If we have to point out something wrong with the F-14, its RCS value is too high. It loses to the Fighting Falcon and the Hornet in 12 square meters, making it a poor brother to the F-15 Eagle.
At such close range, they spotted the "incoming group of aircraft," and the other side had obviously spotted them as well.
The Mirage 2000-5's RDY radar has some difficulty detecting targets with an RCS value of less than 5 square meters, but it can still see this large mass very clearly.
The fatal flaw was that the old French air-to-air missiles couldn't reach Melnichenko.
"Target first echelon locked, racks 3, 4, 5, and 6 all ready, launch authorization granted, please launch!"
100 kilometers away, the pilot in the back seat reported to Boss Mei after locking on.
The lead and wingman crews had different loadout schemes; their Archian Blue Cat crew opted for the classic configuration of 4 long-range, 2 medium-range, and 2 short-range aircraft.
All four hardpoints along the fuselage centerline (two horizontal and two vertical) are equipped with AIM-54 Phoenix missiles.
After being refurbished by Concentrated Firepower Defense, these Cold War relics look quite impressive, and most importantly, their performance is as follows:
"Whoosh whoosh whoosh"
Melnichenko pressed the launch button four times, firing all the long-range air-to-air missiles under the fuselage.
"Whoosh!"
Prokhorov, who had purchased three unmanned target drones, only carried two AIM-54 missiles. At that moment, he locked onto the drone assigned to him and fired both of them.
A total of six Phoenix rockets accelerated toward their respective targets, quickly reaching a top speed of Mach 3.8, and switched to active radar guidance after the semi-active radar midcourse guidance ended.
"Beep beep beep"
The radar warning receivers of the locked target drones were beeping frantically until:
"Puff puff puff puff"
In order to deplete the enemy's medium- and long-range air-to-air missiles and create an opportunity for the second echelon to "drop nuclear bombs," the first echelon frantically launched chaff and flares at this moment.
Chalcoach is unlikely to fool the latest missiles, but it's a veteran like the Phoenix!
"Boom boom boom"
The first AIM-54 was detonated, but the second shot hit the target squarely, and the first Mirage 2000-5 target drone exploded into a fireball in the sky.
In today's weather with excellent visibility, horseshoe bats that were more than ten kilometers behind the first group clearly saw the exploding fireball.
Earning 500,000 dollars isn't easy, but thinking about my hometown village where there's no electricity or running water and no roads, I realize that 500,000 dollars could do so much in Palestine.
With unwavering resolve, he pulled the throttle valve back, slowing down and falling to the back of the formation.
"Whoosh whoosh whoosh"
The remaining Mirage 2000s were not to be outdone, and fired several Matra Super 530D medium-range missiles at the two F-14Ds that had finally come within range.
The missile, nearing its expiration date, could be refurbished with a warhead that reduces its lethality by 90%, retaining only the sound and light effects, and then its already subpar performance could be further compromised.
"Boom boom"
The two crews didn't even fire chaff; they simply maneuvered to shake off the missiles, leaving only plumes of smoke behind them.
"Whoosh!"
After their noses returned to normal, they launched AIM-7P missiles, which were not much better than the Matra Super 530D, and each of them won another shot.
After all, it's an unmanned target drone, and it can't compare to the mobility of a manned drone.
These four old Sparrows successfully replaced two Mirage 2000s, leaving only three of the eight aircraft in the two squadrons.
Of the two F-14Ds, only the AIM-9L remains: the Mayer has two engines and the Prokhorov has four.
Of course, the fighter jet's last weapon, the M61 Vulcan Gatling gun, still had 675 rounds of 20mm ammunition left!
In the movie, this cannon could take down two Su-57s in a surprise attack or a chase, but neither of the two veteran Tomcat pilots were very confident that they could take down two Mirage 2000s in actual combat.
High aesthetic appeal and a futuristic look are advantages of variable-sweep wings, but maneuverability is not one of them.
Without the scene-limited cheats and protagonist halo, plenty of fixed-wing fighter jets could easily crush the big cat.
But the Afica War Museum's distinguished super VIP clients are all the main characters.
"Whoosh whoosh whoosh"
In close combat within visual range, the two F-14Ds fired four Super Sidewinder missiles each, while the opposing Magic IIs also fired wildly at them as if they didn't care about the cost.
However, most people have a misconception that close-range missiles are better than medium-range missiles in close-range combat. In reality, medium-range missiles are better, since a dog's endurance is no match for that of a strong man.
However, the wingtip pylons and the side weapon bays of stealth fighters cannot accommodate medium-range missiles, making this an unavoidable choice to carry more missiles. Despite its small size, it is also agile, developing high-G assassin-like attributes, making it highly accurate against poorly maneuverable targets.
However, when encountering more maneuverable targets, better air-to-air missiles are needed, such as the current fourth-generation Sidewinder—AIM-9X.
Even if Jihuo Defense could publicly sell the AIM-9X, there wouldn't be many customers who could afford it. After all, it costs 500,000 for internal use, 1 million for export, and 2 million for a museum shelf.
The price is enough to buy a second-generation drone target drone, but replacing it with a single air-to-air missile is really expensive. The previous generation AIM-9L was more cost-effective.
"Whoosh!"
Using maneuvering to shake off the incoming Magic IIs, the two F-14Ds, having repositioned themselves, retaliated with a round of Super Sidewinder missiles.
"Boom boom boom"
One of the last three Mirage 2000s was hit, and the remaining two were either far away or manned target drones controlled by Horseshoe Bat.
The target drone had been refurbished by Xia Yu and was in top condition. Combined with the pilot's skill, it easily outmaneuvered both AIM-9L missiles.
"Buzz"
Temporarily abandoning the most troublesome target, the lead aircraft successfully engaged the furthest unmanned target drone, and the Gatling gun spun wildly, firing countless 20mm shells.
"Boom!"
The target drone disintegrated in mid-air, and the "tactical nuclear bomb" mounted on its belly crashed into the sea.
"Damn it, we only have one AIM-9L and a little over 400 shells left."
At this moment, while Mr. Mei, whose adrenaline was surging, might not be good at anything else, he still knew how to check the ammunition parameters.
"I have two shots left and I'm about to get into attack position. I'll help you deplete his energy."
Prokhorov said over the radio.
This is also the job of a wingman. Manned target drones are Old Mei's prey. Taking back two extra air-to-air missiles won't cost much, so it's better to help a friend out and let him take his target for a spin.
"Whoosh!"
Being chased and bitten by two Super Rattlesnake missiles is something you'd only see at the Afica War Museum. Even the most realistic drills can't compare to this. The Horseshoe Bat performed several maneuvers in succession, exhausting the missiles' energy:
"Puff puff puff"
He hadn't used up a single chaff, but at that moment he had emptied all his heat decoys.
"Boom boom"
Two AIM-9Ls exploded into smoke, and then a third Super Rattlesnake silently passed through the flames of the explosion, tearing towards his rear.
"Drip drip drip puff"
Amidst the urgent alarm, the horseshoe bat pulled the ejection lever without hesitation.
"Bang"
The Martin-Baker MK10F10QA ejection seat propelled him out of the cockpit by rocket power.
As the most dangerous war vehicle for users, fighter jets have seen their ejection seats used very frequently since their development.
Martin Baker alone has provided ejection seats that have saved the lives of more than 7,000 pilots, and that number is about to increase by one more.
"Boom!"
The Mirage 2000-5, without a canopy or seats, was precisely hit by the final AIM-9L shot and exploded into a fireball in the sky.
Melnichenko's trembling hands released the control stick. After becoming an ace pilot in a second-generation fighter jet, he had now achieved the milestone of becoming an ace pilot in a third-generation fighter jet.
Hopefully, he can still win an ace in fourth-generation fighter jets before he gets too old to fly them!
The dream I had as a child can now be realized with money. I have to thank Director Xia for all of this, since even though he joined the Aerospace Force, he couldn't even register fifteen aircraft from enlistment to retirement.
If I were assigned to fly a Su-25, I'd probably get shot down by an anti-aircraft missile if I went to Eastern Europe. It would be too difficult to achieve my dream without getting hurt.
The good news is that they have Sherlock Holmes, a business genius, so all they have to do is pay up.
Watching the pilot of the manned target drone he had shot down open a parachute in the air, Boss Mei unzipped the pocket of his anti-G suit jacket, took out his checkbook, and signed a check for 500,000.
Oslo doesn't have a tradition of tipping, but he's incredibly wealthy.
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