Around 10:20, the fleet's air defense operations commenced.
The first to arrive were the ones detected earlier, the group of enemy aircraft approaching from the northwest.
The "Zhi-6C" indeed detected the bombers, but in fact, the escort fighters were flying ahead, though not more than 100 kilometers away. Due to the weak radar reflections, the "Zhi-6C" failed to detect these fighters at the first opportunity.
Fortunately, after detecting the bombers, the "Zhi-6C" proactively withdrew southeast towards the direction of the carrier.
This was actually a typical defensive tactic.
Even though the escort fighters were not detected, the captain of the early warning aircraft could surely deduce that somewhere in the northwest, there must be enemy escort fighters.
The key was that this "Zhi-6C" had already reached the farthest end of the patrol area.
As such, the four "War-9B" dispatched by the fleet reached the scene at about 10:15, after flying for 15 minutes.
