Chapter 293

Chapter 293: Air Supremacy Combat in the South China Sea

Upon closer inspection, Lin Mo noticed that the main wings and horizontal and vertical stabilizers of the two F-35s seemed to be larger. Even though the radar could not confirm the models completely, Lin Mo quickly identified the aircraft type based on aerodynamic shape differences.

He checked the fuel tanks and found everything was fine; the auxiliary fuel tanks had enough fuel for two round trips! Lin Mo didn’t plan to jettison the auxiliary tanks directly. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have enough fuel to return after a dogfight.

The twin engines were fuel guzzlers, especially the upgraded WS-10 Taihang turbofan engines. Although fuel consumption had improved compared to earlier versions, it still consumed significantly. Fighter jets were not known for their fuel efficiency or endurance.

The F-35 “Lightning II” had a carrier-based variant, the F-35C, which was not only in the same league as Lin Mo’s J-15 “Dark Sabre” but also his enemy.

“Calling the bridge. I have sighted two F-35 carrier-based aircraft, sending coordinates now. Suspecting nearby presence of American naval…”

Before Lin Mo finished, he heard strong signal interference, and several communication signal indicators switched from green to warning red.

Electronic jamming! This meant that the enemy had discovered him and promptly launched an ECM electronic countermeasure attack.

Fortunately, just as Lin Mo’s hand left the button to send the coordinates, the final coordinates had already been sent out before the enemy initiated their electronic attack.

The satellite positioning system of the J-15 “Dark Sabre” confirmed the coordinates to the military satellite system every 15 seconds, while the cockpit was filled with buttons representing different functions. Some critical and special functions could be activated with a single press without navigating through submenus, which, although cumbersome, enabled swift actions in special circumstances, just like Lin Mo needed to do now.

Altitude represented initiative, and taking the first move was crucial. Lin Mo immediately pulled back on the joystick to gain a high angle of ascent. The enemy wouldn’t initiate hostilities without warning; otherwise, it would mean a formal war between China and America.

The fighter planes of both sides climbed simultaneously, aiming to gain altitude advantage that could be converted into speed.

In the jet fighter world, speed was king, and diving provided additional acceleration—a tactic rooted in the era of propeller-driven fighters.

“Did you see that, ‘Swallow’? It’s a Chinese carrier-based aircraft! How rare to see it here, and it’s just one,” said Major George Ell of the George Washington carrier’s newly arrived F-35 “Lightning II” experimental squadron, codename “Rocky Mountain,” as he initiated the integrated electronic warfare system (IEWS) and spoke to his fellow pilot.

Although mainstream electronic warfare technologies operated separately within different electromagnetic frequency ranges, the powerful onboard integrated core processor (ICP) allowed them to work together seamlessly, greatly relieving the pilot’s operational burden.

“Got it! You launched an electronic attack? There shouldn’t be any adverse effects, right?” asked the pilot of another F-35 after seeing his comrade engage the electronic warfare mode.

Since the Gerald R. Ford-class aircraft carrier had not yet officially launched, the F-35s intended for it had first formed an experimental training squadron aboard America’s largest and world’s biggest Nimitz-class multi-purpose nuclear aircraft carrier, the George Washington.

“There won’t be a problem; they only have one aircraft while we have two. Are you scared? Don’t worry! I won’t be illuminating it with fire control radar; if they’re smart, they should just turn back. Ha ha,” Major George Ell continued, casually controlling the ascent of his fighter. “See? They’re quite bold, trying to challenge us. Let’s teach them a lesson!”

“Alright, let’s show the people aboard the George Washington our strength. I think this record will be very valuable,” said Major Minick Jerry, codename “Swallow.” He was eager to see how America’s newest carrier-based aircraft measured up against China’s latest.

This was truly significant.

“Calling the George Washington. We’ve spotted a Chinese fighter jet; it should be a carrier-based aircraft. Requesting permission to probe.”

“This is the George Washington. C Squadron, permission granted for this probe. Remember, it’s just a probe, and weapon attacks are forbidden.”

“C Squadron confirms the order!”

The two F-35 “Lightning II” fighters surged toward the J-15 “Dark Sabre,” which had already reached an altitude of 13,000 meters.

In fact, this provocative mindset against China permeated the entire George Washington carrier group. People aboard the fleet considered occasional small provocations against the Chinese military harmless and routine.

As the first U.S. nuclear-powered aircraft carrier stationed outside the U.S. homeland, the George Washington had been on combat readiness duties since 2008, responsible for patrolling the East Asia region while regularly participating in military exercises each year.

Since 2010, the George Washington had intentionally probed China’s limits by participating in U.S.-South Korea joint exercises in the Yellow Sea, trying every possible tactic for provocation.

This has continued since the “USS Kitty Hawk” tailed a Chinese “Han”-class nuclear submarine after its training, leading to a standoff between both countries’ air force fighter jets, resulting in continuous provocations from the Americans.

Well, the Americans thought this behavior was as mundane as eating and sleeping. However, Lin Mo, as the new “bean,” wouldn’t view the Dragon Knights as easy targets. Anyone who underestimated a Dragon Knight was bound to end up in trouble.

“Look, ‘Rocky Mountain’! It’s charging at us! So fast—it’s a twin-engine fighter! It has missiles under its wings. Hold on, recognizing it now, it’s a C-802 anti-ship missile! This guy must just have caused someone trouble.”

“I saw it, ‘Swallow.’ According to CIA intelligence, the opponent’s model is a J-15, codename ‘Dark Halberd,’ and it seems to weigh slightly less than us.”

“Doesn’t that mean their maneuverability might be a bit stronger? Oh! That’s not good news!”

“It seems so, but their radar and operating systems are not as good as ours, right? Don’t worry! This is just a game; let’s say hello to it.”

Boom!

At an altitude of over 4,000 meters, the three planes passed each other without any special maneuvers or locking onto one another’s fire control systems.

At the moment of crossing, one of the F-35 “Lightning II” pilots made a challenging gesture in the cockpit, and the pilot in the “Dark Sabre” decisively responded with a confirming gesture.

Aerial knights had their own principles; even with enemies, in non-lethal encounters, they maintained their knightly demeanor.

However, both aircraft broke the sound barrier simultaneously, creating fierce air turbulence that rocked the aircraft, and the cockpit canopy trembled and made strange noises.

This was no game; beneath the knightly demeanor, deadly intent lurked.

“I’ve locked on… oh no, it evaded!”

“Stay calm; we still have a chance. Let’s play with it using fire control radar! Quickly, it’s attacking with a scissors maneuver, so let’s counter with a double scissors! Ha ha, scissors against scissors—it’s obviously more powerful, thinking it’s a cleaver?”

“Okay, wait—no, it changed again, using a high-overload maneuver! It’s reversing back; I’ve been locked on; it’s using its cannon!”

“Using cannons? Is it picking on us because our carrier version doesn’t have a heads-up display? Luckily, we aren’t the type B F-35s that need external cannons. What a sly one, ‘Swallow’! My friend, don’t be afraid. Use the HMD (Helmet Mounted Display) to lock onto it—it’s a good experimental target for the JHMCS (Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing System). Right, right, let’s sneak up behind it and latch onto its tail like the F-22; it’s all about the hook maneuver. Wait—damn it! It can still see me! How is that possible? I’ve already exited the edge of its visual range. Its radar couldn’t be as advanced as ours, could it? Or does its helmet have a view of the back? The CIA’s fools slacked off again.”

The pilot of one F-35 “Lightning II,” Major George Ell, codename “Rocky Mountain,” adapted quickly and employed F-22 “Raptor” tactics alongside Major Minick Jerry, codename “Swallow.”

In the skies at 7,000 meters, the three carrier-based aircraft from China and America engaged in an intense dogfight. Two F-35s pursued the J-15 “Dark Sabre,” while the “Dark Sabre” occasionally countered with super maneuverability. Neither side had utilized real weapon attacks, maintaining restraint as if it were a drill between carrier-based aircraft.

The sound of sonic booms echoed through the air as a one-on-two dogfight unfolded, showcasing the capabilities of single-engine versus twin-engine fighter jets and the rivalry between the two nations’ aircraft.

In fact, the F-35 “Lightning II” had superior radar stealth capabilities, while the J-15’s onboard phased array radar was weaker. However, Lin Mo’s Light Mirror Technique effectively narrowed this technological gap. Even if the radar was stealthy, it couldn’t achieve optical invisibility; within Lin Mo’s cockpit, the Light Mirror Technique was revealed, wholly utilized by the cannon.