"Report!"

When the telecommunications officer walked towards this side, Zhou Yongtao had already turned around to greet him, and got the telegram he had just received before Bai stopped fighting.

That's right, the battle report sent by the captain plane.

The attack was a complete success, having already sunk the "Fengxiang" and severely damaged the "Longxiang", and it was visually judged that the "Longxiang" would soon sink.

According to the usual understanding, before the group returned home, the "Longxiang" had already begun to sink, but it had not completely sunk.

In addition, the attack aircraft group has already withdrawn to the southwest, as planned.

Instead of flying to Ashishima, after leaving the sea area at war, turn southeast.

Because the range was too long to guarantee a rendezvous with the fleet, the fleet flew at cruising speed, with an estimated return time of two hours.

It was 11:45 a.m.

Handing the telegram to Bai Zhizhan, Zhou Yongtao returned to the commander's bridge.

By the time Bai Zhizhan entered, he had already climbed on the chart table, calculating the relevant data of the route.

"Hurry up and prepare now, and launch an attack in the afternoon." When Bai Zhizhan walked over, Zhou Yongtao continued: "After losing the air defense cover, the second main team has become a live target. No matter how bad it is, it will be able to severely damage those battleships. ”

"Don't be in a hurry, you have to arrange one thing first."

Zhou Yongtao was stunned, or didn't react.

"Hurry up and line up a carrier-based aircraft to go to Foot Island, and use the radio over there to send a report to the home fleet, so that the home fleet must advance towards the Watchman Strait at full speed."

"You mean ......"

"Don't overestimate carrier-based aviation, two days in a row with a big victory, luck played a key role. Besides, what if you can defeat the second main team? Bai Zhizhan paused slightly, and then said: "At this point, Gao Ye has no way to retreat. ”

This time, Zhou Yongtao was stunned at first, and then understood.

Without asking much, he beckoned an aviation operations staff officer over.

Bai Zhizhan's last sentence went to the key point.

Takano, there is no way back!

First the mobile fleet was destroyed, then the Fifth Air Force was scattered, and now it is the turn of the Third Air Force, what is left of the Narrow Navy?

Are the few aircraft carriers that are still on the slipway converted from fast cruise ships?

If I had to say, Takano was the first person responsible.

Why?

If it weren't for Takano's insistence, the Sagai Navy might not have started the construction of two super battleships two years ago, and the freed slipway, as well as the more valuable steel production capacity, would not only allow several modified aircraft carriers to be put into service in time, but also build two more fleet aircraft carriers.

With a few more aircraft carriers, even if they are all modified aircraft carriers, this naval battle may be a different ending.

Not to mention anything else, with those aircraft carriers named after "Eagle", then in today's battle, Bai Zhizhan will definitely not dare to be so unrestrained. In a situation that tends to be conservative, with the combat strength of the Third Air Task Force, it is simply impossible to achieve such a major victory. After entering the stalemate phase, the Narrow Navy can no longer do it, and it will be able to follow the example of the last great war and block the extremely important Watchman Strait with mines.

Now, what is left of the Narrow-Sized Navy?

Ten battleships?

It has been proven in actual combat that in battles dominated by carrier-based aviation, the most useful weapons on battleships are a large number of anti-aircraft guns.

Obviously, not to mention the current ten, even if you count the two super battleships that have not yet been built, they can't kill the four fleet aircraft carriers of the Liangxia Navy.

The next battle, in fact, is easy to guess.

The Liang Xia Navy will go out to the Guia Ocean and dispatch a task force with aircraft carriers as the core to blockade the Sagi Empire, intercept all ships bound for the Sagi Empire, and prohibit any country from providing assistance to the Sagi Empire. The narrow navy will take the initiative to attack, but in the vast ocean, the battleships will not be able to catch up with the aircraft carriers at all, and they will not be able to withstand the blows of the carrier-based aviation.

If you want to say, it's better to stay and work hard now.

With Gao Ye's foresight, he will definitely be able to see such a future, and it is very likely that he will gamble everything at this time, take the two main teams to Xuhai, find the local fleet for a decisive battle, and maybe he can also kill a few battleships of the Liang Xia Navy. From his standpoint, he would even take it for granted that he might be able to capture the Third Air Task Force in Asahi, so as to maximize the value of self-sacrifice.

Of course, none of this is critical.

As long as Takaya entangles the home fleet in the Asahi Sea, even for a day, the transport fleet of the Sashii Navy will be able to take the opportunity to send the landing force to the North and South Sadou Islands. After taking control of Shoudao and Lookout, you will be able to follow the example of the previous great war and blockade the Watcher Strait through minelays.

If this is the case, even if Takano leads the main team to be wiped out in Asahi, he can become a hero of the Sasahi Imperial Kingdom.

It can be seen that this is what Bai Zhizhan is most worried about.

It is precisely because of this that Bai Zhizhan asked Zhou Yongtao to make arrangements.

Now the only one that can rush up and plug the gun hole is the home fleet.

Of course, Zhou Yongtao also immediately figured out another key issue.

It is not the second main team that has to be resisted, but the first main team of Takaya, especially the two "Daimon" class battleships.

Either way, you have to find the first main team.

Judging from the current situation, the only one that can be relied on is the 1st Carrier-based Air Wing stationed on Ashshima.

Don't forget, after the group of planes commanded by Ji Yeyan returns to the flight, it will definitely need to take time to carry out maintenance, and there will be no way to dispatch to carry out reconnaissance missions for the time being.

When instructing the staff officers, Zhou Yongtao clearly mentioned this matter.

In addition, if Takano wants to reach the Overwatch Strait as soon as possible, the first main team will not only have to sail at full speed, but also choose the shortest route.

This route passes east of Ashishima.

In terms of time, the first main team will arrive about 400 kilometers away from Ashishima sometime in the afternoon.

This distance is exactly within the strike range of the 1st Carrier Aviation Wing.

Take-off from the airfield at the naval base can be overloaded with carrier-based aircraft, carrying more fuel, and in addition to considering landing in the Third Air Task Force.

All in all, the afternoon action was extremely critical.

Not to mention annihilation, as long as you can force back the first main team, you can achieve a decisive victory.

According to Zhou Yongtao's understanding, the purpose of Bai Zhizhan is likely to be to force back the first main team.

The reason is also very simple.

Having already won a major victory, there is no need to fight to the death with the narrow navy!

What's more, it was the home fleet that came from Asahimi. Bai Zhizhan was originally a person of the Home Fleet, and the current commander of the Home Fleet, Vice Admiral Gui Boyong, has an extraordinary relationship with Bai Zhizhan. Fighting out the native fleet will not do the slightest benefit to stop the war with Belarus.

Of course, the same is true for the Imperial Navy.

Avoiding a decisive battle in order to preserve strength when the main strategic objective has already been achieved is not a sign of cowardice.

The Narrow Navy was nothing more than the first enemy that the Imperial Navy defeated before achieving a total victory, and there were even stronger enemies behind it.

So, the need to waste valuable combat power on an enemy who has already been defeated, or is about to be defeated?

In order to sound better and win a big victory with more face, let thousands of soldiers make senseless sacrifices?

If this is the case, then Bai Zhizhan is not a commander-in-chief worth following!