"Live footage is now being sent back to us from the South China Sea by Reuters' Chief Asia-Pacific Correspondent, Jack Donaldson."
As the studio host finished speaking, the camera instantly switched to an aerial shot, with the sea breeze swirling clouds across the lens, clearly showing the outlines of giant ships and fighter jets on the sea.
"Ladies and gentlemen! Live footage! Two United States military F/A-18E/F Super Hornets have just broken away from the USS Ronald Reagan carrier strike group and are now circling the Great Fortune at a low altitude!"
"Wait! The lead aircraft is descending! The landing gear is down! The Super Hornet looks like it's preparing to land?!"
In the live broadcast, the lead F/A-18E/F aircraft dipped slightly, aiming at the landing runway of the Great Fortune.
Inside the cockpit, the United States military. lead pilot was still feeling groggy.
Last night I drank whiskey with my colleagues on the USS Ronald Reagan, and the hangover is still lingering. My hands are a little unsteady on the control stick, and my eyes are a beat slow to focus.
"The fighter jet has struck the ship! Wait! The tailhook failed to catch it! All four arresting cables have slipped!"
The commentator's screams instantly shattered. In the live broadcast, the tires of the F/A-18E/F scraped the deck, its speed undiminished, hurtling straight toward the end of the deck. Just a few meters ahead lay the vast South China Sea. If it crashed into the sea, the plane would be destroyed and everyone on board would perish!
At this critical moment, the emergency arresting system at the end of the deck was activated instantly.
Two electromagnetic arresting nets suddenly sprang up from below the deck, working in conjunction with the electromagnetic buffer traction device at the end of the deck to precisely catch the fighter jet's nose landing gear.
The fighter jet, which had already run more than halfway off the runway with its nose pointing downwards, was pulled back by a gentle yet powerful force. Its speed dropped visibly and it came to a steady stop at the edge of the deck, less than half a meter away from crashing into the sea.
The entire process took less than two seconds. There was no violent impact, no damage to the fuselage, and the 25-ton carrier-based aircraft was brought to a steady stop. Even the pilot in the cockpit was only lurched forward slightly and was unharmed.
"My God! They stopped it! They actually stopped it!" the commentator shouted excitedly. As a military reporter, he knew all too well how difficult it was to do this.
Previously, if a fighter jet failed to catch the arresting cable, it would either have to go around and try again, or crash into the sea; there was no third possibility.
"This aircraft carrier has actually been equipped with a second emergency electromagnetic arresting system at the aft end of its deck! It can stop an aircraft even when it is completely out of control and has overrun the runway! This technology completely exceeds the configuration of current United States military military aircraft carriers!"
Laymen watch the spectacle, experts watch the details.
On the bridge of the Great Fortune, Raymond watched the monitor and was also sweating bullets.
Before departure, he strongly opposed taking off and landing on an aircraft carrier.
Unfortunately, these pilots were trained using brain-computer interfaces and have less than 100 hours of flight time. According to United States military regulations, they are not allowed to take off and land independently on aircraft carriers.
Fu Haoran confidently asserted that there were backup insurance measures in place, but Raymond never believed him.
Now he understood that this safety measure was this globally unique end-of-line electromagnetic arresting system.
"Although it's a simple, direct, and somewhat rudimentary method, it's technically quite sophisticated. The coordination precision of the entire ship's electromagnetic system needs to be maximized; only President Fu would dare to do something like this."
"Strange, why are United States military pilots getting less and less skilled these days? Why don't they pull up and try again if they miss the hook?"
In the cockpit, the hangover pilot finally came to his senses, scrambling out with weak limbs. He leaned against the fuselage, panting heavily. He had just made the sign of the cross on his chest and hadn't even had a chance to thank God when a large hand grabbed the back of his collar.
Standing over 2.5 meters tall, Tychus has broad shoulders and a thick back, and his muscular physique makes his DYB overalls bulge out.
He lifted the pilot up like a newly hatched chick.
The second F/A-18E/F, which followed closely behind, landed smoothly, its tailhook precisely catching the second arresting cable, slowing it down and bringing it to a stop.
As soon as the pilot pushed open the cockpit door, he was surrounded by veterans of the Planetary Defense Force, disarmed in an instant, and then "friendly" escorted to reunite with his comrades.
The live stream camera was fixed on the deck, capturing the entire scene clearly.
Tychus grabbed the two pilots by the back of their collars, one in each hand, and led them deeper into the ship. The two pilots cursed the whole way, but they didn't even have a chance to struggle.
He grinned, his voice so loud it made the live stream microphone tremble. "Come on, distinguished guests, our boss invites you to have coffee on the bridge for two days."
After saying that, he waved to the helicopter in the sky and gave a bright, friendly smile.
In the VIP audience seats of the Miss Universe Pageant, Fu Haoran watched the live broadcast on his phone, a faint smile playing on his lips.
Cheng Beixiao, who had just rushed back from the port authority, finished reporting the situation with a sweaty face. Watching the United States military pilot being taken away on the live stream, his legs went weak. "President Fu, haven't we gone too far?"
"Is it big?" Fu Haoran glanced at the runway, his tone casual. "The goods have already been delivered to my doorstep; I have to let the buyer see the real thing."
Pentagon command center.
Jensen stood in front of the big screen, watching the live broadcast of his pilot being carried away like a chick, his face as black as the bottom of a pot.
He gritted his teeth, managing not to lose his composure in public, but inwardly he cursed himself a hundred times over.
A perfectly good move turned into sending lambs to the slaughter, humiliating the United States military in the South China Sea in front of the entire world.
--
"If a fighter jet crashes into the sea, where will I put my face?!"
But when he turned his gaze back to the emergency electromagnetic arresting system that had just completed its extreme stop on the live broadcast screen, his gloom deepened.
Because this is precisely the core technology that Ford-class has been working on for over a decade and has spent billions of dollars on without success!
The more he looked at the aircraft carrier, the more complicated his feelings became.
Look at this minimalist design, the futuristic island shape, it not only has a mature and stable electromagnetic catapult, but also a dual-redundant electromagnetic arresting system, and it's even larger and has a higher displacement—and it's all brand new!
More importantly, this is readily available. They sailed from the east coast of the Pacific Ocean to the west coast of the Pacific Ocean, a single ship covering thousands of nautical miles, without needing supply ships or escorts. What does this show? It shows that they have enough confidence!
And then there's the Ford-class aircraft carrier, which has been delayed for so long!
The reliability of the electromagnetic catapult system remains unresolved, and lawmakers have at one point ridiculed the aircraft carrier as nothing more than "a $13 billion nuclear-powered floating moored barge."
If this is a big problem, what about the remaining smaller problems?
What's even more outrageous is that just as the project was about to be handed over, the designer discovered that there were more than a hundred beds missing. Jensen simply couldn't understand whether those highly paid designers were incompetent.
The thought of this made Jensen furious, and his face turned even uglier.
The staff around him didn't dare to breathe, waiting for him to order retaliation or initiate diplomatic negotiations.
However, Jensen issued an unexpected instruction. "Have our Ministry of Foreign Affairs contact the Zhuhai Airshow organizing committee!"
The subordinates were completely bewildered. "Sir? Why contact the organizing committee?"
"What are you doing?!" Jensen glared, his face contorted with a defiant, reckless rage. "If we can't stop them, we'll join them! They've already set up their stall right on our doorstep, what good is it for us to just sit here watching satellites across the Pacific Ocean?!"
"Have the Ronald Reagan Carrier Strike Group at full speed to the waters off Zhuhai Port Zhuhai Port, apply for a port call under the guise of a diplomatic visit, and simultaneously submit an application to the organizing committee to participate in the United States military's carrier-based aircraft flight demonstration. We'll take the largest booth next to DYB's! We'll exhibit too!"
"What if they disagree?" someone asked in a low voice.
Jensen glared at him, annoyed. "Do I need to teach you this? First, release the news and create international buzz. Do you think they'd dare to openly refuse guests who are just there to participate?"
"Also, prepare military industry experts and a procurement team. We're going to the airshow too. I want to see for myself what he dares to sell! Buy everything we can!"
"I will never allow others to buy up all our most valuable technology, leaving us with nothing!"
The entire command center was completely silent.
No one expected that the Chief of Naval Operations would pull off such a bizarre "if you can't beat them, join them" move. All the anger they had been holding back turned into a show of force as they rushed to the scene to seize the goods.
But upon closer reflection, it seems to be the only option at the moment.
University of Tokyo Military Command Center.
On the huge electronic screen, all the images of the sea, airspace, and airshow site were displayed in real time. The dramatic interception scene was played in slow motion again and again.
Finally, a technical analyst spoke up, "The technical team has just completed the image analysis; the target ship is equipped with a dual-redundant electromagnetic arresting system!"
In addition to the standard four arresting cables, an emergency electromagnetic buffer arresting device has been added at the end!
"This system can bring a 25-ton carrier-based aircraft to a stop with zero damage within 1.5 seconds, even when the aircraft is completely out of control, runs off the runway, and exceeds the arresting cable's limit!"
"Our initial assessment suggests that this is likely the best carrier-based aircraft survival technology currently available globally!"
The officer at the command post stared at the slow-motion interception footage on the screen, tapping his fingers lightly on the table. He ordered in a deep voice, "Set the target ship's electromagnetic arresting system and electromagnetic catapult system as the highest priority for recording. Record all technical..."
No detail can be overlooked.
"Notify the naval escort fleet to move forward and support the Great Fortune, while keeping a close watch on the Ronald Reagan Carrier Strike Group, preventing them from crossing the line even a step."
"Notify the Southern Theater Command Air Force that J-20 fighters in pairs scramble to escort the DYB fighter formation throughout the entire flight. They are not to fire without orders and must record all flight data."
"Telegram to headquarters: All data regarding the target ships and aircraft is archived."
Commands were issued at each level, and the entire army coordinated its efforts.
Scene from the Zhuhai Airshow.
The control tower had already received instructions from higher command to guide the DYB fighter jet formation into the landing path and clear the main runway.
Inside the exhibition hall, media, exhibitors, and buyers were still happily browsing the exhibition, taking pictures of the various fighter jet models and equipment display boards, completely unaware of the shock that was about to be felt.
Suddenly, a deafening roar came from the sky, growing louder as it approached, drowning out all the noise in the venue.
Four silver-gray fighter jets roared in from the sea in close formation, precisely aimed at the runway, lowered their landing gear, and landed smoothly.
--
The tires scraped across the track, leaving two wisps of blue smoke.
Then four more followed.
Four more.
A military enthusiast carrying a telephoto lens was squatting outside the fence at the end of the runway, filming a rehearsal flight demonstration. His lens followed the landing fighter jets, and his finger suddenly froze on the shutter button.
Diamond-shaped nose, double outward-canted vertical tail, and two-dimensional vector thrust nozzle.
These characteristics are etched into the DNA of every military enthusiast.
He put down his camera, checked the runway three times with his naked eye, then suddenly shoved the camera in front of his eyes and cursed into the viewfinder, "Damn, F-22!"
In the nearby VIP lounge, several Middle Eastern buyers were drinking coffee and discussing cooperation when they heard the increasingly intense roaring sound from the direction of the runway. They picked up their cups and walked to the window.
They froze after just one glance.
The bone china coffee cup slipped from his hand, shattered on the floor, and scalding coffee splashed onto his trousers. No one bent down to pick it up.
Police officers maintaining order at the scene received an urgent order over their radios, demanding the immediate closure of the area around the runway and prohibiting any unauthorized personnel from approaching.
Armed soldiers quickly took their positions, and yellow warning tape instantly surrounded the entire parking area.
But this couldn't stop reporters and military enthusiasts carrying telephoto lenses, since the runway is open-air and the cordon can only block the ground, not the view.
One F-22 after another flew in from the sea and landed on the runway of Jinwan Airport.
The fighter jet taxied to the parking area, the DYB Warhammer Arms Industry logo printed on its fuselage clearly and glaringly in the sunlight.
The sound of camera shutters clicking incessantly was like a torrential downpour hitting a sheet of metal.
Everyone's cell phones, cameras, and video cameras were all pointed at the runway.
Some people didn't even have time to edit the content; they just took photos and posted them directly on Weibo or Twitter, with captions as simple as "F-22 appears at Zhuhai Airshow."
Within minutes, the Zhuhai Airshow #F22AirborneAtZhuhaiAirshow, #MysteriousAircraftCarrierAppearsInSouthChinaSea, South China Sea #WhatIsTheBackgroundOfDYBMilitaryIndustry? immediately went viral on social media platforms both at home and abroad.
The Weibo server crashed immediately, and refreshing the page resulted in blank pages with loading failures.
Six out of the top ten trending topics on Twitter worldwide are related to this issue.
Washington, White House Situation Room.
President Lanpu sat at the head of the long table, with three screens in front of him.
On the left is real-time satellite imagery, in the middle is a live helicopter broadcast from foreign media, and on the right is a scrolling page of Twitter's global trends.
He stared at the F-22s landing on the screen, his expression shifting from confusion to shock, from shock to anger, and finally settling on an extremely complex sense of helplessness.
From this morning until now, the White House switchboard has been overwhelmed with calls from North Atlantic Treaty Organization allies, Congressional inquiries, and media requests for interviews.
He kept repeating three sentences: We did not, we were unaware of, and it was absolutely not an official United States military. military operation.
"Can anyone tell me what's going on?"
When President Lanpu spoke, his voice was extremely low, and the entire situation room fell silent.
The Minister of Defense, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, and the Director of the CIA stood in a row, looking at each other, none of them able to answer the question.
The door to the situation room was pushed open, and General Jensen strode in, placing a freshly printed intelligence briefing and an airshow booth application receipt in front of the president.
His face was still grim, but he had a nonchalant air about him, as if he'd given up on everything.
"Mr. President, the situation has been verified. The owner of the Great Fortune is DYB Technology, and the actual controller is Fu Haoran, the protagonist of the Washington Xenomorph incident a few months ago, and currently the only honorary major general in the Amerikan National Guard."
Jensen's voice was calm and restrained, each message like a thunderclap, exploding in the command room.
"In addition, I have already had my team submit an application to participate in the Zhuhai Airshow, securing the largest booth next to DYB. The Ronald Reagan Carrier Strike Group is moving at full speed toward Zhuhai Port, applying to dock Zhuhai Port under the guise of a diplomatic visit."
President Lanpu looked up abruptly, his face filled with disbelief. "What are you doing?!"
"Mr. President, we can't stop him, nor can we silence the global buyers." Jensen gave a wry smile. "Instead of just watching helplessly from across the Pacific Ocean, we might as well go and keep an eye on things on-site."
"If they dare to sell, we dare to buy. We absolutely cannot let the technology of the F-22 and the electromagnetic catapult technology fall into the hands of our adversaries."
"Wait, let me sort this out first."
President Lanpu rubbed his temples, remained silent for a long while, and finally managed to utter, "You mean to say that one of our National Guard honorary major generals, using his own factory and workers, not only replicated the F-22 fighter jet, but also casually built an aircraft carrier with four electromagnetic catapults, and then sailed it to the Zhuhai Airshow in China to openly sell it?"
"That's right, Mr. President."
"Alright." President Lanpu took a deep breath. "How come they have an F-22 production line?"
"According to our investigation, it was purchased from Locke Martin. When Lockheed Martin sold it to them, they believed that the conditions for resuming production were not met," Jensen answered truthfully.
"But they've resumed production."
"Yes."
" Locke told Congress that the production line was completely dismantled and could not be replicated, so why can others do it?" President Lanpu asked, barely suppressing his anger.
The command center was deathly silent; no one could answer.
Lockheed Martin's CEO is currently being questioned by Congress, and his phone is ringing off the hook; he's too afraid to answer calls from the White House.
"Alright, the second question is, how long did it take them to build the aircraft carrier?"
"The exact start date cannot be confirmed, but based on the ownership change records, it will not exceed two years."
President Lanpu closed his eyes and took a deep breath. When he opened them again, his eyes were blazing with barely suppressed anger. "You mean, for two whole years, you didn't know someone was secretly building an aircraft carrier?"
Jensen was silent for a moment. "Although I hate to admit it, I'm afraid that's the case."
"Okay, tell me, why is it that our Ford-class aircraft carrier, despite being built and repaired repeatedly, still cannot reliably operate their electromagnetic catapults?"
"But they built a ship that's even bigger than the Ford-class, and its electromagnetic catapult system operates much more smoothly, capable of launching hundreds of sorties continuously at full capacity, and it can even sail into the South China Sea to participate in exhibitions."
Jensen remained silent for a long time before saying, "I also want to know the answer."
President Lanpu stood up, walked to the window, and turned his back to everyone.
"What do we do now?"
"Mr. President, based on my understanding of Fu Haoran, if he says he's going to sell, he absolutely means it."
"To prevent technology leaks, we must buy back all the F-22s we can, along with the core technologies he possesses."
"Huh?" President Lanpu whirled around, his face filled with disbelief. "Aren't those our fighter jets? Besides, who would dare buy them without our approval!"
"Legally speaking, those were produced by Fu Haoran's private company and don't belong to the United States military," Jensen said with a wry smile. "Besides, you've probably overestimated our deterrent power."
"The organizer, China, is absolutely happy to pay for it; the Persia, the Russians, and the Indians are all holding their checks and waiting."
President Lanpu broke down on the spot, slamming his fist on the table, the solid wood surface vibrating loudly.
Pointing to the F-22s parked on the runway in the live stream, he spat out a few words through gritted teeth. "Send our people to the site immediately! Anyone who dares to buy will be punished!"
"We must never allow any of these aircraft to fall into the hands of another country!"
"Wait," President Lanpu suddenly called out to Jensen, who was about to turn around, "Inform our allies Japan and South Korea to make the purchases."
"Huh?" Jensen didn't react.
Lanpu revealed a shrewd smile typical of businessmen, "When our allies pay, it's the same as us paying. How we use it in the end is up to us."