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

Chapter 337 C802, Launch!
Although the Easterners claimed that the missile's range exceeded 500 kilometers, the Crying Country still dared not be too bold. 300 kilometers was the distance they had planned, and it also depended on the specific situation. For example, right now, when the Y-10 maritime patrol aircraft spotted the target, it was about 300 kilometers away from them.

The closer the distance, the shorter the missile's flight time, and the less likely it is to be detected by the enemy. However, ships are more easily detected by the enemy.

Therefore, after careful consideration, they believed that it was better to install anti-ship missiles on merchant ships. Even if they were discovered, the other side would not suspect anything. Just like now, the other side's maritime patrol aircraft noticed them, flew over to take a look, and then flew away again!
Meanwhile, our main naval fleet will remain 500 kilometers away, waiting for this wave of anti-ship missiles to succeed and for the enemy to be caught off guard before launching an attack. We can definitely destroy the enemy fleet completely on the seabed, just like last time!
As for other proposals put forward by the East, such as mounting missiles on the Y-10 transport aircraft or on warships, they were all rejected because they did not know whether this would expose them in advance. The intelligence agencies of Britain and the United States are very powerful.

Now that the fighter jets have arrived, everyone is very excited.

Blah, blah!
The curtains covering the area were opened, revealing that the lead ship, the Lookout, had a full sixteen tubes—truly impressive! With four of these ships, they could launch dozens of missiles in a single salvo.

Of course, the price is very high, but... it's worth it no matter how much money you spend to win this war!

crunch, crunch...

The launch tube opened, revealing the rounded warhead inside, clearly indicating a subsonic structure.

"Attention, countdown, three, two, one, launch!"

Flames shot out from the back of the launch tube, passed through a fireproof and heat-insulating device, and were directed into the seawater on the side, quickly igniting a ball of fire on the sea surface, creating a spectacular sight.

From the launch tube, a milky-white missile emerged. When it was halfway out, short wings in the middle of the missile body extended. Once the entire missile body was exposed, the four tail wings were clearly visible. The booster trailed a blazing flame, propelling the missile forward.

After flying forward for several hundred meters, the booster detached, the blazing flames disappeared, and the airflow from the small turbofan engine was very thin, without any visible smoke. It had entered the cruise flight phase!
And behind them, the flames were still boiling.

Almost immediately after the first missile left the launch tube, the second missile followed, trailing thick white smoke as it flew forward. This white smoke quickly spread and combined with the previous white smoke, and then came the third and the fourth.

On one side, flames burned the sea; on the other side, white smoke spread into white mist, like a fairyland.

The same thing happened on the other cargo ships. Soon, thirty-two anti-ship missiles were launched, and the sea was completely shrouded in white smoke. The air smelled of burning. If you went to look at the sea, you could see a large number of roasted fish floating on the surface.

"Attention, convoy! Hard to port! Turn around!"

Cargo ships drifted slowly on the sea, making a large circle and adjusting their course by 180 degrees.

"Attention, second wave of anti-ship missiles launched!"

The missiles that were just launched were all from the port side; now it's the starboard side's turn!

This is also a choice to be made when deploying anti-ship missiles on ships.

The Russians prefer to position their anti-ship missiles on both sides of the ship, with the launch tubes facing directly forward. This way, as soon as they spot a fleet directly in front of them, they don't need to do anything else; they can simply ignite and launch the missiles. This is the most direct approach, especially with the Slava-class ships, where the dozen or so launch tubes on both sides look incredibly powerful.

However, once it is launched, it will be found that the bridge inside the launch tube will be scorched to a charcoal color, and even repainting may not be able to cover it up!

Of course, the Russians don't care about these things. Just look at how rusty their warships are, and you'll know how poor their maintenance is. They don't care if they're blackened or not; as long as they can fight, that's all that matters.

Western anti-ship missiles are launched at a 90-degree angle to the ship's side. The biggest advantage of this is that the flames from the missile launch will be sprayed directly into the seawater behind it, so that the seawater will be the one being roasted, not the ship's own warship.

How can we launch missiles at the enemy like this?
Of course, you should aim the side of the gun at the enemy, wait until one side has finished firing, then turn it 180 degrees and fire the other side.

The Eastern design also leans towards the Western approach, except that on many warships, it is tilted forward, which allows the flames to be sprayed into the seawater and the missiles to fly forward.

Of course, these compromises are no longer needed after entering the vertical launch era. Just put it in the vertical launch system, launch it upwards first, and then turn towards the target's location.

This method is the safest.

At this moment, the missiles on the right were all aimed at Asunción Island.

As the launch command was given, flames rose again, and missiles left the launch tubes and flew forward. When the flames subsided and white smoke drifted down, it was as if nothing had happened on the sea.

"Order: Return to base at full speed!"

The missile has been launched, and their mission is now complete. Next, they must leave this dangerous place as soon as possible and avoid being captured!

Although civilian ships were commonly used for military purposes during World War I and World War II, and were even frequently targeted by wolf packs in the Atlantic, times have changed. During the Cold War, humanity seemed to have become more civilized, and it had become the norm that civilian ships could not be used for military purposes.

One after another, cargo ships sped off at full speed toward the Land of Weeping.

"At such a distance, by the time our missiles reach the target area, the target will probably have already moved."

Hearing this question, Ian smiled and said, "Yes, without relay guidance, we definitely wouldn't be able to find the target, but don't worry, we have our own power in the sky."

"Oh."

The furthest distance that can be detected at sea level is about 40 kilometers. Therefore, the range of early anti-ship missiles was also within this range, in order to ensure that the missile could lock onto the target after launch and that the target would not leave its field of vision throughout the entire flight.

However, this distance soon became unsafe, and the missile's range increased to over 100 kilometers. At this distance, a subsonic missile would take more than five minutes to fly, and even at the high speed of a warship at 30 knots, it would only travel five nautical miles. At this point, the missile could still find the target using its own radar.

However, if the target is a fleet, it is very likely that the previously locked target will be lost, and after passing by, it may just pick a large one to fight!
At this point, relay guidance is needed. In the case of a small fleet, a shipborne helicopter is usually launched to guide anti-ship missiles. As for whether it will be shot down by enemy missiles, that is unknown.

Now, to attack a fleet 300 kilometers away, the missile would need 15 minutes to fly, and the target would be 15 nautical miles away. At that point, the missile might not be able to find the target.

On the one hand, a program is set inside the missile to determine the next location of the target based on the target's previous course and speed. On the other hand, there is relay guidance.

Fortunately, they have Y-10 maritime patrol aircraft, which are currently flying on civilian routes. They can provide relay guidance for anti-ship missiles on the sea surface, not only letting them know the specific location of the target, but also the specific location of each target, so that they are less likely to hit the wrong target!

On the sea, two rows of missiles are flying toward their target.

The first thirty-two and the last thirty-two are like two rows of javelins.

Without any whistling sound, they were like silent killers, their short wings supporting the missile body, and the small turbofan engine at the tail running steadily, propelling the entire missile forward.

C802, launch!
This missile is designated YJ-82 in the Eastern Navy's inventory, and its export version is naturally C802. Of course, considering the secrecy of this mission, there are no special features on the missile body; it is simply coated with a low-visibility paint and has no serial number or anything like that.

Moreover, this is all that the East is exporting; not a single one more. It's a one-off deal, and success or failure hinges on this!
Objectively speaking, if this batch of missiles were on the battlefield, they would have been intercepted by F-4 fighter jets commanded by an E-2C early warning aircraft as soon as they were launched. Then, they would have been intercepted by Standard Missiles from the Kidd-class air defense destroyers. In addition, with the escorting warships, it can be said that very few of these anti-ship missiles would have actually reached the Queen Elizabeth.

With a few more fearless missile deflectors and the Queen Elizabeth's Phalanx CIWS, the final outcome of this batch of missiles is hard to predict.

but now……

They haven't even reached the battlefield yet. For the British Navy, entering Asunción is a rest and recuperation trip. Their battlefield is still thousands of kilometers away, hundreds of kilometers away around the Falklands, within the combat radius of a Super 7 fighter jet after an aerial refueling.

Therefore, no one, from top to bottom, cared.

HMS Queen Elizabeth, on the island superstructure. "General, we just received a message from the land-based maritime patrol aircraft that they have spotted ships within 300 kilometers of our formation. Upon closer inspection, we confirmed that they are cargo ships."

Mike Crap nodded: "Yes, even if the entire Crying Nation's navy is mobilized, they wouldn't dare come near our Asunción Island. Their fleet is likely waiting to ambush us in the waters around the Falklands. Once we arrive at Asunción Island, we can rest for a few days, recharge our energy, and then we can officially start the war with them. By the way, how are the veterans feeling?"

His biggest worry was the veterans. The veterans who participated in the last naval battle were the backbone of the entire fleet. They might harbor deep-seated hatred, or they might harbor a deep-seated fear. If it was the latter, then…

“Their overall condition is alright,” Augustus Cameron said. “So far, the veterans are eager for victory and hope to retake the Falklands with overwhelming superiority. But… once we get to the Falklands, could we let them… vent their frustrations?”

Thinking of the British naval corpses floating on the sea, Mike Crap nodded: "Of course, their souls need to be purified through killing. Once they're up there, any resisting soldiers from the Crying Nation can be handed over to them to kill."

Whether or not there was resistance is up to the person involved to decide. You raised your hands? I suspect there's a third gun between your legs ready to fire!
They need to kill; it will appease the veterans and make the Crying Nation pay the price!
Arthur C. Clarke frowned but remained silent.

"Twenty kilometers to Asunción Island," the navigator called out.

“Well, now let’s relax a bit…” Mike Clapp said, walking out of the bridge. “I need to go back and pack up. I also need to get some exercise on shore, maybe play a beach ball game…”

As they approached Asunción Island, the entire fleet, from top to bottom, was filled with a joyful atmosphere.

The aircraft carrier deck has been cleared of fighter jets, leaving only a few carrier-based helicopters.

Mike Crap's assistant, carrying a suitcase, followed him onto the deck.

"General, we heard that you stayed on Asunción Island last time. Will we stay at your old residence again this time...?"

Before the assistant could finish speaking, Mike Cramp turned his head and gave him a stern look.

Last time, he was in charge of the final operation. Before air superiority was secured, he had nothing to do. However, it was an inglorious experience. The main fleet was sunk to the bottom of the sea, but he returned.

It's like two naughty children going swimming in a river. One of them drowns, and the one who comes back is scorned by everyone: "Why didn't you drown?"

"General, please board the plane." Just then, the pilot came over and helped him lift his suitcase.

He was a tall, handsome young man. For some reason, seeing him reminded Mike Crap of Prince Andrew, who was also a young man like him. What a pity…

War is cruel. The British Navy was very arrogant at the time, thinking that as long as they went there, they could easily wipe out the Navy of the Crying Nation. But what happened?
However, that's all in the past. Now, the British Navy has become strong again!
Thinking of this, Mike Cramp let out a long sigh of relief.

"Thank you, young man."

You're welcome, it's my pleasure to serve you.

After loading his suitcase onto the plane, Mike Crap still looked down at the folded antenna under the fuselage, which looked quite interesting.

"How is this airborne radar working?"

The pilot paused for a moment, then spoke: "The search range is very long and the accuracy is very high. If there's any drawback, it's that in strong winds, the rotating antenna below will cause the aircraft to shake violently. In that case, we need to fly the aircraft into the wind to minimize the impact of the wind on the airborne radar antenna..."

When they actually used it, they realized it was a useless feature, but they had no other choice. After all, they couldn't handle advanced early warning helicopters themselves, and their side-mounted radar antenna solution wasn't necessarily effective.

Anyway, we have tethered balloons, so when the wind and waves are really big, we can use the radar on the tethered balloons for early warning.

Mike Crap nodded: "Yes, our pilots are the smartest. Now... please take me ashore."

As the fleet commander, he should have stayed on the warship and disembarked after it anchored.

However, it's not easy for such a giant ship to dock. It requires the help of tugboats and can take several hours. So... it's better to take a helicopter up first. Commanding a warship is the captain's job, not the fleet commander's job.

After going ashore, he would go to his office to handle some documents. It has to be said that he still prefers the feeling of being on shore.

The roar of turboshaft engines filled the air as the Sea King helicopter lifted off the deck and took off.

Almost simultaneously, on the distant sea, sixty kilometers away.

The first batch of incoming missiles received another data link message from the Y-10 maritime patrol aircraft, made one last course adjustment, and then...

Bang! Bang!

With a soft sound, the front part of the projectile began to detach, and a cylinder fell from it. The warhead also changed into a pointed cone shape. At the tail, the rocket engine ignited, and the cylinder accelerated again!
Mach 0.9, Mach 1, Mach 2...

Finally, the warhead accelerated to Mach 3!

It only takes it one minute to cover a distance of sixty kilometers! It is no longer as leisurely as before, but has become violent and fierce!
C802 missile, attack! It's like the swiftest swordsman has reached the final decisive moment!
One, two, three...

Thirty-two plumes of white smoke shot out swiftly from the sea, plunging across its surface before dissipating...

The final attack has begun!
Meanwhile, the second batch of anti-ship missiles is also receiving command transmissions from the data link and will launch shortly thereafter.

In the sky, the helicopter was still flying steadily. Mike Crap looked out at the sea with a complicated expression.

Returning to this familiar place evoked very complex emotions in him.

Although he kept talking about how he had won from the moment he accepted the mission, deep down he wasn't sure!

There's only one aircraft carrier, and the escorting Kidd-class destroyers aren't even vertical launch systems. This fleet of warships is significantly more powerful than the previous light carrier battle groups, but to say that it can dominate the world...

He still has many worries.

In particular, the Crying Country is said to be very close to the Russians, who possess many powerful weapons for attacking US carrier strike groups! If the Crying Country were to acquire a batch, for example, Tu-22M bombers paired with KH-22 anti-ship missiles, it would be absolutely deadly.

Thinking of this, he glanced at the distant sea, and instantly his heart jumped into his throat.

"Damn it, what are those things on the sea at three o'clock?"

The young pilot heard the terrified screams in his headset, immediately turned his head to look, and then his voice changed.

"Anti-ship missiles! It's an anti-ship missile salvo! Damn it! Calling the fleet! Calling the fleet! Anti-ship missiles detected, 40 kilometers away!"

　PS: Side-launch and front-launch.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)