Volume 1: The Empire Awakens Chapter 56: Spring Military Exercises (Part 2)
During the first ten days of the military exercise, apart from the artillery performance of the First Fleet at the opening ceremony, the other activities mainly involved non-combat inspection projects and joint training with naval warships of other countries, etc., which had far greater diplomatic significance than military significance.
Moreover, during these ten days, a total of five banquets were held, including receptions hosted by Prince Ninghai, the Chief of the Cabinet, the Commander-in-Chief of the Navy, Prince Eugen, and the Crown Prince of Persia.
Tan Renhao and his group were not qualified to attend these high-end banquets. They didn't even have the chance to go ashore. Most of the hotels and dormitories on shore were provided to senior military officers and envoys from other countries. They, the low-ranking officers, non-commissioned officers, and sailors could only live on warships.
This was not much different from wartime life, except that the warships anchored in the port at night and did not have to withstand the test of wind and waves at sea, and that they could enjoy a relatively sumptuous dinner provided by the Navy Headquarters canteen every night.
Ten days later, the warships from other countries and the observers left one after another, and the highlight of the military exercise really began at this time.
General Liao Hanxiang also came to the flagship on the morning of the eleventh day and immediately convened a staff meeting.
"The fleet will leave port tomorrow morning."
Chief of Staff Wu Xianyu introduced the mission. "Our confrontation exercise with the First Fleet will begin the day after tomorrow. According to the plan, the First Fleet will be covered by shore-based aviation this time. Our mission is to 'annihilate' the First Fleet. Colonel Ji Xiaobin."
Ji Xiaobin stood up and continued Chief of Staff Wu Xianyu’s words: “We will have one day to complete the offensive plan.
Marshal Sagittin will observe the entire exercise on the First Fleet's flagship, the Dignity.
This is the best opportunity to prove the strength of the Fifth Fleet. If we can successfully complete the exercise and win , Marshal Sajidin will approve the future development plan of the fleet submitted by Commander Liao. "
"In other words, this exercise will directly determine the fate of the Fifth Fleet."
General Liao Hanxiang came over and said, "Different exercise results will bring different destinies to the Fifth Fleet. I don't have any special requirements for you. I just hope that you can stick to your posts and do what an Imperial Navy soldier should do!"
"yes!"
Dozens of staff officers perked up.
The Fifth Fleet has worked hard for more than a year, and now it is time to show its true strength to the outside world.
Tan Renhao was still assigned to Colonel Ji Xiaobin. Just as he expected, Colonel Ji Xiaobin assigned him aviation combat missions.
The specific attack plans were planned by a three-person team led by Tan Renhao.
The positions of these three people are very important. The entire exercise will be centered on the attack of the Fifth Fleet, and they are the ones who plan the attack.
The fleet left Zhoushan Port in the morning, and Tan Renhao and his men also moved to the Emperor "Taizu".
The fleet's aviation combat command is located on this battleship. In addition to being able to command the aviation forces more directly, there is not enough space on the "Yancheng" to accommodate the aviation combat command.
Accompanied by more than a dozen escort warships, the three aircraft carriers sailed towards the designated sea area.
In name, the Fifth Fleet is one of the five major fleets of the Empire (the Central Fleet, directly commanded by the Imperial Naval Command). In fact, the Fifth Fleet is the smallest of the five major fleets, even smaller than the other two local fleets.
Even if all ships with a displacement of more than 500 tons and logistical support vessels are counted, the Fifth Fleet has less than 50 ships in total.
The First Fleet, one of the five largest fleets, has more than 300 ships, the Second Fleet has more than 250 ships, and even the Fourth Fleet has more than 150 ships.
In terms of size alone, the Fifth Fleet is the worst.
It can be said that the discrimination suffered by the Fifth Fleet is quite common. However, the Fifth Fleet has a great leader. At the same time, General Liao Hanxiang is the soul of the Fifth Fleet.
Since he came to the Imperial Navy more than ten years ago and started to organize the naval aviation force, General Liao Hanxiang has been busy with the affairs of the Fifth Fleet.
After the Fifth Fleet was established, he gave up his position as Naval Aviation Commander and took the initiative to apply for the position of Commander of the Fifth Fleet.
Under extremely harsh conditions, General Liao Hanxiang not only led the Fifth Fleet to success, but his beliefs were gradually recognized by the officers and soldiers of the Fifth Fleet. He also used his strong personal charm to attract many young officers to join the Fifth Fleet, including outstanding talents like Tan Renhao, and many officers and soldiers of the Army Aviation also defected to the Fifth Fleet.
In just a few months, Tan Renhao not only became familiar with this great general, but also deeply felt the enthusiasm exuded by Liao Hanxiang, his firm belief in his ideals, and his love and care for his subordinates.
With such a leader, the Fifth Fleet is definitely not an ordinary unit.
Tan Renhao knew even more clearly that this spring military exercise would be a turning point in the fate of the Fifth Fleet. Although the dominant position of naval aviation and strike fleets centered on aircraft carriers in naval battles had been proven many times before, the current exercise was decisive.
In order to convince those who still firmly believe that battleships, the "sea giants", will still be the future maritime overlords that the "aircraft carrier era" has arrived, more direct evidence must be used to prove it.
The best way, naturally, is to let the Fifth Fleet completely defeat the First Fleet, which claims to be the best in the world, in the exercise.
While Tan Renhao and other staff officers were actively planning the offensive, the ordnance officers and soldiers on the aircraft carrier, as well as the aviation ground crew, also became busy.
Because it was an exercise, real ammunition could not be used, so simulated ammunition was used.
These simulated bombs and simulated torpedoes have the same appearance and basic performance as real ammunition, except that the warheads are filled with pigment instead of explosives.
Whenever the bomb hit the battleship, the paint inside would splash out, leaving a very obvious mark.
The same goes for torpedoes. As long as the warships are concentrated, the surrounding sea water will be dyed with color.
The aviation ground crew are busy checking combat aircraft. Although the Fifth Air Wing and the Fifth Fleet are two separate forces , in actual combat and exercises, the Fifth Air Wing is commanded by the Fifth Fleet. Therefore, these personnel are now also part of the Fifth Fleet.
