Empire Conquest-Chapter 863 - 101: Pressing Forward Under Heavy Burdens (Part 2)
The development of cruise missiles can be understood, as they can increase the strike range of bombers by thousands of kilometers while allowing them to operate in relatively safe airspace, without having to venture through enemy air defenses as in the past, dropping bombs amidst the network of high-altitude guns and air defense missiles.
As for the latter, it has a significant relationship with the inherent defects of the Imperial Bombers.
To extend the combat radius of bombers as much as possible, even with the support of refueling aircraft, bombers need to have sufficient fuel capacity. Refueling aircraft might not always reach the front lines, therefore, the design of bombers must first ensure the volume of the fuel tanks.
Even if it can’t take off with full fuel, it can take off fully loaded and refuel in the air to achieve a longer combat radius.
Once the size of the aircraft is determined, the larger the fuel tank, the smaller the space for the bomb bay.
Although the maximum bomb load of the Imperial Strategic Bomber is not low, the volume of the bomb bay is relatively small, especially with its length being strictly limited.
Because of this, the length of air-launched cruise missiles must be strictly limited, at least to fit into the bomb bay.
Even if missiles can be carried on external hardpoints, during the design phase, the size of the bomb bay must be considered, limiting the size according to internal load standards.
In fact, the Navy is also profoundly affected.
During the design of the "Attack-5", it was required that its combat radius must exceed 2000 kilometers, and after mounting 3 large external fuel tanks, it can indeed reach 2500 kilometers. However, due to increases in empty weight in later improved models and the internal fuel tank being squeezed by electronic equipment, the combat radius shortened by a few hundred kilometers. Yet even so, the "Attack-5" still has a maximum combat radius of no less than 2000 kilometers.
This almost exceeds the combat radius of all fighter jets of the same era!
To speak of it, even among the fourth-generation heavy fighters currently in service, few have a combat radius above 2000 kilometers.
Additionally, the "War-9B" achieves an interception combat radius of up to 1500 kilometers after mounting two large external fuel tanks.
According to naval tactical requirements, the "War-9" must escort bombers when necessary, thus requiring long range and sufficient combat radius.
On the other hand, the "War-12", which replaces light attack aircraft, had to reduce performance indicators during its design to control costs, shortening its combat radius to 1200 kilometers, thereby becoming the carrier-based fighter jet with the shortest combat radius equipped by the Imperial Navy after entering the Mach 2 era.
Fortunately, the Imperial Navy has always placed great emphasis on buddy refueling techniques.
This is actually the key reason the Navy has been reluctant to retire the "Attack-5".
With four large external fuel tanks and one buddy refueling pod, the "Attack-5" can fly 1000 kilometers away and refuel three fighters, supplying each with 3 tons of fuel, ensuring these fighters can either return to the fleet at cruising speed or extend their combat radius by 500 kilometers.
This capability has unmatched value and can’t be replaced for now.
The Imperial Navy has always stressed the combat radius of carrier-based aircraft, hoping to deploy carrier battle groups in the open sea, operating as far from the land as possible.
Although the Imperial Navy doesn’t rely on distance to avoid danger, staying a bit farther reduces threats and provides more time to organize defense when attacked, thus offering a higher chance to withstand incoming attacks.
This emphasis on cruise missiles by the Imperial Navy explains their constant effort to enhance the cruise missile capabilities of various combat vessels.
When the range of cruise missiles reaches 1500 kilometers or even 2000 kilometers, they can undertake a portion of the strategic strike tasks instead of shipborne aircraft. Since there are no issues with pilot loss, commanders have more choices during tactical planning and often resort to cruise missiles to strike enemy strategic targets, reducing the combat losses of the shipborne air force.
On cruisers and destroyers, the Imperial Navy has already started to standardize vertical launch systems capable of launching cruise missiles.
Moreover, on the next generation of large attack submarines, the Imperial Navy explicitly requires the carry of 30 cruise missiles without affecting normal combat operations. Simply put, large attack submarines also have to undertake some land-attack tasks by deploying and using cruise missiles.
Of course, in the eyes of the Imperial Navy, the range of cruise missiles is still far from sufficient.
During cruise missile development, there was discord and disagreement between the Navy and Air Force. The Navy hoped to increase the size to load more fuel, ensuring other indicators, like warhead weight, are not reduced, striving to extend the range, even if the missiles are larger and heavier, which would be acceptable.
In the Navy’s plans, the next generation of cruise missiles’ range should reach at least 2500 kilometers, ensuring carrying platforms can stay away from dangerous sea areas.
Additionally, it would be best to increase the warhead to 1000 kilograms, at least by 50% on the existing basis, reaching 750 kilograms, enabling the use of specialty warheads like cluster bombs and bunker-busting warheads to enhance the operational effectiveness and battlefield applicability of cruise missiles.
Actually, in all strategic plans targeting the Newland Republic, cruise missiles hold irreplaceable value.
Due to the distance being much too far from Newland’s mainland and with no foothold nearby after withdrawing from the North Sunset Ocean, both the Air Force’s strategic bombers and the Navy’s warships mainly rely on cruise missiles to strike Newland’s mainland.
Consequently, the cost of strategic strikes becomes a significant issue.
The price of cruise missiles is unsustainable when consumed on a large scale; they are essentially expensive ammunition that can barely be used.
Especially during peacetime!
Because the procurement quantity is not high and high-tech weapons have a limited lifespan, with rapid technology advancements leading to obsolescence, mass stockpiling is not possible, making the unit cost of cruise missiles too high to reduce by increasing procurement volume.
The key lies in the storage period.
In theory, any kind of ammunition can be stored for decades, but with rapidly changing technology today, no high-tech equipment can guarantee its advanced status 10 years later, nor ensure it won’t be replaced by more advanced weapons.
The outcome is that precision munitions like cruise missiles are essentially acquired only as needed.
Not to mention, the Empire’s two types of cruise missiles, "Spear" and "Snake Spear," have already evolved to the third generation, with the fourth generation soon entering mass production.
Hence, completing strategic bombing tasks with cruise missiles almost becomes an impossible mission.
It is precisely for this reason that Ding Zhennan repeatedly emphasized that any aspirations for quick victory when facing the Newland Republic would lead to disastrous defeat.
On this basis, Ding Zhennan also proposed a new military doctrine.
From the current situation, accurately speaking based on the preparations the Empire made over the past three years, one should not expect to defeat the Newland Republic through a few decisive battles.
To speak of it, any efforts towards this direction are exceedingly dangerous!
Bai Huawei came to see Ding Zhennan to discuss this matter.
In fact, Bai Huawei is not unaware of the severity involved. He just holds on to a bit of hope, thinking a trial should be made.
Of course, it can also be seen as a means to correct his flawed outlook.
The two talked for half an hour, primarily because transport aircraft had long been ready for takeoff, and the ground crew had called twice asking when it could depart.
After all, this is a military base, with military aircraft landing and taking off at any time, and the transport plane can’t just stay parked beside the runway.
Moreover, half an hour was enough time for Bai Huawei to have second thoughts.
On the third call from the ground crew, Ding Zhennan drove Bai Huawei there and watched him board the transport aircraft and take off.
To speak of it, Ding Zhennan was genuinely a bit worried.
Bai Huawei’s capability is certainly not a problem; his issue is the excessive pressure on him.
In the eyes of outsiders, he is the youngest son of Bai Zhizhan, the "Navy War God," and among his brothers, the most likely one to inherit his father’s mantle.
Living under his father’s halo, it’s impossible to not feel the pressure!
If he can’t release the pressure, it would be difficult for Bai Huawei to demonstrate his abilities, and he might make serious mistakes on the battlefield.
This is very similar to the situation of Liu Xiangzhen back then.
But unfortunately, Ding Zhennan cannot help him.
What Ding Zhennan can do is to fight the upcoming ground war, easing the pressure on logistics support as much as possible, thereby channeling more resources to the East Ocean front.
The ground war about to ignite in Boss Bay is indeed the crux of the matter!
