.Yang Yufang and Zhang Yuting made the same judgment, believing that the joint fleet had entered the South China Sea and was heading towards the Indian Ocean.

However, after entering the South China Sea, the joint fleet continued to advance at a speed of 24 knots, the judgments of several main commanders were not consistent.

The reason is very simple: the joint fleet sails in twenty-four knots and can run up to 2,500 nautical miles.

This means that the joint fleet must perform its first resupply operation either in the southern waters of the South China Sea or near the Anambas Islands.

Because there are only two fast combat support ships in the joint fleet, each combat support ship can only replenish 8,000 tons of fuel for other warships, after completing the supply, the joint fleet will continue to maintain a speed of 24 knots, and then go to Port Blair for the second supply operation after entering the Indian Ocean. Even if the speed is reduced to 16 knots, the joint fleet will have to go directly to Visakhapatnam after entering the Indian Ocean. Only by further reducing the speed, such as reducing it to 12 knots, can the joint fleet participate in joint exercises after entering the Indian Ocean.

Tactically speaking, the risk of doing so is too great.

Even without worrying about being hit on the first resupply, the United Fleet did not immediately go to Port Blair or to Visakhapatnam.

The ideal choice is to immediately join the Indian Navy's aircraft carrier battle group after entering the Indian Ocean.

To this end, the joint fleet should slow down after entering the South China Sea, perform the first supply after entering the Indian Ocean, and then meet with the Indian fleet.

Both Yang Yufang and Zhang Yuting thought this should be the case, and even Zhou Yusheng thought this made more sense.

"This possibility does exist, but we ignore a key factor." Mu Haoyang did not change his mind because of the views of most people. "So far, the Japanese Navy believed that we were not clear about the whereabouts of the Joint Fleet, so we could not enter the Indian Ocean before the Joint Fleet, and even launch an attack when the Joint Fleet was conducting a second supply operation. Without worries, the Joint Fleet is likely to enter the Port of Blair. In order to be ahead of us, the Joint Fleet will definitely advance at full speed."

"The problem is, we've left the port."

"But our support ships are still in Guangzhou. Without support ships, it is difficult for the aircraft carrier battle group to continue to fight even if it enters the Indian Ocean." Mu Haoyang glanced at Yang Yufang and said, "In addition, the landing fleet and transport fleet are about to set off. The Japanese Navy has reason to believe that we will go to the Indian Ocean with the landing fleet and will not risk leaving the landing fleet. According to this judgment, we should be active in the northern part of the South China Sea. Maybe at this time, Japan's reconnaissance satellites or India's reconnaissance satellites have discovered us."

"this……"

"Since we are still wandering in the northern waters of the South China Sea, the Japanese Navy will not worry about anything." Ma Mingtao added to Mu Haoyang.

"The way to prove this judgment is very simple. Let the Second Department adjust the orbit of the reconnaissance satellite and conduct reconnaissance based on the time and location of the first supply operation of the joint fleet." Mu Haoyang paused for a moment and said, "In about twenty-four hours, it will be clear where the joint fleet is."

"Maybe a little more." Zhou Yusheng put forward a new point of view. "In order to conceal the whereabouts, the Joint Fleet will definitely avoid the international channel and head south along the western Philippines territorial waters. The voyage is about 80 nautical miles more than directly crossing the South China Sea. That is, after about twenty-seven hours, the first supply will be carried out in the southern waters of the South China Sea. If reconnaissance satellites are allowed to stare at this sea area, they will be able to discover the Joint Fleet."

"There is no need to wait until twenty-seven hours later."

Several people looked at Ma Mingtao.

"The Second Department has adjusted the orbit of the reconnaissance satellite. If Lao Zhou's judgment is not wrong, he will find something in four hours."

"So, let's discuss it while having lunch."

At this time, the joint fleet did sail southward in the eastern part of the South China Sea, and was following the route guessed by Zhou Yusheng and heading south along the Philippine territorial waters.

However, the situation is different from the judgments of Mu Haoyang and others.

When arranging the combat plan, Imai Tsukumura considered various possible situations, especially the variables that arise after the 2nd guard group returned to Naha.

If possible, Imai Tatsumura will not let the 2nd guard group return to Naha.

There is only one main reason for returning the 2nd Guard Group: there are only two fast combat support ships in the combined fleet. If ten destroyers are added, the fleet's speed must be reduced to less than twenty knots, otherwise all the fuel will be burned before arriving at Port Blair.

Only four destroyers were sent to cover and support the fleet, which was also related to this factor.

If six additional destroyers are sent to support the support fleet to enter the Indian Ocean, it will not be able to provide a second supply to all warships, and the supply to each warship can only be reduced. The time for the joint fleet to operate at sea will be reduced from fifteen days to twelve days, and then the third maritime supply must be carried out.

Because it is impossible to tell when the Chinese fleet will enter the Indian Ocean, Imai Toshimura must extend the time the joint fleet will operate at sea as much as possible.

From the perspective of covering and supporting the fleet, four destroyers are enough.

If the Chinese Navy targets the support fleet, even if six additional destroyers are sent, it will not be able to protect the support fleet, and it will only cause meaningless damage.

In this way, the aforementioned problem arises, that is, the return of the second guard group to Naha will definitely cause variables.

Imai Taemura also thought that it would take the 2nd escort group to move for a few more days at sea, but it would not be of much significance to do so, because the Chinese Navy will definitely strengthen its search efforts. The 2nd escort group will be discovered sooner or later when it is active near Okinawa. Even if the 2nd escort group is far away from Okinawa, it is not necessarily safe.

It is more beneficial to let the 2nd guard group return to Okinawa.

According to the judgment of Imai Rimura, the Chinese Navy found that there were only six destroyers in the second guard group, and after returning to Naha, they would definitely think of the other four destroyers to cover the support fleet. Because the support fleet did not go to the South China Sea, but bypassed the Philippine Islands, went from the Sulawesi Sea to the Java Sea, and then entered the Indian Ocean from the Sunda Strait, the Chinese Navy is likely to believe that the joint fleet also took this route.

Of course, the premise is that the support fleet was discovered by the Chinese Navy.

To this end, when arranging a route to the support fleet, Imai Taemura made a little clever trick, allowing the support fleet to head south along the west of the Okinawa Islands and enter the Philippine Sea south of the Miyako Islands. As long as a Chinese Navy submarine is active in the East China Sea, the support fleet can be found far away.

It can be said that the arrangements of Imai Tori Village are very clever.

If the 2nd escort group was not discovered by a Chinese submarine when it was returning, Mu Haoyang would likely make a wrong judgment, believing that the joint fleet had bypassed the Philippine Islands.

However, after entering the South China Sea, Imai Ri Village encountered some minor trouble.

Because the aviation combat module is about 1,500 tons heavier than the amphibious combat module, after leaving the port, the power system of the two "Xianghe"-class aircraft carriers has been overloaded in order to reach 24 knots. In order to avoid power equipment failure, they had to reduce the speed to 22 knots after entering the South China Sea. The slowdown is also to save fuel, so that the first supply will be carried out in the predetermined sea area as planned.

In this way, the Joint Fleet will take three more hours than expected to enter the Indian Ocean.

In the early morning of July 23, after receiving the satellite reconnaissance report, Imai Taemura breathed a sigh of relief.

Two aircraft carriers of the Chinese Navy are still hovering in the northern waters of the South China Sea, waiting for the support ships to return to the fleet. As long as the Chinese fleet has not yet moved south before 12 o'clock, it will not be able to enter the Indian Ocean before the joint fleet. If the Chinese fleet turns south after 12 o'clock on the 24th, the joint fleet can go to Port Blair as planned for the second supply, and there is no need to worry about being hit during the supply.

This discovery also convinced Imai Tomomizu that the Chinese Navy did not discover the joint fleet.

I have to say that Imai Tsukimura is a very planned person.

Because the maximum speed of the escort warship exceeds 30 knots and is sailing at twenty-four knots, the power system does not overload and does not consume fuel. Moreover, the two combat support ships replenish the fuel for up to four warships at the same time, Imai Tatsumura asked the four escort warships to continue sailing at twenty-four knots, while the other warships sail with the aircraft carrier. The first supply is carried out in three times, and the first replenishment of the two aircraft carriers is first replenished.

As a result, at around 12:00 on the 23rd, only four warships were discovered by China's reconnaissance satellites.

At that time, the other six warships were about thirty-five nautical miles behind, just beyond the coverage of the reconnaissance satellite.

The information sent by the second department made Mu Haoyang puzzled.

There were only four warships, and four destroyers, and no aircraft carriers were found, and no cruisers were found.

What is the name of the Japanese Navy?

Of course, the joint fleet must be in the South China Sea. Because before that, Mu Haoyang had received news that the Japanese support fleet entered the Philippine Sea from the west of the Miyako Islands, at least four destroyers were escorting. According to the plan, the Navy dispatched anti-submarine patrol aircraft to track and monitor the support fleet, and could provide accurate information at as early as 4 pm. In this way, there were only eight escort warships in the joint fleet. No matter how arrogant the Japanese Navy was, it would not risk using only four warships to escort two aircraft carriers, allowing half of the escort warships to fight.

The question is, where are those two small aircraft carriers?

After four o'clock, the Navy Command sent out exact information. The support fleet did not enter the South China Sea from the Bashi Channel, but went south from the east of Luzon Island.

Now, Mu Haoyang was a little overwhelmed.

Did the joint fleet not enter the South China Sea, and the Japanese Navy deliberately arranged four destroyers as bait, allowing the Chinese Navy to make a wrong judgment?

If this is true, the Japanese Navy has also been playing too much.

You should know that if the joint fleet detours, it will definitely not be able to enter the Indian Ocean before the Chinese fleet. The Chinese fleet has a chance to enter the Indian Ocean first, kill the Indian fleet, and then turn back to clean up the joint fleet and seize the control of the Indian Ocean without any suspense.

Although Mu Haoyang doesn't believe it, this possibility cannot be ruled out.

Now, the question Mu Haoyang is facing is: Should we take the lead?...
Chapter completed!