Chapter 222
February 11th, 2021, 07:30
km southwest from Sasebo, Honshu, Nagasaki prefecture, Japan (the 72nd maritime flotilla’s location)
-Captain! The enemy’s Teruzuki ship is now 179km away from our location and in range of our Haesung missile.
A report came into the battle station of the Sukjong (DDG-1005) under the 72nd maritime flotilla while it headed south.
-All commands for battle are now authorized by the operations directors of each vessel. Try to conserve our weaponry as much as possible.
-Yes, commander. We will engage in battle.
A few seconds have passed since the operations director spoke over the communication line when the 48 cell C-VLS-II launchpad began to shoot the subsonic Haesung SSM-700K missile. They shot across the sky and flew south while making a white trail of smoke.
The 15 rounds of the Haesung ship-to-ship missiles reached their maximum altitude and then began to drop. When they were about 5m above the ocean surface, they transitioned into the Sea-Skimming flight method, then began to move towards the 2nd escorting fleet’s vessels.
“The Jeongjo reports that they will begin to launch the Haesung A missiles while we are on the move, sir.”
First Mate Oh Dong-hyun reported the message from the Jeongjo to the captain.
“They are?”
“Yes, sir! They only launched five rounds of the Haesung missiles.”
“All right. Tell them to make their own judgment and fire the missiles.”
“Yes, sir! I will relay the order.”
Captain Kim Ki-ryung glanced at his captain’s monitor. About 20 blue dots were moving southwards at a fast pace. Soon, ten Haesung A missiles flew off from the Jeongjo (DDG-1007).
“The Jeongjo has launched 10 additional rounds of the Haesung A missiles, sir.”
“Has our vessel been detected by the enemy radars?”
“Based on our distance between them, it would be difficult, sir.”
“Of course! They don’t even have any early warning planes, and I am sure it would be a difficult feat to detect our vessel with just the Aegis radar.”
While Captain Kim Ki-ryung and First Mate Oh Dong-hyun were having a conversation, the Haesung A missiles that were four times faster than the normal Haesung missiles began to catch up to them by flying at Mach 3.5. Meanwhile, the Ashikara (DDG-178) Aegis destroyer from the 2nd escorting fleet began to launch SM-2 anti-air missiles to intercept them.
Woosh~ Woosh~
The SM-2 anti-air interception missiles began to fly towards the Haesung missiles gliding across the ocean surface and crashed into them.
Boom~ Bang~ Booooom~
Flashes of light appeared across the ocean’s twilight sky from the explosion.
-14 Haesung missiles were struck down by the 1st interception of the enemy, and the remaining six and the 10 Haesung A are still flying towards the target, sir.
The battle station reported to the bridge in real-time about the status of the battle.
-The enemy vessel is making their 2nd interception attempt.
-Two F-35B jets have taken off from the Kurama. They are at an altitude of 4000 and flying at Mach 1.2.
When the 2nd escorting fleet could not detect the location of the Corean vessels with their Aegis radars, they deployed the F-35B II Lightning jets from the Kurama (DDH-144). Since they were able to detect the approximate location of the enemy when they launched the Haesung A missiles, the F-35BII would act as an early warning plane to find the enemy’s exact location. The 2nd escorting fleet was making do with what they had, and it was an appropriate response.
Also, the 2nd escorting fleet must have celebrated the fact they were able to intercept 14 rounds of the Haesung missiles by using 20 of their SM-2 missiles, However, their second attempt would not be as easy. The subsonic ship-to-ship Haesung A missiles were flying at a speed of Mach 3.5 and had already caught up to the Haesung missiles that were launched before them.
-Eighty-five seconds before the Haesung A missiles reach the enemy vessels! The Haesung missiles are 275 seconds away.
-The enemy vessels have launched 20 rounds of anti-air missiles for their second interception attempt.
-The F-35BII Lightning jets are 132km away from our position and 319 seconds before contact!
The destroyers of the 2nd escorting fleet each launched five rounds of SM-2 missiles after finishing their first interception attempt. The 20 rounds of SM-2 missiles all flew in an arc and split the clouds to allow the morning sun to shine through.
-20 rounds of interception missiles have been launched. The leading Haesung A missile is now 23 seconds from impact.
-12 seconds from impact, 11...
Boom! Boom!
From the captain’s monitor, the blue dots representing the ship-to-ship missiles began to disappear. They had been intercepted by the 2nd escorting fleet’s SM-2 anti-air missiles.
-All six remaining Haesung missiles have been intercepted by the 2nd interception attempt! Only three of the Haesung A missiles have been intercepted, and the remaining seven are still flying towards their targets! 32 seconds before impact!
Instead of fighting a slugfest, the 72nd maritime flotilla was a bit more relaxed compared to the 2nd escorting fleet since they were able to fight while using their stealth capabilities. First mate Lieutenant Colonel Oh Dong-hyun smiled slightly from the recent report and spoke.
“It seems like it is difficult to intercept our Haesung A missiles with the SM-2s captain.”
“Yes, but three were still intercepted, were they not?”
Unlike his first mate, Colonel Kim Ki-young did not seem to be pleased by the report of three Haesung A missiles being intercepted and answered his first mate.
-Enemy destroyers are transitioning to their CIWS, sir!
Most of the Japanese destroyers lacked the RIM-116 short-range missiles interception system being operated by Corea. They only had two MK-15 20mm Phalanx guns.
Woosh~ Wooosh~
The Haesung A missiles popped up to rise from the ocean surface and raised its altitude since it was nearing its target. Meanwhile, the 2nd escorting fleet’s three destroyers and an escorting ship began to operate their CIWS phalanx guns.
The search radar nested within a white tubing mount began to detect the Haesung A missiles flying towards the vessel in the pop-up formation, and the six-barreled guns began to fire 4500 rounds per minute when the interception targets were in range.
Nine streams of 20mm rounds began to fly towards the ship-to-ship missiles. Finally, one of the Haesung A missiles was intercepted and exploded in the air. Then, another explosion occurred.
Two rounds of the Haesung A missiles were intercepted by the net of fire by the phalanx guns, but the rest of them were not intercepted. The Teruzuki (DD-116) Aegis destroyer that was on the lead was hit, and two explosions occurred simultaneously.
The Haesung A missiles had reached a certain altitude by using its pop-up maneuver and crashed into the bridge and tail of the Teruzuki (DD-116). The destroyer with a 7000-ton load-displacement had split in two while spraying flames everywhere and began to sink into the sea.
Boom~ Bang~
Woosh~
The waves from the explosion engulfed the Teruzuki (DD-116) and tore the keel as well. Meanwhile, the Kurama (DDH-144) chopper carrier of the 2nd escorting fleet, was hit by the Haesung A missile on its rear. With the powerful shockwave, the missile pierced through the deck and exploded from the ship’s interior, separating the tail of the ship from its body.
Boom~
-Two rounds of the Haesung missiles have hit the Teruzuki! The vessel seems to be sinking, sir.
With a great explosion, the head of the Kurama (DD-114) rose into the sky while the tail of the ship began to slide into the ocean. The crew of the Kurama who survived the explosion all jumped into the sea to save themselves.
While two destroyers were being sucked up into the ocean, the 13th escorting fleet’s Isoyuki (DD-127) was also hit by two rounds of the Haesung A missiles and split into pieces.
The Atago class Asikara (DDG-178) destroyer could only stand and watch the brutal scene of their fellow destroyers disappearing into the ocean from the explosions.
One of the two F-35 Lightning jets that could only watch the death of their fellow men from the Kurama (DDH-144), who could not even retaliate, reported in some good news.
One of the F-35 Lightning II jets had closed its distance to the 72nd maritime flotilla to 80km, and been struck down by the Haegung missile. However, one of the jets survived and sent in the location of the Sukjong (DDG-1005) and Jeongjo (DDG-1007).
Captain Otohimeo of the Asakara (DDG-178) who had been gritting his teeth in anger, gave the order to launch all 16 rounds of the type-90 ship-to-ship missiles. Then, the Amakiri (DD-154) also launched eight rounds of its type-90 missiles.
Woosh~ Woosh~ Woosh~
Twenty-four rounds of the type-90 ship-to-ship missiles that boasted a range of 200km and speed of Mach 0.95 flew from the launchpads and headed towards the Sukjong (DDG-1005) and Jeongjo (DDG-1007).
-We failed in striking down one of the enemy planes! We are making another interception attempt.
-The Asakara and Amakiri have each launched 16 and 8 rounds of ship-to-ship missiles. There are 24 rounds of missiles in total, and 12 rounds are headed for our vessel and the Jeongjo. The leading missile will reach us in 514 seconds.
The Sukjong’s (DDG-1005) 68 cell C-VLS-III launch pad fired a round of the Haegung ship-to-air missile. The Jeongjo (DDG-1007) followed suit, and the two missiles began to fly across the sky.
-The two Haegung missiles have been successfully launched! 42 seconds from impact!
-We are now entering the interception of the ship-to-ship missiles. Allotting the targets for the Jeongjo now.
-Wait!
Colonel Kim Ki-young, who had been listening to the reports about the battle, suddenly gave the order to halt.
-Is it really necessary to waste our anti-air missiles on them? If we take out that F-35B jet, then the ship-to-ship missiles that the Asikara launched will become useless. If we do fail in taking down the F-35 jet, then we can respond with our anti-air missiles to intercept the ones fired by the enemy.
The type-90 ship-to-ship missiles flying towards the 72nd maritime flotilla’s Hocula destroyer were flying towards their target by radar-guidance from the F-35B Lightning II jet’s location intel. However, if the missiles were to lose the source of their radar-guidance, then they would all lose their target and crash into the ocean or self-destruct.
-Yes, captain.
-Also, launch 2 additional rounds of Haesung A missiles towards the Asikara and Amakiri.
-Allotting targets and launching now, captain.
The Haesung A missiles flew out from the 48 cell C-VLS-II vertical launch pads of the Sukjong (DDG-1005) and the Jeongjo (DDG-1007). The missiles flew south while raising their speed at Mach 3.5.
-Twelve seconds before intercepting the enemy jet!
The Haegung ship-to-air missiles were launched by each vessel and charged towards the F-35B Lightning II jet flying at an altitude of 10km and flying at Mach 6. However, the F-35B lighting II jet’s pilot was a 12-year veteran of the Japanese air force. Also, since he had just survived with his evasive maneuver, he actively engaged in it again.
Pew pew pew pew ~ Woosh~
The jet sprayed chaffs and flared across the sky and began to turn sharply to the left. Then, he turned his jet’s body to the ocean floor and dropped his altitude rapidly. The first Haegung missile targeting the F-35B Lightning II jet skated past the wing of the jet. The pilot of the jet clenched his fist while looking at the Haegung missile flying across the sky from his canopy.
Wooooooosh~
However, the second Haegung missile closed into the lower part of the F-35B jet’s left wing. The pilot pulled on his control lever in surprise, but he was unable to fully evade the attack. The Haegung missile skidded past the jet’s left wing and caused it to tear off. Luckily, an explosion did not occur, but since a whole wing was torn off, the jet began to spin in circles and crash into the sea.
Woosh~ Wooosh~ Crash~
Booooooooooom~
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