by Vivek Ahuja
Perhaps an advantage lay there?
KASHGAR AIRBASE
SINKIANG AUTONOMOUS REGION
CHINA
DAY 8 + 1200 HRS
“How do we close this gap?” Chen asked, referring to the destruction of the two S-300 batteries near Shigatse and Lhasa by Indian ALCMs.
Feng walked over to the geographical-overlay display of the Tibet autonomous region. All airbases and ground-based air-defense units were highlighted on the map. Next to each airbase marker the list of deployed units at the base were listed in smaller fonts. Feng waved over his adjutant, PLAAF Major Kwan Li.
“Do you have the latest SOFOR?” Feng asked Li without looking away from the display board. Li handed him a set of papers and Feng walked over to the table to pick up his spectacles. Putting them on, he glanced at the papers and frowned a few seconds later. The latest Status-of-Forces report, or SOFOR, was not good. Feng found it interesting and somewhat amusing that the prepared document did not show losses of aircraft and crews, but the availability of units and readiness levels.
Somebody’s idea of putting a positive spin on things!
Feng knew the pre-war availability and readiness levels of these units at the back of his mind. So he merely subtracted the current availability from the pre-war status and got an idea of what their losses were. The positive presentation approach of the report was obviously not meant for him and Chen. It was meant to be fed to the higher ups in Beijing. He exhaled after going over the numbers and walked back to the board where Chen was standing, his arms crossed.
“Not good,” Feng said finally. “Our pre-war Lanzhou J-11 force is pretty much decimated. 6TH Fighter Division only has enough left for defensive patrols protecting tankers and bombers from the 36TH Bomber Division and the special mission aircraft from the 26TH Air Division.”
Chen mumbled: “And they weren’t even able to do that last part effectively. We lost that Tu-154 on electronic-suppression duties in the east to Indian Migs few days ago. Remember?” Feng nodded.
“Indeed.”
“Continue,” Chen ordered and Feng rustled through the pages.
“Right. So the 6TH Fighter Division J-7 units are active but don’t have the range or the performance to matter from Tibetan airbases. But operating from here might prove useful. I suggest we move the 17TH Air Regiment with their J-7 force to Kashgar immediately!”
“And exactly what good are J-7s against enemy Mirages and Su-30s? Chen asked after turning away from the board.
Feng removed his glasses: “Sir, even if we cannot strike out at the enemy on their side of the border, having that many J-7s here will force them to reconsider sending Jaguars on deep strike missions into our territory. We keep the J-7s flying large defensive patrols around the last remaining S-300 battery at Qara-Tagh-La to prevent what happened at Hotien, Shigatse and Lhasa!”
Chen was not convinced by the argument. He felt Feng was proving only too willing to throw pilots and aircraft at the enemy in return for dealing destruction against specific targets. But he ceded the point about maintaining a defensive posture around Kashgar…
“Very well,” Chen sighed. “Get them over here. What about the 18TH Air Regiment and their J-7s?”
“Not many left from the last two days of operations,” Feng said after moving between the pages of the report. “I am going to recommend merging their surviving force within the 17TH Air Regiment. The 18TH Regiment is combat depleted at this point. The 17TH however, is yet to face serious combat. And I think it’s about time that changed!”
“Agreed. Moving on to the east then,” Chen ordered.
“Okay,” Feng said more to himself than to Chen. “The 33RD Fighter Division is in a similar state. Its J-11 armed 98TH Air Regiment is now on defensive duties north of Lhasa protecting our tankers and AWACS aircraft. The J-7s of the Division’s 97TH Regiment were decimated while fighting the Indians over the eastern border regions two days ago. They did well in combat, however. The Indians had to withdraw an entire Bison force from the east because of the heavy losses they took. 44TH Fighter Division is still active with its J-10s this morning and they are engaged in combat and suffering losses over the Chumbi valley. At their current loss rate we will be forced to withdraw that unit from combat this evening…”
Chen gave a sharp look to Feng. It caused Feng to stop mid-sentence.
“No! We are not withdrawing any units from combat at this point! No unit committed to battle from this point on is to be withdrawn until the end of the war! Any commander who refuses to launch missions citing aircraft availability will be shot for cowardice!”
Feng caught the insinuated threat against him in that tirade. He was both shocked and surprised. Chen had never taken that tone of voice with him before. He wondered about the kind of pressures Chen was under…
“Sir, may I at least suggest we get Beijing to release more reinforcements from other regions?” Feng asked calmly, ignoring the sharp stare from Chen. “Our four Fighter Divisions in the combined MRAF are all but gone! And we just lost our most effective air-defense cover over Lhasa and Shigatse! We need more units,” Feng pleaded.
“What units do you have in mind?” Chen asked after calming down.
“For now I want the 19TH Fighter Division and its J-11 equipped 55TH Air Regiment from Jinan. They will help us replace our J-11 losses over the last few days. That Division is currently deployed on deterrent duties against a fictitious Japanese and USA military threat. No such threat exists. I want that force moved to Tibet right away,” Feng said as he stared at the map board now zoomed out to show the whole of Asia.
“Beijing will not like it,” Chen replied. “That region serves as a buffer around Beijing. Thinning that out now will not help convince the party leaders that we have things under control.”
Feng was getting frustrated now: “Would they rather that we lose this war? Because I can tell you that once the Indians establish dominance over Tibet, and believe me, they are this close,” he brought is left hand thumb and index finger close to emphasize the point, “they will apply unbearable pressure on the PLA Divisions engaged in combat on the border. If you think the Army could not punch through under neutral skies, see what happens when they have to fight it out under enemy controlled skies! I will keep pouring as many of our J-7 units into combat as I can. If not for wrenching control from the Indians then at least to deny them total control!”
“We better,” Chen said fatalistically. “Or else we are going to be relieved of our command. I have already been threatened once this morning by the CMC and I don’t intend to make a habit out of it.”
Feng was shocked to hear that last bit of information. He was concerned about the state of the war and the possibility that they might fail. But Feng had never seriously considered that his own life might be in danger…
“Coming to the operational issue,” Chen continued, “Beijing is not willing to lose its entire force structure to try and force a conventional victory anymore. This has gone on too long, Feng. We have failed to provide the victories they wanted. This is not a punitive border war anymore. It never was. You knew it, I knew it and Wencang knew it too. But I think Beijing is only starting to do so now.”
Chen walked over and sat down in his chair near the conference table in the room. He turned to Feng who was still standing by the wall.
“I will get you what J-11 units I can get my hands on,” Chen continued. “But find a way to plug these damn holes the Indians are making over Tibet. We don’t want Liu and his boys over at 2ND Artillery getting spooked about losing their top cover like they did yesterday after the attack near Lhasa. If we want to force a conventional fight through to the end, we have to ensure Liu that his nuclear missiles are still protected and safe from destruction. If he loses that confidence, he will report the same to Beijing and say that his Corps cannot guarantee the survival of their strategic missile forces in Tibet. But if we keep taking such losses in the air and on the ground inside Tibet, Liu will force
Wencang’s hand and that of others in the CMC who still wish to keep this battle non-nuclear!”
“The Indians are forcing us towards nuclear war!” Feng said.
“Imagine the irony!” Chen said and laughed, “I had a chance to think about it this morning after I calmed Liu and Peng at the CMC. I thought to myself as to why am I subconsciously resisting the unleashing of nuclear fire over India? The Indians are the ones killing my pilots across Tibet. So maybe I should be supporting Liu’s argument for the use of nuclear weapons instead of throwing more and more of my pilots into the slaughter!”
Feng walked over and took his own chair as the gravity of the situation began to sink in. He sank his face into his two hands and then took some deep breaths. Both men remained in silence and the other half dozen mid-level officers in the room dared not speak. Feng sighed and regained his composure.
“How long do we have before the 2ND Artillery wins the argument?”
“Forty-eight hours at the maximum. That’s it,” Chen responded. “If we and the PLA commanders in Tibet cannot show progress, Liu is going to push for his plans in the CMC. One of Liu’s senior commanders within the 2ND Artillery Corps will be meeting with me today to discuss operational details that involve our 36TH Bomber Division H-6s out of Wugong. Depending on how our last exertion of conventional strength plays out against the Indians, we will lay out our contingency plans.”
TWENTY KILOMETERS EAST OF DOTANANG
BHUTAN
DAY 8 + 1520 HRS
Pathanya sat with his one leg resting on the landing skid of the Dhruv helicopter while he held on to the hand rails along the edges of the sides. The cold air whipped them all inside the cabin. He looked to see five members of his team in the cabin as they applied streaks of white paint on their faces and checked their weapons and equipment. Pathanya looked back out again and saw the alpine vegetation of Bhutan whipping by as a blur…
“Waypoint five in thirty seconds,” the pilot said.
Pathanya grabbed the rails a bit harder. The pilots of Delta-Flight were the best when it came to special heliborne operations. Nap-of-the-earth flying was their forte. The only problem was that it meant that their passengers had to literally hold on for their lives while they fought nature’s attempts to turn them to pulp on a mountainside…
The helicopter dropped a dozen meters as they flew over the ridgeline and into the valley on the other side. Pathanya and the others felt the sudden sense of weightlessness and then a bump as they hit the floor of the cabin once again. Pathanya looked around at the horrified faces of his team-members. The second helicopter behind them carrying the rest of Spear was doing the same.
“Dear god! These fly-boys are going to make me lose my lunch!” Vikram shouted. Pathanya chuckled.
“I told you not to go for the tinned chicken those Paras were making!” Ravi responded from the other helicopter.
“Hey! It was going to be my last hot meal till we get back!” Vikram retorted. “It had to be special!”
“All right guys: easy on the comms. We are approaching the L-Z,” Pathanya interjected as he got the three minute warning from the co-pilot.
The helicopters came up on the reverse slopes of the ridgeline on the eastern side of the valley between Dotanang and Barshong to the north. That valley was currently occupied by the PLA Highland Division forces. Dotanang was currently being assaulted by paratroopers from the 11TH Para-SF Battalion. Spear was being inserted north of the Chinese Battalion at Dotanang.
Their job was to interdict the enemy’s supplies and logistical lines and generally to cause all sorts of mayhem amongst the PLA rear…
As the helicopters neared a clearing on the hillside, Pathanya and the others threw down ropes and began rappelling down. The dust and dead grass raised by the helicopters was blinding their view. All nine men were down on the ground within seconds. The helicopter crews dumped the ropes, increased power and dove back down the valley to the south.
As the dust settled on the ridgeline, Pathanya motioned his men forward and they started climbing up the slope…
KASHGAR AIRBASE
SINKIANG AUTONOMOUS REGION
CHINA
DAY 8 + 1900 HRS
Feng rubbed his eyes as he sat at the dining table, his food barely touched. His arms were weighing heavy now from mental exhaustion. His eyes showed bloody red lines, a sign of sleep deprivation.
But he had an easier war compared with the hundreds of pilots and ground-crewmen who had lost their lives under his command in eight days of brutal combat operations. Unlike many other senior commanders, he knew he had it easier…
He looked around from his seat at the long table in the officer’s mess to see a bustling dining hall filled with tired officers and men moving back and forth. A well-organized meal was simply not on the cards at the moment. People were grabbing their food as and when they got time. And for many of the younger pilots he saw, it might well be their last. He saw staff officers going through papers and reports while they ate. Under normal conditions this kind of behavior in the dining room was unthinkable. But right now these rules had been waived aside.
Chen had ordered the relaxations on normal protocol, much to the chagrin of the senior political officer at the base. The latter had objected to Chen on the grounds that such lax behavior acted as catalyst for the dilution of morale. Chen had dismissed the concern offhandedly. He trusted his pilots and knew that they would appreciate the flexibility given to them by their commander. It also enhanced effectiveness and efficiency. But such dismissal of the political officers was not something that officers junior to Chen could even think of.
Privileges of seniority… Feng mused as a waiter leaned over to ask him if he needed anything. Feng dismissed him with a wave and returned to staring at his meal in silence.
They were running out of time. Chen had made that very clear in his last meeting with him.
He looked at his wristwatch and realized that the 19TH Fighter Division would have begun deploying to three key airbases north of Tibet by now. The 55TH Fighter Regiment, part of the 19TH Division, would be deploying detachments of its three fresh J-11 squadrons between Golmud, Urumqi and Wulumuqi airbases.
The problem for Feng was that he was running out of airbases. That might seem surprising until one considered that the Tibetan plateau, because of its very high altitude, is not conducive for fighter operations as sea-level airbases are. This has to do with the thinner density air at these airbases that forces fighters to use ultra-long take-off lengths to allow operations or much reduced payloads over shorter lengths. Chinese sea-level airbases were simply too far out from the battlefields.
This reduced the net effect of the numerical superiority enjoyed by the PLAAF against the IAF. The latter was effectively using its plethora of sea-level airbases on the southern side of the Himalayas to beat the low density Chinese fighter forces over Tibet into submission.
The airborne tanker force was the only support option in such cases. And while the Indians were easily doubling the endurances for their fighter patrols because of the close proximity between the airbases and the AO, it was taking a flight of J-11s three tanker refueling operations simply to bring the aircraft to the AO and allow it to maintain a decent length patrol. So how do you concentrate forces between such widely displaced airbases and light tanker forces?
You don’t...Feng told his inner voice as he picked at the chicken on his plate with his fork.
And cruise-missiles were not the answer. Not the permanent answer, at any rate. They had to be launched by standoff aircraft and now that the Indians had gained dominance over the skies of southern Tibet, they were thinning out the slow moving cruise-missile barrages with air-to-air missiles before the former could reach their targets. So while some missiles from each barrage were getting through, it was creating an attrition rate far lower than anticipated by Feng and his staff in all pre-war simulations.
And what about the Indians? What would be their response?
/> Predicting that is the key for us, isn’t it?
Feng put down the fork for the final time and looked out the large glass walls of the dining hall where he could see the last vestiges of orange-pink skies as the sun went below the horizon.
He wiped his hands and got up from the table, invoking looks from several officers eating their food. Feng was lost in his own thoughts. As he walked over to glass walls and stared up, he could see the darkening skies above and the reflection of the dining room behind him in the glass of the windows. He touched the windows and felt the cold outside as the first snowfall of the night was beginning.
He smiled and brought his hands behind his back in the formal stance but continued to stare out. He saw two J-7s lighting up their afterburners as they took to the skies in a paired formation. The fighters quickly switched off the afterburners and disappeared into the starry night sky…
The Indians were not big on the use of cruise-missiles the way his own side was, Feng thought again.
No. That was not right. It’s not their willingness to use cruise-missiles but rather their lack of ability to do so. They had no carrier aircraft other than their newly modified Sukhois to hoist the only credible air-launched cruise-missile they had: the Brahmos ALCM.
The problem with this configuration was that each fighter could only carry one of the supersonic missiles during a single sortie. So that meant a flight of several Su-30s configured for the launch role could launch at best perhaps a half-dozen missiles at a time. Better still, doing so required them to move precious heavy fighters away from the air-dominance role and into the strike fighter role at a time when they could least afford it.
