Chapter 91: Carribean Base (2)
Among the group, a few stood out. The F-22 pilots were seasoned professionals, experienced in real combat. But the rest? They were a mixed bag. Some had been hastily transferred from civil aviation. Others hadn't flown more than a handful of times. A few had never been inside a fighter cockpit until this mission.
Still, once they were airborne, it didn't seem to matter. The nineteen fighters quickly formed a neat combat fleet. On radar, the red blips of their planes lined up in formation, approaching a solitary red dot that moved with an unnatural precision.
"Sir, nineteen enemy fighters spotted!" Ego's voice chimed in Zack's ears. "They'll enter the enemy's locking range in ten seconds!"
Zack's tone was icy. "Where did these fools find so many pilots?"
In the high-stakes game of modern air combat, maneuverability was king. And the Apex armor Zack piloted wasn't just a step ahead—it was a leap. No number of fighter planes could close the technological gap.
Soon, Zack's display came alive with the telltale sounds of missile locks. The HUD filled with circular icons marking targets: four, then five, then six. Unlike the chaotic dogfights of World War II, modern aerial combat was all about beyond-visual-range engagements. Before enemies could even spot one another with the naked eye, missiles were already locked and fired.
"It's just a matter of who has better tech," Zack muttered. His grin turned cold as he watched the number of locks climb to eleven. "Against me, it's hardly a fair fight."
The Apex was still outside the locking range of the enemy squadron, yet Zack had already locked onto eleven of their planes. He knew his tech superiority would make this encounter a one-sided massacre. "But I'm fine with that," Zack murmured. He had no intention of drawing out the battle. If these pilots had been anyone else, he might have toyed with them. But for these two-bit enemies, he planned to crush them outright.
"Fire." With that single word, the missile bay on Zack's left shoulder snapped open. Eleven micro-guided missiles launched in rapid succession, streaking through the sky like arrows. Their targets were spread across the formation, ensuring maximum damage.