"Judging from the combat situation and the attack tactics specially adopted, it is very likely that the Liangxia fleet will take the 52nd Task Force as ours, and think that it is the 51st Task Force that rushes ahead. Otherwise, with the rational use of three attack aircraft groups, at least one aircraft carrier can be sunk. ”

"What's the difference?"

Stark asked suddenly, catching Smith off guard. However, before Smith could answer, he had already turned away.

With only a slight hesitation, Smith chased away from the Commander's Bridge.

Still half a beat slower, by the time he chased him out, Stark was gone.

Fortunately, the Marine Corps guards who were guarding outside were not distracted.

On any warship, there are marines who are specifically responsible for security, and the specific number is determined by the number of officers and men on the ship.

There were about 500 marines on board the "Niz".

Stark didn't go anywhere else, but returned to the ship's island through the next hatch, to be precise, to the fleet commander's cabin.

The "Nuland" was designed according to the standards of the flagship, and the most spacious quarters on the island were provided to the fleet commander.

Strictly speaking, it is actually a suite, and outside is the office of the fleet commander. In a non-combat state, the fleet commander generally conducts his day-to-day affairs here. In contrast, the commander of the fleet generally does not go to the command bridge unless something particularly important.

"Commander."

Smith knocked on the hatch a few more times, and waited a few seconds before pulling it open.

Stark stood by the porthole, staring at the sunset in the west.

The commander's cabin was actually at the rear end of the bridge, in front of the right side of the aviation bridge, and there were several large portholes in the bulkhead facing the outboard.

"Anyway, we've wiped out Task Force 61 and know that Task Force 41 is somewhere to the east. If we can seize the opportunity, we will be able to take out Task Force 41 with the assistance of the Air Force by tomorrow morning at the latest. ”

As he said this, Smith went to pour two glasses of water and walked over to Stark.

"For us, there is still a chance to ......"

"Did you lose more?"

Smith was speechless, but Stark took the glass he handed him.

If anything, Stark was already polite to him.

Smith was able to get Stark's reuse, in addition to his own talent, it also has a lot to do with his background.

If you really want to go back to it, Smith is a distant relative of Spur, one of the best mixed relatives in the Newland Navy to be exact.

In terms of relationship, Smith's mother is Spu's niece.

It is with this layer of relationship that Smith can be said to be on the rise in the Newland Navy.

This, of course, involves internal strife in the Nuland Republic.

As mentioned earlier, the current Nuland Navy, although derived from the Sunset Fleet during the Union period, has fully inherited the mantle of the Guia Fleet. The Nuland Navy can grow and become the second largest navy in the world, in addition to the strong comprehensive national strength of the Nuland Republic, which is inseparable from the return of federal naval personnel. Strictly speaking, it was after the restoration of diplomatic relations with the Liangxia Empire that a large number of federal naval officers returned, and the Nuland Navy embarked on the road of rapid development and had the current scale.

It's just that the internal struggle in the Navy has become more and more serious as a result.

Fundamentally, it is still a struggle for power.

It is undeniable that young officers like Stark, who have a close relationship with the Guia Fleet or come from the Guia Fleet, have irreplaceable value in command positions, for example, 80% of the officers below the rank of captain are from the Guia Fleet, which can be said to be the mainstay of the Nuland Navy.

But the problem is that these young Zhuang officers rarely have real power.

Don't forget, before the outbreak of the Great War, Stark was only a colonel officer, and he had no chance to command the fleet in battle.

For decades, the real power of the Nuland Navy was in the hands of conservatives, the senior admirals of the Sunset Fleet.

Among other things, the successive chiefs of staff and naval ministers during the Republic period were all from the Sunset Fleet, and none of them were from the Guia Fleet.

Obviously, in the eyes of the Nuland leadership, the Guia Fleet is still not very reliable.

In peacetime, this is not a problem.

But in times of war, it's different.

Let a bunch of guys who don't know their opponents at all command the fleet to fight?

Even if you don't think about victory or defeat, you have to think about the soldiers who are charging ahead.

Don't forget, it's not the Sunset Fleet that is desperate with the Liang Xia Navy, but the Guia Fleet!

To this end, young officers like Stark have been actively working hard, hoping to gain more say and control the fate of the fleet.

Obviously, this inevitably requires the support of the Federalists.

It was against this backdrop that young officers like Smith, who had Federalist roots, were put to good use in the Guia Fleet.

Strictly speaking, Stark was at most a member of the Guia Fleet, not a Federalist.

Of course, Smith's personal abilities really don't have to be said.

"As long as we can take out Task Force 41, we'll ......"

"Will Task Force 41 stop there and wait for us to destroy it?"

"......"

"If I am not mistaken, in the last telegram, it was only mentioned that the enemy plane had returned, but not the course of the enemy plane when it returned."

"Maybe not."

After Stark's gaze was turned, Smith shut his mouth.

In fact, he had noticed this issue a long time ago, but he hadn't raised it before.

According to the rules, if information about the enemy is mentioned in the telegram, specific data must be given, and not replaced with ambiguous words. If it is not possible to give specific data, it must also be stated in the telegram, for example by referring to it as "course unknown".

In the final telegram, it was only mentioned that the enemy plane had returned, but not the course.

Obviously, this only shows that the 52nd Task Force has been completely defeated, and the staff officer in charge of sending the report is most likely a novice.

More importantly, it is possible that Task Force 52 did not grasp or be uncertain about the course of enemy aircraft.

For example, the enemy aircraft did not return to the east, but flew in other directions.

Because it was not clear whether the enemy would adjust its course after flying away from the 52nd Task Force, and it was impossible to make a roughly accurate judgment on the return course of the enemy plane, the contents of the telegram were temporarily revised before the telegram was sent so as not to convey wrong information.

Will the warplanes that attacked Task Force 52 really return to Task Force 41?

Not necessarily!

If the information obtained on the afternoon of the 12th is correct, the 41st Task Force is 3,000 kilometers away to the east, then on the afternoon of the 13th, the distance from the 52nd Task Force is also about 1,500 kilometers, at least 1,000 kilometers, and certainly not less than 1,000 kilometers.

This distance can be said to be quite critical.

Not fighters and attack aircraft on attack missions, but AWACS aircraft following escort fighters.

With a combat radius of more than 1,000 kilometers and an hour of following the fighters, the AWACS aircraft would certainly not be able to return to Task Force 41.

Then, you have to fly to the Howaii Islands, or as far south as you can, to be precise.

Theoretically, the "Finger-6C" will definitely not be able to fly back, and in the end it can only make a forced landing at sea and then wait for rescue from the rear.

Compared to the destruction of the 52nd task force, the loss of 1 AWACS aircraft is nothing at all.

In this arrangement, it is very likely that the accompanying fighters will also fly to the Howai Islands, where they will be refueled and then return to Task Force 41.

If arrangements had been made long ago, Task Force 41 would have been replenished after the attack.

The key point is that the distance between the 41st Task Force and the 51st Task Force is definitely more than 1,500 kilometers, and it is likely to exceed 2,000 kilometers.

So far away, Task Force 51 could not do anything.

Attack by the Combined Air Force?

Even if the Air Force has enough bombers available, there are still a few hundred "AGM-109B" anti-ship missiles left, because the Navy cannot send fighter escorts, let alone preliminary reconnaissance, so the Air Force will definitely not let bombers carry out attack missions that have no chance of winning at all.

It doesn't make much sense to just send bombers.

After the 61 st Task Force suffered a catastrophe, no matter how careless Bai Huawei was, he would also increase the intensity of air defense vigilance and expand the air defense circle to more than 600 kilometers. Because it can be supported by shore-based aviation, the 41st Task Force does not have the problem of insufficient fighters.

Crucially, Task Force 41 is waiting for work.

Be prepared to intercept dozens of bulky bombers, it's not that difficult.

It's just that Bai Huawei is more likely to choose to accept it when he sees it.

The reason is also very simple, after the elimination of the 52nd Task Force, the Liangxia Navy is already invincible, and there is no need to continue to take risks.

What Bai Huawei has to do now is to lead the 41st Task Force to return home.

From a tactical point of view, Task Force 41 will go to the Howaii Islands, with the help of shore-based aviation cover, to avoid encountering the Nuland fleet as much as possible.

In this way, there is no chance of a decisive battle at all.

"Major Smith, this war is over, or my war is over." Stark suddenly said: "Whether there is a chance or not, the top priority now is to end the combat operation of attacking the transit island, withdraw the marines, and then lead the fleet back to the west coast of the mainland." Even if there is a real chance, it is to rely on the mainland and destroy the invading Liang Xia fleet. ”

"Commander, do you think those people above will agree?"

Stark smiled wryly, it was clearly not a question he could answer.

"The combat operation to storm the transit island is not over yet, and if you bypass the naval command and give the order to retreat, then it will definitely be a military tribunal waiting for you. Even if the responsibility is not on you, and everyone knows that only by retreating can you preserve the Marines and lay the foundation for the defense of the homeland, those guys at the Navy Command will not intercede for you, but will fall into the trap and let you bear the responsibility for the defeat. ”

"I'm the commander, of course it should be ......"

"General Stark!"

Smith was extremely anxious, and it was obvious that Stark was doing something stupid.

"Otherwise, what else?"

Smith gritted his teeth before he said, "Even if we retreat, will the Liang Xia Navy definitely attack us?" Or is it enough to go back? ”

Stark was stunned, apparently not understanding what Smith meant.

"More than forty years ago, the Liang Xia Empire had absolute superiority, and it did not attack from the Guia side, but went around to the sunset. Even in the past 40 years, thanks to scientific and technological progress, military power has been greatly improved, and it is not so easy to cross a distance of 5,000 kilometers. What's more, on the World Island, the Sairiku Group has not yet been defeated, and it may not be defeated in the short term. In the case of not being able to go all out, even if the Liangxia authorities regard us as the number one threat, I am afraid that they will not have enough troops to enter the isolated continent. ”

Stark didn't say anything, just nodded slightly as he listened.

"The point is, we have suffered a defeat on this side of the Guia Ocean, and we will inevitably turn our focus to the World Island, such as sending troops to participate in the ground battles over there."

"It's inevitable."

"Since it is an inevitable outcome, then the Liangxia authorities will certainly not expect to win in Guia quickly."

"You mean ......"

"If there is no way to win quickly, the most ideal option for the Liang Xia authorities may be to cease war with us when necessary."

Stark's brow twitched rapidly, Smith's words were too scary.

"In any case, the Liang Xia Empire is on the World Island, and its roots are also on the World Island, so its primary purpose must be to defeat the Western Continent Group and the powerful enemies around it, such as the Fanluo Kingdom in the Southern Subcontinent. If it is determined that it is impossible to achieve all its goals in a big war, the Liang Xia authorities may retreat to the next best thing. At that time, what we need is not to hold our homeland, but to have a truce as a bargaining chip. ”

"Transit Island?"

Smith nodded and said, "The only thing that can be used as a bargaining chip is the transit island, so we must not give up the transit island." ”

Stark looked down and pondered.

Smith's analysis is indeed very reasonable, but the problem is that no one can guarantee that the authorities in Liangxia will not target the Nuland Republic.

The point is that if you want to defend the transit island, you must leave the fleet behind.

In this way, it is possible to be completely annihilated by the Liang Xia Navy.

Obviously, the risk is too great.

"We don't have to take any chances."

After Smith said this, Stark looked at him again.

"It will only take a few days at most, and if Task Force 41 returns to the vicinity of the transit island and begins to provide air support to the defenders of the transit island, we can believe that the Liang Xia Navy will not advance eastward in the short term, let alone attack the west coast of our country."

Stark nodded, but didn't say much.

"Besides, even if you have to withdraw the troops, it will take a few days. We can move our position a little further north, as far away from the Howai Islands as possible, to avoid encounters with Task Force 41. Wait for five days, a week at most, and if the Liang Xia Navy has not counterattacked the transit island, it will be able to prove my speculation. ”

"Wait a week at most." Stark didn't hesitate any longer and said: "Don't forget, contact the Navy Command as soon as possible and replenish a batch of carrier-based aircraft as soon as possible." ”

"I'll arrange it right away."

It wasn't until Smith went out that Stark let out a long breath.

In fact, he didn't want to go back to the black pot, but without the support of the Federalists, even if he stayed and fought to the death, it would still be a dead end in the end.

It is precisely in this way that it is necessary to borrow the mouth of Major Smith and let him bring it up.

At the very least, the Federalist generals will do their best to help Stark remove the obstacles and rally more support.