.At that time, Kojiro Kimura almost stopped the upcoming naval battle.

After the third guard group crossed the Osumi Strait, they rushed to the Diaoyu Islands at the fastest speed of 30 knots as planned. Because the warships did not have submarine exploration capabilities when sailing at high speed, and the carrier-based anti-submarine helicopters could only deal with three main directions at the same time and could not provide full-range anti-submarine cover for the fleet, so at this time, Kojiro Kimura sent anti-submarine patrol aircraft deployed on the shore to patrol both sides of the fleet.

According to the maximum range of the heavy torpedo of the Chinese Navy, the warning range of the anti-submarine patrol aircraft is only fifty kilometers.

In order to prevent submarines from launching attacks with anti-ship missiles, the Japanese Air Self-Defense Force also dispatched two e-2d aircraft, one in the south of Kyushu Island and the other over the Tugala Islands. Their detection area is enough to cover the waters around the fleet and to detect approaching anti-ship missiles in time.

That's why the third guard group turned off all radar and communication equipment while sailing.

If the air defense warning radar is activated, it will definitely be discovered by the strategic electronic reconnaissance aircraft of the Chinese Air Force.

Even so, the threat posed by submarines cannot be eliminated.

Not to mention, the huge noise generated during the fleet sailing at high speed can be detected more than 100 kilometers away. Kojiro Kimura could only count on the absence of Chinese submarines near the route of the third guard group.

Of course, he also made arrangements for this, such as dispatching anti-submarine patrol aircraft.

More importantly, a few hours before the third guard group crossed the Osumi Strait, the combined fleet composed of the second guard group and the fourth guard group returned to the vicinity of Okinawa and entered the East China Sea before the third guard group. According to Kimura Kojiro's idea, the Chinese Navy will definitely target the joint fleet. When the East China Sea fleet has not yet arrived near the Diaoyu Islands, it will send submarines to deal with the joint fleet.

If this is true, most of the Chinese Navy's submarines will be concentrated on the east side of the battlefield.

As the focus shifts, submarines deployed in other directions will inevitably shrink appropriately, and it is impossible to continue to be deployed in places far away from the battlefield by moving forward.

In this way, the third guard group is likely to avoid Chinese submarines.

It must be admitted that Kojiro Kimura's idea is very good.

However, the commander, who was promoted from the position of the captain of the air defense destroyer, ignored the problem that the combat deployment of submarines is very scheduled, and it is very difficult to adjust the deployment during the operational mission. The mere communication problem makes the submarine lack combat flexibility.

To put it simply, no commander can command a submarine like a fleet.

If there were more than ten hours, perhaps Chinese submarines would adjust their combat deployment and shift their focus to Okinawa. For a few hours, it would be too late to adjust their combat deployment.

Unfortunately, Kojiro Kimura doesn't have so much time.

In more than ten hours, the landing fleet will arrive at the Diaoyu Islands.

At this moment, something that Kimura Kojiro wanted the least to happen happened.

At less than nine o'clock, the e-2d patrolling over the southern part of Kyushu Island accidentally intercepted a very weak communication signal, and then the e-2d over the Tukara Islands also intercepted this communication signal. Because the e-2d is an early warning aircraft, not a professional electronic reconnaissance aircraft, and only two of the ec-135s just obtained by the Air Self-Defense Force have combat capabilities. One of them is active over Okinawa Island and the other is maintained in the base, so it can only be roughly determined that this communication signal comes from the west of Osumi Strait, and its specific nature cannot be determined.

Half an hour later, the anti-submarine patrol aircraft arrived at the sea area where the signal source was measured by the two early warning aircraft.

Obviously, the anti-submarine patrol aircraft arrived too late.

Even if the communication signal is sent by a submarine, the submarine will sail several nautical miles within half an hour. If the submarine uses a communication buoy, the buoy will sink by itself after sending the telegram. The submarine can set the sending time and leave the search area of ​​the anti-submarine patrol aircraft before the communication buoy starts working. It is obviously unlikely to find a communication buoy that is only the size of a thermos and sinks to the bottom of the sea.

The problem is that this communication signal does exist.

After receiving the news, Kojiro Kimura hesitated.

If that was a communication signal from a Chinese submarine, it would be very likely that the Chinese submarine had discovered a third guard group.

The problem is that the sea area where the communication signal appears is more than one hundred kilometers away from the third guard group, and the anti-submarine patrol aircraft did not find Chinese submarines nearby.

Can Chinese submarines detect a third guard group more than 100 kilometers away?

Even if the noise from the third guard group was intercepted, it would be difficult for the submarine to determine the size and accurate distance of the target at such a long distance.

The reason is very simple. The noise emitted by the warship must be reflected several times between the seabed and the sea surface before it can reach a distance of 100 kilometers.

As long as it is far enough, the submarine will not only not be able to measure the distance of the signal source, but it is even difficult to accurately determine the direction of the signal source, because sound waves are not transmitted in a straight line. Various factors in the sea may change the transmission direction of the sound waves, making it difficult to determine which direction the sound source was transmitted.

These factors make it difficult for Kojiro Kimura to make a decision.

More than an hour later, Kojiro Kimura received a more accurate message. By analyzing the communication signals intercepted by the e-2d, it was confirmed that it was a communication signal sent by a Chinese submarine and was launched using a communication float, so the submarine is likely to have left the sea area before this.

More importantly, the staff officer sent an analysis report that must not be ignored.

The distance between the sea area where the communication signal appears and the third guard group route is about 30 kilometers, and the third guard group passes from the nearest place more than two hours before the communication signal appears.

At this distance, Chinese submarines will definitely be able to discover the third guard group and determine the nature of the target.

Now, the problem is complicated.

Although Kojiro Kimura was not a submarine soldier, he knew very well that Chinese submarines must have discovered anti-submarine patrol aircraft when they discovered the third guard group, so they did not intercept the third guard group, nor did they send out telegrams immediately. Instead, they waited until the anti-submarine patrol aircraft flew far away before throwing out the communication float.

According to Kimura Kojiro's idea, he must withdraw the third guard group.

But, he didn't do that.

When he received the news, it was about 11:30 at night. The third guard group had sailed for nearly eight hours after entering the East China Sea, and advanced about 450 kilometers towards the Diaoyu Islands. In another ten hours, you can reach the north of the Diaoyu Islands.

It will take eight hours to withdraw the third guard group to leave the East China Sea.

Of course, if you sail eastward and leave the Amami Islands, you will be able to leave the East China Sea in about four hours.

The problem is that for the Chinese Air Force, four hours are enough to organize large-scale air strikes.

In other words, as long as the Chinese Air Force is willing, it will launch a strike before the third guard group leaves. There will be no difference in which direction the third guard group sails.

Since that's the case, it's better to let the third guard group continue to move forward.

Kojiro Kimura did not give a return order to the third guard group, but found Imai Tsubasa and asked him to dispatch air defense fighters in advance to cover the third guard group.

Of course, support aircraft such as early warning aircraft and strategic electronic reconnaissance aircraft need to be dispatched.

However, if you do so, it will inevitably have an impact on the subsequent battle.

Judging from the situation at that time, even if twelve F-22a were dispatched to cover the third guard group according to the minimum standards, and to use one e-3g and one ec-135 at the same time, the fighter aircraft must be rotated at least three times within the next twelve hours, and the early warning aircraft and strategic electronic reconnaissance aircraft must be rotated once.

In this way, at least twenty-four aircraft of F-22a that can still be launched into the air will be reduced by at least twenty-four aircraft, and one aircraft of E-3g and an ec-135 aircraft must be left on the ground for maintenance.

It is not a big problem to lose one early warning aircraft. After all, four e-3gs have formed combat power, and the remaining three are enough to ensure that each patrols in both directions for eight hours. The problem with fighter jets is not very big, and the remaining sixty f-22a still have enough ability to cover the third guard group.

However, only two ec-135 aircraft have formed combat power. If one aircraft is parked on the ground, it can only move in one direction.

In this way, when the third guard group assaulted the Diaoyu Islands, the joint fleet did not receive support from strategic electronic reconnaissance aircraft, and could not enter the East China Sea from the east to attract the main fleet of the Chinese Navy to complete the feint attack mission. Because more than 20 fighter jets were missing, the joint fleet's air defense was not guaranteed during the feint attack operation and was easily attacked by the Chinese Air Force.

The result is that if you want to cover the third guard group at this time, the feint attack will be greatly reduced.

To put it simply, the Joint Fleet cannot penetrate into the East China Sea without air cover, and it is even more impossible to challenge the East China Sea Fleet.

If the feint attack cannot be fought, there is no secret of the Maritime Self-Defense Force's counterattack.

With the full interception of the Chinese Navy and Air Force, the third guard group's assault operation will definitely fail.

In response to this issue, Imai Tatsumura suggested that he still act according to the original plan. If the Chinese Air Force assaults the third guard group, the worst result will be the failure of the assault operation.

However, Kojiro Kimura still insisted on dispatching air defense fighter jets in advance.

In his opinion, the difference is not just whether the assault can be successful, but whether the third guard group can survive. If it is hit now, the third guard group will definitely be wiped out. After obtaining air cover, even if the assault fails, the third guard group will have a chance to withdraw.

For this reason, Kojiro Kimura promised to assume all responsibilities for this battle.

Since this is the case, Imai Tatsumura did not object anymore, agreed to Kimura Kojiro's request, and sent the first batch of air defense fighters around 1:00 a.m. on June 2nd.

Before this, Kojiro Kimura did something very important: to turn the third guard group.

Because the whereabouts have been exposed, if you sail in a straight line, you will easily be intercepted. Only by adjusting the course in time can you avoid being discovered by the Chinese Air Force's reconnaissance plane.

It must be admitted that Kojiro Kimura's judgment is not wrong.

Just before the third guard group turned, the Chinese Air Force sent four mig-31s to search for the third guard group, and Yang Yu's side also formulated an air strike plan for the third guard group.
Chapter completed!