Dominate South Asia

Mhammad's visit to the Black Sea Shipyard was mainly to create momentum and create an illusion that Pakistan was going to buy ships from the Soviet Union.

Mhammad's trip was not secret. At the same time, under the promotion of Pakistani intelligence agencies, the Black Sea Shipyard was reported on the front page of the newspapers in the West. This was a cross-century news.

The Soviet Union was a closed country. After years of infiltration into the Soviet Union, the United States still could not effectively establish its own intelligence agencies. Many of the sources of American intelligence on the Soviet Union were analyzed from public information. Now, it was Western reporters who found this news first and reported it, and the United States knew about it.

In fact, Muhammad did this mainly to pressure the British to lower the price. Muhammad had no good feelings for this old and declining capitalist country. He wanted to buy the British Type 82 destroyer at the most favorable price. You don't sell it, right? Then I'll buy the Soviet one! Even the shipyard and the aircraft carrier were allowed to be visited by me. Buying warships is not easy? The Soviets don't sell it? They dare to sell even the Su-27, not to mention warships.

Although in fact, the Soviets did not sell, but with such a momentum, the British must surrender obediently?

But this time, the British are not anxious yet, the Americans are anxious first.

After the Soviets withdrew from Afghanistan, South Asia was not as important as before, but South Asia is close to the Middle East, and the Middle East is a key energy country. The United States will never allow a country close to the Soviet Union to appear. When Pakistan has such a tendency, it must be stopped!

How to stop it? Put pressure on Muhammad? This Pakistani president who has gradually grown up in the war really doesn't take the United States too seriously, otherwise, he would not have gone to the Soviet Union to visit the Black Sea shipyard.

What to do? Pakistan purchases weapons from the Soviet Union. That is absolutely not possible! The solution is for the United States to sell the same weapons to Pakistan! Muhammad has proposed to the United States several times to buy Kidd-class destroyers from the United States, otherwise, sell the Kidd-class to them?

Thinking of this, Reagan said: "In order to prevent the Soviets from exporting weapons to Pakistan, we sell the Kidd class to Pakistan. What do you think?"

"No." Defense Secretary Weinberger immediately expressed his opposition: "The aircraft carrier we gave to Pakistan has been modified. It has full combat capability. Our intelligence shows that they have lengthened the catapult and can launch Tomcat fighters! If we sell the Kidd class to them again, they will have medium-range air defense capabilities, and their fleet will have full combat capabilities. We can't watch a naval power emerge in South Asia! Moreover, this power was cultivated by us!"

At the beginning, it was just an empty shell of an aircraft carrier given to Pakistan. That broken aircraft carrier had no value. As a result, Pakistan modified it abruptly. To everyone's surprise, even Tomcats can take off and land!

The powerful Tomcat fighter will give the aircraft carrier formation a long-range air defense circle. If warships with medium-range air defense capabilities are added, Pakistan's aircraft carrier formation will be in its infancy.

It is not good for the United States to cultivate a strong navy in the Indian Ocean.

"If we don't sell warships to them, they will buy Soviet warships." The Assistant for National Security Affairs said: "The Sovremenny-class destroyers still have medium-range air defense missiles, and supersonic anti-ship missiles. If the Pakistanis can contribute anti-ship missiles to let us test our Aegis system, it is acceptable. The question is, will the Pakistanis do it?"

The Sunburn anti-ship missile with a speed of more than Mach 2 is also a nightmare for the US Navy. Although the range is limited to more than 100 kilometers, it cannot break through the long-range defense circle of the US Navy, but if a single warship encounters the Soviet Navy in the ocean, it is really hard to say who will win.

Supersonic speed will greatly shorten the interception time, and it can also snake maneuver in the terminal stage. Although the Aegis is said to be very powerful, it has not been tested in actual combat to see how strong its ability to deal with Soviet anti-ship missiles is. And that kind of missile, one will make a large warship of 10,000 tons lose its combat effectiveness.

Bush's meaning is very clear. If the United States does not sell, Pakistan can still get it. The United States will not get any benefits, and it will increase the instability in South Asia out of thin air.

"I have a way." Bush said: "We sell this Kidd-class destroyer to Pakistan, but the air defense missiles on the warship are usually stored here. When Pakistan goes to war, we will transport them to Pakistan."

The trick Bush came up with is very sophisticated. In later generations, Americans used this method to treat Taiwan. Taiwan bought the AIM-120 missiles from the United States, but they were not stored in Taiwan. When the war broke out, they were transported here. The Taiwanese were stuck from the source, and everything was under the control of the United States.

The plan proposed by Bush made Reagan's eyes shine. Not bad, this is a good idea!

The Standard Missile is a regional air defense missile. With this missile, the United States will have the self-defense capability of an aircraft carrier. In order to prevent the emergence of a maritime power in South Asia, necessary checks and balances are necessary. Especially now, the United States should not only contain Pakistan, but also try every means to support India. It cannot let India be destroyed like this.

"Okay, let's solve it this way." Reagan said: "As for the price, we can't be too harsh on our allies, but we can't give it away for free. 50 million US dollars per ship is already a preferential price. Pakistan can't buy warships from the Soviet Union at 50 million per ship, and it doesn't have such strong air defense capabilities as us."

The four Kidd-class ships were originally built at a cost of 250 million US dollars. They were built completely according to the climate of the Middle East, including the air conditioning system of the ships, which was strengthened. Now, they have been in service in the US Navy for more than ten years. After being retired, 50 million per ship is definitely not expensive. In the future, after another 20 years, it was sold for 8.1 million US dollars. By that time, this kind of warship would have been old and frail.

The United States closely follows Pakistan's progress. For the United States, it is absolutely intolerable for Pakistan to import military equipment from the Soviet Union.

The United States responded quickly. When Muhammad returned from the Soviet Union, the US ambassador had already greeted him at the airport.

Looking at the smiling American ambassador, Muhammad immediately became alert: "Mr. Arnold, what's the matter?"

"You are visiting the Soviet Union in person this time. How did you discuss the withdrawal of Soviet troops?" Arnold asked.

"The Soviets have agreed to gradually withdraw all troops. This is a victory for the Afghan people." Muhammad said: "We Pakistanis are also very satisfied with this."

"That's great. Our entire Western world is satisfied with this. The Soviets finally admitted their mistakes and left in disgrace." Arnold said: "In the past few years, Pakistan has made heroic sacrifices to achieve today. We are very moved by the United States. Therefore, under the personal care of our President Reagan, we decided to sell arms to your country. Our four Kidd-class destroyers will be retired from our naval sequence and join the Pakistani Navy."

Mhammad was about to walk towards the car, but he stopped suddenly. Did the Americans suddenly change their nature? Don't they know that they have transformed that broken aircraft carrier into a combat-capable one? Now, if we add these four Kidd-class destroyers, our own maritime formation will also take shape. Will the Americans be so kind?

"Let's go to the presidential palace to talk." Muhammad said.

Sitting back in his chair, Muhammad said: "Are you going to give us the four Kidd-class destroyers for free?"

Free gift! You really dare to ask! Arnold said to Muhammad: "Of course not free gift, if you pay off all the debts owed to us in the United States in recent years, we can consider it."

In order to support Pakistan, many of Pakistan's military supplies were donated or loaned by the United States. For example, Pakistan's two important fighter jets now, F-14 and F-16, are the products of the honeymoon period at that time. Pakistan took them back without paying much money, and American banks have a lot of bad debts.

At that time, it was to fight against the Soviet Union, and now that the Soviet Union has withdrawn its troops, it is time to ask Pakistan for debts. At this time, Pakistan does not repay its debts, and still wants its own free gift?

"We paid a lot at the beginning." Muhammad said: "Afghanistan's post-war reconstruction also requires a lot of funds. Please allow us to slow down. In a few years, when Pakistan's economy improves, those debts will definitely be repaid."

Let's delay it for now. Muhammad doesn't want to give it anyway.

"Then our four warships can only be sold to Pakistan at the most favorable price, cash transaction." Arnold said: "Fifty million US dollars per ship, including training and maintenance costs. What do you think?"

Fifty million US dollars! In fact, it's not much. After all, the full load displacement is nearly 10,000 tons. This is a large warship! Moreover, there are also the most awesome standard air defense missiles!

It seems that the Kidd-class has the Standard-1 missile, right? Muhammad continued: "Fifty million US dollars is too expensive. In addition to the missiles on the ship, each ship includes 100 spare missiles, and we hope to upgrade to the Standard-2 missile."

It's really a lion's mouth. The Standard-2 missile is impossible to export. This is the signature weapon of the US Navy. Arnold said: "This is already the most favorable price. The original cost of each ship was more than 250 million, but now it is only a fraction of that." (To be continued ~^~)