The resumption of flights and the resumption of combat readiness duty are provided for the completion of the modification and training of the J-8FR high-altitude and high-speed reconnaissance fighter.

High-altitude and high-speed reconnaissance fighters are nothing new, and during the Cold War, many models appeared in the arms race between the Warsaw Pact and NATO, and in terms of technical standards, many indicators were ahead of their time. The J-8 is actually a fighter that is influenced by the Cold War mentality and pursues high altitude and high speed.

After entering the 21st century, the performance of the J-8 no longer meets the requirements put forward in the new military struggle situation. The idea of the Chinese has always been to be able to use as much as possible, to change and use as much as possible, just like the H-6 bomber, the platform of technology in the fifties, has been changed and changed until you do not know it at all, and has never stopped tapping the combat effectiveness of the old platform.

After the installation of the new fighter, the J-8 not only did not directly eliminate it, but improved it on this basis, changing it to a homeland defense interceptor and a reconnaissance fighter. The FR type appeared under the guidance of such a combat ideology. Make full use of the high-altitude and high-speed performance of the J-8F, cancel unnecessary weapon systems, and install reconnaissance equipment for aerial reconnaissance at the tactical level.

This kind of equipment is new to the Chinese Air Force, and how to use it and how to change it is basically only a theoretical study. Therefore, manufacturers need more feedback from the actual use of the troops, and the troops also need to explore the actual combat application of this type of equipment through modification and use.

The modification with the meaning of experimentation is quite appropriate to hand over to Li Zhan. There were two pilots who had partnered with Li Zhan, Chen Fei and Nie Jianfeng, the former had an accident when he was partnered with Li Zhan, and the latter was unharmed, so the latter modified the J-8FR with Li Zhan.

There are some things that you have to believe, even if you don't believe them, you have to avoid them if you can.

Before the J-8FR, the Air Force and the HNA were also equipped with a forward tactical reconnaissance aircraft, numbered J-8. In the colloquial language of the military, the term "Jian-8" is often used to refer to a tactical reconnaissance aircraft improved on the basis of the Jian-8. The J-8FR is the latest model to be improved on the basis of the J-8, and it is still in a state of high secrecy.

In short, the J-8FR is an improved version of the latest F-type. There are air receiving tubes, a new type of built-in modular reconnaissance pod, optical camera, synthetic aperture radar, external reconnaissance pod, and so on, and other small aspects are improved.

The degree of secrecy of this aircraft can be seen from the fact that after the fighters were in place, the division sent two staff officers with a guard squad to carry out 24-hour guard shifts.

Immediately, after the manufacturer's technical representative and the air division staff arrived, Li Zhan and Nie Jianfeng were thrown into a small guest house and began a two-week secret training. Prior to this, their direct superior, Zhang Wei, had already been trained. Last month, Zhang Wei was promoted to chief of the reconnaissance section and major of the battalion.

At the same time, the Nighthawk Task Force was formally established, with the establishment of deputy battalion level, Li Zhan served as the squadron leader, Nie Jianfeng served as the squadron instructor, and Nie Jianfeng was the deputy captain of the three major teams of the four regiments, with four fighters, two J-8FR tactical reconnaissance aircraft, and two J-7E fighters.

Zhang Wei is the head of the division headquarters in charge of the Nighthawk squadron. In fact, in addition to daily management, the Nighthawk Squadron is already directly under the division headquarters in terms of operations and training.

After August Day, the Nighthawk squadron was officially put on combat readiness duty. This is a relatively fast mod. Among the new pilots, Tang Leilei and Li Hanzhi, as the first pilots to fly solo, used two J-7E to join the Nighthawk squadron, so far the personnel and equipment configuration of the Nighthawk squadron are all in place.

In particular, it should be pointed out that Tang Leilei used Li Zhan's landline 037 J-7E.

Fighter No. 037 has really endured hardships.

After a week of tactical formation training, the two new pilots, Tang Leilei and Li Hanzhi, basically completed the run-in with the old pilots, and the division compiled a combat readiness duty flight schedule for the Nighthawk squadron. Li Zhan and Tang Leilei are in a group, Nie Jianfeng and Li Hanzhi are in a group, a total of two mixed groups.

At 9 o'clock in the morning on the day Bolt broke the world record in the 100-meter run, Li Zhan and Tang Leilei taxied the fighter plane to the take-off position, and the long plane was in front of the wingman on the right side, forming a two-plane take-off formation.

The personnel on duty at the tower performed their duties, and the meteorologist on duty felt a great responsibility after seeing the list of today's flight personnel, and the pressure given by the name Li Zhan was too great. The weather was originally good, but as soon as Li Zhan went to the sky, he could suddenly deteriorate, and even there was a meteorological spectacle of day and night. How not to call the weatherman on duty nervous.

The staff on duty in other posts also have more psychological pressure than usual, and the reason is the same - Li Zhan is preparing to fly because of this huge uncertaintie.

Zhang Wei raised the telescope to observe the twin planes in the take-off position, the microphone in his hand was not put down, and he was sure that the ground support personnel had issued a permit, and he immediately gave an order, "Prepare to take off." ”

"I received it and started sliding." Li Zhan turned his head to look at Tang Leilei behind him, and his right hand, wearing white labor protection gloves, raised three fingers, "Three crutches, three, two, one, release the brakes." ”

At the same time, the brakes were released, and the J-8FR ran quickly with the J-7E, and the two brothers took off in a neat two-plane formation and flew directly into the cruising route. More and more troops are using the method of taking off in formation, which is closer to actual combat, and there are often training plans for mixed formation takeoff.

"Adjust the frequency of 8433333.33, listen to his command, see you later, I wish you well." Zhang Wei gave the contact channel of Nanzhi and said goodbye.

Li Zhan replied, "Frequency 84333:33, listen to Nanzhi's command, goodbye." ”

"Cave call, eighty-four-three-three-three-three." Li Zhan adjusted the frequency and called Nanzhi.

Nan Zhi replied, "I am 84333.33, I am a cave, maintaining the altitude of the course and cruising speed." ”

"Understood, cruise speed." Li Zhan received the throttle to the economic cruising position, and Tang Leilei completed the action at the same time, which was very tacit.

Li Zhan followed the fixed track and started a long-term alert patrol flight with wingman Tang Leilei.

After hanging three auxiliary fuel tanks, the maximum range of the J-8FR with tail number 101 reached 3,500 kilometers, and the maximum range of the No. 037 J-7E fighter piloted by Tang Leilei was also close to 3,000 kilometers.

According to the plan, they were to carry out the pilot close to the edge of the outermost numbered airspace, that is, to do a cruise movement on the inside of the airspace line, a total distance of 2,500 kilometers, and the flight time was about three hours.

This is no small test for fighter pilots.

Fighters are not comparable to passenger aircraft, nor transport aircraft, and they are all second-generation aircraft, and there is no automatic cruise at all, and it all depends on manual control. Moreover, their flight path is tortuous, and when they enter the sea and air, they are more concentrated. Passenger planes cruise at an altitude of 10,000 meters, and their cruising altitude can be as low as 5,000 meters.

After flying out for an hour and everything was normal, the staff on duty at the tower breathed a sigh of relief.