"Fly the best aircraft and fight the toughest battles"
——Remember the flying team of a certain brigade of the Air Force Aviation Corps
At the beginning of the new year, morning fog shrouded a military airport in East China. Accompanied by piercing sirens, a red-blue air combat drill began. A group of J-20 fighter jets from a certain brigade of the Air Force of the Eastern Theater Command took off afterburner, pierced through the clouds and fog, and rushed to the target airspace.
In the sky, the wakes of fighter planes intertwined, and the offensive and defensive postures changed several times. The pilots of the group cooperated closely, used tactics flexibly, constantly seized advantageous positions, launched attacks on the blue side, and finally won the confrontation.
The first flight team participating in this exercise has outstanding military achievements and is known as the "Heroic Wang Hai Brigade". It was established in October 1950. Under the leadership of its first captain Wang Hai, it flew to the battlefield to resist U.S. aggression and aid Korea twice, participated in more than 80 air battles, shot down and damaged 29 enemy aircraft, and emerged a number of combat heroes.
For more than 70 years, the "Wang Hai Brigade" has relied on faith, learning, strength, and bloodshed to defeat enemies one after another. It has carried out many important tasks on a regular basis, and has been the vanguard in fighting wits and courage, and resisting force.
"The 'Wang Hai Brigade' in the new era is an outstanding representative who studies and implements Xi Jinping's thoughts on strengthening the military and comprehensively strengthens preparations for military struggle. It is an aerial sword that has the courage to shoulder the important task of strengthening the military and resolutely defends national sovereignty, security and development interests." The political commissar of the brigade said.
"Our 'Wang Hai Brigade' will never allow cowards."
In October 1951, a large group that had been formed just one year ago and with only a few dozen hours of flying time per pilot went to the battlefield to resist U.S. aggression and aid Korea. Facing enemy aircraft several times their own and powerful enemies with rich experience in air combat, they relied on "bayonet fighting in the air" "With his bloody courage, he set a brilliant record of "15:0" over North Korea and gained the reputation of "Wang Hai Brigade". Today, the MiG-15 prototype piloted by team leader Wang Hai is parked in the camp, with nine bright red five-pointed stars symbolizing military achievements spray-painted on the fuselage.
"During the period of resisting U.S. aggression and aiding Korea, all pilots in the brigade were sharp and had military exploits. Each fighter plane was engraved with a red star representing downing or damaging enemy aircraft. The old hero Wang Hai said many times that there was not a single coward in the brigade he led. ." Not long ago, Yang Juncheng of the "Wang Hai Group" was in front of a MiG fighter plane, telling the new pilots who had just arrived in the group the battle stories of his predecessors, "Back then, Wang Hai led the fleet to break through the 'circle formation' and shot down 5 enemy planes. The remaining 60 or so aircraft were beaten and fled in all directions; Jiao Jingwen, who was piloting the wingman, stepped forward to block the shells with his own aircraft when the lead aircraft was in danger..."
Afterwards, the new pilots visited the Honor Room. Historical photos, precious objects, and air combat tracks witnessed the development of the brigade for more than 70 years. Whenever new pilots join the queue, major missions are carried out, etc., the brigade Pilots will come here to be baptized and gain strength.
Many years ago, Yang Juncheng, who was still a new pilot, was also shocked by the fearless spirit of his predecessors who feared death and was not afraid of powerful enemies. Here he made up his mind to strive for new honors for the brigade. Later, Yang Juncheng followed the footsteps of his predecessors and grew up rapidly in the "Wang Hai Brigade". He and his comrades successfully completed many major tasks such as competitions and exercises, including commemorative plaques with the name of the task, the results obtained, and the names of the participating pilots. It has covered an entire wall of the honor room.
"I was ready to sacrifice at that time." In the honor room, Li Debing told his new comrades about his experience of confronting foreign military aircraft.
That time, foreign military planes ignored our repeated warnings and approached our airspace. Li Debing commanded the air formation and immediately launched a battle formation. He piloted his fighter plane to face the foreign military plane head-on. When the two high-speed fighter planes were about to collide, the other side suddenly turned around. Li Debing said: "We fought until the end, and all we fought for was one breath."
In recent years, the pilots of the "Okai Brigade" have flown across the Miyako Strait and Tsushima Strait, and patrolled Taiwan. In major air force exercises and competitions, 12 pilots won the "Golden Helmet" and 6 won the "Golden Dart". They were recognized by the Central Military Commission. Commended as "a model unit for the entire military in implementing the goal of strengthening the military."
At the end of the visit and study, Yang Juncheng encouraged the new comrades in the team in front of the statue of Captain Wang Hai in the Honor Room: "We in the 'Wang Hai Brigade' will never allow cowards!"
"The motherland has handed over the latest fighter jet to us, and we must fly it as soon as possible."
"There is too much to learn, too much to research, and too much to review and summarize. These are all things that must be done immediately." When Yan Yiheng first joined the "Wang Hai Brigade", it was difficult to adapt to the fast-paced learning here. Thousands of flight data, thick stacks of combat materials, and successive research projects made him feel that there was not enough time. The comrades are always in a hurry, either training or doing research. The study room is often brightly lit late at night, and Yan Yiheng exclaims, "This brigade is too busy."
Since the formation of the team, they have always adhered to the concept of "learning to win". On the battlefield to resist U.S. aggression and aid Korea, this group of young pilots with almost no air combat experience relied on "learning war in war" to defeat powerful enemies. Wang Hai, the first captain of the group, wrote in his memoirs: "We were just equipped with the MiG-15 aircraft. Everyone was not familiar with it and did not understand the tactics. In order to win the battle, everyone got on the plane after studying and studied after getting off the plane. , the lights were turned off at night, and some comrades stood on stools and used the corridor lights to learn navigation.”
As time passed, Yan Yiheng became more and more integrated into the team, understood the truth that "the best way to defeat the enemy is to learn faster and better than the enemy", and became "involved" with his comrades.
Yan Yiheng also regarded flight instructor Wang Li as his role model and tried many times to defeat this Air Force "Golden Helmet" and "Golden Dart" winner. In later training, based on the tactics taught by Wang Li, he deeply studied key aspects such as offensive windows and breakaway timings, and gradually became able to compete with Wang Li in the air.
That year, the "Wang Hai Brigade" was the first to be equipped with J-20 fighters. Everyone studied day and night for fear that they would not be able to keep up. In view of the high degree of informatization of the aircraft and the complex system structure, the brigade introduced an engineering precision training model to gradually understand, analyze and deconstruct the combat use of the J-20. Some pilots have accumulated 7 thick "flying manuals" to help subsequent modified pilots shorten the growth cycle, and some pilots have combined their years of live-fire target shooting experience to successfully solve the problem of missile combat application... In the end, the J-20 of the "Wang Hai Group" Fighters form combat effectiveness in a very short time.
In 2020, Chen Xinhao of the "Wang Hai Brigade" participated in a major exercise organized by the Air Force. In a large air battle, faced with interceptions by "enemy aircraft" coming from different directions and several times larger than his own, Chen Xinhao and his comrades flexibly coordinated to shoot down a large number of "enemy aircraft" at the cost of "zero damage".
The young J-20 pilot said: "The motherland has given us the latest fighter jet, and we must fly it as soon as possible."
Over the past 70 years, relying on the spirit of "learning to win", the brigade has taken the lead in installing the latest fighter aircraft in the Air Force five times, and has been at the forefront of building the Air Force's combat effectiveness as a pioneer. The brigade is full of talents. With his strong learning ability, Li Debing carefully studied tactics and integrated man and machine, and won the first "Golden Helmet" of the Air Force. He won the "Golden Helmet" for the second time after modifying the J-20 fighter; Wang Lei studied hard to fight. With the ability to win, he challenged the flying limit again and again, and was commended as "Advanced Individual in the Military Training of the Army"; Tang Shuyao studied ammunition and equipment deeply and became the youngest "Golden Dart" winner in the Air Force at that time.
In 2021, the "Wang Hai Brigade" participated in a flight celebration mission to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China. During the last actual rehearsal, there was lightning and thunder over the airport, heavy rain, and visibility was less than one kilometer. The pilots of the brigade took off as planned and completed the rehearsal to a high standard under adverse weather conditions.
On July 1, 15 J-20 fighter jets formed into three five-jet wedge teams roared into the air, flew over Tiananmen Square within seconds, and gloriously accepted the review of the Party and the people.
"Every time we take off, winning the battle is our only goal."
"I am the Air Force of the Chinese People's Liberation Army. You have entered the Chinese Air Defense Identification Zone. Please inform me of your international identification code and flight purpose." Once, an unidentified foreign military aircraft broke into the East China Sea Air Defense Identification Zone, and the pilots of the brigade flew fighter jets into the air to respond.
"Behind us is the airspace of the motherland. We must not retreat." Faced with constant provocations from foreign military aircraft, Yang Juncheng and his comrades relied on their excellent technical and tactical skills to always occupy a favorable situation, engage in fierce competition with them, and finally force them to retreat.
On November 23, 2013, my country announced the establishment of the East China Sea Air Defense Identification Zone, and the "Wang Hai Brigade" began to perform regular police patrol tasks from this day on. They promptly identify and classify foreign military aircraft entering the identification zone, monitor them throughout the process, take corresponding measures against abnormal and unknown air conditions, and resolutely safeguard national sovereignty and security. Yang Juncheng said: "We are ready to take off at any time. As long as the battle alarm sounds, we can pick up our helmets and go up."
In the war years, the pilots of the group were "happy to hear the battle" and looked forward to facing enemy aircraft and fighting for their mission and honor. In peacetime, whenever there are urgent, dangerous and important tasks, everyone rushes to sign up, treating every task as a battle and strengthening their abilities.
"Every time we take off, winning the battle is our only goal." said Li Peng of the "Wang Hai Brigade."
In a certain system confrontation exercise, Li Peng, who was performing an air combat mission, changed his strategy according to the actual situation when the exit time was reached and the return fuel supply was met. He stayed in the airspace he was responsible for, deployed his own forces, formulated refueling strategies, and dealt with air threats. He and his comrades withstood the opponent's attacks again and again. At that time, he had only one thought in his mind: "We must not let the 'enemy' enter our airspace."
A few hours later, Li Peng and his comrades achieved victory in the exercise. He achieved a new breakthrough in air combat time in an environment similar to actual combat, set a record at the time, and won the Air Force "First Award".
"Fly the best aircraft and fight the toughest battles." After modifying the J-20 fighter, Li Peng and his comrades completed one arduous mission after another. "He is happy when he hears the battle. He is brave and tenacious. If he dares to fight, he will win. If you have me, you will win." The heroic gene of "invincible" is passed down in the blood of the younger generation of pilots of the "Wang Hai Brigade".
Li Peng said: "If war comes, we will definitely defeat all invading enemies like our predecessors did."
Reporter Wang Peinan of China Youth Daily·China Youth Daily Correspondent Chi Yuguang Zhu Fengyi Source: China Youth Daily
Version 01, February 6, 2024