Why didn't the Nuland submarine attack Task Force 41?

Also, has the identity of Task Force 41 been identified, or has it only detected noise from a suspected large aircraft carrier?

Regarding the first question, Bai Huawei felt that it was easy to understand.

Relying on passive sonar, especially advanced towed line array sonar, and making full use of the submarine channel convergence zone, submarines can spot groups of moving warships hundreds or even hundreds of kilometers away. Although it is difficult to determine the exact location of the noise only with passive sonar, and if it is a signal obtained through the submarine channel convergence area, it is impossible to accurately judge the actual distance from the noise, but for submarines performing reconnaissance and search missions, the main task is to find the aircraft carrier, not to accurately locate the aircraft carrier.

As for the ambush of the aircraft carrier, it is even more unavoidable.

A few submarine-launched anti-ship missiles are simply unable to break through the air defense network of the aircraft carrier battle group, and torpedoes with better penetration capabilities have the problem of insufficient range.

In fact, the anti-submarine nets of any fleet have a clear purpose.

For example, the anti-submarine net of the Imperial fleet is divided into three layers: outer, middle, and inner. The outer anti-submarine network can be extended up to 500 miles away from the aircraft carrier, and this distance is aimed at submarine-launched long-range anti-ship missiles, especially the BGM-109B anti-ship "Tomahawk" missile with a range of 460 kilometers. The mid-layer anti-submarine network is between 50 km and 150 km, and this range covers basically various types of anti-ship missiles. Within 50 kilometers belong to the inner anti-submarine network, and the key area is generally less than 30 kilometers, mainly aimed at heavy torpedoes.

All anti-submarine platforms and munitions of the Imperial Navy are based on this benchmark.

The main force of peripheral antisubmarine warfare is carrier-based anti-submarine patrol aircraft, and only carrier-based antisubmarine patrol aircraft can fly 500 kilometers away and spend several hours searching for submarines hidden under the surface of the sea. The middle layer of anti-submarine mainly relies on anti-submarine helicopters, while the inner layer of anti-submarine uses anti-submarine missiles and anti-submarine torpedoes.

Even the large attack submarines of the Nuland Navy may not be able to successfully break through the anti-submarine net of the Imperial fleet.

If the Nuland submarine is on a search mission, it will report to its superiors as soon as it detects Task Force 41.

In order to avoid being attacked, the captain of the submarine would set the time for the dispatch to be sent a few hours later.

As a result, by the time Task Force 41 approached, the submarine had slipped away.

On the other hand, if the Nuland submarine had not slipped away, it might not have been able to get a sneak attack, because it was very likely to be spotted by anti-submarine patrol aircraft before launching a sneak attack.

The point was that the sea area where the submarine was located before was not directly in front of the route of Task Force 41.

During the rapid crossing, the aircraft carrier battle group usually only conducts a focused search of the sea area in front of the route, covering at most tens of kilometers of sea area on both sides of the route. If there are no special circumstances, the commander of the aircraft carrier battle group will not expand the range of anti-submarine search for no reason.

This is even more true for Task Force 41.

As mentioned earlier, Task Force 41 alone has a total of only 12 anti-submarine patrol aircraft, and theoretically only three can be dispatched at the same time. In order to expand the search area, it is necessary to mobilize more anti-submarine patrol aircraft, and there is no guarantee that the anti-submarine search in the main direction can be carried out. After increasing the intensity of sorties, usually after 12 hours, and at most 24 hours, it is necessary to make adjustments to the anti-submarine arrangements, that is, the anti-submarine patrol aircraft that can still be dispatched at that time will certainly not be able to guarantee the needs in the direction of the main threat.

If the threat is particularly serious, adjustments must also be made to the operational deployment of the fleet.

Either way, the Nuland submarine must have been on a reconnaissance mission, and had spotted Task Force 41 a few hours earlier.

The point is, why didn't the telegram be sent immediately after the discovery of Task Force 41?

Obviously, this is a question worth pondering.

According to Bai Huawei's judgment, the Newland submarine did discover the 41st Task Force, but it did not confirm the identity of the 41st Task Force at the first time.

Otherwise, it will be sent out as soon as possible!

A few hours earlier, Task Force 41 had been more than 100 kilometres to the south, and there was a destroyer no more than 50 kilometres away from the submarine.

This distance can be said to be quite deadly.

As long as the whereabouts are exposed, and the destroyer is not sunk at the first time, even if it is just to let the anti-submarine helicopter on the destroyer hang up a torpedo and take off urgently, or even just raise the alarm, the Nuland submarine will not want to escape, and it will definitely be sunk by the anti-submarine helicopter and anti-submarine patrol plane that arrived dozens of minutes later. If it had been concluded that the 41st Task Force was coming from the south, with 3 large aircraft carriers in it, it would be nothing. If the Nuland submarine had not identified Task Force 41 and had not been able to confirm that three large aircraft carriers had been discovered, it would not have been able to take the risk.

The impact of a piece of false information is much worse than that of no information!

In fact, it is indeed difficult to make an accurate judgment based on the noise intercepted by passive sonar more than 100 kilometers.

The key point is that the three "Chen Bingxun" class ships of the 41st Task Force have been in service for several decades, and many of the technologies used are no longer advanced. For example, the five-blade controllable-pitch propeller developed specifically for it was considered unique in the world more than 20 years ago, and is now equipped with almost all superships. Besides, every few years, the aircraft carrier will be docked for a complete overhaul, and the bottom of the ship will definitely be cleaned and aquatic organisms such as barnacles attached to the hull will be removed. As a result, the noise signature of an aircraft carrier is no longer exceptional and changes frequently.

In general, the noise emitted by an aircraft carrier when sailing at cruising speed is not too noticeable from that of a large cargo ship of comparable displacement.

Only when the aircraft carrier is traveling at high speed, or close enough, will it be able to discern it.

Because Bai Huawei had not yet made a final decision, the 41st Task Force had been sailing at cruising speed, and it was in an anti-submarine formation.

In order to prevent multiple warships from being attacked by a submarine, the battleships were separated by a relatively long distance.

Considering these factors, it is completely believed that the Nuland submarine only discovered the 41st Task Force and did not determine the identity of the 41st Task Force.

The point is that the identity of 3 aircraft carriers has not been determined!

This inference made Bai Huawei feel very embarrassed.

If it is certain that the whereabouts have been revealed, then the time to consider is not to go to the Guia Ocean or to the side of Jotun Island, but to leave the dangerous sea as quickly as possible, report the matter to the superiors, and then spend a few days redefining the battle plan.

It's not a new battle plan, in fact, Bai Huawei has a ready-made plan in his hands.

It took a few days, most importantly, to restore Task Force 41 to concealment, so that the enemy could not speculate on the whereabouts of Task Force 41 from the reports provided by the submarines. Only after the restoration of concealment will the matter of a decisive battle with the Nuland fleet be considered.

The reason is also very simple, the Imperial Navy is on the defensive side and has a time advantage.

From a different angle, you can see it more clearly.

The first thing that came to mind when the commander of the Nuland fleet received the telegram from the submarine was that Task Force 41 was heading north and would enter the Guia Ocean through the Khowaii Islands in two days, or reach the waters near the Khowaii Islands. Under the threat of Task Force 41, the commander of the Nuland fleet will inevitably make adjustments to combat operations, and the simplest thing is to cancel the original battle plan.

In this way, the Nuland Navy will give up, or at least postpone the attack on the Aliu Islands.

If the Nuland fleet is in the Guia Ocean and sails to the south of Joton Island, it will also make adjustments to its combat operations after receiving reports from submarines. To put it simply, if it were confirmed in two days that Task Force 41 had reached the Guia Ocean or appeared near the Howaii Islands, the Nuland Navy would have given up the sneak attack and might even end the first phase of the strategic offensive.

Don't forget, the Nuland fleet went to the waters south of Yotun Island for the sole purpose of attacking Task Force 41.

The problem now is that none of these assumptions are true.

Without knowing the whereabouts of Task Force 41, the Nuland Navy had no reason to adjust its battle plan, nor would it make hasty changes.

That being the case, why did the submarine send a telegram at all?

Why not send a telegram after confirming Task Force 41?

Crucially, it may be a submarine dedicated to reconnaissance missions.

Obviously, sending a telegram without identifying Task Force 41 was a low-level mistake that a qualified submarine captain should not make.

What if this wasn't a low-level bug?

Thinking of this, Bai Huawei was taken aback!

If the submarine deliberately used sonar buoys to expose its whereabouts, the real purpose was not to report the situation, it must have other plans!

Figure what!?

The area from which the submarine was dispatched was to the right rear of Task Force 41, that is, to the southeast, and the island of Jotun was also in this direction.

Could it be that the Nuland submarine was worried that Task Force 41 would turn towards Jotun Island!?

Bai Huawei didn't think much about it, and immediately asked the staff officer to turn out the logbook.

As he had guessed, after turning north, Task Force 41 would make a tactical turn to defend against submarines every six hours or so.

The last turn was about 4 hours ago.

Perhaps, it was at that time that the Nuland submarine discovered Task Force 41.

By sending a telegram, it was actually to force the 41st Task Force to continue northward.

To put it bluntly, after confirming that his whereabouts had been exposed, Bai Huawei's first thought was to continue northward, but not to the north-east gaze, but to the western part of the Khowaii Islands, to get the cover of the shore-based aviation deployed on several islands there, such as the transit island.

This would inevitably make Task Force 41 more vulnerable to ambushes.

First of all, because of the fear that there are enemy submarines nearby, Task Force 41 will inevitably slow down and strengthen its anti-submarine search efforts, and the speed of its northward movement will be slowed down, and it is more likely to be overtaken by the Nuland fleet from the east, and finally it will be attacked by a sneak attack because of ignoring air defense.

In addition, returning to the waters near the Khowaii Islands, Bai Huawei will definitely pay more attention to the battle in the Guia Ocean.

At this time, it is very likely that the Nuland Navy will adopt the tactic of attacking the east and west, that is, attacking a certain island in the Aliu Islands, such as Ebony Island, according to the method that Bai Huawei had speculated before, so that the Imperial Navy will feel that it can take this opportunity to win back a city, and send the 41st Task Force to fight a decisive battle.

Obviously, the Nuland fleet is not in the Northern Eastern Ocean, at least not now.

When the time comes, it will be a good show of praying mantis catching cicadas and yellow finches behind.

When making this speculation, Bai Huawei also thought of a little.

Regardless of whether the Nuland submarine confirmed the identity of Task Force 41 or not, there was no reason why the telegram should not be sent at this time, that is, until Task Force 41 approached. The point is that Task Force 41 will not be able to enter the Guia Ocean until two days at the earliest, and the Nuland submarine will only have to wait a few more hours for it to deliver in a safer and more covert manner.

Can't wait for hours!?

Undoubtedly, this is clearly unjustifiable.

In this world, the least impatient person is probably the submarine captain.

For a submarine captain with a major mission, it is not difficult to wait for hours after discovering the enemy's fleet, especially after confirming that there are aircraft carriers in the fleet. In the past, submarine captains would spend days tracking down enemy fleets in order to get the ideal chance of firing.

Combined with these, Bai Huawei has enough reason to believe that the purpose of the Nuland submarine is actually to allow the 41st Task Force to continue northward, but it will have to slow down its sailing speed, and in the next few days, it will have to spend more energy searching for submarines lurking nearby.

This is equivalent to saying that the Nuland fleet will be killed in a few days.

Then there is only one possibility.

The intelligence provided by the Military Intelligence Agency is the real one!

The Nuland fleet is still in the Guia Ocean, and on the Guia side, there are actually several "civilian aircraft carriers" and, at most, several amphibious assault ships.

The point is that the Nuland fleet will definitely not be able to kill in time, and there is a time difference of several days.

Otherwise, the Nuland submarine would not have risked sending a telegram.

This means that as long as you make the most of these few days, you may be able to turn the tide of the battle in one fell swoop!

After generating this idea, Bai Huawei did not take immediate action, but asked the communications staff to send a telegram to the command of the Navy using a satellite radio.

This move is to prove this speculation.

The solution is also very simple, let the naval command take appropriate measures, such as inducing the Nuland Navy to launch an early operation by adjusting the deployment, that is, feint the Aliu Islands.

If the Nuland fleet is really east of Jotun Island, then in the case that the 41st Task Force has been discovered, especially if the Imperial Navy begins to strengthen the forces on the island side of Jotun, the Nuland Navy will definitely launch a feint in advance to distract the Imperial Navy.

Only in this way can we get the opportunity to sneak up on Task Force 41.

Obviously, after making so many names, the Nuland Navy is certainly not trying to fight Task Force 41 head-on.

As long as the Nuland Navy launches a combat operation to attack the Aleus Islands in the near future, even if it is a strong attack on a certain island, it can prove that the Nuland Guia Fleet, which has five aircraft carriers, is on the side of Jotun Island, and has entered a combat state, ready to attack the 41st Task Force operating in this direction at any time.

Unfortunately, Bai Huawei also knew that he could not wait until this speculation was confirmed before ordering the turnaround.

By that time, it's too late to make adjustments!