Rebirth in 1960, My Industrial Age

Chapter 403 Audacious
"Boss, this is a document submitted by the Computer Research Institute."

After Qian Zhi knocked and entered, he placed a document on Zhou Fengnian's desk and then asked, "Shall I bring you lunch for lunch?"

"Okay, thank you for your help. The usual will be fine."

After Zhou Fengnian finished speaking, he took the document and started reading it. When he was busy, he didn't like to go to the cafeteria and always asked Qian Zhi to get his food for him.

It was quite a while after Qian Zhi left that Zhou Fengnian finished reading the documents sent by the Computer Research Institute.

It wasn't anything particularly important; it was just the annual report from the Shenzhou Computer Factory and the Computer Research Institute's survey report on the development of computers in other countries and in China.

The Shenzhou Computer Factory was under the dual guidance of the Fourth Ministry of Machinery Industry and the Computer Research Institute, except that the latter provided guidance on research and development technology.

Even so, Shenzhou Computer Factory still sent a copy to the Computer Research Institute, which knew that Zhou Fengnian came from Shenzhou Computer Factory, so it delivered it to him.

Last year was not bad overall; revenue still grew steadily by 11 percentage points, and foreign exchange earnings reached US$3.9 billion.

The rapid development and prosperity of the global computer industry can almost be attributed to Shenzhou Computer Factory, which accounts for 80% of the success.

They even control more than 70% of the market.

Shenzhou Computer Factory didn't overlook any product, whether it was a high-end personal computer with good performance, a low-end personal computer with slightly lower performance, or a portable laptop computer.

Xiao Rizi's computers have almost no overseas market; their overseas share is pitifully small, only a quarter of Aramco's.

Aramco's overseas computer market is only one-third of China's. This was before China joined the GATT, when their foreign trade was severely restricted, and Aramco's computer companies could barely make ends meet.

It seemed to be thriving, but Zhou Fengnian was a little wary, worried about Amei's next move.

Based on his memory and understanding of Amei, the other party was a complete scoundrel who would immediately seek revenge if she suffered.

Two years ago, seeing the rapid rise of China, they disregarded the fact that they had been on friendly terms with them for less than ten years and supported South Vietnam and North Vietnam in launching a war against them.

Their computer industry is now thriving, with Shenzhou Computer alone accounting for 70% of the global market.

In this situation, if Amei didn't make a move, then they really wouldn't be themselves.

"It's not just that Ami might take action; our own development is also very slow."

Zhou Fengnian frowned after reading the research report on computer development.

Over the past year, Shenzhou Computer Factory only had sales of over 20 million units nationwide, which is roughly just over 10,000 computers.

This is the price after subsidies; without subsidies, the number would probably only be a few thousand units.

In foreign countries, the difference is even more pronounced, often by tens of times.

There are also few computer talents. Last year, only more than fifty people came to the computer research institute, which is less than that of a single university abroad.

"We can't let our generation bear the burden alone; how can we manage if the next generation of talent can't keep up?"

Zhou Fengnian pondered for a while, and then wrote down a plan for 'bringing computers into junior and senior high schools'.

This time he didn't plan to bring it up with the Fourth Ministry of Machine Building. The Fourth Ministry of Machine Building wouldn't have much impact; it would only affect the Shenzhou Computer Factory.

Zhou Fengnian plans to propose to his superiors that making computer classes mandatory in junior and senior high schools a policy so that it can be implemented.

Initially, not every place should offer computer classes; only schools that meet the requirements should be required to do so.

If we don't catch up now, once Zhou Fengnian and his generation get old, their talent pool will likely fall far behind that of foreign countries.

Zhou Fengnian's prediction about a future talent shortage was slightly exaggerated, but it still drew attention.

The report didn't take Zhou Fengnian long. The Computer Research Institute had already submitted a detailed survey report, and Zhou Fengnian finished it in just over an hour.

dong dong!

Just then, Qian Zhigang knocked on the door and came in, carrying several lunch boxes containing three dishes and a soup for the day.

"Boss, I've brought your lunch back."

"You've come at the right time. This afternoon, please polish this for me and then show it to Dean Wu."

Zhou Fengnian handed the computer development plan he had written to Qian Zhi, asking him to take it to Dean Wu for a look.

With Dean Wu's name added, it signifies that this is the opinion of their Academy of Sciences, significantly increasing its weight.

"Okay, boss, I'll go and polish it right away."

"Also, is the car ready for this afternoon?"

"Everything is ready. The driver will be waiting for you downstairs at 2 o'clock sharp."

After hearing Qian Zhi's words, Zhou Fengnian nodded. He had to go to the Robotics Research Institute that afternoon.

Besides teaching students there, I also research a robot swarm control program.

The latest drone, named Hummingbird by Zhou Fengnian, has powerful flight capabilities, enabling vertical takeoff and landing at any angle, and its flight sensitivity is several times that of other drones.

All that's missing in using these drones in combat is a simple control program. Once added, large-scale operations can be achieved, preventing the drones from killing each other.

Although it is named Hummingbird Drone, it is still too big. If it were shrunk to about 40 centimeters, it would be closer to the ideal size.

However, that requires high levels of energy and materials. While the mechanical structure can meet the requirements, the energy and load-bearing capacity are insufficient, so there are very few things that can be done.

The batteries currently produced by the energy storage battery factory are indeed very powerful and can meet most of the needs, but they are still far from meeting Zhou Fengnian's requirements.

However, at this stage, research and development can only proceed to this extent. Zhou Fengnian also wants to achieve the goal in one step, but due to the limitations of the overall level of technology at that time, it is not yet possible to manufacture battery technology for decades to come.

In the afternoon, not long after Zhou Fengnian left, Qian Zhi also came to see Dean Wu with a revised "Computers Entering Junior and Senior High Schools Plan". After being informed and given permission, Qian Zhi went into Dean Wu's office and reported to him.
"Dean, this is what Vice Dean Zhou asked me to pass on to you. He said he hopes you can give him your instructions."

"Did Comrade Feng Nian send you to deliver this? It seems he values ​​this matter very much. By the way, is Comrade Feng Nian here?"

As Dean Wu took the documents, he casually asked Qian Zhi a question. Qian Zhi replied, "Vice Dean Zhou went to the Robotics Institute; he's in charge of a project there."

"Comrade Feng Nian is very busy. It seems like he hasn't spent a full day in the institute since he came back. Well, the cultivation of computer talent is indeed very important."

Dean Wu nodded as he looked at the document. The importance of computers is well known, and the research involved in multiple fields is an indispensable part of future development.

There is indeed a severe shortage of computer talent, and there is an age gap among the talent pool in computer research institutes. If this continues, it will be a miracle if we don't fall too far behind, let alone catch up with America.

Although their current computers are advanced, that was built on the foundation laid by Zhou Fengnian and his team.

Other countries take seven or eight years to develop a supercomputer, but Zhou Fengnian led his team to develop one in two years.

Many people initially thought that researching supercomputers must be this difficult, but after seeing the progress of research and development abroad, they realized that it wasn't that researching supercomputers was easy, but that Zhou Fengnian's team was too capable.

But now Zhou Fengnian has more and more things to do, and it's impossible for him to stay in the computer research institute every day like before.

Cultivating the next generation of talent is of paramount importance, so when Dean Wu saw Zhou Fengnian's proposal, he felt it was absolutely necessary.

Only with government intervention can cities with relatively good economic development implement computer classes in junior and senior high schools, allowing students to cultivate an interest in computers from a young age.

Previously, the Fourth Ministry of Machinery Industry and Shenzhou Computer Factory had also implemented corresponding policies, but the effect was too small; even with subsidies from Shenzhou Computer Factory, very few junior and senior high schools bought computers, it was mostly universities that bought them.

Even if some schools bought them, they were eventually found to be reselling them, which angered Zhou Fengnian so much that he immediately stopped the project.

"It's good, it's good. The plans mentioned in this proposal are all what we need right now, and I have no objections."

As Dean Wu spoke, he signed his intention on the document and then handed the proposal to Qian Zhidao: "Let Comrade Feng Nian take another look. If there are no problems, submit it in the name of the Academy of Sciences."

Qian Zhi nodded and said, "Okay, Dean. I'll tell Vice Dean Zhou when he gets back."

------

In the open space of the drone factory, fifty drones flew in the air like a swarm of bees, shuttling back and forth. It was even visually apparent that several drones were about to collide, but upon closer inspection, it was discovered that they had only grazed past each other.

Finally, these fifty drones, following their pre-programmed mission, dropped a barrage of air-dropped bombs on the target.

Only after all this was done did the drones return in sequence.

After the last drone landed safely, Zhou Fengnian turned to everyone who was visiting and said, "Compared to the previous drones, this one has increased flexibility and swarm coordination."
Furthermore, it can be programmed with various functions, such as immediately dropping bombs upon detecting a humanoid thermal image, thus eliminating all survivors in the area.

Hundreds or thousands of drones can quickly scout out living people in an area and then bomb and kill them, making it the most terrifying way to eliminate the enemy.

Moreover, it is inexpensive to manufacture. The most crucial parts are the battery and the control system, both of which are inexpensive, costing only a little over nine hundred yuan.

The battery supplier or the energy storage battery manufacturer has already offered the most favorable solution.

A thousand units cost only a little over 900,000, which is enough to clear out enemies on several mountain peaks, and it also has reconnaissance capabilities.

Visitors nodded in approval, showing great acceptance of this new type of equipment; they found it easy to use, convenient, and inexpensive, capable of large-scale deployment, and multifunctional.
"With the cooperation of satellite reconnaissance, we can basically achieve a three-in-one system. Unless the enemy is buried more than ten meters underground and there is no indication of their presence on the outside, it will be as if they are naked in front of us."

Colonel Guo, who came to visit, said with a smile that he was a relatively open-minded general who embraced information warfare.

Today's attendees are all rising military leaders, and they will study any equipment that can be used in the war.

In particular, the drones and Spider-Type robots developed by Zhou Fengnian, which he had previously researched and manufactured, gave the ungrateful South Vietnamese monkeys a sound beating.

They've probably developed post-traumatic stress disorder from all that beating. South Vietnam would probably tremble with fear at the mere mention of war with China.

After suffering heavy losses in the first two encounters without even engaging in formal face-to-face combat, how could they possibly dare to do it again?

Even monkeys have memories.

"It's good, really easy to use, and it's so small. The only downside is that it can't fly very high, and you have to consider the weather before using it."

"There's no other way; to conceal its size, we have to shrink the fuselage."

Visitors started discussing it, and some even talked about its potential applications in warfare.

This event was practically an arms marketing conference, but the Hummingbird drone impressed the visitors, prompting them to discuss its potential applications in warfare.

Zhou Fengnian had no choice but to wait a while.

After a while, Zhou Fengnian remembered that he still had something to ask, so he went to Colonel Guo's side, gestured to him, and the two moved a little further apart.

"Brother Guo, haven't my two nephews come back yet? It's been over a month, and the New Year is almost here. I hope nothing bad has happened to them."

Zhou Fengnian had no choice but to ask. His older brother, Zhou Weitian, hadn't returned from Shanghai, but when he did, he found that his son hadn't come back yet, which made him restless.

Although he agreed to let Zhou Xianzhe go to the Russians, it was because Zhou Xianzhe said that someone would protect him, and that it was someone sent by his wife's family.

More than a month has passed and there has been no news. So Zhou Weitian and Zhou Jia'an went to Zhou Fengnian, hoping to get some information from him.

"They'll be back soon. They're on their way back, and I estimate they'll be back in about three days."

Guo Jinhuai looked around and then said in a low voice, "Old Zhou, your two nephews are really bold. They've exceeded expectations this time. You can ask them about it when they get back."
In short, he truly lives up to his reputation as my nephew-in-law, Guo Jinhuai!

"Hmm? Brother Guo, don't keep me in suspense. Since you've brought it up, just say it. Is there anything I can't know? I'm still the Deputy Director of the National Defense Commission."

Zhou Fengnian immediately said unhappily, he hates people who only say half of what they mean, isn't that just teasing people?

Besides, what secrets couldn't he, as the deputy director of the National Defense Commission, participate in? Zhou Fengnian had the right to know about the highest-ranking officials, and he was even nominally involved in one of them.

Guo Jinhuai quickly said, "That's not it. There are too many things to cover, and I'm not entirely clear on the details myself."
Alright, as far as I know, Hyuncheol and Hyunsui brought back quite a few weapons, the most important of which were a half-finished Su-27, a T-80, and a T-72B.”

"There are quite a few others, but those are all for them to make money from; the situation at the border is extremely tense right now, and if we bring them all back, our military strength will be greatly enhanced."

Zhou Fengnian was shocked upon hearing this and quickly asked, "How did they bring them back? They can even buy the main combat equipment currently in service?"

Guo Jinhuai shook his head and said, "I don't know about that. Let's ask them carefully when they get back. Someone will definitely ask them then."
But don't worry, this is considered a contribution by them, they'll definitely be fine.

(End of this chapter)