Ding Zhennan was indeed not wrong, but it was not comprehensive enough.

According to the news that Bai Huawei found out, the Imperial Navy Command will make adjustments to the forces of the two major fleets in the near future, with the focus being to strengthen its presence in the southwest and east ocean.

If nothing unexpected happens, a special mixed fleet with three aircraft carriers as the core will be sent to the southwest Ocean.

In addition, we will first strengthen the deployment of troops in Nanxi Luoyang.

For example, if the 11th Special Mixed Fleet is sent to Table Bay, 20 large attack submarines and several submarine support ships will be sent at the same time.

Obviously, the Imperial Navy stimulated it to strengthen its combat efforts in the West.

It is unlikely to send the 11th Special Mixed Fleet to block the sea route, and you still have to rely on submarines. The deployment of aircraft carrier battle groups mainly provides cover for submarine support ships. After all, to allow submarine support ships to penetrate deep into the ocean and provide support for large attack submarines, strong backing will definitely be needed.

If this is true, it is possible that the entire Xi Luoyang will become the hunting ground for the Imperial submarines.

With the support of submarine support ships, even if they go to Beixi Luoyang to perform a breakthrough mission, large attack submarines like the "Nanjiang" class can have a deployment rate of one-fifth, that is, every 10 submarines can ensure that 2 are in combat deployment.

This ratio is definitely not low.

The key is that if we only block the route from the east coast of the North Gorge Continent to the Western Continent, only 6 to 10 submarines in deployment are enough. You should know that in the wider Northeast Ocean, the Newland Navy has only about 20 large attack submarines, and no more than one-third of them are in combat deployment, which poses a serious threat to the route to the Hovay Islands.

Of course, this has a lot to do with the performance of the submarine.

Take the "Nanjiang" class as an example. In addition to loading 36 lightning bombs in the torpedo compartment in the boat head, it can also load 16 missiles with a vertical launch system. If it is a mission to carry out a break-through, it is usually equipped with 36 heavy torpedoes and 16 long-range anti-ship missiles.

In terms of specific tactics.

If you are fighting in the long sea, you will usually use anti-ship missiles to attack the escort warships at a long distance, then approach the transport fleet at the fastest speed, and then use torpedoes to end the battle. Because the speed of the cargo ships is not fast enough, usually only more than 10 knots, it is difficult to escape even if you know that there are submarines nearby. The key is that escort warships are generally frigates, and when they are saturated attacks by anti-ship missiles, they will definitely be in danger. Even if there are escort aircraft carriers, they may not be able to withstand the saturated attacks of anti-ship missiles because they are transformed by civilian cargo ships.

Of course, if it is near the sea, the submarine will directly use anti-ship missiles to attack the transport ships. The main reason is that even if the escort warship is killed, it may not be able to catch up with the transport fleet before the shore-based anti-submarine patrol aircraft, let alone spending a lot of time to deal with the fleeing transport ships.

Overall, the efficiency of submarine breaking and intercommunication operations has long been different from the past.

In theory, a "Nanjiang" class can send a fleet of transport ships of about 30 ships to the seabed.

That's true, in the usual break-and-break combat, only 2 to 3 submarines need to cooperate, and there is no need to invest more submarines at all.

The entire Beixi Lake Ocean can only be separated by 3 to 4 sea areas to carry out the battle.

According to this calculation, only 6 to 12 submarines are enough to block the entire Beixi Luoyang.

As for searching for transport fleets, relying on advanced passive sonar, large attack submarines can detect transport fleets hundreds of kilometers away and determine their general direction. The key is that they can also rely on the intelligence provided by the rear, especially reconnaissance satellites deployed in space.

The key is that if necessary, more large attack submarines can be sent to Table Bay to ensure that enough submarines can be in combat deployment.

It can be seen that the Imperial Navy indeed intends to cause trouble in the West.

However, it is more likely that it is putting pressure on the Newland authorities to increase the cost of sending troops to the Western Continent, so that the Newland authorities will sign a ceasefire agreement as soon as possible.

This also reflects from one aspect that the secret negotiations have not yet ended and there are still many issues that have not been concluded.

As for sending a fleet to the southwest to the ocean, it may have nothing directly to do with the negotiations, or it can be said that it is not much the same as Ding Zhennan speculated.

The key is that the Newland Navy may not be able to go to Nanxi Luoyang to cause trouble.

Don’t forget that after the offensive and defensive battle of the Hovay Islands, even if the "Kenny" in poor condition was included, the Newland Navy had only four aircraft carriers available. In contrast, at the end of last year, with the first batch of sealed aircraft carriers added to the combat sequence, the Imperial Navy's available aircraft carriers had reached 15, returning to pre-war level. The key is that, because there is no need to defend Lu Xinhai, in theory, six aircraft carriers can be deployed in the southwest East Ocean. If necessary, three more can be urgently dispatched to increase the aircraft carriers in this direction to 9.

This is just a fleet.

In the decades after the war, the Imperial Navy had been working hard to manage the southwest ocean, building military bases on hundreds of islands, with more than 10 military ports and as many as 36 naval air stations. It can deploy up to 5,000 combat aircraft of various types in these bases. In any waters, the Imperial Navy can invest up to 500 shore-based aircraft, and it can double in key waters such as the Tasman Sea.

If you count the shore-based power, the gap will be even bigger.

It can be seen that even if the second batch of 6 Niz-class ships were obtained and the aircraft carriers reached 10, the Newland Navy did not have the capital to enter the southwest and east ocean.

Even if the Imperial Navy has stopped, there are only 15 aircraft carriers available. The Newland Navy will be completed at the earliest in the 154th year of the New Calendar, that is, the third batch of 15 "Nitz"-class ships planned. Only when the total number of aircraft carriers reaches 25 will it be possible to sweep the southwest east ocean.

Obviously, even if the Newland authorities have relevant plans, they will only make small fuss in the marginal areas at most.

From this perspective, the Imperial Navy's increase in troops to the southwest and eastward was actually an active act, and it was also a move to put pressure on the Newland authorities.

Of course, it can also be said that the Newland authorities are not going to make the abacus on the southwest and east.

No matter which possibility, it shows that the secret negotiations are far from over.

The insider information obtained by Bai Huawei proves Ding Zhennan's inference.

The negotiations are still in progress and there will be no substantial results in the short term. However, phased progress has been made, or the two sides have reached an agreement on the most critical issue, whether to achieve a ceasefire through secret negotiations, and based on this, in-depth consultations were conducted.

What to say is indeed very important.

In Bai Huawei's words, as long as you can talk, everything will be easy to say.

However, the most important thing is that the two sides have set the tone for the scope of negotiations.

As for the specific situation, Bai Huawei did not explain it clearly, or the information he found was not very reliable, so it could not be explained clearly.

If you could find reliable insider information, Bai Huawei would not have let Ding Zhennan and Li Tianling come to Silan.

"What do you think?"

After asking, Bai Huawei turned his attention to Ding Zhennan.

Li Tianling didn't speak because he knew that Bai Huawei was asking Ding Zhennan, and from his perspective, neither of them was as good as Ding Zhennan.

"I want to say that these are all smokescreens."

After hearing what Ding Zhennan said, Bai Huawei immediately frowned.

"You mean, the negotiations have achieved significant results?" Li Tianling asked directly. What he hated the most was the puzzle.

Ding Zhennan nodded first and thought for a while before saying: "We proposed to conduct a ceasefire negotiation and send the Chief Supervisor to Pasi country, which is definitely sincere. Then, during the negotiations, especially after entering the substantive stage, we will take the most critical chips, the Hovay Islands. Even if the Newland authorities initially had a try-and-see attitude, they will take it seriously at this time."

"This is inevitable. After all, the number one purpose of the Republic of Newland's participation in the war is to take back the Hovay Islands." Bai Huawei said at this time: "If we can negotiate the Islands, it would be better. What's more, after losing the offensive and defensive battle of the Hovay Islands, the Republic of Newland has lost the ability to retake the Hovay Islands through military means. At least in the next few years, there is no need to think about it."

"So, negotiation is the only choice." Li Tianling also followed.

Bai Huawei slapped his mouth and said that Li Tianling was not wrong.

"The problem is that the Newland authorities want to get more than just the Hovay Islands, and in the current situation, we may not be able to swallow all the benefits."

"You mean West China Group?"

Regarding the question raised by Bai Huawei, Ding Zhennan just nodded, and then said: "From another perspective, if we sign a ceasefire agreement with the Republic of Newland now, even if it is secretly announced, how much benefit do you think we can get through the ceasefire?"

Bai Huawei didn't say anything because this question was really not easy to answer.

"If this is the case, the Republic of Newland will not be able to gain any advantage."

"So, it's the current situation."

After Ding Zhennan said this, Li Tianling's expression also became very serious.

"As you mean..."

“It’s not time yet.”

Although Ding Zhennan robbed the conversation, Bai Huawei was not angry, but nodded thoughtfully.

"Don't forget that the unresolved ones are not only the southern subcontinent on our side, but also the continental battlefield that is temporarily in a truce."

"The key is the Great Man Empire." Li Tianling followed.

Ding Zhennan nodded and continued: "If we announce a truce at this time, the only result will be to force the Tiaoman Empire to take risks."

"The question is, in the current situation, what else can the Taurus Empire be like?" Bai Huawei obviously hasn't turned around yet.

"Do you think a Western Continent that is divided into various parts is better or a relatively complete one, even if it is a Western Continent that is divided into two parts?"

"This..." Bai Huawei was stunned for a moment, but he immediately understood.

If the Tsuman Empire suddenly declares defeat, even if it joins the armistice negotiations, the only result will be that the Western Land Group will collapse immediately.

If you want to say, as long as the news of the secret negotiations between the Liangxia Empire and the Newland Republic spread, the Western Land Group has a great possibility of disintegration immediately, because outside the Great Man Empire, several other major member states have secretly turned to the Newland Republic.

Ding Zhennan shook his head with a wry smile, and then said, "It is clear now that neither we nor the Republic of Newland have included the Tyrannosaurus Empire. To put it more directly, the benefits we gained from the armistice between us and the Republic of Newland all come from the sacrifices made by the Tyrannosaurus Empire, or the Western Continental Group controlled by the Tyrannosaurus Empire. It is obvious that if the Tyrannosaurus Empire is also included, one party must make the sacrifice, and it will definitely not be us. Do you think the Newland authorities will make such sacrifices?"

After Ding Zhennan said this, Bai Huawei also understood.

"If this is true, the war may have lasted for several years." Li Tianling also figured it out, or he had already figured it out before Bai Huawei.

"If it's fast, it's one year, if it's slow, it's two to three years."

"It will take so long?"

Ding Zhennan nodded and said, "Even if everything goes well, it will take April to launch a counterattack on the mainland battlefield. As far as I know, the materials we have prepared are only enough for half a year at most, so the large-scale offensive operation will definitely end in October. It is obvious that when formulating the plan, the climate factors that were mainly considered when formulating the plan, but I never thought that the climate factors would gradually weaken as the front line advances westward. It is also true that we can capture Xiluosha this year and push the front line outside the border of the Tsuman Empire."

Bai Huawei didn't say anything, but turned his gaze to Li Tianling.

Li Tianling did not respond, but shrugged his shoulders, saying that it was indeed as Ding Zhennan said.

"But, after the strategic counterattack has achieved a phased victory, the Western Continental Group will definitely have big problems, especially the internal conflicts against the Taurus Empire. If the Newland Republic can seize this opportunity and control countries such as the Bran Kingdom, the Rock Republic and the Sban Kingdom at the western end of the Western Continent, there will be a great opportunity to dismember the Western Continent, and the war will have hope of ending early."

"What if there isn't?"

Ding Zhennan sighed with a wry smile. "Otherwise, the war will continue for a while until we completely defeat the Tiaoman Empire on the battlefield."

"There is a greater probability of such a situation."

After Li Tianling spoke, Ding Zhennan just nodded.

Bai Huawei didn't say much, but turned his attention to Li Tianling.

"No matter what, the Republic of Newland will not declare war on the Torman Empire, at most it will be a little negative. More importantly, in order to ensure the hegemony of the Western Land region after the war, even if it is just the West Coast region, the Republic of Newland must use this war to weaken our influence and create new contradictions. It is obvious that the most effective and only way is to force us to fight to the Torman Empire to the death. Even if we win in the end, we will lose the support and recognition of the people due to heavy casualties. Don't forget that the Torman Empire is the overlord of the Western Land Group, and all member states of the Western Land Group will inevitably participate in our war with the Torman Empire. What's more, as long as the war is not over, we will not only focus our finger on the Torman Empire."

"this……"

"It is not difficult to conclude from this that no matter how we think, this war cannot end in the way that we are most ideal or willing to accept. Even if it does not turn into a long-term war of attrition, we must also make the worst plans and be prepared for a protracted war."

After Li Tianling said this, Ding Zhennan couldn't help but smile bitterly.

However, Li Tianling has already explained the truth so thoroughly that he does not need to give additional explanations.
Chapter completed!