Chapter 494: Situation Changed, Low-Altitude Surprise Attack

On the large screen, "Sea Eagle" had already completed all attack missions and was adjusting its heading to return to base.

Department Head Zhang leaned in close to Li Mingyuan: "Lao Li, you really stole the show today. The expressions on these commanders' faces are even more spectacular than if they'd swallowed flies."

Li Mingyuan smiled: "This is just the beginning. Wait until the day 'Kunpeng' launches; their expressions will be even more spectacular."

"To be honest," Department Head Zhang lowered his voice, "I'm starting to believe you really did travel back from the future. These technologies... they just don't seem like something our era could conceive."

Li Mingyuan was taken aback, then laughed heartily and patted Department Head Zhang on the shoulder: "Stop letting your imagination run wild. There are no shortcuts in science, only innovative ways of thinking. I'm merely standing on the shoulders of those who came before me, looking at problems from a different angle."

But inwardly, he thought: "If you knew I really did travel back from 2023, I wonder what your expression would be."

"'Sea Eagle' is about to return; preparing for short-distance landing test," the communications officer reported.

Everyone's attention returned to the flight test field. This test was equally vital—an aircraft capable of short-distance takeoff but unable to perform a short-distance landing was meaningless to the "Kunpeng" project.

Li Mingyuan took a deep breath, his gaze fixed firmly on the silver silhouette approaching in the distance. He knew that today's test flight had already been a huge success, but this final step could not afford any mistakes.

"Please be prepared, commanders," he said with composure, "Next, you will witness how 'Sea Eagle' lands safely within a distance of less than a hundred meters—this capability will turn the 'Kunpeng' project from theory into reality and completely change the landscape of maritime power."

The officers held their breath, waiting for the final climax of this revolutionary test flight. The silhouette of "Sea Eagle" drew closer and closer, like a drawn sword about to pierce the heart of conventional combat doctrine once again.

Everyone's attention returned to the flight test field. This test was equally vital—an aircraft capable of short-distance takeoff but unable to perform a short-distance landing was meaningless to the "Kunpeng" project.

Li Mingyuan took a deep breath, his gaze fixed firmly on the silver silhouette approaching in the distance. However, just as "Sea Eagle" was preparing to land, he suddenly pressed the communicator, his voice carrying a hint of barely perceptible excitement:

"Huang Zhigang, the plan has changed. Abort the landing procedure and switch to ultra-low-altitude sea-skimming test."

Department Head Zhang was stunned: "Lao Li, have you lost your mind? That's not in today's plan!"

The Military commanders also showed expressions of surprise, but Li Mingyuan had already quickly explained: "Commanders, the core operational environment for 'Sea Eagle' is at sea, especially as a supporting weapon system for 'Kunpeng'. We must verify its performance under real sea conditions, especially its ultra-low-altitude sea-skimming capability—this is crucial for evading enemy Radar detection and anti-aircraft fire."

Deputy Air Force Commander Lao Liu frowned and pondered for a moment, then nodded: "It makes sense. In modern naval warfare, low-altitude penetration is indeed a key tactic."

"Sea Eagle 01 received, switching to ultra-low-altitude sea-skimming test procedure." Huang Zhigang's voice came through the speaker, carrying a hint of professional calm, but with obvious excitement hidden beneath it.

Li Mingyuan turned to the technicians: "Activate all camera equipment at the coastline observation points to ensure the entire test process is recorded."

The image on the large screen switched rapidly as several cameras from different angles began tracking the flight path of "Sea Eagle." The silver fighter suddenly changed its heading and dived toward the open sea.

"What is he doing?" a naval general asked nervously.

Li Mingyuan wore a confident expression: "Please watch closely, Commander. This will be 'Sea Eagle's' most impressive performance."

"Sea Eagle's" speed increased rapidly, soon breaking the sound barrier and leaving a white sonic boom cloud in the high altitude. Then, it suddenly dived, plunging toward the sea surface like an arrow released from a bow.

"My god! He's too low!" an officer exclaimed.

Indeed, "Sea Eagle's" flight altitude was dropping at an alarming rate—3000 meters, 2000 meters, 1000 meters, 500 meters... When the aircraft dropped to around 300 meters, it suddenly leveled off and began a breathtaking ultra-low-altitude flight.

"Current altitude 180 meters, speed 900 km/h," the ground monitoring reported.

"Continue descent," Li Mingyuan ordered, his voice unusually calm.

"Received, continuing descent," Huang Zhigang responded, then lowered "Sea Eagle's" altitude further.

"100 meters... 80 meters... 50 meters... 30 meters..."

The officers present hardly dared to breathe, their eyes glued to the screen. "Sea Eagle" was already flying so low it was practically skimming the surface of the sea, yet its speed remained at near-sonic levels! At this altitude, any minor operational error could lead to catastrophic consequences.

"20 meters!" the technician's voice trembled slightly from tension, "He has entered ultra-low-altitude status!"

A smile appeared on the corner of Li Mingyuan's mouth: "Commanders, please observe the stability of 'Sea Eagle' now. In this extreme low-altitude, high-speed state, conventional fighters are difficult to keep steady—heat currents from the sea surface and irregular wave reflections would cause severe flight disturbances."

Sure enough, "Sea Eagle" on the large screen, despite flying at high speed close to the sea surface, displayed incredible stability. It was like a sharp scalpel, precisely cutting through the azure sea, its track almost a perfect straight line.

"This... this is unbelievable," the naval general muttered to himself, "At such a low altitude and such high speed, yet it can maintain this kind of stability..."

"Another advantage of the vector thrust system, Commander," Li Mingyuan explained, "It not only provides vertical takeoff and landing capability but also adjusts the direction of thrust in real-time to cancel out external interference, keeping the aircraft stable even under extreme conditions."

"Sea Eagle 01 beginning maneuver test," Huang Zhigang reported, his voice carrying a hint of undisguised excitement.

The scene that followed completely overturned everyone's perception of fighter performance.

At an altitude of only a dozen meters above the sea, "Sea Eagle" suddenly performed an almost impossible sharp turn! The slender silver fuselage, like a nimble sea snake, cut into a turn with an incredibly small radius. In conventional aerodynamic theory, such a low-altitude, high-speed sharp turn would almost certainly lead to a stall and crash, but "Sea Eagle's" vector nozzles provided extra control torque at the critical moment, making this impossible maneuver a reality.

"He is simulating evading enemy Radar lock and anti-aircraft fire!" Li Mingyuan explained, his speaking speed slightly accelerated by excitement, "This ultra-low-altitude sharp-turn capability is crucial for breaking through enemy air defense networks."