Chapter 8: Ministry of National Defense
Lieutenant, I have a piece of advice for you. You may express these words to your regimental commander or the air force chief of staff, but not to the minister. The minister is currently planning a counterattack, and he does not appreciate this kind of negative perspective. It is essential to emphasize our absolute technological superiority
Mr. Singer will meet with you shortly. I do not think he will inquire about this matter, but if the Prime Minister asks about it this afternoon, you may inform him that you clearly saw the second enemy aircraft crash in the northwestern mountainous region of Kashmir
Time is running short, young men, prepare yourselves. This afternoon we must make a trip to the Parliament, the Prime Minister needs you. I hope your heroic achievements can somewhat enlighten the thick-headed leftists in the House of Commons
There is another matter; His Excellency the Minister is very interested in the second aircraft that was "shot down," as he has heard that it is a new type of "Lightning" fighter jet, and Pakistan is about to deploy a large number of Lightning fighter jets
Hmph, this is simply nonsense. They think that having a permanent member of the United Nations to back them up is enough, but we have four others. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs should make full use of our diplomatic resources; I really don't understand what the Ministry is afraid of
The lightweight fighter, which is lacking in merit, is utterly incapable of withstanding any attack in both visual range and beyond visual range aerial combat. Goya replied calmly, and for some reason, at that moment, the scene of the light blue aircraft turning above him appeared vividly in his mind, so clear that he could see the two missiles on the wingtips, seemingly clearer than he had during actual combat.
Rest assured, the Prime Minister will not accept such a humiliating outcome. The Prime Minister has stated that our country is the victim of terrorism, and it is not for the Americans to take sides. What we are doing is no different from what they are doing in Afghanistan.
They are all intelligent individuals, Your Excellency, Lu Jiadana replied
Jafar quietly turned his face towards Goya, hoping he would answer the question
I believe both of you are intelligent individuals and should have already grasped the main point of what I said. Now, please prepare yourselves, as the minister will be arriving shortly
After they disembarked from the plane, a special vehicle dispatched by the Ministry of Defense took them directly to the reception room on the first floor of the Ministry of Defense. After waiting for approximately 5 minutes, a tall man wearing a Sikh turban approached them
"It is indeed a tricky matter; if the pilots fall into their hands, there will certainly be some trouble. We must remain cautious in every aspect before officially declaring war," Singh said.
Lieutenant, there is something you are not yet aware of. Just last night, the 7th Regiment lost 2 Jaguars, and Congress is still unaware of this... but they will find out eventually
When Captain Goya got up, a small DO228 liaison aircraft from the Air Headquarters Communication Squadron (AHQCS) had already landed at Bareilly Airport. He and his partner, Jafar, were all set and boarded the aircraft heading to New Delhi. This day marked 11 days since the terrorist attack in Mumbai, and the Indian government needed to present some achievements to appease the enraged public.
Regarding this matter, I believe I must report some new developments," the supervisor said. Singh nodded to indicate for him to continue.
Your Excellency, the special defense budget proposal this afternoon is certain to pass said Lu Jiadana with a discerning look
Your Excellency, it is now April, and having fallen there for a night, it is very likely that he has frozen to death
Is it possible that the pilot is still alive
Indeed, I am well acquainted with General Pasarde. He is always weaker than the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; however, at critical moments, I can find someone to replace him as Chief of Staff of the Army
"It is as follows, Chandra's secretary called to inquire about the location of the two American aircraft that crashed. I informed them that the investigation is still ongoing and that one pilot is missing," Lujadna replied truthfully.
Very well, just like that, tell me, what about the newly emerged enemy aircraft? The Pakistani side has boasted about this new type of plane for a long time, what do you think?
"Was it done by the F16 of the 5th squadron?" Jafar inquired
The Bareilly base is located close to New Delhi, with only an hour's flight distance. As the plane descends in preparation for landing at the military airport near the Ministry of Defense in Delhi's Cantonment area, the lieutenant can see the nearby Air Force Museum, where an old Spitfire fighter and a Vampire fighter are parked on the tarmac adjacent to Delhi Airport, along with several recently retired MiG-23s. He recalls his first visit here during high school, when he was inspired by the deeds of air combat heroes and resolved to join the Air Force. Later, he learned that the air combat records documented in the museum were somewhat exaggerated. Overall, in the various Indo-Pakistani conflicts, the number of fighter jets lost by the Indian side was significantly higher.
Only by first dealing with the lesser enemies can we then concentrate our strength to confront the stronger one. War depends on determination; if the enemy resolves to act before we do, we will be overwhelmed by them from two directions. " Singe turned around and said, his face pale yet filled with confidence
Lujadna's words made Jafar's heart race; he knew that Goya would certainly not choose to leave Bareilly, but this was a golden opportunity for him. In the tradition of the Air Force, the promotion opportunities for rear-seat weapon operators are often inferior to those of pilots
"Sir, I believe this is a very, very formidable opponent, particularly troublesome in low to mid-altitude pursuits. I think it is necessary to alert the Air Force pilots to this new adversary," Goya said, a response that once again left the supervisor somewhat dissatisfied
However, Your Excellency, the Army General Staff may pose another problem, as all the plans they formulate are always trivial. They fear that a full-scale war against Pakistan would weaken our defenses in the direction of China
If the members of the House of Commons hear that we are trailing 1 to 2 in this debate, they will doubt whether the investments made over the years are worthwhile. You should understand that all fools approach problems with simple arithmetic. However, the funding for the military depends on the evaluations of these laypersons
Lujadna Khan walked out of the reception room and arrived at a regular office on the second floor. The Minister of Defense, Rashman Singh, was facing away from the door, gazing at the distant Capitol building
"Just like a fireball in the sky, Minister."
Hmph, this is just the first step. You are my most trusted subordinate, and you should know that I have been dedicated to one thing over the years, which is to resolve the Pakistan issue once and for all; ordinary politicians only know how to pursue their own interests and will never understand the concerns of Prime Minister Khan and me. India must quickly end this unfavorable geopolitical situation.
When the Minister of Defense entered the reception room, two pilots dressed in crisp uniforms immediately stood up straight from the sofa. They had almost held their breath for 15 minutes, and now the moment had arrived
The matter is quite simple; Congress lacks the patience to understand the complexities of aerial combat. If you and Lieutenant Goya are unwilling to take on such responsibilities, I believe it will not bode well for your futures. The office director made his intentions very clear to Goya and Jafar; he needs an ace pilot who has shot down 2 enemy aircraft to demonstrate to the public that the substantial defense budget yields returns.
We understand. "Goya and Jafar replied softly together. The master nodded in satisfaction.
Your Excellency, I understand your meaning; India cannot allow the events of 1962 to happen again
By the way, speaking of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Your Excellency the Minister, they informed me that the United Nations may send a special envoy within 2 days to mediate the border conflict between us and Pakistan. The candidate is likely to be a former president from the Democratic Party of the United States, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs seems quite eager to resolve the conflict.
After the supervisor finished speaking, there was a pause, and neither of the two pilots was able to accurately grasp his meaning
"Completely understood." Goya and Jafar replied simultaneously, as they suddenly had an epiphany, grasping all the key points that the supervisor had intended to convey in the prior discussion.
The report from the 7th Squadron in the morning indicated that one of the Jaguars had indeed undergone modifications for carrying nuclear weapons. If the self-destruct mechanism fails, the latest attack route data can be found within the cockpit's computer system, some of which are pre-set routes for dropping nuclear bombs; this would serve their propaganda purposes. Additionally, there is information regarding frontline airports and friend-or-foe identification systems, which, if it falls into their hands, would also pose significant problems for the frontline air force
The person introduced himself as Lu Jiadna, the head of the office of Defense Minister Singh, appearing serious and unsmiling. He then took the initiative to discuss yesterday's battle, primarily focusing on the second achievement. Lieutenant Goya informed him that he could not confirm it, only that the squadron had received intelligence indicating that the aircraft did not return to the airport from which it had taken off; this response caused the supervisor to frown.
We will shoot down all invading enemy aircraft, "Jafar said proudly.
"Please let me finish, Lieutenant. Which enemy squadron was responsible for this is of no importance; what matters is that both the political sphere and the public are eagerly anticipating the emergence of some heroes, as this will enable them to continue trusting and relying on the Ministry of Defense to resolve this conflict."
Well, we should not let our guard down. Please call the Northern Military District and have them send a small team to investigate, at least to destroy the aircraft wreckage. Alright, it is now time to meet those two young men.
Furthermore, Your Excellency the Minister, the Pakistani side stated this morning that some aircraft conducting nuclear attack drills crossed their border, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is very concerned that they may mislead international public opinion
It is not surprising, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is always like this
"Did they all understand what I meant?" Singh asked
Well, what a great metaphor. It reminds me of 1971, when I was a tank gunner in the 19th Armored Division. I hit the turret of an M48 and watched it burn; it was such a spectacular scene
"Young men, that's great! Tell me, how does it feel to defeat the enemy?" Rashman Singh asked with a smile, while the expressionless supervisor stood behind him. Goya thought to himself that this was a moment that could not afford any mistakes
However, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs believes that Mumbai, where the terrorist attack occurred, is 1,700 kilometers away from the conflict area in Kashmir, and the Ministry considers persuading the international community to be a challenging task
Oh, by the way, Minister Singer asked me to convey to both of you that each of you will receive a Warrior Wheel Medal for this victory; as for the rank of Captain, it will certainly be promoted in a few days. Then, you can choose to continue serving in Squadron 24 as elite pilots, or go to TACDE (Air Combat School) as instructors, or... " Lujard Nah paused, deliberately creating suspense. Then, you can choose to continue serving in Squadron 24 as elite pilots, or go to TACDE (Air Combat School) as instructors, or... " Lujard Nah paused, deliberately creating suspense. Jafar and Goya did not dare to guess further and waited for him to continue.
Ladies and gentlemen, the newly reformed 43rd Squadron is in need of a deputy squadron leader. This new squadron will be equipped with our country's latest "Tejas" (LCA) fighter jet, which is truly a formidable aircraft, certainly not a cheap "Thunder" fighter jet. I believe that if there is an air combat hero willing to take on this role, they will soon be promoted to Major.