Chapter 86 Remote Reconnaissance

Just when Chang Haonan and the joint power research team finally found and verified the cause of the fault overnight.

Across the ocean, Robins Air Force Base, Georgia.

Colonel Jason Brooke, deputy commander of the 78th Air Base Wing, was holding a paper cup filled with coffee, leaning leisurely on the back of the sofa, looking at his old friend behind the desk at the far end of the room, who is also the commander of the 93rd Air Control Wing. Brigadier General Thomas Stephens.

"Tom, have you heard that the new Chinese aircraft that looks like a thin-mouthed bottle had a serious accident during its test flight yesterday?"

Jason and Thomas were classmates when they were in flight school. In addition, the 78th Air Force Base Wing has a special nature (it does not have an aviation unit, but is responsible for maintaining and operating the entire air base). Therefore, although the two have different military ranks, they have never been above each other. The subordinates looked at each other.

"New aircraft? You mean the one they gave to Grumman to improve?"

The 93rd Air Control Wing has been focusing on European missions for the past few decades, so Thomas does not know much about the situation in East Asia.

But nearly ten years ago, when he was just an ordinary pilot, he had seen an aircraft that was somewhat similar to the Su-15 at Grumman by chance, so when he heard this sentence from his old classmate, I still have some impression after speaking.

"I think Jason was talking about something else."

The speaker was an Army colonel sitting on the other side, Mitchell Sherrin.

"After Grumman sent those two aircraft back, they started a new in-depth improvement project. The internal code name should be Project 83. However, judging from yesterday's situation, the progress is obviously not smooth."

Jason picked up the cup and took a sip of coffee:

"A cousin of mine who works for the Defense Intelligence Agency told me yesterday at a bar that someone saw an engine of the plane spraying fire and appearing in mid-air. It was probably an engine accident, and it was very serious."

Again, things like aircraft test flights cannot be hidden.

And the noise made by Prototype 01 yesterday was actually a bit too big.

"It's not surprising. I've seen that kind of aircraft by chance before, at Factory 42 in California. Although I only saw it from a distance, I have to say... it's very rough."

Thomas said as he took out a box of cigars from the drawer, took one out, and carefully trimmed it with cigar scissors.

"It seems that after all these years, they have not made much progress." Jason shook his head and replied with a smile.

"Time can change a lot of things." Thomas slowly burned the cigar on the flame of a butane lighter, then put it to his mouth and took a puff: "But time alone cannot teach a monkey to use tools."

"Okay, I admit that your metaphor is very appropriate..."

"Ha ha ha ha……"

The happy laughter of three people sounded in the office.

After a while, Jason calmed down again and continued:

"But having said that, although their own aircraft pose no threat to us, those Flankers bought from the Russians are another matter. They have a long range and are very maneuverable. They may be a threat to the humble people. trouble."

"The flanker is indeed a powerful opponent, but only in the hands of the Russians themselves." Thomas put the cigar in his hand again and watched the light blue smoke rising:

"I have read the report given by the Naval Intelligence Bureau after the confrontation at the beginning of this year. The Chinese Air Force has no experience in operating third-generation fighter jets. Their pilot skills are immature, and the dispatch rate is also very low. Many maintenance tasks even require The Russian side sent people to carry out the operation.”

After hearing what Thomas said, Jason raised his head and thought for a few seconds:

"You may be right, but even if only one aircraft is dispatched, the Flanker's range is enough to follow any aircraft of the 93rd Wing throughout the entire journey, making it impossible for you to perform your mission properly."

"As for the flight issue, there is actually no need to worry."

Colonel Mitchell, who had not spoken for a while, cleared his throat and then explained:

"According to intelligence obtained through satellite reconnaissance and some special means, the Su-27's oil and electricity equipment and other support systems are completely incompatible with the original facilities of the Chinese Air Force. They currently only have one battalion-level service equipped with all Russian equipment at Suixi Airport in Guangdong Province. The support team, in other words, those flankers cannot operate away from this airport, and our main mission area is to the east, and there are only some imitation MiG-21s with short range in this direction."

"Compared to the mere 40 Flankers, the higher-ups are more worried about the dozen or so S300 air defense missile battalions deployed near the eastern coastline,"

Thomas put the cigar in his hand on the lid of the box, waited for it to go out naturally, then raised his head and looked at the two old friends:

"In the past few years, we have obtained several sets for testing through the CIS countries, but what China has in hand is an updated version after major changes. What are the evaluation results...at least it will not be weaker than the Patriot PAC2."

"No weaker than patriots... Doesn't this statement sound like a threat?"

Jason's cold joke wasn't very clever, but it still made Thomas and Mitchell laugh.

All three had served in the Gulf War and were well aware of the extent to which Raytheon's propaganda about the Patriot missile contained.

Throughout the war, most of the Patriots' provable results were from accidentally shooting down the coalition's own aircraft. The most they shot down were 3 F16s and 2 Tornados in one week.

Correspondingly, many coalition pilots will not hesitate to launch missiles to destroy their own patriots after being targeted.

Thomas, who had a higher military rank, was the first to regain his serious expression:

"No joke, we tested the oldest S300PT. Aircraft such as A6 and F15 are very threatening within a range of 60-70 kilometers, and the improved model sold to China by the Russians can double the range. The kill envelope even exceeds that of our Ham missile."

The AGM88 "HAM" anti-radiation missile is specially used to attack enemy radar facilities. The combination of EA6B or EF111 and AGM88 is the most powerful weapon for the US Navy/Air Force to break through the imaginary enemy air defense network.

And a weapon that can pose a threat to carrier aircraft beyond the range of Hamm will undoubtedly arouse the vigilance of the US military.

"Yes, this is why the Joint Chiefs of Staff requested to send the latest reconnaissance aircraft that have just entered service to Kadena. We need to conduct reconnaissance on the anti-aircraft missile positions deployed around the capital and Shanghai."

Colonel Mitchell stood up and looked at a brand new four-engine large jet on the tarmac not far away through the huge floor-to-ceiling window in front of him.

The E707C "Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System" developed on the Boeing 8 passenger aircraft platform has just been officially put into service in June this year. It is also the only model in the US military dedicated to ground reconnaissance.

The long strip radar located under its belly can detect and track vehicle-sized ground targets more than 150 kilometers away. For a long time to come, it will be the most advanced ground target surveillance aircraft in the world.

In fact, Mitchell, who is an Army officer, appears here precisely because of this E8C. After all, this model was jointly developed and used by the Army and the Air Force.

"Okay, I wish you all the best. I have to arrange for manpower to serve the most advanced baby."

Jason drank the last bit of coffee in the cup, threw the paper cup into the trash can next to him, then got up, straightened his clothes, and left Thomas' office.