The arrival of the reconnaissance plane immediately aroused the vigilance of the Japanese Air Self-Defense Force, and the joint fleet also sounded the air defense alarm.

Because the additional f15j has just taken off, it can only be intercepted by f22a. Although the engine was replaced in the fifth batch of f22a and the maximum flight speed has been improved, the maximum lift limit is limited by the aerodynamic appearance and does not exceed 20,000 meters, which is a big difference from 27,500 meters.

In order to prevent the reconnaissance aircraft from approaching the joint fleet, the two F22a each launched two aim120d towards the mig31 flying straight towards the fleet at an altitude of nearly 20,000 meters.

Although this missile is said to have a maximum attack range of up to minus 10,000 meters, it is limited to medium and high altitude. After using the ramjet engine, the power range of the aim120d increased, but the shooting height did not increase. When it reached an altitude of 25,000 meters, the speed of the four missiles had dropped below Mach 2,700 meters, and the mig31 began to sprint at the cruise speed of Mach 2,75, and finally reached the maximum flight speed of Mach 3.

aim120d failed to catch up with mig31, and even failed to reach an altitude of 27,500 meters.

After the interception of air defense fighter jets failed, the joint fleet began to conduct air defense interception.

At this time, mig31 was less than fifty kilometers away from the joint fleet.

The two air defense destroyers affiliated to the second escort group each launched a "Standard 2", and the flagship of the fourth escort group also launched two "Standard 3".

"Standard 2" obviously cannot reach the mig31, because the maximum firing height of this air defense missile is only 24,000 meters.

As an anti-missile missile in the US sea-based anti-missile system, the maximum firing height of "Standard 3" exceeds "Standard 2" and can even intercept targets in near-Earth orbit. However, the mig31 does not need to reach the sky above the joint fleet, and can obtain tactical intelligence about 40 kilometers away from the joint fleet.

As a result, the mig31 turned back as soon as the two "Standard 3s" were launched.

The interception failed, but the joint fleet was exposed.

However, what puzzled the commander of the joint fleet was that the mig31 did not send out intelligence when it returned, and the electronic reconnaissance equipment on the warship did not intercept the radio signals sent by the reconnaissance aircraft, and even the ec135 that followed the e3g activity did not intercept the radio signals sent by the reconnaissance aircraft.

The only reasonable explanation is that the sunspot explosion also caused serious interference to the squadron's communication system.

Perhaps tactical communication is not a problem, but as long as the distance is more than 150 kilometers, the signals sent by the short-wave radio will be severely weakened.

There is another point that it is undeniable that the Chinese Air Force will not be able to send reconnaissance planes to search the joint fleet for no reason.

At less than eight o'clock, the Air Self-Defense Force sent a second F15j squadron to the joint fleet, increasing the number of air defense fighters to thirty-six.

In another fifteen minutes, the eleven f22a that participated in the air battle in the early morning will take off.

Before 8:30, the number of fighter jets providing air defense cover for the joint fleet will increase to forty-seven.

This is the entire capital of the Air Self-Defense Force.

If everything goes well, the United Fleet will return to Naha before 9:30. Just around 9:00, the twelve F22a that took off will either return or refuel over the Philippine Sea east of Okinawa, and the air defense fighter jets will be reduced by a quarter.

Of course, by around nine o'clock, the joint fleet was already very close to Okinawa.

If the Chinese Air Force launches an attack at this time, in addition to facing air defense fighter jets and fleet air defense firepower, it also has to face long-range air defense missiles deployed in Okinawa.

If the Chinese Air Force wants to destroy the joint fleet, it has to start before nine o'clock.

The Air Self-Defense Force's judgment was correct. The second F15j squadron had just taken off and an early warning aircraft that had arrived west of the Joint Fleet discovered the approaching fleet.

It's not bombers, but numerous fighter jets.

These fighters must have obtained the tactical intelligence provided by the reconnaissance aircraft and flew straight towards the joint fleet. Although there is enough reason to believe that these fighters are here to compete for air supremacy, no one can deny that the Chinese Air Force is likely to have dispatched bombers and are right behind the fighter fleet.

At this time, it was two hours since the third guard group was hit.

If the bomber attacking the third guard group does not return to the departure base, but flew to the air force base in southern Zhejiang, it can arrive before 7:30 and take off again before 8:30, and arrive at 400 kilometers west of the joint fleet between 8:30 and 9:00, and launch another attack.

Of course, this is an ideal situation.

Even if an accident occurs, Chinese Air Force bombers can arrive before 9:30.

Only by letting fighter jets take off in advance to seize air supremacy can the bomber group be cleared out. Obviously, the Chinese Air Force does not lack fighter jets used to seize air supremacy.

The Air Self-Defense Force did not dare to neglect it and immediately organized air defense interception.

F22a and F15j, which have been patrolling over the joint fleet, turned to fight, and the f15j squadron that took off accelerated, and the f22a squadron that was on standby on the ground also accelerated the preparations before takeoff.

This air battle cannot be achieved overnight and will definitely last for a while. There is no need to send all fighter planes immediately.

At 8:15, e3g obtained more precise tactical information, and the three squadrons' j11 and three squadrons' j10 were flying in.

Because the various models of the j11 and j10 series are not much different in appearance, and the radar reflects signals almost the same, the early warning aircraft cannot determine whether it is a fighter of the Chinese Air Force or a fighter of HNA, and it is even more impossible to confirm whether these fighters carry air-to-air ammunition or anti-ship missiles.

But no matter what, these fighters must be prevented from approaching the Joint Fleet.

The reason is very simple. Chinese fighter jets must have carried electromagnetic weapons, while the joint fleet does not have electromagnetic confrontation capabilities. After being attacked, they will inevitably be paralyzed on the sea.

The East China Sea is not the Sea of ​​Japan, and the Japanese Air Self-Defense Forces are not as powerful as the US Air Force.

As long as the joint fleet is paralyzed, it will be not far from destruction.

To this end, these fighters must be blocked one hundred kilometers away.

The f22a aircraft group and the f15j aircraft group have no choice but to take the initiative to fight without the number of advantages and gain some time for the joint fleet.

At that time, the situation was not entirely unfavorable.

e3g did not find the previous Chinese early warning aircraft, and ec135 did not detect the signal sent by kj2000.

Although this is difficult to understand. Without early warning aircraft support, no matter how many fighter jets are sent, it is difficult to seize air supremacy. The Chinese Air Force cannot not understand this, but Chinese fighter jets are indeed flying in, posing a threat to the joint fleet and it is impossible to give up interception.

All the Air Self-Defense Forces can do is to let f22a be ahead and f15j be back.

The reason is very simple, f15j does not have electromagnetic resistance.

According to the Air Self-Defense Force commander, the Chinese Air Force must have believed that after the early morning battle, there was not much left of F22a that could still be launched, so the fighter jets carrying electromagnetic ammunition came to seize air supremacy. Because the impact of the sunspot explosion was very great, the Chinese Air Force did not dispatch early warning aircraft.

Regardless of whether this explanation makes sense or not, it was indeed the case at that time.

In this way, when choosing tactics, the Air Self-Defense Force fighter jets must make full use of the Aim120d's long-range interception capability.

If Chinese fighter jets are approaching, they will not be able to use 72 fighter jets.

At 8:25, twelve F22a launched missiles at a group of Chinese fighter jets a hundred and sixty kilometers away, and all aim120d.

If you don't shoot it out and leave it for combat air combat, these missiles will not come in handy either.

One hundred and sixty kilometers is the ultimate range of the Aim120d when attacking head-on, that is, these missiles can only work if the target does not change its flight route. As long as the target turns or evades it before being hit by a missile, all these missiles are in vain.

aim120d is very expensive, but f22a and warships are even more expensive.

What happened next made the Air Self-Defense Force commander completely unaware of what to do.

One and a half minutes after the F22a launched the missile, the J11 and J10 aircraft groups seemed to have discovered the oncoming missiles. Six squadrons turned at the same time and flew westward. Although the Aim120d was not more than thirty kilometers away from the target at that time, even if Chinese fighters turned, they could lock the target in fifteen seconds, but before exhausting kinetic energy, these missiles would definitely not catch up with the returning fighter.

All seventy-two aim120d were washed away.

Of course, this is not necessarily a bad thing, because Chinese fighters have returned to the air, and even if they turn to fight again, it will take several minutes. F15j can use the Aim120c to conduct a second interception at 120 kilometers, forcing Chinese fighters to avoid it again. By the time the Chinese fighters launch the third assault, the second F15j squadron has arrived, and then the second F22a squadron will also arrive. Repeatedly tossing several times, Chinese fighters will run out of fuel and cannot attack the joint fleet, and will not be able to provide cover for the bomber.

Whether Chinese fighter jets can be shot down does not matter, what is important is to allow the joint fleet to return safely.

But, things are not that simple.

After exhausting all the medium-range air-to-air missiles, the F22a aircraft group turned back. Obviously, air refueling alone was not enough, and it was necessary to return to Kadena Air Force Base to replenish ammunition.

Shortly after e3g issued a return order to the F22a fleet, something that Japanese officers and soldiers least wanted to see happened.

At less than 8:30, an electromagnetic rocket detonated about fifteen kilometers west of the Combined Fleet.

Because the mig31 was intercepted and the Chinese fighter planes were nearby, the four air defense destroyers in the joint fleet did not turn off the phased array radar.

The result is disastrous.

At that time, there were seven Japanese warships within twenty kilometers of the electromagnetic rocket explosion point, and only one of the four air defense warships was more than thirty-five kilometers away from the explosion point.

Seven warships were immediately paralyzed, and the phased array radar on one air defense destroyer was burned by powerful pulsed electromagnetic waves.

Immediately afterwards, dozens of electromagnetic rockets were detonated near the Combined Fleet.

Not only the joint fleet, but also the f15j fleet that is catching up to replace f22a.

Twelve fighter jets immediately lost control, and the pilot was unable to even activate the ejection escape system.

On the sea, all twenty-two large warships were paralyzed. Not only were the electronic equipment completely damaged, but the electronic system that controlled the navigation of the warships was also damaged.

Things came very suddenly, and the United Fleet could not even send a distress signal.

Fortunately, e3g and ec135 were not affected. After the electromagnetic attack ended, the early warning machine immediately sent the message.
Chapter completed!