Chapter 15 Take-Off and Intercept (Please Collect!)

After the EP-3 made an emergency landing at the Sokolovka base yesterday, the base entered level one combat readiness. All fighter jets in the base that were able to take off had completed all preparations before takeoff and were ready to intercept at any time.

Now, hearing the alarm, Andre closed the canopy and immediately signaled the ground crew to check the canopy locking status, move the ladder, and then drag the MiG-25 fighter out of the hangar.

At this time, the two MiG-25s on standby on the runway had already aimed at the runway. Andrei, who had answered the radio, heard the voice of Commander Kozhedub in his headset: "The entire regiment takes off and prepares to meet the enemy!"

Through the automated air defense system, long-range radars have discovered that the island country has launched a large number of fighter jets, which are flying from the southeast and have crossed the median line of the Sea of ​​Japan!

Judging from the targets intercepted by the radar, the enemy has taken off twenty fighter jets. In this case, we should also go all out to meet the enemy. This is the mission of the Sokolovka base!

The 513th Aviation Regiment has a total of twenty-four MiG-25 fighters. Excluding those under maintenance, there are only eighteen that can be deployed. In terms of numbers, they are still at a disadvantage, so all of them must be used to meet the enemy!

In the Cold War, this kind of air confrontation is quite dangerous, but we must show our ability! The Americans are so aggressive, we must not show weakness! Last night, Moscow has issued an order! If we can win glory for the country this time, we will be awarded a first-class group merit, and Kozhedub will be promoted and transferred to Moscow.

Meet the enemy!

Hot flames spewed out of the tail of the MiG-25 fighter, pushing the fighter to taxi on the runway and take off, one after another. Since the establishment of this base, this was the first time that almost the entire aviation regiment took off to meet the enemy!

In fact, the entire Primorsky Krai is responsible for the front-line combat mission against the US troops stationed in Japan. The aviation force is not limited to the Sokolovka base. In the southern military town of Vladivostok, there is an important Soviet air force base in the Far East, Nakhodka, which is stationed with the Soviet Union’s elite 47th Regiment, all of which use MiG-23 fighters.

In the Soviet Union, the division of military services was somewhat different from that in Western countries. It was not just the Air Force that flew into the sky, there was also the Air Defense Force.

The main tasks of the Soviet Air Force are to seize air superiority, attack enemy land and naval groups, destroy enemy important military industrial and transportation targets, destroy enemy war potential, attack enemy command and communication institutions and facilities, support land and naval operations, airborne, air transport, aerial reconnaissance, etc. This is the same as the purpose of the air forces of other countries, to wave a powerful fist to the outside world.

The air defense force appeared after World War II. The successful strategic bombing of Germany and Japan by the Allied bomber groups in World War II greatly shocked the Soviet leaders. After World War II, the two sides entered the Cold War. The US Air Force was equipped with a large number of airborne nuclear weapons and long-range strategic bombers, which posed a serious air threat to important targets in the depth of the Soviet mainland. Therefore, the Soviet Union established an independent air defense force in the late 1950s, which was composed of radar soldiers, air defense missile soldiers, various professional arms and special air defense interceptors to form a three-dimensional national air defense combat system. The main task is to guard against long-range reconnaissance aircraft and long-range bombers from Western countries. Due to the vast territory of the Soviet Union, professional interceptors need to arrive quickly and use their own special missiles to complete the task, and do not need the same excellent combat capabilities as fighters.

To put it simply, the main task of the Soviet Air Force was to attack foreign countries, which was offensive, while the main task of the Air Defense Force was to protect the vast territory of the Soviet Union from air attacks by enemy countries, which was defensive.

Now, when they discovered that the island nation had launched a large number of aircraft, the first to accept the mission were the air defense forces! The MiG-25 had the advantage of a fast sprint, and could reach the interception position in the first place. It also had high-power radar and medium-range missiles, and could intercept from a long distance. At this time, the Soviet Union had completed the deployment of an automated air defense system, and the MiG-25 fighter could actively engage the enemy under the CGI guidance of the automated air defense system.

At this time, the air force base in Vladivostok also became busy, ready to join the battle at any time.

Andre, wearing a flight helmet that almost covered his entire head and a high-altitude compensation suit, flipped various switches on the panel with his gloved hands.

The two R-15BD-300 engines at the tail started up quickly, making a huge roar. This largest turbojet engine can even accommodate ground crew members directly into the tail nozzle. The afterburner thrust is as high as 112 kilonewtons, which is already a high-thrust engine in this era. Combined with the aerodynamic shape of the fighter for high-altitude sprints, it can reach a speed of more than Mach 3.

After releasing the brakes and sliding toward the runway, Andrei glanced to the side. He was the lead plane, and Captain Belenko was not there.

Belenko's plane had a problem and was still being repaired. He would not be able to fly back into the skies for at least a week. Thinking of Belenko, Andrei became uneasy again. He shook his head, forgot about how to deal with the traitor, and focused on this interception flight.

"Sokolovka, 032 requests takeoff." Andrei shouted on the radio.

"Take off immediately and follow the Second Squadron to the 14th Marine Area."

"Got it." Andre replied calmly and turned on the afterburner.

With blazing flames spurting out of the tail and the two engines bursting out with maximum thrust, the MiG-25 slid quickly on the runway and then pointed straight into the blue sky.

The fighter planes of later generations, such as the J-11 piloted by Andre, had a thrust-to-weight ratio that had long exceeded 1, and after takeoff, they could climb upward at a large angle of attack.

But now, although the engine of this MiG-25 is powerful, the fuselage is heavier. Now, the total weight of the MiG-25 filled with fuel is as high as 36 tons! If you want to take off at a high angle of attack, then don't dream about it. However, the overall design of the fighter is still good, which is reflected in the minimum take-off speed of the aircraft, which is only more than 300 kilometers per hour.

Through the narrow window of the flight helmet, Andre watched the horizon recede rapidly. Then, he pulled up the control stick, lifted the front wheel, and after taxiing for another two seconds, the fighter suddenly became lighter and left the runway.

The airflow from the tail drew a line in the sky. Following the airflow of the second brigade in front, Andre accelerated while climbing.

This improved fighter was also equipped with a larger engine than the MiG-25P. It can be found that its climbing ability was significantly improved compared to the prototype. Although it was the last to take off, Andrei quickly caught up with the second squadron in front and joined the formation.