Chapter 5: The Fierce Dragon Unleashes Its Power
If there were no commendation from Yang Fanglie, according to the regulations of the Air Force, even if Zhan Pengfei had contributed to the protection of national property, he would still face disciplinary action for not parachuting in accordance with the rules
If this early warning aircraft is deployed in Pakistan for an extended period, it is only reasonable that minor malfunctions may occur
Zhan Pengfei paid no attention, merely allowing the fighter jet's fire control computer to begin recording information on suspicious targets and processing it with the highest priority
Zhang Pengfei was very surprised, as Diego Garcia is a territory of the U.S. military, located over 3,000 kilometers from Gwadar Port. Without carrying external fuel tanks and without the assistance of a refueling aircraft, the J-20A cannot return to Gwadar Port and must land at the U.S. military airport in Diego Garcia
"Dong Yao, what do you want to do?" The wingman pilot noticed that Zhang Pengfei did not reduce speed after entering the approach.
In a tail chase attack scenario, the PL-12D has an escape range of up to 60 kilometers against the F-22A
At this altitude, even if the pilot ejects and parachutes, the probability of survival is extremely slim
In the Chinese Air Force, the J-20A is a typical heavy air superiority fighter, with its primary mission being to gain air supremacy and defeat enemy air superiority fighters. Other tasks such as ground strikes are undertaken by a large number of medium or fourth-generation fighters, including the J-31, J-13, J-11, and J-10.
In the past, the unit where Zhan Pengfei served was the first to receive the J-20A, responsible for conducting acceptance test flights. Zhan Pengfei was fortunate to participate in the test flight work, becoming one of the first pilots of the J-20A. During the testing of the maximum flight envelope, the J-20A piloted by Zhan Pengfei experienced a dual-engine shutdown and entered a spiral stall condition. According to regulations, Zhan Pengfei was supposed to eject immediately. However, he did not do so; instead, he restarted one engine within thirty seconds and flew back to the airport on a single engine, landing smoothly on the runway. This incident allowed engineers to identify several serious defects in the J-20A and WS-30, leading to immediate large-scale improvements. As a result, Zhan Pengfei was awarded a personal first-class merit and received a commendation from Yang Fanglie himself. Six months later, Zhan Pengfei was promoted to the rank of lieutenant colonel and appointed as the commander of the fighter regiment of the combined aviation division.
By increasing the use of composite materials, enhancing the integration level of electronic devices, and improving manufacturing processes, the empty weight ratio of the J-20A has been reduced by approximately 1,000 kilograms compared to the J-20. Coupled with improved engine performance and advanced aerodynamic layout, the maneuverability of the J-20A has caught up with that of the F-22A
Zhang Pengfei also saw it; those are four missiles
Immediately thereafter, the missile warning system issued an alert
Zhang Pengfei's judgment is very accurate; the enemy aircraft is approximately 45 kilometers ahead, flying in the same direction, with a speed of only 1.6 Mach
Zhan Pengfei did not speak; he also saw that the lifeguard used a rescue basket, typically employed for rescuing injured individuals, to pull a pilot into the cabin of the seaplane
For Zhan Pengfei, Yang Fanglie is not only the Chief of Staff but also his mentor.
Cold sweat broke out on Zhan Pengfei's forehead as the enemy aircraft had already activated its fire control radar and was about to launch an attack
No bird species in the world can fly at a speed of 300 kilometers per hour at this altitude; even the fastest peregrine falcon has a diving speed of only 300 kilometers per hour
It was not an enemy aircraft, but rather a tightly formed formation of four F-22A jets
"Dong Yao, do you see it?" The speaker is the co-pilot.
In the early morning, Zhan Pengfei received orders to lead a squadron of four aircraft departing from an air force base in the outskirts of Nanjing. After two aerial refuelings, they arrived at an airport near Gwadar Port in Pakistan before dawn. After only four hours of rest, Zhan Pengfei received another direct order from the General Staff Headquarters to lead the squadron of four aircraft on a new mission. After flying for half an hour over the Arabian Sea, Zhan Pengfei finally understood that their task was to escort a transport aircraft, which was also passing through Gwadar Port Airport, to Diego Garcia, following the command of the early warning aircraft throughout the journey.
Those are four radar-guided medium-range air-to-air missiles, which is why they are only detected by the missile warning system after approaching. If the missiles have not yet entered the self-guidance phase and have not used onboard radar to lock onto the J-20A, the fighter's radar warning receiver will not issue an alert
As long as the distance during missile launch is within 60 kilometers, even if the F-22A escapes at its maximum speed of Mach 2, it cannot evade the attack range of the PL-12D
"Dòng yāo, dòng yāo, enemy aircraft approaching!" The airborne commander on the early warning aircraft was even more anxious than Zhan Pengfei, almost shouting into the microphone
Zhan Pengfei's English is quite good, but he pretends not to understand and deliberately creates some noise, making it seem as if there is a malfunction with the radio
In a moment, many people believed that even the F-22A was not a match for the J-20A
Dong Yao understood. However, despite what Zhang Pengfei said, he did not act accordingly and instead used the tactical data link to keep the three wingmen in radio silence
My God!" the American controller in the control tower screamed
What is going on? Zhang Pengfei simply cannot understand. He has just shot down four American fighter jets, and two of the pilots are very likely dead. Could it be that those fighter jets do not belong to the American military? Or is it possible that the American military would set aside past grievances and warmly welcome them as if nothing had happened?
Zhan Pengfei was somewhat surprised; what threats exist over the Arabian Sea
These improvements have made the J-20A a standout among fifth-generation fighter jets
As altitude increases, the air becomes thinner, resulting in reduced aerodynamic lift; therefore, the climb rate of the F-22A will not increase, but will instead gradually decrease
This time, what has been sent is not merely data information
The order has been confirmed, proceed to Diego Garcia, and prepare to receive U.S. military navigation information
First, replace the 117S engine introduced through the Su-35 with a domestically produced engine that has greater thrust
Go for it! The co-pilot can no longer worry about so much
Over the Indian Ocean, four brand new J-20A aircraft are flying south in formation. Approximately twenty kilometers behind them follows an unmarked Y-20A, and further back is a KJ-2000, which bears the insignia of the Chinese Air Force on its main wings and the flags of China and Pakistan on its vertical tail.
Only after the wingman had passed through the airspace twice did Zhang Pengfei deploy the speed brakes, lower the landing gear, align with the runway, and enter the descent path for landing
The distance has been reduced to within 20 kilometers, entering the stage of aerial combat.
What is going on
Zhan Pengfei is only 31 years old, with less than 8 years of service. In the disciplined Chinese Air Force, it is not an easy task to become a lieutenant colonel and a regiment commander at the age of 31
The key point is, this is not a drill
Cave One
Like the other three pilots, Zhang Pengfei is also unclear about what exactly is happening
The screen clearly displays that approximately six hundred kilometers to the east, there are two Indian Air Force Su-30MKI aircraft
Four J-20A aircraft were divided into two pairs, with the J-20A designated as "Dong San" activating its fire control radar to lock onto two F-22A aircraft fleeing to the west
In less than five seconds, Zhang Pengfei locked onto four enemy aircraft using the fire control radar, while simultaneously transmitting the fire control information to three wingmen via the Tactical Data Link 15
Reflecting on the experiences of the past two years, Zhang Pengfei cannot help but feel a sense of emotion
More importantly, during the attack on these two J-20A aircraft, both F-22A aircraft also lost considerable altitude
Immediately thereafter, Zhang Pengfei launched four PL-12D medium-range air-to-air missiles
This is a very peculiar formation
Last year, an encounter over the East China Sea left Zhan Pengfei with little confidence in the fire control radar of the J-20A
However, Zhang Pengfei's use of fire control radar to lock onto the F-22A served as a warning to the U.S. military pilots
What should I do
Although the primary purpose of the U.S. Air Force's show of weakness is to secure funding from Congress to purchase more F-22A aircraft to replace the severely aging F-15 series fighters, the U.S. military will certainly seek to acquire a few J-20A aircraft whenever possible to gain a deeper understanding of this fighter jet
Compared to the F-22A, which has undergone a fourth-stage upgrade with complete and advanced electronic systems, the electronic equipment of the J-20A is not considered advanced
"At the 12 o'clock position..." shouted the wingman pilot
What is this concept
Four J-20A aircraft had just launched their missiles when four F-22A aircraft split into two groups and maneuvered in opposite directions
According to simulated combat tests conducted by the Chinese Air Force, the dogfighting capabilities of the J-20A are comparable to those of the F-22A
In the moment before plunging into the sea, the American pilot ejected from the cockpit
Fortunately, the J-20A was shot down at an altitude below 5,000 meters, and both pilots successfully ejected and parachuted, possibly without injury
"Dong Yao understands, requesting fire command." Zhang Pengfei became tense. The information on the screen indicated that the suspicious target was ascending at a speed of hundreds of meters per second. It was definitely not a bird, nor atmospheric interference, but a stealth fighter jet rapidly approaching and seizing advantageous altitude
For the American military on the ground, this is undoubtedly a disaster
When Zhang Pengfei arrived, two J-20A aircraft had already been shot down
Zhan Pengfei pursued relentlessly, while the F-22A continuously rolled, making it impossible for him to lock on with missiles, forcing him to use the cannon instead. The battle raged from an altitude of 10,000 meters down to 1,500 meters. During the fifth burst of fire, Zhan Pengfei finally shot down the U.S. fighter jet that attempted to climb again
More importantly, the maximum altitude of the F-22A is less than 17,000 meters, and only through a leap can it reach 18,000 meters
Clearly, Zhang Pengfei does not believe that the Chief of Staff would betray the country
The U.S. military pilots are indeed seasoned veterans; not only are their reaction times swift, but they also immediately implemented the correct evasive measures. A J-20A cannot simultaneously lock onto four F-22As evading in two different directions; at least two J-20As would be required, and they must disperse their pursuit.
If an experienced pilot is flying the F-22A, he would launch the missile before locking onto the J-20A, and only when the missile is about to enter its terminal guidance phase would he use radar to lock onto the J-20A, providing the necessary fire control data for the missile, leaving the J-20A with no opportunity to retaliate
The critical issue is that Zhang Pengfei is completely unaware of the distance to the enemy aircraft
This action not only turned danger into safety but also allowed the U.S. military fighter jets to seize the initiative
The cave is clear.
In aerial combat, a height difference of 4,000 meters is extremely lethal
At present, the distance between the two parties will certainly not exceed 60 kilometers
When Russia exported the Su-35 to China, it employed a sleight of hand by equipping it with engines derived from the AL-31, merely labeled as "117S." This is vastly different from the 117S engine developed for the T-50. Consequently, shortly after the introduction of the Su-35, China accelerated its development of new engines. The new generation engine, designated WS-30, not only improves the maximum military thrust and maximum afterburner thrust by 22% and 13% respectively compared to the 117S, but also reduces fuel consumption by over 15%. Its service life has been extended to 2,000 hours, the overhaul cycle has been lengthened to 1,000 hours, and its reliability has increased severalfold.
Suddenly, other American soldiers also began shouting into the radio, as if the end of the world had arrived
Landing is not the issue; the key question is whether the U.S. military will allow the four J-20A aircraft to take off again
American military pilots clearly understand this principle
Compared to the J-20, the J-20A has undergone extensive improvements
Zhan Pengfei not only did not reduce speed, but instead pushed the throttle all the way down, allowing the engine to operate at maximum thrust. The J-20A soared like an arrow, sweeping over the airport.
With this idea in mind, Zhang Pengfei did not dare to be careless at all
"Dong Yao, initiate radar search for enemy aircraft. Repeat, initiate radar search for enemy aircraft."
Last year, after the J-20A was officially equipped in the Chinese Air Force, the U.S. Air Force exclaimed that the F-22A faced challenges it had never encountered since its inception
However, the order was issued directly by the General Staff Headquarters and received the approval of the Chief of General Staff. Unless the Chief of General Staff commits treason, Zhan Pengfei's speculation is nothing but groundless worry
What?" Zhang Pengfei was even more surprised. "Is Dong Yao receiving it and continuing to Diego Garcia?"
Even for missiles like the PL-12D, which utilize a ramjet engine, the maximum altitude difference with the target cannot exceed 10,000 meters
Thanks to the maximum thrust of 166 kilonewtons achieved by the WS-30, the J-20A has undergone a transformative change
The flight altitude of the missile is approximately one thousand meters higher than that of the J-20A aircraft group. Zhanpeng Fei's first reaction was that the radar warning system had malfunctioned
Soon, the early warning aircraft updated the air situation information again and plotted the continuous flight path of the suspicious target. Although the lack of distance parameters made it impossible to accurately calculate the flight speed of the suspicious target, based on the angular velocity of the suspicious target and the minimum detection range of the KJ-2000 for stealth fighters, it can be determined that the minimum flight speed of the suspicious target at an altitude of 5,000 meters exceeds 300 kilometers per hour
Upon arriving over the Diego Garcia U.S. military base, he saw more than a dozen F-22A fighter jets parked in neat rows, and a surge of anger welled up within him.
The warning light has been activated
After the F-22A aircraft formation dispersed, they began to maneuver to evade detection
Zhang Pengfei did not hesitate any longer and immediately activated the fire control radar
The maximum operational range of the AIM-120C is eighty kilometers. The transport aircraft is located twenty kilometers behind the J-20A formation, thus the distance between the enemy aircraft and the J-20A is approximately sixty kilometers when the missile is launched. Perhaps the F-22A did not detect the J-20A formation, or it directly locked onto the transport aircraft using its fire control radar without searching the surrounding airspace. The key point is that the speed of the J-20A has already exceeded two Mach. If the F-22A turns after launching the missile and escapes at a cruising speed of 1.6 Mach, the distance between the two will be decreasing. Perhaps the F-22A did not detect the J-20A formation, or it directly locked onto the transport aircraft using its fire control radar without searching the surrounding airspace. The key point is that the speed of the J-20A has already exceeded two Mach. If the F-22A turns after launching the missile and escapes at a cruising speed of 1.6 Mach, the distance between the two will be decreasing.
Zhan Pengfei stared at the screen, waiting for the early warning aircraft to update the air situation information again
At this moment, an air situation report from the early warning aircraft appeared on the integrated information screen, with a suspicious target identified by a yellow icon representing a threat
The two F-22A aircraft to the east have directly transitioned to climbing. They have likely burned a significant amount of fuel, resulting in a substantial reduction in weight, and the climb rate of the F-22A is truly astonishing
After evading the missiles, the two F-22A aircraft dove down. The two J-20A aircraft lost altitude while pursuing, and their climb rate could not match that of the F-22A, resulting in them falling into a disadvantageous position.
Zhang Pengfei suddenly realized that the enemy aircraft were not attacking the escort fighters, but rather the transport aircraft protected by the fighters. All four missiles were aimed at the transport aircraft
Zhang Pengfei had no choice; in order to continue tracking the enemy aircraft and to launch another attack, he could only ascend alongside the enemy aircraft
At this moment, a Y-20A appeared on the horizon, flying towards the U.S. military airport
In addition to the engine, the J-20A has also upgraded its electronic equipment centered around the fire control radar, and installed the No. 15 and No. 16 high-speed data communication systems
On the other side, it is an entirely different situation
This is an altitude of 8,000 meters, not sea level. At this height, the J-20A minimizes weight, and the maximum rate of climb is only 220 meters per second
Is the KJ-2000 radar malfunctioning
Zhan Pengfei did not give the enemy any opportunity. While two F-22A aircraft were climbing to seize altitude advantage, he and his wingman each launched a PL-11 air-to-air missile. The American lead aircraft was shot down by the missile, and the wingman used the lead aircraft as cover to evade the missile, but had to transition from climbing to diving.
However, the radar warning system has remained silent
However, it is now too late to do anything.
If it is an Indian Air Force fighter jet, it is not a "suspicious target"
The evasion of missiles by fighter jets does not rely on agility, as no fighter jet's agility surpasses that of a missile; they can only perform vertical maneuvers
"Hold the western side of Cave 3 and Cave 4, and leave the eastern side to me"
What is the purpose of going to Diego Garcia
The U.S. military is preparing to conduct exercises and * operations * in Diego Garcia, deploying twenty F-22A aircraft, while not utilizing the frequently malfunctioning F-35 series fighter jets
The command has been confirmed; firing can commence ahead of schedule. Repeat: firing can commence ahead of schedule
The counterpart of the J-20A is the U.S. military's F-22A
Understood! Zhan Pengfei has pushed the throttle all the way down. All aircraft, be advised, enemy aircraft are approaching, prepare for combat. Emphasizing, this is not a drill
If we must discuss the differences, they are primarily reflected in the stealth design. The J-20 has never pursued omnidirectional stealth from the outset, instead emphasizing forward stealth capabilities. Therefore, the J-20A is more suitable for offensive air defense missions, while its multi-role capabilities for strike missions are still inferior to those of the F-22A
Perhaps not many people are aware of the PL-12D, but they are certainly familiar with its export variant, the SD-10D. The most significant difference between the PL-12D and its export version is that the former is equipped with an integrated ramjet engine, which increases its maximum powered range from 80 kilometers to 120 kilometers. Although the U.S. military has also developed the AIM-120D, which uses a ramjet engine, it has not been procured in bulk for equipping its forces.
This may be a secret military visit or military exchange, and there is a prominent figure on the transport aircraft, possibly Yang Fanglie himself
Dong San understands
To Zhan Pengfei and Yang Fanglie, I owe a debt of gratitude for their recognition and support
For missiles, the contribution of aerodynamic lift is minimal, thus the change in climb rate is not significant. The PL-12D, flying at a speed of Mach 4, can cover a distance of 45 kilometers in just 40 seconds, and the time taken to catch up with the F-22A will not exceed 90 seconds.
The two J-20A aircraft led by Zhang Pengfei arrived at an altitude of 11,000 meters, approximately 4,000 meters higher than the U.S. military fighter jets
What is going on! Zhan Pengfei was extremely surprised and quickly checked the radar warning system. There was no malfunction; the enemy aircraft had turned off its fire control radar.
Dòng yāo, Dòng yāo, intercept enemy aircraft, immediately intercept enemy aircraft
This precisely aligns with the positioning of the J-20A, which is its primary mission requirement
Without any burden, the J-20A completed the remaining flight distance at a speed of 1.4 Mach
If the suspicious target is a fighter jet, it can only be a stealth fighter jet, and it is most likely the F-22A
"It seems that Dong San is injured."
In a pursuit scenario, the fire control radar of the J-20A can detect the F-22A at a distance of 60 kilometers
Use up the fifteen minutes of emergency landing fuel, and give the Americans a taste of their own medicine
"Cave Two, Cave Three, Cave Four, end automatic flight mode." Zhang Pengfei furrowed his brows, sensing the approaching threat
Sixteen missiles targeting four F-22A aircraft, if the U.S. military pilots react just half a beat slower, the probability of being shot down exceeds ninety-nine percent
To escort the transport aircraft, the J-20A can only fly at a speed of 840 kilometers per hour, thus requiring two minutes to increase the fighter jet's speed. If enemy aircraft are very close, the four J-20A will be attacked before reaching the ideal speed for aerial combat
During combat training against fourth-generation fighters such as the J-11 and J-10, Zhang Pengfei often employs this tactic
At this moment, the radar alarm signal suddenly disappeared
It is important to note that the J-20A is currently the only fifth-generation heavy air superiority fighter capable of competing with the F-22A, and it represents the greatest threat to the F-22A
Not understanding is one thing, executing the task is another
The data calculated by the radar indicates that the climb rate of the two F-22A aircraft exceeds 250 meters per second
Half a minute later, the status information was updated, and the icon of the suspicious target turned bright yellow
The performance of the J-20A is not on par with that of the F-22A, but the medium-range air-to-air missiles it employs are certainly not inferior to those of the F-22A
How much fuel is left in the cave?
The fate of the two F-22A aircraft was extremely tragic, as they were pursued by missiles at an altitude of 14,000 meters, each being directly hit by more than two missiles
The two F-22A aircraft that veered west did not climb directly; instead, they first dove and only began to climb after reaching an altitude of less than 1,000 meters
"Dòng yāo, Dòng yāo, enemy aircraft detected, proceed to intercept. Emphasize, this is not a drill"
Zhan Pengfei has some doubts, as the pattern on the tail indicates that this is an early warning aircraft used for performance demonstrations to the Pakistan Air Force. Perhaps Pakistan has an intention to purchase large early warning aircraft, which is why the Chinese Air Force dispatched a KJ-2000 for the performance demonstration
This indicates that the threat is increasing
An event that occurred two years ago introduced Zhan Pengfei to Yang Fanglie, and it also changed Zhan Pengfei's destiny
Four missiles flew over the J-20A aircraft group and then began to dive
The J-20A radar can only detect incoming F-22A aircraft within a range of 40 kilometers; if the distance exceeds 40 kilometers, activating the radar would be tantamount to seeking death
"Dong Yao, Dong Yao, I have been bitten..."
Under the guidance of the lead aircraft, three escort aircraft each launched four missiles to conduct a coordinated attack on four enemy aircraft
The lead pilot of the J-20A formation is Major Zhang Pengfei, who is one of the first batch of J-20 pilots in the Chinese Air Force and also the commander of the first aviation regiment equipped with the J-20A
Return to the original route. Repeat, return to the original route
Zhan Pengfei is somewhat worried, even suspecting that this is a trap aimed at allowing the U.S. military to acquire the J-20A
In this vicinity, there is only one type of stealth fighter, the F-22A.
Perhaps, that is atmospheric interference
The fighter jet's altitude was less than 200 meters, with a speed exceeding 1.2 Mach. The sonic boom could rupture the eardrums of nearby American soldiers and shatter the glass on the control tower windows. Zhan Pengfei did not stop there; after turning around, he flew over the neatly parked F-22A fleet, lowering his altitude to below 100 meters, causing strong winds that knocked the F-22A fleet askew.
Zhan Pengfei knew that their situation was extremely unfavorable
The KJ-2000 has a head-on detection range of only 150 kilometers for the F-22A, while the KJ-2000 is positioned 100 kilometers behind the J-20A. By the time the KJ-2000 confirms that it is an F-22A, the distance between the J-20A and the enemy aircraft is only 50 kilometers, and the radar of the F-22A can detect the J-20A within a range of 60 kilometers. A 10-kilometer gap is sufficient for the F-22A to lock onto the J-20A and then launch a medium-range air-to-air missile. By the time the KJ-2000 confirms that it is an F-22A, the distance between the J-20A and the enemy aircraft is only 50 kilometers, and the radar of the F-22A can detect the J-20A within a range of 60 kilometers. A 10-kilometer gap is sufficient for the F-22A to lock onto the J-20A and then launch a medium-range air-to-air missile
On the surface of the sea, a large seaplane has arrived and rescued a pilot. Although separated by several kilometers, the pilot's vision is excellent
At that time, the J-20A piloted by Zhan Pengfei was patrolling west of the midline of the East China Sea, providing cover for an electronic reconnaissance aircraft collecting radar electromagnetic signals from Okinawa Island. Before returning, the electronic reconnaissance aircraft intercepted a radar signal emitted by an F-22A, confirming that it was no more than fifty kilometers away from Zhan Pengfei's J-20A. Zhan Pengfei activated the fire control radar; although he briefly captured the F-22A, he was unable to lock onto it and was instead locked onto by the opponent. Had it not been for the F-22A's urgency to return, Zhan Pengfei might have suffered significant losses in the confrontation. Zhan Pengfei activated the fire control radar; although he briefly captured the F-22A, he was unable to lock onto it and was instead locked onto by the opponent. Had it not been for the F-22A's urgency to return, Zhan Pengfei might have suffered significant losses in the confrontation.
The climb performance of the J-20A is inferior to that of the F-22A, while the dive performance is quite similar
The greatest threat comes from the Indian Air Force, yet the most advanced fighter jets in the Indian Air Force are the Su-30MKI and a batch of "Rafale" received earlier this year. Both types of fighter jets are typical of the fourth and a half generation, lacking stealth capabilities, and will be detected by early warning aircraft from several hundred kilometers away
The radar warning receiver has activated, emitting a short tone, indicating that it has only detected the search signals emitted by the enemy aircraft's radar, without capturing any lock-on signals
Damn! Zhan Pengfei cursed inwardly and began searching for the two comrades who had parachuted earlier, then sent the location information to the early warning aircraft
The flight altitude of the F-22A is approximately 8,000 meters; as long as it ascends to above 18,000 meters before being pursued by a missile, it can turn danger into safety
Climbing to an altitude of 10,000 meters takes approximately one and a half minutes
"Red One, permission to land on Runway 31." This is the call sign given to Zhan Pengfei by the U.S. military
Beep... Beep... Beep...