"No, we can't destroy the Panama Canal."

Hessman immediately rejected Redel's proposal.

Now the German army is of course capable of destroying the Panama Canal and using me264 long-range bombers and atomic bombs to destroy it!

The German army built a large hidden airport near Georgetown in Guyana (covered with a green camouflage net) to take off and land the me264 heavy bomber. The straight line distance from there to the Panama Canal is only 2,300 kilometers, completely within the combat radius of me264.

Although there are no fighter planes that can escort the entire me264 that raided the Panama Canal, the me264 can still be allowed to fly over the canal with at least a considerable probability of reaching safely and dropping atomic bombs.

"The Marshal of the Empire, the risk of doing this is not very high. As long as the number of me264 dispatched is enough, the risk of the atomic bomb carrier aircraft being shot down..."

"No, I'm not worried about this." Hessman waved his hand and interrupted Redell. "I think it's necessary to have an American with a navigable Panama Canal, and only in this way can Americans have hope of victory. This is very beneficial to us."

Redell was stunned for a moment.

Hessman smiled and said, "Only by giving Americans a chance to win, they will let their precious fleets leave the protection of the shore-based aviation force and enter the ocean to fight us."

Now Americans are in Newfoundland, Bermuda, the East Coast of the United States, the Florida Peninsula, the Bahamas, the Greater Andres (composed of four large island-level Cayman Islands, including Cuba, Hispaniola, Puerto Rico, Jamaica, and many small islands), windward islands and leeward islands (windward, leeward islands are located between the Greater Andres Islands and the South American continent, like a chain that locks the entrance to the Caribbean Sea) and Trinidad.

According to the information, on the islands in the Caribbean Sea, the Americans established thousands of military bases, deployed shore-based aircraft, and the total number of seaplanes exceeded 10,000! The ground troops placed there must be more than 1 million. This does not include the US troops placed in Venezuela, northern Brazil and Panama!

Under the protection of 1 million troops and 10,000 combat aircraft, it is difficult for the Americans' large fleet to be eliminated. It is very difficult to attack the Caribbean Sea without destroying the Americans' large fleet.

Even if the European Union can rely on air superiority to suppress the US shore-based aircraft on Trinidad and Windward Islands, the landing formation is still very dangerous during landing (landing on Trinidad) operations. Even if it is a desperate attack by American battleships, it may destroy the entire formation and turn the landing operation into a disaster.

"Our chance of victory lies in the air, underwater, and on the ground forces' combat effectiveness," said Hessman. "And the chance of victory of the Americans is the number of surface ships, the number of aircraft and the Panama Canal. If we bomb the canal with an atomic bomb now, the Americans will inevitably be unable to retreat, which is very unfavorable for us. Even if we can destroy the canal before the four Iowa-class battleships enter the Caribbean Sea, the four Soviet-class ships that were originally left on the Atlantic battlefield, and the two Iowa-class ships that are about to be completed will still cause great difficulties for our landing operations. Moreover, if the Americans can only place most of their fleets in the Pacific, then Chile will definitely fall soon, and then Peron's regime will be shaken. If there is a problem in Argentina, we will lose the logistical support for the advancement to the Caribbean."

On the issue of whether to blow up the Panama Canal, the General Staff conducted repeated wargame deductions, and finally came to an indestructible conclusion based on the reasons Hessman said now. The most critical factor is of course the power of Juan Peron. His foundation in Argentina and the New Asbana Federation is not deep. If Chile is lost and Buenos Aires is ruthlessly bombed, he is likely to be overthrown by the disappointed Argentina. Once Argentina is in chaos, Germany must send troops to occupy the country. Considering the distance between Argentina and Europe, as well as the vastness of Argentina, occupation will be very troublesome!

"But then the number of Americans is too great," Raidel shook his head and reiterated his point of view again. "We can only leave Task Force 10, 11, and 12th in the Atlantic."

"These three task force cannot be left in the Atlantic Ocean!" Hessman considered it and denied Raidel's suggestion. "First of all, we, no, should Peron must regain the Valparaiso Gulf, both for military and political purposes. To regain the Valparaiso Gulf, we must drive away the American fleet and control the Port of Monte. In order to complete this mission, it is necessary to send six Zeppelin-class aircraft carriers."

Recapturing the Valparaiso Gulf is an attitude problem! Now the whole of South America is looking at it. If the Germans do not save Chile, then the prestige of Germany and the European Community in South America will plummet, and the pro-American forces in South America will be high. And if Peron leads the new Asbanian coalition that drives away the American invaders, his prestige in the country will rise and his power will be consolidated.

Sending six Zeppelin-class aircraft carriers is a necessary condition to ensure that the aviation war can be won by winning. The 10th, 11th and 12th Task Forces each have two Zeppelin-class aircraft carriers, so there are a total of 6 Zeppelin-class aircraft carriers, rather than the 9-10 large fleet aircraft carriers that the Americans believe are.

In addition, the so-called "Zeperlin"-class aircraft carrier is actually a two-stage aircraft carrier.

Among them, the designs of the "Earl Zeppelin" and "Peter Strasser" are basically the same, both have a standard displacement of 30,000 tons and a full load displacement of 36,500 tons. The size is similar to the Essex-class in the United States. If the carrier method with deck tied is not adopted, up to 84 carrier-based aircraft can be carried, of which 12 are backup aircraft.

Since the Count Zeppelin-class ship "Admiral Raider" has been optimized and improved again, and the standard displacement of the aircraft carrier has increased to 32,500 tons, and the full load displacement has increased to 42,500 tons. The number of carrier-based aircraft (excluding deck tethering) has increased to 92, of which 12 are reserve aircraft.

The official name of this type of improved Zeppelin-class is the "Zeppelin" Type 2 or B41 ships within the European Community Navy. A total of 10 ships have been started, and 6 have been completed and put into service, named "Reder", "Lütjens", "Markenson", "Wardsi", "Little Moltke" and "Steinmetz".

The 6 "Zeplin" class owned by the European Combined Fleets, the 10th, 11th and 12th Task Forces are actually powerful B41. Although they do not adopt deck-tethered French "overload" aircraft, they also have 80 carrier-based fighters/fighterbombers/reconnaissance aircraft.

According to the latest carrier-based aircraft composition method, these 80 carrier-based aircraft are divided into 5 squadrons, 4 are fighter-bomber squadrons, and 1 is a reconnaissance bomber squadron equipped with multi-purpose carrier-based aircraft. Among the four fighter-bomber squadrons, 2 are equipped with the Fokker 636 carrier-based combat bomber with excellent medium and low altitude performance, and 2 are equipped with the F190t carrier-based combat bomber with excellent medium and high altitude performance. One reconnaissance bomber squadron is equipped with the two-seat carrier-based f190te reconnaissance bomber, also developed based on the f190 (this aircraft also has excellent air combat capabilities).

Although there are only 480 ship-based aircraft, considering the performance of the Fokker 636 and the latest model of the f190t series fighter jets, the 10th, 11th and 12th Task Forces still have strong combat power.

If they remain in the Atlantic Ocean, the Americans are likely to adopt a retreat tactic, and the fleet will never leave the Caribbean Sea or near the U.S. coastline.

"As long as Valparaiso Gulf is bombed by a large number of Fokker 636 and F190t, the Americans will definitely take action on the Atlantic Ocean." Hessman analyzed, "This is our chance to severely damage the US Navy! Erich (Redell), can the Navy do it?"

When Raidel heard this question, he frowned, "If there are 6 Zeppelin classes missing, then on the Atlantic battlefield we will only have 2 Zeppelin classes, 2 Seedlez classes, 3 Prussian classes, 10 Kessellin classes (excluding one Kessellin class of the New Asbanian Navy), 2 Xiafei classes, and 10 escort aircraft carriers."

According to the latest compilation, the number of commonly used carrier-based aircraft of "Old Zeppelin" is 72, the number of commonly used carrier-based aircraft of the Seedlitz class is 28-30, the number of commonly used carrier-based aircraft of the Prussian class is 60, the number of commonly used carrier-based aircraft of the Kesselin class is 40, while the number of commonly used carrier-based aircraft of the Xiafei class is 30, and the number of commonly used carrier-based aircraft of the escort aircraft carrier is 24.

Therefore, the 32 aircraft carriers mentioned by Redell have a total of 1,120 commonly used carrier-based aircraft.

In addition, the European Joint Escort Command also has 25 escort aircraft carriers and 600 commonly used carrier-based aircraft, and the EC Joint Marine Corps also has 10 amphibious assault aircraft converted from escort aircraft carriers and 150 commonly used carrier-based aircraft.

In other words, the European Community Navy and Marine Corps currently have a total of 51 aircraft carriers, 10 amphibious assault ships and 2,350 carrier-based aircraft pilots on board.

However, the carrier-based pilots assigned to the escort command have poor skills and are also driving the Folk Zero D-type carrier-based fighter bomber that is easier to control, so they are not regarded as the main force on the front line.

Therefore, the main force of the European Community Naval Combined Fleet aviation war is 26 fleet aircraft carriers and about 1,360 carrier-based aircraft pilots (captains).

"Don't forget that we have battleships, missile ships and Type 21 submarines!" Hessman reminded Raidel, "In addition, the me264, ju288, ju188 and do217 that can carry remote-controlled missiles can also form a powerful strike force. Even if we lack 6 Zeppelin-class ships, we can defeat the Americans on the Atlantic Ocean.

What I am worried about now is not that the decisive battle at sea is defeated, but that the Americans dare not take out their main force!”

Hessman thought for a while, "It's better to give Americans more confidence, so send a fast landing formation from Port Beren to the Pacific coast of Chile."

The so-called "fast landing formation" does not belong to the jurisdiction of the EC Joint Fleet or the EC Joint Escort Command, but is under the name of the EC Joint Marine Corps Command.

This "fast landing formation" battleship is just a "Baltic" class amphibious assault ship with a standard displacement of 12,500 tons, and a Faroe Islands-class dock landing ship with an empty load displacement of 4,032 tons and a full load displacement of 7,930 tons. The Faroe Islands-class ship-dock landing ship was actually a ship type designed by the United States to counterattack the European continent from the United Kingdom. It was originally planned to rent a batch to the United Kingdom, so the drawings and models were given to the British Admiralty. After surrendering to the British mainland, they all fell into the hands of Germany, so a batch was copied.

A formation is usually centered on 5 Baltic class amphibious assault ships and 15 Faroe Islands class dock landing ships, plus about 10 fast transport ships, oil transport ships and 10-20 old destroyers (destroyers were seconded from the Navy). It can transport 15,000 Marine officers and soldiers, all equipment and a considerable amount of supplies at a time, plus 50-75 Fogk Zero D-type aircraft (belonging to the Marine Corps).
Chapter completed!