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

Chapter 406 What's the US Navy? We can still take them down!

Qin Liang's expression was somewhat complicated.

The twin-engine Q-6 is too expensive. If Langtuo is to be the main force of homeland air defense, then the only option for ground and sea attacks is the Q-5!
Taking down an ordinary warship is no problem. After all, it was proven in last year's Falklands War that the Super-7 and Q-5 sent all the warships borrowed by the British Navy to the bottom of the sea!
However, even if the Q-5 can carry the C801 missile, it still cannot attack US carrier strike groups. In fact, even if it were to target Ticonderoga-class and Arleigh Burke-class ships, one missile would not be enough. This type of missile is designed to deal with warships with a displacement of around 3,000 tons.

A Perry-class corvette could definitely be destroyed with a single shot, while a Ticonderoga or Arleigh Burke-class corvette might require two or three. As for American supercarriers... even launching a hundred missiles might not be enough to take them down.

The fighting spirit of the people of this era is still admirable. The United States is the Great Satan, and the Soviet Union is the Second Satan. This spirit is absolutely invincible!
They are willing to attack US aircraft carriers, but... the question is, are US aircraft carriers so easy to attack?

Should we deploy our own subsonic-supersonic combined anti-ship missiles?
No, back in the Falklands War, the Russians might have actually caused trouble for the British. But now, in the Persian Gulf, the Russians would absolutely not help Langkawi! Moreover, if there were unreliable people in Langkawi who leaked secrets to the United States... then our side would be in big trouble.

“Those entering the Gulf through the Strait of Hormuz are definitely destroyers and frigates; cruisers might not even go in,” Qin Liang analyzed. “Therefore, the US carrier strike group will definitely be loitering around the Persian Gulf. Under these circumstances, I don’t think the Q-5 can succeed. To be honest, the Q-5 can’t even fly within 300 kilometers of a carrier strike group, unless…”

"Unless what?"

"The American carrier strike group is docked in a port in Oman for adjustments. That area is absolutely safe for the Americans. You can use the long range of our Q-5 fighter jets to carry high-explosive bombs and bomb them directly..."

The relationship between the United States and Oman can be traced back two hundred years. In 1790, American merchant ships stopped in Omani ports to trade. In 1833, the two countries signed a friendly commercial treaty, the first of its kind among Arab countries.

In later generations, Oman also served as a mouthpiece for negotiations between the United States and Russia. It can be said that although Oman's economy was underdeveloped and it had no oil reserves, Oman's position was very important.

Now that the Arab countries are united against the Arabs, they certainly won't refuse the presence of the US Navy. In my memory, when the US Navy patrolled the Persian Gulf, American aircraft carrier groups often docked at the port of Salalah in southern Oman.

Oman has a total of seven ports, four of which are located at the mouth of the Strait of Hormuz. The capital, Muscat, is also a port city, but it is not very large, and it is not safe to dock there because it is separated from the Gulf of Oman to the north by Langtu.

The war involving the Graveyard of Empires was also unsuitable for Lao Ba, so Port Salara was the best choice. It was a natural deep-water port with a depth of 18 meters, which was no problem for the American nuclear-powered aircraft carriers to dock. In later years, it was also a transshipment hub with an annual handling capacity of 600 million TEUs.

It's not easy to bomb an aircraft carrier that's out at sea, but it's much easier to bomb one that's docked in port!
Minuseper frowned: "Going there to bomb is easier, but... the distance is too far. Even the Q-5 is at its maximum range. If something goes wrong, there might not be enough fuel to return..."

The Q5's design still limited its potential.

"After the power upgrade, the Q-5's payload capacity has also been enhanced. For this kind of mission, large external fuel tanks can be added to increase the range. At the same time, in terms of route selection, a section of highway outside the Strait of Hormuz can be selected as an airstrip, allowing the Q-5 to take off from the northern part of the Gulf of Oman, fly at extremely low altitude over the Gulf of Oman, and then climb to the normal cruising altitude of a passenger plane, so it can fly over there with ease..."

Minusepel's eyes slowly brightened.

This tactic... will absolutely catch them completely off guard!

"As for the choice of bombs... If the US aircraft carrier is docked in port, and you can send people to sneak over, you can get the precise coordinates of the US aircraft carrier. In this way, you can install satellite navigation components on the bombs you carry, drop them and leave. By the time the American fighter jets take off, you will already be in safe airspace."

Minuseper's eyes widened with excitement: "Great, great, that's fantastic! Let's do it!"

"However, you should be prepared. For the United States, aircraft carriers are a matter of pride. If you bomb their aircraft carrier, you will face terrible retaliation and consequences..."

“Hmph, we even dared to detain people from the American embassy, ​​and we didn’t see them retaliate much!” Minuseper said. “Now, of course we won’t act rashly either. If the Americans go too far, then don’t blame us for a crazy retaliation!”

Qin Liang nodded: "Okay, that's settled then. It's about time. Old friend, let's go, I'll treat you to dinner!"

"No, I need to get to Factory 320 immediately."

In the past, Minuseper would have gladly stayed, but now he doesn't even have time to eat, which shows how nervous he is.

After all, the situation in the Persian Gulf is becoming increasingly tense!
At this time, in the Middle East, the eastern sky was just beginning to lighten.

The oil tankers INS Bridgeton and INS Oil Prince, flying the Stars and Stripes, slowly sailed toward the Strait of Hormuz, escorted by three U.S. warships.

Everyone was very nervous.

Only one Ticonderoga-class cruiser has been built so far, namely the USS Ticonderoga. This warship was laid down in 1980 and commissioned on January 22, 1983. As the most powerful war machine of the U.S. Navy, it was sent to the Middle East almost immediately after entering service.

Now, it is the flagship of this escort fleet, and Rear Admiral Bernson, the commander, sits on the bridge, looking at the surrounding scenery.

"Hmph, the Langtuo people actually dared to make threats, saying they would humiliate our escort fleet. I'd like to see how they'll attack us!"

"Commander, the Langtuo people are very bold, but I'm afraid..."

"Hmph, what's there to be afraid of!" Bernson said. "Our U.S. Navy is the most powerful in the world. What can they do to us?"

The fleet sailed slowly, and time passed little by little. At noon, the Strait of Hormuz came into view! Once they passed through that route and entered the funnel-shaped Gulf of Oman, they would be completely safe!
"Report, report..."

Just then, someone stood up and took off their headphones.

"We just received intelligence from the early warning aircraft stationed with Sha Mouren that several Langtuo Air Force fighter jets have taken off from Abbas port and are flying in our direction!"

"Our radar has also detected these fighter jets!" another person shouted.

The atmosphere at the scene became tense again.

"Turn on the radio and switch to a public frequency."

"Yes!"

Rear Admiral Bernson picked up the radio and said in a serious tone, "This is the U.S. Navy escort group. Langtu Air Force fighters that took off from Bandar Abbas, listen up! If you continue to approach within 100 kilometers of our fleet's air defense zone, you will be intercepted! I order you to return to base immediately!"

Everyone else held their breath, afraid of missing Lang Tuo's answer. Would Lang Tuo obey their orders? Lang Tuo were always a bunch of reckless daredevils!
"At this moment, I stand atop the most powerful Aegis warship in the U.S. Navy and issue you this order: Our warship is equipped with powerful radar and missiles. If you continue to advance, you will be blown up in mid-air! I order you to return to port immediately, immediately!"

Major General Bernson maintained his aggressive tone.

Suddenly, the radar operator became excited.

"Report, the target is shifting!"

"The target has returned!"

"Long live!"

Everyone cheered.

The Langtuo Air Force, it turns out, was just a bully using the enemy's power. They were originally shouting for revenge and to humiliate the US escort fleet! Who would have thought that the Langtuo Air Force would back down like this!

The Bridgeton oil tanker, formerly known as the Reca, was a specially built tanker designed to meet the navigation requirements of the Suez Canal. It had a full-load displacement of 120,000 tons. The reason for the name change was to tell Langtuo that this was not a Kotuo oil tanker, but an American oil tanker!

Cameroon is the biggest victim because 100% of their crude oil needs to be transported by sea through the Persian Gulf!

Now, on the tanker, Captain Pierce looked at the sea with trepidation in his eyes.

To be honest, he wasn't worried about Langtuo's fighter jets. With Aegis warships escorting them now, if Langtuo's fighter jets still dared to come over, they would be courting death!
but……

Those ubiquitous sea mines are simply impossible to defend against!
“Captain, don’t worry too much. The Americans said they just finished clearing mines in this area yesterday, it’s safe.” Pierce took a deep breath: “That’s right, they cleared it yesterday, but what about last night? They can drop mines into the sea in just half an hour!”

Pierce wasn't so optimistic. He had always suspected that the Americans were just making empty promises. Did they really clear the mines when they said they had?

Mines, these ancient tools, are small and inexpensive to manufacture, but if you run into one... it can be a real problem...

boom!
Just then, an explosion suddenly rang out from the bow of the ship, and everyone was stunned.

what happened?

Could it be... that we've stepped on a landmine?

"Quickly, send a sailor to the bow to check!"

If a hole were blown in the hull, the fuel they were carrying would gush out and pollute the sea...

On board the cruiser USS Ticonderoga, Rear Admiral Bernson was also stunned.

"what happened?"

"It must have triggered a landmine; our sonar detected an explosion..."

At this moment, the sonar operator was still covering his ears; the explosion had almost shattered his eardrums... This was definitely a landmine!

"Report! The Bridgeton oil tanker was bombed around the waterline at the bow. If we empty the ballast tanks at the bow and raise the bow, we can get it out of the water, and then we can try to seal it off..."

Fortunately, the mine's explosion wasn't very powerful, preventing the tanker from being destroyed instantly; it could still be salvaged! However…

This is embarrassing enough!
Major General Bernson's face was full of anger, his hands clenched into fists. It was clear that those fighter jets that took off were just bait to make their escort fleet pay attention to the aerial threat. The real killing move was coming from the water!
Now... what do we do now?
"Continue onward, sail out of the Strait of Hormuz! Proceed to the port in Oman ahead for repairs!"

Once we leave this place, we'll be completely safe!
After sending this batch of oil tankers away, we'll go back and settle scores!
At sunset, the shipyard in the port of Oman received the Bridgeton, which was leaking oil as it sailed. By the time it arrived, the oil leakage had stopped, and the oil that was going to leak had all leaked out. The dark trail behind it looked so lonely, as if it were the tears it left along the way.

"Return to base! Launch carrier-based aircraft and patrol the Strait of Hormuz! Use our most advanced night vision equipment to search for targets! Sonar, get them listening too! We'll definitely hear the sound of mines hitting the water!"

The night is getting darker.

It was already past midnight.

Puff, puff!
The sound of heavy objects falling into the water rang out, and Rear Admiral Bernson, who had been dozing off on the Aegis warship, immediately became excited.

"Quickly, sonar operator, pinpoint the approximate location and notify our shipborne helicopter to fly over! This time, we must catch them red-handed!"

"Yes!"

On the sea, the amphibious landing craft Ajer of the Langtuo Navy is laying mines. They are very satisfied with yesterday's results and will continue today!
There are many types of sea mines. To prevent sea mines from drifting back and forth, moored sea mines are frequently used. These sea mines are connected to the anchor below by steel cables, so they will not drift with the ocean currents. At the same time, they can be set at a specific water depth to facilitate the destruction of oil tankers.

Pfft!
The cylindrical mines were lowered into the sea. The next one was set with various parameters and then placed on the rack. The whole operation was similar to setting a net to catch fish.

Pfft!
Just as this one was placed, a roaring sound echoed from the distant sea.

This is……

"Helicopter! Helicopter's here! Quick, run!" the captain shouted.

Inside the cockpit, the sailors had already pushed the throttle lever to its maximum. Amidst the roar of the engine, the landing craft continued to accelerate, but unfortunately, it was no match for the helicopters in the sky!

The Seahawk helicopter has arrived, and it is not a regular anti-submarine helicopter, but a land and ship attack helicopter!

The Black Hawk helicopter is often perceived as a battlefield jeep used to transport personnel and supplies, but in reality, it also has an armed version! The short wings on both sides extend from the top of the fuselage and spread out to the sides. The wing pylons can carry 70mm rocket launchers and M197 Gatling guns.

In this way, we will have firepower for ground attacks!

Flames shot through the sky as rockets, one after another, left their launch tubes and were fired at the landing craft on the sea!
Boom, boom boom!

One rocket after another exploded. Some grazed the edge of the blast, while others hit their targets. In particular, one of them struck the engine compartment!

Amidst the explosions, the Ajer was completely wrecked.

"Quickly, call for reinforcements! Call for reinforcements!" the captain shouted.

This battle is not over yet!
As dawn broke in the eastern sky, three US warships appeared on the sea. On the bridge of the Aegis-equipped ship, Rear Admiral Bernson, his eyes bloodshot, stared at the landing craft on the sea surface, which had already stopped burning.

"Hmph, you damned Langtuo! You were the ones who dropped the mines, yet you still denied it! Now that you've been caught red-handed, let's see how you continue to deny it! Order the men to go up immediately and bring all the prisoners back! I want to interrogate them myself!"

Yesterday, the oil tanker they were escorting was bombed, and the US military completely lost face. But this time... they finally got their revenge!
The US Navy is the most powerful in the world! It can overpower the Soviet Navy, so why would it be afraid of your tricks, Lang Tuo?
The last operation failed, and the Americans are looking for revenge. This time they've finally found their chance!
Buzz, buzz...

The loud noise from the sea attracted the lookout's attention. The lookout grabbed his binoculars, quickly adjusted the focus, and soon spotted the target: three speedboats were speeding towards them on the sea...

"Report! Three speedboats spotted at three o'clock, approaching at high speed!"

"Damn it, how come we didn't detect it beforehand?" Lieutenant Commander Caster frowned, a sense of foreboding creeping over him.

Yesterday, Langtuo used air power to distract them from the torpedoes under the sea. Today, Langtuo is using this landing craft, which was discovered by mine-laying, to attract their attention. And then... what are they planning to do next?
Those speedboats were going very fast, leaving long wakes behind them, and their bows were constantly slapping the surface of the sea, as if they might capsize at any moment.

"Fire the harpoons immediately!"

The French have the Exocet, the East has the C801, and the United States, of course, has its own anti-ship missile, the famous Harpoon. After entering service with the U.S. Navy in 77, 1000 Harpoons had already been delivered by 79.

Later on, the Americans never updated or upgraded the missiles to continue using them. Long-range Tomahawks and short-range Harpoons had become standard practice for the US Navy. They didn't research advanced anti-ship missiles much, after all, they had a powerful navy! How to make anti-ship missiles more effective was a matter for the Soviets.

"We don't need such powerful weapons. What can those small speedboats do to us? At close range, we can use a Phalanx CIWS. Hmph, the Lang Tuo Navy is nothing but a bunch of clowns!" Rear Admiral Bernson remained calm.

He didn't realize he had made a huge mistake!
Ten kilometers, five kilometers, three kilometers...

"Attention, Phalanx CIWS..."

Wait, three speedboats, splitting into three different directions!
One of the fearless ships headed towards the Ticonderoga, while the other two actually headed towards the other two escort ships! Those escort ships, trusting the Aegis-equipped ships, were completely unprepared and were instead searching the sea surface, continuing to clear mines!

boom!
The speedboat collided with a Perry-class corvette, followed by a violent explosion and flames rising from the sea! This speedboat was actually fully loaded with explosives, and these camel sailors... were just like the Japanese Kamikaze pilots of the past!
Thump thump thump! Boom!
The other frigate opened fire and successfully destroyed the target. Amidst the violent explosion, the speedboat was destroyed. However, due to its high speed, many fireballs still rushed towards the frigate!

Over here, the Phalanx CIWS successfully destroyed the last speedboat, but looking at the flames burning on the sea, Major General Bernson could not be happy at all!

(End of this chapter)