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

Chapter 338 One Shot to the Death, Taking Down the Thin-Skinned, Genesis-Class Kidd-Class
On the HMS Queen Elizabeth, the communications officer, a female officer, had just taken out her lipstick and applied it to her lips.

She's going to the island! This is a large base with lots of entertainment options. Once she gets there, she'll definitely visit bars and similar places. There will be plenty of lustful eyes there, and she'll find someone she likes. If two groups of people could fight over her, that would be even better!

Thinking this, she continued applying lipstick, and then... she realized that her headphones were in the way, so she took them off.

As a result, the aircraft carrier could no longer hear the warning calls from the Sea King helicopter!
Of the four Kidd-class destroyers escorting the escort, three had their shipborne radars turned off. At such close range, air defense could be handled by the base's radar.

Only the HMS Indomitable, on the broadside of the fleet, continued to fulfill its mission.

Radar officer Kenneth was a veteran, but he hadn't participated in the Falklands War. He had stayed at headquarters at the time, and now that he had been transferred to a warship, he didn't feel any pressure. After all, his fleet was so powerful that there was absolutely no danger.

With that thought in mind, Kenneth stared intently at the screen.

and many more!

What are the bright spots appearing on the screen?
"Report: A group of targets detected, height less than 10 meters, distance 30 meters, speed... Mach 3!"

The captain was stunned for a moment: "Are you sure you're not mistaken?"

A height of less than ten meters is no problem. The last time we cried, the Dongfang missile used by our people was at that height, making it impossible for the Sea Dart missile to hit it. However, this speed…

Are you kidding me? Only the Soviet Union possessed supersonic anti-ship missiles; Easterners don't have that weapon!
"Target distance: 20 kilometers!"

Mach 3 means flying at about 1,000 meters per second. In the time it takes to say a word, a missile will be flying over!
"Attention all ships! Sound the battle alarm! Standard missiles ready to launch! Activate guidance radar!" The captain also realized what was happening. He didn't care what kind of missile it was; he'd shoot it down first!
Even though the Kidd-class is a professional air defense destroyer, it cannot change the basic geographical laws. The furthest distance it can detect targets on the sea surface is 40 kilometers, while those supersonic anti-ship missiles, due to their low altitude, are only detected at a distance of 30 kilometers. Now, they have come as close as 20 kilometers!

When the Kidd-class destroyers were built, they were designed as dedicated air defense ships. They have two target illumination radars for guiding Standard Missiles, which means they have two fire control channels. When needed, the SPG-60 missiles that guide the ship's guns can also temporarily serve as missile guidance systems, increasing the number of fire control channels to three.

However, these target illumination radars also need time to be turned on!

Unless it's an active phased array radar, various integrated circuits can be used in the post-processing circuitry. However, the radar antenna still uses the most common electromagnetic tube, which is a type of vacuum tube and requires preheating!
Power on, preheating, and another ten seconds have passed!
"Target distance: 10 kilometers!"

"Target locked!"

"Fire!"

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!
On the deck, flames shot out as missiles, trailing flames, flew away from the twin-launched missile racks. The racks would return to their initial positions in the next moment, and then the automatic loading system would quickly load the missiles.

When it comes to resisting saturation attacks, vertical launch systems are certainly very powerful, but in reality, these twin-launcher mounts, with the help of an automatic loading system, also have a fast reaction speed.

Intercept! Intercept!
The flames aboard the Indomitable completely stunned everyone on the aircraft carrier.

Captain Augustus Cameron stared wide-eyed at the escorting destroyers: "Oh my God, what are they doing?"

They opened fire without fleet orders! Don't they know missiles are free? These missiles were leased; unused originals could be returned later. And you... you just launched them!

No, it can't be a game, it must be...

"Quickly, call the Unyielding!"

After the captain finished speaking, he looked back. The communications soldier quickly put down the lipstick and went to get the earpiece. Before she could twist the lipstick back in, the long protruding part snapped with a snap, almost breaking the female communications soldier's heart.

“Kelly, what are you doing!” Augustus Cameron exclaimed.

Kelly didn't dare to answer, and put on her headphones, which were filled with a lot of noise.

"Enemy attack detected! A large number of supersonic anti-ship missiles are approaching. Data has been transmitted via data link. Please receive! Please receive!"

“Received, Queen’s received.” Kelly’s voice began to tremble.

This is the most serious dereliction of duty, but... everyone was looking forward to going to the island to rest, and the fighter jets have already flown away, so can we blame her?
Kelly felt a little wronged, but dared not say anything. She could only quickly start typing, but her fingers were trembling.

An attack is coming! Anti-ship missiles are coming!

Battle alarms blared on every warship, but alas, it was too late!

Five seconds left!

The first batch of Standard missiles swooped down and rammed into the incoming anti-ship missiles.

boom!
The anti-ship missile burst into brilliant flames in the sky.

First interception successful!

This is a supersonic anti-ship missile flying at Mach 3, a standard missile of the US Navy, which is capable of intercepting it!

However, no one cheered. More than thirty missiles flew in, and they only managed to intercept one. What good was that?

Moreover, just as the second Standard Missile was about to detonate, the target seemed to know something and actually turned at sea, making a beautiful arc and shaking off the intercepting Standard Missile.

If you're a veteran, you'll recognize this as the most famous serpentine maneuver of the C801 anti-ship missile in its final stage!
The Russian supersonic anti-ship missiles are all very large, with a launch weight of several tons, or even more than ten tons. They are like small flying planes. Such large missiles are difficult to maneuver. Even if they can perform a serpentine maneuver at the end, it is not as easy as the missiles from the East.

The missile evaded the Standard Missile's interception and continued flying forward, heading straight for the Indomitable!

"Quickly, Phalanx CIWS! Phalanx CIWS, fire!"

The only thing that can stop this thing is the Phalanx CIWS. The Standard Missiles are busy intercepting other missiles and have no time to deal with any that slip through the net!

The Phalanx CIWS has a large cylindrical container, about the size of a gasoline drum, inside which are sophisticated electronic devices used to lock onto targets. Below this large cylindrical container is a six-barreled 20mm rotary cannon, which is actually the M61 Vulcan Gatling gun commonly used on American fighter jets.

The entire device is mounted on a rotating base, enabling it to fire at targets in all directions. Moreover, this rotating base is also a self-stabilizing platform, so even on a turbulent sea where a warship is violently rocking, it can steadily lock onto its target!

At this moment, it quickly rotated thirty degrees, the machine gun tilted slightly upwards, and the next moment, a fireball emerged from the muzzle.

Buzz...thump thump thump...boom!

The six-barreled Gatling gun has opened fire!

The initial sound was from the external hydraulic drive unit, followed by the firing of the cannon. The 20mm machine gun made a thumping sound, but because of the high rate of fire, these sounds combined to form a terrifying explosion.

With a firing rate of 4500 rounds per minute, even if it only fires for five seconds, it will launch more than 200 projectiles. These 20mm projectiles will form a dense barrage in the air, and any missile that flies over will collide with it.

No warhead explosion is needed; a high-speed collision is enough to completely destroy a missile!

On the side of the ship, the sailors nervously watched the missile approaching in the distance, while cannonballs formed a barrage in front of it.

We can definitely stop them! We definitely can!
Just as they were expecting it, the missile continued its trajectory!
They couldn't stop them!

It looked to them as if the barrage landed in front of the target, but in reality, because the missile was flying too fast, the barrage landed behind the target.

This is what makes supersonic anti-ship missiles so terrifying!
The faster you go, the less time you give the other party to react!
The Phalanx CIWS was primarily designed to intercept subsonic anti-ship missiles. It can easily intercept C801 missiles, but supersonic anti-ship missiles are beyond its capabilities.
Theoretical calculations show that when an anti-ship missile approaches a warship at Mach 3, the barrage needs to cover the target's path in a very short time, requiring at least 143 shells per second, or 8580 shells per minute!
The Phalanx CIWS has a rate of fire of only 4,500 rounds per minute. When it is first activated, it cannot fire that fast, so it is not enough to stop it!
Therefore, even after acquiring the advanced Type 730 close-in weapon system, the Eastern Navy still felt it was not enough and developed the even more advanced Type 1130 close-in weapon system, with a firing rate of 170 rounds per second and over 10,000 rounds per minute. Anti-ship missiles with a speed of Mach 3 were also within its interception range!
Now, the second C802 missile in the first formation to arrive had already evaded the Standard Missile 2 and the Phalanx CIWS, and crashed heavily into the Indomitable amidst the watchful eyes of countless sailors. Boom!
The enormous impact reverberated throughout the entire warship, causing everyone to feel a sharp pain in their eardrums and filling them with immense panic.

It's over, it's all over, they're going to sink!

The advantage over last time is that this time it's around Asunción Island, where their chances of rescue are much higher, and they won't have to go to jail...

The speed of Mach 3 generated immense kinetic energy, and the semi-armor-piercing warhead instantly tore through the Indomitable's thin hull plating, penetrating layer by layer, then layer by layer, then layer by layer...

In the blink of an eye, it pierced through the entire Indomitable, and only when it burst out from the other side of the ship did it remember what it was supposed to do.

boom!
A huge explosion rang out, flames shot backward, spreading along the newly excavated passage, and then... crunch... crack!
A warship with a displacement of nearly 10,000 tons was broken in two at the point of impact!

Kidd-class! This is a Kidd-class!
On the Queen Elizabeth, Augustus Cameron watched with eyes blazing with fury.

In 1974, during the Pahlavi dynasty, the United States ordered four advanced destroyers equipped with Standard anti-aircraft missiles. At the time, the order price for these four warships was one billion, one billion US dollars!
Now, this warship, which was leased, has been sunk. The compensation for the dead soldiers and officers will be a staggering sum, and the reparations to the United States will be an even greater expense.

It's all over, it's all over, Britain is going to go completely bankrupt.

For some reason, at that moment, Augustus Cameron's thoughts weren't about winning the war, but about going bankrupt!

It took him a moment to realize what was happening.

"Quick, quick, radio call for other warships to escort! Damn it, Kelly, what are you doing!"

Kelly was completely dumbfounded. From where she was sitting, she couldn't see the horrific scene of the Indomitable sinking outside, but she could hear it on the radio.

Countless exclamations came through the radio.

"Oh, damn it, the Indomitable has sunk!"

"Oh my God, a 10,000-ton destroyer couldn't withstand a single attack from one of those damned missiles!"

"It sank so quickly, I wonder how many children were swept away..."

At this moment, the Unyielding Ship had lost the spirit of its name; in less than a minute, nothing could be seen on the sea!

The warship broke in two and sank very quickly. What was even more deadly was that whirlpools would form on the surface of the sea as it sank rapidly. Even if the sailors who managed to jump off the warship had life rings, it was no use. They struggled to swim outwards, but they were still pulled by the currents formed by the whirlpools. They tried desperately to pull themselves up with their hands and feet, but their bodies were being pushed backwards!

They screamed in despair and swam even harder, but it was no use. Their bodies drew closer and closer to the whirlpool. Once sucked into the whirlpool, their bodies could no longer maintain their original position, just like falling from a rooftop...

The whirlpool was like a black hole, relentlessly devouring the lives of the sailors.

In Augustus Cameron's eyes, however, he was a terrifying money-devouring beast.

£30,000, £60,000, £90,000...

Escort them! Quickly, escort them!
These missiles are clearly aimed at their Queen Elizabeth. If this warship is sunk, Britain can't afford to pay for it!

As if he had heard his call, a warship rushed out from the side, filling the gap left by the Indomitable.

HMS Sheffield!
Tom King witnessed almost the entire process firsthand, watching the Indomitable sink, his eyes filled with rage.

"Quick, Cole, is our radar activated?"

“Warming up,” Cole replied, already sweating profusely from nervousness.

Just now, because they were close to Asunción Island, Tom King ordered the radar to be shut down. Restarting the main radar takes time, and starting a computer is not as simple as pressing a switch; it requires loading programs. Now, facing the sudden appearance of incoming missiles, they don't even have time to react!
Finally, the familiar light appeared on the screen.

"Initiated successfully! Targets... oh damn, there are two groups of targets!"

The first batch of 32 missiles alone was already enough to give them trouble; they never expected there would be another batch!
"Quickly, launch missiles! Intercept as many as you can!" Tom King shouted. "Children, the fate of Great Britain is in our hands!"

As they spoke, flames filled the air and white smoke billowed outwards. Standard missiles were being launched without pause, the launch pads never stopping, firing, reloading, and firing again.

At this critical moment, HMS Sheffield demonstrated its unique strength by launching eight missiles!
What if we don't have enough target illumination radar?
Americans have solutions too, and that's where the relay race comes in!

First, illuminate the target to guide the first missile toward it. At the same time, the second missile can be launched. It will fly by inertia or command first. After the first target is destroyed, it can then illuminate the second target to guide the second missile into the final attack process.

This was the fastest way they could think of.

However, it's simply not enough against supersonic anti-ship missiles!
On the sea, fireballs kept exploding, and the first targets were wiped out!

Just as Cole was operating the radar and turning it toward the second target, he was surprised to see that the second group of targets had already approached within three kilometers!
Fast, so fast!
Supersonic anti-ship missiles are that terrifying!
The standard missiles have already flown past, so it's impossible for them to fly back. As for launching a replacement?

There wasn't enough time; we had to rely on the Phalanx CIWS!

The Phalanx CIWS roared again, unleashing a dense barrage of missiles that swept across the warship's sides, forming a tight defensive barrier. Simultaneously, the warship's AN/SLQ-32 electronic warfare system finally completed its warm-up, detecting the electromagnetic waves of the incoming missiles, and then…

Thump, thump, thump!
The chaff was rapidly launched from the mortar-like launcher, creating a chaff-like jamming area on the side of the warship, much like the ribbons released during the bride and groom's entrance at a wedding.

The Sheffield has used every means at its disposal, but as for whether it will succeed... no one is sure.

Tom King stood on the bridge, watching the barrage of metal bullets fired from the Phalanx. No fireballs rose from the barrage, but a missile suddenly appeared in his retina.

The Phalanx CIWS couldn't stop it!

The chaff fluttered down, creating a spectacular sight. The missile made a left turn, seemingly misled by the chaff, but the next moment, it turned right again.

This is not interference; it's a serpentine maneuver made by the missile after it gets close to the target, an action to evade close-in weapon systems!

The missile was still approaching, passing through the chaff area, continuing its fierce attack with a whistling sound!

Boom!
The semi-armor-piercing warhead struck the hull in front of the warship's bridge with a loud thud, causing everyone's expressions to change drastically.

Oh no, I've been hit!
The next moment, they will encounter the same fate as the Unyielding!

Tom King's face was extremely grim. He was about to give the order to abandon ship when he saw huge flames rising from the foredeck.

On the foredeck of the Kidd-class destroyer are naval guns and missile launchers! Below deck are the gun ammunition magazines and missile magazines! This damned missile just happened to hit the magazine, naturally causing a terrible secondary explosion!

boom!
Amidst the deafening explosion, the bow section of the warship was completely blown away!
Flames roared and instantly surged into the bridge area.

Cole looked at the terrible flames and it seemed as if he had returned to the past, to the scene when the previous Sheffield was destroyed.

"Mom, I want to go home..."

(End of this chapter)