The discussion shifted to the operation of storming the Kib fortress.

If anything, there is only one issue that needs to be discussed.

Attack the Kib fortress directly, or attack Socotra first, and then attack or bomb the Kib fortress from Socotra.

It's just that in the eyes of Bai Zhizhan, there is no need to discuss this issue at all.

If it is at the beginning of the year, then the island of Socotra should definitely be occupied first.

With enough time, after the capture of Socotra, there was no need to even launch an attack, just a continuous high-intensity bombardment would allow Bran's army to abandon the Kibu fortress.

In the battle against Lion Springs, high-intensity bombardment played a crucial role.

But by this time, there was no time left to attack and occupy Socotra.

What's more, it takes enough time for the bombing to be effective.

It is precisely because of this that not only the war was stopped in vain, but even Liu Xiangzhen believed that there was no need to waste time on Socotra Island, but it could be considered that during the attack on Kibu Fortress, part of the troops should be used to occupy Socotra Island, with the main purpose of seizing the port and establishing an airfield, so as to facilitate the deployment of aviation forces nearby.

The main force, still the fleet.

In fact, the key is also on the side of the fleet.

By the time the 11th Task Force returns to the Guia Ocean, two task forces will be available, and there will be only four new aircraft carriers in total.

This amount of troops, at most, is sufficient, far from sufficient.

Of course, there are also several escort aircraft carriers in the support fleet, which can share part of the combat tasks and reduce the combat burden of the task force.

But the problem is that skipping Socotra Island and attacking the Kibu fortress directly requires enough fighters just to seize air supremacy in the early stage.

4 large aircraft carriers, obviously not enough to ensure the completion of the mission.

It is precisely for this reason that Liu Xiangzhen proposed at the meeting that he hoped that the army aviation could provide assistance and undertake the task of partially bombing the Kibu fortress, and that the navy's carrier-based aviation units should mainly provide air supremacy and escort, that is, carry more carrier-based fighters to ensure that they can seize air supremacy on the battlefield.

Herein lies the problem.

The closest base to the Kib fortress is Gwadar, even if the airfield there is repaired to be able to deploy heavy bombers and there is no need to worry about logistics.

However, Gwadar is 2,000 kilometers from the Kib fortress!

This distance is almost the extreme combat radius of the Imperial Army's active heavy bombers.

Even if the task force goes out and arranges for carrier-based fighters to carry out escort missions, the combat efficiency of the bombers will be greatly reduced because the bomb load is less than 2 tons.

Theoretically, at least 500 heavy bombers must be deployed in Gwadar to have considerable combat value.

To meet the requirements of the Navy, the number had to be increased to 1,000.

This is obviously not possible.

Regardless of whether the logistics can keep up, the military airfield on the Gwadar side cannot deploy so many bombers, and the maintenance capacity is not enough to support so many bombers to carry out combat missions at the same time. Just deploying tens of thousands of ground crews to Gwadar is unrealistic.

It is precisely for this reason that the army has proposed that a forward airfield should be opened as soon as possible.

To this end, the generals of the army proposed that they could consider landing close to the Kib fortress first, so as to strengthen the investment of ground forces.

Unfortunately, this proposal is worthless.

The infrastructure in the eastern part of the Xuan Continent is not enough to be described as "bad", because there is no one at all.

In Liu Changxun's words, the task of the imperial army was to capture the Kibu fortress and open up the route to Lu Xinhai, not to engage in infrastructure construction.

If we have to build infrastructure every step forward, I am afraid that this war will not end in 50 years.

Now, the problem turned back.

Before attacking the Kibu fortress, it was necessary to land on the island of Socotra, control at least one port, and establish a military airfield in the coastal area.

Of course, if you can successfully land on Socotra, there is no need to ask for help from army aviation.

In the end, it was the Navy that made concessions.

By the end of September, the landing on Socotra Island and the completion of the capture operation during the advance into Posha Bay in October will ensure that in November, when the Army is attacking the Poi State, it will be able to attack the Kib fortress on Socotra Island as a base and reduce the operational burden of the Army.

Strictly speaking, it is actually to allow army aviation to concentrate its forces to support offensive operations in the direction of Posha Bay.

The point is not to seek to capture the entire island of Socotra.

Because the troops were not enough and the time was not sufficient, it was not possible to capture the entire island of Socotra with a limited number of troops within the stipulated time.

It is a large island with an area of more than 3,600 square kilometers.

Although the garrison on the island is only a few hundred men and is not equipped with heavy weapons, it is an isolated desert island with no modern infrastructure at all. After leaving the coastal zone, there is simply no road to extend into the hinterland of the island.

Exactly so, it is not necessary to occupy the whole island of Socotra.

If you want to say, the most troublesome thing to attack Socotra Island is actually to build a port and airport there, which is equivalent to building infrastructure.

Fortunately, if it is only tossed in the coastal area, the problem is not serious.

At present, the empire is not short of foreign workers who are willing to work in dangerous areas on the front of the battle line.

At the meeting, Xue Yuanzheng had already made it clear that he had also made a guarantee that 1 million narrow laborers would be mobilized during the march on Posha Bay and the attack on the Kibu fortress.

According to Xue Yuanzheng's meaning, it is not that there are not enough laborers now, but that there are too many!

To the northwest, nearly 2 million narrow laborers were already in the service of the Imperial Army, laying railroads westward at a rate of about 10 kilometers per day. In the southeast, there are also nearly 1 million narrow laborers who build roads and ports, as well as operate special plantations such as rubber.

The point is that thousands of narrow-minded laborers who pass the examination come to the empire every day.

Even if you don't have to pay for it, you have to provide the necessary livelihood support.

In the words of the finance officials, a day's delay in the empire was only a basic subsistence allowance, and the imperial authorities would lose millions of gold dollars.

The empire was able to launch a series of strategic offensives due to the large number of narrow laborers.

Obviously, in the direction of Socotra, as long as there is enough equipment and engineering materials to keep up, a maximum of several thousand laborers will be needed.

The point, in fact, is on the side of Posha Bay.

At the meeting, Yang Zhiyuan had already mentioned that the Bran Kingdom was ready to give up Posha Bay and would definitely do its best to destroy the local oil fields when it gave up.

The imperial authorities were already preparing for this, the main thing was to book the equipment for oil extraction in advance.

And, of course, there is a sufficient workforce.

In addition, after the start of the attack on the Boian state, it will definitely be necessary to occupy and control the port and repair the damaged infrastructure.

All in all, with a large workforce, the Imperial army no longer had to be burdened with logistics and infrastructure as it had in the past.

If anything, this can be regarded as the Imperial State of Narrowness atoning for its sins.

The meeting lasted until late at night.

Before leaving the residence of the chief assistant, Liu Changxun made a telephone call and asked the combat staff officer of the Navy Headquarters to draw up a telegram order, and the 21st and 22nd task forces set off immediately.

As for the troops attacking Socotra, they have been on standby in Sri Lanka.