Very Wrong Reincarnation: Isekai with Game Nation

Vol. 3 Chapter 9

Vice Admiral Campbell of the Cignus Federal Navy Task Force, currently attached to Sanctium’s Second Fleet South, stared at the radar display. Blips representing allied aircrafts headed toward Yugoslavia were vanishing one after another.

“As expected, they’re just punching bags for the Yugoslavs,” he said bluntly. Around him, the other officers nodded in agreement.

“It’s not even a contest,” one of them added. None of them looked surprised. Propeller-driven aircrafts had no real chance against modern jets. They were being torn apart.

“At this rate, they’ll be wiped out for nothing,” Campbell muttered, just as a crew member approached with a new update.

“Sir, the fleet is requesting to send their fighters to support the bombers.”

Hearing it, Campbell looked back at the radar. “They want to throw more bodies into this mess?” he replied, tone sharp. He paused, then gave his next orders with clear intent. “Tell them to focus in arming their bombers and torpedo planes. Their mission is to strike towns and cities. That’s their priority. Keep the ground-based bombers and fighter escorts in the air.”

“Sir, should we tell them to abandon the Sanctium army aircrafts?”

“No,” Campbell said firmly. “We’ll deal with that.”

He turned to another aide. “Send out the A-2 Flankers.”

The officer hesitated. “Are you sure? The Flankers are assigned to fleet defense. They’re supposed to protect the fleet until we delivered this fleet to Yugoslav coast where their guns can reach.”

“There’s only one type of Yugoslav aircraft that poses a real threat to the Flankers, there shouldn't any difference in numbers in current situation,” Campbell replied. “The rest are comparable in performance. And the Flankers are equipped with missiles now. That should help close the capability gap.”

He was referring to the reinforcement two weeks ago—two dozen upgraded A-2 Flankers had arrived, along with the forward support vessel IX-3 Blackstone. The ship was a converted cargo ship, 280 meters long. Its forward section had been refitted with a flight deck and an angled runway, though the original bridge remained. The flight deck was only 190 meters, but aircraft could use the angled deck to turn around if needed to rear flight deck. Though the rear of the vessel was reserved for helicopter operations.

It could carry four helicopters and fourteen A-2 Flankers—newer models that could reach 640 kph and now had limited stocks of air-seeking missiles. Eighty missiles had been hastily delivered along with the upgraded Flankers. These were meant to support the limited number of missile-capable F-14s, Tiger Shark IIs, and ALCA jets. The Blackstone had originally been intended as an aircraft ferry for delivering supplies and planes to Sanctium. Now, its job was to help screen the Sanctium fleet from further losses.

Rather Oliver and Cecily had predicted this: Yugoslavia would inflict severe damage on Sanctium forces if they tried approaching the coast. The role of the Cignus Task Force was to reduce the scale of that damage.

“Order their deployment,” he said without hesitation.

“Yes, Admiral,” came the reply.

Soon, the rows of A-2 Flankers were being prepped. One by one, they launched using the onboard rocket-assist system. Within twenty minutes, eleven Flankers had taken off.

They soared into the skies—about to mark the first engagement between Cignus aerial forces and the Yugoslav Air Force over the sea.
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The skies were still chaotic as a Kruger dove sharply, trying to intercept a diving Galeb. The Kruger’s guns fired at the path where the Galeb was heading. The rounds struck the enemy fighter, sending smoke trailing from its tail as it began losing altitude. But the Kruger’s pilot wasn’t celebrating. He had just seen nearly half of their bomber fleet either shot down or damaged in just minutes. The casualty rate had already reached almost 50%. It was devastating. Still, the order was to press on.