Chapter 146 EC-121 Cried

The Tu-22 is a supersonic bomber designed and produced by the Tupolev Design Bureau. It is also the first supersonic bomber equipped by the Soviet Union. It is planned to replace the Tu-15 bomber. It uses its supersonic flight performance to break through the air defense network and air interception and launch nuclear weapons attacks on strategic targets in Europe.

However, after this bomber entered service, its performance was not very reliable and its range was disappointing. Especially after the aircraft was fully fueled and loaded with missiles, it was impossible to fly at supersonic speed. Even if its speed reached Mach 1.5 when it reached the target, it could not effectively avoid interception by NATO fighter jets and air defense missiles at the time.

Therefore, this type of bomber was only a small number in the Soviet Union's equipment sequence. Until the collapse of the Soviet Union, only 300 of them were equipped, and they were exported in large quantities. The Soviet Union did not care about the leak of secrets. It needed a new generation of supersonic bombers to replace the Tu-16 and Tu-22.

Due to the absolute position of the Tupolev Design Bureau in the development of large aircraft in the Soviet Union, they did not take it seriously and only made minor repairs on the basis of the Tu-22 to increase the thrust of the engine. At the same time, the Sukhoi Design Bureau responded first and designed the famous T-4 bomber.

The Tupolev Design Bureau was in a hurry, and they had to start over: they overturned the foundation of the Tu-22 and redesigned a new supersonic bomber. As a result, the Tu-22M Backfire, which scared the Americans, was born. It was a brand-new variable-sweep-wing bomber that was almost designed to attack the US aircraft carrier formation!

Even in later generations, there were rumors that China wanted to buy Backfire in order to attack American aircraft carriers.

Now, although they are not Backfires yet, just blinders, these bombers are also the nightmare of the US Navy.

The blind spot of this flying regiment tied down the entire American aircraft carrier formation, and the Tomcat fighters did not even try to rescue the F-15 formation that was in distress.

Not only were the F-15 fighters being brutally beaten by the MiG-25, the biggest crisis facing the Americans at this moment was the early warning aircraft hovering in southern Hokkaido!

The EC-121 early warning aircraft, the mainstay of the US Air Force before the E-3 entered service, is now under pressure.

Our air force on the front line is being strangled by the MiG-25 fleet. Those damn Soviets actually used sneak attack tactics! If the communication is restored, we can alert our air force!

Communications were severely disrupted, even for the early warning aircraft, and the connection between the early warning aircraft and the Yokota base in the rear was also intermittent.

If the data link system is perfect, we can now rely on the data link to provide targets to ourselves. Unfortunately, the data link of this era is very primitive and has limited anti-interference capabilities.

"Keep flying north!" Finally, the commander of the early warning aircraft issued another order. Only by flying further north can communications be restored. As long as communications are restored, they can command their own air force to fight!

"Report, suspicious target spotted!" At this moment, an early warning officer shouted.

Two targets appeared in the east on the radar screen. At this time, the enemy was climbing and flying towards us. Did the Soviets deploy a field airport on Iturup Island?

"The distance is three hundred!" The commander of the early warning aircraft took a look at the signal but did not panic immediately. Three hundred kilometers is not a close distance.

"Let our escort fighters intercept immediately!"

Along with this early warning aircraft, there were two F-4 fighters from the Plaster Flag providing escort. After receiving the order, the two fighters immediately dropped their auxiliary fuel tanks and headed east to intercept.

They didn't know that they would be facing two fighter planes that could not be intercepted!

Two F-4 fighter jets of the Plaster Flag turned on their afterburners and flew towards the target. The radars on the noses of the aircraft turned on, ready to lock onto the target and launch their own Sparrow missiles.

"The target is still climbing!" In the early warning aircraft, the early warning personnel looked at the data of the two targets and couldn't help but become nervous.

The altitude has exceeded 15,000 meters and is still climbing!

The commander also realized that something was wrong at this time. Looking at the climbing speed, it looked like that of a perverted fighter plane. No, it was definitely not that. The Soviets did not have many MiG-25s in total. The construction and flying costs of this kind of heavy interceptor must be astronomical, just like their own SR71. There would definitely not be many of them.

According to the existing information, there are only two MiG-25 flying regiments in the entire Far East. Those flying from the east were definitely not from the Kamchatka Peninsula. The MiG-25 does not have such a long range. It could only have taken off from the base on Iturup Island. It was definitely not a MiG-25!

"The altitude has exceeded 18,000 meters and is still climbing!" At this moment, fear was already evident in the warning officer's voice.

The altitude is over 18,000 and it is still climbing! Needless to say, it must be a MiG-25!

"Hurry, turn around immediately and fly south!" the commander shouted, knocking hard on the glass of the cockpit in front and speaking to the pilot in front.

Run, if you don't run now, it will be too late. The opponent's altitude has risen to 20,000 meters, and the two F-4s sent ahead have no ability to intercept them at all!

Which direction should we run to? There is a war in the north, the Sea of ​​Japan in the west, and the direction of the target in the east. We can only fly south! As long as we fly across the Zeqing Strait and reach the sky above Honshu, we will be safe!

"Idiot, lower the altitude, lower the altitude!" the commander continued to shout.

On the radar screen, the two planes were approaching quickly, 200 kilometers away! Moreover, the other side was still accelerating. If they flew at Mach 3, they would definitely not be able to fly across the Zeqing Strait and would be caught up.

At this time, the commander already regretted taking the risk to go north. This was a Soviet conspiracy!

Although the higher you fly, the less air resistance there is and the greater the maximum speed, but no matter how fast you fly, you can't outfly the MiG-25. At this time, it is safest to fly at low altitude!

At least the Soviets’ electronic technology was not good enough, and the MiG-25’s ability to look and shoot downward at high altitudes was very weak.

Never encountered such danger before, every EC-121 was well protected, especially since 1969 when it acted arrogantly in the sky but was shot down by a MiG-21. Every flight route of the EC-121 was strictly planned.

Now, feeling the threat of death, the commander's voice became tearful, and the faces of the other people in the cabin turned pale.

This is not a small E-2 type early warning aircraft with only five or six people on board. This early warning aircraft has a crew of 26! If necessary, they can be on duty for 24 hours continuously!

"One hundred kilometers away!" Another alarm sounded.

Americans, I’m here! In the sky, Andre couldn’t hide his excitement.