ASAHI NO NISHISEI - Rising Sun Goes West (2)

Invasion of Rhodim

January 18

Off the coast of Rhodim, United Kingdom of Slephen, Ezania Subcontinent

Five days after setting sail from the Sagroa Base, the Western World Assault Fleet had reached the waters off the coast of Rhodim, the capital of the United Kingdom of Slephen. From the bridge of the Amagi, the second of the Akagi-class aircraft carriers and the fleet flagship, the commander, Rear Admiral Shuhei Rokutani, was looking out to sea.

The flight deck is lined with F-35C fighters pulled from their hangars, each equipped with LJDAM-equipped Mk. 83 1000-pound general-purpose bomb and the AIM-9X Sidewinder short-range air-to-air missiles.

"Launch the 42nd Air Wing's F-35Cs and the TACOM Kai!"

In response to Rokutani's order, 16 F-35Cs belonging to the 3rd Squadron of the 42nd Air Wing were deployed to the Amagi. After the first and second fighters took off, the third and fourth fighters, and the fifth fighter, took off one after another. The catapult operators and mechanics were busy launching the planes. The formation of F-35Cs, given an initial speed at a level that would damage an ordinary aircraft, banked toward the direction of Rhodim. Finally, the E-2D Hawkeye early warning aircraft is launched. After the manned planes have finished launching, six carrier-based TACOM Kai, purely domestic unmanned reconnaissance aircraft, took off from the flight deck.

. . .

Sky above Rhodim, United Kingdom of Slephen

The 3rd Squadron of the 42nd Air Wing, normally stationed at Omura Base in Nagasaki Prefecture, headed for the capital city Rhodim, led by Commander Hikaru Samonji, who was in command of the lead plane. Their mission was to bomb enemy air bases, or 'dragon houses,' scattered around the capital, in order to seize air superiority over Slephen's sky.

"We have confirmed the presence of what we believe to be dragons ahead of us, numbering 12 in total."

The E-2D Hawkeye in the rear of the 3rd Squadron monitored the surrounding airspace by rotating the huge radome on top of their aircraft. The AN/APY-9 onboard radar has a detection range of more than 555 km for air and 360 km for surface targets.

"...Air-to-air combat, all planes, prepare to launch Sidewinders!"

Information on enemy air units acquired by the E-2D was transmitted to each fighter in real-time. Commander Samonji gave the order to his pilots to attack.

"Lightning 1... Fox 2!"

"Lightning 2, Fox 2!"

"Lightning 3, Fox 2!"

The pilots of the F-35C put their fingers on the AIM-9X Sidewinder launchers one after another. The swarm of missiles pierced the sound barrier at Mach 2,5 and flew soundlessly toward their target, the 12 dragons.

Off the coast of Rhodim, the dragon cavalry belonging to the United Kingdom's Third Fleet was conducting a patrol flight. Their mission was to be the first to detect the Japanese forces that might come at any moment and inform the military command on the ground. However, the swarm of AIM-9X Sidewinders that had been launched was approaching silently, as if mocking Slephen's dragon cavalry. Slephen's dragon riders could do nothing against those flying through the air above the speed of sound.

"...Hm?"

One of the riders noticed something in his field of vision. But by the time he realized it, it was too late. Immediately after that, a dozen of black flowers bloomed in the sky above the coast of Rhodim. None of the attacked dragons and soldiers had any living form left.