abcnovels
Chapter 194
Chapter 194
Chapter 194
February 4, 2021, 21:00
The Cabinet Satellite Information Center in Tokyo, Japan
In an instant, the Cabinet Satellite Information Center, which was involved in monitoring all of the country’s satellites, was put on emergency alert. An hour earlier, communications had been severed between them and the low-orbiting military satellites that were circling the earth. It was an especially huge problem that communications with the J-EWS 1 (Early Warning Satellite), on which they had spent an astronomical sum of money to shoot into space in the midst of the current operation, had been cut off.
In this situation where the country had lost half of its antiaircraft radar bases, if they couldn’t even operate the J-EWS 1, then it would be possible for the Corean Army to puncture a hole in their missile detection system. In other words, this was a very serious problem.
“How the hell did this happen? How did communications with all our satellites get cut off?”
The Head of the Cabinet Satellite Intelligence Center, a section under the banner of the Cabinet Intelligence Office, Nomura Shuhei, hit his desk as he said this furiously. In response, each satellite’s operations officer said nothing, as if the cat had gotten their tongues.
Smack!
“Are you all mute? I just want you to say something, anything.”
As Nomura Shuhei continued to press them, the operating officer of the J-EWS 1 satellite carefully opened his mouth to speak.
“Mr. Center Head, sir! It could be interception from the Corean Army that has caused the communications to be disconnected.”
“Interception? Is that what you just said? You mean that the Corean Army has the capabilities to intercept satellites?”
“Communications were severed from 11 of our military and intelligence satellites, not just one or two, and all around the same time. I think we can view this as not just an abnormality in the connection between the satellites and the stationing base, but rather that some serious problem has hit the satellites themselves, sir.”
Nomura’s thoughts became clouded. On the off chance that Corea did possess the ability to attack satellites, then Japan would now be at a very disadvantageous position in the war.
“This isn’t just any ordinary problem,” he thought to himself.
With his head still swimming and wondering how he was going to solve this problem, Nomura was receiving a flood of calls from multiple Self-Defense Force battalions.
“I need to go see the Head of the Joint Staff Office now, so you all keep trying to make contact with the satellites.”
“Yes, sir.”
The history of Japan’s surveillance satellites had begun with the excuse of the 1998 launch of the Taepodong missiles from North Korea. In response to that, on March 28, 2003, Japan launched five H2A2024 long-distance rockets, simultaneously sending the optical satellite IGS 1A and the radar satellite IGS 1B successfully up into orbit. Japan gave these surveillance satellites the ambiguous name of IGS (Information Gathering Satellites). But, their real purpose and capabilities were to function as thorough military surveillance satellites.
After the success of this first satellite launch, in November of the same year, Japan launched the optical satellite IGS 2A and the radar satellite IGS 2B, but the rocket’s assistance boosters failed to separate, and so they had to destroy the satellites. After that, on September 11, 2006, the country successfully launched the optical satellite IGS 3B, along with the Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) system loaded into it, into geostationary orbit.
One type of Japan’s surveillance satellites was equipped with optical sensors, and the other uses the SAR system. The satellites with SAR could shoot radar waves down to earth and reorganize the waves that were reflected back.
The reason for maintaining these two kinds of satellites was because while the sensors of the optical satellites had a high resolution, the downside was, they could not record at night or when conditions were cloudy, and the SAR satellites had slightly lower resolution but could capture footage no matter what the weather conditions were. In other words, they complemented each other’s’ weaknesses, forming a surveillance system that could function 24 hours a day.
Along with this system, aside from the older model of satellites launched before 2007, Japan also operated four optical satellites and four radar satellites, as well as two ALOS series geostationary satellites, which could also be called terrestrial observation satellites.
The ALOS 1 which had been shot into orbit in 2005 was an old model that was on the verge of being scrapped, while the ALOS 2 which had been shot into space in 2018 could be accurately called a collection of all the latest technologies. Its sensors included an optical sensor that could observe the buildings and topographical variations of the earth in three dimensions with minute detail, a sensor that used near-infrared light to analyze the state of the land whether it was grassland or wilderness in high definition, and an electromagnetic sensor that could perform observations even in cloudy conditions. In a sense, it could be termed an all-purpose surveillance satellite that used these three kinds of technologies.
Lastly, in October 2020, Japan had also launched the J-EWS 1 early warning satellite that drastically improved the military’s ability to detect surface-to-surface missiles from nearby nations.
* * *
February 4, 2021, 21:40
The Cabinet Emergency Safety Situation Room (Conference Room), Tokyo, Japan
Several high-ranking officials held an emergency meeting to address the report of the Head of the Cabinet Satellite Intelligence Center Nomura Shuhei in the emergency situation room.
“So how many satellites did you say have currently had their communications disconnected?” The Chairman of the Joint Staff Office Masaki Hajime spoke in a voice that was almost a yell, making no effort to hide his uncomfortable mood.
Head of the Center Nomura looked at the tablet PC he had brought with him as he answered.
“Currently, the satellites that have had communications cut off are the optical satellites IGS 4A, IGS 5A, and IGS 6A for a total of three, the radar satellites IGS 5B, IGS 6B, and IGS 7B, also three. And the ALOS 1 and ALOS 2 geostationary satellites, plus the early warning satellite J-EWS 1 have also all been cut off from communications.”
“What on earth does this mean? How could that many satellites have their comms cut at the same time? Isn’t it just a problem with the systems in the station bases down on land?” The Chief of the Air Force Kitano Takeshi asked if there was another potential reason, his face expressing his inability to believe the situation.
“I’m sorry, sir, but we’ve now confirmed that there are no issues at any of the stationing bases here on Earth.”
“Then, could it be a communications blockage caused by solar flares?” This plausible idea was offered by Chief of the Navy Mura Kawaka, but with Center Head Nomura’s response, this plausibility dissipated.
“We have tried checking with NASA, sir, but they say there are no solar flares presently that could affect the satellites in the sky at all.”
Prime Minister Abe, who had been seated in his chair just catching his breath and listening, abruptly yelled at this shocking news.
“So, since the problem is neither this nor that, then what the hell is it?”
“I, I apologize, Mr. Prime Minister! About that...”
“Don’t act so uncomfortably, just say what it is, quickly.”
“In our internal meeting, it came up that there’s a possibility that the source seems to be satellite intervention by the Corean Army.”
A deep silence filled the conference room at Center Head Nomura’s answer, as though time itself had stopped.
But this silence was shattered soon by the roar of Prime Minister Abe.
“What the hell kind of nonsense are you saying now? Does that mean that those bastards have the capabilities to attack satellites?”
“I was also skeptical, sir, but for now, we haven’t been able to find any other explanation besides...”
“Mr. Prime Minister,” the Cabinet Head of Intelligence spoke quietly to Prime Minister Abe, who was so upset he was trembling and shaking.
“According to the US intelligence agencies’ information, they say that the Corean Army has attack satellites that can use lasers.”
“Wait, why are you just saying this now?” Prime Minister Abe rebutted with a sharp-tempered response.
“Well sir, the information hasn’t yet been 100% confirmed, and...”
“Mr. Prime Minister, if Corea really possesses these state-of-the-art capabilities, then it seems like there’s no other obvious explanation of how all of our satellites have the communications cut today except by a satellite interception by the Corean Army,” Defense Minister Shibasaki’s eyes darted up in surprise as he spoke.
“Yes sir, it’s not definite, but I think there is a high probability that’s the case.”
Just as Head of Intelligence Hirochi was giving his response, the door of the conference room opened and an urgent voice sounded in the entire room.
“Sirs, there’s a report that an assault of a large number of surface-to-surface and cruise missiles has just been detected.”
Chairman of the Joint Staff Office Masaki immediately stood up, put on his hat, and spoke to the prime minister, “We will have to postpone the meeting and coordinate our response, sir.”
“Damn! Alright, go ahead.”
As soon as Prime Minister Abe approved, the Chairman of the Joint Staff Office saluted and left. He was eventually followed by other members of the Joint Staff Office.
* * *
February 4, 2021, 22:05
Inside the Cabinet Emergency Safety Situation Room, Tokyo, Japan (Situation Control Room)
The trails of the cruise and surface-to-surface missiles launched from Corea were projected on the monitor in the Situation Control Room, and the information about their flight was also shown in great detail.
“There are currently 32 surface-to-surface missiles and 55 cruise missiles, sir.”
“That’s a small number of missiles for a retaliation for the attack on Jeju Island!”
Chairman Masaki Hajime said this with a slightly suspicious tone, as there were fewer missiles than he thought there would be.
“We’ve begun our interception of the surface-to-surface missiles from our THAAD regiment, and the 4th Convoy is planning to undertake the first interception of the cruise missiles, sir.”
“Where are the targets of the surface-to-surface missiles?”
“We’re calculating that now, sir. Please wait just a moment.”
If only the J-EWS 1 early warning satellite were online, they could have already known the targets of the surface-to-surface missiles, but land-based radar and the Aegis radar took quite a bit of time to analyze the exact targets of the missiles.
“The calculations have been completed, sir. Of the 32 surface-to-surface missiles, ten are heading towards Maizuru Naval Base...”
* * *
February 4, 2021, 22:20
The southern edge of Jeju Island, the skies above the Strait of Corea, at an elevation of 168 kilometers
As the cruise and surface-to-air missile assault from the Corean Army heading towards Honshu had temporarily shifted Japan’s attention, the Corean Air Force launched a huge number of fighters. Among these, now passing over the Strait of Corea in super cruise mode, were 72 fighters who had departed from the Gunsan Air Force Base of the 38th Air Wing and split into three groups.
The head of the Black Moon Fighter Wing, Choi Young-ho, as well as the head of the Rainbow Fighter Wing, Jeon Chang-bin, who had both taken part in the first air raid on Kyushu at the time that war had broken out, were also both flying with the first strike group targeting the Sasebo Naval Base. Truthfully the Sasebo base had sustained heavy damages during the few days of air raids and missile attacks and had lost its ability to function as a port, but they could conceivably restore its role as an important port within a short period of time. This time, they were determined to smash it down.
Aside from these, there were as many as 280 fighters of the Corean Air Force who had passed the Strait of Corea and were infiltrating the airspace of Kyushu. There had not been an air operation of this magnitude since the Sino-Korean War. This size of an aerial force was enough to completely erase everything on the entire area of Kyushu.
As he flew at an elevation of 20 kilometers at a speed of Mach 6, Major Choi Young-ho, leader of the Black Moon Fighter Wing, could see bright lights twinkling through his canopy. These were the lights in the night sky of the city of Hirado on the very northwestern edge of Kyushu.
A moment later, the orders of the chief executive officer of the blended air squadron of the first target group, Squadron Leader Lieutenant General Hong Won-jin, came over the communications system.
– This is the Squadron Leader. All fighter wings, super cruise off! Fighter wings taking on the strike mission enter the line abreast formation, and the rest of you who are performing the escort mission maintain current formation, with the Black Moon Fighter Wing at the very front, the Lion Fighter Wing on the left side, Mountain Air Wing taking the right side.
* Line abreast: an air formation that involved forming a continuous row. Its advantage for use in a battle situation was that multiple simultaneous attacks were possible, and as other planes could watch for the attacking fighters from the rear, it was advantageous for covering from behind. Fighters usually flew with a gap of about 13 miles.
The answers of the heads of the Fighter Wings came and went over the communications system, and a moment later, the fighters made maneuvers to change their formations and positions according to the Squadron Leader’s orders.
* * *
February 4, 2021, 22:20
In the waters 44 kilometers off the southeastern edge of the City of Ulsan
The Yi Sun-shin destroyer ship plowed through the dark blue waves on the pitch-dark surface of the sea with not one light shining, kicking up white foam, sailing towards the southwestern edge, followed by the combined fleet which included four Aegis destroyers for a total of 11 destroyers and escort ships.
They reached the area of their operation moments later, and the Commander of the First Fleet and the current leader of the combined fleet, Admiral Kil Un-seok, issued his orders to all these vessels. Then, the twelve ships reduced their speed to three knots and began the assault on Daema Island (Tsushima Island).
Pheew~ Pheew~ Pheew~
Cruise missiles fired from the seven naval destroyers all at once, giving off white trails behind them. Also, the Scithe K-2 long ship guns fixed on the naval destroyer Yi Sun-shin, which had a maximum range of up to 250 kilometers, rotated toward the island and soon began ringing out the rhythmic explosive punches of the high-density plasma condensed munitions they fired.
Booom! Booom! Booom!