Joint exercises are an opportunity to increase mutual understanding and trust.
The latter point did not exist in this exercise.
Darlan and Pound hope to use the opportunity of the exercise to determine how many submarines the Cyprus Squadron has and the performance of the new submarines in southern Africa.
Tolan will definitely not let Darlan and Pound get what they want. When the surface ships are not strong enough, submarines are the last resort of the Cyprus Squadron.
The first day of the exercise went very smoothly. East Cape is 170 kilometers away from Marlborough. The evacuated "refugees" went back and forth every day and had to live in Marlborough for a day. This was also a test for Marlborough's support capabilities.
Marlborough is also an ancient city, a city with many wells. Unfortunately, it has little to do with wells now, but is famous for oil smelting.
The oil from Port Elizabeth is first sent to Marlborough through the oil pipeline, where it is smelted and then distributed to various parts of Europe through East Cape.
At the end of the world war, Marlborough was also devastated.
Nowadays, Marlborough is a brand-new industrial city, with complete infrastructure and convenient transportation, making Marlborough one of the largest ports in the eastern Mediterranean.
Marlborough is only 400 kilometers away from the Suez Canal, and the Cyprus Squadron also has a base in Marlborough.
According to the scheduled exercise plan, the second item of the exercise is anti-submarine warfare. Anti-submarine warfare has always been the most important item in all previous exercises of the Royal Navy.
Both Darlan and Pound hope that the Cyprus Squadron can bring out the most advanced "Dolphin" submarine in southern Africa to participate in the exercise.
Tolan refused outright.
The reason is also very good.
"Sorry, the Cyprus Squadron has not yet commissioned the 'Dolphin' submarine"
It’s not that I don’t want to participate, it’s not that I don’t. This is a good enough reason.
"Someone once took a photo of a 'dolphin' submarine in the Cyprus military port." Pound was dissatisfied. Although submarines spend most of their time under the water, they always come to the surface.
Cyprus has an important location and is a key focus of the United Kingdom and France. There are countless British and French agents in East and West Cape, and it is normal for people to occasionally take photos of "dolphin" submarines.
After all, the Cyprus Squadron also needs the deterrent power of the "Dolphin" submarine.
"Lord Nyasaland and Lord Rhodesia should be very concerned about the safety of Lord Cyprus." Darlan was more straightforward. It is not a secret that Stoudemire would like to equip the "Island" class aircraft carrier to the Cyprus squadron.
"This has nothing to do with Lord Nyasaland and Lord Rhodesia. The reason why the 'Dolphin' did not participate in the exercise is for the sake of the effectiveness of the exercise." Tolan's words were a bit damaging. He must have looked down upon the British and French anti-submarine weapons.
Technology will come out of your mouth.
Tolan's meaning is obvious.
If the "Dolphin" participates in the exercise, it may damage the self-confidence of the Royal Navy and the French Navy.
As for anti-submarine, you have to be able to find the submarine.
With the anti-submarine technology of Britain and France, it is probably impossible to find a "Dolphin" equipped with silencer tiles, which would be embarrassing.
"What do you mean?" Darlan still doesn't quite understand.
Tolan didn't explain.
Pang De's face turned pale.
When the "Ghost" submarine participated in a joint exercise for the first time, the Royal Navy failed to find it, which made it a big joke.
The commander of the Mediterranean Fleet at that time was Roger Keyes, and Bond was Roger Keyes' chief of staff.
Pound still remembers that embarrassing scene.
In the evening, Mike Tolan held a dinner in Marlborough as usual to entertain the British and French admirals who came from afar.
Pound did not attend because of physical discomfort. Pound's chief of staff, James Somerville, was present at the dinner on Pound's behalf.
James Somerville was born in 1882. He was a leading radio expert in the Royal Navy. From 1925 to 1931, James Somerville taught at the Naval Signal School and the Imperial Defense University. In 1932, James Somerville was appointed
As a colonel, he was appointed rear admiral last year and was transferred to the Mediterranean Fleet to serve as Pound's chief of staff.
James Somerville was a naval admiral who favored technology. He did not have the same deep-rooted discriminatory ideas about southern Africa as Pound did. However, James Somerville was still very curious about the radio technology in southern Africa.
The radio technology in Southern Africa is very advanced, especially after Nikola Tesla came to Southern Africa, the radio technology in Southern Africa has developed by leaps and bounds.
The radar used by the Cyprus Squadron is technology provided by Tesla Research Institute.
"Sorry, I can only command battleships and don't know the technical principles. If you are curious about this, Somerville, then you can apply to go to southern Africa for technical exchange. I think Mr. Tesla should be very welcome." Tolan did not.
Talking about technology, this disappointed James Somerville.
After France surrendered in another time and space, Britain relied on radar to win the Battle of Britain.
The UK has not yet mastered radar technology, so it is very urgent for this technology.
"We are allies, shouldn't we open our technologies to each other?" Darlan was also curious. It must be a good thing that the Royal Navy can never forget.
"Can I visit the 'Richelieu' class battleship?" Mike Tolan sneered. If there are any good things, it's not the French's turn.
"We can talk about sharing technology later. At least we should maintain a closer relationship." James Somerville was still naive. As long as World War II did not break out, there would be no real intimacy between Britain, France, and southern Africa.
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On the third day of the exercise, the participating fleets came to the pre-set exercise area to prepare for anti-submarine exercises.
Just half an hour into the exercise, the light cruiser "Bridgewater" of the Cyprus Squadron successfully captured a signal target.
"We found a signal target, but this target is a bit strange." When First Officer Amelia reported to Captain John Elsey, the expression on his face was confused.
"What's going on?" John Elsie didn't expect to gain anything so soon.
As long as the "ghost" submarine does not launch an attack, it is generally difficult to find. After all, after many optimizations, although the noise level of the "ghost" submarine cannot keep up with the "dolphin", it has been reduced to an extremely low level.
The Cyprus Squadron conducts similar exercises every year.
The "Bridgewater" has never found the "Ghost" submarine so easily.
"The noise of the target is a bit loud, and it does not fit the characteristics of a 'ghost' submarine." Amelia was not sure. There was definitely no deliberate release of water in the joint exercise.
"Find it and force it out." John Elsey suddenly looked fiercely.
For the joint exercise held by the Cyprus Squadron and the Royal Navy, the relevant exercise areas were announced three months ago to remind ships from other countries not to intrude and avoid military miscalculation.
With this declaration, if ships from other countries break into the exercise waters, the Cyprus Squadron and the Royal Navy can directly sink them.
Well it's obvious now.
Not only the French Navy is curious about the exercises of the Cyprus Squadron and the Royal Navy, but also certain countries.
Military observers from other countries are not allowed to participate in this joint exercise, so the strange signals under the sea may be uninvited "bystanders".
Of course, John Elsey did not forget to report to the headquarters.
After receiving a telegram from John Elsey, Mike Tolan immediately asked Darlan and Pound, who had "recovered from illness".
"The French Navy did not send submarines to participate in the exercise." Darlan said with a calm expression. France had sent warships directly, so there was no need to be secretive.
"Neither does the Royal Navy." Pound cherished his words like gold.
"Who could that be?" Mike Tolan was also confused.
"No matter who he is, as long as it's not our submarine, just sink it!" Pound was in a bad mood, so why bother talking so much?
Mike Tolan looks at Darlan.
Darlan also had a gloomy look.
Well, those who appear in the exercise area at this time are either Italians or Germans
Then sink it.
John Elsey was extremely excited after receiving the order.
Since the establishment of the Cyprus Squadron, it has not participated in a formal battle. Every day is either training or exercise. John Elsey cherishes the precious opportunity of actual combat.
Before other participating warships could react, John Elsey immediately ordered the "Bridgewater" to move forward at full speed.
Soon, the "Bridgewater" arrived at the location where the strange signal was discovered.
Sonar showed that the unknown signal was located directly below the "Bridgewater".
The "Bridgewater" immediately ordered the release of depth charges.
Depth charges are the best weapon against submarines. Using fixed-depth fuzes, the depth charges sink to a certain depth after being dropped into the water, or detonate when approaching the target to kill the target.
The "Bridgewater" has determined the position of the submarine under the water. When three depth charges were dropped, the submarine sank rapidly.
Unfortunately, it was too late. The depth-fixing fuse of the depth bomb was still more reliable than the torpedo fuse.
After three consecutive depth charges were dropped, the target sank rapidly, directly to the bottom of the water at a depth of 1,200 meters.
John Elsey was finally satisfied.
The world's most advanced "dolphins" cannot dive to a depth of 1,200 meters.
During World War I, the diving depth of German U-boats was only 120 meters.
Germany's latest submarines can only dive to a depth of about 200 meters.
The "Dolphin" submarine can dive to a depth of 300 meters. In an emergency, it can dive to 350 meters. No matter how deep it is, it doesn't matter, but it depends on luck. It may sink directly to the bottom of the sea at any time.
Until this time, John Elsey had no idea which country the submarine the Bridgewater sunk belonged to.
It was not until a week later that the Italian government announced that an Italian Navy submarine had disappeared during its mission.
