February 15, 2021, 05:25

  All over Japan

  Russia’s 55 ICBMs, which had just entered the end stage by flying a distance of 4,000 km, crossed over the Corean Peninsula. As the front warhead fairing detached, the three built-in warheads appeared and bounced forward. The triangular-shaped warhead corrected its path toward the target hitting point set by its own propellant force and fell at a speed of Mach 20 or more based on the falling kinetic energy.

  Meanwhile, 192km off the southwestern tip of Kyushu (the 7th Carrier Strike Group).

  One E-2F AHE Hawkeye aircraft took off from Ronald Reagan Fleet (CVN-76), the aircraft from the 7th Carrier Strike Group, and raised the output of the twin jet engine to the maximum. It passed Kyushu at the highest speed and reached the southwestern tip of Honshu. Accordingly, the APY-9 AESA radar radiated and pursued the warhead of the intercontinental ballistic missile falling from outer atmosphere.

  * E-2F AHE Hawkeye: It was the latest model that was upgraded from E-2D AHE Hawkeye which was equipped with the APY-9 AESA. The twin-propeller engine changed to the twin-propeller jet engine. It was made in 2011 to improve battlefield situational awareness so that it could be used in global air missile defense (TAMD) operations.

  Around the E-2F AHE Hawkeye flying over the inland of the southwestern part of Honshu, two types of combat planes began support flights with radio disturbance. They were 20 F/A-18E/F Super Hornets armed with two air-to-air type SM-3 (Block IB) missiles and two EA-18G Growlers that had participated in the air fight with the Corean Red Phoenix combat plane the previous day.

  From 2020, the U.S. had upgraded the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet to be able to mount SM-3 (Block IB) missiles in accordance with the second global air missile defense (TAMD) plan, so that it could move quickly and intercept in vulnerable areas to ballistic missile attacks.

  The E-2F AHE Hawkeye flew at an altitude of 5 km, flying over clouds like a carpet. When it reached within the range of the SM-3 (Block IB) missile, it assigned a target for the warhead to the Super Hornet fighter and ordered it to fire.

  The SM-3 (Block IB) missile, which fell off from the hardpoint with a light sound, soon ignited intense sparks from its own propellant. It disappeared from view at an instantaneous speed, and only white smoke trails were left behind.

  On the other hand, the Cowpens (CG-63) and Shiloh (CG-67), the Ticonderoga-class Aegis cruisers operating SM-3 (Block IIA) ship-to-air missiles among the surface ships belonging to the 7th Carrier Strike Group, launched the SM-3 (Block IIA) missiles from the MK 41 VLS vertical launcher to protect the southwestern part of Honshu and the entire Kyushu from the warheads of the Russian intercontinental ballistic missiles. The assigned warheads totaled 67, and the two Aegis cruisers fired 34 and 33 respectively.

  Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

  The white tracks, one after another, looked like a brushing vertically with white paint on a blue drawing paper. In less than a few minutes, white smoke like a sea fog spread around the two Aegis cruisers that fired a total of 67 SM-3 (Block IIA) ship-to-air missiles.

  Meanwhile, in the U.S. military base in Yokota, Tokyo (the 556th THAAD battery).

  The U.S. base in Yokota was the place where the U.S. Forces Command, 5th Air Force Command, and the 374th Airlift Wing were located. One of the six THAAD batteries responsible for the defense of Tokyo’s air, the 556th THAAD battery was equipped with the AN/TPY-2 radar. It emitted powerful radar waves and detected the warheads of Russian intercontinental ballistic missiles falling at a terrifying speed of Mach 25 in the air defense jurisdiction and continued detecting until the final interception distance was reached.

  The launch vehicle, which had eight extended length launchers, lifted their launching tubes close to 80 degrees and waited for the final order. In the meantime, 60 SM-3 (Block IA) missiles with a range of 500 km soared to the sky, leaving white trails, from Aegis destroyers Myoko (DDG-175) and Takao (DDG-191), which were waiting at sea 20 km north of Kurobe.

  Meanwhile, at Honshu Uozu Port, 16km northwest of the sea (the 1st Carrier Strike Group’s location).

  The Battle of Dokdo had happened on December 13, 2020. It was a one-of-a-kind naval battle that surprised and astonished naval commanders around the world, more surprising than the combination of the four major naval battles in the world: The Battle of Salamis, the Battle of Kumkale, the Battle of Trafalgar, and the Battle of Hansando.

  The 1st Carrier Strike Group, which consisted of the 3rd Escort fleet of Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force and Japan’s first aircraft carrier, Kaga (CV-2001), had been almost fully destroyed by only one ship – the Chungmugong Lee Sun-shin (CG-1101). The ships that survived the battle without being sunk were the Takao (DDG-191), Hyuga (DDH-181), Makinami (DD-112), Suzunami (DD-114), Myoko (DDG-175), and Kaga (CV-2001).

  The surviving ships received emergency repairs for two months at the Izumi Shipyard. The only surviving Zumwalt (DDG-0001) among the four Zumwalt-class destroyers that cost enormous sums to Japan and the aircraft carrier Kaga (CV-2001), the helicopter carrier Hyuga (DDH-181), two Aegis destroyers, and two air defense destroyers had been assigned to the first Carrier Strike Group and converted to marine power again. In addition, the 14th Guard, Maizuru Regional Force, was incorporated in consideration of insufficient surface ship power.

  Several versions of the interception SM-3 ship-to-air missiles soared into the sky, spraying hazy smoke from the vertical launcher of the stealth destroyer Zumwalt (DDG-0001), the Atago class Aegis destroyer Takao (DDG-191), and the Kongo class Aegis destroyer Myoko (DDG-175).

  Meanwhile, at the Misawa U.S. military base in Aoba Prefecture, Honshu (211st THAAD battery)……

  Among the U.S. troops stationed in Japan, the Misawa base at the northern end of Honshu was stationed by the 35th Fighter Wing, Naval Air Support, and the 7th Fleet Patrol Scout, and their main mission at the moment was to stop the Russian Pacific Fleet. In addition, the 211th THAAD battery, which was responsible for the air defense north of Honshu and Hokkaido, was also ready for launch and was on standby to reach the interception range.

  Previously, there had been a total of six THAAD batteries operated by the US military throughout Japan. However, the permission for the four batteries had been transferred as a rental to the Japanese Self-Defense Forces when the Corean-Japanese war occurred. Then, as a result of continued Corean missile attacks and air raids, the four batteries had virtually lost their anti-aircraft defense capabilities.

  The AN/TPY-2 radar was constantly pursuing and detecting the falling warheads in the middle of the launch vehicles standing by with their eight extended length launchers upright. It was a very tense moment. The command and control center assigned targets to intercept each launch vehicle and waited for the targets to reach within the final intercept range. There was a total of 36 warheads currently being dropped in the jurisdiction of the 211th THAAD battery.

  After a not short time, the order to launch THAAD missiles finally fell from the command and control center. Massive white smoke erupted from the eight extended length launchers, making a tremendous noise. Slowly, the THAAD missile emerged and began to soar into the sky. 36 slender THAAD missiles with a length of 6.17m, a weight of 900kg, and a diameter of 34cm were launched simultaneously in a short time. It was a spectacular scene. The sound was very loud, and white smoke with dust spread over a hundred meters.

  A few minutes later, the SM-3 (Block IIA) which boasted the longest range and speed of Mach 15 among the SM-3 ship-to-air missiles, launched from the U.S. Navy Aegis cruiser. In the beginning, the first stage propellant was separated, and then the second stage propellant was separated when it reached the limit of practical use. When the fairing was separated on both sides and opened, the kinetic warhead of the final stage immediately detected a warhead falling at a speed of Mach 25 through an infrared sensor. Accordingly, the nozzle propellant mounted on the eight warheads was activated, gradually correcting the path and entering the final collision maneuver.

  Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

  Numerous flashes of light could be seen from the altitudes of the exosphere across Japan. Subsequently, the SM-3 (Block IB) launched by the Super Hornet and the SM-3 (Block IA) missile launched by the Marine Defense Force Aegis destroyer intervened in the lights show.

  ***

  February 15, 2021, 05:35

  192km offshore in the southwestern part of Kyushu, Japan (the 7th Carrier Strike Group)

  A lights show was happening in the outer and atmospheric spaces, the Blue Ridge (LCC-19), the flagship of the 7th Carrier Strike Group of the 7th Fleet. It was tense inside the ship while the crew watched the interception situation in real-time.

  “The current intercept rate is 67%! It keeps rising, captain!” Operation Officer Bill Harley said with a smile as he was inspired by the higher intercept rate than they had expected.

  “Officer Harley! It’s not the right time to be relaxing. If that is a nuclear bomb, even if we miss just one shot, it will be a huge disaster. Tell them to prepare for the second intercept.”


  “Sorry, sir. I couldn’t help myself because the interception rate was higher than the existing data. I will issue an order.”


  After a while, 55 SM-3 (Block IIA) missiles were launched for the second intercept. It was the last missile mounted on the MK 41 VSL (vertical launcher) of two Aegis cruisers.

  As white wake continued, an emergency report arrived from the Cowpens (CG-63), one of the Aegis cruisers.

  “Captain! It is said that tactical ballistic missiles have also been launched from Corea. Currently, 180 missiles have been detected. They are currently entering the atmosphere,” Officer Harley summarized the reports and made a brief report.

  “What? It was not only Russia? Instruct all destroyers to intercept with SM-6 missiles.”


  “I will issue an order.”


  At that time, Kevin Dylan, who was the captain of Blue Ridge (LCC-19), said cautiously, “Captain! Shouldn’t we sortie additional Super Hornet fighters?”


  “It’s too late. In the current situation, we have to give up the southwestern part of Honshu. Let’s focus on defending Kyushu at least.”


  “Yes, captain!”


  “By the way, Russia is surely going mad. How can they attack like this? They must be not afraid of World War III.” Admiral Michael Sam, commander of the 7th Fleet, felt deeply uncomfortable with the Russian reckless ballistic missile attack.

  Following the two Aegis cruisers, the Arleigh Burke-class destroyers, Lassen (DDG-82), McCampbell (DDG-85), and the Mustin (DDG-89)’s VSL (vertical launcher) launched SM-6 ship-to-air missiles, one after another.