Chapter 002: Southern Overlord

Li Zhan, you are fortunate; the 4th Regiment is stationed here along with the division headquarters. If you were assigned to the 5th or 6th Regiment, you would have to travel several hundred kilometers. " Zhang Wei said, pointing to a courtyard ahead, "The headquarters of the 4th Regiment is right in front.

The warrior brought him to the front of the three-story building, and Zhang Wei led him up the stairs with large strides. Li Zhan was dressed in winter uniform, carrying a backpack and holding a luggage bag.

After the introduction, the warrior vehicle drove into the courtyard of the headquarters of the Fourth Regiment

Li Zhan also accepted his fate, although he felt a deep sense of regret in his heart. However, military orders are as unyielding as a mountain, and there is absolutely no possibility of sudden changes. He could only hope that the modification process would be expedited; once the Fifth Regiment completed its modifications, it would be the Fourth Regiment's turn.

Li Zhan quickly replied, "Understood"

Despite the fact that there is a rank difference of one level between the two individuals, and that Zhang Wei holds the position of a regular battalion-level officer, which is two ranks higher than Li Zhan's deputy company-level position, Li Zhan does not regard Zhang Wei as a superior, nor does Zhang Wei adopt an attitude of superiority. The reason is quite simple: Li Zhan is a pilot, while Zhang Wei is a combat staff officer. In the Air Force, there is a phenomenon where anyone who flies in the sky is considered to be one rank higher.

Li Zhan quickly handed over the transfer order, and then the two of them saluted the political commissar to bid farewell

Li Zhan was completely bewildered

"Cross-service promotion?" Li Zhan exclaimed.

It is now December, and new pilots generally enlist in the last month of each year, which is approximately the same time as the recruitment for other military branches

When Li Zhan was a child, he often saw fighter jets roaring past at low altitude while flying kites on the rooftop. The altitude was extremely low, and he could even clearly see the pilots wearing white helmets as the jets turned. The kite created an illusion of almost colliding with the aircraft.

Zhang Wei looked at Li Zhan with an inscrutable expression and said no more.

Zhang Wei pushed open the door, took two steps inside, stood at attention and saluted, "Report! Political Commissar, the last new comrade of this year has been brought back!"

Zhang Wei stopped in front of the office with the political commissar's nameplate hanging on the third floor, knocked on the door, and after waiting for a while, a loud voice came from inside, "Come in!"

What Li Zhan was most concerned about was when he could fly the SU-27, so he asked, "Chief of Staff Zhang, what is the usual training duration for our division? Three months?"

The order is with me, Chief Zhang, you take him... just go to the Fourth Regiment, give it to He Datou, he has come to the division headquarters several times asking for people, give it to him! The political commissar arranged everything with just a few words.

At this point, Li Zhan realized that the Second Division only had one SU-27 regiment

This political commissar is more in line with the image of a new and dynamic commander of the fighter jet regiment

Upon boarding the warrior vehicle, Li Zhan remarked, "The political commissar is indeed young, exhibiting the demeanor of a military officer"

With the momentum of the bureaucratic cadres, they are already able to overshadow other forces. It is morale that generates momentum; the combat effectiveness of a force lacking momentum is questionable, regardless of whether it is the Army, Navy, Air Force, or Second Artillery.

This process may take one year, two years, or even longer. Li Zhan knows that sometimes the troops wait for the modification of new models, and waiting for over ten years is not unusual at all

Suddenly coming to his senses, Li Zhan apologized, "I am sorry, Zhang m.hetushu.com com, I just find it hard to believe. Isn't the Second Division already modernized? How can there still be J-7s?"

"You, what are you saying? The 4th squadron is equipped with J-7s? How is that possible? How could that be? Where did so many Su-27s go?" Li Zhan could not believe it at all, staring wide-eyed at Zhang Wei, his voice rising somewhat uncontrollably, which drew the surprised gaze of the pilot.

It is not easy to cultivate a qualified pilot, and nurturing an excellent pilot requires even greater investment of substantial resources, as they are all precious talents

It is certainly not a regulation, but rather a phenomenon that has existed for a long time. Moreover, Zhang Wei knows that Li Zhan is a member of the Air Force Talent Pool. Among the thousands of personnel in the Second Division, very few soldiers are selected for the Air Force Talent Pool

Zhang Wei nodded, "That's right, a large-scale transition."

"Hahaha, it works!" Zhang Wei said with a smile, "The fourth squadron is equipped with the J-7, and the new recruits are training on the J-7 trainer. You have flown this model for a year at the training base, so you will have no problem at all."

For more than a decade, their status has remained unchanged. However, this is ironic, as for nearly ten years, the Air Force has not had new fighter jets to replace the outdated and inferior models.

For pilots, inter-service transfers are not uncommon. In naval aviation and army aviation, many pilots have been transferred from the air force. When the naval and army aviation units were established, entire formations were often simply transferred over, with only a service prefix added to the unit number, and they didn't even need to change their uniforms. A few months ago, a batch of army aviation helicopters was transferred to the training base where Li Zhan was stationed, and those pilots were still wearing air force flight suits.

At this moment, it is just the beginning of the workday. Within two to three minutes, personnel from various departments have arrived at their posts. However, the office building seems to have been bustling for quite some time, with staff members occasionally seen rushing through the corridors, some holding folders, while others stride briskly. The personnel observed, whether officers or non-commissioned officers, are all wearing hats, belts, and sidearms. This is the combat uniform of the office staff. The personnel observed, whether officers or non-commissioned officers, are all wearing hats, belts, and sidearms. This is the combat uniform of the office staff.

Political Commissar Qi originally transitioned from a military commander to a political work role, being the youngest division political commissar in the Air Force. Zhang Wei briefly introduced, "Political Commissar Qi is a cadre who came over from the Naval Aviation, previously serving as the regiment commander of the Ninth Division of Naval Aviation, and has directly taken on the role of political commissar for our Second Division"

The headquarters courtyard of the 4th Regiment is located just over 2 kilometers from the division headquarters, with one situated to the southeast and the other to the south. This illustrates the vastness of Xixian Airport, which is said to rank second in area among all air force airports. The straight-line distance between the headquarters courtyard of the 4th Regiment and the control tower is only about 500 meters, facilitating daily command training.

"Half a year," Zhang Wei said, observing the disappointment reflected in Li Zhan's eyes. He continued, "However, this is not set in stone. Some individuals adapt to the situation more quickly, and they will progress faster when flying solo. This is not a problem for you at all; you are an outstanding student from the Fourth Flight Academy, having flown the J-7 for a year at the training base. To get started, you simply need to familiarize yourself with the airspace environment. The climate here is quite different from that in the north... This is not a problem for you at all; you are an outstanding student from the Fourth Flight Academy, having flown the J-7 for a year at the training base. To get started, you simply need to familiarize yourself with the airspace environment. The climate here is quite different from that in the north..."

Zhang Wei briefly introduced the three fighter regiments, giving Li Zhan a general understanding. Among the three flying regiments, the equipment of the Fourth Regiment is the least advanced, utilizing the J-7. The Fifth Regiment is slightly better, equipped with the J-8. The Sixth Regiment is the spearhead, and can even be described as the spearhead of the entire Air Force, as they are one of the only two regiments equipped with the SU-27.

"Where did you hear that news?" Zhang Wei was no stranger to such naive newcomers fresh out of school. He said, "This year, the 5th Regiment began to retrofit the J-11 fighter jets, and so far, only one squadron has been modified. Of course, I won't mention the 6th Regiment; they are using the Su-27s imported in 1996. A total of 48 aircraft were imported, half for our 3rd Division and half for our 2nd Division, all allocated to the 6th Regiment."

The locals are aware that there is an airport in the western suburbs of the county town, which is known to be a military airport, located only about 4 to 5 kilometers from the urban area

The people of Xixian have grown accustomed over the decades to the "very loud" planes flying overhead. The sound of fighter jets taking off and climbing is extremely loud, and the airspace above Xixian is already designated as a training area for the Second Division. When flying at supersonic speeds, the noise is even more deafening

What surprised Li Zhan was that the political commissar was very young, tall, and handsome, with sword-like eyebrows and large eyes, and a sharply defined face; he could easily pass for a male model in fashionable attire! This completely overturned his perception of political commissars. The political commissars at the academy and the base all had the typical wartime look, exuding a strong aura of political workers. Such individuals are easily recognizable at a glance, without the need for inquiry, as they are clearly involved in political work.

Li Zhan could not help but interrupt Zhang Wei, saying, "Chief Zhang, the Second Division should have the dual-seat Su-27, but they are still training with the J-7, which is completely ineffective"

Today there is an important training mission, and the superiors are either on duty or in the air Zhang Wei said with a smile

Seeing Zhang Wei signaling to him, Li Zhan stepped forward, placed down his luggage, stood at attention, and saluted, "Report, Commander! Li Zhan, a graduate of the Class of 2008 from the Fourth Flight Academy, has come to report for duty!"

The entire courtyard, except for a long two-story building in the center, consists entirely of single-story houses. The floors and the rooftop are painted with camouflage, instantly creating a combat atmosphere

Zhang Wei was startled, "Xiao Li, why are you being so jumpy?"

"The commander is on duty in combat, and the political commissar is watching over the house, so you need to report to the political commissar," Zhang Wei explained, pointing to the luggage bag that Li Zhan was carrying.

"Oh, Comrade Li Zhan, hello." The political commissar was very amiable, tidying up the documents on his desk and methodically packing them into his briefcase as he spoke, "You are the one specifically requested by the commander from the north, a top talent. Our Second Division is an elite unit. This place is a grand stage. I heard you are from the local area, which is even better. You can go home and visit on weekends." This place is a grand stage. I heard you are from the local area, which is even better. You can go home and visit on weekends.

Li Zhan admired, "The Second Master truly lives up to his reputation, indeed worthy of the illustrious title of 'Southern Overlord'"

Unfortunately, he has never visited Xixian Airport. This place has been a strictly managed military zone for decades, and ordinary people are not allowed to approach.

His tone of voice is very gentle, making one feel as if they are basking in the spring breeze, and one would not feel that his talking to you while being busy with other matters is a sign of disrespect

However, when Li Zhan thought of flying again with Xiao Qi, he felt no excitement at all

The atmosphere of impending battle is extremely intense

This is first-level combat readiness said Li Zhan

However, jumping directly from the position of a regiment commander to that of a division commander is somewhat unusual