Expedition to Europe

Since there is such a big battle, it is definitely impossible to just make a split and then end it in an anticlimactic manner. There will be another exercise waiting for the "Surabaya" to participate.

The exercise will not start until the next day, and it is a closed exercise and will not be open to foreigners. After the separation, there will be a simple take-off performance, and then the delivery ceremony will end.

The flight deck of the "Surabaya" is different from the straight-through deck used by other aircraft carriers at this time. It uses an angled deck, which allows the "Surabaya" to take off and land carrier-based aircraft at the same time, making the "Surabaya" more efficient. Greatly improved.

It was just a show, there was no need to take out all the cards at the bottom of the box. The "Surabaya" even deliberately lowered the efficiency when taking off the carrier-based aircraft. None of the four elevators were useless, and only the eight aircraft parked on the deck were lifted. The Seagulls took off in two batches, and then they were done.

It was shocking enough. Nick Hart and Dylan Connor lost interest in talking after watching the series. The two simply said goodbye and did not even attend the dinner. They left Cam Ranh Bay with worries.

Qin Zhiyuan was not worried and asked Lu Zhengxiang to go out to support the scene during the dinner. Qin Zhiyuan discussed the future of Lanfang Navy with Defense Minister Qin Zhisheng, Antonio, Xie Rundong and other naval generals.

"We need more Surabaya-class aircraft carriers. Four is not enough, and even four more are not enough. Both the Cam Ranh Bay Fleet and the Vladivostok Fleet need at least two Surabaya-class aircraft carriers. The Mediterranean Fleet also has a need now, so We cannot be bound by the Five-Nation Naval Treaty and must break through the limitations of the Five-Nation Naval Treaty." Navy Minister Antonio was obviously stimulated and asked for a bit too much.

Lanfang has conducted many exercises in the past two years, and the Surabaya Military Department and the Navy have also organized many demonstrations. It has become a consensus that aircraft carriers have replaced battleships as the decisive force, so Antonio is now in a hurry. The results of the Navy Ministry's demonstrations show that Lanfang is at least Ten aircraft carriers are needed to protect Lanfang's long maritime territory.

These ten aircraft carriers include four of the task force, two each of the Cam Ranh Bay Fleet and Vladivostok Fleet, and two of the newly established Mediterranean Fleet.

After the Republic of Sardinia announced that it would join Lanfang, the Lanfang Military Department has put the establishment of the Mediterranean Fleet on the agenda.

It is impossible not to increase the fleet. The Vladivostok fleet and the Cam Ranh Bay fleet both have heavy responsibilities. Once danger occurs in Sardinia and the Middle East, only the task force can provide support. This is obviously not enough to guarantee Lanfang's interests in the Mediterranean and the Middle East. Therefore, The establishment of a Mediterranean fleet is imperative.

Shipbuilding is not a problem. Qin Zhiyuan now has funds in his hands. The problem lies in the constraints of the Five-Nation Naval Treaty.

This is a treaty that Lan Fang took the lead in signing. Now that Lan Fang has taken the initiative to tear it up, it is really unjustifiable.

"It is unrealistic to build more 'Si Shui-class' in a short time. Let's not say whether they can be built. Even if they are built, the training speed of carrier-based aircraft pilots cannot keep up." Qin Zhisheng did not support Antonio's suggestion.

Qin Zhisheng's status in Lanfang's military system was lower than that of one person and higher than ten thousand people. Apart from Qin Zhiyuan, the king, Qin Zhisheng, the defense chief, had the highest position.

Qin Zhisheng also had many issues to consider. Not only did the navy in Lanfang need to be built, but the army, air force and marines also needed to be built. The army needed tanks, the air force needed planes, and the marines needed to expand. There were people everywhere who were crying for food. Lanfang's army It is impossible for the Ministry to spend all its resources on the navy.

"Carrier-based aircraft pilots are not a problem. We have been training carrier-based aircraft pilots. Currently, carrier-based aircraft pilots are supernumerary on all aircraft carriers. If we start building more 'Sishui-class' now, they will not be ready until they are put into service." In two years' time, we will have more skilled carrier-based aircraft pilots," Xie Rundong is confident.

Compared with aircraft carriers, the training of carrier-based aircraft pilots is more important. Fortunately, the requirements for propeller-based aircraft pilots are not high. Lanfang's carrier-based aircraft pilots are mainly selected from air force pilots. For these carrier-based aircraft pilots, He said that the biggest problem is adapting to the performance difference between "Seagull" and "Thunderbolt". Technically, there is not much problem.

Xie Rundong is very familiar with Lanfang Navy's shipbuilding plan, and the preparation work is still very sufficient. Since the keel laying of the "Sishui", Xie Rundong has been training more carrier-based aircraft pilots. Now Xie Rundong has enough ships in his hands. Aircraft pilots are not a bottleneck for the Lanfang Navy.

Qin Zhisheng mentioned that the carrier-based aircraft pilots were just to reject Antonio's "greed" and would not let Xie Rundong off the hook just because he had enough carrier-based aircraft pilots. Therefore, Qin Zhisheng did not even raise his eyelids when he heard Xie Rundong's vow. , just ignored.

Qin Zhisheng can be ignored, but Qin Zhiyuan cannot ignore it. Fortunately, Qin Zhiyuan has a backup plan: "It is definitely impossible to directly build the 'Sishui Class'. Now is not the time to tear up the Five-Nation Naval Convention. Of course, aircraft carriers must also be built, but If we want to change the name, we can’t build an aircraft carrier directly, but build a roll-on/roll-off ship. In this way, if there is a need, it can be converted into an aircraft carrier as quickly as possible.”

As early as before the Coconut City Naval Conference, Qin Zhiyuan had the idea of ​​building a "ro-ro ship" and repairing the plank road secretly to Chencang. Anyway, the appearance is similar, and the internal structure must be kept secret. As long as it is not visible from the outside, Lan Fang will not It's considered a great disgrace in the world.

After several years of development, Lan Fang's shipbuilding power is still very strong. At present, in Lan Fang, in addition to the Cam Ranh Bay Shipyard, the Ningbei Shipyard in Ningbei City, Northern Xinjiang, the Jianyuan Shipyard in Jinzhou Penang, and the Muna Shipyard in Sulu are all relatively large shipyards. These shipyards can build large warships including battleships and aircraft carriers, and other small shipyards are blooming everywhere.

To build more "RoRo ships", it must not be concentrated in the Cam Ranh Bay Shipyard, and it is imperative to disperse them to other shipyards.

Qin Zhiyuan prefers the Ningbei Shipyard, which is located on the remote Kamchatka Peninsula in the Northern Xinjiang. It is so sparsely populated that the British and Americans are probably not paying attention to it yet.

"RoRo ship-what kind of RoRo ship?" Antonio and Xie Rundong were both delighted. According to Qin Zhiyuan's meaning, this so-called "RoRo ship" is not as good as the "Surabhai", but it is probably not much worse.

"We already have the blueprints. With a displacement of 25,000 tons and a speed of 30 knots, it can carry 75 carrier-based aircraft. It is not as good as the 'Sishui class', but it is much better than the 'Taishan' and 'Huangshan'." Qin Zhiyuan revealed everything.

The design of aircraft carriers at that time was not perfect. The Lexington class aircraft carrier of the United States had a displacement of more than 40,000 tons and could only carry 90 carrier-based aircraft. The British "Hermes" was even worse, with a displacement of 13,000 tons and could only carry 20 carrier-based aircraft. No wonder British naval officers questioned the role of the "Hermes".

It is said that a displacement of 25,000 tons cannot carry 75 carrier-based aircraft, but with Qin Zhiyuan's big bug, everything is not a problem. The "RoRo ship" designed by Qin Zhiyuan uses a double-decker hangar, and four elevators can ensure efficiency. 75 aircraft is just the normal standard. If it is wartime, it can carry up to 81 aircraft, but in terms of the number of carrier-based aircraft carried, it is not much different from the "Sishui class".

What is lacking is the survivability. Such a small tonnage has to carry so many carrier-based aircraft, and the armor protection is sacrificed. This kind of "RoRo ship" is equivalent to a meat bun with thin skin and large fillings. It is not a big problem if it is hit by a few bombs, but if it is a torpedo, one shot is enough to kill it.

The original text is in the six # 9 @book/bar!

It is not a big problem. The "RoRo ship" is just a temporary substitute in wartime. The real main force must still be the "Sishui class" and the larger "legion class". When the war starts, the "Five-Power Naval Treaty" will be automatically abolished. At that time, Lan Fang can start to build the "Sishui class" without any scruples. Qin Zhiyuan does not have high requirements for the "RoRo ship", as long as it can last for one or two years.

"Haha, then there is no problem-" Hearing the performance of the RoRo ship, Xie Rundong was overjoyed.

Antonio was even more imaginative: "Since it is a ro-ro ship, it is no problem to build more. We have five or six shipyards that can build 25,000-ton ships. If each shipyard starts working on three ships, there will be at least a dozen ships-"

"Don't dream, there are only four ships at most." Qin Zhiyuan woke Antonio up from his fantasy.

"Four ships-four ships are not enough, Your Majesty." Antonio woke up from his sweet dream and simply couldn't face the cruel reality.

"It's enough. After the Surabaya class is put into service, Taishan and Huangshan will not be dismantled. Two ships each will be sealed for the Vladivostok Fleet and Cam Ranh Bay Fleet and wait for future use. The Mediterranean Fleet is only equipped with a battleship, not an aircraft carrier. Why do we need so many ro-ro ships?" Qin Zhiyuan was unmoved. It was just a substitute and it was impossible to equip it on a large scale.

The mission of the Mediterranean Fleet is relatively simple, which is to safeguard the interests of Lanfang in the Mediterranean and the Middle East. Lanfang has Sardinia in the Mediterranean and Djibouti in the Middle East, which are equivalent to unsinkable aircraft carriers. Using shore-based fighters is enough to protect Lanfang's interests, and there is really no need to equip aircraft carriers.

Although the "Surabhai Class" has been in service, Qin Zhiyuan also has to consider the reactions of Britain and the United States. If the "Surabhai Class" is only equipped with a task force and deployed in Lanfang's homeland, it will be fine. If it enters the Mediterranean openly and wanders under the noses of the British and Italians every day, it will sooner or later trigger another naval equipment competition.

To be honest, Qin Zhiyuan is not worried about the equipment competition. What Qin Zhiyuan is worried about is that the British and Americans will increase their attention to aircraft carriers. Now the British and Americans still insist that battleships are the decisive force to change the course of the war. If the British and Americans change their ideas about building the army, then Lanfang will face greater difficulties in the future.