Empire Conquest-Chapter 829 - 85: Long-Distance Raid (Part 2)

In theory, the only aircraft that can engage in counterfire with the MG-31 are the War-9, which is also equipped with long-range air-to-air missiles, and the Newland Navy’s F-14.

Facing missiles launched from over 100 kilometers away and the MG-31 turning to leave, the pilots of the War-11B are filled with rage.

Unfortunately, all they can do is sigh hopelessly at the sky.

As for the effect of ultra-long-range interception, it is basically zero.

The R-37 missile targets cumbersome bombers, not agile fighters.

Although it boasts a range exceeding 100 kilometers, theoretically reaching even 180 kilometers, the R-37’s maneuverability is not outstanding. Its maximum overload at the end of its trajectory is less than 20G, allowing fighters to shake off the missile by performing high-G maneuvers.

The role of these 20-plus MG-31s is actually to force two squadrons of War-11B to disperse in evasive maneuvers.

Moreover, considering the situation at the time, these MG-31s were likely seeking out and intercepting bombers. However, after taking off, they failed to receive assistance from the ground command center.

The reason is simple: The West Continent Group did not deploy large early warning aircraft in that direction.

Although air defense radar discovered the War-11B plane group and made accurate judgments, it did not detect the Hong-9D plane group still in the skies over the Mo Sea at the time. Therefore, even if they inferred that the War-11B was escorting fighters, they couldn’t determine the bombers’ location.

At most, they could assume the bombers were behind the escorting fighters.

The MG-31’s high-power fire control radar theoretically has a detection range of only 300 kilometers for large targets like bombers.

In fact, this is also the key to why the War-11B plane group flew more than 300 kilometers in front of the Zhi-8C.

If the War-11B hadn’t advanced far enough, the Zhi-8C behind them could have been discovered and subjected to an MG-31 attack.

Given the performance of the War-11B, it might not catch up with the MG-31.

However, this precisely reflects serious issues in electronic warfare for the West Luosha or the West Continent Group.

The Zhi-8C trailing behind the escort fighters kept using radar to search around it, and despite being continuously shielded by electronic reconnaissance aircraft, its electromagnetic radiation was obvious, certainly detectable from hundreds of kilometers away, devoid of detection problems.

Unfortunately, the West Luosha Air Force did not dispatch MG-31 for interception.

Clearly, it’s not that the West Luosha Air Force is unaware of the military value of large early warning command aircraft. After all, the Xiluo Group possesses similar airborne command platforms.

Given the circumstances at that time, they were likely unable to pinpoint the exact location of the Zhi-8C.

The West Luosha Air Force intercepted the electromagnetic signals emitted by the Zhi-8C and made accurate judgments. However, due to interference, they could not locate the signal source, which meant they couldn’t ascertain the exact position of the Zhi-8C, or even measure the distance accurately, which is why they didn’t deploy interceptors for interception.

Don’t forget, next to the early warning aircraft is an electronic reconnaissance plane specially tasked with interference.

Of course, dispatching 24 interceptors composed of six squads may also relate to this.

Simply put, it’s due to being unable to determine where exactly the Zhi-8C is, leading to deploying so many interceptors to initiate an attack as a gamble.

Actually, this is a usual approach of the West Luosha Army to solve problems, simple and brutal.

Because the MG-31 turns to retreat after launching R-37 missiles from over 100 kilometers away, and the War-11B plane group must immediately evade the incoming missiles, by the time War-11B dodges the missile, the MG-31 has already retreated. Hence, neither side engages in conflict, or rather, the War-11B did not waste precious air-to-air missiles on these less threatening interceptors, preserving sufficient combat strength.

Next to arrive on the scene were the MG-29 from the West Luosha Air Force front-line aviation units.

Also six formations, yet only comprising 20 planes, including two formations of two aircraft.

The two sides commenced the first round of air combat.

Although they didn’t receive direct support from the Zhi-8C, to be accurate, they received a message from the early warning aircraft after the encounter with MG-29. However, relying on advanced fire control radar, the War-11B still held an advantage in the air combat, such as being the first to open fire on enemy planes.

At this moment, the problem of deploying the early warning aircraft further back became apparent.

The distance was too far that by the time the Zhi-8C detected the MG-29, the War-11B’s fire control radar had already spotted the enemy plane coming head-on.

The first round of combat involved firing medium-range air-to-air missiles back and forth.

As for the result, there is no suspense.

The KK-12A is a fourth-generation medium-range air-to-air missile capable of launching and disregarding thereafter. Moreover, during the mid-phase of its trajectory, besides the typically used inertial navigation, it can be controlled by fighter aircraft via a data link, hence possessing a high hit rate when firing at targets beyond visual range.

The MG-29’s R-27 is a third-generation semi-active radar-guided medium-range air-to-air missile.

The result was that in the first round of engagement, more than 10 MG-29s were shot down by the KK-12A, and the rest were scattered.

As for the "Zhan-11B", not a single one was shot down by the R-27, because these missiles could not enter the self-guiding phase under the guidance of the fighters.

In fact, even during the dogfight phase, the MG-29 did not gain any advantage.

It’s not that the MG-29’s maneuverability wasn’t good enough, but it had already been dispersed during the long-range engagement, thereby losing the initiative.

At this point, the "Zhan-11B" began to suffer losses.

According to the Air Force battle report, 5 "Zhan-11B" were shot down in dogfight air combat, all due to the R-73 combat missiles launched by the MG-29.

It must be said, these missiles are indeed very advanced.

The R-73 is the first combat missile in the world with off-boresight launch capability, and the West Luosha Air Force has always claimed it’s the best combat missile globally.

The MG-29 paired with the R-73 is the most powerful dogfight combination today.

One might say it was due to the R-73, and its resulting publicity effect, that the West Luosha sold the technologically inferior MG-29 to more than ten countries.

However, this advanced combat missile did not change the outcome of the air battle.

When the MG-29 plane group was shattered, air supremacy was still firmly in the hands of the "Zhan-11B".

Although 5 "Zhan-11B" were shot down, and the remaining ten or so had little ammunition left, the escort fighters had already completed their mission.

While the "Zhan-11B" was engaging in dogfight with the MG-29, the "Hong-9D" plane group reached the bombing range, where more than 20 bombers launched cruise missiles.

Crucially, these bombers launched the cruise missiles from north of Crimea.

At that time, the escort fighters were approximately 500 kilometers to the north, even the "Zhi-8C" was 200 kilometers out north, and the accompanying electronic reconnaissance aircraft was suppressing and jamming nearby air defense radars, preventing the bombers from entering the interception zone of the air defense system while launching the missiles.

Given the situation at the time, the West Land Group’s air defense radar might not have noticed these bombers.

Because they were quite far away, it’s possible the bombers were mistaken for interference signals, or judged to be support aircraft operating with the early warning aircraft and electronic reconnaissance aircraft.

It seems the enemy might very likely not have known that hundreds of cruise missiles were headed for Mosa.

An event happened in the final stage of the battle.

Before the "Zhan-11B" turned to retreat, the Tiaoman Empire’s "Storm" ADV arrived belatedly, and chased the retreating escort fighters.

Since there were few missiles left, and having completed the escort mission, there was no need to engage in attrition with the enemy, so after being attacked, all "Zhan-11B" accelerated to shake off the enemies in the rear, flying out of the missile range and not engaging with these enemy aircraft.

One might say, this was quite a pity.

The MG-29 is just a frontline fighter, whereas the "Storm" ADV is a heavyweight air superiority fighter on the same level as the "Zhan-11B".

Additionally, the Tiaoman Empire has always claimed the "Storm" ADV is a genuine fourth-generation heavyweight fighter.

Words are just words; whether the "Storm" ADV counts as a fourth-generation heavyweight air superiority fighter, the result of engagements with fighters of the same level is most compelling.

However, this forced the escort fighters to refuel in the air for a third time during their return journey.

When they returned to the Air Force base on the east coast of the Broad Sea, the 11 returning "Zhan-11B" had flown over 6500 kilometers, setting a new record.

Not to mention fighters, even bombers rarely fly this far.

Of course, this also fully proves the value of refueling aircraft.

If it weren’t for the large number of tankers, the Empire Air Force would not have been able to fly fighters this far and successfully complete the mission.

According to the Empire Air Force’s announcement, this long-distance raid destroyed more than a dozen strategic targets, completely achieving the previously set campaign objectives.

Critically, all 20 bombers returned safely.

As for the loss of 5 escort fighters, compared to the air combat achievements, it’s really nothing.

However, Li Shenzhi knew, things weren’t that simple.