Slow Crash
Prolouge
Tokyo, Japan
Year of our Lord 2017
October 19th
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“This is Matthew Higgins of the BBC broadcasting from Tokyo Bay, Japan. I can see the remnants of the two American Carrier Strike Forces that along with the Japanese Imperial Navy that engaged the People’s Liberation Army Navy of China three days ago among the disputed Senkaku islands.
I can see the USS George Washington listing to one side, and smoke coming from her deck. I can see the remaining five ships from the strike force that was originally comprised of ten ships. The ships of the Imperial Navy have taken up positions keeping the American ships from leaving the bay. Humanitarian aid is allowed to be given to the crews of the US warships, but nothing more. No US sailors are being allowed to leave their ships for any reasons.
This tragic scene of the first defeat of the US Navy since World War Two. Not since those dark days at the beginning of that war, has the US lost so many ships in one day. The USS Ronald Regan is sunk, along with several destroyers and frigates.
Fortunately, all the U.S. attack subs survived the battle and are already on their way back to their base in San Diego.
The Imperial Defense Ministry has yet to release the number of casualties they have suffered nor the number of ships and aircraft lost in the battle.
I have with me here, retired Vice-Admiral Joseph Gorev of the Russian Navy. Vice-Admiral can you explain how the Chinese People’s Navy could defeat the combined strength of the US and Imperial fleets?”
“Certainly, Matthew. Drones and money.”
“Drones? How is that possible? China’s drones are nothing like the U.S.!?”
“That is the point, Mr. Higgins. The Chinese produced thousands of cheap drones that they named “Mosquitoes”. Cheap to produce and disposable. Each one equipped with two air to air missiles, somewhat stealth-like due to their small size and low heat signature.”
“But no match for the American F-18’s…”
“Even America’s most advanced fighter cannot win a fight when they are outnumbered 20 to 1. No one can. But the Chinese used these drones to overpower their superior opponents and not lose a single pilot in the process. Each F-18 costed the U.S. over $68 million in old greenbacks, plus the costs of the missiles it carries.
The Chinese Mosquito drone costs around 100,000 Alliance CU’s. The air-to-air missiles it carries are another 100,000. So, convert the CU to old greenbacks and the Chinese can field about 75 Mosquitoes for every American F-18.”
“So basically, the Chinese steamrolled over the American and Japanese fighters.”
“Yes, you are correct. But remember this. Just four years ago, this would have been impossible. The Americans had two complete fleets in this part of the world. 50-60 ships, nearly 350 airplanes, and thousands of troops. And each carrier use to have 8 squadrons of aircraft, now they only have two and not all of them are what people would call fighters.
Now America has no bases in this part of the world, they lost Hawaii in secession, they have slid into a massive depression and have cut their military dramatically. What’s left of their Pacific fleet will have to limp all the way back to San Diego for repairs, if the Americans can afford to do it.
The Americans should never have come to the aid of Japan over the Senkaku Islands. This was a last ditch attempt to show the world how strong the US still is.
And sadly, it has.”
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