Two days later, Tan Renhao got the battle order personally issued by Marshal Nie Renfeng (this is a command link added since the last incident, and the fleet must have a combat order issued by the naval commander when going to sea to fight, which is actually an exemption order). In the evening, the fleet left the port of Naha under the reflection of the setting sun, and after passing through the Kerama waterway, it headed for the ocean to the east.

According to the operational doctrine, the fleet was to turn off all radio transmitting equipment after leaving the port, and to receive only telegrams from the outside world, and not to send telegrams. When sailing, the fleet relied on flag language during the day and light signals at night to convey short commands and messages. There is no need to worry about these things, Chang Jianxin is in charge of the fleet's navigation work, and these things are arranged by him.

Tan Renhao still thinks that the night view on the sea is the most beautiful, especially when the sun sets, the sea and the sky seem to become a whole, you can sail and soar freely, giving people infinite space for reverie, and giving people a huge sense of mystery. It's as if on the other side of the sea, there is something you never know. Tan Renhao will never forget the first time he boarded a battleship, it was when he participated in the shipboard internship at the Naval Officer Academy, and all the cadets of the Naval Officer Academy were assigned to a training ship for sailing, gunnery, sail manoeuvring and other internships. And that was the first time Tan Renhao sailed to the sea on a ship larger than a dinghy. Since then, Tan Renhao has firmly believed that the sea is his other home, his second hometown.

"I knew I'd find you here." Lei Shaoqing's words pulled Tan Renhao back from his memories. "Why didn't you go to dinner?"

"I don't have much of an appetite." Tan Renhao took the lunch box handed by Lei Shaoqing, "Is there any new news?" ”

Lei Shaoqing shrugged his shoulders. "If there's anything new, I'll tell you right away. Don't be so nervous, half a year ago, we could have defeated the more powerful Japanese fleet, are you losing confidence now? ”

Tan Renhao immediately laughed. "I've never lost faith."

"I think so, too, if even you lose confidence, then what will happen to the officers and men of the fleet?" Lei Shaoqing took out a cigarette, "Okay." Don't pretend to be old-fashioned, you're not much older than me, and you're not much older than everyone else. Let's eat quickly, and if we have time in the evening, let's go play a few games of chess, how about it? ”

Tan Renhao shook his head, he didn't have that leisure, even if the academy opened a chess minor course back then. He didn't have much interest, and he didn't have that interest now.

"By the way, there's something you don't know yet."

"What's the matter?" Tan Renhao stuck his chopsticks in the rice ball, and he really didn't have much appetite.

"Do you know who was the last person who commanded the First Air Fleet to fight against us?"

"Isn't it Nagumo Yizhong?" Talking about Renhao, this is a vain question.

"Nagumo Kazutada was removed by Yamamoto Sixty-Five because he missed the plane that defeated us." Lei Shaoqing leaned on the railing, "Replacing Nanyun Yizhong is a major general named Yamaguchi Wenta, and he was also promoted to lieutenant general. Previously, the Wyvern, the commander of the aircraft carrier formation. ”

Tan Renhao nodded slightly. "I don't think the last time the Japanese First Air Fleet was in combat operations, it didn't look like Nagumo Kazutada was in command, and it turned out that the commander had changed."

"Yes, Nanyun Yizhong is more than cautious, and it is not enough to go in. Extremely conservative in combat. Therefore, Yamamoto Sixty-Five removed him. In fact, this Yamaguchi Wenduo can be regarded as our old rival. Lei Shaoqing handed a cigarette to Tan Renhao, "Do you remember the naval battle of Ryukyu Island?" The final counterattack was sent by Yamaguchi Bunta. ”

"You mean. Sink the fleet of aircraft carriers, Taizong? Tan Renhao was slightly shocked in his heart.

Lei Shaoqing looked at Tan Renhao and nodded. "It's Yamaguchi Wenta who concentrated all his forces at the last moment and launched a counterattack, otherwise the 'Taizong' would not be finished."

Tan Renhao sneered. "No wonder this is the case, it seems that this mountain pass is also a fierce general, otherwise, it would not have caused us such a huge loss."

"He doesn't have much capital now, and the 'Zuihe' aircraft carrier is simply not enough to save the war. In addition, after the last battle, Yamaguchi probably didn't have a good time. ”

Tan Renhao sneered and was silent, no matter what, Yamaguchi Wenduo was a terrible opponent. An opponent who dares to bet all his ground bets on the offensive is an opponent who has mastered the essence of naval aviation operations. It's not easy to beat such an opponent.

"Shaoqing, after arriving at the predetermined sea area, we must strengthen patrols." Tan Renhao already sensed the threat, "Two formations of ground reconnaissance planes took turns. At the time of bombing, it was the seaplanes on the cruiser that filled the holes in the reconnaissance net. I don't think this battle will be too easy. ”

"You're saying that Yamaguchi is still a threat to us?"

Tan Renhao slowly spit out the tobacco. "Yamaguchi is a fierce general, and he knows the essence of naval aviation operations. If Ichitashi Nagumo were to face him, I wouldn't have any fear. There will be no difficulty in dealing with a timid opponent. But the problem is that Yamaguchi Wenta is by no means the kind of person who is willing to use the valuable combat power of the aircraft carrier as a supporting role, and he will not take a passive defense. Since Yamamoto Sixty-Five was able to promote him to commander of the First Air Fleet, he trusted him very much. If Yamamoto Sixty-Five still trusted him now, he would have given the First Air Fleet enough freedom of movement. Therefore, we have to be careful. ”

"Then I'll immediately go and reschedule the reconnaissance mission."

Tan Renhao grabbed Lei Shaoqing. "Don't worry, maybe there will be new information in the next two days. You first ask the staff officer to draw up a rough plan. If Yamaguchi Wenta had enough freedom of movement, he would have gone it alone and dealt us a fatal blow while we attacked the Combined Fleet. Even if he only has a fleet at his disposal, then he will bet on the attack, which is our biggest threat. ”

"No problem, I'll ask the staff officer on duty to come up with the rough plan first at night."

Tan Renhao nodded. "So be it, we can't underestimate this opponent."

Both fell silent. Tan Renhao had always trusted his instincts, and now he had sensed the danger, the most obvious being that none of the several telegrams he had received before had anything about the Japanese aircraft carrier.

After leaving the sea area where anti-submarine aircraft patrolled it, the fleet first sailed southeast to avoid the sea area where Japanese submarines operated. It then sails eastwards and finally turns north. In fact, this is equivalent to a detour, an extra thousand nautical miles. However, for an aircraft carrier with a maximum endurance of more than 8,000 nautical miles, an increase in range is nothing.

This work 1...... 6K exclusive text version debut, may not be reproduced without consent, excerpts, for more latest and fastest chapters, please visit.! Two days later, the fleet reached the predetermined sea area. Lei Shaoqing dispatched a reconnaissance plane in accordance with the revised reconnaissance plan. The two aircraft carrier formations will alternately dispatch reconnaissance planes to search for the whereabouts of the Japanese fleet in the waters north and east of the fleet. The difficulty of such reconnaissance at sea is actually quite great. Because the reconnaissance plane completely relied on the pilot's visual reconnaissance, even in the best weather, the width of the sea area that a reconnaissance plane could cover would not exceed 20 nautical miles, and in addition, the reconnaissance plane might miss out with the enemy fleet, so even if all the bombers on the four aircraft carriers were dispatched, it would be difficult to completely search all the nearby sea areas.

The course of the fleet also began to shift, and the speed remained around 18 knots. According to the plan drawn up by Tan Renhao, the fleet would bomb the Japanese airfield on Iwo Jima the next morning, kicking off the battle. And before that. The fleet must maneuver to avoid all possible dangers.

As always, Tan Renhao came to replace Lei Shaoqing in the evening. The Fleet Commander and Chief of Staff are rotated. One of them had to be awake at all times and stay inside the Commander's Bridge.

"The telegram I just received, damn it!" Lei Shaoqing scolded in a low voice, "It took the local cryptography experts of the naval intelligence department two full days to decipher this code, two days, two whole days!" ”

Tan Renhao glanced at Lei Shaoqing, who was a little excited, and then his eyes fell on the telegram. This is a telegram from the Japanese Navy deciphered by naval intelligence. Because of the successful salvage of a Japanese submarine that attacked the Tang Empire's transport fleet and obtained the decoder in the submarine, the Tang Empire's naval intelligence department actually had mastered the Japanese Navy's communication code, but the Japanese side knew nothing about it. Still think their passwords are secure. But the problem is that the salvaged cipher machine has also been damaged, so the cryptographic experts of the naval intelligence department still have to spend a lot of energy and time to decipher the Japanese Navy's telegrams.

"The Combined Fleet did not operate with the First Air Fleet?" Tan Renhao was also surprised, this can be said to be the worst news.

"yes, damn it, such important information is only being delivered now." Lei Shaoqing punched the bulkhead, "If it had been sent two days earlier, then we would have more time to prepare." ”

Tan Renhao gritted his teeth. He wanted to curse too, but he controlled his emotions, and the staff officers looked at the two of them. After calling Lei Shaoqing to the chart table, Tan Renhao lay on the chart table and looked at it carefully.

"If the Japanese Combined Fleet had not acted with the First Air Fleet, then Yamaguchi Odora would probably be waiting for us somewhere to the north." Lei Shaoqing marked a general range on the chart, "We must find the First Air Fleet first, and then kill it!" ”

Tan Renhao didn't speak, he was still watching carefully, and then he glanced at the radio wave in his hand, and then he laughed.

"Renhao, what do you think?"

Tan Renhao nodded. "I don't think the Yamaguchi smell is necessarily on our north side."

"Why?"

"If he goes straight south, then the first thing he will do is to hit our submarine cordon. And our submarines discovered the Japanese Combined Fleet three times, so why didn't the Japanese 1st Air Fleet be discovered? Tan Renhao noted the submarine cordon on the chart, "Even if there is a loophole in the submarine cordon, it is very possible that Yamaguchi Wenduo was not discovered by our submarine, but he will not go south directly, because the intention is too obvious, and he will encounter us first." ”

"So what do you think ......?"

"East!" Tan Renhao marked an area on the chart, "Yamamoto Sixty-Five is very cunning, if we hadn't deciphered the Japanese Navy's communication code, then we would really have been fooled." Outwardly, the Japanese combined fleet was a decoy, and it was the Japanese bombers on the islands that really posed a threat to us. Now, the appearance of the First Air Fleet has actually proved that Yamamoto Sixty-Five has left himself an extra hand, and it is the First Air Fleet that really poses a threat to us. If Yamaguchi had more than 60 bombers, then we would have been hit by Japanese bombers when we bombed the Japanese on the islands, or when we attacked the Combined Fleet. ”

"It's hard to get the timing right."

"Yes, that's the problem, but that's at least what the Japanese planned. And, I'm sure to assure you, now Yamaguchi Odora is also waiting for orders. If we succeed in bombing Iwo Jima, then we will continue north, and then the fleet will be very likely to be exposed. And as long as Yamaguchi knows our exact location, then the Japanese bomber group will be on the road. Tan Renhao sneered, "Perhaps, the Japanese bombers on Iwo Jima have been transferred to the airfields of other islands. ”

"So what are we going to do? Either cancel tomorrow's bombing plan and take out the First Air Fleet first. ”

Tan Renhao pondered for a moment, then shook his head. "The Japanese have calculated one point, but they have missed another, and that is that we now have not three aircraft carriers, but four aircraft carriers of two strike groups."

Lei Shaoqing was slightly startled, and immediately knew that Tan Renhao was going to fight hard with the Japanese.

"Tomorrow's bombing plan will proceed as usual, with the 2nd Carrier Strike Group responsible for bombing Japanese airfields and other military installations on Iwo Jima." Tan Renhao straightened up, "The bomber unit of the 1st Carrier Strike Group must be ready to set off before dawn. Also, send out all the water reconnaissance planes at night, let each plane carry as much fuel as possible, and search the eastern seas with all their might, if they can find the Japanese First Air Fleet at night, then tomorrow will be their end! ”

Lei Shaoqing did not oppose this plan, because now the First Task Force has two aircraft carrier strike groups, and each aircraft carrier strike group can dispatch nearly 150 bombers, and only one aircraft carrier strike group needs to be concentrated, which is enough to take out the Japanese First Air Fleet.