tc.thebearandthedragon-第169部分

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designed　bird　it　was　respectable。　They　put　their　best　drivers　into　the　Flanker；　and　they'd　be　the　proud　ones；　the　ones　who　thought　they　were　as　good　as　he　was。　Okay；　Joe；　let's　see　how　good　you　are。　〃Boar；　Lead；　e　left　to　one…three…five。〃
　〃Two。〃　〃Three。〃　〃Four；〃　the　flight　acknowledged；　and　they　all　banked　to　the　left。　Winters　took　a　look　around　to　make　sure　he　wasn't　leaving　any　contrails　to　give　away　his　position。　Then　he　checked　his　threat　receiver。　It　was　getting　some　chirps　from　Chinese　search　radar；　but　still　below　the　theoretical　detection　threshold。　That　would　change　in　twenty　miles　or　so。　But　then　they'd　just　be　unknowns　on　the　Chinese　screens；　and　fuzzy　ones　at　that。　Maybe　the　ground　controllers　would　radio　a　warning；　but　maybe　they'd　just　peer　at　their　screens　and　try　to　decide　if　they　were　real　contacts　or　not。　The　robin's…egg　blue　of　the　EAGLEs　wasn't　all　that　easy　to　spot　visually；　especially　when　you　had　the　sun　behind　you；　which　was　the　oldest　trick　in　the　fighter…pilot　Bible；　and　one　for　which　there　was　still　no　solution　。　。　。
　The　Chinese　passed　to　his　right；　thirty　miles　away；　heading　north　and　looking　for　Russian　fighters　to　engage；　because　the　Chinese　would　want　to　control　the　sky　over　the　battlefield　they'd　just　opened　up。　That　meant　that　they'd　be　turning　on　their　own　search　radars；　and　when　that　happened；　they'd　spend　most　of　their　time　looking　down　at　the　scope　instead　of　out　at　the　sky；　and　that　was　dangerous。　When　he　was　south　of　them；　Winters　brought　his　flight　right；　west；　and　down　to　twenty　thousand　feet；　well　below　Joe　Chink's　cruising　altitude；　because　fighter　pilots　might　look　back　and　up；　but　rarely　back　and　down；　because　they'd　been　taught　that　height；　like　speed；　was　life。　And　so　it　was　。　。　。　most　of　the　time。　In　another　three　minutes；　they　were　due　south　of　the　enemy；　and　Winters　increased　power　to　maximum　dry　thrust　so　as　to　catch　up。　His　flight　of　four　split　on　mand　into　two　pairs。　He　went　left；　and　then　his　eyes　spotted　them；　dark　flecks　on　the　brightening　blue　sky。　They　were　painted　the　same　light　gray　the　Russians　liked…and　that　would　be　a　real　problem　if　Russian　Flankers　entered　the　area；　because　you　didn't　often　get　close　enough　to　see　if　the　wings　had　red　stars　or　white…blue…red　flags　painted　on　them。
　The　audio　tone　came　next。　His　Sidewinders　could　see　the　heat　bloom　from　the　Lyul'ka　turbofan　engines；　and　that　meant　he　was　just　about　close　enough。　His　wingman；　a　clever　young　lieutenant；　was　now　about　five　hundred　yards　to　his　right；　doing　his　job；　which　was　covering　his　leader。　Okay；　Bronco　Winters　thought。　He　had　a　good　hundred　knots　of　overtake　speed　now。
　〃Boar；　EAGLE；　be　advised　these　guys　are　heading　directly　for　us　at　the　moment。〃
　〃Not　for　long；　EAGLE；〃　Colonel　Winters　responded。　They　weren't　flecks　anymore。　Now　they　were　twin…rudder　fighter　aircraft。　Cruising　north；　tucked　in　nice　and　pretty。　His　left　forefinger　selected　Sidewinder　to　start；　and　the　tone　in　his　earphones　was　nice　and　loud。　He'd　start　with　two　shots；　one　at　the　left…most　Flanker；　and　the　other　at　the　rightmost　。　。　。　right　about。　。　。
　〃Fox…Two；　Fox…Two　with　two　birds　away；〃　Bronco　reported。　The　smoke　trails　diverged；　just　as　he　wanted　them　to；　streaking　in　on　their　targets。　His　gunsight　camera　was　operating；　and　the　picture　was　being　recorded　on　videotape；　just　as　it　had　been　over　Saudi　the　previous　year。　He　needed　one　kill　to　make　ace…
　…he　got　the　first　six　seconds　later；　and　the　next　half　a　second　after　that。　Both　Flankers　tumbled　right。　The　one　on　the　left　nearly　collided　with　his　wingman；　but　missed；　and　tumbled　violently　as　pieces　started　ing　off　the　airframe。　The　other　one　was　rolling　and　then　exploded　into　a　nice　white　puffball。　The　first　pilot　ejected　cleanly；　but　the　second　didn't。
　Tough　luck；　Joe；　Winters　thought。　The　remaining　two　Chinese　fighters　hesitated；　but　both　then　split　and　started　maneuvering　in　diverging　directions。　Winters　switched　on　his　radar　and　followed　the　one　to　the　left。　He　had　radar　lock　and　it　was　well　within　the　launch　parameters　for　his　AMRAAM。　His　right　forefinger　squeezed　the　pickle　switch。
　〃Fox…One；　Fox…One；　Slammer　on　guy　to　the　west。〃　He　watched　the　Slammer；　as　it　was　called；　race　in。　Technically　a　fire…and…forget　weapon　like　the　Sidewinder；　it　accelerated　almost　instantly　to　mach…two…plus　and　rapidly　ate　up　the　three　miles　between　them。　It　only　took　about　ten　seconds　to　close　and　explode　a　mere　few　feet　over　the　fuselage　of　its　target；　and　that　Flanker　disintegrated　with　no　chute　ing　away　from　it。
　Okay；　three。　This　morning　was　really　shaping　up；　but　now　the　situation　went　back　to　World　War　I。　He　had　to　search　for　targets　visually；　and　searching　for　jet　fighters　in　a　clear　sky　wasn't。。。
　。　。　。　there　。　。　。
　〃You　with　me；　Skippy？〃　he　called　on　the　radio。
　〃Got　you　covered；　Bronco；〃　his　wingman　replied。　〃BANDIT　at　your　one　o'clock；　going　left　to　right。〃
　〃On　him；〃　Winters　replied；　putting　his　nose　on　the　distant　spot　in　the　sky。　His　radar　spotted　it；　locked　onto　it；　and　the　IFF　transponder　didn't　say　friendly。　He　triggered　off　his　second　Slammer：　〃Fox…One　on　the　south　guy！　EAGLE；　Boar　Lead；　how　we　doing？〃
　〃We　show　five　kills　to　this　point。　BANDITs　are　heading　east　and　diving。　Razorback　is　coining　in　from　your　west　with　four；　angels　three…five　at　six　hundred；　now　at　your　ten　o'clock。　Check　your　IFF；　Boar　Lead。〃　The　controller　was　being　careful；　but　that　was　okay。
　〃Boar；　Lead；　check　IFF　now！〃
　〃Two。〃　〃Three。〃　〃Four；〃　they　all　chimed　in。　Before　the　last　of　them　confirmed　his　IFF　transponder　was　in　the　transmit　setting；　Ms　second　Slammer　found　its　target；　running　his　morning's　score　to　four。　Well；　damn；　Winters　thought；　this　morning　is　really　shaping　up　nice。
　〃Bronco；　Skippy　is　on　one！〃　his　wingman　reported；　and　Winters　took　position　behind；　low；　and　left　of　his　wingman。　〃Skippy〃　was　First　Lieutenant　Mario　Acosta；　a　red…haired　infant　from　Wichita　who　was　ing　along　nicely　for　a　child　with　only　two　hundred　hours　in　type。　〃Fox…Two　with　one；〃　Skippy　called。　His　target　had　turned　south；　and　was　heading　almost　straight　into　the　streaking　missile。　Winters　saw　the　Sidewinder　go　right　into　his　right…side　intake；　and　the　resulting　explosion　was　pretty　impressive。
　〃EAGLE；　Boar　Lead；　give　me　a　vector；　over。〃
　〃Boar　Lead；　e　right　at　zero…nine…zero。　I　have　a　BANDIT　at　ten　miles　and　low；　angels　ten；　heading　south　at　six…hundred…plus。〃
　Winters　executed　the　turn　and　checked　his　radar　display。　〃Got　him！〃　And　this　one　also　was　well　within　the　Slammer　envelope。　〃Fox…
　One　with　Slammer。〃　His　fifth　missile　of　the　day　leaped　off　the　rail　and　rocketed　east；　angling　down；　and　again　Winters　kept　his　nose　on　the　target；　ensuring　that　he'd　get　it　on　tape　。。。　yes！　〃That's　a　splash。　Bronco　has　a　splash；　I　think　that's　five。〃
　〃Confirm　five　kills　to　Bronco；〃　EAGLE　Two　confirmed。　〃Nice　going；　buddy。〃
　〃What　else　is　around？〃
　〃Boar　Lead；　the　BANDITs　are　running　south　on　burner；　just　went　through　Mach　One。　We　show　a　total　of　nine　kills　plus　one　damage；　with　six　BANDITs　running　back　to　the　barn；　over。〃
　〃Roger；　copy　that；　EAGLE。　Anything　else　happening　at　the　moment？〃
　〃Ah；　that's　a　negative；　Boar　Lead。〃
　〃Where's　the　closest　tanker？〃
　〃You　can　tank　from　Oliver…Six；　vector　zero…zero…five；　distance　two　hundred；　over。〃
　〃Roger　that。　Flight；　this　is　Bronco。　Let's　assemble　and　head　off　to　tank。　Form　up　on　me。〃
　〃Two。〃　〃Three。〃　〃Four。〃
　〃How　we　doing？〃
　〃Skippy　has　one；〃　his　wingman　reported。
　〃Ducky　has　two；〃　the　second　element　leader　chimed　in。
　〃Ghost　Man　has　two　and　a　scratch。〃
　It　didn't　add　up；　Winters　thought。　Hell；　maybe　the　AWACS　guys　got　confused。　That's　why　they　had　videotape。　All　in　all；　not　a　bad　morning。　Best　of　all；　they'd　put　a　real　dent　in　the　Chim　Flanker　inventory；　and　probably　punched　a　pinhole　in　the　confidence　of　their　Su…27　drivers。　Shaking　up　a　fighter　jock's　confidence　was　almost　as　good　as　a　kill；　especially　if　they'd　bagged　the　squadron　mander。　It　would　make　the　survivors　mad；　but　it　would　make　them　question　themselves；　their　doctrine；　and　their　aircraft。　And　that　was　good。
　
　〃So？〃
　〃The　border　defenses　did　about　as　well　as　one　could　reasonably　expect；〃　Colonel　Aliyev　replied。　〃The　good　news　is　that　most　of　our　men　escaped　with　their　lives。　Total　dead　is　under　twenty；　with　fifteen　wounded。〃
　〃What　do　they　have　across　the　river　now？〃
　〃Best　guess；　elements　of　three　mechanized　divisions。　The　Americans　say　that　they　now　have　six　bridges　pleted　and　operating。　So；　we　can　expect　that　number　to　increase　rapidly。　Chinese　reconnaissance　elements　are　pushing　forward。　We've　ambushed　some　of　them；　but　no　prisoners　yet。　Their　direction　of　advance　is　exactly　what　we　anticipated；　as　is　their　speed　of　advance　to　this　point。〃
　〃Is　there　any　good　news？〃　Bondarenko　asked。
　〃Yes；　General。　Our　air　force　and　our　American　friends　have　given　their　air　force　a　very　bloody　nose。　We've　killed　over　thirty　of　their　aircraft　with　only　four　losses　to　this　point；　and　two　of　the　pilots　have　been　rescued。　We've　captured　six　Chinese　pilots。　They're　being　taken　west　for　interrogation。　It's　unlikely　that　they'll　give　us　any　really　useful　information；　though　I　am　sure　the　air　force　will　want　to　grill　them　for　technical　things。　Their　plans　and　objectives　are　entirely　straightforward；　and　they　are　probably　right　on；　or　even　slightly　in　advance　of　their　plans。〃
　None　of　this　was　a　surprise　to　General　Bondarenko；　but　it　was　unpleasant　even　so。　His　intelligence　staff　was　doing　a　fine　job　of　telling　him　what　they　knew　and　what　they　expected；　but　it　was　like　getting　a　weather　report　in　winter：　Yes；　it　was　cold；　and　yes；　it　was　snowing；　and　no；　the　cold　and　the　snow　will　probably　not　stop；　and　isn't　it　a　shame　you　don't　have　a　warm　coat　to　wear？　He　had　nearly　perfect　information；　but　no　ability　to　do　anything　to　change　the　news。　It　was　all　very　good　that　his　airmen　were　killing　Chinese　airmen；　but　it　was　the　Chinese　tanks　and　infantry　carriers　that　he　had　to　stop。
　〃When　will　we　be　able　to　bring　air　power　to　bear　on　their　spearheads？〃
　〃We　will　start　air…to…ground　operations　this　afternoon　with　Su…31　ground…attack　aircraft；〃　Aliyev　replied。　〃But。　。　。〃
　〃But　what？〃　Bondarenko　demanded。
　〃But　isn't　it　better　to　let　them　e　in　with　minimal　interferenc