Chapter 590 Three Aircraft Carrier Formation

Andre had already prepared a plan of action. To fight a giant like the United States, one must be mentally prepared. After all, the strength of the US military far exceeds that of Iraq, and after losing the Far East, the US's focus is on Europe and the Middle East. The Middle East is now the US's pawn, and the US absolutely cannot tolerate Iraq's behavior. Therefore, after the outbreak of the war, the situation will be quite complicated.

Iraq alone may not be able to resist, especially since the most important thing in the war is to gain air superiority. Therefore, Andre provided Saddam with a plan to destroy the US air bases with ballistic missiles overnight and completely destroy the US air combat capability. However, the Americans were unwilling to lag behind. Although the nuclear deterrence did not become a reality in the end, they used the American means to also destroy Iraq's air combat capability.

The two sides are not back to the same starting line, because the United States still has a strong navy! A single aircraft carrier formation in the United States can destroy a small country, not to mention that the United States now has three aircraft carriers!

Iraq has no anti-aircraft carrier capability, and if Iraq wants to attack American aircraft carriers, it has to fly over Jordan and Israel, which is almost impossible.

So, at this time, Andre asked for help. Syria’s second-rate air force would not be enough, and they had to rely on a first-rate air force like Iran!

Yes, the Iranian Air Force is indeed first-rate. Before the HMN Revolution, the Iranian Air Force had always been trained by the Americans, emphasizing active attack and personal ability. Moreover, the Iranian Air Force's equipment is also first-rate. Although it has a grudge against Iraq, it has a near-national grudge against the United States. By using this war, Iran has obtained 20% of the mining rights, which is enough for Iran's war dividend.

There are no eternal friends or eternal enemies, only unchanging interests. No one will give up the big piece of meat called Saudi Arabia.

The Mediterranean Sea is calm. From the tall aircraft carrier, you can see the land in the distance. That is Israel in the Middle East!

On the USS Eisenhower, Captain Mark quietly looked out the porthole at the flight deck. This aircraft carrier, which was commissioned in October 1978, is the largest aircraft carrier in the US Navy so far, with a full load displacement of 90,000 tons. Being able to command this warship is the pride of the US Navy.

After the situation in the Middle East, this aircraft carrier was also the first aircraft carrier to arrive at the Mediterranean. Originally, according to the pre-arrangement, this aircraft carrier should have passed through the Suez Canal and arrived at the Red Sea, from where it would be more convenient to attack. After all, it did not need to pass through the airspace of other countries, but could fly directly through Saudi airspace.

However, in the end, to be on the safe side, the Pentagon decided to let its naval fleet stand by in the Mediterranean. After all, with Israel and Jordan blocking in front, at least Israel's powerful air force can ensure the safety of its own aircraft carrier fleet!

Three aircraft carriers arrived one after another. In addition to the Eisenhower, there were also the Constellation and the America. The three aircraft carriers formed a powerful attack force! In history, the United States assembled more than three aircraft carriers at the same time. This was the first time since the Vietnam War! There were also three other aircraft carriers rushing to the land. In the end, the number of aircraft carriers deployed here would reach six!

The deck was filled with white smoke, and one carrier-based aircraft after another was taking off from the aircraft carrier!

The first one to be ejected was the bulky Tomcat fighter, which was a typical air combat aircraft with two Phoenix missiles, four Sparrow missiles and four Sidewinder missiles. This kind of mounting capacity has long surpassed the Air Force's F-15. Until now, the Tomcat fighter is still the fighter with the most powerful mounting capacity in the US Air Force!

Their mission was to fly over Israel and Jordan, gain air superiority over Iraq, and provide protection for the bombing formation behind them.

In addition to the F-14, the Eisenhower also carried two squadrons of A-7 attack aircraft. They had already mounted ground attack weapons and were ready to carry out ground bombing missions after the F-14 opened up a bombing channel to further strike the Iraqi army.

"Attention, 103 Blackjack Squadron, please follow the 8,000-meter air corridor, this is Tiger Tail No. 1."

"Pirate Flag No. 1 understands." Pilot Hughes shouted on the radio. He was the squadron leader of the 103rd Pirate Flag Squadron and the first batch of air force to enter Iraq in this operation.

Providing guidance for them is the aircraft carrier's own early warning aircraft, the E-2 Hawkeye of the Huwei carrier-based early warning aircraft squadron.

Following the radio call, the Pirate Flag Squadron contacted the early warning aircraft and continued to fly forward. Soon, the vast ocean disappeared and they had entered the air above the land.

We flew past the narrow Israeli territory, and then there was the yellow desert below, and in the blink of an eye we were in Jordanian airspace.

"Pirate Flag Squadron, beware, there are fighters patrolling Iraqi airspace, two targets, altitude 8,000, speed 300, direction 030, distance 300."

"Pirate flag received." Hughes replied while ordering the radar operator in the rear cabin to turn on his own radar.

A distance of three hundred kilometers is beyond the search range of AWG-9. However, the distance between the two sides is now rapidly closing, and the opponent will soon appear on the radar screen. At this time, there is no need for enemy identification. Our side is the first batch of fighters to enter Iraqi airspace, and the opponent's target must be Iraqi aircraft!

At the maximum distance, first fire out the two cumbersome Phoenix missiles, then rush forward, and use Sparrow missiles and Sidewinder missiles to kill the enemies that have not been eliminated!

When the radar operator turned on the radar and adjusted it, bright spots appeared on the screen. The distance between the two sides had reached 200 kilometers.

"Lock on the target and prepare to launch the Phoenix missile." Hughes said. The opponent has not shown any signs of continuing to climb or accelerate, which means it is not a perverted one like the MiG-25. Last night's attack destroyed all of Iraq's main airports. What is flying here now is most likely the backward MiG-21 from the second-line base. Shooting this kind of plane is just target practice.

"Understood." The radar operator in the rear cabin began to operate the radar, preparing to lock it. At the same time, Hughes in the front cabin turned on the afterburner, and the TF30 engine pushed the fighter to accelerate and climb.

Damn Congress! In order to improve performance, the Navy's Tomcat fighter jets had already been replaced with F110 engines. Navy pilots really didn't want to serve the TF-30 engine, which was grumpy and prone to asthma. However, the plan was later rejected because Congress had no money! There was no money to support the Navy's engine replacement plan. Not only that, in order to reduce Navy expenses, Congress was said to be discussing various plans to postpone the construction of aircraft carriers and retire expensive fighter jets such as the F-14 early!

Hughes was just thinking about it when suddenly the radar operator in the rear cabin said, "The targets have been separated. There are not two fighters, but eight!"