Chapter 1327
Dogfight, Expert Qin, Fighter Pilot Training, You Take Charge!
The celebration banquet held by Shenyang Aircraft Corporation was held in the communal dining hall on the west side of the main building.
The long wooden dining table, long benches, white enamel tableware, and whitewashed walls with slogans hanging on them are simple yet solemn.
There were no delicacies, just everyday dishes and large pot meals.
Braised pork belly, Northeastern-style stewed ribs, and stir-fried liver tips.
According to General Xu, this braised pork is a reward dish for Shenyang Aircraft Corporation, and it is also the highest-level dish, which is essential for every victory celebration.
Li Aiguo picked up a piece of braised pork, tasted it, and his eyes lit up immediately.
The taste is absolutely amazing. The perfect balance of lean and fatty meat, slow-cooked until tender and flavorful, leaves a lingering fragrance in your mouth after each bite, making it incredibly satisfying.
Of course, for the employees and engineers who had to return to their posts in the afternoon to continue their hard work, there were soft drinks in front of them.
As the protagonist, Li Aiguo naturally became the target of everyone's attacks.
After a few drinks, the atmosphere became lively.
After a few drinks, the atmosphere at the dinner table became increasingly lively, everyone's cheeks flushed, and their voices became much louder.
An elderly expert dressed in a gray Zhongshan suit walked over with a wine glass in his hand.
Upon seeing the veteran expert, Mr. Xu, who was raising his glass, paused slightly, then quickly stepped forward, his tone full of respect: "Mr. Qin, what brings you here?"
"Haha, this old man can't fly anymore, so I can only do some teaching work in the rear." The old expert laughed heartily.
"Well, I heard that we have a pilot who took on three opponents single-handedly and even shot down two F-104s. I couldn't sit still and wanted to see who this amazing person was."
The old expert was speaking to General Manager Xu, but his gaze was fixed on Li Aiguo.
Li Aiguo was also startled. He didn't know the old expert, but he was aware of General Xu's status in the aviation field.
The person who can be addressed as "Old" by General Manager Xu with such respect must be a top-tier big shot!
"Patriot, stand up quickly, let me introduce you."
General Xu pulled Li Aiguo aside and said, "This is Colonel Qin, the head of our Air Force Training Department."
Li Aiguo instantly thought of someone: Qin Yanzhou.
He was one of the first core instructors of the Northeast Old Aviation School and one of the earliest aviation theory experts who studied in the Soviet Union.
After the Russian experts left, they helped build a fighter jet training system.
He also led the drafting of flight training outlines for the MiG-15, MiG-17, and J-5.
Currently, he is the head of the Air Training Department, responsible for all fighter jet flight schools, pilot flight syllabi, flight duration standards, solo flight assessments, and new aircraft conversion training.
He can be considered the chief architect of air combat tactics doctrine.
Later, they even helped build the Gobi Desert Flight Academy.
That is, the famous Eighth Route Army in later generations.
The large characters on the Gobi Desert that later generations saw from the air were erected by the Eighth Air Force to maintain airspace position and to identify landmarks for fighter jets.
The space heroes also received training at the Eighth Aerospace Center.
"I'm not really in charge; I'm just a teacher who writes training outlines," Qin Yanzhou said with a smile, waving his hand in a very easygoing manner.
Although Qin Yanzhou was modest, Li Aiguo did not show any disrespect and respectfully addressed him as "Old Qin".
This address of "Old Qin" wasn't about seniority or any kind of hierarchy; rather, it was Li Aiguo's heartfelt respect for Qin Yanzhou's outstanding contributions to the aviation industry.
Qin Yanzhou looked Li Aiguo up and down, and the more he looked, the more he liked him.
As a combat hero who has just made outstanding contributions, he remains humble and composed in the face of praise and accolades from his superiors, truly a rare and promising talent.
What intrigued and piqued his interest even more was...
How exactly did this young man come up with the incredible idea of using a barrel roll maneuver to shoot down the superior F104 in such a desperate situation?
In fact, after returning to Yuhong Airport, Li Aiguo had already submitted a report detailing the air battle in detail, as required by regulations.
Upon learning of the victory, Qin Yanzhou's first instinct was disbelief.
A J-6 fighter jet taking on an F-104, or even a one-against-three situation? That sounds like a fantasy.
He then used his connections to urgently access the battle report.
Qin Yanzhou was stunned when he saw the incredible flight trajectories and tactical maneuvers of the fighter jets drawn by Li Aiguo in the report.
The moves this kid is using are completely different from the training syllabus currently used in flight schools!
It could even be said that many of the actions in the report are serious violations according to current regulations, which would be subject to severe penalties and could potentially lead to crashes and loss of life!
However, upon closer examination...
The result greatly shocked him.
When these movements are strung together, at a specific height and speed, they all seem so natural and fluid!
This looked like a wild, unorthodox punch, but it killed the old master.
It was because of this report that Qin Yanzhou, who was originally guiding work in the Gobi Desert, turned down his work and flew to Shenyang Aircraft Corporation.
"Don't stand up, sit down quickly, let's eat, chat, and drink."
Although General Manager Xu was not yet clear about Qin Yanzhou's true purpose for this trip, it was a great honor for Shenyang Aircraft Corporation to have such a big shot grace them with his presence.
After the group sat down and clinked glasses of liquor a few times, the conversation naturally became more familiar.
Qin Yanzhou couldn't wait to talk about the extreme maneuvers Li Aiguo had performed in the report.
Li Aiguo did not hold back, and provided detailed answers and analyses based on the air combat environment at the time.
Qin Yanzhou's eyes lit up as he listened, and he slapped his thigh and cheered from time to time.
"Using to fly towards the sun to interfere with the enemy's infrared-guided missiles, you've got some nerve! You're really daring!" Qin Yanzhou exclaimed.
"Old Qin, in that situation..." Li Aiguo was about to explain.
"Don't call me Old Qin anymore. Don't follow General Xu's example and do this kind of empty talk. We're technical people, we don't do this. Just call me Comrade Qin Yanzhou." Qin Yanzhou smiled and waved his hand to interrupt him.
Li Aiguo nodded readily and continued, "Comrade Qin Yanzhou, to be honest, I am a layman when it comes to professional air combat theory."
However, I think that air combat and ground combat are essentially the same in nature.
The battlefield is ever-changing; what we must do is utilize every available advantage and transform it into our own strength in order to ultimately achieve victory.
"Good! Well said, making use of every available advantage. That hits the nail on the head!" Qin Yanzhou slammed down his wine glass.
Qin Yanzhou looked at Li Aiguo and continued to ask, "Comrade Aiguo, based on your experience of this air combat victory..."
In your opinion, what aspects of training should our flight schools focus on in terms of future fighter jet air combat and tactical development?
Don't hold back, speak freely. What are your thoughts?
Li Aiguo put down his chopsticks and pondered for a moment: "Leader, I think the main reason we were able to win this time is that I have a good understanding of the performance of the J-6 fighter jet made by Shenyang Aircraft Corporation and know where its limits are."
In addition, it fully leverages the J-6's advantages of good horizontal maneuverability at low and medium altitudes, making it suitable for circling dogfights.
Therefore, I think we should strengthen close-range combat training in future training sessions.
The atmosphere froze slightly upon hearing this.
A young man wearing glasses sitting next to Qin Yanzhou frowned and couldn't help but mutter under his breath, "Circling around and fighting? This is utter nonsense!"
The regulations strictly prohibit prolonged circling and dogfighting; this is playing with the lives of pilots!
Air combat should be about high-altitude dives and quick strikes and disengagements; there's no reason to deliberately circle around enemy aircraft. That's pure luck!
Faced with the young expert's questions, Li Aiguo remained calm and did not blame him.
We do value air combat now, but we've completely followed the path of our big brother's air combat.
What are the key points of the Big Brother's air combat theory?
The key is to launch a high-altitude dive attack!
The core tactic is to launch a quick attack from high above using potential energy, with the attack originating from the 6 o'clock position behind the enemy.
Only shoot the enemy aircraft from the rear, aim for a quick strike and then disengage, never linger in combat, and run away as soon as your energy is depleted.
To put it bluntly, under the existing theoretical framework, "fighting" is just a secondary skill.
All you need to do is know how to fly and how to aim and fire.
Even in formal training syllabi, it's not called combat.
They are uniformly called "air combat maneuvers", "tail attack tactics", and "circling attack".
In this context, combat is about performing tactical maneuvers.
Li Aiguo sighed inwardly.
It's not that the Big Brother's tactics are bad.
This tactic was developed entirely to align with the MiG series fighter jets' emphasis on high-altitude, high-speed performance.
The purpose of doing this is to prioritize altitude above all else.
However, times have changed, and the performance of aircraft has changed as well.
If you compare the J-6 with advanced foreign fighter jets at the time, the J-6 was not superior in terms of absolute altitude and speed!
If this rigid air combat theory is not changed, we will suffer a great loss.
They waited until later generations.
We have just filled in the gaps in our mandatory air combat courses, such as energy-based air combat, free air combat, heterogeneous aircraft confrontation, and offensive and defensive game theory.
This is how they transformed from flying artillery into aerial swords that dominate the blue sky.
And now, the opportunity to change all of this may be just around the corner.
"You're so capable, how come you couldn't destroy two F-104 fighter jets?"
After reprimanding his students, Qin Yanzhou looked at Li Aiguo and asked, "Comrade Aiguo, feel free to speak your mind. There are no leaders here today, only comrades discussing technology."
"Mr. Qin, Comrade Qin Yanzhou, I am indeed an outsider. I think we should adapt to local conditions and not blindly follow dogma."
Air combat isn't just about dives; our J-6 fighters are actually extremely strong in turning, rolling, and quick turns, making them perfectly capable of close-quarters dogfights!
"Dogfight?!"
Qin Yanzhou was very familiar with the circling around that his elder brother had forbidden.
But dogfighting?
For a moment, he couldn't even decide which word was "dog" or "fight," so he simply wrote "enough" in his notebook.
It's normal that experts don't understand this kind of jargon.
The world's earliest dogfight actually occurred in the later stages of the First World War.
Although the term existed, it did not become widely used.
In addition, after World War II, the West once believed in the omnipotence of missiles and abandoned traditional air combat training, which caused the term to fall silent for a long time.
It wasn't until the later stages of the Northern War that the West resumed close-range combat training, and dogfighting officially became a professional air force term.
Naturally, I wouldn't know about the textbooks used domestically, which are from the older generation.
Hearing Qin Yanzhou's question, Li Aiguo said with a smile, "Yes, it's dogfighting."
The meaning is actually quite simple: fighter jets are circling and chasing each other in the air, trying to get the other into their sights.
The posture was like two dogs chasing each other, trying to bite each other's tails.
With this vivid analogy, Qin Yanzhou suddenly understood.
Now he knew which two words meant "dogfight".
He quickly picked up a pen, crossed out the awkward "enough" in his notebook, and solemnly replaced it with "dogfight," even drawing a heavy circle next to it.
"Patriot, can you explain in more detail what exactly this 'dogfight' is all about?"
At this moment, aviation leaders, Director Gao of Shenyang Aircraft Corporation, and the pilots also gathered around.
They've flown and built airplanes for most of their lives, and this is the first time they've ever heard of a high-flying fighter jet fighting like a dog on the ground.
Under the gazes of many.
Li Aiguo did not rush to explain "dogfighting" using obscure terms, but instead posed a basic question:
Everyone knows about 'potential energy' and 'kinetic energy' in physics, right?
Just kidding, fighter pilots are all cultured people, of course they know that.
Before Li Aiguo could answer, he continued, "When a person is on the ground, the main thing to consider when punching is kinetic energy. As long as the kinetic energy of the fist is large, it can knock down the opponent. But in the air, you have to consider not only kinetic energy but also potential energy. These two types of energy can be converted into each other."
These words actually touched upon the core of the later famous "energy-based air combat theory".
The pilots, who had only studied the Big Brother textbooks, were immediately bewildered.
Can altitude and speed be converted into each other?
Qin Yanzhou nodded: "That's right! Comrade Aiguo is absolutely right!"
A dive is about trading altitude for speed, while a climb is about trading speed for altitude!
This is actually the interconversion of speed and altitude!
"Yes, Comrade Qin Yanzhou's summary is very insightful." Li Aiguo smiled and gave a thumbs up.
Upon hearing this praise, Qin Yanzhou, a leading figure in domestic aviation theory, felt a strange sense of excitement.
It was as if the much younger test pilot in front of him was the teacher on the podium imparting knowledge, while he was just a student eagerly absorbing new information.
Li Aiguo did not notice the change in Qin Lao's mindset and continued, "With the mutual conversion of speed and altitude, we can maximize the power advantage of fighter jets in three-dimensional space."
Next, we can use this energy conversion to perform 'scissor maneuvers'!
"Scissors maneuver?" Another small commotion arose in the crowd.
This is yet another novel term that you absolutely won't find in Big Brother's textbooks!
But Li Aiguo knew that this was the most suitable tactical system for the J-6 at present!
Close-quarters combat, turning the tables on stronger aircraft from weaker ones, disrupting enemy aircraft's targeting, seizing inner-circle advantage... all of these can be achieved through scissor maneuvers!
Drawing on his memories from his previous life, Li Aiguo used his hands to demonstrate the flight paths of two airplanes, explaining the principles and applications of scissor maneuvers in a simple and easy-to-understand way.
Although he explained it in great detail and vividly, this subject is, after all, a complete and profound discipline in later generations, and cannot be fully understood and mastered in a short time at the dinner table.
As for the more advanced and revolutionary air combat theories of later generations.
Examples include "offensive and defensive mindset," "free air combat training system," "Yo-Yo maneuver," "all-around attack," and "being bitten and then counter-killing," etc.
Li Aiguo did not rush to reveal everything at once.
You have to eat one bite at a time; taking too big a step can easily lead to injury.
They simply cannot digest what I'm saying now.
Even so, Qin Yanzhou listened with rapt attention.
In Li Aiguo's hands, the fighter jet was no longer a rigid object, but came alive.
Qin Yanzhou nodded repeatedly: "Comrade Aiguo, your idea is brilliant. I think it would be great if it were implemented."
Leaving aside other fighter jets, the J-6's combat performance can be doubled.
The chief engineers and pilots standing nearby all gaped, looking completely bewildered.
What? We haven't even figured things out yet, and we're already going to implement it?
Can it also improve performance?
At this moment, a weak voice came from the crowd: "But... Old Qin, what if we do it the way Comrade Aiguo does?"
Does that mean we have to completely abandon the tactical system that our elder brother taught us?
The room fell silent instantly upon hearing this.
We've always followed the training system of the Big Brother.
If we were to suddenly say we were to give up now, many people would definitely find it hard to accept, and it might even face strong opposition.
That's also unrealistic.
After all, from flight school instructors to front-line pilots, they all use the same methods as Big Brother.
Li Aiguo laughed and said, "Everyone has misunderstood me! This fighting style does not conflict with the tactics of the elder brother's family; on the contrary, they complement each other."
The foundation of energy management is actually the same as the 'high-level advantage management' emphasized by Big Brother.
However, they focus on the 'potential energy' at high altitudes.
Because of the limitations of our aircraft, we need to pay more attention to 'kinetic energy' and 'circling' at low altitudes.
There is no best fighting style, only the most suitable fighting style.
That's right. Li Aiguo adapted the combat tactics of both the United States and Russia to the characteristics of domestic fighter jets at that time.
Qin Yanzhou agreed: "Initially, we did follow the path of the older brother, but with the development of the aviation industry over the years, we have also developed our own things."
If you keep clinging to old books, you'll only be asking for trouble.
Qin Lao's words set the tone for this yet-to-be-released "tactical debate"!
in the crowd.
Zong Xianfeng's eyes lit up immediately. He hadn't expected Aiguo to be involved in training.
Qin Yanzhou, still not quite finished speaking, continued, "Aiguo, I really enjoyed listening to what you said about air combat tactics."
But I always have a feeling... you've got more to say, kid. You probably have more ideas on how to implement these tactics, right?
This is the keen intuition of a top expert.
Qin Yanzhou could keenly perceive from Li Aiguo's seemingly casual narration that without a completely new training system to support it, these advanced tactical theories would be impossible to implement.
Li Aiguo took a sip of wine and continued, "Old Qin truly has keen insight."
Having discussed the tactical theory of aerial combat, I'd also like to talk about my thoughts on pilot training. I'm actually quite excited about it.
The experts who came with Qin Yanzhou were somewhat flustered and quickly took out paper and pens.
Regardless of what it is, write it down first. Whether you'll need it or not is another matter.
Qin Yanzhou listened attentively: "Patriotism, you speak."
"Mr. Qin, would it be convenient for you to tell me what kind of training model and system is currently being used for fighter pilots?" Li Aiguo asked knowingly.
Generally speaking, the training methods for pilots are also classified.
For someone like Li Aiguo, there was no need to keep this a secret, Qin Yanzhou said.
"Hey, what's wrong with saying this?"
Our aviation foundation is weak, and we have not yet established a modern flight training system that is entirely our own.
The current model is basically a direct copy: after passing the theoretical assessment, they then go on to practice flying on primary trainer aircraft. Once they've completed the primary trainer flights, they directly transition to the combat aircraft of the operational units.
After listening, Li Aiguo understood.
This is actually the "old two-aircraft system" that was often criticized in the early days of China's air force.
The two aircraft are the CJ-6 and the JJ-5.
In other words, after completing the CJ-6, pilots need to directly switch to the JJ-5.
This system, due to its short training cycle, has indeed played a role in rapidly training pilots.
However, its drawbacks are also extremely fatal!
The CJ-6 is a propeller-driven aircraft, which is slow.
The JJ-5 is a high-altitude, high-speed aircraft.
There is no smooth transition in the middle, the modification is painful for trainees, the error tolerance is extremely low, the training accident risk is high, and many promising talents are ruined in this stage.
It wasn't until the 1980s that the system was fully changed to the "old three-machine system".
The old three-machine system was indeed more relaxed, but the training time was too long.
It takes three years to train a pilot, followed by a year of conversion training in a combat unit.
The molding cycle is just too long!
It's not suitable for this era.
If we're going to use it, we should use the new model that was developed later.
While thinking about these things, Li Aiguo asked Qin Yanzhou, "The core of the elimination rate screening is to replenish the number of pilots as soon as possible, right?"
Qin Yanzhou nodded, his face full of helplessness but also with a hint of approval: "Comrade Aiguo is a true all-rounder!"
They have such a deep understanding of our current difficulties that they can even pinpoint these details at a glance.
Qin Yanzhou believes that Li Aiguo did not seriously conduct pilot training in the 1950s.
But to be able to grasp the core of the current training model so clearly after just one listen is truly impressive.
After all, the Air Force is still in its early stages, and only those who are personally involved truly understand the difficulties in training.
Li Aiguo asked, "Have you ever thought about changing this model and addressing the shortcomings of our current training?"
How can we achieve a higher dropout rate while still ensuring pilots have a more solid foundation and are better prepared for combat?
"You don't know this, there's nothing we can do about it."
The drawbacks of current training programs are obvious: the shortened academic period has resulted in pilots having a weak foundation.
They lacked training in complex weather conditions and tactics, and only knew basic driving skills.
The most critical issue is the severe shortage of resources; there is a lack of aircraft, fuel, and spare parts.
Pilots typically fly only 30 to 50 hours per year, which is less than a fraction of what Xiao Mei's family flew during the same period.
"We're lucky if we can even train qualified pilots; how could we dare to think about changing the model?"
Li Aiguo was also filled with emotion.
The fact that so many outstanding fighter pilots were trained in such harsh conditions shows the dedication and hard work of veterans like Qin Yanzhou.
"What if I could solve these drawbacks, establish a coherent training system without relying on excessive resources, and still improve the pilots' combat capabilities?"
Qin Yanzhou was a little stunned, his eyes filled with disbelief.
"Yes, we will not copy the model of our elder brother, nor will we blindly rush into things. Instead, we will establish a two-machine, three-level training system."
"The so-called 'two types' refers to the types of trainer aircraft we currently operate with. It is enough to retain only two types, and there is no need to increase logistical pressure."
However, in the training phase, we need to scientifically divide the entire process into three progressive stages!
"At the same time!" Li Aiguo emphasized.
"This is the most crucial point."
We must make full use of ground simulation equipment to assist training and deeply optimize the connection between theoretical learning and aerial practice!
I named this system the 'Graded Simulation-Assisted Training Method'!
These words struck Qin Yanzhou like a thunderbolt, making him feel as if something was about to burst out of his head.
The long-standing problems with training seem to have suddenly found a solution, but it's hard to pinpoint exactly what's wrong. I feel anxious, happy, and extremely uncomfortable all at once.
Tiered training can solve the problems of training gaps and poor continuity, allowing trainees to transition gradually.
There is no need to jump directly from outdated primary trainer aircraft to combat aircraft, reducing the burden of secondary adaptation.
With the assistance of simulation equipment, the shortcomings of insufficient actual flight training hours and scarce resources can be made up for, without consuming a lot of fuel and aircraft spare parts.
Of course, modern simulators are just like those in Russia's Star City, using a bunch of instruments, hydraulic rods and gears to simulate flight attitude; they are physical instrument simulators.
If, in a few years, the Red Star Computer Research Institute develops a new processor and compiles a real fighter jet simulation program, it will be even more convenient.
It took Qin Yanzhou a long time to recover from the shock before he said to Li Aiguo, "Aiguo, your words have truly awakened me from my dream!"
I am ashamed and full of admiration! You've solved such a long-standing problem in just one sentence!
At this moment, a junior expert asked, "Patriotism, but we don't even have enough trainer aircraft right now, how can we establish a two-aircraft and three-aircraft system?"
And what about those simulation devices? We've never worked with them before. Can we make them?
Even if we manage to build one, it will differ greatly from actual flight. Won't that actually hinder training?
Li Aiguo laughed and said, "Hasn't Nanfei already started mass production of the CJ-6? It's a low-speed propeller fighter jet, which can be used as a basis. This is the first one."
The second aircraft was also a JJ-5 trainer.
Li Aiguo had just finished speaking.
The young expert immediately raised his hand and retorted, "You just said it yourself, the performance gap between the propeller-driven CJ-6 and the jet-powered JJ-5 is too big!"
The trainees simply can't adapt! This... isn't this still our current 'old two-machine mode'?
It's just the same old thing in a new bottle!
Before Li Aiguo could speak, Qin Yanzhou interrupted him: "I understand. The tiered training in the three-tiered training system can be applied to the J-6 fighter jet!"
The training of the JJ-6 is divided into two stages: intermediate level, which is the basic jet training stage, and advanced training in tactical combat.
This would reduce the adjustment difficulties for fighter pilots going from low to high altitudes, and also reduce logistical burden!
That's why Qin Yanzhou is considered a leader in the aviation training field; his reaction time is truly remarkable.
Qin Yanzhou turned his head, grasped Li Aiguo's hand tightly, his eyes filled with excitement: "Aiguo, don't say anything else, you take charge of this new fighter pilot training program!"
(End of this chapter)