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Chapter 142
Chapter 142
Chapter 142
December 15, 2020, 03:55, across the skies 45 km southeast of Jeju Island
Twenty-four KF-21P Red Phoenix fighter jets flew south with their afterburners off in a formation of squadrons. Through dark clouds and on night-flight mode, they maintained their position at a relatively high altitude. The pilots were attentively staring at the radar monitors, trying hard to ignore the tension that kept rising over the imminent engagement they were facing, when the number of signs that appeared to indicate J-15 ship planes began to increase.
– Rookie One! This is the Battalion Commander. Following each flight leader’s decision, engage offense go! Go!
– Rookie two! Copy that.
– Rookie three! Copy that.
– Rookie four! Copy that.
– Rookie five! Copy that.
– Rookie six! Copy that.
With the Battalion Commander of Rookie One’s approval to engage, each of the six squadrons launched S-AAM-200 Rattlesnake medium-range air-to-air missiles whose range was 200 km and launched an aggressive offensive attack.
The J-15 ship planes, which were about to launch the second attack after firing air-to-air missiles to the Korean naval vessels, hurriedly entered an evasion-flight-maneuver mode, flustered by the sudden radar lock-on warning. However, the Rattlesnake missiles would never miss their prey once caught: They flew toward the targets at a hypersonic speed of Mach 12.
WHIZ! WHIZ!
With a sense of urgency, the J-15 ship planes tried spraying chaffs and flares, while performing all kinds of evasion flights to evade the radar lock-on, but only in vain. They were being helplessly shot down by the Rattlesnake missiles that were flying in like a torrent of lights. As always, the Red Phoenix fighter jets, which had strong stealth capabilities and were loaded with long-range air-to-air missiles, had an excellent advantage as they engaged in the air warfare.
But occasionally, the Red Phoenix fighter jets were detected by the radars of more than 40 Chinese destroyers, which were semi-Aegis class. Each time they were detected, they became the targets of the anti-aircraft missiles fired from the Chinese destroyers and J-15 ship planes that flew in to attack like a swarm of bees.
There were 48 Chinese J-15 ship planes, but about 10 minutes later, more than 30 of them were shot down. Unfortunately, one Red Phoenix fighter jet that was detected by the Chinese destroyer radar was shot down by more than 10 anti-aircraft missiles that were fired simultaneously by the enemy.
After being helplessly beaten up by the enemy despite the cover from their own destroyer, the J-15 ship planes turned around and retreated to their aircraft carriers. The Korean forces fired two S-AMS-100 anti-ship missiles that had been loaded on their internal weapons racks of the KF-21P Red Phoenix fighter jets before turning around toward the Jeju Island base.
......
December 15, 2020, 04:05, on the coast 45 km southeast of Jeju Island (the Third Fleet)
More than 500 missiles were fired at each other on the southern coast of Jeju Island. Outnumbered by the Chinese forces, the Korean Navy began intercepting 296 anti-ship missiles that were flying in, seemingly ready to devour anything they found. The Korean Navy was further supported by S-LAM 300 Sky Bow A1 missiles from the 25th Fighter Wing stationed on Jeju Island. The problem is that they were more concerned about intercepting YJ-83 (C-803) supersonic anti-ship missiles that featured a speed of Mach 2 than they were about the YJ-82 (C-802) anti-ship missiles, which were equivalent to the US Harpoon-level missiles.
WHOOSH! WHOOSH! WHOOSH!
Hundreds of missiles flew over the surface of the ocean at high speed, forming hundreds of lines on the sea and making it swell and look wildly slashed.
About a minute later, the YJ-83 (C-803) missiles, which flew from the forefront, were shot down by the Sea Bow ship-to-air missiles fired from the KD-4 Hocula destroyer.
BOOM! CLASH!
Dozens of missiles exploded simultaneously, accompanied by sparking flashes and an explosion sound over the sea surface. However, the YJ-83 (C-803) anti-ship missiles that survived luckily accelerated their speed further as they flew toward the Korean naval vessels. In response, the destroyer Sukjong the Great (DDG-1005) picked the anti-ship missiles, which it had failed to intercept in the first round of attack, as the second targets, and an order was issued to all vessels to intercept them.
While anti-ship missiles and anti-aircraft missiles were clashing, about 200 HHQ-9A and the upgraded HHQ-9B anti-ship missiles were fired from the Chinese anti-ship destroyers into the sky from the circular launchers and created dark red smoke to intercept the Korean Navy’s Hae Seong anti-ship missiles.
* * *
December 15, 2020, 04:05, Moseulpo Airfield in Daejeong-eup, Seogwipo-si, Jeju Island
At the brightly illuminated Moseulpo Airfield vacant lot, there were 18 wheeled armored vehicles with eight-vertical launchers raised at a 90-degree angle, surrounded by various armored vehicles and large-band radars facing south.
* Today, Moseulpo Airfield is a tourist attraction for travelers to Jeju Island, but in fact, it has a sad history. In 1945, toward the end of World War II, Japan had close to 50,000 Japanese troops stationed on the island under “Operation No. 7” and forcefully mobilized island residents as well to make a fortress out of the island as a part of their final attempt to defend against approaching Allied troops. Moseulpo Airfield at the time was called Alddreu Airfield, and it was built by the Omura Naval Air Group for the bombing of cities in China such as Shanghai and Nanjing.
Soldiers that belonged to the 9th Marine Brigade under the Jeju Defense Command, which operated SSM-700K Hae Seong 3A missiles developed and fielded in 2018, started getting busy, as they were preparing to launch an attack on the Chinese anti-ship surface vessels that were approaching from 150 km southeast of Jeju Island.
WHOOSH! WHOOSH! WHOOSH!
Less than a minute later, 144 rounds of SSM-700K Hae Seong 3A supersonic cruise missiles passed the turnover altitude, switched to a sea-skimming flight mode, and lowered altitude as they kept flying toward the Chinese vessels that were assigned to them by the Sukjong the Great (DDG-1005) destroyer.
Moseulpo Airfield became shrouded with white smoke after more than 100 missiles were fired within a short time, and the battalion soldiers, breathing out white foggy air, began replacing empty launchers for further attacks.
* * *
December 15, 2020, 04:10, on the coast 40 km southwest of Jeju Island (the First Fleet)
While confronted with Japan’s maritime self-defense forces even during the engagement with the Chinese anti-ship forces, the First Fleet was preparing to respond to the imminent attack from the Japanese forces. They received information from Apollon No. 2 about the Escort Flotilla 2 under the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force and the Escort Flotilla 13 under the JMSDF Sasebo District that made a quick turn toward the direction of Jeju Island and approaching them in a high-mobility maneuver.
Major General Gil Un-seok, Commander of the First Fleet, stared at the tactical statistics screen in the bridge, before giving the order to the entire Fleet’s communication network.
“From now on, this vessel and the Kim Jong-seo, the Kim Joon, the Heuk Beol-mu, the Bokshil Guishin, the Kim Cheon-jon, and the Kim Eum-soon vessels will deal with the Escort Division 6 of the Escort Flotilla 2. Other vessels are ordered to follow the interception control of Sukjong the Great. Now, get moving!”
Putting down the communication microphone and turning his head toward the communications officer, the Commander said,
“Connect me to Poseidon 3 control room.”
“Connecting.”
– Yes, sir! This is Young Yun-ju, Poseidon 3 Control Manager, sir.
“Colonel Young! Prepare to launch super-joint torpedoes on four vessels belonging to the Escort Division 6 under the Escort Flotilla 2.”
– All firing data for the Japanese vessels have already been entered and we can open fire immediately at your command, sir.
“Okay! I won’t issue a separate order. Launch an attack immediately upon the attack from the JMSDF. That’s it!”
– At your command, sir!
After completing the video communication, General Gil Un-seok gave an order to the tactics aide-de-camp.
“Tactics aide-de-camp! Launch a preemptive attack on all vessels belonging to the Escort Division 6 once they approach us within 110 km. Set up the target vessels and have six anti-ship missiles on standby per each vessel.”
“I’ll relay your order, sir.”
“What are the nearest submarines as of now?”
“Currently, the Yun bong-gil is 46 km in the direction of one o’clock, and the Yi Sun-shin is 59 km in the direction of ten o’clock, sir.”
“Great! Tell them to approach 15 km toward the Escort Division 6 in low-speed underwater navigation,”
“Yes, sir.”
* * *
December 15, 2020, 04:40, 45 km southeast of Jeju Island (the Third Fleet)
BANG! CLASH!
The Incheon-class Gyeonggi frigate (FF-812) was hit by two YJ-83 (C-803) supersonic ship-to-ship missiles on the bow and port side. It was now quickly leaning to the port side along with a loud explosion and dark flames.
The Third Fleet’s anti-aircraft defense line was breached because the number of anti-ship missiles exceeded the point of defense, and the Gyeonggi frigate (FF-812) was not able to stop the supersonic anti-ship missiles flying at the speed of Mach 2 because it didn’t have vertical launchers; it was also carrying RAM short-range anti-aircraft guided missiles only.
Unfortunately, this was already the fourth Gyeonggi frigate (FF-812) that was shut down and sank. It’s been 20 minutes since the Gangwon (FF-814) and the Jeonbuk (FF-813) sank into the sea. A short while ago, the Incheon (FF-811) also lost its combat function after it was hit and imploded spewing massive flames.
Even the Choi Young (DDH-981) was not spared and hit by a missile on the starboard area and now engulfed in flames.
The damage to China’s anti-ship forces was also significant. First, the Lanzhou-class destroyers the Haiku, the Changchun, and the Jinan—all of which were considered a semi-Aegis class—sank into the sea after being hit by several Hae Seong A anti-ship missiles. Also, the Kunming-class Changsha and Hefei of China—considered the Chinese version of Aegis destroyers—were burning in flames spreading throughout the vessels. In addition, nine Changkai II-class ships, two Hangzhou-class ships, and seven 054B-type frigate ships also sank in the ocean.
Telling just from the damages sustained by the two countries, one could the Chinese anti-ship forces were defeated, although they still had two aircraft carriers and two times as many destroyers and frigates still in good shape. Furthermore, the serious problem with Korea’s First Fleet was that the number of ship-to-ship missiles capable of attacking China’s anti-ship forces was declining.
As a result, the 9th Marine Brigade anti-ship missile battalion was reloading missiles continuously and continued to attack on behalf of the Third Fleet.
BANG! CLASH! BAM! BAM! BAM!
Two loud explosions, along with dreadful clashing noises, came from the port side of Yang Man-chun (DDH-973), which was engaged in the battle in the direction of five o’clock from the Seongjong the Great (DDG-997). The vessel was quickly engulfed in flames along with the explosion sound that blasted throughout the vessel.
It was hit in the port side directly by the two YJ-83 (C-803) supersonic ship-to-ship missiles, which flew in a seed-skimming mode without switching to a strike maneuver. Seawater gushed in quickly, probably because it was imploded deep inside the vessel, as the Yang Man-chun (DDH-973) began to go down the water slowly on the port side.
“The Yang Man-chun has been hit on the port side by an anti-ship missile! There is no explosion, but it is leaning on the port side, sir.”
The operator in charge of tactical statistics seemed just about to break down as he cried out.
“Shit!”
Lieutenant General Lee Ki-hyung cursed, clenching his fists, as he looked out the window and confirmed the Yang Man-chunham (DDH-973) going down while being engulfed in flames.
“Ship-to-ship missiles are flying toward this vessel. Four subsonic anti-ship missiles and two supersonic anti-ship missiles.”
One report was quickly followed by another report of attack from another operator.
Now, the bridge and the battle command room of the Seongjong the Great (DDG-997) were bustling with orders and reports that kept pouring in.
The Seongjong the Great destroyer (DDG-997) had its own fate hanging by a thread as well even though it was performing 120 percent of its capabilities because it was supposed to launch interception by detecting and automatically calculating attacks through its own Aegis radar while responding to the interception order delivered from the Sukjong the Great destroyer.
“Set the first and the second targets beginning with the ultrasonic anti-ships! The subsonic anti-ship missiles will be intercepted with RAM and CIWs.”
Colonel Yoon Kyung-jin, the Captain of the Seongjong the Great (DDG-997), issued the order in a troubled voice.
“Target 1 and target 2 are set. Ready to launch anti-aircraft missiles. Targets 3 to 6 are assigned to the proximity defense system.”
With the exception of supersonic ship-to-ship missiles, they were about to intercept the subsonic anti-ship missiles with RIM-116 short-range missiles or CIWS 20mm Phalanx missiles. But now, they had to worry about their stock of anti-aircraft missiles. They could fail to intercept and get hit by the missiles, but they had to make that decision because they did not have enough anti-aircraft missiles left.
The cover of the Mk.41 VLS vertical launcher opened and two SM-2 anti-aircraft missiles were fired simultaneously and shot up into the sky along with sparks.
WHEEZE! WHEEZE!
Watching the anti-aircraft missiles flying through the window of the bridge, Lieutenant General Lee Ki-hyung was disheartened because his forces sustained more damage than he had expected.
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