Hong Kong Island: From a small stall to a global supplier

Leaving aside the question of how to exchange benefits and how to make peace, Rio Tinto actually doesn't have much military power at its disposal.

Firstly, although Rio Tinto is currently a global mining giant, its total assets are not that large.

Rio Tinto: $16 billion.

BHP Billiton: US$22 billion.

BP: $600 billion.

The oil tycoon is no joke.

Mining giants are like this: most of their assets are mines, mining machinery, etc., and their price-to-earnings ratios are not as high as those of other industrial sectors, let alone financial companies.

Besides, KPC is just a subsidiary of Rio Tinto Holdings. The company has to calculate the profit-loss ratio and can't put all its resources into it.

Ultimately, the company's purpose is to make a profit, not simply to be guided by military strategy.

……

"Boss, this is the data we obtained on the warships equipped by the Australian and Indonesian navies." Wei Tao handed over a document with pictures and text.

"Is it comprehensive?" Wang Yaotang asked as he took the book and flipped through it.

“Quite comprehensive, Australia…heh.” Wei Tao smiled with a hint of disdain. “It’s not a major power, there’s no need for secrecy. Besides, all of the navy’s warships are purchased from abroad, so there’s no way to keep them secret.”

“We didn’t ask their high-ranking naval officers for information. We asked the soldiers serving in the naval port and gathered information from various sources when they went out to play. Compared to them, these front-line sailors have a better understanding of the actual situation of the ships.”

"As for Indonesia..." Wei Tao's expression was somewhat strange. "We contacted the Indonesian Navy at three different naval ports, and without any haggling, they readily sold us the entire situation of their navy. When we mentioned that we had sent people to verify the information with other parties, they were so eager to sell it, as if they were afraid of missing out on the money if they were too slow."

Wang Yaotang laughed out loud, “It fits my stereotypes about Indonesia perfectly. It’s actually very simple to tell if someone has ever been corrupt. Just see if they have done business with Indonesian officials.”

Australian Navy:

HMAS Melbourne: Standard displacement 15740 tons.

Adelaide-class frigate: standard displacement 3600 tons.

Air defense: 1 MK 13 single-arm SM-1MR air defense missile with a range of 46 km, and 1 "Phalanx" 20 mm close-in weapon system.

Anti-ship: Two quadruple Harpoon anti-ship missile launchers.

Main guns: 1 Oto Melara 76mm naval gun.

Attack-class patrol boat: standard displacement 91 tons.

Main armament: 1 Bofors 40mm/70 caliber naval gun
Tribal-class destroyers...

Indonesian Navy:

Fatahira-class corvette: standard displacement 1150 tons.

Anti-ship: 4 MM38 Exocet anti-ship missiles.

Main guns: 1 Bofors 120mm/46 caliber naval gun.

Anti-aircraft: 2 Bofors 40mm/70 caliber guns.

Kronstadt-class (Su-1234 type): Standard displacement 490 tons.

Main armament: 1 x 57mm/80 caliber naval gun, 2 x 25mm twin-mounted machine guns
Mandau-class missile boats (made in South Korea), Samadikun-class corvettes (USA), and Soviet Skory-class destroyers.
……

Wang Yaotang obtained data not only on warships currently in service, but also on warships that have been decommissioned in recent years.

Wang Yaotang carefully examined the documents and finally narrowed it down to two types of ships.

Indonesia's Patimura-class frigate (Italy's Albatros-class):

Name: KRI Sultan Hasanudin-253
Service entry: 1958

Retirement date: 1979

Standard displacement: 1050 tons

Speed: 22 knots

Main guns: 1 Oto Melara 76mm/62 caliber naval gun
Anti-aircraft: 2 Breda 40mm/70 caliber guns

Anti-submarine warfare: 2 B-515 anti-submarine rocket launchers

Australia's 'attack-class patrol boat':
Name: HMAS Acute P81, Adroit P82
Service period: 1968
Retirement date: From 1975, some were transferred to the Indonesian Navy.
Discharge capacity: 91 tons (standard)

Main armament: 1 Bofors 40mm/70 caliber naval gun
Of course, we cannot completely rule out the possibility that the Indonesian Navy was bribed by Rio Tinto and sent out active warships to plunder.

However, this possibility is very small. Hai Dazhao's area of ​​operation is the Philippines and the South China Sea. If Indonesian active warships come here, it would be considered an invasion.

Call Hai Dazhao; he's currently in Manila awaiting news. The Xingye and 0 are anchored in the South China Sea. Once the news is confirmed, we can fly there by speedboat or helicopter at any time.

Arrange for someone to take the documents and fly directly from Hong Kong to inform Wang Yaotang. He instructed someone to be careful and to run away immediately if they found they couldn't win the fight. They told him that they were pirates and that harassing his shipping lanes was enough.

Of course, if you think you can handle it, then don't hold back and just wipe them out.

Upon receiving the information, Hai Dazhao immediately gave the crew-cut man, who was resting on shore, the advice: leave professional matters to professionals; he would only be responsible for deciding whether to fight and when to fight.

At Tanjung Bala Port in East Kalimantan, a worker watched as a dry bulk carrier loaded with coal left the port. He took out his notebook, recorded information such as the ship's model, name, place of registration, deadweight, speed, and destination, and then put it in his pocket.

I didn't return until after get off work, when I handed over the note in a dimly lit bar and received a thick envelope in return.

Half an hour later, Hai Dazhao in Manila received the message.

A day later, in the Barabák Strait, Hai Dazhao received another message: the cargo ship had taken the same route again.

Regardless of Rio Tinto's intentions or whether or not there was a warship escort, Hai Dazhao did not hesitate. He immediately gathered his men, boarded the rented yacht, and headed straight for the Xingye. Hai Dazhao himself waited in Manila for another half a day.

Wang Yaotang previously purchased a Gazelle 342J general-purpose civilian helicopter from France, removed its anti-tank missile racks, radar, and fire control system, while retaining its basic bulletproof capabilities, crash-proof fuel tanks, and design, and added a dual-channel autopilot and digital navigation system, specifically for use in the Xingye's maritime reconnaissance operations.

……

It was the same old spot. Rio Tinto, or rather Dynacon, truly loves this place. The little antelope helicopter patrolling the air quickly spotted the huge dry bulk carrier. After reporting the situation, the helicopter immediately climbed to an altitude of 1,000 meters and headed towards it from the side. After circling around 5 kilometers away, it immediately spotted two small boats hidden not far from the side of the carrier.

It goes without saying that it's Rio Tinto's support force.

Warships are generally equipped with anti-aircraft firepower, so helicopters wouldn't dare to approach and attack them, but they would certainly dare to take photos from a distance.

After reconnaissance, the Xingye quickly returned to port and soon confirmed the information of the two escort warships.

Two Australian attack-class patrol boats and one Indonesian Patimura-class frigate.

"Just as the intelligence the boss received, only the numbers are a bit larger." Hai Dazhao appeared quite relaxed. "So, how are you going to fight?"

"We need to be strategic," Captain Huang Jianshe said in a deep voice.

"So they can fight? I see their firepower is very strong, three against two, and their displacement, number of artillery pieces, and caliber are all superior to ours. Hmm, the advantage lies with the enemy." Hai Dazhao was not in a hurry. With helicopter reconnaissance, the two sides were still more than 100 kilometers apart. With the economical speed of 12 knots for dry bulk carriers, he had enough time to make a choice.

The phrase "the advantage lies with the enemy" made everyone around him laugh.

"These two warships are very old models, otherwise they wouldn't have been decommissioned. Their speed is only 20-22 knots, while ours can reach 32 knots, which is much faster. As for the caliber of the guns, they only matter if they can hit their targets. Besides, warships are not ordinary cargo ships. Decommissioned warships have many problems, and their maintenance cannot compare with that of active-duty ships." As he spoke, Huang Jianshe curled his lip, "Just look at the discipline of the Indonesian Navy, and you'll know that getting them decommissioned..."

"With outdated fire control systems, improper maintenance, worn gun barrels, and hull problems, I seriously doubt their ability to operate at full speed."

"Moreover, the enemy only knew that we had one 0, but in reality we had two!"

"The 0 was designed as part of the strategic transition from 'coastal defense' to 'near-sea defense,' prioritizing speed while maintaining comprehensive capabilities. It was designed to counter the US-built 'Tai' class 1520-ton displacement frigates, with a focus on enhancing firepower and speed. It adopts a 'center-axis symmetrical layout' and is known as a miniature battlecruiser. A few years ago, it directly sank the Annam 'Nur Tau' frigate in the Paracel Islands naval battle, which was also a US-built 1475-ton displacement warship!"

"Our 0 team is specifically designed for small teams to beat big teams!"

"You think you're afraid of some American's grandson?!"

"Hehe, as long as you think it can fight, that's fine." Hai Dazhao said with a smile, "Try to ensure our safety. The boss doesn't care if the warships are damaged. We can just buy new ones. But if yours are damaged, the boss will feel bad."

These words deeply moved Huang Jianshe and the others. Their hometown navy was poor, and everyone was willing to sacrifice themselves to protect the warships.

Hai Dazhao stepped aside, allowing the two captains to decide on the battle plan themselves. Should they rely on their previous experience in the Xisha Islands, using maneuverability to quickly approach and cruise, and then bombard with high firepower density?

Of course, we should also take advantage of the fact that the enemy is unaware that we have two warships and launch an ambush!
The Sea Shark 2 concealed itself near the distant reefs, while the Sea Shark 1 maintained a speed of 25 knots and approached it.

Three hours later, the positions of the boats that were "borrowed" for the first two times were restored.

From the observation post, the dry bulk carrier captain, Drexler, had arranged for two people to observe, and they were the first to spot the small dot on the distant sea.

"Captain, pirates have appeared!"

Upon receiving the message, Drexler jumped up from his chair. "They're really here?"

"Damn it, where are the Rio Tinto escort fleet members? Why didn't they call the police?!"

"I knew I couldn't count on these stupid pigs, descendants of thieves and robbers! These shitty warships are a bunch of useless trash!" Drexler muttered, his face dark as he glanced through his binoculars. "Slow down, turn the rudder, clear the way."

"Immediately take over the escort fleet's trash."

"Are you fucking blind? Where's the radar? And it's supposed to be military-grade? Bullshit! Pirates are all coming up here!" Drexler cursed as soon as the call connected.

Hakeem Olajuwon instinctively tilted his head back, feeling as if spittle would spray out of the receiver. He turned to look at his adjutant, his eyes clear: What kind of job is a radar operator!
The radar on this dilapidated ship is still at the level of the 50s. Due to its own aging and poor maintenance by the Indonesians, its accuracy, detection range, and precision have all been greatly reduced.

"Calm down, calm down, Mr. Drexler. You know we're hiding on the side of your ship. Your ship is too big, blocking a large portion of our radar range. There's nothing we can do about it." Olajuwon quickly changed the subject, trying to smooth things over. "But don't worry, we know pirates' little boats very well. A mere 400-ton displacement is hardly worthy of being called a warship. Rest assured, we'll take care of them quickly and will absolutely not let you get into any danger!"

"That would be for the best!" Drexler was too lazy to listen to the nonsense of the Australian idiots; he would surrender immediately if they lost anyway.

The boss assured me that there would be no danger in surrendering.

Rio Tinto's escort ship immediately accelerated and overtook the cargo ship, followed by the Patimula-class frigate in the center, and the attack patrol boats on both sides, heading straight towards it.

Nearly 20 minutes later, Olajuwon's radar finally detected the approaching enemy.

Olajuwon cursed with a grim expression. The biggest role of the escort fleet was to act as a deterrent. In the past, it was enough to just send it out for a spin and show Rio Tinto its muscles. The purpose was simply to let the naval bandits in Southeast Asian countries know that Rio Tinto was not to be trifled with and that they should not be extorted.

Who would have thought that one day they would actually fight!

Now, Olajuwon is very nervous, his adjutant is very nervous, and all the retired sailors on the warship who have worked hard are very nervous.

As the distance between the two sides rapidly closed on the radar, from 15 kilometers, 12 kilometers, to 10 kilometers, the damned pirate ship showed no sign of slowing down, maintaining a speed of around 25 knots. Olajuwon's forehead was covered in fine beads of sweat.

"Slow down, maintain 13 knots, and order the attack ship to maneuver to the sides."

Modern warships don't need to gain an advantage or use T-shaped formations, but their hit rate will still decrease significantly while maintaining maximum speed.

"Aim the main gun, load armor-piercing rounds, and fire!"

The Merella's 76mm naval guns have a range of up to 15 kilometers and a rate of 30 rounds per minute, but the gun barrels on this warship are half-dead and maintenance is also a problem. It's hard to say where the guns will fly after firing at 15 kilometers.

"boom!"

"boom!"

"boom!"

The shell pierced deep into the sea, creating a wave more than 5 meters high.

"Our ship was hit by the main gun of an enemy warship, with a caliber of 76 mm, at a distance of 7 kilometers and an error of 200 meters."

Listening to the buzz-cut man beside him reporting loudly, Huang Jianshe remained expressionless. Even for a test shot of the school team, this error was a bit too outrageous.

Upon hearing the live report, Olajuwon's face turned ashen, practically dripping with malice. "Hurry up and fucking check the errors!"

Adjusting the parameters and firing again, at the same time, the Sea Shark 1 also changed its sailing angle and speed.

"boom!"

"boom!"

"boom!"

The shell error has decreased slightly, but it still poses little threat.

The Sea Shark 1 did not operate at full speed, maintaining a speed of around 25 knots. In just a few minutes, the distance between the two vessels rapidly closed to within 5 kilometers, and two Australian attack-class patrol boats also surrounded them.
The three warships opened fire simultaneously with one 76mm gun and four 40mm guns, instantly increasing the firepower density. Water columns shot into the sky all around, and Huang Jianshe's expression became serious.

Dangerous! With this level of firepower, it's inevitable that a lucky break will occur!

"Turn to the left, target the enemy's No. 3 attack craft warship for deterrence, aim the main gun at the enemy's main warship, and move it within 3 kilometers to open fire!"

0⑶⒎ It turned, leaving a long white wave on the water. Rio Tinto's attack boats, seeing it coming towards them, were so frightened that they immediately began to flee.

This little thing with a displacement of 90 tons is not even as fast as the enemy. If it gets caught up, it's all over!
With a simple 0⑶⒎ change of attack target, Olajuwon immediately ordered his troops to meet them; as the capital ship, he had to do so.

On the sea, two warships were rapidly approaching each other, forming a T-shape.

"Boom!" "Boom!" "Boom!" "Boom!"

On the 037, the two 57mm twin-mounted naval guns, with a firing rate of 210-240 rounds per minute, suddenly opened fire at full speed, and a dense barrage of shells swept towards the Patimura-class frigate.

The sea surface was blasted into dense columns of water seven or eight meters high, which swept rapidly in an arc towards Rio Tinto's main battleship.

"Boom!" "Boom!" "Boom!" "Boom!"

0⑶⒎ As a new type of warship from the 70s, it was designed to provide close-range concentrated firepower. After being tested in actual combat with the Annamese, it was improved. Professionals are indeed different. Rio Tinto's frigate was hit by more than a dozen armor-piercing shells in an instant, and the bridge and hull were riddled with more than a dozen holes.

Broken hull debris and shells swept through the cabins, causing numerous casualties among the equipment and personnel.

Hakeem Olajuwon swayed a few times, and the damage control officer shouted that he had been shot. Olajuwon was furious, his face turning ashen. "Fire! Fire! Are you all shit-eaters?!"

Despite having a clear 3-on-1 advantage, and with our capital ships displacing far more than theirs, we were hit and damaged first. What a disgrace! What a disgrace!

After firing over 80 shells in a rapid-fire salvo, Huang Jianshe immediately ordered, "Maintain maneuverability, circle around to the left, and chase after that little gunboat!"

Even maintaining a medium speed camouflage, it was still faster than the small boat. After a chase of more than ten minutes, it was about to catch up. The captain of Rio Tinto's small gunboat was so frightened that his face turned red. He had clearly seen the dense firepower just now. If it had hit his ship, how could his 90-ton dilapidated boat have withstood it!

The ship frantically called for help in the channel. There were no cannons at the stern, only two 12.7mm heavy machine guns. At this point, they didn't care about the firepower and opened fire on the 0 pursuing them from behind.

Facing three enemy ships, 0⑶⒎ launched a desperate charge like cavalry. Who says ships can't have momentum?

When those fishing boats, carrying their family genealogies, rammed into enemy ships at full speed, their imposing presence was so overwhelming that every time the enemy was frightened into turning tail and running!

"Aim, 30 rounds, fire!" Huang Jianshe shouted the order. "Sink it!"

Taking advantage of its speed, it circled around and outmaneuvered the other two warships, cutting to the side of the small gunboat. Its two twin-mounted 57mm naval guns fired four shells at a time, firing 140 shells in rapid succession, raining down like a storm!
0⑶⒎ is the best interpretation of the fear of insufficient firepower!

Guided by the water column from the explosion, the trajectory was quickly corrected. Once the Australian 'attack-class patrol boat' was hit, there was no way it could escape. It was instantly subjected to intense firepower. More than 20 armor-piercing shells hit the hull, leaving almost no good spots on one side of the ship and the bridge. They were all in ruins. It was unclear whether the engine or the ammunition depot was hit. The patrol boat, which was billowing thick smoke and mostly overturned, suddenly exploded!

However, the pursuit was too intense, and the 0 was not entirely unscathed. Although the 12.7mm heavy machine gun of the attack boat had little destructive effect, Rio Tinto's frigate was hit by a 76mm main gun, which opened a hole in the bridge of the 0.

Fortunately, it wasn't a critical area, and there were no casualties.

"Turn around and go!" Huang Jianshe shouted, relying on speed and firepower to make a quick break and leave, employing a maritime guerrilla strategy!

0⑶⒎ Keeping the speed down, Rio Tinto's frigates had to go full speed to avoid being left behind. At full speed, the accuracy of the cannons was even worse. From the observation and aiming system to the two-way stabilization system, everything was terrible. The main guns fired continuously, making a loud noise and causing water columns to roll. It was very impressive, but it had no effect at all.

Seeing that 0⑶⒎ had turned and run away.

"Chase them! Chase them!" Hakeem Olajuwon roared. "Those damn Chinese! Their crappy ship sacrificed its armor for speed and firepower, and now it's clearly outmatched. Catch them and take them out!"

With a standard displacement of 1050, its armor protection and maximum range theoretically far exceed those of the 0!

Rio Tinto has spent a lot of money to support them; if something really happens, they can't afford to be unable to step up.

Hakeem Olajuwon refused to believe that his Italian-made warship, with a displacement three times that of the enemy, could lose!

It's just that the other party has temporarily gained a small advantage! (End of Chapter)