193: Dragon Eagle Persian Gulf Sea Air Battle!

Persian Gulf.

The Nimitz nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, like a steel behemoth, lay across the entrance, its deck bustling with F-14 "Tomcat" and the latest F-18 "Hornet" fighter jets frequently catapulting into the air, forming a tight patrol network with E-2C Early Warning Aircraft.

Spruance-class destroyers scanned all passing oil tankers with their radar and dispatched helicopters for close-range verification.

Shipborne radar brought all air and sea areas within 400 kilometers under surveillance; any vessel attempting to break the blockade would be locked on by fire control radar!

The roar of the steam catapults and the shriek of fighter jets taking off with afterburners tore through the silence of the sea, and the wake stirred up by the 100,000-ton hull rippled across the Persian Gulf!

But at this moment, in the Combat Command Center of the Nimitz super nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, the Carrier Battle Group's commander was utterly bewildered!

They had actually been provoked?

That's right!

As the world's most advanced Carrier Battle Group, their fleet had actually been frequently provoked by a single fighter jet!

On the carrier's shipborne radar, a fighter jet was approaching them at a speed of Mach 1.8!

This fighter jet was flying at an altitude of only 5,000 meters and stopped when it was only about 150 kilometers away from the Carrier Battle Group!

Then, the fighter jet suddenly pitched its nose up 70 degrees, performing a tactical maneuver with its fuselage in a nearly vertical hover, a set of movements as smooth as flowing clouds and water!

And after this set of maneuvers, it immediately followed with a perfect "leaf fall" roll, the fighter jet spinning rapidly along its longitudinal axis like a top, its wingtip vortices tearing through the clouds!

It was as if it were performing an aerial display at a grand international airshow with countless spectators!

If this wasn't a provocation, then what action could be more provocative than this?

"FUCK!"

Rear Admiral Jack Harrison, the commander of the Nimitz super nuclear-powered Carrier Battle Group, couldn't help but continue to curse excitedly.

It had always been the USA' super nuclear-powered aircraft carriers sailing freely into the territorial waters of other countries, and their carrier-based fighter jets flying freely in the airspace of other countries!

But when had they ever been provoked like this by others?

Even the Soviet Union's fighter jets would probably never dare to make such sarcastic and provocative moves in front of them!

The moment a super nuclear-powered Carrier Battle Group departs its homeport, it signifies entering a state of combat.

Whether it's the carrier-based aircraft taking off from the carrier itself or the Destroyers, frigates, and submarines escorting it, all enter a state of readiness, prepared to respond to any potential enemy!

But now, a fighter jet was flying close to their air defense danger zone, performing a "flying display" for them; this was simply an insult to the world's most advanced super nuclear-powered Carrier Battle Group!

"Report the detailed situation!"

The Carrier Battle Group commander's face was ashen as he spoke.

"Unidentified aircraft bearing 275, circling at Mach 1.8, no response to IFF identification signal!"

"But comparing it with the radar illumination map provided by Iran, this is very likely a J-16 Fighter Jet!"

The radar operator reported urgently.

"What?"

"J-16 Fighter Jet!"

"Is that Dragon Country's so-called globally leading 3.5-generation fighter jet?"

"Are you sure?"

The Carrier Battle Group commander was startled and quickly reconfirmed.

"According to the information provided by Iran, the radar cross-section of Dragon Country's new 3.5-generation fighter jet is only about 3 square meters."

"Now, both the radar cross-section and the shape are incredibly consistent; there's an over 80% chance it's a J-16 Fighter Jet!"

The radar operator said again.

"Just one?"

The Carrier Battle Group commander asked again.

"Definitely just one!"

The radar operator nodded with absolute certainty.

Strange, just one fighter jet!

At this point, the Nimitz commander was somewhat confused about the Dragon Country Air Force's intentions.

What was the purpose of just one J-16 Fighter Jet flying close to their Nimitz super nuclear-powered Carrier Battle Group?

Escort?

The Dragon Country Air Force shouldn't be naive enough to think that one 3rd-generation fighter jet could contend with an entire super nuclear-powered Carrier Battle Group, right?

Moreover, they hadn't spotted any oil tankers on the sea surface!

Could it simply be a provocation?

Thinking of this possibility, the Nimitz carrier commander's face was even more unpleasant than if he had eaten excrement!

"Damn Dragon Country Air Force, trying to show off their new fighter jet to us?"

"Launch F-18 "Hornet" to drive it away!"

Rear Admiral Jack Harrison, commander of the Nimitz super nuclear-powered Carrier Battle Group, said.

The F-18 "Hornet" fighter jet is the USA' latest carrier-based aircraft, originally planned to enter service at the end of next year.

However, due to the Nimitz super nuclear-powered aircraft carrier's service entry, coupled with the rise of Dragon Country's power in the Middle East, it was put into service early to operate with the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier.

"Yes!"

"E-2C Early Warning Aircraft lock on target, F-18 twin-jet interception formation scramble!"

The carrier tactical action officer quickly gave the order.

However, the next second, the communication channel of the newly launched F-18 "Hornet" carrier-based aircraft was left with only a "shushing" sound.

Contact with the Carrier Battle Group's Combat Command Center was lost!

"Electronic jamming!"

"An unknown target from behind is releasing intermittent noise jamming, causing us to lose contact with the two F-18 "Hornet" twin-jet interception formation!"

In the carrier Combat Command Center, the electronic warfare officer reported nervously.

"What?"

"Does only the Dragon Country Air Force have electronic warfare aircraft?"

"F-14 "Tomcat" and F-18 "Hornet" escort, launch EA-6B "Prowler" electronic warfare aircraft!"

Rear Admiral Jack Harrison, the Carrier Battle Group's commander, showed a slight smile at the corner of his mouth and issued the order again.

At this point, he already understood the Dragon Country Air Force's objective!

That J-16 "Qianlong" Fighter Jet that came to provoke and infuriate them was actually to lure their Carrier Battle Group to dispatch carrier-based aircraft to drive it away!

And the Dragon Country Air Force's true objective was actually to conduct electronic warfare with their Nimitz super nuclear-powered Carrier Battle Group!

In other words, that fighter jet just now came to issue a challenge!

However, Jack Harrison didn't hesitate at all and directly launched four carrier-based electronic warfare aircraft to engage in battle!

The deck of the Nimitz nuclear-powered aircraft carrier buzzed in the night, the roar of the steam catapults tearing through the sea breeze.

Four EA-6B "Prowler" electronic warfare aircraft took the lead, their AN-99 jamming pods mounted under their wings gleaming coldly, and their tactical numbers on their tailfins flickering under the deck searchlights.

The moment the catapult released, the aircraft shot out like an arrow from a bowstring, wingtip vortices churning the salty air.

Following closely were two F-14 "Tomcat" and four F-18 "Hornet", the ghostly blue afterburners reflecting rippling patterns on the sea surface.

The fighter jet formation climbed under the guidance of the E-2C Early Warning Aircraft, engine roars like an approaching thunderstorm, the aluminum-magnesium alloy skin reflecting the moonlight, like a flock of steel raptors swooping towards a distant battlefield.

Deck crew members huddled behind the blast deflectors, their ears filled with the roar of turbines and the metallic clang of the catapult's hydraulic locks!

"If necessary, you can 'accidentally hit' that J-16 Fighter Jet!"

Inside the carrier Combat Command Center, Rear Admiral Jack Harrison coldly issued the order to the aerial formation.

Although the Pentagon Secretary of Defense and the Chief of Naval Operations had said that after approval, Dragon Country's fighter jets or oil tankers could be "accidentally hit."

But this time, Rear Admiral Jack Harrison, the commander of the Nimitz super nuclear-powered Carrier Battle Group, wanted to act first and report later!

Because he desperately wanted to be promoted to Vice Admiral!

The J-16 "Qianlong" Fighter Jet was the first 3.5-generation fighter jet announced and officially declared by the Dragon Country Air Force, touted as globally leading!

The entry of this fighter jet into service in Dragon Country even directly caused a circuit breaker in the USA' Wall Street stock market!

If he could "accidentally hit" Dragon Country's 3.5-generation fighter jet during this blockade mission, sinking this heavy fighter jet, touted as the world's strongest, to the bottom of the sea and then salvaging it back to the USA, he might even receive the Presidential Medal!

The USA public might even regard him as a national hero!

As for the Dragon Country Air Force's J-16 "Qianlong"'s so-called title of the world's strongest 3.5-generation fighter jet, it would also completely become a joke!

After all, what right does a fighter jet that can be "accidentally hit" have to claim to be the world's strongest?