Chapter 1362 - 1145: The Air Force's One-Sided Overwhelming Victory (Part 2)

Then, his gaze swept across the command post like a searchlight and finally zeroed in on Song Heping.

He walked straight over, his steps steady and powerful, and stood in front of Song Heping, looked him up and down, and asked in English: "Are you Song?"

Song Heping calmly met his gaze and nodded slightly: "I am. Anything you need?"

Major Petrovsky displayed a faint, elusive expression on his face, seemingly curious, yet scrutinizing: "I've heard a lot about you, 'Ghost'. After we finish this task at hand, I have some… personal matters I'd like to discuss with you privately."

After speaking, he didn't wait for Song Heping's response, swiftly turned around, waved to his subordinates, and issued commands concisely in Russian: "Check the equipment! Move to preset observation points 'Alpha' and 'Bravo'! Establish communication link! 'Eagle' is arriving soon, prepare to guide the hunt!"

"Understood!"

The SSO Squad responded quietly, moving swiftly like cheetahs, executing their tasks seamlessly, silently leaving the command post and quickly disappearing into the ruins and smoke leading to the front of the firefight.

Throughout the process, except for necessary commands and replies, there wasn't a single redundant word, showcasing an extremely high level of professionalism.

Song Heping, "Chef," "Hunter," and General Rakhman immediately moved to a nearby observation post with better sightlines.

Through high-magnification telescopes and artillery scopes, they could clearly see the distant attack formations of the HTS forces and faintly capture the silhouettes of the SSO Squad agilely maneuvering through the ruins like shadows.

Using craters, broken walls, and smoke as cover, in skilled tactical formations, they quickly and covertly approached the predetermined guide positions—two high vantage points overlooking the flanks and rear of the HTS advance groups.

As time ticked by, the sounds of combat ahead grew increasingly intense, the government army's defensive line seemed to be emitting its last groan. Under the coordinated assault of the Freedom Army's tanks, pickups, and infantry, the Silia Government Army lost four positions in just a few minutes.

Just as everyone felt their hearts pounding in their throats, a deep and powerful roaring sound resounded from the horizon, like distant thunder rolling near.

"They're coming!"

Chef instinctively looked up to the sky.

Song Heping raised his binoculars, to see several small silver-grey dots rapidly approaching through the blue sky, trailing faint streaks behind them.

These were the Iron Wings of the Russian Aerospace Forces—a mixed formation of Su-34 "Fullback" fighter-bombers and Su-25 "Frogfoot" attack aircraft.

Almost simultaneously, a clear, calm, and emotionless professional dialogue came from the radio set up by Petrovsky's communications soldier in the observation post:

"'Eagle' command center, this is 'Wolverine' squad, observation point Alpha is in position, visibility is good, enemy armored groups in clear view. Airspace clear, no friendly activity. Over."

Evidently, this 'Eagle 1' is a command aircraft.

Song Heping couldn't identify the aircraft model, guessing it was something like an Il-20.

"'Wolverine1', 'Eagle 1' received. Report task priority target parameters. Over."

"Priority target: enemy main armored assault groups. Located in grid coordinates 38T NL 12345 67890 area, deployed along the 7th highway and open areas east and west. Identified approximately 15 T-72 main battle tanks, dispersed formation; over 20 T-55/62 medium tanks, accompanied by BMP-1 infantry fighting vehicles and numerous technical vehicles equipped with heavy machine guns and recoilless rifles. Enemy infantry advancing under tank cover. Request execution of 'rapid assault' mode for precision strike. Over."

"Copy target coordinates and description. Attack formation 'Dagger' 1 to 4 is in the standby airspace, carrying laser-guided bombs and Kh-25/29 series missiles. 'Wolverine1', please use the laser designator to illuminate the primary high-value target, laser code set as '1776'. Over."

"Received, laser code '1776'. Currently acquiring primary target—front line, command type T-72 tank, extra antennas on the turret. ... Target stable in track, laser illumination... activated! ... Laser lock confirmed, signal stable!"

Everyone in the observation post held their breath.

Song Heping's binoculars closely followed the lead T-72 marked by the SSO. It continued its reckless charge forward, with its cannon spewing flames intermittently.

In the sky, a Su-34 "Fullback" slightly adjusted its posture, and a cold glint flashed beneath its belly.

"'Eagle 1', 'Dagger 1' acquired laser designation, confirmed code '1776'. Target locked, request bomb release authorization. Over."

"'Dagger 1', bomb release authorized. Repeat, bomb release authorized. Happy hunting."

"Bomb release!"

Before the words even fell, a slender bomb instantly detached from beneath the wing of the Su-34, briefly adjusted mid-air, and along that invisible laser beam, dove toward the T-72 at a near-vertical angle, carrying the deadly scream!

Time seemed to freeze at this moment.

The T-72 crew on the ground might have heard the deathly scream, perhaps seen the black dot descending from the sky, but it was all too late.

The next second!

BOOM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A massive, blinding orange-red fireball exploded violently from the center of the T-72 body!

The shockwave from the explosion spread rapidly like a tangible heavy hammer, visibly sweeping in all directions, directly flipping and shredding an adjacent armed pickup!

The heavy turret of the T-72 was blown away by enormous internal pressure like a can lid, flipping tens of meters high in the air, tracing a parabolic arc before crashing heavily on the ground, raising a cloud of dust!

Vehicle body instantly disintegrated, turning into a pile of burning scrap iron. Secondary explosions triggered by fuel and ammunition continued in succession, fragments splattering around like a torrential rain!

This earth-shattering strike seemed to press the button of destruction.

'Wolverine1's voice remained calm as a machine.

"Hit! Target completely destroyed! Shifting laser illumination to next priority target, 3 o'clock direction, BMP-1 infantry fighting vehicle group, coordinate adjustment to…"

The Grim Reaper in the sky began its deathly symphony.

Like an aerial gunship, a Su-25 "Frogfoot" unleashed tongues of fire from underneath its wings, dozens of S-8 80mm rockets descended like a Grim Reaper's comb, covering an HTS infantry area disembarking for a ground offense.

Instantly, that expanse of land was entirely engulfed by explosions and smoke, dismembered limbs, and weapon parts hurling into the air.

Another Su-34 elegantly circled, dropping a laser-guided bomb precisely onto a suspected HTS temporary ammunition pile point.

A more intense explosion erupted, a mushroom cloud towering a hundred meters high, the tremendous sound even briefly overwhelmed all battlefield noise, and the scorching wave could be felt even by Song Heping and others back in the observation post!

The Kh-25ML laser-guided missile, akin to a scalpel, took out the enemy's mobile artillery hidden behind cover; further out, the suspected HTS frontline command post location was struck by a missile from unknown origin, the entire structure reduced to dust!

The entire HTS attack formation, within a few minutes, transformed from an imposing steel flood into a purgatorial nightmare.

Tanks and armored vehicles successively turned into burning torches, armed pickups disintegrating under shockwaves like paper toys, surviving infantry fleeing in panic like headless flies, cries and wails faintly audible even from afar.

The originally orderly attacking formation collapsed entirely, vehicles without command collided and jammed, becoming better targets.

Under the precise and ferocious strikes of the Russian Aerospace Forces, the seemingly formidable HTS armed force revealed its fragile nature.

They had no effective field air defense, no electronic warfare capabilities, and even lacked the most basic tactical discipline for countering aerial assault.

In front of a standardized, system-complete modern army, whether HTS or the Freedom Army, they were like a bunch of primitives charging at machine gun positions with cold weapons.

The disparity was so vast, it was despairing.