The Grandmother in the Siheyuan

Chapter 540 Rushing to the Front
"Stop lamenting. If we're talking about lamenting, we soldiers have just as many as you." The leader said with a smile, "But lamenting won't do any good. We have to seize every opportunity to move forward. Now we have such an opportunity in front of us. If you don't seize it, then we'll be letting down our ancestors, not to mention the organization and the country."

“Leave it to Shenyang Aircraft Corporation. We have a new idea for fifth-generation fighters.” Shenyang Aircraft Corporation’s chief engineer said with a sense of mission, “But I feel that the idea is a bit too advanced for fifth-generation fighters. It’s perfect to try it out on sixth-generation fighters.”

"Let's leave it to Sichuan Aircraft Industry Group." Sichuan Aircraft Industry Group's chief engineer said proudly, "We have completed the integration of the fifth-generation fighter jets. Now we have spare resources to design the sixth-generation fighter jets. Within ten years, we will definitely be able to produce a qualified sixth-generation fighter jet."

These are statements from two aircraft manufacturing companies, and various research institutes are also vying to express their opinions, all wanting to claim this glorious and arduous task as their own. This is an opportunity, an opportunity to make a name for oneself in history.

Including fifth-generation fighters, we have always followed the US lead. But for sixth-generation fighters, we have independently researched and produced them. No one else can provide us with references. This will definitely be a significant milestone in the history of our country's fighter jets.

Looking at the group of experts who were striving to be the best, the leader nodded in satisfaction: "Very good. I had already guessed that everyone would be eager to participate. So this time, I have given this task equally to every company and every research institute. They have three years to come up with their own design ideas. Then we will evaluate them and see who will win the award."

Ma Shan Gonggong Liu Hua: "Why aren't you saying anything?"

“Designing airplanes isn’t my specialty,” Liu Hua said with a smile. “Besides, our company has more challenging tasks to complete, and we’re already in the limelight enough. Why push our luck further? If the dam is too high, the waves will surely break it.”

"Your company has an even more important mission. What mission?"

Liu Hua shook his head and said with a smile, "It's a secret. I'm not even sure I can succeed, so I won't say a word, so as not to lose face if I fail."

"That's not fair of you."

Liu Hua joked, "I should argue with you about this. Although I'm not a native of Beijing, I grew up here. I'm a true, authentic Beijinger."

"Go away, who would play such a silly joke on you?"

The leader tapped on the table: "Academician Liu, do you have anything to say?"

Liu Hua nodded: "I do have something to say. I'm pleased to see everyone so eager to participate this time, but I hope that three years from now, the people eager to participate here will not be you, but the chief engineers who are thirty or forty years old."

Sun Guangming subtly gave a thumbs-up from below, then whispered to Ma Shan, "After going around in circles, Academician Liu still has the best vision and the broadest perspective."

Ma Shan nodded: "This is what you call carrying on the legacy and ensuring there are successors."

The leader smiled and said, "Academician Liu's suggestion is excellent, but I hope that you all will come again in three years, and that the young people will come as well. When I am sitting in the audience listening to the explanations, I hope that the young people will be on the stage. This is the only way to demonstrate the vitality of our research institutes."

Of course, the meeting couldn't just end like that. We called all the bigwigs together not only to assign tasks, but also to exchange ideas. After all, this is a sixth-generation fighter jet, the first of its kind in the world, with no precedents to refer to. So we can only let our wisdom spark through the exchange.

Liu Hua also shared some of his thoughts, such as loyal wingmen for aircraft and unmanned combat aerial vehicles (UCAVs). These ideas are somewhat ahead of their time, as drones are not yet widely used. Although we have the Rainbow series and the Twin-Tailed Scorpion series drones, they haven't become our main combat aircraft.

The three-day exchange culminated in a thick meeting minutes, which each chief engineer took back as a form of guidance. Even Liu Hua had a copy.

Ma Shan concluded by suggesting that it would be best to get together once a year so that everyone could exchange ideas and thoughts on the new year. He also suggested that it would be good to bring along some young people, as their thinking is more dynamic.

The proposal was unanimously approved, and it was decided that a symposium would be held in Beijing every year on this day, with the goal of developing a sixth-generation fighter jet within ten years.

After the exchange meeting ended, Liu Hua was preparing to go about his own business, but unexpectedly, he was invited back by his superiors the next day.

"What did the leader want to see me about? I basically won't get involved in the sixth-generation fighter jet project anymore," Liu Hua said with a smile. "I believe our country's scientific research capabilities are sufficient to support the development of the sixth-generation fighter jet. If I get involved, it will only hinder the progress of others."

"I'm not here to talk to you about the sixth-generation fighter jet." The leader tapped his fingers. "You mentioned the Twin-Tailed Scorpion a couple of days ago. I just wanted to talk to you about the Twin-Tailed Scorpion bomber."

“Over the years, I’ve never heard of the Twin-tailed Scorpion entering service on a large scale,” Liu Hua said with a smile. “I almost thought this unmanned bomber project was going to be canceled.”

"It's not that it's been cancelled, it's because it hasn't met our operational requirements yet." The leader said with a smile, "Currently, we still have the Sixth Aircraft to support us, which can achieve a certain strategic deterrence, so we don't need the Twin-Tailed Scorpion to take the lead. There is currently a debate within our organization about designing a completely new bomber or improving the Twin-Tailed Scorpion."

Liu Hua roughly knew what his boss wanted to say to him, but he didn't say anything.

The leader smiled and said, "I think you know what I'm going to say. Right now, neither side can give in to the other's argument. The bomber project is undergoing testing, and I would like to ask you to improve the Twin-Tailed Scorpion."

Liu Hua nodded: "It's my responsibility, after all, I came up with it. Moreover, I believe that drone warfare will be the main form of warfare in the future. The Twin-Tailed Scorpion has an irreplaceable advantage, which is that it is really too cheap."

The leader laughed heartily: "That's right. A brand new bomber, regardless of the cost, can at least produce hundreds of Twin-Tailed Scorpions. Once the Twin-Tailed Scorpions' speed, range, and payload increase, the new bomber will probably be of little use. After all, the deterrent power of one bomber is incomparable to that of hundreds."

Liu Hua smiled and said, "The previous two-tailed scorpion was from many years ago. Technology has advanced a lot now, so improving the two-tailed scorpion should be no problem. But please give me some time. I will try my best to make it perfect."

The leader slammed his hand on the table in delight: "That's exactly what I wanted to hear. Three years, two hundred million in funding, just let me know if you need anything else, and I'll do my best to meet your needs."

"That's about right. I also supervise a few graduate students every year at the Aerospace University, so the research staff is all set."

(End of this chapter)