lcionline Chapter 685 Naval Battle (7)
Chapter 685 Naval Battle (7)
Wang Junjie stood in the command room of the flagship, his eyes fixed on the tactical display screen. He picked up the communicator and spoke in a steady and powerful voice: "Submarine formation, immediately implement the 'Night Ghost' plan. You must approach the enemy fleet's perimeter in the most covert way and carry out precise strikes on the enemy's heavy cruisers. Remember, we must catch them off guard."
As the order was issued, the six Type XXI submarines adjusted their postures silently like ghosts in the deep sea, using advanced underwater navigation technology and low-noise propulsion systems to gradually close the distance between them and the Pacific Fleet. These submarines were equipped with the latest torpedoes, each of which was enough to severely damage or even sink a heavy cruiser.
The sea was rough, but beneath the surface was a quiet and deadly battlefield. The submarine fleet dispersed into a fan-shaped formation, approaching the flagship of the Pacific Fleet, the Myoko-kō heavy cruiser "Tsunetsuki" and its escort ships from multiple angles. Each submarine was like a cheetah in the sea, patiently waiting for the best opportunity to attack.
Finally, at a certain moment outside the radar detection range, the six submarines launched an attack almost simultaneously. The torpedo tubes suddenly opened, and with a slight vibration, one torpedo after another cut through the cold sea water and shot towards the target like an arrow from a string. These torpedoes used the latest guidance technology and were able to autonomously adjust their routes in complex underwater environments to ensure accurate hits.
The officers and soldiers on the Chang Yue were still blinded by the failure of the radar and were unaware of the impending crisis. Until the first explosion sounded, a huge column of water shot up into the sky, followed by a series of explosions that shook the entire sea area. The torpedo accurately hit the hull and vital parts of the Chang Yue, causing serious damage. The ship was in chaos, with alarms and shouts intertwined, flames shot up into the sky, and smoke filled the air.
At the same time, other escort ships were also attacked one after another. For a time, the outer defense line of the Pacific Fleet almost collapsed. Wang Junjie stood on the flagship, observing all this through a telescope, with a subtle hint of satisfaction in his eyes. He knew that this heavy blow had laid the foundation for victory for the subsequent full-scale offensive.
Yamamoto Feng stood on the bridge of the Kyushu command ship, his face gloomy enough to drip water. The sudden failure of the radar was like a bolt from the blue, making this battle-hardened commander feel unprecedented frustration and helplessness. He clenched his fists, his eyes were sharp, scanning the chaotic battlefield around him, and quickly weighing the situation in his mind.
The fleet was like a blind man in the fog, but in the eyes of the enemy, they were like a lighthouse on the sea. Less than half an hour after the battle, the battleship Musashi, which was known as the unsinkable, had been completely blown up, and the situation of the Changyue was also precarious.
"Emergency communication!" He shouted to the communications officer beside him, "Attention all ships, the radar system is temporarily out of service. We are in danger of an enemy submarine attack! Immediately activate passive sonar detection, strengthen surface and underwater alerts, and prepare to respond to submarine attacks!"
Following Yamamoto Kaede's orders, the ships of the Pacific Fleet responded quickly. The warships on the water adjusted their postures, slowed down to increase maneuverability, and turned on all available detection equipment to try to capture any abnormal sounds or fluctuations in this "darkness". The crew was busy in a tense and orderly manner, executing every instruction, striving to find a chance of survival in a desperate situation.
"Submarine fleet, move out immediately!" Yamamoto Feng gave the order again, "Your mission is to search for and destroy the enemy's submarine threats. No matter what the cost, you must let the enemy know that our Pacific Fleet is not a soft persimmon that can be slaughtered at will!"
After receiving the order, the submarine formation quickly separated from the formation and began a counterattack hunt with its familiarity with the sea area and its own advantages of concealment. They adopted a fan-shaped search tactic, with the "Changyue" as the center and spread out to the surrounding areas, using advanced sonar systems and underwater communication means to coordinate operations, trying to lock and eliminate those enemy ship killers hidden in the dark.
"Report to the commander, a suspected enemy submarine echo has been detected!" A report from a submarine broke the silence of the communication channel.
"Track immediately and attack after confirming the target!" Yamamoto Kaede's voice was calm and cold.
Under this deep and dark sea, China's North Sea First Fleet and the Fuso submarine fleet launched a thrilling underwater confrontation. The commanders of both sides, naval colonels Ge Changlin and Fujiwara Huang, each in a small command cabin, relying on sophisticated instruments and rich experience, led their respective submarine formations, competing in wisdom and courage in the silent world.
Colonel Ge Changlin of the Chinese submarine formation stared at the sonar display screen inside the submarine, where dots of light flashed on the screen, representing the positions of the enemy and our submarines. "XXI formation, adopt the 'wolf pack tactics', with the 'I' series submarines as the center, disperse and surround, and use our silent performance advantage to gradually compress the enemy's activity space." He gave orders calmly, and every word revealed his firm belief in victory.
Following Ge Changlin's order, the nine Type XXI submarines quickly adjusted their formation and dispersed silently like a wolf pack, while using advanced propulsion systems and noise reduction technology to build an invisible net under the enemy ships. The six Type XXIII submarines served as backup, maintaining high mobility and ready to launch a fatal attack on the enemy's exposed targets at any time.
Commander Fujiwara Akira was in the flagship of the Type 1 Patrol Submarine, I-1. Facing the sudden crisis, he responded quickly. "Type 1 Patrol Submarine, immediately implement the 'smoke bomb' plan, release noise interference, and confuse the enemy's sonar judgment; Type 2 Patrol Submarine and Type A ocean-going submarine, form an assault team, try to break through the enemy's defense line, and find and destroy the enemy's command center." His voice was calm and decisive, revealing an unquestionable authority.
The I-1 submarine then released a series of carefully designed noise interference sources, which spread in the sea water, making it extremely difficult for the Chinese submarine to detect the sonar. The Type 2 and Type A ocean-going submarines took this opportunity to accelerate their advance towards the core area of the Chinese submarine formation, attempting to launch a bold counterattack.
As the two submarine formations approached, the underwater battle became more intense. The Type XXI submarine, with its excellent concealment, continued to harass the Fuso submarine. Although it failed to hit the target directly, it successfully diverted the enemy's attention. The Type XXIII submarine used its high speed to launch a surprise attack at a critical moment and successfully damaged a Type 2 patrol submarine.
Fujiwara Akira immediately adjusted his tactics upon seeing this, and ordered the remaining submarines to concentrate their firepower and attack the Type XXIII submarine. For a moment, underwater explosions continued, and the flames and bubbles intertwined, forming a thrilling picture.
However, Colonel Ge Changlin was well prepared. He quickly commanded the Type XXI submarine formation to change its formation, using the cover and cooperation between the submarines to cleverly evade the enemy's siege, and took the opportunity to launch rounds of offensives against the Fuso submarine formation.