Chapter 278 : SB-1 Challenger Coaxial Contra-Rotating High-Speed Helicopter

Under ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍Nelly's guidance, Sergey arrived at the restricted control area inside the airfield, and immediately understood.

He ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍had been wondering why he had never heard of this new piece of equipment. So it had been kept inside the restricted zone. Access permissions for restricted areas differed between military branches and professions. The single, transparent authorization system provided an exceptionally high level of secrecy.

Although ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍he had mentally prepared himself, when he actually saw the strange-looking aircraft inside the hangar, an odd expression still appeared on his face.

Unlike ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍the somewhat plump appearance of bombers, the aircraft before him had a much sleeker fuselage that was more pleasing to the eye. However, the two large rotors mounted on top and the ship-like pusher propeller at the rear made the overall design seem rather mismatched.

“This... ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍looks rather... petite and cute?”

“Pfft...”

Nelly and her partner exchanged glances before bursting into laughter. Only after suppressing their amusement did she seriously explain,

“She only looks petite. In reality, her rotor blades are 18.5 meters long, with a rotor diameter of 17.25 meters. She's actually quite large.”

【SB-1 Challenger】

“She is equipped with two 1,700-horsepower engines, has a cruising speed of around 340 kilometers per hour, a maximum range of 1,200 kilometers, is fitted with a small anti-gravity device, has a maximum takeoff weight of 12 tons, and can carry an eight-man squad in full combat gear. Under the nose, she can optionally mount a five-barrel Vulcan Cannon to provide short-duration fire support.”

“And she's extremely agile.”

“The coaxial contra-rotating rotor design allows her to hover in the air and fly at extremely low altitudes, providing rapid low-altitude parachute insertion support without having to face anti-aircraft fire curtains. It's safer, more concealed, and much faster.”

After hearing the explanation, Sergey also thought it sounded impressive.

However...

“It can only carry a handful of people. Given our current battlefield requirements, what difference can such a small number make?”

“If we're only transporting personnel without providing fire support, it can carry a maximum of eighteen people, including the two pilots.”

“In other words, one Airborne Company.”

“That's enough, isn't it?”

“...That's barely enough.”

The co-pilot, Gudny, explained,

“You don't need to worry about the payload.”

“In the future, we won't be your only airborne insertion platform. We're simply giving you more options.”

“And the work we can do is much more precise than what our comrades flying fighters can accomplish.”

“For example, we can flexibly eliminate temporary enemy strongpoints. In situations like that, you won't even need to call in air support.”

Sergey nodded.

“All right.”

“But since I haven't actually seen it with my own eyes yet, I think I still need to experience riding in one personally.”

Nelly nodded.

“No problem.”

“I also wanted to tell you that this helicopter is fundamentally different from a fighter aircraft.”

“It takes training and coordination before you can truly become familiar with it.”

“Gather your teammates.”

“We'll take off in exactly fifteen minutes.”

Helicopters—or rather, slow helicopters—had poor survivability on the Magic Continent.

After all, the sheer number of mages here meant that helicopters faced far more than the threat of merely one or two rockets.

High-speed helicopters, however, were a completely different matter.

Their superior acceleration allowed coaxial contra-rotating high-speed helicopters to maneuver much more flexibly and evade attacks.

Furthermore, the installation of anti-gravity devices and Magic Power Packs greatly improved their battlefield survivability.

Once the survivability problem had been solved,

It was naturally time to exploit their strengths.

Under the Alliance's current mobile warfare doctrine, large-scale airborne drops and small-scale deep-penetration infiltration missions behind enemy lines would be conducted simultaneously.

High-speed helicopters possessed enormous advantages in low-altitude precision reconnaissance and transporting small Special Forces teams behind enemy lines.

After being modified into attack helicopters, they could also provide frontline troops with immediate aerial fire support.

Doing so was far easier than requesting airstrikes and significantly reduced the deployment burden on the rear Air Command Center.

【Hosath State】

Another snowy season had arrived.

Pure white snowflakes drifted gently from the sky, landing softly upon the ground with faint rustling sounds as they gradually covered the entire forest.

Deep within the woods, violent engine roars shattered the quiet harmony.

As the vibrations grew stronger and more obvious, countless leafless trees toppled over.

At the very front, obstacle-clearing tanks equipped with bulldozer blades emitted white smoke as they rapidly pushed fallen trees aside.

Behind them waited additional obstacle-clearing tanks ready to take over the work.

Further behind stretched an endless column of various tanks and tracked infantry fighting vehicles advancing in orderly formation along the newly cleared road.

From time to time, two modified Challenger attack helicopters sped across the sky overhead.

Their passenger compartments had been deliberately removed, replaced by externally mounted six-barrel heavy-caliber Gatling guns that emitted an intimidating metallic gleam.

Twin rocket pod launchers mounted beneath the fuselage occasionally adjusted their direction slightly, ensuring the rockets could immediately strike enemy targets beyond the Gatling guns' field of fire.

It took more than two hours before the tail end of the armored convoy finally passed.

The snowfall within the forest gradually ceased.

As the convoy disappeared into the distance, silence once again returned to the land.

Only the dead branches and fallen leaves beneath the snow continued trembling ever so slightly.

At the edge of the forest, an Allied force numbering roughly fifty thousand soldiers was setting up camp and preparing to cook.

As the weather grew colder and heavy snowfall arrived, logistical convoys found it increasingly difficult to transport supplies to the very front.

Naturally, the units stationed near Trelenta had to find ways to reduce their consumption of stockpiled supplies wherever possible.

The forest was nature's treasure house.

Camping nearby solved many logistical problems.

The forest itself also served as a natural defensive barrier, helping shield one side of their encampment.

Inside his tent, the Allied commander was busily writing a letter.

In it, he bitterly complained to the Allied Supreme Commander, hoping to obtain a larger allocation of supplies.

After all, he had already heard that the frontline troops had begun engaging the Alliance.

As one of the units stationed closest to the combat zone—and one of the formations most likely to enter battle next—he naturally felt rather uneasy.

He had heard at least something about the Alliance's formidable military strength.

Without additional resources being allocated to his command, he truly had no confidence in facing them head-on.

Fortunately...

He would no longer need to worry about that problem.

The commander, completely absorbed in writing, soon noticed that his handwriting had begun slanting crookedly.

The brushstrokes alternated between heavy and light, becoming extremely unsightly.

Only then did he finally realize that the ground beneath his feet was trembling.

“This is... an earthquake?”

Just as confusion filled his mind, loud shouting suddenly erupted outside the tent.

“T-There! What is that?! It looks like a giant magical beast is moving! Its destructive power is incredible!”

“Not good! It's the Alliance Army!”

“Report, General! Enemy attack!!!”

Above them, a formation of dive bombers descended with piercing sirens that instantly attracted everyone's attention.

The Allied soldiers hurriedly cast offensive spells into the sky, attempting to shoot them down.

At that very moment,

Four Challenger attack helicopters burst out from the forest.

The instant they poked above the treeline, target acquisition was completed.

Rocket after rocket ignited and streaked toward the camp.

Amid the shrill “whoosh, whoosh” of the rockets, an enormous sea of fire engulfed the encampment.

Countless soldiers were blown apart amid agonized screams.

Many never even knew what weapon had killed them before they were already dead.

Inside the forest, tanks advanced side by side, pushing trees aside as they moved forward.

Sherman tanks followed closely behind, becoming the first armored vehicles to burst out of the woods and open fire upon this weak rear-area position of the Allied forces.