Based on that report, the US high command issued the final directive.
Operation Falcon, codenamed "Falcon," was quietly unfolding over the Pacific Ocean.
Base, Intelligence Analysis Room.
The atmosphere was heavy as lead.
Jiang Feng placed a highly encrypted intelligence briefing in front of Zhang Meng and Ming Zhao.
The briefing content came from unusual US communications intercepted by the "Galaxy" satellite network, as well as fragmented information codenamed "Falcon" captured by ground listening stations. After being pieced together and analyzed by the intelligence agencies, a suffocating outline gradually became clear.
"Target: Our northwestern rear, with key areas covering the 'Xuanying' base and its surrounding airspace."
Jiang Feng's voice was like the scraping of cold metal, "Time: Within the next 72 hours, specific time window unknown. Force composition: At least one SR-71 'Blackbird' high-altitude, high-speed reconnaissance aircraft, escorted by two newly modified F-15 'Eagle' fighter jets, codenamed 'Vulture,' confirmed to be on one of the F-15s. Mission objective: Unprecedented high-intensity, close-range reconnaissance, intending to capture evidence of the existence of 'Shadow' or completely deny its threat, while verifying the vulnerabilities of its air defense system."
Zhang Meng slammed her fist on the table: "This is outrageous! Do you really think we're made of paper?!"
Operation codename: 'Falcon'.
Zhao Qing's cold voice rang out as her slender fingers traced the possible intrusion routes and high-altitude corridors of the American aircraft on the briefing map. "They have obtained the 'perfect solution,' and have determined that 'Shadow' is a 'glass cannon' with significant hidden dangers. They are eager to shatter the myth and consolidate their hegemony."
"What should we do?" Su Xuan asked urgently. "Our new aircraft... the problem of thermal decay of the 'silent' material hasn't been completely solved yet! At high altitudes and high speeds, the risks are too great! Moreover, the enemy is a combination of SR-71s and F-15s, with absolute advantages in altitude, speed, and firepower! Conventional interception is simply impossible!"
Passive defense is tantamount to sitting and waiting for death. A brief silence fell over the meeting room.
All eyes eventually focused on Mingzhao.
She remained calm, but her gaze pierced through the map, as if calculating the invisible air currents and electromagnetic interactions at an altitude of ten thousand meters.
"Take the initiative to fight." Mingzhao's voice was not loud, but it carried an unwavering determination, like a torrent surging beneath the ice.
"Take the initiative to fight?!" Wang Tiezhu exclaimed. "What are we going to fight with? 'Shadow' isn't fully formed yet! The hidden dangers haven't been eliminated! The opponents are 'Blackbird' and 'Eagle'! Wouldn't we be sending ourselves to our deaths if we went up there?"
"Use 'Shadow', but don't engage in direct combat."
Mingzhao's gaze was sharp as a knife. "Use its 'absolute invisibility' and 'galactic eye' to give them a 'surprise' right under their noses."
Her fingertip precisely pointed to the ambush area pre-designated on the map. "Here. Taking advantage of the relatively fixed flight path of the SR-71 and the need for escort aircraft to maintain formation, 'Shadow' will remain radar-silent throughout, precisely guided by the 'Galaxy' satellite, occupying a favorable altitude and position to conduct... 'close-up' reconnaissance."
"Face-to-face?!"
Su Xuan gasped, instantly understanding Ming Zhao's almost insane intention: not to shoot it down, but to use absolute stealth to keep pace with the most advanced American fighter jets at extremely close range! To declare the existence of the "Ghost" and its absolute technological superiority in the most direct and humiliating way!
"The risk is extremely high!" Zhang Meng said in a deep voice. "Once exposed and visually detected or even locked onto by the enemy, at that distance and altitude, 'Shadow' would have no chance of survival!"
"Therefore, absolute invisibility, absolute silence, and absolute precision are necessary."
Mingzhao's tone remained unchanged, as if stating a given fact: "This is the only opportunity to break the arrogance of the United States, prevent a larger-scale invasion in the future, and vindicate 'Shadow.' It is also the ultimate test to verify the practical value of the 'satellite + stealth' system."
She looked at Zhang Meng, her eyes clear and firm: "Regarding the materials, I have a temporary solution that can support a single extreme mission. It requires the cooperation of all resources at the base."
Zhang Meng and Ming Zhao stared at each other for a few seconds, and Zhang Meng saw an unquestionable determination and a cold calculation in Ming Zhao's eyes.
He slammed his hand on the table: "Let's do it! I'll apply for the highest order! Comrade Mingzhao, just say the word if you need anything! The entire base is at your service!"
The ultimate showdown between "Falcon" and "Ghost" has been decided!
The base instantly entered a state of maximum combat readiness, like a sophisticated yet frantic machine beginning to operate at overload.
The materials laboratory has become an absolute no-go zone.
Mingzhao, along with Su Xuan and the selected core materials engineers, raced against time.
Her proposed "temporary solution" was extremely radical: to add a specially formulated high-temperature erosion-resistant coating to the outer layer of the existing "silent" damping sheet!
This coating is similar to the heat insulation material in a spacecraft's return capsule. It can withstand extreme high temperatures for a short period of time, protecting the internal damping material from completely collapsing due to overheating during critical mission phases.
"The formula is extremely complex, the reaction window is extremely short, and the margin for error is zero!"
Su Xuan looked at the equations and process flow diagrams written by Ming Zhao, his palms sweating profusely.
"Execute step by step, accurate to the second." Mingzhao's voice left no room for doubt.
She herself stood guard in front of the crucial reactor, like the most sophisticated sensor, monitoring every minute change in temperature and pressure, and issuing brief instructions from time to time.
The laboratory was filled with a pungent chemical odor and suffocatingly hot steam.
One by one, specially treated "silent" damping plates were taken out and quickly covered with a layer of gray-black, seemingly rough but high-tech ablation layer.
On the other side, the hangar was brightly lit.
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