Rebirth of the 1980s: The Military Industry Empire

Old Gu was instantly stunned.

China already had mature airborne radar and air-to-air missiles. Although they didn't reach the level of the United States, they were on the same starting line as England and France. If the form of the radar antenna was taken into account, it was even more advanced than England and France.

In this situation, it was impossible for China to import foreign airborne radar and missiles. Their own were sufficient, so why import?

If the J-8II wanted to continue its development, it could only adopt domestic airborne radar and missiles, which was why he came, eagerly seeking out Director Qin, hoping to find a way out for the J-8II.

Although some unpleasant things had happened just now, Old Gu was still optimistic about cooperation, but now, Qin Yang's words had plunged him into an ice cellar.

The imitation AWG-9 radar required a two-seater!

Director Qin was not joking.

The AWG-9 radar was originally developed for the F-111 fighter-bomber. The entire system was very large and required a dedicated radar operator!

The Tomcat fighters were all two-seaters because one person had to both engage in aerial combat and take care of the huge radar, which was simply too much to handle.

But what about the J-8II?

Not to mention the J-8II, which hadn't even had its first flight yet, even the original J-8 didn't have a two-seater version.

What was a two-seater version for?

One important task was to serve as a trainer aircraft to train pilots.

Many fighter jets had corresponding two-seater trainers to complete the final conversion training.

Later, as functions further shifted, they would perform bombing and other missions.

Even the most famous fighter-bomber of later generations, the Su-30, was initially just the Su-27UB, that is, the trainer version of the Su-27, which later had various weapon systems installed and became a genuine fighter-bomber.

But the J-8 didn't need it.

The J-8 was just a larger, twin-engine version of the J-7. Many technical data were the same, and the cockpit had not changed. Pilots who had flown the J-7 could directly fly the J-8, so there was no need for a two-seater J-8 at all.

In the history of the J-8, there had never been a two-seater version.

Now, the single-seat version of the J-8II hadn't even had its first flight, and they simply didn't have the energy to develop a two-seater version of the J-8II!

If they were to develop it, it would cost a lot of money. Who would pay for it?

The Air Force had been eyeing the imitation of the Tomcat fighter, and simply didn't look favorably on the J-8II. They had only reached this point with the support of the aviation industry system, but it was impossible to get the aviation industry system to give them money to modify it into a two-seater!

This wasn't just about digging a hole behind the front pilot and installing an identical cockpit.

There were many tasks involved.

The wind tunnel had to be re-tested, the static load had to be recalculated, and the equipment originally placed behind the pilot had to be repositioned. This was definitely a major project!

"Hmph, Director Qin, you're bullying us too much! We came all the way to find you for cooperation, and our attitude was already low enough, but you're actually mocking us!" Old Li was furious.

Qin Gong had no intention of taking care of their J-8, no intention of matching the radar to the J-8, but he had said so much just now, and even Old Li had apologized to Qin Yang out of desperation.

Apologizing in front of so many people, Old Li had lost all face. What was it for? The J-8II!

And now? Director Qin had made it clear that there was no possibility of cooperation, so wasn't his apology just now in vain?

"Old Gu indeed came to cooperate with sincerity, so I respect Old Gu very much, but you, Engineer Li, when did you lower your attitude? Weren't you constantly disparaging our project just now?"

Qin Yang glared at Old Li: "So, you're not qualified to point fingers here. With this energy, you might as well go back and quickly modify the J-8II into a two-seater, so that we can install it to test the radar."

"Hmph, if you don't use our J-8II, you won't have a suitable aircraft to install the radar!" Old Li became smug again: "Therefore, you need to bear the modification costs of our J-8II two-seater version!"

"If Zhang the butcher is not here, do we have to eat hairy pigs?" Qin Yang glared at him: "Engineer Li, you still haven't figured out who needs whose help, have you?"

Old Li really didn't understand.

For many years, the Northern Institute had been the leader for too long, which had cultivated a superior air. In their eyes, good things should be theirs, and everyone should beg them.

In a market economy, their approach would suffer.

Old Gu's face turned red and white, and he was also very angry, but… his expression suddenly changed: "Is the progress of the J-11 very fast?"

The progress of the J-11 was indeed very fast.

The successful imitation of the titanium alloy wing box, the test run of the WS-10 engine, and the successful development of airborne radar all represented breakthroughs in the imitation of the J-11 fighter.

Now, Factory 320 was working day and night, forgetting to eat and sleep, assembling the first domestically produced J-11 fighter.

The radar was originally mounted on the Tomcat fighter, and now that it had been imitated, it was natural to install it on the J-11 fighter.

Old Li's face also turned completely ugly. If the J-11 was developed, the prospects for their J-8II would be precarious!

"That's right, the progress is very fast. If there are no accidents, we can assemble the first one next month, and then we can start a series of test flights. We can still afford to wait a month," Old Lin said.

"Impossible, impossible, how could you imitate an advanced third-generation fighter in such a short period of time?" Old Li didn't believe it at all.

"If this project were handed over to your Northern Institute, it certainly wouldn't be so short. " Old Lin said: "Except for you, it's fine to hand it over to anyone."

It wasn't that he despised the Northern Institute, but he really hated that they didn't live up to expectations.

"Can we go and see?" Old Gu asked. He found his voice hoarse, as if he couldn't speak.

"Of course," Old Lin nodded: "We also plan to go and see."

For the Air Force, there had been frequent good news recently. First, there was a breakthrough in airborne radar, then it was paired with medium-range missiles, and then, the imitated Tomcat, that is, the J-11 fighter, was actually assembled!

For the Air Force, these projects were more important than the other, and more exciting than the other. When the J-11 was completed, the Air Force would no longer have to worry about the main fighter!

Qin Yang glanced at Old Li again.

"Engineer Li, would you like to go and see? This time you are a guest and you will definitely be able to enter."

"I'm not going!" Old Li stood up: "Whoever wants to go can go! I'm going back to continue improving our J-8II. Hmph, no matter how great the Tomcat is, can it fly to Mach 2.5?"

Bang!

The door of the conference room was slammed shut.

"Um, someone, someone, go and see if the door is broken. If it's broken, send the bill to Engineer Li," Qin Yang continued.

Old Lin smiled. Director Qin, you're going a bit too far. You've already driven people away, and now you're digging up their graves.

Old Gu stood in place, with a complex expression on his face, and suddenly sighed deeply.