The alarms aboard the 815A were still blaring. With the three aircraft no longer attacking, the fires were quickly brought under control. However, the hull was now riddled with holes. One of the four domes on top had been scorched black, and the other three were in poor condition as well. The laser communications equipment had been damaged and disabled.
The captain watched the battle in the sky through his binoculars and let out a long breath. At least the 815A had been saved, though it would have to return to the shipyard for a major overhaul.
"Professor! No! The battle is still ongoing—you can't go out!"
Inside the cabin, several sailors blocked a naval technical officer. Song Xizhu watched the two sailors expressionlessly and said calmly, "The electro-optical system is damaged. Some information has to be collected outside."
"We can help you!" one of the sailors said without backing down.
Song Xizhu was not angry, because she knew they were trying to protect her. But with the electro-optical system damaged, battlefield intelligence could only be gathered through handheld optical equipment.
"All right. Xiao Wang, go with them. I'll wait inside the cabin."
"Understood, Professor!" the technician beside her shouted. He then dragged the equipment briskly toward the cabin exit, while Song Xizhu activated the device in her hands and waited for the wired signal to be sent back.
Seeing that the officer nicknamed "Professor" had no intention of forcing her way outside, the sailors breathed a sigh of relief. They picked up the equipment and followed behind Lieutenant Wang.
They reached the second deck and found a spot with the best view. After Lieutenant Wang set up the equipment, he aimed the high-precision optical camera at the sky.
Screech! As the optical lens zoomed in, the equipment magnified the battle in the sky. The footage was transmitted in real time back to Song Xizhu through a wired connection.
Song Xizhu quietly watched the battle. When she saw the PL10 fired by the J-15S detonate far from the Triangle Aircraft, her eyes flickered. Even if the infrared seeker had made an error, it could not possibly have been that large.
When she saw Aircraft 140 get hit head-on by the enemy, her eyes filled with concern. She also began to deduce the Triangle Aircraft's method of attack. It could not be seen with the naked eye, but the optical sensors clearly showed how the Triangle Aircraft attacked—by firing energy weapons!
After damaging Aircraft 140, the other J-15S crossed paths with the three unidentified aircraft and pulled into a vertical loop.
Watching Aircraft 139 desperately pull for angle just to seize that fleeting firing window, she knew the pilot was enduring tremendous G-forces at such speed!
Could he have blacked out? As Song Xizhu entertained that strange thought, the J-15S gained the angular advantage and successfully cut inside the Triangle Aircraft's turn circle, its nose pointing at the target.
Beautiful!
At that moment, she could not help cheering for the Naval Aviation pilot. But just as she thought he was about to fire, the J-15S's nose twisted strangely, swinging in another direction. Then its fiery whip lashed at empty air.
She realized something. Could the target be fake?
Just as she had suspected, the 30mm cannon rounds struck a glass-like aircraft in seemingly empty air. It exploded, and its wreckage scattered down toward the sea.
Then, disregarding the danger, the fighter lit its afterburner, climbed, and charged straight after the Triangle Aircraft ahead.
Once it entered dogfighting range, it smoothly launched into an extremely dangerous Scissors Maneuver! The J-15S and the Triangle Aircraft became entangled, spiraling upward together as though they were performing a Northeast Errenzhuan dance.
It was a contest of energy. In a pure cannon dogfight without missiles, whoever lost energy first would fall into a disadvantage, then be pounced on from above and shot down like a target at the range.
After the two aircraft spiraled upward for two kilometers, the J-15S began to slow, and the Triangle Aircraft lost speed as well. The optical sensors clearly showed that both had entered the low-speed regime almost simultaneously. It was now a contest to see who would lose energy and drop first.
Song Xizhu was not the only one watching this scene. On the bridge of the 815A, the captain who had been directing the battle, the captain of the Liaoning, the commander of the carrier air wing, and the political commissar all saw it. The laser communications transmitted back by the WZ7 also broadcast it to the Command Center.
As they watched the J-15S gradually gain the upper hand, the unidentified aircraft finally lost energy first and began falling. Seizing the chance, the Flying Shark rolled over and pounced downward, shooting down the Triangle Aircraft with its 30mm cannon. The commander's lips curled upward.
That was the battlefield. As long as they won, everything else was unimportant! And judging from the intelligence so far, Great East was the first country to shoot down a Triangle Aircraft! Two at once, no less! That was significant. Since first encountering the unknown aircraft, the Carl Vinson Carrier Strike Group had not downed a single one.
"Whose subordinate is this?" the commander asked in a deep voice, highly satisfied.
"Report! He is a fighter pilot from the Liaoning, callsign Fatty, along with his student, who does not yet have a callsign."
Pilots could not be addressed by name, as that could easily leak information, so they usually adopted nicknames. Liu Jun had only just obtained his Daytime Carrier Qualification Certification and had not yet had time to choose one.
"A trainee?"
The commander was somewhat surprised. Even trainees were being sent into battle? But a trainee was still a soldier, so there was nothing wrong with that! The one who had shot down those aircraft must have been "Fatty." The commander, who came from the navy, nodded to himself. Those two had really done them proud. When they went back to complain about being underfunded, they would have more leverage now!
Just as the commander was thinking this, Aircraft 139, which had shot down two Triangle Aircraft in succession, rolled over in midair. Like a Sea Eagle spotting prey, it dove!
Holding the altitude advantage, the J-15S dove down. Its potential energy continuously converted into kinetic energy, and it grew faster and faster as it rushed straight at the third Triangle Aircraft.
With the other two J-15Ss tying it down, the Triangle Aircraft was in a low-energy state—no speed, no altitude. Aircraft 139 throttled back and pointed its nose at it. The Triangle Aircraft, which had been so at ease moments ago, immediately began circling to one side, trying to evade the Sea Eagle's strike as though it had encountered a natural predator.
But the Sea Eagle seemed to know exactly what it intended. Its nose pointed toward a spot, and it opened fire!
Thump! Thump! Thump!
The tracer rounds marked the firing trajectory. Shells from the GSH30-1 cannon swept straight through the empty sky, and the next second, countless glass-colored fragments scattered across the heavens.
Having seized its prey, the Sea Eagle pulled out of its dive and circled once at low altitude, seemingly confirming the damage. Once it confirmed the target had been destroyed, it began climbing.
"Commander, Aircraft 139 is critically low on fuel," the technician who had been monitoring the battlefield shouted.
Aircraft 139 had already traveled a long distance to reach the battlefield, leaving it with little fuel. On top of that, it had used afterburner during the dogfight, so its remaining fuel had to be low.
"Commander! Battlefield communications are connected!"
"Ask Aircraft 139 for its fuel status immediately!"
Before you continue