Reborn in Hong Kong: The Tycoon Grows Up

Nikolaev Shipyard, also known as the Black Sea Shipyard; founded in 1897 during the Tsarist Russia, is an old factory with a long history and a large scale, currently covering an area of ​​nearly 2 million square meters. In the past 100 years since its establishment, the factory has produced more than 1,000 ships of various types, including heavy aircraft carriers, including aircraft carriers, cruisers, destroyers, frigates, etc. It can produce cargo ships with a maximum load capacity of 15,000 tons.

It is the only aircraft carrier construction and assembly plant in the Soviet Union. Currently, there are several aircraft carriers - "Moscow", "Leningrad", "Kiev", "Minsk", "Novorossiysk", "Gol" "Shikov" and "Kuznetsov" were all built here. It is said that one of the reasons why the aircraft carrier production and assembly base was selected at the Black Sea Shipyard is that many of the important positions related to shipbuilding in the Soviet Ministry of Shipbuilding Industry and Moscow are occupied by Mrs. Nikolayev. They were very helpful in this matter. Also, compared to Leningrad, which has a population of 4 million and is open to foreign tourists. It is easier to maintain confidentiality in the city of Nikolayev, which is not open to the outside world; besides, the labor resources here are not a problem.

Leaving the necessary engineers behind to contact the Ruby Design Bureau, Bao Zixuan went to the Nikolayev Shipyard. Fucairah is close to the Persian Gulf, and the Air Force currently has little to worry about. But the navy has a shortcoming; if you want to be able to speak confidently without being restricted by others, you must make up for your shortcomings.

In fact, it is closer to the city of Nikolayev from Italy. It feels a bit far to go to Moscow and Leningrad first. However, the domestic situation of the Soviet Union is special; even normal trade exchanges require Moscow’s consent.

The Soviet Union's overall economy was in a slump, and life at the shipyards was even more difficult. If Soviet weapons and equipment are the worst-selling products in the world, then surface ships can definitely be ranked at the forefront. Currently, the only countries that can produce third-generation fighter jets are the United States, the Soviet Union, and France; the technologies of other countries are not that mature. Even if the aircraft produced is said to be a third-generation aircraft, a quotation mark must be added.

For example, Sweden's Saab produces a light third-generation aircraft; compared with second-generation fighter jets, its radar detection range is increased and its airborne weapons attack range is farther. The overall performance is much worse than the products of the same period from the United States, Soviet Union and France.

As for large transport aircraft, they were exclusive products of the United States and the Soviet Union. Other countries simply did not have the ability or qualifications to develop and produce them. Therefore, if you want to buy it, you really need to place an order from both countries.

In terms of army weapons and equipment, the Soviet Union is the absolute king. In this regard, Americans are willing to be inferior. Rifles and tanks alone are beyond the reach of Americans.

Navy submarines can still get many orders because of their superior performance. Moreover, submarines are the last defensive weapon of a small country's navy. Although with the improvement of sonar and radar performance, submarines are no longer as elusive as they were during World War II. But it is still much smaller than the target of the surface fleet.

It is really not easy for the navy of a small country to make a sneak attack and be discovered.

Three years of army, ten years of air force, and one hundred years of navy are not empty words. Countries with large surface ships are not bad in national strength, at least they have some strength.

As a result, there are fewer customers for large warships; after all, many countries simply cannot afford to equip them.

The most important naval surface ship, the competition is also the most fierce for weapons and equipment. The main reason is that there are many manufacturers, and they all have strong technology and long history.

The United States, France, the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, and even Japan and South Korea all have strong shipbuilding industries. The Soviet Union wanted to compete with these countries, but it was not that easy.

Therefore, almost all orders from Nikolaev Shipyard come from the Soviet Navy. Weapons and equipment manufacturers really need a lot of export sales if they want to live a good life and have happy employees. Relying on domestic orders alone, we won’t be able to eat enough; we can barely avoid starving to death! In addition, the Soviet Navy is the least popular among the three services; and it is mainly submarines, which is enough to show the state of the Nikolaev Shipyard.

The entire shipyard was extremely excited about the arrival of General Armament Department Chief Ustinov and Bao Zixuan of Heiyun Group. Ustinov Jr. is responsible for all weapons and equipment production in the Soviet Union. To be precise, if you want to get military orders, you really need his nod.

And this time, he still brought a financial backer. It was no secret that Bao Zixuan had purchased a large amount of weapons and equipment from the Soviet Union. In fact, the whole world knows that he is helping Fucaira.

Fucairah, located in the Persian Gulf and currently under rapid construction, definitely needs a navy. If there were no Bao Zixuan, it would be fine to be an ordinary and obedient small country, but it would not require too powerful weapons and equipment. But Bao Shaofu, who owns Heiyun Group, will never give in. Not to mention seeking the status of a great power, but the ability to protect oneself is absolutely necessary.

It is necessary to have a navy that can completely block the Persian Gulf, but now Fucaira seems to have nothing. After coming to the Soviet Union, he first went to the Ruby Design Bureau, and then immediately came to the Nikolaev Shipyard; it can be said that Sima Zhao's heart is well known to everyone.

This is definitely a big financier. Whether the workers in the shipyard can live a good life in recent years really depends on his face.

In order to show the importance he attaches to the two men, Makarov, the director of the Nikolayev Shipyard and known as the midwife of three-generation Soviet aircraft carriers, personally came to the gate of the factory to greet them.

Although the old man is noble, he despises bureaucracy. But he also knew that if he wanted to make life easier for the shipyard, he had to do some things.

Seeing this old man, Bao Zixuan was very emotional.

Makarov, born in 1934, graduated from the Nikolaev Shipbuilding Academy in 1958. He was appointed chief engineer of the Black Sea Shipyard in early April 1976, and became the director of the Nikolaev Shipyard in 1979.

If we talk about the people who least want the Soviet Union to disintegrate, the old man may not be ranked first, but he is definitely at the forefront.

In 1993, after the collapse of the "giant monster" Soviet Union, Russian Prime Minister Chernomyrdin and Navy Commander Grumov, accompanied by Ukrainian Prime Minister Kuchma, went to the Nikolaev Shipyard to study the "Varyan" shipyard. The possibility of completing the construction of the "G" aircraft carrier and handing it over to Russia.

This aircraft carrier was originally built with funds from the Soviet government, but Ukraine required Russia to pay the full cost. That is, it is sold as a complete warship, not the 30% unpaid as Russia believes. Factory director Makarov reported at this time: "'Varyag' can no longer be completed..."

Everyone asked out of curiosity: "What exactly does the factory need to complete the Varyag aircraft carrier?"

Makarov replied: "If I want to launch the Varyag aircraft carrier, I need the Soviet State Planning Commission and the Industrial Military Commission, as well as 9 defense industry departments, more than 600 related majors and more than 8,000 supporting manufacturers. In short, it takes a great country to complete it, but this country no longer exists." Everyone present finally understood that it was impossible to build the "Varyag" when the country was disintegrated.

During Makarov's tenure, the aircraft carrier "Kuznetsov" was accelerated to build and conduct the first ski-jump takeoff test, so that it could be delivered in time for 1991. Otherwise, if there is a slight delay, the ship may not be delivered; then Russia really has no aircraft carrier to use. As a factory director, his most outstanding contribution was turning the construction of Soviet aircraft carriers into an assembly line operation.

Bao Zixuan still has great respect for this old man who dedicated his life to the country and the shipyard. At least within the scope of his abilities, he has done his job to the best of his ability.

After introducing each other, Makarov first said: "Welcome friends from afar, your arrival will make the entire Nikolayev Shipyard feel bright."

When the old man said this, Bao Zixuan was speechless for a while. Not only did he understand Soviet culture, there were also many foreigners who were proficient in Chinese culture.

In fact, Makarov is not very proficient in Chinese culture. Mainly because he knew that Bao Zixuan was coming, so he deliberately learned some greetings from the Chinese. Coupled with the usual understanding of it, the effect just now was achieved.

Forcing the old man to be like this shows that the shipyard is in a difficult situation at this time.

Bao Zixuan may give them some hope, but he will not place an order for large ships. After all, the Soviet Union was not building ships very fast. If the Soviet Union disintegrated, it would be too late to cry if the warships were not built yet.

Moreover, after the disintegration of the Soviet Union, the Soviet government allocated funds for the construction of many warships; the warships that have not yet been completed will cost a mere penny. If you start at that time, not only is there no risk, you can also get a big deal.

However, orders for some small and medium-sized ships will still be placed with Nikolayev Shipyard. Establish a relationship first and become familiar with each other; it will be easier to do anything in the future.