Chapter 1249 Standard 3, launch!
Pearson's assessment was absolutely correct.
This time it is called anti-satellite, but in fact the test of anti-missile interception is too relevant to be stopped midway.
Although external concerns about this action have never stopped, the plan is still implemented as usual.
For Americans, since the end of the Cold War, the red haze hanging over their heads has completely dissipated, and they no longer need to worry too much about international influence.
Now that you think about it, go for it.
March 5, 2006.
Solomon Islands time, 14:27.
A fleet of five warships is sailing on the Pacific Ocean about 350km northeast of Guam.
Located on the bridge of the USS Kongo destroyer at the outermost part of the formation, Captain Takano Chio held up a telescope and looked at the guided missile cruiser USS Charlotte a few kilometers ahead and to the left.
The other two escort ships, the guided missile destroyer USS Benford and the fuel supply ship USS John Erickson, are in a slightly lagging position, forming a Z-shaped platoon with the former.
In fact, for a modern combat ship, the captain does not appear on the bridge most of the time when performing tasks, but takes charge of the overall situation in the Combat Intelligence Center (CIC).
However, the King Kong has not received any additional instructions since it set sail a few days ago.
Even the Aegis air defense system is strictly prohibited from being turned on.
All this destroyer with a full load displacement of 9,500 tons needs to do is to act as a spectator from a distance outside the fleet...
and mascots.
This inevitably made the crew members who had high morale before departure somewhat discouraged.
In addition, driving a warship named "King Kong" in the waters near the Mariana Islands is indeed a bit of a joke from hell, and it is difficult not to make some strange associations.
But even so, Captain Takano himself is still full of excitement——
Later, the first mass-produced standard 3block1A anti-missile interceptor will be launched from the MK41 vertical launch system on the front deck of the USS Charlotte, and it is expected to shoot down a missile traveling at an altitude of about 500km in 3 minutes. satellite.
Although this interception mission has nothing to do with the Maritime Self-Defense Force from planning to launch, the Standard 3 is after all a "decisive weapon" jointly developed by the two countries, which can always give him a sense of pride.
Due to specific historical reasons, the Self-Defense Forces have long had an inexplicable psychological advantage over China, believing that they should be far stronger than their opponents regardless of equipment level or personnel quality.
Especially sea power.
However, the medium-range ballistic missiles equipped by the latter have always been a lingering shadow.
Therefore, after improvement, the standard 3 with an effective shooting height of hundreds of kilometers has naturally become the heart of Takano and many of his colleagues.
According to the plan, after this interception test is completed, the destroyers Kongo and Myoko will return to the Nagasaki Shipyard to upgrade the 3.6.1 version BMD missile interception system of the same model as the Shiloh.
By then, the Self-Defense Forces will become the second armed force in the world with missile defense capabilities.
The last shortcoming when facing China will also be made up...
Thinking of this, Qianxiong Takano couldn't help but breathe quickly.
The hands holding the telescope were also trembling.
He took two deep breaths before he managed to calm down.
At this time, the telescope's field of view had shifted to the other side of the fleet.
A destroyer that is not affiliated with the US military is also sailing there.
The name of Lord Chungwu Yi Sun-shin.
There was a hint of dissatisfaction in his high ambition.
In the original plan, the interceptor fleet consisted of only four warships, including the King Kong.
However, in the preparation stage for the voyage, Seoul used hard words to request participation on the grounds that it was "facing a more serious intermediate-range missile threat."
So there was this fifth ship member.
However, since the opponent's first destroyer equipped with the Aegis system, the King Sejong the Great, has not yet entered service, only a general-purpose destroyer with a smaller displacement and no regional air defense capability can be arranged to participate.
Obviously there is a qualitative gap between it and King Kong.
"Hmph...just a second-class ally..."
He repeated this sentence silently several times, as if he had found a wonderful sense of superiority.
My mood has gotten better...
……
At the same time, inside the CIC of the cruiser USS Charlotte, there was a completely different tense scene.
Fleet Commander Rear Admiral Paul Hawke was staring seriously at the satellite orbit data transmitted from the data link on the screen in front of him, waiting for the final launch window to arrive.
The AN/SPY1 radar of the Aegis system has been designed for fleet air defense from the beginning. Although it has been modified, it does not support the completion of anti-satellite missions on its own in terms of detection range and field of view.
Especially early warning information can only be shared by the aerospace measurement and control network.
However, no matter how efficient the data link is, there is still a delay. At the same time, the interception window of Standard 3 facing an orbit of 500 kilometers is extremely narrow, which requires very high experience for the commander.
"Captain, the Maui Optical Observation Station reported that the target satellite has entered the transfer orbit!"
The voice of the radio operator behind him made Hawk's brain tense up instantly.
"All members are in place and adjust the Aegis system to semi-automatic combat mode!"
After hesitating for a moment, he added an additional instruction:
"Inform King Kong so that they can activate the data link and air defense command system, but it is still prohibited to turn on the radar."
As his order was issued, the entire warship began to move rapidly like a well-oiled machine.
"Reporting to captain, the C2BMC system has been successfully connected!" "Reporting to captain, the orbit information has been obtained successfully and is ready to be input into the interceptor fire control center!"
"The hot battery is activated and the missile is powered on!"
"Inertial Measurement Unit Zeroed..."
"The LEAP warhead seeker begins to cool down..."
"..."
The first two stages of Standard 3 are the same as the Standard 2 series that Shiloh has launched countless times. The Aegis system will automatically complete the inspection without any additional work.
However, the additional third stage and warhead (fourth stage) are something that no one on the ship has ever been exposed to before, so every step requires special attention.
A few minutes later, the missile preparation was completed and it was ready for launch.
At the same time, the SPY1B radar operating in a narrow pulse and gaze state captured a continuously visible signal.
The distance is 740km, which is almost at the limit of detection capability in anti-missile mode.
"Request the target orbit data from the Space Command again, and be sure to 100% confirm that the approval is correct!"
Hawke knew that everything on this mission was pushed to the limit, so radar resolution wasn't entirely reliable.
There are hundreds of spacecraft flying in the sky. If it hits the wrong target, it will be a very difficult problem even for the US Navy.
Fortunately, the characteristics of the UARS satellite in the process of orbit transfer were too obvious, so the C2BMC system quickly sent back the message that the target was confirmed.
Hawke took a deep breath and stared at the target parameters on the screen.
Ten seconds later, the satellite entered the interception window over the Sea of Okhotsk.
"Launch!"
The weapons control officer beside him, who had practiced many times, pressed the launch button hard, and a vertical launch unit located on the front deck of the Shiloh immediately popped open its cover.
A fifth of a second later, thick smoke and flames suddenly spurted out along the long flame exhaust port in the middle of MK41, almost lighting up the entire front of the bridge.
Immediately afterwards, a standard 3 interceptor bomb that had been prepared broke through the sealing cover, dragging bright yellow flames and billowing white smoke straight into the sky.
After a delay of a few seconds, this spectacular scene was transmitted to the ABC TV studio through two cameras installed on the Shiloh and Benford, and was then broadcast to audiences around the world.
Of course, this also includes Chang Haonan who is at home.
At the moment when the missile was fired on the TV screen, he noticed that Yao Mengna's body, lying on his lap, was slightly tense, and she was obviously very concerned about the result.
If this test is completed successfully, it will certainly not be good news for China.
The guest on TV named Wilbert Pearson Jr. was talking endlessly to the broadcast screen:
"Look, the missile is launched!"
He clenched his fists and leaned forward, as if he wanted to get into the screen:
"Because satellites and missiles fly very fast, and the Standard 3 is a direct-ascent interceptor and does not send the payload into a stable orbit like a rocket, so there is only one very short interception opportunity. Once missed, it means Failure..."
"The last time humans performed the same mission was the time I flew the F15A to launch the ASM135 missile 20 years ago. Even though 21 years have passed, we are still the only ones in the world who have such great technology... It's just that, Back then, we were doing it to protect the free world, but now we are doing it to protect the safety of all mankind..."
"..."
Even though the first two stages of the Standard 3 missile are directly inherited from the Standard 2, so the initial rise speed is much slower than that of its counterparts such as the A235, this lengthy discussion is enough for the missile to disappear from the camera's screen.
In the studio, the relative positions of missiles and satellites can only be understood through a demonstration animation simulated based on radar detection signals.
While the missile was flying, the host quickly intervened in the topic:
"Mr. Pearson, you just mentioned ensuring the safety of all mankind. I would like to know whether some uncontrollable situations will occur after the satellite is hit by a missile?"
Pearson's excited look just now was just fake, but now he became alert when he heard this key question:
"I'm not going to perform a prophetic performance, but I can tell you what happened twenty years ago."
He picked up the satellite model that he had prepared a long time ago, used a pen as a missile, and began to recall the mission that year.
At the same time, high in the sky where no one can see.
The third stage of the Standard 3 interceptor missile has completed its second ignition in accordance with the instructions, sending the missile to an altitude of approximately 400km.
One second later, the second propulsion column burned out, and the MK136 engine was shut down. Then, the MK142 kinetic energy warhead (LEAP), which had already revealed its true identity, was released.
The LEAP, which lost power, failed to escape the capture of the Earth's gravity, and immediately began to slow down and showed weak signs of instability.
But long before the third-stage rocket stopped working, the 256*256-unit pound-tin-mercury focal plane array at the top of the seeker had already captured the infrared signal almost in the center of the field of view.
The 10 surrounding attitude control engines start immediately, adjust the thrust at a frequency of 30 times per second, maintain the seeker's angle and perspective adjustment to the target, and always aim at the target with the most upright attitude.
At this time, the warhead is only about 55km away from the satellite.
The two sides are flying towards each other at a speed of 15km per second.
4 seconds, 3 seconds, 2 seconds...
On the simulation diagram, two light spots of different colors overlapped and then disappeared together.
"Interception...hit!"
Sound cannot be transmitted in outer space without a medium, but the head-on collision between the MK142 kinetic energy warhead and the UARS satellite is still like a bell, ringing heavily in the hearts of all colleagues around the world.
The fireworks that exploded 500km above everyone's heads were just like the supreme military and technological hegemony of the United States.
Seems...invincible.
(End of chapter)