon, Minusepel shut off the engine afterburner, and the fighter jet's speed began to decrease: Mach 2, Mach 1.8, Mach 1.6...

The Persian Cat maintained a speed of Mach 1.6 and continued to fly forward. The Phoenix missiles on the wing boxes had already been launched, and now there were four Phoenix missiles left on the belly of the fuselage. These were semi-recessed pylons, which had less drag than the wing box pylons.

Minuseper was satisfied with this speed.

He can save fuel by not using afterburner. After all, shooting down an early warning aircraft is like stirring up a hornet's nest. There will be even more intense confrontations to come. In short, as long as it is in our own airspace, we have nothing to fear!
Now, the E-2 early warning aircraft is facing a desperate situation!
"Quickly, shut down the radar and dive!" the commander shouted from inside the AWACS aircraft.

Now that the target has been identified as a MiG-31, the countermeasures are clear! The Russians' airborne radar technology is outdated, and even if they have look-down and shoot-down capabilities, they're certainly not very good. Now, as long as we get to low altitude... even if it's a desert below, there are sand dunes that will reflect radar waves!

In the forward cockpit, the captain pushed the control stick, and the carrier-based early warning aircraft began its dive towards the ground.

The radar was turned off to stop the antenna from rotating, so as not to affect the flight. After all, this kind of maneuvering evasion had never been done before!
and many more!

Why is the nose of the aircraft continuing to turn downwards? Thirty degrees, thirty-five degrees, forty degrees... the angle of attack is too great!

The captain pulled the control stick back with all his might, but it was no use. The nose was still pointing downwards, and the plane was about to dive to the ground, where it would definitely be smashed to death in the desert!
boom!
Just then, a terrifying explosion came from the tail. The aircraft completely lost control. Amidst the screams of countless people, the early warning aircraft became unusable and headed straight for the desert!

The radio was filled with desperate cries: "Help! Help!"

rear.

Brown's face was extremely grim: "What's going on with Langtuo? They called us the Great Satan and the Soviet Union the Little Satan, and now they've actually sided with the Soviet Union?"

How could a MiG-31, such a powerful fighter jet, possibly appear in Langtuo's airspace?

"Given Langtuo's personality, he probably won't ask the Soviet Union for help. Besides, a large number of Langtuo Air Force pilots are still in prison, so it's unlikely they'll be out fighting. It's very possible..." "Just like us, the Soviets also flew into Langtuo's airspace and shot down our planes? Damn it, this reminds me of the Far East war, those Russian-speaking MiG pilots..." Brown gritted his teeth: "So, what should we do now?"

"Shouldn't we first be concerned about those four rescue helicopters? If nothing unexpected happens..."

An accident is about to happen!

When the four rescue helicopters heard the news of the attack on the early warning aircraft over the radio, they were completely dumbfounded. What was going on? Was this a trap?

The mission objective is just ahead, and forty-two American soldiers are waiting for their rescue. Giving up the mission now seems like a cowardly move, but flying back up could put them in danger... No matter what choice they make, it's a difficult one.

Just as they were caught in a dilemma, the machine gunner in the cockpit suddenly shouted, "Attention! There's a missile at nine o'clock!"

Flames erupted on the ground as Hawk missiles hurtled toward the four helicopters!

This is definitely a trap!
The pilot quickly maneuvered the helicopter to descend, hoping to use the desert as cover to escape, but... they were already flying at extremely low altitudes, and this maneuver made them even lower, so the helicopter crashed hard into a sand dune!

Inside the cabin, everyone coughed up blood, but looking up at the helicopter that had been blown up in the air, they were still lucky; at least they were still alive!

The ground trembled, and before they lost consciousness, they saw the outlines of tanks on the ground in the distance.

It was definitely a trap!

In the sky, the battle continued. The two Tomcats escorting the early warning aircraft swiftly and decisively shot down the targets ahead. However... they seemed to have realized that these targets were probably the target drones they had sold to Langtuo!
This action is completely pointless!
Therefore, we have to take down that MiG-31 that flew in and its wingman to save face. Although we failed to protect the AWACS, at least we shot down the enemy aircraft that shot down the AWACS!
Just as they turned around and came back, the two target planes also changed direction and flew towards them.

Attack head-on!

Minuspel used its supersonic cruise capability to quickly approach the target and launch the missile ahead of schedule!

The speed and altitude of the carrier aircraft have a crucial impact on the performance of the missile. The faster the speed and the higher the altitude, the more energy can be provided to the missile!
In a head-on attack, the Persian cat versus the male cat, whoever launches the missile first gains the advantage!
Because you can leave once the launch is complete!

Two Phoenix missiles, launch!

Seeing two streaks of flame appear ahead, Minuseper pushed the control lever to turn around and head back!
Hello, brother, hello, goodbye!
Back then, when the Americans' F-22s clashed with third-generation fighters, it put immense pressure on the third-generation pilots. This was because once the F-22s entered supersonic cruise, it meant goodbye, and the third-generation fighters simply couldn't catch up!
Same now!
Minuspel was in a hurry to leave because he was worried about his wingman. After all, there was only one fighter jet with the improved engine, and he wasn't sure if his wingman could handle the other Tomcat. He had to go and help out!

As for whether the Tomcat was shot down... we can't worry about that now! Anyway, there are Hawk air defense missile units along the coastline, and these American warplanes that have penetrated deep into our territory will definitely not escape!

The feeling of supersonic cruise is just awesome!

He intercepted a Tomcat head-on, then turned back and managed to catch up with his wingman, re-formed the formation, and before the second Tomcat even entered the Phoenix missile's range, the other plane turned around and ran away!

It's obvious that the first Tomcat has been destroyed, otherwise it wouldn't have been able to escape so brazenly. Moreover, it even engaged afterburner and entered the supersonic zone!

Looking at his fuel gauge, Minuseper shook his head helplessly. Forget it, he decided not to chase after them and to save the fuel for what was to come.

"The carrier strike group has launched eight fighter jets and is rapidly approaching our coastline!"

Next, there are still tough battles ahead!

Isfahan base.

Take off! Take off!
One Tomcat after another glided onto the runway, spewing out blazing flames, and soared into the sky. Judging from this, Lang Tuo must have released some of the pilots imprisoned in jail. I wonder if any of them defected.

Fortunately, they didn't know about the modified male cat.

"Qin, if we engage in a fierce conflict with the US Navy, what will happen next..."

Looking at the bearded man beside him, Qin Liang shook his head: "I don't think so. After all, their backbone has been broken on the battlefield in the Monkey Kingdom. They are just strong on the outside but weak on the inside now. As long as we show a strong enough will to fight, they will back down."

No sooner had he finished speaking than someone ran over, their face full of excitement.

"Report: After the ground-based air defense missile units on the coastline activated their systems and locked onto the target, the enemy aircraft has returned to base!"

It flew away!
"That Tomcat that tried to escape did not escape the attack of our surface-to-air missile forces and was destroyed within our territorial waters!"

"Great, fantastic!"

Won!

As the eastern sky began to lighten, the Persian Cat slowly landed on the runway. When Minuseper jumped off the fighter jet, he was greeted by a large, enthusiastic crowd who lifted him up and threw him into the air.

"Put me down, put me down, I need to see Qin..."

"Qin has already left!"

gone?

At this moment, the person Minusper most wanted to thank was Qin Liang. He was the one who proposed the entire battle plan, and now it had been a complete success!
Wait, it shouldn't be that they went back to China, but rather... went to see the wreckage of E-2, right?
Langtuo is located in the south, on the edge of the desert, about 100 kilometers from the coastline.

Looking at the wreckage of the E-2 early warning aircraft, Qin Liang couldn't help but sigh. This luck... is truly extraordinary!

Right next to it are towering mountains. Most of the land in Langtuo is mountainous, and there are not many desert areas. If this early warning aircraft had landed in the mountains, it would have been smashed to pieces. Now, it has just plunged into the sand dunes!

There was no fire or explosion, and the plane was not crushed. The entire aircraft remained in its original state, except for the tail section which was blown off.

"Everyone inside is unconscious!" Jalil, an officer from the Isfahan Air Base who had accompanied Qin Liang, said, "These people... what should we do with them?"

“Take them away and detain them with the other intruders. These people are very valuable, and we can also make them face the camera and tell them how they invaded Langtuo’s airspace.”

Since they didn't die after falling, it means that God didn't take them, and there's no need for us to be the bad guys.

“Okay.” Jalil nodded. “We will do as you ask.”

"Next, we would like to ask for your help to remove the radar dome on top and the wings on both sides of this thing. We hope to take it away while keeping it as intact as possible!"

This thing only weighs about 20 tons in total, divided into three parts. The largest part weighs only about 10 tons, so it can be easily transported by truck!

Starting from here, we can drive all the way to Pakistan, and then take the highway to transport the goods back. We still lack large transport planes; otherwise, we could just stuff them into the cabin and transport them away!
“Of course, no problem!” Jalil nodded.

Lang Tuo was also grateful; without Qin Liang, they would have suffered a great loss this time. They had achieved a complete victory, winning twice in a row, all thanks to Qin Liang. Not to mention the wreckage of the E-2, even…

"By the way, we also acquired several Super Stallion helicopters, one of which is in perfect condition. Would you like it?"

"Ahem, well, I can't possibly accept that."

(End of this chapter)