On March 15, 1939, the 3rd Task Force of the Republic Navy, composed of the main force of the Channel Fleet, appeared in the sea about 450 nautical miles southeast of Ceylon.
The latest aircraft carrier "Beihai" in service is the third of the four "Tianjin-class" aircraft ships built by the Republic of China Navy in 1936. This class of aircraft ship is based on the "Jiangsu-class" aircraft ship with enhanced defense and additional
The area of the hangar and flight deck, the standard displacement increased to 35,600 tons, and the number of carrier-based aircraft also increased by one squadron of fighter attack aircraft, reaching 126.
Different from other warships of the Republic, this class of warships was designed and installed with a dedicated radar detection and receiving antenna on the top of the bridge.
Radar is a radio detection device that uses electromagnetic waves to measure targets. It uses a radio transmitter to directionally emit detection electromagnetic waves, and then receives the echo reflected by the object through the antenna, thereby achieving the purpose of discovering the target and measuring its orientation, direction of movement and speed.
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It is difficult to tell who was the inventor of the first radar. Starting in the 1920s, the United Kingdom, the United States, Germany and the Republic of China all began to conduct research in this area, and all achieved certain results.
In 1916, Marconi and Franklin began to study the reflection of radio signals. In 1917, Robert Watson Watt successfully designed a thunderstorm positioning device, thus announcing the birth of radar. In 1924, John Logie Baird
Invented mechanical scanning television. In 1925, Bolet and Duwu cooperated and successfully used radar for the first time to reflect reflections from the ionosphere.
The incoming radio short pulses are displayed on the cathode ray tube. In 1931, the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory developed radar using the beat frequency principle and began to let the transmitter emit continuous waves. Three years later, it switched to pulse waves. In 1935, Guton of France developed
Using a magnetron to generate electromagnetic waves with a wavelength of 16 cm can detect other ships in foggy days or dark nights. This is the beginning of the peaceful use of human radar.
The research on radars of the Republic of China and Germany is basically at the same level as other countries. The Republic of China has always cooperated with the German military in its early research and development of radars. The research funds mainly come from the special forces of the Republic of China.
In terms of funding and personnel, German technical personnel are the main focus.
After more than ten years of hard work, the Republic has cultivated a large number of radio professionals. Currently, there are three specialized radio research institutes in the country, and the six radio equipment manufacturing companies affiliated to them have approximately more than 2,000 engineering and technical personnel.
It has almost a monopoly on the production and sales of domestic radio equipment, including radios.
Due to the financial support of the military, although domestic research on radar had a weak foundation at the beginning, it finally stood at the forefront of this era. In 1937, the Navy began trials of equipping warships with radars. In 1939
At the beginning of the year, on all large warships,
Large-scale equipment of such wireless detection devices. Although limited by the technological level of the times, these radio equipment using vacuum tubes are without exception bulky, complex to operate, and prone to failure. However, they have finally begun to have the ability to operate beyond visual range.
The ability to detect and attack targets under certain conditions.
The disastrous defeat of the Russians in Central Asia made the British forces in India and Persia feel unprecedented pressure. After the Republican Army strengthened the Channel Fleet, the British Z Fleet in Colombo was naturally even more uncomfortable.
"General, the report came from the destroyer Frigate. Traces of enemy submarines were discovered in the northern Gulf of Mannar half an hour ago." On the Sovereign in Colombo Port, Fleet Chief of Staff Colonel Holland reported to Fleet Commander Tovey
The lieutenant general reported the latest intelligence received.
"Is there any news about the enemy's main fleet?" General Tovey was talking with Lieutenant Colonel Mitchell, the deputy director of the operations department who had just been transferred from the Indian Ocean Squadron. He paused for a moment, then raised his head and asked.
"Since receiving the information that the other party left Batavia three days ago, there has been no other news, General."
"I think the enemy is very likely to come to our side, General!" Lieutenant Colonel Mitchell stood up and walked to the chart table. "The distance from Batavia to Darwin Port is as far as to Ceylon.
, both are 1,600 nautical miles, and the Chinese always like to use the method of attacking in the east and attacking in the west. Finding an enemy submarine is a very bad sign, we should be here, Colombo is a very vulnerable location to attack."
Lieutenant Colonel Mitchell was the Second Class Attaché at the British Consulate in Shanghai before the war. He spent nearly four years in China and returned to work in the Intelligence Department of the Admiralty after the war broke out. He was very familiar with the situation of the Republican Navy. Southeast Asia War
Before, Mitchell had reminded the Admiralty to pay attention to the possible raid by the Republican Navy on Changi Base, but it was not taken seriously. At that time, senior officials of the Admiralty always believed that the strength of the Republican Navy would be difficult to deal with the Japanese and it was simply impossible.
Take the initiative to challenge the Royal Navy.
The disastrous defeat of the British Navy in Southeast Asia made Mitchell famous, but this person was not well received by the Royal Navy commanders. Because he had been spreading pessimistic views, he was transferred to the Indian Ocean Squadron commanded by Lord Mountbatten. Tovey
The Vice Admiral accidentally discovered his talent at a party, and then transferred him to Fleet Z. The fleet under his command needed some officers who knew the Republic Navy well.
"Do you think they will come towards us?" Lieutenant General Tovey compared it on the chart, "Then they should be here now." His finger stopped on the chart. Tovey's judgment was quite accurate. Now
Wei Zihao's fleet is indeed in that sea area.
"I think so, General!" Mitchell said affirmatively.
"Is it possible to attack the enemy?" Tovey seemed to be thinking to himself. As an excellent naval commander who had experienced World War I and had decades of sailing experience, his first reaction was how to destroy the enemy. However,
After analyzing the strength comparison between the two sides, his experience told him that if he tried to prevent the Republican fleet from launching an attack on Ceylon, the only British maritime force in the East in his hands might be completely destroyed.
The problem is that now the Royal Navy simply cannot afford any major losses. He has the responsibility to prevent the fleet from a decisive battle with the enemy and thereby maintain the Royal Navy's "presence" in the Indian Ocean, because his fleet won the battle with the Republic Navy.
The probability is too small.
At this point, Tovey's judgment was very calm.
"We need to leave this dangerous area and inform Admiral Leighton, who is in charge of the defense of Ceylon, that the fleet will go to Addu Port for routine training in the afternoon!" After judging the situation, Lieutenant General Tovey decisively chose to retreat.
, "Also notify the convoys in Colombo and Trincomalee, and immediately start organizing the evacuation of all merchant ships!"