Rebirth of the 1980s: The Military Industry Empire

"General Qin, our navy has some opinions!" Just then, a voice came from outside.

Qin Yang was a bit curious. Their Fangbei Company was a key confidential unit, and outsiders couldn't just come in, nor could they eavesdrop on their conversation. Now, there were ears on the other side of the wall. Who was coming?

Qin Yang looked over and saw an old general with gray hair, wearing a washed-out military cap. The two red collar tabs on his collar were exceptionally bright. He was accompanied by several adjutants with serious expressions.

"Old Liu?" Qin Yang couldn't help but exclaim in surprise. He didn't expect Old Liu to actually come over.

"I heard you came back from the test flight institute, so I rushed over to see you. You're such a busy person, it's not easy to catch you," Old Liu said, "You, this military genius, have developed so much advanced equipment for the army and air force. Our navy has a lot of opinions about you!"

"Old Liu, I've also developed a lot of things for the navy. This ship-to-air missile is what I developed for the navy!" Qin Yang felt a little wronged.

"What's the point of just one ship-to-air missile? Look at how many good things you've researched for the army, and how many things you've researched for the air force. At this military parade, how many formations have products from your Factory 960? What about our navy? Besides the Hongqi 16 ship-to-air missile, what else is there?"

"There are also airplanes," Qin Yang responded quickly, "The J-11 fighter jet we developed is definitely a carrier-based aircraft."

Hearing the words 'carrier-based aircraft,' Old Liu's eyes lit up: "That's right, of course we know that that kind of aircraft is the foundation of a carrier-based aircraft. But, what if we have carrier-based aircraft? Our navy doesn't have an aircraft carrier."

"That's the shipyard's business. Our Factory 960 doesn't have a shipyard."

"You've opened several branch factories, some that make electronic equipment, some that make cars. Can't you open a shipyard?"

"Old Liu, that's really not possible," Qin Yang shook his head repeatedly, "It's not that we're unwilling, it's just that shipyards are too large, we can't interfere. There are also many large shipyards in China, there's no need for us to engage in redundant construction. It's almost enough for us to provide supporting facilities for aircraft carriers."

"Okay, you said it," Old Liu said, "How about your Factory 960 help us develop steam catapults?"

Old Liu came to Qin Yang, talking about ship-to-air missiles and carrier-based aircraft was secondary, talking about aircraft carriers was the main thing!

Now, Qin Yang has helped the army and air force develop a lot of equipment, and it is time to help the navy develop as well. If the navy wants to build an aircraft carrier, the first thing to do is to conduct technical reserves. Carrier-based aircraft are already available, and only the aircraft carrier itself is left. Among them, the catapult is a stumbling block.

During World War II, propeller planes could take off and land on the deck of an aircraft carrier with their own power, but after World War II, entering the jet age, fighter jets weighing twenty or thirty tons could not take off from an aircraft carrier with their own power.

The British first invented the steam catapult, which uses high-temperature and high-pressure steam to push the piston forward. The piston then drives the fighter jet through the slider. It sounds simple, but it tests a country's industrial foundation.

High-temperature and high-pressure steam is stored in a pressure-resistant tank. Only a few countries in the world can manufacture this tank.

The piston moves forward in the cylinder, and the cylinder must also be opened so that the power can be output to the deck to drive the carrier-based aircraft forward, but opening it will leak air, so it must be sealed, like a zipper, only the place where the piston is located is open, and all other places must be closed. This zipper is also very difficult.

The simple processing of cylinders and pistons is not easy. Later, only the United States possessed this technology. Even when the French built the Charles de Gaulle, they directly purchased catapults from the United States. It was too difficult to develop them themselves.

What if there is a problem? Of course, find General Qin!

Old Liu came over in person.

General Qin can't always be busy with other military services, he also has to help our navy!

Faced with Old Liu's expectant gaze, Qin Yang shook his head: "I don't have that ability, I can't handle it."

"What did you say?" Old Liu was unhappy.

"I don't have that ability. Only Americans in the world can produce steam catapults. Our Easterners can't do it."

"General Qin, you weren't like this before. You have said many times that we Chinese are the smartest in the world. What others can do, we can do! What others can't do, we can still do. When it comes to our navy's equipment, why aren't you awesome?"

"We really can't make this steam catapult, but we don't necessarily have to have a steam catapult."

"If we don't have a steam catapult, how will our carrier-based aircraft take off?"

"Ski-jump deck," Qin Yang said, "Our J-11 is a powerful carrier-based aircraft. Even without a catapult, relying on our own power, plus a ski-jump deck built on the bow of the aircraft carrier, it can take off. If the navy has the idea of an aircraft carrier, we can first build a platform on land to test it."

"Ski-jump deck? Like the Invincible class?" Old Liu knew all about the aircraft carriers of various countries.

"That's right, but the angle of the Invincible-class aircraft carrier is still too small. For our own aircraft carrier, the ski-jump deck can be designed to be 12 degrees, allowing the carrier-based aircraft to take off fully loaded."

The ski-jump deck was first created by the British and later used by the old Maozi. At that time, the inclination angle of the aircraft carrier ski-jump deck built by the old Maozi on land was only 8.5 degrees. After the take-off test, it was found that this angle was a bit conservative, and later it was increased to 12 degrees. The Kuznetsov aircraft carrier has a 12-degree inclination angle deck. Later, the Varyag was further increased to 14.3 degrees, but this angle was a bit aggressive, so after the domestic aircraft carrier was built, it returned to the original 12-degree design.

The SU-27's deformation can fly, and the J-11 can fly even more. After all, this is a variable-sweep wing fighter. After unfolding the wings, the low-altitude and low-speed characteristics are very good. This angle of the deck is completely fine.

The Americans themselves have also experimented with it.

"Okay, I'll listen to you. Our navy will build a platform at its own aviation base, but you have to coordinate an aircraft for us to come over."

"No problem, Factory 320 is still continuing to assemble the prototype. When prototype No. 03 comes out, it will fly over for testing." Qin Yang also fully supports it without saying a word.