At the edge of the Gunei Mountain Area, nine kiloters above the ground in the lower stratosphere, a dark gray RC-12 "Guardrail" tactical electronic reconnaissance aircraft, driven by two efficient Honeywell TPE331 turboprop engines, emitted a stable and dull roar, like a tireless electronic ghost, precisely patrolling on its predetermined "orbit."
Its appearance was sowhat peculiar, with various knife-shaped, ball-shaped, and sheet-shaped protruding rados scattered across its sides, back, nose, and even vertical tail wing. Beneath these covers made of non-tallic composite materials lay antennas for high-performance communication intelligence (COMINT) and electronic intelligence (ELINT) interception and analysis systems.
They were the keen senses of this "electronic beast," able to act like an invisible, massive sieve, filtering, capturing, recording, and locating those fleeting and firefly-weak radio signals in the vast electromagnetic spectrum of the warzone.
It was the tactical "vacuum cleaner" relied upon by the US Air Force and Army, a silent yet lethal stealth killer in battlefield electronic warfare.
Inside the cabin, to adapt to long night-halo missions and ensure operators remained sensitive to the screens, the lighting was deliberately dimd to extre darkness.
Only rows of complex control consoles and displays of various sizes emitted cold glows of ghostly green, pale blue, and orange-red.
Light cast on the focused yet fatigued faces of four US military technical officers, their heavy professional noise-canceling headphones isolating most of the engine noise, wrapping them in an independent world constructed of electronic signals.
Their eyes moved quickly, staring at complex signal spectrums, dynamic waterfall charts, and various flickering parater symbols on the screens, not daring to relax for a mont.
"Lieutenant."
A technical officer with the rank of Corporal, relatively young-looking, suddenly spoke, breaking the silence within the cabin.
He instinctively adjusted the headset's headband for a better fit while quickly sliding and clicking his right hand fingers on the touchpad, marking a recently captured pulse signal whose briefness and weak intensity were nearly drowned by background noise, and conducted signal enhancent processing.
His voice transmitted clearly through the headset microphone into the internal communication channel: "Detected a low-probability, short-duration L-band satellite communication handshake attempt. The signal characteristic code has undergone preliminary comparison..."
"Database feedback, highly suspected to be the Russian Army's active S2 series satellite communication terminal. The signal source's strength is very weak, estimated to be using a low-power burst mode or affected by complex terrain shielding in the mountains.
Preliminary localization roughly positions it in the west of the Gunei Mountain Area, grid coordinates 7-8-0-4 zone, error radius... relatively large, estimated to exceed five kiloters."
The Air Force Lieutenant in charge of this mission, when hearing the keywords "suspected Russian Army" and "S2 series satellite," imdiately rose from his comprehensive situation control console.
His movents were swift and steady, crossing several steps to lean over behind the Corporal, his gaze sharply directed at the screen that was undertaking backend algorithm analysis.
The captured signal data stream, like a slender blue snake, flickered across the noise ocean of the spectrogram, with an adjacent electronic map showing a faint yellow dot representing an uncertain area briefly flashing within the 7-8-0-4 grid zone, like the last heartbeat of a dying person, before completely dimming and disappearing, the map once again covered by the dark color representing "silence" and "unknown."
"Duration less than 0.8 seconds, due to background electromagnetic interference intensity reaching level 4, unable to conduct more precise multi-point triangulation."
The Corporal continued reporting, his tone bearing the typical rigor of technical officers.
"But based on the Doppler frequency shift characteristics before the signal vanished, and known terrain features of the area for simulation analysis, the direction of movent is quite clear... skewed southwest."
The Lieutenant did not imdiately respond, his gaze tightly locked onto the spectrogram of chaotic background noise, his brows furrowed.
His mind raced, calling upon past experiences.
He'd seen this "fleeting glimpse" type of signal flash many tis.
Often, it's a display of exceedingly cautious communications environnt testing by opponents with extraordinary experience and strict discipline in extrely perilous circumstances, or a brief contact in dire situations followed by stringent radio silence.
It's like a fox turning back warily before diving into denser bushes.
"Maintain continuous high-intensity monitoring over that area, especially the 7-8-0-4 and adjacent 8-8-0-4, 7-7-0-4 grids."
The Lieutenant finally issued the order.
"Adjust algorithm priorities and focus on analyzing all non-friendly recognized spectrum anomalies, mark all non-standard modulation modes. Rember, even the faintest signal glitch, an inconspicuous 'protrusion' in background noise, shouldn't be overlooked easily. Any new discoveries, no matter how low the association probability, report imdiately."
"Yes, Sir!"
The Corporal responded solemnly, fingers imdiately flying across the console, quickly inputting a series of commands, adjusting the reception paraters of specific frequency bands, and the sensitivity thresholds of signal processing algorithms.
However, reality is cruel.
Just less than two minutes after the lieutenant's order was issued, despite the technical sergeant's efforts to finely adjust the reception frequency, enhance the gain of signal processing algorithms, and even utilize the backup signal correlation analysis module, that cold screen could no longer capture any signal traces related to the previous code.
"Signal source completely disappeared, no subsequent related signals."
The sergeant lifted his head, his tone definite, with a hint of frustration.
"Judged as the target has proactively cut off the power to the communication equipnt, or has entered canyons, caves, or other deeply shielded areas unable to receive signals. They… have implented strict radio silence."
The lieutenant nodded, this situation was entirely within his expectations.
An excellent hunter never becos anxious due to the temporary concealnt of prey.
He imdiately turned around, quickly walked to the specialized communication console at the front of the cabin, and skillfully connected to the encrypted satellite data and voice link with the rear theater combined air operations center and frontline tactical command headquarters.
"Command, this is 'Wind Listener-1', five minutes ago in the western Gunei Mountain Area, grid 7-8-0-4 district, we captured a very short duration, suspected handshake attempt signal of the Russian SSO Team 'S2 Satellite Communication Terminal', signal imdiately disappeared. Comprehensive judgnt, the target has implented strict radio silence. Based on the weak trajectory characteristics analysis before the signal disappeared and the topographical model of the area, its movent direction points highly towards Mannier Valley District. Repeat, the target may be moving towards Mannier Valley District. Over."
...
Kurdish Control Zone, US Army Frontline Command Center.
In stark contrast to the dim and oppressive RC-12 cabin, this place is brightly lit, with twenty-four-hour central air conditioning maintaining constant temperature and humidity.
A giant electronic sand table occupies the central position of the hall, above it through high precision projection and physical models, it displays real-ti enemy and friendly situations of the entire war zone, friendly unit positions, air control areas, no-fly zones, and continuous updates of various intelligence information tags.
Major Jas had just finished a call with the air force tactical air control officer regarding the next stage coordination of 'Grim Reaper' drone patrol airspace, took off his headset and rubbed his brow, then received the encrypted text report from 'Wind Listener-1' transmitted by the data terminal, almost simultaneously, the lieutenant's clear and calm report also ca through the secure voice line.
He didn't even need to read the full text report, relying solely on the voice information, he imdiately bounced from his seat and quickly walked to the giant electronic sand table.
A combat staff officer reacted swiftly, already based on real-ti information transmitted via data chain by RC-12, marked a yellow translucent circle with a large error range on the sand table corresponding to the western region of Gunei Mountain Area, like an irregular stain.
And from the southwestern edge of that area, drew a fine red dotted arrowhead precisely pointing to the Mannier Valley District topography marked in deep green, with contour lines dense like an old man's wrinkles.
Jas placed his hands on his hips, his gaze as focused as a hawk on prey, tightly following that virtual route, scrutinizing the Mannier Valley's intricately interwoven, leaf vein-like contour lines containing countless natural traps and concealnt points.
His mind was rapidly calculating the advantages and disadvantages of both enemy and friendly.
"Trying to rely on the complexity of the terrain to offset our technological advantage and evade the continuous tracking of 'Grim Reaper' and precise airborne strikes?"
Jas' lips curled up in a mix of professional contempt.
"Very clever choice, seems the Russians aren't stupid either…"
He hesitated no longer, directly picked up the specialized communication microphone, cleared his throat, and connected to the secure channel with Captain Langsen, leader of the 'Razor' team already reaching the edge of the Gunei Mountain Area.
"Captain Langsen, this is Major Jas, command."
Jas' tone remained steady.
"Just received the latest intelligence summary from 'Wind Listener-1', confird SSO Squad had entered the western Gunei Mountain Area and, before implenting radio silence, its last electronic trace trajectory pointed towards Mannier Valley District. There is the most complex area terrain within the entire Gunei Mountain Area, they obviously intend to utilize that maze-like terrain for concealnt and maneuvering to delay ti. Your movent direction needs imdiate adjustnt, upon entering the mountain area, focus forces should advance towards Mannier Valley District. 'Grim Reaper' drone will continue to maintain presence overhead in that area, conducting wide-ranging ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance), providing you with early warning and necessary, real-ti fire support. Repeat, focus search area—Mannier Valley. Maintain channel cleanliness, update dynamics continuously."
The communications on the other end quickly brought Captain Langsen's voice: "Command, 'Razor' acknowledged. Target confird pointing towards Mannier Valley. We have reached the entrance position of Gunei Mountain Area, vehicles cannot transit, equipnt and communication secondary checks completed, all personnel are in good condition, ready to penetrate. Over."
Communication ended.
...
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