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"Whoever rules Central Asia controls the island of the world (Eurasia). Pen? Interesting? Pavilion wWw. ｂiquge。 infoWhoever controls the World Island controls the whole world! This is the narrative made by the famous British geopolitical scientist Mackinder at the beginning of the last century.

Whether it's Iraq or Afghanistan, the geographic center of the world, the United States is telling the world that they are moving toward the goal of controlling the world.

Bagram Air Base is located in Parwan Province in eastern Afghanistan, 47 kilometers from Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan, and 700 kilometers from the western border of China.

Back in the 80s of the last century, during the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, the Bagram base was the base for the main Soviet aircraft. A 3,000-meter runway was built that could take off and land large transport aircraft and bombers. After the outbreak of the war in Afghanistan, the Northern Alliance seized the base from the Taliban forces, but after that, the United States gradually seized control of the base.

Since December 01, the United States has consciously built the Bagram base as the main US air base in Afghanistan. In that year, some soldiers from the 10th Mountain Division and the 82nd Airborne Division were stationed here. While expanding the base, the US military also brought in a large number of helicopters, such as H-47 Chinook medium transport helicopters, AH-64 Apache gunships, AH-1 Cobra gunships, and UH-60 Black Hawk gunships.

After more than two years of expansion, Bagram Air Base now houses an infantry brigade of the 10th Mountain Division and an parachute infantry battalion of the 82nd Airborne Division to guard the security of the base. In addition, Bagram Air Base is also home to a squadron of F-15E, F-16C/D, and A-10 attack aircraft. Although there are no aircraft other than the US military in the skies over Afghanistan, the complex terrain of Afghanistan makes the US Army somewhat unable to eliminate the guerrillas who climb mountains and cross the country, and the fighters and attack planes of this squadron are used to strike fatally at the core of some guerrillas at critical times.

Charles was a pilot flying an F-16 fighter jet. He flew an F-16 on the battlefield in Iraq last year and shot down an Iraqi Air Force Mirage III fighter. Although the F-16 and Mirage III are not rivals on the same level, in this era of peace, how many of the millions of pilots in the world have a chance to shoot down an enemy aircraft in the sky?

Because of his exploits in Iraq, Charles was promoted from second lieutenant to lieutenant and became the captain of an F-16 fighter tactical detachment. Today, eight F-16 fighters are stationed at Bagram Air Base.

Although Charles was very happy to be promoted and promoted, since he was stationed in Bagram, Charles's fighting enthusiasm in his genes has gradually cooled. In the sky here, even if you carry two fuel tanks, you don't want to see even a single mosquito with a threatening surname. Of course, this is talking about the airspace of Afghanistan, like the surrounding airspace of Iran, Pakistan, Kyrgyzstan, and even China. However, Charles has never put these ideas into practice, and he knows very well that around Afghanistan, except for Kyrgyzstan and Pakistan, which have close ties with the US military, Iran or China are full of hostility towards the US military, and if they rashly 'enter' the airspace of other countries, they are afraid that it will cause unnecessary disputes.

Today, Charles took a shower and was ready to go to the bar called 'Hometown' on the base for a drink. As a soldier, it is very boring in the base in normal times, and when there is no vacation, these soldiers like to go to the bar to have a drink at night, brag and fart with other comrades, and kill time.

Just as Charles was tidying up his military uniform, picking up his hat and preparing to go out. Suddenly, a piercing siren sounded in the base.

What the hell is going on? This is not an air defense alert, but a combat alert. Could it be that the Afghan guerrillas are calling? Charles opened the door with a puzzled look on his face and walked out. He didn't realize that his tactical detachment would take to the skies later. Because for more than three months in Afghanistan, the Air Force has done very little, most of the time it has solved problems with helicopter squadrons.

Soon, Charles and another lieutenant officer, David, received an order, and the base commander, Major General Freeman, sent the two to the headquarters.

In the office hall of the headquarters, both Charles and David sensed a tense atmosphere. Some staff officers who usually have a good relationship with each other are rushing back and forth with information documents, and they don't seem to notice the two, let alone greet them with a smile as usual.

The two looked at each other, not knowing what was going on.

Soon, General Freeman's lieutenant came to the two and said with a serious face, "Come with me, two of you!" ”

When the three of them entered General Freeman's office, they saw the General standing on a wall-mounted map, holding a magnifying glass and looking closely.

After the two of Charles reported, they both secretly looked at the place where the general was observing: Kandahar!

General Freeman turned his head, looked at the two of them expressionlessly, nodded and said, "I just received a request for help from the 402nd Mechanized Infantry Battalion in Kandahar. It is being attacked by a force of Taliban militants. From the mouth of Lieutenant Colonel Tony, it was learned that the Taliban had taken out all the elite militants this time. The Jibu Battalion is very dangerous there. It's almost impossible to hold on! ”

After the general finished speaking, his sharp eyes glanced at the faces of the two of them, and ordered, "So now, we must give the Jibu Battalion full support." I commanded ......"

Charles and David straightened up and looked at the old man in front of them.

"Your two detachments immediately rushed to Kandahar to provide air support to the aircraft of the infantry battalion. The base will then send the airborne battalion to Kandahar. In order to ensure that nothing goes wrong, especially not to allow the Jibu battalion to be wiped out by the Taliban forces, you don't have to worry about any worries when you arrive in Kandahar, everything is to defend the Jibu battalion! ”

Freeman's last two sentences were deliberately added. Charles and David understood the meaning. With a flicker in his heart, he nodded and said. "Understood!"

After saluting again, the two hurried out. They were going to give orders to the pilots. The two of them must also join in this support themselves.

Twenty minutes later, eight F-16 fighters and four A-10 attack aircraft took off from Bagram airbase. After skillfully forming a formation in the sky, fly towards the southeast.

Although at night, modern aircraft have basically achieved all-weather combat capabilities. Under GPS navigation, as long as it is not the harsh terrain and climate of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, most areas can carry out combat missions 24 hours a day.

More than 20 minutes have passed from receiving Kandahar's request for help to the time the plane takes off. From Bagram Air Base to Kandahar, the time takes about half an hour. After all, the A-10 attack aircraft itself is a subsonic aircraft, and flying at night, it is impossible to be as fast as during the day. Because the aircraft must always be guided by satellites to adjust the flight altitude and direction.

…… On the southeastern outskirts of Kandahar, more than an hour has been raging. The number of casualties among the U.S. soldiers defending the camp is getting bigger and bigger, almost catching up with the soldiers lost by the U.S. military in Afghanistan for more than two years.

What shocked all the US military was that these militants in front of them were not afraid of death. However, it was not recklessly rushing forward with a gun, but with simple tactical cooperation, it gradually encroached on the positions of the US troops. What makes the US military even more frightened is that there are more and more Taliban militants around the camp, from more than 1,000 at the beginning to at least 2,500 at the moment.

Lieutenant Colonel Tony sipped a cigar and walked back and forth in the information center.

"Can anyone tell me where these Taliban fighters came from? Mouse hole? Tony, who was irritable in his heart, could no longer maintain a gentlemanly smile, and yelled at a group of staff officers in the war room with a gloomy face.

All the staff officers were silent, their heads bowed and motionless. The situation is something that no one expected. At that time, the Taliban were very strong, and it reached 30,000 people. However, in the past two years, under the joint attack of the US military and the Northern Alliance, most of the militants have either died in battle or surrendered, and some have gone into hiding. There are even Taliban militants who have left Afghanistan and fled to other countries.

Although armed conflicts occur every day in Afghanistan, all the US troops believe that Afghanistan, like Iraq, will never have large-scale armed conflicts again. In the future, as in Iraq, the climax of terrorist attacks will come. As a result, U.S. commanders and soldiers focus on preventing suicide attacks by Taliban fighters or other guerrilla or terrorist groups against U.S. troops, and rarely prepare large-scale offensive drills.

That's when the Taliban were caught off guard. Originally, with the strength of the 402 Mechanized Infantry Battalion, the Taliban armed more than 1,000 people absolutely could not force the Mechanized Infantry Battalion to the point of imminent surrender. But in the afternoon, the soldiers of the 1st Infantry Company went out to pursue the guerrillas. The soldiers who remained in the camp did not prevent a surprise attack and were preempted by the Taliban forces. Part of the heavy equipment was destroyed in the first round of rocket attacks. Moreover, the bravery and tactical cultivation of the Taliban militants this time was not a peasant with a rifle, but a group of formally trained soldiers. In this way, the Taliban gradually gained the upper hand in the fighting. As time went on, U.S. casualties increased, and the morale of American GIs became more and more depressed. In particular, after the Delta Special Forces were surrounded and unable to support, even some low-ranking officers were filled with pessimism.

In Afghanistan, more than 30,000 U.S. troops are stationed in various locations. Other NATO troops are about 2,500 people. (I wrote before that the U.S. military was 90,000 people, but the younger brother made a mistake, that was the number after 07!) But the closest American team to Kandahar is more than 100 kilometers away. If you want to support here, it will take more than ten hours. Because Afghanistan's domestic transportation network is underdeveloped, there are only a few national highways, and in China, these national highways can be compared with some provincial roads at most, and there are no highways and railways of one meter, which makes it impossible for the US military, which has always pursued heavy troops, to provide land support in a short period of time. The last remaining hope lies in the Air Force. But this kind of melee in the city, the air force does not play a big role. can only suppress the other party for a short time. But the Air Force is not capable of fighting 24 hours a day. Bagram Air Base is about 300 kilometers from Kandahar. The combat radius of ordinary fighters is 1,000 kilometers, which means that the supporting air force can only suppress the opponent in Kandahar for half an hour before returning home. The most important thing is that at the Bagram airbase there are only four attack aircraft, there are no bombers. The suppression of the ground is not ferocious, and even the number of fighters and attack aircraft is only one squadron.

All these contents are well known to the high-ranking officers of the Jibu Battalion.

"Report to the battalion commander, Bagram Air Base called back: air support has departed and will arrive in half an hour. The parachute infantry battalion is ready and will arrive in 45 minutes! An intelligence officer walked into the war room with a document and shouted with joy on his face.

(To be continued)