She cut and pasted the info for a successful rendezvous so that Ford could give it to his B-2 pilots:
VGEG Airport Location in emergency:
Latitude: 22-14-58.558N (22.249599)
Longitude: 091-48-47.8839E (91.813301)
Elevation: 12 feet MSL (4 m MSL)
Time Zone: UTC +6.0 (Standard Time)
UTC +6.0 (Daylight Savings Time)
From City: 0 N.M. of Chittagong, Chittagong Division
VGEG Airport Runways
Longest Runway: 05/23 is 9646 ft (2940 m) long
Then she typed the location.
RENDEZVOUS INFO AS FOLLOWS:
NAVAID: CHITTAGONG 113.4 CTG 81.
RADIAL 278 ON W-174, 25 MILES WEST FEET WET.
DAKID WAYPOINT.
YELANHANKA AIR FORCE STATION, BANGALORE, WEATHER:
METAR text: VOYK 241000Z 07010KT CAVOK 28/12 Q1016
Conditions at: VOYK (BANGALORE ARP, IN) observed 2200L
Temperature: 28.0°C (82°F)
Dewpoint: 12.0°C (54°F) [RH = 37 %]
Pressure (altimeter): 30.00 inches Hg (1016.0 mb)
Winds: from the ENE (70 degrees) at 12 MPH (10 knots; 5.2 m/s)
Visibility: 6 or more miles (10+ km)
Ceiling: ceiling and visibility are OK
Clouds: unknown
Weather: no significant weather observed at this time
Built at the far end of Shanghai’s waterfront strip sat The House of Roosevelt Restaurant and Bar, an impressive building built back in 1920 and originally used for trading. The eight-story granite building housed spectacular eating areas with seating on multiple floors, large bars, and an Old World authentic-looking wine cellar.
Owned by an investment firm controlled by relatives of two American presidents, Theodore and Franklin Roosevelt, it was somewhat of an ironic choice for the PLAAF leadership to meet for briefs and social time that evening. It may have connections to American leadership, but this was the perfect location to discuss and plan their future.
The general officers and Party leadership were meeting in the members-only Roosevelt Club room, which was known as the premium room in the house used for diplomats, celebrities, and distinguished visitors. It was also private enough to discuss the future of the PLAAF along with a few party members.
Different speakers were taking the stage and reviewing a number of events in the coming weeks. A party member had just announced some of the topics that would be covered at their upcoming annual policy meeting, which would consist of three hundred officials in the Central Committee. Their plenum, lasting four days at a Beijing hotel, was going to focus on discipline, with directives to improve loyalty of their party members. The hour wrapped up with a not-so-quick discussion on corruption, the hot topic at the upcoming Politburo Standing Committee.
Next up at the Roosevelt House itinerary came the Central Military Commission discussion, with updates on the transformation of a joint combat force, covering everything from information operations to organizing for combat. Sidebar meetings covered their 4 percent GDP military spending, oil imports through the Indian Ocean, and operations in East Africa. East Africa would be teed up for future discussions, too, as this was where China had a large footprint in oil, gas, railroads, and mining.
A decision being tossed around was a force reduction, taking a page out of the United States’ playbook. For some time, China had discussed disbanding five of the PLA’s eighteen army corps as part of a large overhaul started by the president. It was focused on converting the world’s largest ground force into a more expeditionary, current, and efficient fighting force. The reduction would be music to the air force because some of the two hundred thousand troops might be merged into them and the rocket force.
An older PLAAF general then had the floor for about twenty minutes, their last speaker before dinner and drinks upstairs at the rooftop Sky Bar. “We are making substantial progress in research and development, generals. Our improved military capabilities are catching up to or surpassing the United States in many areas,” he briefed. “China has moved her focus and resources to Huayang Jiao, and internal research and development. The navy now has thirteen destroyers, three new advanced cruisers, and all of them have upgraded radar. Missiles? We had military maneuvers recently and had our six-meter missiles going, ready to take on large modern targets. These are the ones with higher trajectory and a range of three hundred kilometers. Makes her deadly…”
Huayang Jiao was Cuarteron Reef in the South China Sea, home to various high-frequency antennas installed recently on the southernmost man-made island, as the Washington Post and Wall Street Journal had been reporting. It was no secret China was making their presence known on these artificially created islands.
The generals finished up their strategic meeting and rolled to fine dining upstairs on the roof. The Roosevelt Sky Restaurant up on the eighth floor, laughing and drinking Shanghai’s best and award-winning wines by the case. The enchanted view of the Bund and Huangpu Rivers, in addition to the Pudong Lujiazui Financial District, allowed conversation to flow for everyone, including Lieutenant General He Chen.
Chen’s intent, as always, was to constantly network, always pecking away for that fourth star he was after. Never missing a chance to subtlety insert his accomplishments or the stealth program into conversation, he worked the room as a master. Stomach hanging over his pants, drinking glass in one hand, and back slapping or shaking hands with the other, Chen’s motivation was transparent and was seen by many.
“Sir, excuse me; may I talk to you, please?” asked First Lieutenant Keung, Chen’s aide-de-camp.
Annoyed, Chen excused himself from talking with the group of four-star general officers he was standing with and walked outside to the balcony. His back was to the water and skyline of tall skyscrapers.
“What is it, Bai?” he answered sternly.
Bai swallowed, paused, and was scared to deliver the news. His stomach was weak and had an uneasy feeling as his hands started to get clammy.
“Bai?” Chen boomed.
“The maintenance chief has called me from Sanya Airport, Hainan Island. They haven’t left yet for tonight’s destination of Wuhan Tianhe Airport,” said Bai.
“So what?” Chen barked back.
In the distance, a waiter dropped a tray of empty glasses and a large shattering of glass was heard in the background. A murmur came over the crowd as everyone looked briefly at the employee.
“Sir, the maintenance chief passes on that they have lost contact with Black Scorpion. Complete contact. No oxygen readouts. Nothing. Nothing is transmitting back to them in the hangar. First time this has happened since installing the link.”
Chen stood staring at Bai, double chin with two rolls in full effect, and thought for a moment. The pit in his gut was the size of a grapefruit. He was immediately concerned on the inside, but he maintained his poker face. Internally, he was screaming, as he knew this situation was rare: electronic transmissions don’t just stop unless something makes them cease.
Holding in his anger, his face turning a bit red now, he looked out over the river at the people walking on the promenade, secretly worried about his pride and joy, then back at Bai.