Chapter 126: Laser-Guided Bombs

  "Report to the Chief of Staff, we only have clearance for expulsion. If we shoot down a Soviet plane, we must first report to Islamabad," said Krimi beside Muhammad.

  "When the orders from Islamabad arrived, the Soviet planes had already vanished." Muhammad said: "This time the Soviet planes that came carrying bombs were to bomb our refugee camp. They invaded our airspace and let them bomb our Pakistani land! If we can't shoot down the Soviet planes, then what's the use of our air defense troops?"

  "Yes, yes." Krimi hastily nodded, unsure whether he was agreeing to Muhamed's order to open fire or agreeing that he himself was full of crap.

  ………

  "Drop auxiliary oil tanks, proceed with bombing as planned." Belov calmly ordered over the radio.

  Four Su-24 fighter jets split into two formations in the air, with two heading straight for the Jalozai refugee camp and the other two heading straight for an arms depot near Mardan.

  They burst out of the valley in the Wakhan Corridor, with the wing's rear sweep angle locked at 16 degrees, the best angle for a rapid dash. At the same time, the tail engine opened up, and the two engines blasted out 12,500 kilograms of thrust, propelling this massive heavy fighter to climb rapidly. The 500-kilogram laser-guided bomb under the belly shone brightly.

  Their actions were very secretive, those slow-moving Pakistan Air Force may not have even discovered them yet, they had already completed their bombing mission.

  Jalozai Refugee Camp

  "I think it's most suitable for our Afghanistan Islamic Association to send someone, that Mohammad was originally the instructor of this team, so from a legal perspective. The current Afghan Freedom Army should be considered as part of our Afghanistan Islamic Association," Gulbuddin said with flying spittle and a smile on his face, his right hand gesturing constantly as if trying to prove something.

  "Gulbuddin, wake up." Harris said immediately from the other side. "The current Afghan Freedom Army doesn't even know what the Afghan Islamic Association is. They only recognize Mohammad, and that Khwaja is far more influential than you. Durrani and Fazhim, these regimental commanders, won't even take you seriously."

  "That's because I haven't arrived yet! Once I get there, with my prestige, I can definitely grasp this army firmly in our alliance's hands." Gurbadin said: "I'm all set. Can depart at any time."

  "No way, the alliance hasn't made a decision yet, you're in such a hurry, how can that be!" The other few voices said.

  Saiyaf looked at this chaotic scene and felt a surge of anger in his heart.

  Through his efforts, that Mohammad was finally recalled to Peshawar. Those Afghan Mujahideen were in a state of having no direct superior leadership. The alliance needed to send someone to take them over.

  However, half a month has passed, and every day is spent in meetings, but there are still no results.

  Who will take over the Afghan Freedom Army? Everyone here can see that. Whoever takes it, as long as they control this army, will become the most powerful person in Afghanistan. Once the Soviets are driven out, whoever controls this army will become President of Afghanistan!

  This is a lucrative business that makes everyone jealous, and everyone is fighting for it. Among them, Gulbadin fought the most fiercely. If not for strong opposition from others, Gulbadin would have set out on his own to take over the Freedom Army.

  Gulbuddin's argument is that Mohammad was originally sent to his subordinate guerrilla unit, and the current Afghan Freedom Army is derived from this guerrilla unit, he is justified.

  It can't be delayed any longer, half a month has already passed. If it's delayed again, who knows what changes will occur? Perhaps those Khwaja and Durranis will become independent warlords!

  "Enough," Sayaff said: "Now, I announce the decision of the alliance."

  Sayaaf's order is the alliance's order. Upon hearing Sayaaf say this, everyone calmed down.

  "The alliance in Peshawar has failed to serve as a good command center, I have decided that the headquarters of the alliance will be moved to the Panjshir Valley! We will direct the resistance against the Soviets from there! This place will become a logistics base, mainly responsible for contacting our Western friends for military aid." Sayyaf said: "We will be the brave warriors fighting against the Soviet Union, we will fight on the front line!"

  Sayaaf's words suddenly shocked everyone, at first, they all fled from Afghanistan in a sorry state, although they formed an alliance here, but in fact, each of them was afraid of death, they incited the people below to holy war, but they themselves absolutely did not want to experience the scene where bullets flew across the battlefield.

  Now, Saiyaf says he wants to go back, and after everyone's shock, they start thinking about whether it is more beneficial to follow him back or stay.

  "Stay here, taking on the most important task, to transport weapons and supplies to the front line. Gurbadin, I think this task can only be entrusted to you with peace of mind," said Sayaf.

  Sayed explicitly expressed his attitude, this Gulbuddin has always wanted to go to Afghanistan, is to obtain the command of the Freedom Army, and Sayed will absolutely not let a person with ambition hold real power, now, it is the time for the internal forces of the alliance to be reshuffled.

  "Right, I agree, Gurbadin, your task is the most arduous!" Harris quickly reacted and followed.

  "Right, we will wage a holy war against the Soviets under Sayyaf's leadership!" Others chimed in: "Gulbuddin, you stay behind and provide us with arms support, but don't drag your feet!"

  Gulbadin looked at these people's faces and suddenly felt a wave of nausea, wanting to exclude himself. It's not that easy!

  "I declare that the Afghan Islamic Association is formally withdrawing from the alliance!" Gulbuddin said: "No one can stop the fact that Hezb-e-Islami is our Afghan Islamic Association! I'm going to take over the troops now!"

  After finishing speaking, Gurbadin stood up and wanted to go out with a fierce momentum.

  "Gulbadin, are you going to withdraw from the alliance?" Sayyaf asked gloomily.

  "Right, when we first joined the alliance, we had an agreement that allowed us to withdraw freely." Nikolai Bardin said: "Do you want to go back on your word?"

  While speaking, Nikubdin didn't turn his head back and continued to walk out in big strides. The people around here were all Sayaf's men. He had known this beforehand, or else he wouldn't have come here for the meeting. Now, only when he reached the northwest corner of the refugee camp would he be among his own people.

  "Someone, get him under control!" Sayaf said.

  Outside the tent came a rustling sound, several young men holding AKM rifles appeared at the entrance of the tent.

  "Zayav, you're a deceitful little man!" Gurbadin said: "We actually joined an organization with such a small person like you!"

  "Everything is for the sake of resistance." Sayyaf said: "Nikubdin, you are wronged."

  After finishing speaking, Sayyaf waved his hand and several armed men dragged Nikubdin out, skillfully putting a hood over his head.

  Seeing Nikubdin being controlled, Sayaf let out a sigh of relief and said: "Let's continue the meeting and discuss the matter of entering Panjshir Valley."

  "Hum, hum." A rumbling sound came from afar.

  That's the sound of an airplane. Due to tense border situation, Pakistan Air Force often flies overhead.

  "Prepare to drop bombs, target in sight." Belov said to the weapons operator beside him in the Su-24 cockpit.

  The Su-24 is a large combat aircraft, classified in many categories as a bomber. It has a side-by-side cockpit layout, giving both the pilot and weapons operator good visibility. After separating, the aircraft flew for two minutes before entering its bombing run.

  "Understood, altitude 4,500, distance seven kilometers, laser designator starts working, missile activated," the weapons operator said.

  He said as he manipulated various switches in front of him, just like during his usual training.

  A KAB-500L laser-guided bomb suspended under the Su-24, with its nose-mounted seeker head activating, and a wind vane-style semi-active laser seeker on a gimbal mount accurately capturing the thin laser beam.

  This bomb has two guidance modes, airborne laser designator and man-portable laser designator. The former requires the aircraft to continuously illuminate the target before impact, while the latter only needs the aircraft to drop the bomb.

  Peshawar was the stronghold of Afghan mujahideen, and there were also many KGB agents sent here. In the refugee camp, there were many eyes and ears of the KGB. They discovered the pattern that the leader of the alliance had been holding meetings in a tent every day for several days, so the Soviet high-level decided to wipe them out.

  The ground-based agent aimed the laser emitter at that tent, the reflected laser beam was received by the bomb's guidance head for a few seconds, the missile locked onto the target, and then the weapons operator pressed the red button.

  "Boom." A dull, muffled sound, the 500-kilogram laser-guided bomb left its rack and flew forward in a parabolic trajectory, its control fins constantly adjusting its flight path as it slid down along the laser beam.

  "Prepare for the next target." Belov continued, that bomb just needs to be thrown down and it's done. The next target is a training base north of the refugee camp, where Americans are helping with training. This time, we must throw the bomb right on top of the Americans!

  Although the Su-24 is called a bomber truck, with an external load capacity of up to 7,000 kg, it flew from a distant Soviet base, carrying additional fuel tanks and flying in mountainous terrain, making its maneuverability very poor. This time, it only carried two 500-kilogram laser-guided bombs.

  As for Fahim's discovery of the bombs on these planes, it was Fahim who also took the auxiliary fuel tanks as bombs.