121: Towards a Great Power Air Force: J-10 Project Launched!

Eleven o'clock in the morning.

The Cabinet meeting in Canberra, Kangaroo Country, was dead silent.

This 'Mission Accomplished' live-fire strike completely shattered Kangaroo Country's psychological defenses!

Especially since Dragon Country's Dongfeng-6 intercontinental missile deviated from its intended strike area, directly landing in the sea less than 1 kilometer from Kangaroo Country's territorial waters, which further terrified Canberra!

Was it that Dragon Country's Dongfeng-6 intercontinental missile lacked accuracy?

This was clearly a blatant warning from Dragon Country's military!

Since Dragon Country's Dongfeng missile could accurately land on Kangaroo Country's territorial water line, it also had the full capability to accurately strike the port where the 'Anzac' class destroyer was docked!

Or even Canberra's Parliament House!

"Is there any news from Washington?"

The Prime Minister of Kangaroo Country asked the Minister of Defense, his face pale.

"According to the latest news from the White House, The Pentagon, despite its best efforts, still failed to detect the launch site of Dragon Country's Dongfeng-6 intercontinental missile!"

"The White House National Security team has determined that, based on the development of the Dragon Country military's intercontinental missile power concealment, Dragon Country has truly gained the strength of a strategic nuclear power!"

"Washington suggests that we engage in relationship repair and improvement with Dragon Country!"

"In addition, just now, the Soviet Union's representative to the United Nations urgently submitted an agenda item to the General Assembly, strongly condemning our country for colliding with Dragon Country's Type 051 destroyer in international waters!"

"Dozens of countries, including Poland, East Germany, Yugoslavia, and Cuba, have also successively supported and proposed relevant agenda items..."

The Minister of Defense of Kangaroo Country replied.

And after hearing his words, the Prime Minister of Kangaroo Country, who was presiding over the Cabinet meeting, slumped directly into his chair.

What did Washington mean by suggesting that Kangaroo Country engage in relationship repair and improvement with Dragon Country?

Didn't the White House know that Dragon Country had already unilaterally declared that it had cut off any diplomatic solutions to this incident until compensation and an apology were received?

Wasn't Washington clearly demanding that Kangaroo Country unconditionally agree to all the demands made by Dragon Country's military!

...The next day.

November 3rd.

For most countries around the world, they only knew that Dragon Country's military had once again conducted a live-fire test of the Dongfeng-6 intercontinental missile.

However, they simply did not understand the technical content behind it.

Because these countries were only watching the excitement internationally and completely lacked the capability for space-based satellite reconnaissance and sending high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft to monitor near Dragon Country's airspace.

Globally, only the USA and the Soviet Union, these two superpower nations, understood how terrifying Dragon Country's Dongfeng-6 intercontinental missile truly was!

So on this day, countries around the world were somewhat surprised to find that both the Soviet Union and the USA had become somewhat 'benevolent' towards Dragon Country!

For example, the Soviet Union not only actively communicated with Dragon Country to discuss disarmament plans in the border regions.

It even initiated a call at the General Assembly to help Dragon Country seek justice for the South Pacific collision incident.

This couldn't help but give countries around the world a feeling of returning to the 1950s, when Dragon Country and the Soviet Union were still in their honeymoon period.

As for the USA's performance, it made the international community even more jaw-dropped!

Because when the Soviet Union took the lead in condemning Kangaroo Country at the General Assembly, the USA not only did not go against the Soviet Union but instead abstained, which was rare!

Overnight, the attitudes of countries around the world towards Dragon Country seemed to have changed!

Ten o'clock in the morning.

The General Assembly officially voted to pass a resolution that Kangaroo Country should compensate and apologize to Dragon Country.

"The Kangaroo Country government extends its deepest apologies to the people and military of Dragon Country for the 'Anzac' destroyer entering Dragon Country's designated military exclusion zone, colliding with a Type 051 destroyer, and causing the sacrifice of Captain Chen Hai..."

In front of the camera, the Kangaroo Country diplomat's voice trembled, and the national flag behind him hung low.

And Western reporters stationed at the United Nations exclaimed that this was "the moment of the collapse of the Asia-Pacific order"!

But the representatives of Third World countries at the scene collectively stood up and applauded!

At the same time, the Prime Minister of Kangaroo Country signed the extradition documents for the transfer of the involved captain and officers to Dragon Country at the Parliament House in Canberra!

And announced the full payment of 30 million US dollars in compensation!

...Dragon Country, Yanjing.

In the Martyrs' Cemetery, pines and cypresses stood solemnly.

Peng Lin solemnly placed the urn covered with the national flag.

When the news came that Dragon Country's representative to the United Nations had officially apologized to Dragon Country at the General Assembly, Captain Chen Hai's ashes could finally rest peacefully in the Martyrs' Cemetery!

Peng Lin gazed at the inscription "Loyalty and Devotion to the Seas" on the tombstone, falling into deep thought.

Today, in the context of a world dominated by two superpowers, Dragon Country only possessed a certain degree of self-preservation capability by relying on land-based strategic deterrent forces!

Compared to other small and medium-sized countries, it could, to a certain extent, control the destiny of its own country!

But in the face of true national strength and military power, Dragon Country was still too weak!

For example, in the 'ship collision' incident in the South Pacific, Dragon Country dispatched all of its naval assets, but five 3,000-ton destroyers were still easily crushed by foreign warships!

Another example is facing the high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft deployed by the USA and the Soviet Union near Dragon Country's airspace; Dragon Country's most powerful J-7 fighter even lacked the ability to take off and escort them!

To develop into a great power, Dragon Country's navy and air force must also be modernized!

Peng Lin always firmly believed in one sentence: the upper limit of military power will determine the upper limit of a country's economy!

For example, the island nation is currently flourishing internationally, and according to Western statistics, it has developed into the world's second-largest economy, becoming a developed country second only to the USA.

But Peng Lin knew that due to the lack of military autonomy, this was the economic limit of the island nation!

As long as the USA could free up its hands in its strategy against the Soviet Union, it would deal with the island nation!

If Dragon Country wanted to become or even surpass a world superpower in terms of economy and national strength, the first priority would be to become a military superpower!

Therefore, Dragon Country must follow a path of independent development!

...After the 'Mission Accomplished' military exercise ended.

Peng Lin then developed the 'Beidou Satellite Navigation System' at the aerospace missile manufacturing branch in Yanjing.

However, in mid-November, he received a special invitation letter from the Air Force Command Headquarters:

Comrade Peng Lin:

We are delighted to learn of the complete success of the Dongfeng-6 intercontinental missile test launch, which has propelled Dragon Country's strategic deterrent forces into the world's forefront. This is a blessing for our nation and a shield for our country!

All officers and soldiers of our Air Force extend our highest respect to you and the missile research and development team!

Currently, the international situation is constantly changing, and the struggle for air superiority has become the core of great power competition.

To implement the equipment development policy of 'researching one generation, producing one generation, and pre-researching one generation,' our department plans to hold a J-10 fighter project pre-research conference at the Yanjing Air Force Research Institute on November 19, 1979. We cordially invite you to attend as the Chief Technical Consultant to provide guidance.

Key agenda items for the meeting are as follows:

Technical route argumentation: Based on your experience in Beidou navigation and anti-jamming technology, discuss the avionics system architecture for the new generation of fighter jets!

Breakthrough in propulsion system: Drawing on intercontinental missile propulsion technology, tackle the development of high-thrust turbofan engines!

Stealth and aerodynamic design: Explore radar cross-section optimization schemes, and combine railway mobile thinking to innovate concepts for rapid deployment of fighter jets!

Your wisdom in subverting the traditional nuclear deterrence model with the 'Intercontinental Missile Train' is precisely what the Air Force needs to achieve its strategic goal of 'integrated air and space, with both offensive and defensive capabilities.'

We sincerely hope you can make time to attend the conference and jointly draw the blueprint for Dragon Country's soaring war eagles!

Air Force Commander: Liu Yufei

November 13, 1979

The Air Force is preparing to initiate pre-research for the J-10 fighter?

Upon seeing the handwritten letter from Air Force Commander General Liu Yufei, Peng Lin couldn't help but feel a little excited!