Reborn in Hong Kong: The Tycoon Grows Up

While Bao Zixuan was negotiating with the Soviets to purchase warships and submarines, Zhang Zhan was also negotiating with the Americans to purchase warships. This is the former security minister of the Black Cloud Group, but his identity has changed at this time; the deputy commander of the Fucairah Armed Forces.

As for the commander-in-chief, it must be Chief Salad. Zhang Zhan went to the United States with a very clear purpose: to purchase two Ticonderoga-class cruisers produced in the United States.

The Ticonderoga-class cruiser is the first main battleship under the U.S. Navy to officially use Aegis. It is equipped with an integrated surface combat system with the AN/SPY-1 phased array radar as the core.

At the same time, the warship serves as the main command center of the aircraft carrier battle group and amphibious assault battle group, and provides protection for the aircraft carrier. As the top escort force of the aircraft carrier battle group, the Ticonderoga-class ships equipped with the Aegis system provide excellent air defense capabilities, giving the aircraft carrier battle group sufficient strength to resist missile attacks from the former Soviet Union's surface, air, and underwater forces. . In addition, the Aegis system also has excellent anti-submarine capabilities.

It is not difficult to see from here that Bao Zixuan is preparing for the future. Fucairah must have an aircraft carrier, otherwise it will be a waste of time.

In the mid-1960s, the U.S. Navy began the "Advanced Surface Missile System" program, aiming to develop an advanced ship-based combat system to be equipped on aircraft carrier frigates. It would have excellent air defense control capabilities and could handle a large number of targets at the same time. Effectively dealing with threats from the air, surface and underwater, this is the Aegis combat system.

However, Fucaira does not necessarily require the Aegis system; for the ship-based computer system, it can be developed by itself. But I believe Americans will not agree. After all, they also need some constraints.

You must know that the Ticonderoga-class destroyer is equipped with a MK-26 Mod5 dual-arm missile launcher at the bow and stern. Each can load 44 missiles. In addition to the main standard SM-2, it can also load In addition, there are two groups of four-unit Harpoon anti-ship missile launchers on the left side of the stern, and there are one group of MK-32 triple-unit 324mm torpedo launchers on both sides of the poop.

It can definitely be regarded as a powerful attack platform at sea. If there are no restrictions at all, then the Americans will definitely be worried. The same is true even when selling to NATO strategic partners.

Zhang Zhan first came to Bath, Maine, because Ticonderoga-class destroyers are produced at the Bath Steel Shipyard in the city.

Bath Iron Shipyard is the second most important shipyard for the U.S. Navy and was founded in 1884 by Army Colonel Thomas Hyde. It has been building surface ships for the U.S. Navy for more than a century.

The warship shipyard was established by an army colonel. It can only be said that the strength of the U.S. Navy at that time was indeed not very good; at the same time, it also showed in disguise that Colonel Thomas Hyde was an all-round talent and all-rounder.

Although it was founded by an army colonel, no one can ignore the technical strength and importance of the factory! From the USS Georgia, which was commissioned in September 1906, to the famous Fletcher-class destroyers during World War II, to the Ticonderoga-class cruisers and Perry-class frigates during the Cold War, the future Burke-class destroyers, and the updated Zhu Mwalt-class stealth destroyers; both are masterpieces of the plant and are truly the "cradle of surface combatants" of the US Navy.

The Middle Eastern emirate of Fucairah is smaller than a city in the United States. Moreover, it is not rich in oil resources. With such strength, it is really overestimating its capabilities to dare to come to Bath Iron and Steel Shipyard to buy warships. But that was the idea before. With Bao Zixuan investing regardless of the cost, no one in Fucaira dared to despise it at this time.

In addition, there are bonuses from Heiyun Group and Bao Shaofu behind him, let alone buying a destroyer; if he wanted to, buying a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier would be no problem at all.

Nelson Hyde, the fourth generation head of the Hyde family, is currently responsible for the operation and management of Bath Iron and Steel Shipyard. In fact, the Hyde family does not have a lot of shares in Bath Shipyard. The largest shareholder is General Dynamics. But because there was an agreement at the time of the acquisition, and the members of the Hyde family were indeed talented, management rights were never left behind.

For Zhang Zhan's arrival, Bath Shipyard still paid enough attention to it. The prime minister's disciple is a seventh-grade official. This sentence applies everywhere. Although Mr. Bao didn't drive there in person, the fact that he could send someone over was enough to illustrate the problem.

And everyone knew that Bao Zixuan was conducting inspections in the Soviet Union at this time. I went to two places in the past two days; the Ruby Design Bureau and the Nikolayev Shipyard; the purpose is self-evident. Now they are sending people to the Bath Shipyard in the United States. This is not only a comparison; it also means putting pressure on them.

In recent years, due to US policies. Many orders originally belonging to American arms companies were snatched away by the Soviets. Fucairah definitely has sincerity in coming to the United States to purchase warships. After all, with the current technical strength of Heiyun Group, it is still unable to produce large surface ships. At the same time, it is understandable to buy from the Soviet Union in the past.

After all, the Soviet Union did a good job in terms of cost-effectiveness of submarines and warships.

The Soviet shipyards were having a hard time, and the United States was not necessarily much stronger. Bao Zixuan is an owner who is not short of money, so he definitely needs the best products. Moreover, we came directly to Bath Shipyard and did not go anywhere else. This shows that the goal is very clear.

When Zhang Zhan proposed that Fucaira wanted to purchase 2-4 Ticonderoga-class destroyers; Nelson Hyde felt incredible. After all, this warship is the latest equipment of the United States. And it will become the main warship in the next twenty years. Fucaira wants to buy it, but he really doesn't agree.

If it is an old warship, the shipyard may still have some autonomy. But for this equipment that has just entered service, it is estimated that only the White House and the Department of Defense can decide.

So I immediately reported this situation to the Ministry of National Defense, although I really wanted to make money. But the military's opinion still needs to be fought for.

Defense Minister Weinberger did not dare to neglect and immediately convened an emergency meeting. But he was destined to be disappointed. The top military officials were not unanimous in their opinions. Then there is no other way. General Dynamics is still waiting for a reply and can only report it to the White House in person.

President Reagan certainly knew what Weinberg meant. After all, Bao Zixuan never did anything behind anyone's back, and it could be said that the whole world knew about it. Therefore, CIA Director William Joseph Casey was also called to the White House.

At this time, the CIA director was also very helpless. He had lost count of how many times he had been called to the White House because of Heiyun Group and Bao Zixuan. Although the other party is a businessman, the CIA has definitely invested more in him than a national leader.

But who gave this kid the ability to do so, and he never stops doing it. He actually ordered warships from the United States and the Soviet Union at the same time, and did so with such fanfare; it is estimated that no one in the world except him would dare to do such a thing.

But since they dare to come, not to mention that they are fully prepared, but they are definitely confident.

Secretary of Defense Weinberger first introduced the relevant situation to Reagan; and introduced in detail the technical performance of the Ticonderoga-class destroyer and its future role in the military services.

Reagan thought for a while and asked: "Director Casey, what is Bao Zixuan doing now!"

He did not answer directly, but asked what the instigator was doing. As a lawyer, Weinberg knew that Reagan was not opposed to this arms sale.

Although there is no precedent for Ticonderoga-class destroyers being sold to other countries, they cannot just watch the Soviet Union eat up all orders. This will undoubtedly increase the strength of the Soviet shipbuilding industry and provide funds for the polar bears.

William Joseph Casey: "After the Paris Air Show, Bao Zixuan first went to Italy and purchased a Ferrari sports car in the name of Heiyun Motors. Then he planned an exhibition and prepared to hold an Italian product exhibition in Tokyo, Japan. meeting."

"Then I flew directly from Rome to Moscow and spent about an hour in the Kremlin."

"The next day I went to Leningrad and went directly to the Ruby Central Design Bureau. I learned through insider information that 12 Kilo-class conventionally powered submarines had been ordered in the name of Fucaira. There was also a sightseeing submarine project, and there was also a sightseeing submarine project. Cooperation with Ruby Design Bureau.”

"I left the Ruby Design Bureau and went to the Nikolayev Shipyard. The purpose is self-evident, which is to purchase warships. I am currently in the Nikolayev Shipyard. As for the content of the negotiations between the two parties, it is still unclear. I know. It probably hasn’t been finalized yet, but with Bao Zixuan’s style, the possibility of purchasing a large warship is very high.”

During this visit to the Soviet Union, no one was evaded at all. Not to mention the CIA, one of the largest intelligence organizations in the world; of course they are also the foreign intelligence agency with the largest number of spies in the Soviet Union; even ordinary people know the whereabouts of the richest man Bao through newspapers. Therefore, this answer does not satisfy Reagan!