Chapter 146
December 15, 2020, 06:45, 49 km south of Jeju Island (the 7th Maritime Flotilla’s 72nd Mobile Fleet’s location)
The 72nd Mobile Fleet’s three Hocula destroyers under the 7th Maritime Flotilla began to speed south toward the Chinese naval forces. They were attempting to get in the range of their Harper K-1 cannons with a range of 90 km because they had exhausted their missile supply.
Colonel Kim Ki-young, Commander of the 72nd Mobile Fleet and Captain of the King Suk-jong (DDG-1005) came down to the Command Center to lead the mission.
“We are 94 km away from the Chinese destroyers, Captain.”
The Captain glanced at the screen when the Operator reported in. There were 88 vessels capable of battle being shown as green dots. The ones on the lead were 94 km away from his vessel.
“We advance until we are 80 km away. Maintain our speed as well.”
“Yes, Captain.”
An answer from the Helmsman at the bridge came through.
“Operations Director.”
“Yes, Captain.”
“Are the close-range defense systems on autopilot?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Give me a final report on the status of our arms.”
“Here is the status of our weapons, Captain. Twenty-five sky sea dragon anti-air missiles, 12 Shield-M mid-range missiles, 32 K-ASROC Red Shark A torpedoes, 6 Blue Shark torpedoes, and 120 plasma cluster rounds for the 5 inch K-1 Harper cannons, Captain.”
“Tell the Young-jo and Jung-jo ships to attack when they reach a distance of 80 km without waiting for orders.”
“I will contact them, sir.”
<hr />
December 15, 2020, 06:45, in the deep sea 159 km south of Jeju Island N31° 45′ E 126° 12′
“Captain! We will reach 30,000 from the Huhbei soon.”
“After we attack with the torpedoes, we could be detected. Everyone get ready and let’s try our best.”
The ten crew members aboard the submarine nodded instead of answering.
“Captain! It’s an encrypted message from the Ham Suk-hun ship.”
The Communications Operator handed the Captain the decrypted message. The Captain quickly read the message that was only a few lines long, reporting that the Ham Suk-hun (SSP-082) was also closing in the distance to 30 km and will attack the San Dung aircraft carrier also.
“Communications Operator, send an encrypted message as a response. Attack time to be set at 0635h. The 081 will hit the Huhbei while the 082 will hit the San Dung at the same time.”
“Yes, Captain.”
The Communications Operator worked the console and sent an encrypted message to the Ham Suk-hun (SSP-082).
“The time of reckoning has come. If we take out those two targets, then it’s over for the Chinese Navy. What’s our distance from the target?”
“We are 28,200 meters away from our target, sir.”
When he heard the Operator’s answer, the Captain checked the time on the screen. They were one minute away from the scheduled attack. Anxiety was building up at the bridge of the Lee Bong-chang (SSP-081) submarine.
Finally, the long minute had passed.
“Open launch tubes 1 through 8.”
“Opening launch tubes 1 through 8.”
“Rapid-fire from torpedo 1.”
“Rapid firing from torpedo 1 through 8.”
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
The eight torpedo rounds shot out from the Lee Bong-chang (SSP-081) from the air pressure and then began to raise their speed with the equipped thrusters, causing a hypercavitating bubble to form at the warhead.
“All eight torpedoes have been successfully launched! They are heading toward the target at 400 knots.”
“The Ham Suk-hun has also fired torpedoes, six in total, Captain.”
“How long do we have until the torpedoes hit their targets?”
“Distance at 25,000 and time at 98 seconds, Captain.”
“All right. Helmsman, maintain our azimuth and set the diving angle to 20 and dive until 115! Reduce our speed to half.”
“Maintaining azimuth, diving angle at 20, and diving down until 115! Cutting our speed to half, sir.”
“Prepare the second round of torpedoes. Inject launch tubes 1 through 8.”
“Injecting.”
<hr />
December 15, 2020, 06:50, 118 km southeast of Jeju Island (China’s naval fleet’s location)
The torpedo alarm from the Huhbei aircraft
carrier rang across the entire vessel.
“Torpedo! Torpedo detected! Eight with an azimuth of 1-1-5 and at a speed of 550 knots! Ninety-five seconds before contact.”
An urgent report about the torpedoes rang across the bridge.
“What are you talking about? How did we not detect a submarine closing in on us?”
“There are six torpedoes headed toward the San Dung aircraft carrier as well.”
Vice commander Zhang Jike was shocked by the reports and shouted after kicking the bridge wall.
“How poor was the submarine sentry net that we are being attacked by the torpedoes?”
“Has the location of the enemy submarines been detected?”
Vice Commander in Chief Zhang Jike asked calmly to the Command Center instead of the frantic fleet commander.
“Their distance is at 22,000 meters and 85 seconds before impact.”
“What kind of torpedo is that fast? It’s not some missile.”
Captain Chen Ching, who could not comprehend the situation, asked in response.
“The . . . the thing is, Captain, it seems to be a hypercavitating torpedo.”
“What? Those Bangzi have hypercavitating torpedoes?”
Vice Commander in Chief Zhang Jike became wide-eyed like a rabbit and finally came to his senses.
“Even if they did—”
“Hold them off! If our vessel gets hit, then our amphibious mission will be a failure. Tell the entire fleet! Use any means necessary.”
“Yes, Commander!”
The destroyers escorting the Huhbei and San dung carriers moved hastily. The Chinese fleet detected the torpedo launch tube injection noises made by the Lee Bong-chang (SSP-081) and the Ham Suk-hun (SSP-082). The fleet heightened their sentry activities toward the submarines and gave chase.
First, 2 of the Hainan class (Type 055) anti-air destroyers launched 14 rounds of YU-10 type missile torpedoes. In 2019, China had developed an anti-submarine torpedo missile that had a range of 20 km, similar to Korea’s Red Shark, and deployed them to the field.
When the four Kunming class (Type 052D) missiles failed at their first interception attempt, they entered the process of launching the YU-7 type torpedoes to make their second interception attempt.
Woosh, Woosh, Woosh.
A moment later, the Chinese YU-10 type torpedoes skimmed the ocean surface and created a bubble to fly at immense speeds toward the Great White A hypercavitating torpedo. However, since the speed of the Yu-10 torpedo was too fast, the active sonar equipment could not function properly and failed to intercept.
“Number 1, 2, 3 4, and 5 failed to intercept! Number 6 interception successful! Number 7 failed.”
The Sonar Operators of each vessel gave a real-time report on the interception status of the torpedoes to every vessel. Those aboard the Huhbei aircraft carrier, including Vice Commander Zhang Jike, were paying attention to the reports coming in.
“Torpedo 14 also failed.”
Out of the 14 torpedoes, only 1 was successful. The second wave of YU-10 type torpedo missiles flew into the sky, and the YU-7 type torpedoes also dove into the blue sea to establish a third stage of the torpedo defensive net.
As a last resort, the escorting Kun Ming class and Hainan class destroyers of the 1st Carrier Strike Group deployed decoys.
Meanwhile, the 72nd Fleet’s three Hocula destroyers, including the King Suk-jong (DDG-1005), had begun to fire their plasma cluster rounds repeatedly when they got in the range of their Harper K-1 cannons.
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
The Harper K-1 cannons with a range of 90 km used its plasma cluster rounds and tore the surviving Hangzhou ships to shreds. Their four close-in 30 mm AK-630M defense Vulcans tried their best to intercept the oncoming plasma cluster rounds, but the small cluster bombs flying toward them at Mach 8 was no match for them. The Fuzhou that was hit by eight rounds of the cluster rounds exploded as if being hit by an anti-ship missile and caught in flames. The crew’s screams were drowned out by the explosion.
However, the resistance from the Chinese Navy was no pushover. The four Hainan class destroyers and the four Kun Ming class destroyers escorting the 1st Carrier Strike Group continued to launch their YJ-83 type (C-803) anti-submarine missiles.
On the surface, the 72nd Mobile Fleet’s Hocula destroyers and the Chinese 1st Carrier Strike Group’s destroyers were engaged in battle while under the sea, the Korean submarines were facing off Chinese destroyers.
Ten minutes later, the Huhbei aircraft carrier had four large holes in its port side and began to tilt rapidly. The jets aboard the deck were all tangled up before crashing into the sea. Also, two Kun Ming class destroyers around the area were sinking and only their mast could be seen. They had been hit by the hypercavitating torpedoes trying to defend the aircraft carrier. Despite their sacrifice, the Huhbei aircraft carrier was hit by four Great White A hypercavitating torpedoes from the Lee Bong-chang (SSP-081).
“Vice Commander Zhang Jike, we must retreat, sir.”
Captain Chen Jing of the Huhbei aircraft carrier covered his face that he banged up against the wall and shouted.
The explosion caused by the four Great White A hypercavitating torpedoes must have had a great impact as the bridge of the Huhbei aircraft carrier was in chaos.
“Our aircraft carrier was taken down by only four torpedoes?”
The Huhbei aircraft carrier was designed with numerous steel walls to withstand torpedo attacks. Vice Commander in Chief Zhang Jike, who was aware of this fact, could not comprehend the fact the Huhbei was sinking. He barely regained his balance and shouted while looking out from the bridge.
“Commander, we must retreat!”
“We can still hold on.”
“It is too dangerous, sir. The vessel is tilted by 30 degrees. We are past the point of recovery!”
“Damn it! Check on the status of the San Dung aircraft carrier.”
Vice Commander in Chief Zhang Jike did not pay any attention to Captain Chen Jing’s suggestion. The Communications Operator contacted the San Dung aircraft carrier under his orders.
“The San Dung aircraft carrier is also under attack by torpedoes, sir.”
“What are the damages?”
“They were hit by two torpedoes, and the repairmen are trying to recover their damages.”
“They did not sink, that is a relief! Raise the anti-submarine sentry to the highest level and get the Korean submarines! We can’t just stand idly by after we’ve been hit.”
“We must retreat first, sir.”
A report from the Command Center came that sealed their fate, however.
“Six more additional torpedo attacks. Distance 15,000 meters, 58 seconds before impact.”
“If they get hit by even a single round, then the carrier will sink. Tell the escorting ships to stop them!”,
Vice Commander Zhang Jike shouted. However, they were too short on time. The fact that Vice Commander Zhang Jike only relied on the escorting ships for their anti-submarine sentry efforts was one of the main reasons their ships were sinking.
The Hainan class destroyers launched the YU-10 type torpedoes for the last time, and the Kun Ming class destroyers also deployed numerous decoys to the sea, but the Great White A torpedoes navigating at 600 knots ignored them all. Also, the interception attempts had failed. The Great White A torpedoes rammed into the port side of the Huhbei aircraft carrier.
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
Four loud explosions occurred repeatedly and the 70,000-ton Huhbei aircraft carrier began to sink rapidly into the ocean. The water looked as if a monster was swallowing the Huhbei into its mouth, and the aircraft carrier quickly vanished engulfed in the water. Only the wreckage could be seen floating on the surface.
<hr />
December 15, 2020, 06:55, in the deep sea, 152 km south of Jeju Island N 31° 55′ E 126° 01′
“Our target the Huhbei aircraft carrier has sunk, sir.”
The Sonar Operator quietly reported.
“Are you certain?”
“Yes, Captain.”
“What about the San Dung?”
“Based on the sonar patterns, it is still afloat, sir.”
“Should we try to take them out as well? We are in a pickle here.”
“Ah! A Chinese submarine is approaching! Azimuth 0-5-7, distance at 21,000.”
“Hmm, no need to overexert ourselves! We achieved our goal. We are going to leave here quietly. Azimuth at 2-7-8 and full turn starboard! Maintain our diving angle and full speed ahead.”
“Azimuth 2-7-8, maintaining diving angle and full speed ahead.”
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