As the French and South Korean naval fleets drew closer to the Russian military exercise zone, they maintained their course despite being warned. They believed the Russians were bluffing by only sending two armed helicopters to deter them. But the Russians were dead serious.
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Seeing the distance and the seemingly exaggerated size of the Russian military exercise zone, the commander-in-chief of the South Korean fleet, Min Junhao, immediately contacted the French fleet. "Hello, Captain Le Goff, this is Min Junhao. The area 28 nautical miles ahead is said to be a Russian no-sail zone. It's right next to our exercise area, so they're clearly doing this on purpose. What do you think?"
Captain Le Goff understood Min Junhao's meaning. As long as the underwater units confirmed there was no threat ahead, they could provoke the Russians. The Russians had only sent 10 warships and were trying to claim such a large area, acting incredibly overbearing.
"Captain Min Junhao, please have your fleet follow the French fleet. Maintain your current speed and continue sailing," Captain Le Goff instructed the South Korean fleet after receiving confirmation that there was no danger underwater.
Just then, two Russian armed helicopters flew toward the joint French and South Korean fleets at an incredibly high speed. Using their loudspeakers, they issued a stern warning to the two fleets not to enter the Russian military exercise zone or they would face the consequences.
"Attention, vessels ahead! You are about to enter the Russian Navy's no-sail zone! Immediately slow down, turn around, and leave quickly! Otherwise, you will be responsible for all consequences!"
"Repeating, attention, vessels ahead! You are about to enter the Russian Navy's no-sail zone! Immediately slow down, turn around, and leave quickly! Otherwise, you will be responsible for all consequences!"
Seeing that the Russians had only sent two armed helicopters to block them, the South Korean fleet commander, Min Junhao, chuckled lightly as he watched the two helicopters in the distance. Not to mention the French Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier strike group, just the South Korean amphibious assault ship could dispatch 10 times the number of armed helicopters for an aerial standoff.
"What are the Russians thinking? Sending two helicopters to make us turn back? And saying we'll be responsible for the consequences?" Min Junhao was completely unfazed by the Russian warning. He felt nothing and even found it a little funny.
Their combined fleet was four times the size of the Russian one. With the Mirage 2000 fighter jets, armed helicopters, anti-ship missiles, and anti-aircraft missiles on the Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier, they could utterly dominate the Kuznetsov carrier strike group if a fight broke out.
Meanwhile, in the French fleet, Captain Le Goff specifically asked his first mate about the movements of the Russian Tu-series strategic bombers.
"What's the situation with the Russian Air Force's Tu-160 and Tu-95 bombers?" The French were very concerned about Russia's supersonic strategic bombers. They were afraid of completely enraging the Russians and having them actually drop a nuclear bomb.
However, the probability of them using such a large-scale weapon was relatively low. As long as they didn't cross a red line and just tested the boundaries, France and South Korea would know where the Russian line was.
"Captain Le Goff, the reconnaissance plane reports that there is no unusual activity detected at the Russian Far East Air Force Base." The French were still cautious. They didn't want to get humiliated after coming all this way to show off. That would be a terrible outcome.
"Alright, I understand. Order the fleet to continue moving forward. Disregard the Russians' warnings. Also, inform the South Korean fleet." Le Goff wasn't a pushover either. The French Navy entrusted him with the command of the Charles de Gaulle carrier strike group for a reason.
"Yes, Captain Le Goff!" After receiving the order, the first mate immediately relayed the command to their own fleet and the South Korean fleet, telling everyone to ignore Russia's empty threats.
However, shortly after the command was given, a sight emerged at the Russian Far East Army's Vladivostok military base. Dozens of missile launch vehicles, seemingly fully loaded, gathered along the coast of the Far East.
Each launcher was equipped with a 3x6 launch system, carrying 18 "missiles" with a 300mm caliber.
"Mr. Mavi, the joint French and South Korean fleet has not heeded our warnings. They are currently still at full speed, attempting to enter our no-sail zone," an army colonel at the Vladivostok military base reported to Mavi, who had come to the base.
At this moment, Mavi was looking at the dozens of "missile" launch vehicles in the distance. Soon, as soon as the base commander-in-chief gave the order to fire, the nearly 300 newly developed "specialized missiles" in front of them would be launched without reservation toward the Far East's open waters. Whether they hit anyone or not would be up to fate.
"What did General Vovt say? Are we really going to fire?" A military decision of this magnitude was not for Mavi to make. He couldn't even offer a suggestion. He could only watch the situation unfold and take it one step at a time.
"According to General Vovt and our superiors, if the joint French and South Korean fleet really dares to enter our no-sail zone, we are prepared to fire," the army colonel said to Mavi with a serious expression. It was clear that what he had just said was not a joke.
"Alright," Mavi nodded and said no more. The Russians were truly a "fighting nation." They didn't have a concept of tolerance or boundaries. Their only rule was that they would fight anyone who dared to provoke them. If it came down to a physical fight, they would not waste time talking.
Half a minute later, the officer in charge of the missile launchers received a direct order from General Vovt to immediately ignite and launch all 15 missile launchers on the coast.
"Yes, General!" the officer replied on the phone after receiving the command.
Then, from a distance, Mavi saw the tails of the 15 missile launchers erupt in a huge blaze of red flames! Accompanied by a tremendous roar and a rush of air, a total of 270 tactical missiles were launched in an instant. It was as if thousands of arrows were being fired at once.
All that was left was a haze of smoke and the strong smell of burning rocket fuel.
As the 270 tactical missiles were launched in the blink of an eye, the joint French and South Korean fleet received an urgent warning about the incoming missile swarm!
"Captain Le Goff! This is bad! Radar shows that the Russian Vladivostok military base has suddenly launched... nearly 300 tactical missiles in our direction! They are expected to reach our ships in 36 minutes! Requesting instructions!" a French officer in the Charles de Gaulle command room anxiously reported to Captain Le Goff.