At this time, the "Imperial Capital" was also in chaos.

Within five minutes, two reconnaissance reports sent from the port of Ashto confused all the staff officers on the "Imperial Capital."

In fact, even Bai Zhizhan is a little uncertain.

Of the two investigation reports, one can be confirmed. Fifteen degrees south-east of Ashishima was spotted in the sea area about 400 kilometers away, and the pilots of the patrol planes visually identified four former treaty-type battleships, and there was no possibility of miscalculation.

The other report is less credible.

It was an indirect reconnaissance report in which a patrol aircraft claimed to have spotted the Fifth Air Force, which was intercepted by fighter jets as it tried to approach the reconnaissance. The problem is that the pilots of the patrol aircraft did not see the aircraft carrier, but only made inferences from fighters with a heavy cruiser of the "Ligen" class. What's more, the patrol plane did not report it directly, but told another nearby patrol plane about the discovery through a voice radio.

Which investigation report should I believe?

Or should you believe the indirect report?

The second main team?

Takaya's first main team was not taken seriously by Bai Zhizhan, he would look down on the second main team, just those four former treaty-type battleships?

So, what is Bai Zhizhan hesitating about?

Needless to say?

There are not enough troops!

Two aircraft carriers and more than 160 carrier-based aircraft, even without considering air defense, can deal with one team, and there is no way to deal with two teams at the same time.

In addition, there is the question of timing.

Now, it's 2:30 p.m., and because it's winter, it's up to four hours before dark. If the sortie time, that is, the more than an hour it takes to fly over the enemy fleet, is taken into account, the attack aircraft group must be dispatched before five o'clock, even if the attack time is not taken into account. If you count the preparation time, you have to start before four o'clock. It is clear that even if the air crew has three heads and six arms, they can only launch two rounds of attacks. The key is that preparations for the first round of attacks must begin before three o'clock, otherwise the second round of attacks will not be launched in time.

Is it time rush, or is it a wait?

Bai Zhizhan clearly leaned towards the latter, as his goal was always Sawasan's Fifth Air Force.

More than 10 days ago, when he was still in the imperial capital, Bai Zhizhan told Liu Xiangzhen that no matter who went to assassinate the state, he would have to keep an eye on the narrow-yi fleet operating in the Guia Ocean, especially the air force, and must do his utmost to ensure that the aviation combat capability of the narrow-yi navy would be eliminated in one fell swoop after the war began.

Of course, the other one also has to go all out to deal with the narrow fleet that enters the sea of fire.

Liu Xiangzhen has completed the task, and the next thing is to see Bai Zhizhan.

In terms of time, that is, this afternoon.

If you miss this afternoon, the Fifth Air Force will surely fly high in the evening.

Guia is not a sea of fire.

There are not many semi-enclosed sea areas like the Yanhai Sea, so it is definitely impossible to replicate the example of the special mixed group pursuing the mobile fleet.

Another point is that the distance is a little farther.

The sea area mentioned in that indirect report, to be precise, is a coordinate point, which is 400 kilometers away from the "Imperial Capital", and the actual distance must be farther.

The combat radius of the "Exocet" and "Wasp" when fully loaded is only 400 kilometers!

The extra tens of kilometers means that the attack aircraft group may not be able to return.

Of course, this problem is not impossible to solve, for example, after the attack aircraft group is dispatched, let the fleet continue to move forward, and shorten the flight distance of the aircraft group to return home.

"Commander White."

Hearing the greeting, Bai Zhizhan raised his head.

It was Zhou Yongtao, who was standing across from the chart table.

"I have a guess, I don't know whether to say it or not."

"Say it, and you won't die, what's not to say?" Bai Zhizhan laughed.

Don't look at Zhou Yongtao's courage at the beginning, he even questioned in front of everyone, but he still seriously lacked self-confidence in his heart.

Of course, nothing surprising.

The current Zhou Yongtao, like Bai Zhizhan twenty years ago, is a newcomer who has just graduated from the Naval Academy.

If anything, Zhou Yongtao is even better, he not only studied aviation staff major, but is also a genuine carrier-based aircraft pilot.

It's just that in essence, he is not much different from Bai Zhizhan, he is also from the civilian class, and he also hopes to realize his ambitions and ideals by joining the army. To put it selfishly, it is actually to change fate, like a legendary figure in history, to achieve meritorious deeds by serving on the battlefield.

"I think we may be overestimating our opponents."

"Be specific." Bai Zhizhan said, beckoned to Li Mingbo, and then pointed to the coffee cup on the countertop next to the commander's seat.

Li Mingbo was speechless, but he didn't dare to say more.

At this time, Zhou Yongtao had already come around and began to explain with the sea chart.

The key, in fact, is only one point, whether the Fifth Air Force is in the sea area reported by the patrol plane.

According to Zhou Yongtao's speculation, it is more likely.

So, what to do?

Zhou Yongtao gave a solution.

Sailing eastward, to be precise, towards the sea where the second main force was found.

In this regard, the reason given by Zhou Yongtao is: the second main team will continue to go north, that is, to the Watchman Strait, and will not stay and not leave, so there is no need to worry about encountering it; If the Fifth Air Force is behind, that is, the sea area reported by the patrol aircraft, sailing eastward to meet the returning attack group; Even if the patrol plane's report is wrong, for example, if the distance exceeds 400 kilometers, it can launch an attack early tomorrow morning.

This suggestion is extremely bold, even crazy.

To put it bluntly, this is to use the aircraft carrier task force as the main fleet, so that the aircraft carrier will rush straight to the gun ports of the enemy battleships.

The point is, what if the second main team doesn't go north?

If it had encountered the 2nd Main Squadron at night, the 3rd Air Task Force would have been knocked down by the main guns of the four battleships within a few minutes.

It's just that Zhou Yongtao thinks that if even Bai Zhizhan feels too crazy and doesn't dare to adopt it, then Liu Xiangbin, who originally commanded the Third Air Task Force, will not dare to do so, and the generals of the Narrow Navy, such as Zesan and Gao Ye, would also not think that the Third Air Task Force would take the initiative to approach.

There is also a very, very prominent benefit of this move.

Regardless of the outcome of the next battle, by tomorrow, by tomorrow afternoon, at the latest, the Third Air Force will be able to be brought into the range of strikes.

The point is that the commander of the 3rd Air Force will definitely not guess the direction in which the attack is coming!

If you are lucky enough, you may even hope to catch the first main team that escaped from the Yanhai tomorrow afternoon and achieve a decisive victory in one fell swoop.

This guy really dares to think about it.

Of course, young people have a lot of momentum. Twenty years ago, what about the White Stop?

The key is that what Zhou Yongtao said was actually all Bai Zhizhan's thoughts, and every sentence was said to Bai Zhizhan's heart.

Twenty years ago, Bai Zhizhan was the same, and he was appreciated by He Yongxing.

It's just that Bai Zhizhan also knows that Zhou Yongtao is only making suggestions, and is not responsible for the suggestions, and it is the commander who makes the decision who takes responsibility.

Obviously, this is by no means an easy decision to make!

At this moment, the telecommunications officer hurried over and delivered the telegram he had just received.