tc.thebearandthedragon-第182部分

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　Colonel　Bronco　Winters　now　had　seven　red　stars　painted　on　the　side　panel　of　his　F…15C；　plus　four　of　the　now…defunct　UIR　flags。　He　could　have　painted　on　some　marijuana　or　coca　leaves　as　well；　but　that　part　of　his　life　was　long　past；　and　those　kills　had　been　blacker　than　his　uncle　Ernie；　who　still　lived　in　Harlem。　So；　he　was　a　double…ace；　and　the　Air　Force　hadn't　had　many　of　those　on　active　duty　in　a　very　long　time。　He　took　his　flight　to　what　they　had　taken　to　calling　Bear　Station；　on　the　western　edge　of　the　Chinese　advance。
　It　was　an　EAGLE　station。　There　were　now　over　a　hundred　F…16　fighters　in　Siberia；　but　they　were　mainly　air…to…mud　rather　than　air…to…air；　and　so　the　fighting　part　of　the　fighter　mission　was　his　department；　while　the　…16　jocks　grumbled　about　being　second…class　citizens。　Which　they　were；　as　far　as　Colonel　Winters　thought。　Damned　little　single…engine　pukes。　Except　for　the　F…16CGs。　They　were　useful　because　they　were　dedicated　to　taking　out　enemy　radars　and　SAM　sites。　The　Siberian　Air　Force　（so　they　now　deemed　themselves）　hadn't　done　any　air…to…mud　yet。　They　had　orders　not　to；　which　offended　the　guys　whose　idea　of　fun　was　killing　crunchies　on　the　ground　instead　of　more　manly　pursuits。　They　didn't　have　enough　bombs　for　a　proper　bombing　campaign　yet；　and　so　they　were　ing　up　just　to　ride　guard　on　the　E…3Bs　in　case　Joe　Chink　decided　to　go　after　them…it　was　a　hard　mission；　but　marginally　doable；　and　Bronco　was　surprised　that　they　hadn't　made　the　attempt　yet。　It　was　a　sure　way　to　lose　a　lot　of　fighter　planes；　but　they'd　lost　a　bunch　anyway；　and　why　not　lose　them　to　a　purpose　。　。　。　？
　〃Boar　Lead；　this　is　EAGLE　Two；　over。〃
　〃Boar　Leader。〃
　〃We　show　something　happening；　numerous　BANDITs　one…four…five　your　position；　angels　three…three；　range　two　hundred　fifty　miles；　ing　north　at　six　hundred　knots…make　that　count　thirty…plus　BANDITs；　looks　like　they're　ing　right　for　us；　Boar　Lead；〃　the　controller　on　the　AWACS　reported。
　〃Roger；　copy　that。　Boar；　Lead；〃　he　told　his　flight　of　four。　〃Let's　get　our　ears　perked　up。〃
　〃Two。〃　〃Three。〃　〃Four；〃　the　rest　of　his　flight　chimed　in。
　〃Boar　Leader；　this　is　EAGLE　Two。　The　BANDITs　just　went　supersonic；　and　they　are　heading　right　for　us。　Looks　like　they're　not　kidding。　Vector　right　to　course　one…three…five　and　prepare　to　engage。〃
　〃Roger；　EAGLE。　Boar　Lead；　e　right　to　one…three…five。〃
　〃Two。〃　〃Three。〃　〃Four。〃
　Winters　checked　his　fuel　first　of　all。　He　had　plenty。　Then　he　looked　at　his　radar　display　for　the　picture　transmitted　from　the　AWACS；　and　sure　enough；　there　was　a　passel　of　BANDITs　inbound；　like　a　plete　Chim　regiment　of　fighters。　The　bastards　had　read　his　mind。
　〃Damn；　Bronco；　this　looks　like　a　knife　fight　ing。〃
　〃Be　cool；　Ducky；　we　got　better　knives。〃
　〃You　say　so；　Bronco；〃　the　other　element　leader　answered。
　〃Let's　loosen　it　up；　people；〃　Colonel　Winters　ordered。　The　flight　of　four　F…15Cs　separated　into　two　pairs；　and　the　pairs　slipped　apart　as　well　so　that　each　could　cover　the　other；　but　a　single　missile　could　not　engage　both。
　The　display　between　his　legs　showed　that　the　Chinese　fighters　were　just　over　a　hundred　miles　off　now；　and　the　velocity　vectors　indicated　speeds　of　over　eight　hundred　knots。　Then　the　picture　dirtied　up　some。
　〃Boar　Lead；　looks　like　they　just　dropped　off　tanks。〃
　〃Roger　that。〃　So；　they'd　burned　off　fuel　to　get　altitude；　and　now　they　were　mitted　to　the　battle　with　full　internal　fuel。　That　would　give　them　better　legs　than　usual；　and　they　had　closed　to　less　than　two　hundred　miles　between　them　and　the　E…3B　Sentry　they　clearly　wanted　to　kill。　There　were　thirty　people　on　that　converted　707；　and　Winters　knew　a　lot　of　them。　They'd　worked　together　for　years；　mainly　in　exercises；　and　each　controller　on　the　Sentry　had　a　specialty。　Some　were　good　at　getting　you　to　a　tanker。　Some　were　good　at　sending　you　out　to　hunt。　Some　were　best　at　defending　themselves　against　enemies。　This　third　group　would　now　take　over。　The　Sentry　crewmen　would　think　this　wasn't　cricket；　that　it　wasn't　exactly　fair　to　chase　deliberately　after　a　converted　obsolete　airliner　。。。　just　because　it　acted　as　bird…dog　for　those　who　were　killing　off　their　fighter…pilot　rades。　Well；　that's　life；　Winters　thought。　But　he　wasn't　going　to　give　any　of　these　BANDITs　a　free　shot　at　another　USAF　aircraft。
　Eighty　miles　now。　〃Skippy；　follow　me　up；〃　the　colonel　ordered。
　〃Roger；　Lead。〃　The　two　clawed　up　to　forty　thousand　feet；　so　that　the　cold　ground　behind　the　targets　would　give　a　better　contrast　for　their　infrared　seekers。　He　checked　the　radar　display　again。　There　had　to　be　a　good　thirty　of　them；　and　that　was　a　lot。　If　the　Chinese　were　smart；　they'd　have　two　teams；　one　to　engage　and　distract　the　American　fighters；　and　the　other　to　blow　through　after　their　primary　target。　He'd　try　to　concentrate　on　the　latter；　but　if　the　former　group's　pilots　were　petent；　that　might　not　be　easy。
　The　warbling　tone　started　in　his　headphones。　The　range　was　now　sixty　miles。　Why　not　now？　he　asked　himself。　They　were　beyond　visual　range；　but　not　beyond　range　of　his　AMRAAM　missiles。　Time　to　shoot　'em　in　the　lips。
　〃Going　Slammer；〃　he　called　on　the　radio。
　〃Roger；　Slammer；〃　Skippy　replied　from　half　a　mile　to　his　right。
　〃Fox…One！〃　Winters　called；　as　the　first　one　leapt　off　the　rails。　The　first　Slammer　angled　left；　seeking　its　designated　target；　one　of　the　enemy's　leading　fighters。　The　closure　speed　between　missile　and　target　would　be　well　over　two　thousand　miles　per　hour。　His　eyes　dropped　to　the　radar　display。　His　first　missile　appeared　to　hit…yes；　the　target　blip　expanded　and　started　dropping。　Number　Eight。　Time　for　another：　〃Fox…One！〃
　〃Fox…One；〃　his　wingman　called。　Seconds　later：　〃Kill！〃　Lieutenant　Acosta　called。
　Winters's　second　missile　somehow　missed；　but　there　wasn't　time　for　wondering　why。　He　had　six　more　AMRAAMs；　and　he　pickled　four　of　them　off　in　the　next　minute。　By　that　time；　he　could　see　the　inbound　fighters。　They　were　Shenyang　J…8IIs；　and　they　had　radars　and　missiles；　too。　Winters　flipped　on　his　jammer　pod；　wondering　if　it　would　work　or　not；　and　wondering　if　their　infrared　missiles　had　all…aspect　targeting　like　his　Sidewinders。　He'd　probably　find　out　soon；　but　first　he　fired　off　two　'winders。　〃Breaking　right；　Skippy。〃
　〃I'm　with　you；　Bronco；〃　Acosta　replied。
　Damn；　Winters　thought；　there　are　still　at　least　twenty　of　the　fuckers。　He　headed　down；　speeding　up　as　he　went　and　calling　for　a　vector。
　〃Boar　Lead；　EAGLE；　there's　twenty…three　of　them　left　and　they're　still　ing。　Dividing　into　two　elements。　You　have　BANDITs　at　your　seven　o'clock　and　closing。〃
　Winters　reversed　his　turn　and　racked　his　head　against　the　g…forces　to　spot　it。　Yeah；　a　J…8　all　right；　the　Chinese　two…engine　remake　of　the　MiG…21；　trying　to　get　position　to　launch　on　him…no；　two　of　the　bastards。　He　reefed　the　turn　in　tight；　pulling　seven　gees；　and　after　ten　endless　seconds；　getting　his　nose　on　the　targets。　His　left　hand　selected　Sidewinder　and　he　triggered　two　off。
　The　BANDITs　saw　the　smoke　trails　of　the　missiles　and　broke　apart；　in　opposite　directions。　One　would　escape；　but　both　the　heat…seekers　locked　on　the　guy　to　the　right；　and　both　erased　his　aircraft　from　the　sky。　But　where　had　the　other　one　gone？　Winters'　eyes　swept　a　sky　that　was　both　crowded　and　empty　at　the　same　time。　His　threat　receiver　made　its　unwele　screeching　sound；　and　now　he'd　find　out　if　the　jammer　pod　worked　or　not。　Somebody　was　trying　to　lock　him　up　with　a　radar…guided　missile。　His　eyes　swept　around　looking　for　who　that　might　be；　but　he　couldn't　see　anyone…
　…Smoke　trail！　A　missile；　heading　in　his　general　direction；　but　then　it　veered　and　exploded　with　its　target…friend　or　foe；　Winters　couldn't　tell。
　〃Boar　Flight；　Lead；　check　in！〃　he　ordered。
　〃Two。〃　〃Three。〃　A　pause　before：　〃Four！〃
　〃Skippy；　where　are　you？〃
　〃Low　and　right；　one　mile；　Leader。　Heads　up；　there's　a　BANDIT　at　your　three　and　closing。〃
　〃Oh；　yeah？〃　Winters　yanked　his　fighter　to　the　right　and　was　rewarded　with　an　immediate　warbling　tone…but　was　it　friend　or　foe？　His　wingman　said　the　latter；　but　he　couldn't　tell；　until…
　Whoever　it　was；　it　had　launched　at　him；　and　so　he　triggered　a　Sidewinder　in　reply；　then　dove　hard　for　the　deck　while　punching　off　flares　and　chaff　to　distract　it。　It　worked。　The　missile；　a　radar　seeker；　exploded　harmlessly　half　a　mile　behind　him；　but　his　Sidewinder　didn't　miss。　He'd　just　gotten　another　kill；　but　he　didn't　know　how　many　today；　and　there　wasn't　time　to　think　things　over。
　〃Skippy；　form　up　on　me；　we're　going　north。〃
　〃Roger；　Bronco。〃
　Winters　had　his　radar　on；　and　he　saw　at　least　eight　enemy　blips　to　the　north。　He　went　to　afterburner　to　chase；　checking　his　fuel　state。　Still　okay。　The　EAGLE　accelerated　rapidly；　but　just　to　be　safe；　he　popped　off　a　string　of　chaff　and　flares　in　case　some　unknown　Chinese　was　shooting　at　him。　The　threat　receiver　was　screeching　continuously　now；　though　not　in　the　distinctive　chirping　tone　that　suggested　lock…up。　He　checked　his　weapons　board。　Three　AIM…9X　Sidewinders　left。　Where　the　hell　had　this　day　gone　to？
　〃Ducky　is　hit；　Ducky　is　hit！〃　a　voice　called。　〃Aw；　shit！〃
　〃Ghost　Man　here；　got　the　fucker　for　you；　Ducky。　e　right；　let　me　give　you　a　damage　check。〃
　〃One　engine　gone；　other　one's　running　hot；〃　the　second　element　leader　reported；　in　a　voice　more　angry　than　afraid。　He　didn't　have　time　for　fear　yet。　Another　thirty　seconds　or　so　and　that　would　start　to　take　hold；　Winters　was　sure。
　〃Ducky；　you're　trailing　vapor　of　some　sort；　remend　you　find　a　place　to　set　it　down。〃
　〃EAGLE　Two；　Bronco；　what's　happening？〃
　〃Bronco；　we　have　six　still　inbound；　putting　Rodeo　on　it　now。　You　have　a　BANDIT　at　your　one　o'clock　at　twenty　miles；　angels　three…one；　speed　seven…five…zero。〃
　〃Roger　that；　EAGLE。　I'm　on　him。〃　Winters　came　a　little　right　and　got　another　acquisition　tone。　〃Fox…Two！〃　he　called。　The　smoke　trail　ran　straight　for　several　miles；　then　corkscrewed　to　the　left　as　it　approached　the　little　dot　of　gray…blue　and　。　。　。　yes！
　〃Rodeo　Lead；〃　a　new　voice　called。　〃Fox…One；　Fox…One　with　two！〃
　〃Conan；　Fox…One！〃
　Now　things　were　really　getting　nervous。　Winters　knew　that　he　might　be　in　the　line　of　fire　for　those　Slammers。　He　looked　down　to　see　that　the　light　on　his　IFF　was　a　friendly；　constant　green。　The　Identificati