As commander of the U.S. Navy's 1st Aircraft Carrier Task Force, the pressure on Rear Admiral Halsey is undoubtedly very high. This is especially true www.biquge.info now that the 1st Aircraft Carrier Task Force has assembled all the main forces of the US Navy. If the Chinese Navy is hit hard, then the situation of the US Navy in the Pacific Ocean will be changed. But if it fails again, the U.S. Navy will completely lose its voice in the Pacific before the next batch of aircraft carriers of the U.S. Navy enters service.

Rear Admiral Halsey very much hopes to lead the American fleet to inflict heavy damage on the Chinese Navy in this naval battle, even if it cannot defeat the Chinese Navy and reverse the situation, it will make the Chinese Navy pay a considerable price. In this way, it will be of great help in narrowing the power gap with the Chinese Navy and boosting the morale of the US Navy.

However, Maj. Gen. Halsey was not sure whether this was an opportunity or a trap. The main reason is that the US Navy cannot afford to lose. If you lose, the consequences will be very serious.

"Send a telegram to General Spruance and ask him to come over." Major General Halsey ordered. At this time, he hoped to be able to get the advice of Brigadier General Spruance. Commodore Spruance is now the captain of the USS Hornet and Rear Admiral Halsey's deputy.

Soon, Commodore Spruance boarded the USS Wasp in a transport boat. The displacement of the USS Wasp aircraft carrier is several kilotons smaller than that of the USS Hornet. However, because of the large built-in hangar, the USS Wasp can carry hundreds of carrier-based aircraft, 28 more than the USS Hornet. Of course, due to the size of the flight deck, the number of carrier-based aircraft that the 'Wasp' aircraft carrier can take off and fight is very limited, and its comprehensive combat effectiveness is even inferior to that of the 'Hornet' aircraft carrier.

On the USS Wasp aircraft carrier island, Rear Admiral Halsey handed a telegram from the South Pacific Theater Command to Brigadier General Spruance.

After reading the telegram, Brigadier General Spruance replied without hesitation: "General, this is definitely a trap. ”

"Oh? Why are you so sure? Major General Halsey asked. He speculated that it might be a trap, but he wasn't as sure as Brigadier Spruance. He was also curious as to why Brigadier Spruance was so sure.

"General, since the beginning of the war, the Chinese Navy has driven the US Navy into a desperate situation with a series of strikes. They attacked the Hawaiian military port and wiped out the main forces of the Pacific Fleet. This was followed by an attack on the San Diego Naval Base, destroying the remnants of the Pacific Fleet. Finally, the Panama Canal was raided, making it impossible for us to use the canal for a short time. It can be seen from these attacks that the Chinese navy has been planning to attack the United States for a long time. In addition, it can also be seen how skilled the Chinese are in the use of aircraft carrier tactics. This suggests that the Chinese began to explore the use of aircraft carriers a long time ago. So, they know how to use aircraft carriers to fight at sea. Brigadier General Spruance said.

"However, even if this is the case, it does not prove that this is a trap set by the Chinese." Major General Halsey asked.

Indeed, that's not enough. However, the intelligence services of the Chinese are not vegetarians. Our fleet has been disappearing from the United States for more than a month. It is impossible for the intelligence officers of the Chinese to be ignorant. Once the Chinese learn this information, they will inevitably guess where we are going. Perhaps, the entire South Pacific is full of submarines and planes of the Chinese searching for our traces. The Chinese attacked Brisbane at this time to attract us to show up, and then seize this opportunity to solve us in one fell swoop. Brigadier General Spruance said.

Major General Halsey nodded: "I think so too. But are we going to give up on this offense? According to a telegram from the Allied South Pacific Theater Command, as many as nineteen battleships of the Chinese Navy appeared in Brisbane. In addition, there are quite a few carrier-based aircraft that take off, at least from four or five aircraft carriers. ”

"General, don't forget, the number of aircraft carriers of the Chinese is very large. They can use much more aircraft carriers than we do. If they bring in reinforcements from within the country, we will be in an even greater crisis. Brigadier General Spruance reminded.

"Yes! The strength of the Chinese is too strong. No one thought that before the outbreak of war, they would build so many aircraft carriers. The Chinese knew earlier than the rest of the world that aircraft carriers were the main force of the future. So, they stopped building battleships twenty years ago. However, we have all been deceived by them. Major General Halsey said. Although, these conspiracy of the Chinese empire has caused great harm to the United States. However, he still had to admit that the plans of the Chinese Empire were too good and seamless. Even as an opponent, he felt admiration.

"General, I can only say that China is undoubtedly one of the most formidable adversaries of the United States of America. From the rise of the Chinese Empire to the present, it is only a short period of 30 years. However, they have developed from a declining and decaying empire, a semi-colonial country enslaved by the West, to a superpower. The industrial power has surpassed that of the United States, and the military power has left us far behind. It was as if they had a prophet guiding them, and they were ahead of the world every step of the way. Such an opponent is really terrifying. Therefore, we must be extremely careful when dealing with such an opponent. Otherwise, there is a high risk of a fiasco. The current US Navy is very limited in strength, and we can't afford to lose. Brigadier General Spruance said.

Although, the American war machine is already in full swing. However, it also takes time to build a capital warship such as an aircraft carrier. The U.S. Navy's 12 'Essex-class' aircraft carriers have only been under construction for a few months. If it is put into service at the earliest, I am afraid it will have to wait until the middle or end of next year. In the gap of more than a year, only their 1st aircraft carrier task force struggled to support the battle situation and maneuver with the powerful Chinese navy. If they make a mistake, the U.S. Navy will have no choice but to surrender the Pacific Ocean to the Chinese Navy. In the future, if they want to regain control of the Pacific Ocean, they do not know how much it will cost.

The commander of the fleet of the Navy, who carries the lives of thousands of people in the fleet. Everyone entrusted their lives to the fleet commander, so every order given by the fleet commander must be carried out carefully. Otherwise, it would be not only his own life, but also the lives of thousands of fleet members.

At the same time, on the aircraft carrier 'Phoenix Mountain', the flagship of the Pacific Fleet of the Imperial Navy, the commander of the fleet, Admiral Chen Shaokuan, was also waiting for fighters. Within the six aircraft carrier strike groups of the Imperial Navy, the decks of the twelve escort aircraft carriers were already full of fighters. Pilots are also on standby. As soon as an incoming aircraft group is detected, the fighters on these escort aircraft carriers will immediately take off to intercept the enemy aircraft group and protect their own fleet.

According to the efficiency of sorties, within 10 minutes, each escort carrier was able to take off a squadron and 12 fighters. 12 escort aircraft carriers are capable of touching 144 fighters. The US Navy has only two aircraft carriers, and they can dispatch more than 100 carrier-based aircraft at a time. The Imperial Navy could fully rely on the fighters taking off from escort aircraft carriers to form a solid air defense network to intercept the American carrier-based aircraft.

Even if there are a few fish that slip through the net, they will not pose much of a threat to the Imperial Navy. Countless fireproof nets of destroyers, light cruisers, heavy cruisers, and large air defense cruisers are not vegetarian. Any enemy carrier-based aircraft that wants to launch an attack on an aircraft carrier will have to pass through the heavy firepower of these anti-aircraft fire networks. If it were not for a large group of aircraft to attack, it would undoubtedly be difficult to launch an attack on the aircraft carriers of the Chinese Navy, let alone pose a deadly threat.

"Is the air search radar working properly? Did the carrier-based aircraft of the Americans be spotted? Admiral Chen Shaokuan asked anxiously. They're already in Brisbane. He believes that the American fleet should already know about this. So, the next thing the Americans will make to choose is whether to attack the Imperial Navy, or turn a blind eye?

"Commander, all anti-aircraft radars are working fine. Enemy carrier-based aircraft were not detected. The staff officer replied.

"Damn, are the Americans going to give up this chance?" Admiral Chen Shaokuan was a little anxious. If the U.S. fleet is not fooled, it will be a needle in a haystack if it wants to find traces of the U.S. fleet in the vast sea.

After hesitating for a while, Admiral Chen Shaokuan made a decision: "Order the fleet to move closer to Brisbane, so that the Americans can clearly know that we are there." I don't believe that they will really be indifferent. In addition, send a telegram to the Chief of Staff and ask him to lead the fleet to shorten the distance between us and us. Admiral Chen Shaokuan ordered.

The reinforcements of the two aircraft carrier strike groups and the two battleship detachments that arrived from China were led by Vice Admiral Lin Xiangjin, chief of staff of the Pacific Fleet. After the appearance of the American fleet, they will deliver the most fatal blow to the American fleet.

"Yes, Commander." The communications officer hurriedly went to send a telegram.

The fleet commanders of both sides have already made a decision. It's hard to say what choices they will make as the tide of battle develops. (To be continued.) )