Chapter 950 Buy 1 Get 1 Free Cruise Missile?

The ground crew was somewhat flustered as they had never encountered such a large number of parachutes before, and there were three to be released at a time.

This causes the interval between each plane landing to appear slightly longer.

Fortunately, these Tu-160s have ample range and there is no risk of fuel shortage.

It was not until most of the sun disappeared below the horizon that the last plane numbered "Red 14" finally landed smoothly on the ground.

Soon, the four planes were parked in two rows, head to head, at the door of the hangar that had been prepared long ago.

Of course, it can also be said to be two columns.

At this time, the crowd on the viewing stand was already getting restless.

Just now, everyone has seen the posture of this kind of aircraft in the sky through telescopes.

And now, naturally, I can't help but want to observe it up close.

However, in an area like an airport, the sky is big and the earth is big, but the control tower is the biggest.

Therefore, it was not until the four planes shut down their engines, set the wheel chocks, and finally confirmed that they were completely safe that several minibuses slowly drove over and took the dozens of people to the parking area a few hundred meters away.

At this time, pilots wearing two different flight uniforms also climbed out of the hatch behind the front landing gear one after another.

The entire airport pick-up mission took less than 10 days. It was a pipe dream to expect to fully learn how to operate such a complex behemoth in such a short time.

Therefore, during the return flight, the captain and navigator-operator of each aircraft were hired as second-class pilots from their original units.

Only the co-pilot and navigator (actually the bombing system controller) were from the Chinese Air Force.

These eight Ermao pilots, together with the ground crew who will arrive later, will stay here for a long time as instructors.

"report!"

A pilot trotted up to Qiao Chenqing.

Although there was no military rank on his flight suit, and he didn't even have time to take off his flight helmet, no one could really recognize his identity.

But judging from this smooth set of movements, he is most likely the commander of the entire flight mission.

Sure enough, the other party raised his hand and saluted Qiao Chenqing:

"Li Dewen, commander of the 36th Regiment of the 108th Aviation Division, has successfully completed the mission of picking up the plane and returning home. I am reporting to you. Please give me your instructions!"

In the cold wind of early winter in the northwest, Qiao Chenqing also stood at attention and returned the same standard military salute:

"Congratulations on successfully completing your mission. This will be a day that will go down in the history of the Chinese Air Force."

"Return to the team and have a good rest!"

Under normal circumstances, at this time, Captain Li Dewen should answer yes and then do what he should do.

After all, we have been flying for almost ten hours straight and we really need to rest.

However, he did not do so.

Instead, he took a step forward, got close to Qiao Chenqing, and said in a voice that only a few people nearby could hear:

"Boss Qiao, when we were at Ermao's place, we established a relationship with the person in charge there... um... so..."

Looking at Li Dewen who was speaking hesitantly, Qiao Chenqing frowned slightly:

"Made a mistake?"

The former quickly shook his head like a rattle:

"That's not true..."

"Well... I didn't make any mistakes, why are you hesitating here..."

Qiao Chenqing's heart finally settled down:

"If you have something to say, just say it. These are all our own people."

Obviously, this is what Li Dewen was waiting for:

"So when we were on our way back, Ermao secretly brought us some extra gifts..."

"Bring something?"

Qiao Chenqing leaned slightly and looked at the dozen or so pilots climbing out of the cabin:

"what?"

Obviously, his understanding was slightly biased, and he thought that the "gift" Li Dewen mentioned was some small gadgets such as local specialties.

However, Chang Haonan, who was at a later position, noticed some clues.

"Boss Qiao, look over there..."

He said, pointing to the "Red 24" parked farthest from the crowd.

That is the plane that Li Dewen personally led.

"how……"

Just as Qiao Chenqing was about to ask what happened, he noticed that the Red 24's belly magazine was actually open.

Considering that the Il-76 transport aircraft group carrying the relevant auxiliary equipment would not arrive until the next day, it was obviously impossible that it was done by the ground crew on the Chinese side.

It can only be opened from the cockpit by the crew members before getting off the plane.

Therefore, Qiao Chenqing also had some vague guesses.

However, seeing is believing.

He gestured over there:

"Go and have a look."

Several people followed Li Dewen's footsteps and quickly came to the front of Hangar No. 1.

Standing at the foot of this Tu-160, Chang Haonan suddenly had a sense of a dream in which time and space intertwined.

Red 24.

In the original timeline, this was the first Tu-160 bomber to be completely dismantled.

Prior to that, there were only about 470 flight hours total.

But in this life, it was reborn in a slightly magical way in a great Eastern country thousands of miles away.

Including another one, the red 14, which is surrounded by the largest crowd.

It was the second one to be demolished that year.

The flight time is even shorter, at only 110 hours…

Chang Haonan raised his head almost uncontrollably and looked at the nose of the plane that seemed to be several stories high.

I didn’t feel it before because I was far away, but now that I’m standing in front of it, it’s really just one word: feeling.

Big.

In fact, Chang Haonan has also seen the Boeing 747 with a larger takeoff weight.

But the two aircraft give people completely different feelings.

If I have to say something, it is that as a strategic bomber, the Tu-160 has a slender and elegant appearance, but it still reveals an indescribable aggressiveness.

There was even a moment when Chang Haonan felt it was difficult to breathe.

"Leaders, follow me."

Li Dewen turned around and waved, signaling Chang Haonan and others to follow.

Then, he walked through the huge ammunition bay door and came to the bottom of the belly ammunition bay.

"Oh——"

"Oh My God--"

"This is……"

The moment the magazine came into view, several people exclaimed in different ways.

Due to the nuclear weapons limitation agreement signed before the collapse of the Soviet Union, all Tu-160s and B1Bs had their external free-fall bomb racks removed.

Therefore, these two longitudinally distributed built-in magazines become the only places where ammunition can be hung.

And, unlike most of its bomber counterparts, the Tu-160 was not even considered carrying conventional bombs in its bomb bay.

There are only two cruise missile rotary launchers with a structure similar to a revolver.

And one of them is now right above everyone's heads.

Of course, if that were all, there would be nothing shocking about it.

What really made everyone exclaim together was the "gift" that Li Dewen mentioned just now.

There are actually three cruise missiles neatly hung on the rotating launcher located at the front of the red No. 24 aircraft!

"Is this... KH55?"

The first one to react was Chang Haonan.

In fact, China had obtained technical information about the KH55 from some channels in the previous life, and eventually vigorously promoted the research and development of the Changjian 10 cruise missile.

However, I have never gotten my hands on live ammunition for the KH55.

"Correct."

Li Dewen nodded:

"And... it can be launched."

"wait……"

Following closely behind was Qiao Chenqing.

However, he immediately realized a very serious problem:

"Shouldn't these things be destroyed?"

"You brought back three rounds...are you sure the numbers won't be wrong?"

“This… Actually, we only found out after we went there.”

Li Dewen quickly explained:

"In the Soviet weapons naming system, the KH55 with a nuclear warhead and the KH55 with a conventional warhead were assigned two different equipment serial numbers."

Qiao Chenqing immediately understood the meaning of this sentence:

"So... these missiles were no longer on the destruction list from the beginning?"

"Yes."

Li Dewen replied:

"Otherwise, we definitely wouldn't dare to bring it back..."

"..."

For a moment, no one answered.

The only sound left was the breathing of a few people around.

It seemed as if the air was solidifying.

"Go ask Yan Kun to find a few reliable comrades to take special care of this plane."

After an unknown amount of time, Qiao Chenqing finally spoke:

"Also, guide the visitors and don't let them get too close to the two planes on the inside!"