.When considering this issue, Mu Haoyang remembered Teng Yaohui's advice.

Tactics cannot be too complicated, nor can they be changed every day. Without the support of definite intelligence, tactical deployment must not be adjusted at will based on speculation.

Mu Haoyang decided to wait, anyway, he had never thought about entering the Indian Ocean before the joint fleet.

This decision is crucial.

I have to say that being steady is definitely not a bad thing.

Under the circumstances at that time, if Mu Haoyang changed his combat plan and turned the fleet south, he would be discovered by Japanese reconnaissance satellites in a few hours. If Imai Tatsumura believed that the joint fleet could not enter the Indian Ocean before the Chinese fleet, or did not have enough time to perform a second supply at Port Blair, he would definitely adjust the combat arrangements, slow down the joint fleet, arrange the second supply in Visakhapatnam, or meet with the support fleet in the south of the Andaman Islands. The direct result was that the Indian Army would postpone the time for launching a ground attack, and the Chinese fleet would enter the Indian Ocean before that. At this point, Mu Haoyang would face a dilemma, one would wait until India takes the first move, and the other would fire the first shot. Obviously, both choices were not ideal, and the consequences were unpredictable.

Of course, Mu Haoyang also thought of this possibility.

According to the combat plan he formulated, the Chinese fleet will enter the Indian Ocean after India fired its first shot and look for the Indian-Japanese joint fleet to fight to the decisive battle.

Therefore, the Chinese fleet must enter the Indian Ocean after the Japanese fleet.

Since it is impossible to accurately judge the whereabouts of the joint fleet, waiting patiently becomes the best choice.

At this time, the technical advantages of Chinese naval warships emerged.

In the aircraft carrier battle group, both aircraft carriers and two cruisers are nuclear-powered, and there is no problem with endurance. Even if there are only two combat support ships, the total fuel capacity is as high as 32,000 tons, which is enough to provide two fuel supplies to the other twenty warships in the aircraft carrier battle group. Even if it delays some time, it will be impossible to let the fleet advance at full speed and perform the first supply before entering the Indian Ocean.

The performance advantages make tactical arrangements more flexible and also give Mu Haoyang more choices.

Obviously, Imai Rimura was not so lucky.

When the supply operation is arranged in full force, the joint fleet must act strictly in accordance with the plan and must not make excessive mistakes.

Without tactical flexibility, there will be no extra choice.

In the evening, Ma Mingtao sent a piece of information related to the commander of the joint fleet.

After careful reconnaissance by intelligence personnel from the second department, it was finally determined that the commander of the joint fleet was the Japanese naval commander, that is, General Tsubasa Imai who made his mark in the East China Sea War.

"How much do you know about him?"

"Imai Rimura?" Mu Haoyang smiled and said, "This guy must have first-class planning skills and pays great attention to planning."

"It seems that you know enough about him."

"Just my personal opinion."

Ma Mingtao smiled and said, "Why do you think your personal opinion is correct?"

Mu Haoyang lit a cigarette and said, "The last battle of the East China Sea War was commanded by him. The Japanese Air Self-Defense Force mobilized hundreds of fighter jets and organized them very carefully. But what I can't understand is that this guy is obviously an air force general, so why did he run to the navy?"

"Is it strange?"

Mu Haoyang nodded, he really couldn't understand.

"You used to be a Marine, but now you are a lieutenant general."

"Anyway, the Marines are a subordinate of the Navy. When I switched to the Navy, the Marines were still very small and I was young enough."

“Can age tell the problem?”

"As old, I always have a worse ability to accept new things."

Ma Mingtao smiled and shook his head, saying, "That depends on people. Some people are still taking the college entrance examination in their sixties. But this guy is indeed an alternative. I heard that after the East China Sea War, he vowed to avenge his revenge. In order to show his determination, he was also preparing to cut his fingers in front of Kida Taichiro and Toshio Nakajima."

"Cut your finger?"

"Cut off a finger yourself, usually the little finger on the left hand, a unique Japanese tradition."

"Did you cut it?"

"Of course not. Now is the era of civilization, and it hurts very much."

Mu Haoyang smiled and said, "So he turned to the Navy?"

"It's almost the same. The main reason is that the Japanese Navy needs a commander-level general. After the East China Sea War, only Imai Tsukumi had this qualification. From a longer-term perspective, if Japan wants to become a global power, the navy is crucial, and the air force is just a foil. Even if it fights with us, the navy is very important. The main task of the air force is strategic defense." Ma Mingtao paused for a moment and said, "According to the information we have, after Imai Tsukumi turned to the navy, he did not do well in the past few years, but has only improved in the past two or three years."

“It’s normal.”

"By the way, when he served for the first time, his first choice was the Maritime Self-Defense Force, but he failed the physical examination."

"The Air Force's requirements should be more severe than the Navy, right?"

"Of course, he was defeated by the Navy and suffered from skin disease. The next year, he signed up again for service, and his first choice was still the Maritime Self-Defense Force, but he was admitted to the Air Self-Defense Force."

"Good luck makes people."

"It must be admitted that this guy is a bit sensible."

Mu Haoyang nodded and said, "Fortunately, I fought with him. Although I was just a supporting role at that time, I knew him well."

"Do you need his detailed information?"

"Of course, you're not prepared?"

"Preparing to send it to you before you go to bed."

Mu Haoyang nodded and said nothing more.

Two hours later, the landing fleet and the transport fleet left the Taiwan Strait without being disturbed and sailed to the assembly waters as planned.

Because the speed of the landing fleet and transport fleet is only twelve knots, it will take until the 24th afternoon that the two combat support ships will leave Guangzhou. It is expected that the aircraft carrier battle group will turn south on the night of the 24th. At this time, the landing fleet and transport fleet will be about 150 nautical miles behind the aircraft carrier battle group. Even if the aircraft carrier battle group advances at full speed, when it arrives near the Anambas Islands, the landing fleet and transport fleet are within the air cover range of the aircraft carrier battle group, and there is no need to use shore-based aviation.

At around 10 o'clock in the evening, Ma Mingtao sent over the personal information of Imai Ri Village.

Instead of going to the combat command center, Mu Haoyang returned to the cabin and read the information about Imai Tatsu Village.

Only by knowing oneself and one’s enemy can one win every battle. To know one’s enemy, one must first understand the enemy’s commander.

In the early morning of the 24th, the Second Department sent new information.

The Japanese Navy's support fleet has arrived in the northeast of Mindanao and is about to enter the Sulawesi Sea, crossing the critical point of steering. That is to say, if the support fleet turns at this time and enters the South China Sea from the Bashi Channel, the voyage to the destination will exceed the original route.

However, the reconnaissance satellites of the Second Division still did not discover the joint fleet.

Before dawn, Ma Mingtao called Mu Haoyang out of bed.

According to the intelligence provided by the Ministry of Two, the Japanese reconnaissance satellites carried out orbit maneuvering on the 22nd, passing over the northern waters of the South China Sea every four hours on average. According to the orbit of the Japanese reconnaissance satellite, the Ministry of Two adjusted the constellation schedule, and the fleet can arrange routes accordingly to avoid being discovered by the Japanese reconnaissance satellites.

"How long can it last for a hidden voyage?"

"No more than twelve hours." Ma Mingtao had already prepared. "Without the help of the United States, Japanese reconnaissance satellites could only conduct sub-regional reconnaissance based on the results of the previous reconnaissance. Because they could not cover all sea areas, the results of the last reconnaissance were crucial. During the first reconnaissance, if we were not discovered, the Japanese intelligence agency would think that we had changed our course and let the reconnaissance satellite focus on reconnaissance several sea areas four hours later. If we were not discovered after the second pass, we would be adjusted again. Because we have mastered the orbit of the Japanese reconnaissance satellite, theoretically, we can stay outside the detection area of ​​the reconnaissance satellite. Only after the third pass, if we are not discovered, the Japanese intelligence agency can make a key judgment."

"What is the key judgment?"

"Our speed is over thirty knots."

Mu Haoyang frowned, a little confused.

"Only by reaching this speed, we can avoid Japanese reconnaissance satellites in three consecutive reconnaissances. As long as it is lower than this speed, we will be discovered." Ma Mingtao smiled and said, "We are sailing at a speed of 30 knots, and Imai Tatsumura must know what we want to do."

“Thus infer when we enter the Indian Ocean?”

"Or when will it reach the seas of the attacking joint fleet."

Mu Haoyang nodded and said, "Twelve hours are enough for us to sail 360 nautical miles."

"If you seize the opportunity, this will be the key factor in determining the outcome."

Mu Haoyang glanced at Ma Mingtao.

"Don't look at me like that. I have spent a lot of energy to be your adviser."

"So, you are qualified to be a naval officer."

"Don't lobby me. If you fall, you have to get up wherever you fall." Ma Mingtao smiled and said, "I won't give up halfway."

Mu Haoyang smiled and shook his head, saying, "Don't consider the reconnaissance information we have obtained, if our judgment is correct, when should we turn south?"

"To be precise, it is after twelve o'clock, because at about twelve o'clock, the Japanese reconnaissance satellite will pass by us. According to our previous judgment, if we only go south after twelve o'clock, we will not be able to arrive in time. It is definitely not a coincidence that Japan arranges the reconnaissance satellite to pass by us at about twelve o'clock, but intentional, to know whether we go south before this."

"In this case, we still can't arrive in time."

"Then you can only adjust the tactical arrangements and launch an attack before entering the Indian Ocean."

Mu Haoyang frowned and did not immediately express his opinion, because he was not sure that India would start a war before this.

"Anyway, this is also an option."

"Okay, it's better than not having a choice." Mu Haoyang breathed a sigh of relief and said, "You have to keep a close eye and notify me immediately after receiving the news from the Joint Fleet."
Chapter completed!