.On the morning of the 29th, only one happened)

Because the ig-31 performs reconnaissance missions, and the f-15j is too different from the maximum ceiling and maximum speed, neither side loses the fighter.

It is not so much an air combat as an air defense interception operation.

As early as the 1990s, after the collapse of the former Soviet Union, with the improvement of Sino-Russia relations, Russia vigorously promoted the IG-31 to ***, but at that time, the Air Force did not appear to be a heavy interceptor that was completely used to deal with strategic bombers, but chose the 27 with more balanced performance.

Judging from the situation at that time, the ** Air Force's choice was not wrong.

Although the ig-31 has excellent high-altitude and high-speed performance and is the world's best-performing air defense interceptor, after the national security situation is improved, what the **Air Force needs most is not bulky interceptors, but air-control fighter jets that can compete with the large number of third-generation fighters in neighboring countries. It is also a fighter jet with a large range and room for improvement and can perform multiple combat missions.

Obviously, 27 is the ideal choice.

However, ig-31 cannot be used to say that it is useless.

During the Second Korean War, several ig-31s purchased urgently proved their value with their actions. Not only did they shoot down a coalition early warning aircraft, but they also forced the coalition to retreat hundreds of kilometers to the deployment area of ​​the early warning aircraft in the subsequent battle, opening up the situation for the volunteers.

After the war, the ** Air Force obtained these ig-31s by purchasing back.

At that time, the Air Force hoped to develop a high-altitude high-speed interceptor by mastering the technology of the IG-31, which is specially used to deal with the enemy's strategic aircraft.

This idea is very good, but it is difficult to implement.

The reason is very simple. Even if the Air Force realizes the importance of high-altitude high-speed interceptors in modern air combat, it is impossible to be equipped with a large amount of equipment. More importantly, this heavy fighter with a single performance is difficult to gain access to the international market, so the Air Force has to bear all the research and development funds. For dozens, up to hundreds of fighter jets have invested huge research and development funds, and a lot of work has to be started from scratch, which is obviously not very cost-effective.

Immediately afterwards, China-Russia military cooperation was fully launched.

Taking advantage of this opportunity, the ** Air Force not only purchased twelve ig-31s from Russia, but also jointly improved the ig-31s with Russia in a cooperative manner.

Called improvement, it is actually taking this opportunity to acquire key technologies.

It can be said that even if the ** Air Force temporarily gave up the idea of ​​developing high-altitude high-speed interceptors, it may not be launched in a similar project at some point in the future.

Of course, with the advancement of technology, the future high-altitude high-speed interceptor may be an aerospace plane.

However, ** has almost no technical accumulation in related fields and requires key Russian technologies, so there is reason to invest in joint development.

At that time, all twelve ig-31s were equipped with the Air Force's tactical experimental troops and used to explore high-altitude interception tactics.

As for the four ig-31s obtained from North Korea, they were handed over to Shen Fei and Cheng Fei before that, and were dismantled into parts by aviation engineers.

Now, these fighters come in handy.

The ig-31 is not only a high-altitude high-speed interceptor with excellent performance, but also an ideal tactical reconnaissance aircraft with its outstanding flight altitude and speed, especially its supersonic cruise capability.

Other reconnaissance forces can only play an auxiliary role. For example, the strategic electronic reconnaissance aircraft that accompany the activities of the East China Sea Fleet can only collect enemy communication information. If the enemy aircraft group remains radio silent and is guided by early warning aircraft throughout the process, it will be difficult to detect.

Tactical reconnaissance aircraft are so important that the **Air Self-Defense Force will naturally not ignore it.

In the **Air Self-Defense Force, there are also tactical reconnaissance aircraft, but they are far from comparable to the ig-31.

On the evening of the 29th, the RF-4g of the **Air Self-Defense Force conducted the first tactical reconnaissance of the East China Sea Fleet to determine the sea area and general course of the fleet.

However, this reconnaissance aircraft is not so lucky.

Before flying over the East China Sea Fleet, the ** reconnaissance plane was intercepted by J. Although the reconnaissance plane sent back the reconnaissance information in time before being shot down, confirming that the East China Sea Fleet was still in the northwest waters of the Diaoyu Islands, neither of the two pilots on the reconnaissance plane were able to parachute and escape in time.

This air defense interception operation has no tactical characteristics.

Compared with ig-31, rf-4g is not only slower in speed, but also has a low maximum flight altitude and does not exceed j's interception range.

For ** pilots, performing reconnaissance missions is equivalent to seeking death.

During the war, almost all the wills left by the reconnaissance pilots of the **Air Self-Defense Forces before boarding and leaving played a "positive" role.

It can be said that this is a shortcoming of the Air Self-Defense Force.

Although relying on other means and special assistance, ** can obtain enough strategic intelligence and even master the mobilization and deployment of ** Air Force, the tactical value of strategic intelligence is very limited, especially when supporting tactical operations, it cannot replace tactical intelligence.

For example, if you want to grasp the whereabouts of the East China Sea Fleet, strategic intelligence is far from enough.

**The Air Self-Defense Force is not unaware of this problem, but has not put in effort to solve it.

The rf-4g was improved on the basis of f-4g. It is a second-generation fighter and its performance is far less than that of the third-generation fighter, let alone comparable to the fourth-generation fighter. This type of aircraft has been in the ** Air Self-Defense Force for 40 years and has long been behind. Although the ** Air Self-Defense Force has decided to replace the rf-4g with the F-15j modified reconnaissance aircraft, before the F-22a took the lead, the f-15j was still the main fighter of the Air Self-Defense Force, so the rf-4g must be served until the F-22j is largely equipped.

In fact, even the reconnaissance aircraft modified by the f-15j is not very advanced.

The real solution is to convert the f-22a into a tactical reconnaissance aircraft. However, the number of f-22a is very small and cannot even satisfy air combat. How can there be any excess to convert it into a reconnaissance aircraft?

However, the ** pilot's suicide tactical reconnaissance operation has indeed achieved results, providing crucial early intelligence for fighters performing attack missions.

Tactically speaking, an attack can only be launched if the activity area of ​​the East China Sea Fleet is determined.

After nightfall, rf-4g attacked again and conducted a second tactical reconnaissance on the East China Sea Fleet.

This time, the fate of the ** reconnaissance aircraft was even more tragic. Not only were it shot down by the air defense fighter that arrived in time, it was not even possible to discover the East China Sea Fleet!

At around nine o'clock at night, the reconnaissance aircraft of the **Air Self-Defense Force conducted the third time, and it was also the last tactical reconnaissance before launching the attack.

The result is the same. After rf-4g entered the sky above the East China Sea, it was discovered by kj-2000 and was immediately intercepted by j-20 from the front.

At this time, three hours had passed since the first reconnaissance operation of rf-4g.

**The Air Self-Defense Force can only confirm that the East China Sea Fleet is still operating in the northwest waters of the Diaoyu Islands, but it is impossible to confirm whether the East China Sea Fleet has changed its course.

At this time, Taro Arakawa hesitated.

In any case, three hours are enough for the fleet to sail more than 80 nautical miles away from the attack range of the tactical aircraft group. Without sufficiently accurate tactical intelligence, no matter how many fighter aircraft are dispatched, it is useless.

The question is, can it solve the problem if you drag on it?

It was at this moment that something happened that prompted Taro Arakawa to make the decision to launch an attack.
Chapter completed!