Variable Wing Interceptor
Variable-wing twin-engine fighters took off from Astraea one after another. They were called Edge Swifts.
They soared in the sky and took down the enemy aerial units from long range.
「Enemy fighters incoming. It looks like they’ve already found our fleet.」
「They managed to send in one fighter all the way here after all. Everything’s going according to plan for now.」
Aimer nodded as she listened to the report.
「I expect the enemy’s main force is the one heading toward us. Please continue to prepare for interception.」
Aimer displayed the radar on her terminal.
「Enemy aerial units are coming from all directions. If they manage to break through the defense network, you will no longer be able to return to resupply. Until then, continue resupplying here as needed and reduce enemy numbers as much as possible. If the enemy forces break through, please head to Fortress Area P336 instead. There is no need to try and return here.」
The fleet had adapted a ring-shaped formation.
The anti-aircraft fire of air defense ships was also a valuable combat asset.
「Commander Barry, we will attract the brunt of the enemy forces. That should create an opening. Please use that opening to secure air superiority above Fortress Area P336.」
「Fine, I got it! We’ll follow your lead and act accordingly.」
Barry was prepared to make his move at any time. He didn’t want to waste the chance that Aimer had created for them.
「Thank you very much. –First Unit, Second Unit, Third Unit, anti-air missile launch complete. To what extent will we be able to perform simultaneous aircraft landing and recovery, Astraea?」
『The deck can house twelve aircraft. Opening the dual passageway flight deck. We can recover four aircraft at the same time.』
Astraea’s upper hull armor transformed, and two covered flight decks appeared from the left and right.
The fighters were recovered through the use of a wire hook system.
These decks allowed for fighters to launch even while the ship was being subjected to aerial bombardment, and they could also serve as armored car, tank, and Silhouette passageways during landing operations.
「Understood. Make it so the passageways can be closed immediately at any time.」
『Acknowledged.』
Next, Aimer communicated with the fleet’s surveillance squadron and their escort fighters that were flying above them at a high altitude.
「AWACS planes Eagle Eye 1, 2, and 3. Continue gathering information on the enemy movements. I’m counting on you all.」
「Roger!」
Each Familiar pilot replied with gusto. The information they manage to collect can serve as the greatest weapon.
The launch of reconnaissance satellites was not permitted on the Nemesis warfront. Once launched, they will immediately get shot down by Okeanos.
Also, due to the inherent nature of Fortress Areas and Defense Domes, it can be said that data on wide-area battlefields spanning thousands of kilometers was unnecessary.
「Kou said so before. A twin-engine variable-wing fighter was the coolest and strongest fighter. I believe in Kou.」
「I don’t know exactly what his basis for such confidence is, but it did lead to the creation of such a high-performance fighter-interceptor. It isn’t a bad aircraft at all. I believe so, at least.」
Aimer fully believed in the twin-engine variable-wing fighter that Kou designed. She was sure they would be a great force.
Aimer had deployed AWACS planes simultaneously 25,000 meters in the sky, all the way into the stratosphere. They constantly rotated in a triangle formation.
The AWACS plane was also designed by Kou and was nothing more than a prototype, but it turned out to be one of Aimer’s lifelines.
「Continue preparing for anti-aircraft combat. Please, everyone.」
Fighters continuously launched from Astraea in order to fulfill the young girl’s wish.
They converged in the air and headed in the direction of the enemy.
「So, Astraea mass-produced the Edge Swift after all. I thought we just focused on mass-producing Star Soldiers. I think Asia was in charge of mass-producing those.」
The production lines of the underground arsenal certainly manufactured Star Soldiers.
Astraea probably manufactured Edge Swifts, air defense cruisers, and destroyers on different production lines. The underground arsenal was huge after all, and Kou hadn’t yet managed to tour all of it.
「You sure made one heck of a fighter, Kou.」
Blue honestly admired the Edge Swifts that continuously destroyed the enemy fighters from beyond visual range.
She almost couldn’t believe the fighter was designed by Kou who was fixated on close-range combat to an almost unhealthy degree. The Edge Swift seemed to be the embodiment of destruction from ultra-long range.
「I only ever made a prototype though. That Edge Swift, I mean.」
「Why?」
「There was little need for an aircraft that was only limited to aerial combat operations and piloting it also has a very specific requirement. I never thought Astraea would choose to mass-produce it……」
Blue was quite impressed, but Kou was more surprised than anything regarding the performance of the Edge Swifts.
The Edge Swift fighters made full use of the long-range anti-aircraft missile Firebird to steadily reduce the number of enemy fighters. The enemy machines weren’t even able to approach them and got shot down one after another.
Their most terrifying aspects were their acceleration and turning performance.
「I can’t believe the MCS is able to allow the Familiars to perform those kinds of maneuvers.」
「I based the design after a swift after all. I took advantage of biomimetics in order to perform aerodynamics simulations when designing that plane. I then uploaded the data on the plane’s MCS and limited its use to bird-shaped Familiars only.」
「That’s the requirement you mentioned?」
「Yeah. I thought there would be no demand for a fighter that can only be piloted by bird-shaped Familiars, but to think it’s this effective in combat.」
Kou was hesitant. He didn’t really like a plane that was only limited to a certain kind of pilot.
Rick suddenly joined the two’s conversation.
「Their weapons were also carefully considered, right?」
「The combination of long-range sensors and surveillance units in order to conduct beyond-visual-range combat is Edge Swift’s greatest strength. It sports six long-range missiles, four short-range missiles, and a railgun that suppresses recoil to the limit. Regular autocannons can’t pierce electromagnetic armor after all.」
「It’s certainly a design concept of a hit-and-run interceptor. To think you’d be able to design a fighter that’s this good in long-range combat. I’ve gotten a new opinion of you, Kou.」
Rick praised Kou in a strange-sounding way.
「Please don’t treat me as a close-range muscle head!」
「Sorry, but that’s gonna be impossible, man.」
Blue smiled bitterly at the two’s exchange.
「Let’s go. We’re gonna protect Aimer.」
The hawk-type Familiar acting as the captain of the Edge Swift squadron addressed his subordinates.
「Fufufu. It’s like we bird-shaped Familiars are the chosen warriors who protect the princess!」
A penguin-type Familiar laughed in satisfaction.
「Huh? You’re also a bird……? Oh, right. You actually were a bird.」
「Penguins are sea birds y’know?!」
The penguin violently protested against the words the hawk muttered.
「But ain’t you flightless?」
A chicken-type Familiar quipped.
「I don’t wanna hear that from a chicken-type like you!」
「Tsk. Even chickens can fly a little. The ability’s just degenerated a bit!」
「Guys, you’re all treated by the MCS as birds. Let’s just go with that.」
A quail-type Familiar mediated between the trio.
「Why am I getting the gray zone treatment!?」
「You guys. Stop fooling around. Deactivate your augmenters. Let’s go! Get ready for anti-air combat!」
The hawk-type issued commands.
The thrust augmenting device or augmenter for short allows for aircraft to fly at Mach 3. It was a type of accelerator meant for early deployment into target destinations and maneuvering during combat.
「Roger!」
「Commencing data link. Marking enemy targets. Launching air-to-air missiles!」
They performed a data link with the Hawkeye surveillance aircraft, grasped the enemy unit’s positions, and launched their missiles.
It was an ultra-long-range attack.
The enemy aircraft tried to defend themselves by scattering chaff and so on, but the timing of the missile attack was just too abrupt.
Three enemy planes were immediately shot down.
「Prove that you’re really birds by shooting down as many enemy planes as you can. We ain’t some chosen warriors from those fantasy stories. These Edge Swifts were entrusted to us along with the hopes of all the other Familiars.」
「Yes!」
It was as the hawk-type Familiar said. There were no weapons that can operate alone.
Their comrade’s hopes and feelings will provide them with the strength to protect Aimer.
Thanks for the chapter! Awesome translation! May God bless you!