Chapter 288

Chapter 288: The Dance of the "Dark Sabre"

"Report! Satellite remote sensing from Nan Dou has detected that the American ‘George Washington’ aircraft carrier task force is moving towards the South China Sea."

"What are those Americans up to? Do they have a reason for this?"

"The latest diplomatic communication states that one of their nuclear submarines has encountered a malfunction. It’s the ‘Hampton’!"

"Hmph, it’s the same old story. There’s definitely something fishy going on. They might have discovered something. We don’t have any ships nearby, so let’s divert three Type 093 submarines, one Type 096 submarine, two Type 097 submarines, and one Type 098 submarine to the South China Sea. We will also transfer 80 J-10s and 40 J-11s to Hainan Sanya for combat readiness. Inform our fleet in the South China Sea to be prepared for battle. First, send this command to the Advisory Duties for evaluation, then swiftly forward the plan to all departments and units."

"Understood!"

Inside the South China Sea Fleet Command Center in Zhanjiang, Guangdong, China, an unusual message sparked swift and orderly action.

The unusual encounter of two American nuclear submarines in the South China Sea became a trigger, dramatically altering the military situation in the area.

It must be said that a submarine capable of diving to depths of 5,000 meters and moving at a speed of 177 knots possesses enough intrigue to tempt the Americans into taking risks. This depth and speed can almost completely avoid most anti-submarine weapons in the world, enhancing maritime dominance to an unshakeable level for decades.

While the gold giant dragon was sent into a frenzy by the nuclear submarines and the aircraft carrier task force, Lin Mo had already seated himself in the cockpit of the carrier-based trainer JT-9 “Mountain Eagle.” The instructor flying with him was Colonel Cang Zilong, the deputy team leader known for his enthusiastic teaching style.

The JT-9 trainer “Mountain Eagle” is a carrier-based version of the single-engine advanced trainer JL-9, designed and produced by the Guizhou Aviation Group. It is paired with Z-8, Z-9, and J-15 as part of the "Shilang" aircraft carrier’s training aircraft fleet.

The engine’s roar quickly escalated as the tail flame jetted out over the jet blast deflector (JBD), a large board designed to bear the powerful airflow from the aircraft’s engine and provide thrust.

Two wheel chocks were placed in front of the rear wheels to counteract the reverse thrust, allowing the engine to steadily increase power output. This not only prevented the aircraft from veering off course but also helped maximize thrust during takeoff.

Nearby personnel moved away cautiously, fearing burns from the flying hot air.

The carrier "Varyag" does not have catapults and uses a ski-jump for takeoff. The flight deck at the bow is angled to provide final assistance for the aircraft to take off.

Takeoff and landing for carrier-based aircraft are subject to strict requirements, leaving no room for error. If an aircraft fails to lift off within two seconds after rolling off the deck, the pilot must immediately eject. This process is vastly different from the procedures on land; aircraft carrier pilots are given unique autonomy in deciding when to eject.

After all, the era where airplanes are considered less valuable than pilots has passed. A true ace pilot is irreplaceable, even if ten fighter jets are lost.

The Shilang aircraft carrier training ship adjusted its position, facing into the wind, providing an optimal headwind environment for the departing aircraft.

The deck crew signaled with green lights, and suddenly the engine of the “Mountain Eagle” roared to life, producing a deafening noise that necessitated the use of thick noise-canceling headphones on the deck; prolonged exposure would overwhelm anyone with that volume.

“Captain Lin, power output has reached 80%! We are launching and opening the throttle to maximum! Yes, we need the strongest power! Let’s go!"

With Cang Zilong’s voice, the wheel chocks instantly sank into the deck as the “Mountain Eagle” shot forward. Lin Mo could distinctly feel the immense G-forces pushing him into his seat, the only thing he could do was push the throttle and pull the control stick as hard as possible to gain the highest speed before leaving the flight deck.

A thundering roar swept across the deck; it was said that the aircraft could be as quiet as a maiden before takeoff and move as swiftly as a rabbit when in the air. No luxury sports car could compare to the acceleration of a carrier-based aircraft; while cars race on the ground, an aircraft must soar into the sky.

The moment “Mountain Eagle” left the ski-jump deck, it dipped suddenly, every takeoff is a gamble. If successful, it can soar to great heights; if not, a slow reaction could mean feeding the sharks.

Using inertia, it surged forward several meters, and with a powerful engine behind it, the aircraft began to pick up speed as it descended from the flight deck. As it reached a depth of four to five meters below the flight deck, the “Mountain Eagle” had built up sufficient speed and quickly climbed at a slight angle.

“Every takeoff is so thrilling! Captain Lin, it’s your turn!” Cang Zilong called from the rear seat. The front and rear seats of the “Mountain Eagle” are interconnected; Cang Zilong handled the initial takeoff for Lin Mo to feel the adrenaline rush associated with launching a carrier-based aircraft.

“Alright, I’m in control now,” Lin Mo replied, pulling the control stick, and the aircraft responded quickly, climbing rapidly above the cloud layer. From above, the shimmering sea made the Shilang aircraft carrier training ship look as small as a matchbox.

“Do you remember the key points for takeoff?”

“Absolutely! Max out the power to achieve the highest speed for takeoff. If my speed drops below 220 knots, I must jump out. Got it."

"Understood, thank you! I’ve memorized everything."

"Good, that’s the way! The operations aren’t particularly special, but there are many precautions to take. We need to avoid any accidents. Now let’s practice landing. Over the next few days, I’ll guide you through takeoff and landing until you master it. Soon, you can fly solo.”

“No problem, Instructor Cang.”

“Mountain Eagle” began to descend, returning to the Shilang aircraft carrier training ship for landing practice.

The landing deck at the rear of the carrier had activated the Fresnel lens optical landing system, allowing the pilots to clearly see the beams of light with the naked eye.

It lined up perfectly with the deck and adjusted its position.

“Make sure to lower the tail hook. There are four arresting wires below. We should aim to catch the third one; that’s the best choice. Don’t worry about overshooting; we can always pull up again. Remember, try not to catch the first wire. If the rebound force is too strong, it could fling the plane off the deck, which would be no different from a failed takeoff—either way, it would feed the sharks.”

With a roar, the JT-9 trainer “Mountain Eagle” executed a standard carrier landing on the deck. As Cang Zilong had predicted, the “Mountain Eagle” successfully caught the third arresting wire, absorbing the impact force and coming to a gentle stop.

Short takeoff and landing create enormous G-forces, almost double that of land-based airfields, requiring muscles to be tensed and the spine to maintain a specific position to withstand the loads; otherwise, bones can easily be injured.

Specific maneuvering G-force actions are strictly regulated in both the Chinese Air Force and foreign air forces. Incorrect posture at high speeds in flying machines can lead to fatal consequences.

Even ejection can be dangerous if the posture isn’t correct; the ejection force could break a neck, turning an escape into a tragedy.

After several takeoffs and landings, Lin Mo quickly mastered the nuances of short takeoffs. What distinguishes an ace pilot is not only their physical prowess and reaction ability but also their exceptional perception and learning ability regarding flight.

The Su Lan Empire selects Dragon Knights based on nearly ten thousand years of rigorous testing and training, with strict requirements for talent, not differentiating between commoners and nobles. Even a beggar with the potential of an Air Knight can rise to the same noble status.

Survival or death is a single-choice question, and the choice is made repeatedly every moment. This compels Lin Mo, whether in the Su Lan Empire or the People’s Republic of China, to continually learn and improve, regardless of the time or place.

As Instructor Cang said, the fate of an Air Knight is always a foot in heaven and a foot in hell: if they live, they soar high; if they die, it’s eternal ruin.

Therefore, every Air Knight must possess nerves as strong as steel and willpower like titanium. Otherwise, they might as well crawl on the ground.

After logging nearly 20 hours in the JT-9 "Mountain Eagle" carrier-based advanced trainer, Lin Mo finally received permission to climb into the cockpit of the J-15 "Dark Sabre" carrier-based fighter.

Two WS-10 "Taihang" turbofan engines provided more power than the “Mountain Eagle.” Along with the duck wing and three-surface aerodynamic layout, it made takeoff and landing easier and more manageable.

Having passed the “Mountain Eagle” challenge, students usually find the operation of a true carrier-based fighter somewhat less challenging.

This is why Instructor Cang confidently claims he will teach until you succeed, and indeed Lin Mo easily grasped the key to taking off and landing the carrier-based fighter. The experience he had gained at the 1:1 scale training ground was already very refined, so he could safely mimic it.

The only thing to watch out for was the changes in airflow, but isn’t that exactly what Dragon Knights excel at?

Having been exposed to the airflow while piloting his air beast, almost every Air Knight develops a set of unique sensing experiences for detecting and utilizing changes in air currents.

“Well done, Instructor Lin! Your progress is faster than I expected!”

The pilot of another J-15 "Dark Sabre" number 12 taking off closely behind was Cang Zilong.

“Thank you! It’s all thanks to Instructor Cang’s excellent teaching!”