Early in the morning of the 7th, the 51st Task Force, the flagship "Nix".

Although he came to the Commander's Bridge before dawn, Stark's mood was significantly better than that of the previous days, and the gloom on his face was swept away, and a rare smile appeared. The reason is simple, the crackdown, which lasted a day, went very smoothly.

In another 2 hours, a combat operation to land on the transit island will be launched.

During the 51st Task Force dispatching carrier-based aircraft to bomb the transit island, the landing fleet, headed by six amphibious assault ships, consisting of dozens of large and small ships, headed south at a maximum speed of 22 knots, and was about 150 kilometers north of the transit island.

This distance is just outside the effective range of the shore-based anti-ship missiles equipped by the Liangxia Navy.

According to Stark's arrangement, before the start of the landing, the destroyer detachments covering the landing fleet were to shell the transit island and suppress the shore defense forces on the island.

In fact, it is to draw out shore-based anti-ship missiles that were not destroyed in the bombing.

As for the coastal defense forces, there is nothing to worry about at all, because the transit island is garrisoned by an aviation unit, and the coastal defense forces have only one battalion at most.

If anything, the Liangxia Navy does not have any decent coastal defense weapons.

Because of its high self-confidence, especially with the most powerful fleet in the world, the Liangxia Navy has not attached much importance to the construction of coastal defense forces.

Strictly speaking, the Liangxia Navy does not have a coastal defense force in the true sense.

In terms of the establishment system, the coastal defense unit is subordinate to the base command, and it is often assigned under the name of the port command, taking into account the security work of the base. It is precisely because of this that only the coastal defense units of the military port are equipped with sea-supremacy weapons such as anti-ship missiles, and the other bases are usually guard units.

In addition, the Liangxia Navy does not have shore-based anti-ship missiles with advanced performance.

According to the Liang Xia Navy's point of view, if the enemy is allowed to hit the doorstep, the coastal defense forces need to use anti-ship missiles against the enemy's warships, and the imperial navy has almost been completely wiped out, no matter how advanced the shore-based anti-ship missiles are, it will inevitably end in defeat.

Instead of developing shore-based anti-ship missiles, it is better to build a few more warships, or buy a few more fighters.

It can be seen that these concerns are completely unnecessary.

At this moment, it can be said that only the east wind is owed.

By the time the landing operation began, the recharged 1st Marine Division would be able to take the transit island in one fell swoop.

As a matter of fact, when it comes to the landing operation, there will be nothing to do with the 51st Task Force.

The ground strike mission is mainly undertaken by more than 100 "Harrier" attack planes carried by six amphibious assault ships, as well as dozens of "Cobra" helicopter gunships. If necessary, it is also possible to have a detachment of destroyers provide artillery support, and the marines themselves have artillery.

All in all, after entering the landing operation phase, Task Force 51 turned to cover missions, such as intercepting enemy aircraft bound for transit islands.

Comparatively, the cover task is much easier.

This arrangement is actually thinking about the next battle.

When the marines come ashore, the Liang Xia Navy will definitely send back the 41st Task Force. When the time comes, whether it is actively seeking a decisive battle with the 51st Task Force, or fighting cattle across the mountains, that is, dispatching carrier-based aircraft to deal with the landing fleet and landing force, the 51st Task Force needs to be more active, and when necessary, it will fight a decisive battle with the 41st Task Force and win the battle in one fell swoop.

In this way, it is necessary for the pilot to adjust to the condition before then.

In fact, by this time, Stark was already full of confidence.

Just last night, he received the latest information that the 41st Task Force of the Liang Xia Navy was still in the waters near Joton Island, and there was no sign of turning back for the time being.

In other words, even if the 41st Task Force had turned around immediately after 17 o'clock on the 6th, the time point mentioned in this information, it would not have been able to reach the sea area where it could attack the transit island on the night of the 8th, and it might not be until the morning of the 9th that carrier-based aircraft could be dispatched to bomb the landing force.

As long as the 51st Task Force showed its presence during this period, such as sending carrier-based aircraft to bomb nearby islands, Bai Huawei would definitely not lead the 41st Task Force to go straight to the transit island. When the time comes, it will obviously not be difficult to buy a few days for the landing force.

It can be seen that there is plenty of time.

That's why Stark is in such a good mood.

Unfortunately, good things are always short-lived.

Just as he was about to go to breakfast, the communications staff officer delivered the latest news.

Not from the Diego military port, nor from the Pentagon, but from the 52nd Task Force, 1,000 kilometers away, still in concealment.

In fact, it is the task force from the Sunset Ocean Fleet, which is dominated by 2 "Newland"-class aircraft carriers.

After entering the Guia Ocean and being incorporated into the 5th Guia Fleet, the Task Force changed its designation to Task Force 52 in accordance with the relevant regulations.

This task force has always followed behind Task Force 51.

Prior to this, Task Force 52 was responsible for covering Task Force 51, to be precise, in the event of an unexpected situation, such as a sudden encounter with the Liangxia Fleet, or a heavy air attack on Task Force 51, which required the cover of Task Force 52.

Of course, this is not the only task undertaken by Task Force 52.

Entering the decisive battle stage of the fleet, that is, the 41st Task Force has been killed, and the 52nd Task Force still needs to cooperate with the 51st Task Force to annihilate the 41st Task Force.

In Stark's plan, Task Force 52 was a "surprise force".

To put it simply, when the 51st Task Force and the 41st Task Force were in a decisive battle, or rather a state of confrontation, the 52nd Task Force had to rush south and attack the 41st Task Force to at least break the deadlock that was very unfavorable to the Newland Navy.

In fact, according to Stark's judgment, if he only faced the 51st Task Force, Bai Huawei's most likely tactic was confrontation.

Not to mention that it drags on for several months, even if it is only half a month, when the 61st Task Force arrives, the situation will become extremely unfavorable for the Nuland Navy. At that time, even if the transit island has already been captured, it can only choose to withdraw its troops and abandon the 1st Marine Division that landed on the transit island.

If you want to avoid a confrontation, you have to rely on Task Force 52.

That's why Stark didn't use Task Force 52, even if it required Task Force 51 to take on heavier combat missions.

But now, Task Force 52 took the initiative to break the radio silence and use long-wave radios!

The commander of the 52nd Task Force cannot be blamed, but about 10 minutes ago, a "Zhan-9" fighter of the Liangxia Navy suddenly flew over the "Kitty Hawk". Because the "Battle-9" had several similarities with the F-14, and the altitude was very low, and the fighter entered directly behind the aircraft carrier, the landing director on the "Kitty Hawk" made a misjudgment and sent out a light signal to let the enemy plane land on the aircraft carrier.

It was not until the enemy plane flew by that the officers and men on the aircraft carrier reacted violently.

It's a pity that the air defense system was not activated yet, and the fighter flew away.

As the battle continues, Task Force 52 has summoned anti-aircraft fighters operating nearby to intercept enemy aircraft flying north.

Here's the key.

The enemy planes entered from the south, and after flying over the Kitty Hawk, they did not turn back, but flew away directly to the north.

Task Force 52 is just over 1,000 kilometers north of Task Force 51, just over 1,000 kilometers from the Aliu Islands.

In other words, Task Force 52 focused on the north, not the south.

At that time, 4 F-14Bs on air defense patrol duty were all north of the fleet.

In order to maintain concealment, the warships in the fleet did not activate the air defense radar, and all the air alert tasks were undertaken by the E-2Cs who went out to the north.

The AWACS aircraft was 400 kilometers north of the fleet and almost 450 kilometers from the Kitty Hawk.

For ultra-low-flying fighters, the maximum detection range of the E-2C will not exceed 300 kilometers.

In addition, the detection range of low-altitude targets by the anti-aircraft radar of the warship is only a few tens of kilometers.

Obviously, after the "Zhan-9" flew over the "Kitty Hawk", as long as it turned in time, it could avoid the air defense fighters coming from the north.

Of course, there is not much point in intercepting a reconnaissance aircraft that has already completed its mission.

The only thing that is certain is that Task Force 52 has been exposed.

Stark's first thought was that the information he had received was wrong, and that Task Force 41 had already maneuvered to the Guina, and it was north of Honu Island, that is, southeast of Task Force 51 and south of Task Force 52, so the reconnaissance planes sent to find Task Force 52.

However, Stark then denied this judgment.

If Task Force 41 had entered the Guia and was searching for the Newland fleet, it would have been not the "Battle-9" but the "Attack-5" that flew over the 52nd Task Force.

All along, the reconnaissance aircraft of the Liangxia fleet were attack aircraft.

If you need to fly at low altitudes, you have to choose an attack aircraft with a large wing load and better stability at low altitudes.

In addition, heavy attack aircraft have a much longer range than fighters and are better suited for reconnaissance missions.

Moreover, if Task Force 41 had been in the North and East Ocean, it would have been spotted by submarines deployed near the main shipping lanes or bombers bombing the Khowaii Islands. With the intensity of the strikes in the past few days, it is certainly not possible for a task force with three aircraft carriers to enter the Guia Ocean without being detected, let alone reach the sea area less than 1,500 kilometers away from the 52nd task force.

The fighter must have come from an airfield somewhere on the Howaii Islands.

Why fly north?

Transfer to Ebony Air Base in the Aliu Islands?

Apparently not!

Transition flights, which generally fly at an ideal cruising altitude and are generally a group of aircraft, not a single aircraft.

In addition, the Khowaii Islands have also been bombed, and even if the Aliu Islands are to be reinforced, troops should be transferred from the rear of the Saoyi Islands, or from the North Malaysia Islands.

In fact, the distance from the northern part of the main island of Saji to the Aliu Islands is closer.

All of this shows that it is a fighter jet on a reconnaissance mission!

About half an hour later, a second telegram from Task Force 52 confirmed Stark's inference.

The War-9 sent a telegram on the way to escape, and used a long-distance radio station. According to this telegram, the F-14B, which was on an interception mission, chased after it and successfully shot down the enemy plane about 400 kilometers north of Task Force 52.

After receiving this telegram, Stark was not happy at all.

Apparently, Task Force 52 has been exposed.

It's just that Stark is more worried. Why didn't that Liangxia fighter come to the side of the 51st Task Force, but went to the side of the 52nd Task Force.

Crucially, Task Force 52 is more than 2,000 kilometers away from the transit island!

Why did the Liang Xia Navy send reconnaissance planes to such a distant sea area when the transit island had already been attacked, but instead turned a blind eye to the 51st Task Force, which was close at hand?

Of course, if you come at Task Force 51, you will definitely be shot down before you get closer.

The only plausible explanation is that Commander Liang Xia felt that as long as he found the landing fleet, he would be able to grasp the operational intentions of the Nuland Navy.

In addition, Commander Liang Xia did not expect that the Nuland Navy would launch a landing operation at such a rapid pace.

In the past, the preparation of fire before the landing would have lasted several days.

According to this progress, on the second day of the strike, the landing fleet should be in the sea area far away from the transit island, so as not to prematurely reveal its intention to attack the transit island.

That's why the fighter flew to Task Force 52.

Actually, it's not just one.

In the third telegram sent by Task Force 52, it was mentioned that three Liangxia fighters had also been discovered, but these three fighters were all in the southwest direction of the fleet, and no warships of Task Force 52 were found, and they were all shot down by F-14Bs that arrived on the way to the north.

In addition, the commander of Task Force 52 mentioned in a telegram that silence would be re-entered until Stark issued a new combat order.

Obviously, it was a kick to Stark.

Stark was speechless, but he didn't complain, after all, he was the commander-in-chief of the operation.

What would David Bai think of this discovery?

And, what will he do if he makes this discovery?

The key is whether to terminate the combat operation of attacking the transit island?

According to Stark's speculation, no matter what judgment Bai Huawei makes, he will let the 41st Task Force turn back after receiving the reconnaissance report.

In this way, the attack on the transit island should be postponed until after the decisive battle of the fleet.

At this point, it was already past 7 o'clock.

The landing operation will begin in 1 hour!

So, is it a pause, or is it going according to the original plan?

If you pause, you may miss the only chance to capture the Transit Island.

Don't forget, the Pentagon gave an order yesterday for Stark to act as planned, including supporting the Marines in capturing Transit Island.

Although the whereabouts of Task Force 52 were revealed, the Pentagon did not revoke the order.

If Stark had ordered a moratorium on the landing at this time, and had failed to take the Transit Island, he would have been held fully responsible.

If you go ahead with the original plan, you may suffer extremely heavy losses, even if you do not have to bear responsibility.

If the losses are too huge, especially if the landing fleet is heavily damaged, even if the 41st Task Force is annihilated in the next battle, it will be useless, and it will definitely not be able to take down the Khowaii Islands, after all, the siege depends on the landing fleet.

There is no doubt that if this is the case, the last person to come out and take the blame must be the commander-in-chief of combat operations.

Stark is not afraid of taking responsibility, but he is not willing to fail.

If this opportunity is missed, maybe in another 50 years, or even another 100 years, the Nuland Republic will not want to recover the Howaii Islands occupied by the Liangxia Empire.