The military-industrial scientific research system of the academic master

Pearson's estimate was completely correct.

This test, called anti-satellite, was actually an anti-missile interception test. The connection was too great to be stopped midway.

Although the outside world's concerns about this action have never stopped, the plan is still being 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 have to worry about too many international impact issues.

Since you have thought about it, just do 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.

In the bridge of the Kongo destroyer, which is located at the outermost of the formation, Captain Takano Chio holds a telescope in his hand and looks at the Charlotte missile cruiser a few kilometers away on the left front.

The other two escort ships, the Benford missile destroyer and the John Erickson fuel supply ship, are slightly behind, forming a herringbone platoon with the former.

In fact, for a modern combat ship, the captain is not on the bridge most of the time when performing missions, but in charge of the overall situation in the combat intelligence center (CIC).

However, since the departure a few days ago, the Kongo has not received any additional instructions.

Even the Aegis air defense system has been strictly prohibited from being turned on.

All this destroyer with a full load displacement of up to 9,500 tons needs to do is to follow the fleet from a distance as a spectator...

and a mascot.

This inevitably made the crew members who were in high spirits before departure a little discouraged.

In addition, driving a warship named "Kongo" in the waters near the Mariana Islands is indeed a bit of a hell joke, and it is difficult for people 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 Charlotte, and it is expected to shoot down a satellite operating at an altitude of about 500km in 3 minutes.

Although this interception mission had nothing to do with the Maritime Self-Defense Force from planning to launching, the Standard 3 was after all a "decisive weapon" jointly developed by the two countries, which always gave him a sense of honor.

Due to specific historical reasons, the Self-Defense Force has long had an inexplicable psychological advantage over China, believing that it should be far stronger than its opponents in terms of equipment level and personnel quality.

Especially the maritime forces.

But the medium-range ballistic missiles equipped by the latter have always been a lingering shadow.

Therefore, after being improved, the Standard 3, which has an effective firing height of hundreds of kilometers, naturally became the psychological sustenance of Takano and many of his colleagues.

According to the plan, after the completion of this interception test, the Kongo and Myoko destroyers will return to the Nagasaki Shipyard to upgrade the same 3D missile interception system as the Charlotte.

By then, the Self-Defense Force 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, Takano Chihiro's breathing became rapid.

His hands holding the telescope were shaking.

He took two deep breaths and managed to calm himself down.

At this time, the telescope's field of view had shifted to the other side of the fleet.

There was also a destroyer that was not affiliated with the US military.

The Chungmugong Yi Sun-sin.

Takano felt a little unhappy.

In the initial plan, the interception fleet consisted of only four warships, including the Kongo.

But in the preparation stage for the voyage, Seoul asked to participate in it on the grounds of "facing a more serious threat from intermediate-range missiles."

So there was this fifth member.

But because the opponent's first destroyer, the King Sejong, equipped with the Aegis system, had not yet been put into service, only a general-purpose destroyer with a smaller displacement and no regional air defense capability could be arranged to participate.

Obviously, there was a qualitative gap between it and the Kongo.

"Humph... just a second-class ally..."

He repeated this sentence silently several times, as if he had found a strange sense of superiority.

My mood also improved...

At the same time, in the CIC of the USS Charlotte, there was a completely different tense scene.

Fleet commander Rear Admiral Paul Hawke was staring at the satellite orbit data transmitted by the data link on the screen in front of him with a serious face, waiting for the arrival of the final launch window.

The AN/SPY1 radar of the Aegis system was designed for fleet air defense from the beginning. Although it has been modified, it does not support the completion of anti-satellite missions alone, whether in terms of detection distance or field of view.

Especially the early warning information, which can only be shared by the aerospace measurement and control network.

However, no matter how efficient the data link is, there is a delay. At the same time, the interception window of the standard 3 facing the 500-kilometer orbit is extremely narrow, which requires a very high level of experience from the commander.

"Captain, the Maui Optical Observatory reported that the target satellite has entered the transfer orbit!"

The voice of the radio operator behind him made Hawke's brain tighten instantly.

"All members are in place, adjust the Aegis system to semi-automatic combat mode!"

After a slight hesitation, 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!"

"Report to Captain, the orbital information has been successfully obtained and is ready to be entered into the interceptor fire control center!"

"The hot battery is activated and the missile is powered on!"

"The inertial measurement device resets to zero..."

"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 that was 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.

"emission!"

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 outcome.

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, leaned forward, and looked like 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 fail……"

“The last time humans performed the same mission was when I flew an F15A to launch an 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 do a prophetic show, 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 started up immediately, adjusting the thrust at a frequency of 30 times per second, maintaining the angle and perspective adjustment of the seeker to the target, and always aiming at the target with the most correct attitude.

At this time, the warhead was only about 55km away from the satellite.

And the two sides were 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.

"Intercept... hit!"

Outer space without a medium cannot transmit sound, but the head-on collision between the MK142 kinetic warhead and the UARS satellite is still like a huge bell, ringing heavily in the hearts of all colleagues around the world.

The fireworks that exploded 500km above everyone's head are just like the United States' high military and technological hegemony.

It seems... invincible.