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[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ] Again, convey to him my congratulations. After his successful attacks on American assets in March using the new STOL carrier, the PLAN 1001 Beijing, AdmiralYao Hsu had been promoted and assigned to the new, large deck carrier, the PLAN 001 Mao as the task force commander. He had weathered the attacks on it by American cruise missiles and aircraft and seen it through to completion, launch and through its sea trials in the South China Sea. Now, he was on a critical mission for his nation, one he hoped would draw out the American carriers. By all accounts, the fact that they had just shot down that stealthy, high-flying, slow American reconnaissance aircraft indicated that the hope would be fulfilled. Addressing the Captain of the Mao and his own chief of staff, AdmiralYao continued. It is assured that the Americans have located us. Take evasive action and strengthen our inner CAP with aircraft from the Shanghai. Captain, create a barrier CAP off to our east and northeast with your aircraft and insure there is adequate electronics warfare capability in the air with that group. Contact the regimental command of those two Backfire bomber groups stationed atUjungPandang on Celebes and havethem immediately launch one reconnaissance in force looking to our northeast and another looking to our east. Proceed to maximum range and report any electronic emissions immediately. Have their full regimental forces ready to respond immediately on acquisition. In addition, I wantfour SU-33 s fitted for reconnaissance flying the same general search pattern within thirty minutes. We shall see what the Americans throw our way. Finally, notify high command that Operation Sea Dragon is hereby executed and that the attack on Guam can commence when we transmit the signal indicating the American attack on us. As the Admiral turned away to monitor the threat board and prepared to move to the Combat Control Center, he considered his flagship. The Mao and its eventual sister ship, were a Chinese version of the Russian carrier,Varyag .TheVaryag , which was the sister ship to the operational Russian carrier, the Kuznetsov , had been completed and launched in 1988 by the Russians as their second full deck carrier, but had never been fitted out or taken through trials. Ultimately, in 2002, it had been sold to China and then towed to Shanghai where it had been thoroughly studied in anticipation of the PLAN building its own ships. Through modular and highly automated methodologies, the Chinese had started construction on two such vessels of their own in 2003 and completed them in three years. One was the Mao, the other was severely damaged on its ways in Shanghai and would require months of repair before being ready to launch. The specifications for AdmiralYao s flagship were impressive. It carried an air wing of twenty-four SU-33 high-performance, air-superiority aircraft, four SU-35 EW aircraft, four of China s new AWACS aircraft and sixteen ASW helicopters. Its weapons systems included twelveYakhont surface-to-surface anti-shipping missiles, a battery of Page 195 ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html forty-eight KS-2+ air-to-air missiles, four 30mm CIWS guns and eight LRASD devices mounted four to the side below the main deck. The Mao was a very formidable vessel indeed and it was about to experience its combat debut against two of the very ships and weapons systems it was built to counter. July 28, 2006, the next ninety minutes Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html The Southwest Pacific Ocean Over the next hour and a half, both sides implemented their plans for this confrontation. CBT 77 took almost forty-five minutes to launch and then form a massive strike package aimed at the PLAN task force centered on the PLAN 001 Mao and PLAN1002 Shanghai. The American strike package consisted of thirty-six F/A-18E aircraft fitted for the surface attack role, eight F/A-18F two seat Hornets fitted for the Wild-Weasel direct radar suppression role, four EA-6B aircraft fitted for indirect Electronics Warfare and direct radar suppression, eight F/A-18E and eight F-14D aircraft fitted for air superiority, two E2-C AWACS aircraft to provide early warning and radar services, and two S3-A tanker aircraft flying with the AWACS to provide additional fuel for the return trip. The AWACS and tankers would be protected by two each of the F-14D and F/A-18E air superiority aircraft. The American carrier group launched a large CAP as well. There were eight of the new F/A-35 JSF [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ] |
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