Chapter 196 - Book 8 4-3 Japan Sinking!: Begin The Destruction!
February 4th, 2021, 23:05
The seas 50km southeast from Ulsan-si, (Chungmugong Lee Soon-Shin's (CG-1101) position)
"The Setoyuki ship is sinking! The Abuku, Sendai has been struck by the two Haesung-A missiles! The Done has been struck by the Haesung missile as well."
The reports about the Haesung missiles were pouring in. Colonel Ahn Youn-Joon smiled slightly and spoke to his first mate, Lieutenant Colonel Oh Hyun-Woo.
"My, my! I feel as if we have wasted our expensive missiles on those old, outdated vessels."
"Ha ha ha, they are not that outdated, captain!"
"Is that so? Ha ha ha, let's end things with our Scythe cannons. Give targets 1 and 4 four rounds each."
"Yes, captain."
The first mate gave the order to the command center, and the 100mm Scythe cannons aboard the K-2 repeating barrels moved back while a clear sound of cannon fire rang out. The cluster bombs flew across the seas while emitting blue flames.
100mm 1.5m high cluster plasma rounds flew off from the 2-barrel Scythe K-2 cannons with a range of 250km at the speed of 13 464 km per hour. The rounds had hit the target accurately after 37 seconds and landed on four areas of the Setoyuki (DD-131) that had sunk a third of the way. The momentum of the rounds moving at Mach 11 was delivered directly to the ship and the power of the high-powered plasma cluster rounds. The explosion had caused the Setoyuki vessel's body to fly up into the air before breaking into pieces and being sucked back into the ocean.
The Done (DE-234) was also struck by the four plasma cluster rounds and burst into flames. Since it was a smaller vessel compared to the Setoyuki, it split into little pieces and sunk into the Eastern Sea.
"Targets 1 and 4 have sunk, sir!"
The command center reported the results.
"Great work! Now change azimuth to 1-1-5 starboard at full turn! Sail at 25 knots!"
"Azimuth at 1-1-5, full turn starboard! Sailing at full speed to reach 25 knots."
The Chungmugong Lee Sun-shin (CG-1101) that had destroyed four of the enemy's escorting vessels minutes after the battle began, prepared to aid the joint fleet engaged in a battle against the 4th escorting fleet and turned starboard.
* * *
February 4th, 2021, 23:15
The skies above Kyushu, Japan
The four JX-1 fighter jets all made evasive maneuvers to avoid the blue streams of light that pierced the clouds in the dark skies and flying towards them. When the lights hit their targets, the four JX-1 jets all fell to the ground after shattering into numerous pieces.
Bang! Boom!
The Kyushu skies were a bit smaller than half of the southern state. Over 400 Corean air force, jets, and Japan's self-defense air force jets were flying around fighting for their lives across the dark sky. A few of the phoenix land attackers and the black phoenix jets that were only equipped with air-to-air weapons had returned to Corea. There were only 120 KF-21P phoenix fighter jets to defend the skies, while there were 330 Japanese jets.
Japan's air force command headquarters had analyzed the Corean jet's specs and battle maneuvers based on the Corean-Chinese war. To neutralize the stealth capabilities of the Corean jets that surpassed the F-22 raptor, the Japanese air force had deployed four E-767 early warning planes, and six of their domestically developed PE-1 early warning planes 300km above the Kyushu skies. Also, they rented four E-55A stealth detection planes that had been operating on the field since 2019 from the U.S navy and sent those in as well.
The E-55A stealth detection planes had been developed by Lockheed Martin for over 10 years before entering production in 2018. By early 2020, the E-55A planes were deployed to the Yokota U.S 5th fighter wing base.
The Black Moon flight wing's commander, Major Choi Young-Ho, under the 38th fighter wing entered into the battle against the Japanese jets with his flight wing after finishing his escorting mission for the land bombers. After 10 minutes had passed, Major Choi Young-Ho had already shot down six enemy jets with S-AAM-200 rattlesnake missiles, including F-35A jets.
-Black Moon, east point, 8 bandits, distance at 20 check! Check! Dog fight on the ready.
The eight F-35A Lightning II jets flying 11kms above the surface flew past while looking up to the four phoenix jets under the Black Moon flight wing. Both sides had exhausted their missile supplies and now have transitioned into dog fights. The pilots had flown past each other to see their enemy with their own eyes.
Japan's eight F-35A Lightning II jets divided into units of flight wings, and one made the spirit S maneuver to tail the Black Moon flight wing, while the other split in two and spread out using the slice turn* maneuver.
* Slice turn: A maneuver that involves flying parallel before making a 135-degree roll in either left or right, while falling.
Japan's F-35A Lightning II jets all made high speed turns and pressured the Black Moon flight wing while surrounding them from both sides at its rear. The Black Moon flight wing also used the Immelmann* turn to avoid the enemy from encircling them. Then they used the spirit S maneuver to move below the F-35A Lightning II jets at a 45-degree angle.
*Immelmann Turn: A maneuver that involves removing the stick from parallel flight, rolling by 180 degrees at the loop's peak, and then returning to parallel flight.
No matter how superior the maneuverability that the F-35A Lightning II jets had compared to the Sukhoi jets, they were no match for the phoenix fighter jet's maneuverability equipped with the ACS (Antigravity Control System) *.
*ACS (Antigravity Control System): A system that blocks off or controls the gravitational pull instead of creating a force to nullify the gravitational pull. This system allows the jets to pull off evasive maneuvers and turns that would defy gravity and allow for unconventional movements. The system also controls the gravitational pull that the pilots are subjected to, thus allowing them to feel less fatigue and focus on piloting the jet.
Under Major Choi Young-Ho's orders, the Black Moon flight wing's four jets all fired their 12mm laser Vulcan guns.
The four white beams of light tore the lower part of the F-35A Lightning II jets into shreds. The four F-35A II jets all lost their mobility and blew up in the sky or began to crash down to earth while spinning wildly and emitting flames and smoke.
The Black Moon flight wing's superb teamwork had taken down four F-35A Lightning II jets. However, there were still enemy jets on their sides, and they began to fire their guns at them. To avoid the line of fire, the Black Moon flight wing raised its velocity and shot up into the sky.
But, two of the F-35A Lightning II jets still chased their tail and continued to fire their guns. Major Choi Young-Ho's orders came on the communication line.
-Black Moon 1, contact! Black Moon 2! Four! We go into a straight roll-down maneuver and chase the enemy's rear.
-Black Moon 2! Copy that.
-Black Moon 4! Copy that.
2 out of the 4 phoenix jets under the flight wing suddenly stopped their engines and made a sharp right turn before falling to the surface at frightening speeds. The maneuver that was outside the logic of aerodynamics was only possible thanks to the ACS (Antigravity Control System) equipped on the phoenix jets.
After the two jets from the Black Moon flight wing fell for a while, they raised their thrusters to the maximum output. Then they moved towards the rear of the F-35A Lightning II jets that were chasing after Major Choi Young-Ho and the main jets from the flight wing. The pilots launched S-AAM-50 magpie viper missiles (Infrared short-range air-to-air missile) to the enemy jets.
Since the magpie viper missiles were launched at such a close distance, they immediately struck the rear of the F-35A Lightning II missiles and both jets turned into a ball of fire after an explosion.
Boom!
Major Choi Young-Ho checked the scene through his canopy, then gave a thumbs-up before speaking on the communication line.
-Black Moon 1, contact Black Moon 2! 4! Nice.
The remaining two F-35A Lightning II pilots split in two directions after seeing the enemy jets making unbelievable maneuvers and attacking their allied jets with missiles.
Major Choi Young-Ho gave the order to Black Moon 4, his wingman, and the main two jets from the flight wing lowered their altitude rapidly with the Sal den maneuver to give chase to the fleeing F-35A Lightning II jets. When they locked on the enemy jets, they fired their 12mm laser Vulcan beams.
The beams of light struck the F-35A Lightning II jets' outer engines and it soon began to smoke.
The pilots of the F-35A Lightning II jets pulled the eject lever out of fear, and they shot out from the canopy. The two jets that had now lost their pilots, lost its maneuverability and crashed at the Gumeru area after falling from the sky while spinning in circles. The urban battle at Gumeru where only a few lights could be seen, lit up for a moment from the two jets bursting into flames.
-Black Moon 2, contacting Black Moon flight wing! Bravo.
-Black Moon 1, contacting Black Moon 2, 4, great straight roll down maneuver.
-Black Moon 4, great work everyone.
The Black Moon flight wing had now shot down 16 jets equivalent of 4 flight wings and congratulated each other through the communication line. However, the bright atmosphere soon dampened.
The Black Moon flight wing had been detected by the JX-1 Zerosen under the central air force's 10th fighter wing 314th battalion flying 89km away from them. Soon, eight AIM-120 AMRAAM missiles were launched towards them. It seems they were detected by the E-55A stealth detection system as well.
Out of eight missiles flying towards them at Mach 8 speed, one of them crashed to the surface from malfunctioning thrusters. The remaining seven raised their speed and flew towards their target.
-Black Moon 1! Black Moon flight wing all music on! Everyone, make their own evasive maneuvers.
-Black Moon 2! Copy that.
-Black Moon 3! Copy that.
-Black Moon 4! Copy that.
Under Major Choi Young-Ho's orders, the four phoenix jets under the Black Moon flight wing raised its ECM disruption radio waves and went into evasive maneuvers while spraying chaffs and flares.
* * *
February 4th, 2021, 23:30
The seas 112km away from Kyungbook Pohang-si (the joint naval fleet's 1st and 3rd fleet location)
After the southern sea battle during the Corean-Chinese war, the joint fleet merged the 1st and 3rd fleets. They were on the move to engage in battle against the 4th escorting fleet and headed east.
The joint fleet's forces consisted of KD-3A vessels the Sungjong (DDH-997), the Taejo (DDH-995), the KD-3 vessels, the Sejong (DDH-991), Sungryong (DDH-997), the KD-2 Kim Jong-Suh(DDG-975), the KD-1 vessels the Gwangaeto (DDG-971) and Yangmanchun (DDG-973). Along with the escorting Daegu class vessels the Kyungnam (FF-821) the Kimjun (FF-831), the Hukbulmu(FF-883), the Kim Umsun (FF-851), Alchun (FF-852), 4 Aegis destroyers, 3 anti-air destroyers, and other KD-2 destroyers were in the fleet.
Meanwhile, the 4th escorting fleet's 4th and 8th escorting forces gathered at the midpoint between Oki and Honshu island, and after grouping with each other moved in formation.
The 4th escorting fleet's forces included the four F-35B II Lightning jets, four EA-18G Growler jets aboard the Chopper carrier, the Isei (DDH-182), the Kirishima(DDG-1740) aegis destroyer, one sub-aegis class destroyer the Suzuki(DD-117), and anti-air destroyers at the load-displacement of 6000 tons, the Samidare (DD-106), the Kirisame (DD-104), Inazuma (DD-105), Hatakaze (DDG-171), Sazanami(DD-113).
Based on the two naval forces that were to clash in battle, the number of vessels and aegis destroyers would put Corea's joint naval fleet at an advantage. However, the 4th escorting fleet had the Chopper carrier, the Isei (DDH-182), and the F-35B Lightning II jets with vertical take-off capabilities, and the EA-18G Growler jets aboard the carrier was nothing to scoff at. Also, the remaining anti-air destroyers in the fleet showed a significant difference between the load-displacement, so it was not easy to claim one side had the advantage over the other.. Therefore, both sides were aware that this naval battle would be fierce and tensions were high.