50s: Starting with a storage ring

Chapter 490 Nuclear Weapon Refurbishment, Aircraft Carrier Waxing, Satellite Dust Removal
my country has purchased four aircraft carriers in its history: the Melbourne, the Minsk, the Kiev, and the Varyag.

The first ship purchased was the Melbourne, which cost $3000 million. When it was purchased, all the equipment on the Melbourne had been removed, leaving only an empty shell.

Even so, the United States sent engineers to monitor the entire dismantling process and did not allow us to repair and use it.

Just when the world was laughing at us, thinking we'd spent $3000 million to buy a pile of scrap metal, an unexpected surprise appeared.

The steam catapults and arresting cables hidden beneath the deck of the HMAS Melbourne were not removed; these are core equipment related to the carrier's aircraft.

With these two things, we have taken a big step forward in aircraft carrier design. We have ready-made samples to disassemble and study, which is much easier than studying from scratch.

That's exactly what we were after. There's a rumor that this is the reason for the astronomical price of $3000 million.

The two parties had already agreed during the previous transaction negotiations that as long as these two items were shipped back, the price would be 30 million. However, both parties later denied this.

Sun Zhiwei believed that the rumors were most likely true.

In the 1980s, when our country was facing a severe foreign exchange shortage, we still spent $30 million to buy a pile of scrap metal. Did we think the decision-makers at the top were all idiots?
When you think others are foolish, first consider whether you yourself are foolish. It's simply a matter of concealing your abilities and biding your time, a case of appearing foolish while possessing great wisdom.

However, Sun Zhiwei still felt that $3000 million was too expensive. This was an aircraft carrier that was about to be scrapped, and the Australian Parliament and Navy couldn't wait to get rid of this jinx.

Retiring an aircraft carrier is not a simple matter. Aircraft carriers contain a large amount of fireproof asbestos, residual oil in fuel pipelines, toxic lubricating oil and other harmful substances.

If an aircraft carrier is abandoned and left at sea, it will quickly pollute a large area of ​​the ocean.

The cost of properly and harmlessly dismantling a conventionally powered aircraft carrier could reach hundreds of millions of dollars.

If it were a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier to be dismantled, the cost would be even more staggering.

In 2013, Newport News Shipbuilding began dismantling the world's first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, the USS Enterprise. The dismantling was expected to take ten years and cost $15.5 billion.

Later, it was said that in order to save money, the deal was packaged and sold to a private company for an expected five-year term, with a contract value of $5.36 million.

But the cost of building the USS Enterprise was only $6.5 million.

Therefore, Sun Zhiwei felt that spending 3000 million to buy the Melbourne was too expensive, and that he should not only not pay them, but should also ask them for the money back.

He used to have another identity, which seems to be coming in handy this time.

Back when he was acquiring damaged aircraft from the USS Nimitz at the Norfolk Naval Base in Newport News, he used the identity of George Wilson, manager of the West Point Recycling Company.

At that time, he even registered the company name "West Point Material Recycling Company".

However, he never used that identity or company again, so he has not filed taxes over the years. Now, it is estimated that the company has been deregistered by the state government.

However, it doesn't matter. The company wasn't registered under his name, so it didn't affect his identity as George Wilson.

If needed, you can register another company with the same name. Starting a company in the United States is very simple; as long as you pay, a lawyer will handle everything for you.

Having clearly assessed the situation on the Melbourne, Sun Zhiwei returned to the car and began his journey back to Canberra.

Because the Australian military and parliamentary government departments are located there, he needs to get them on his side before the deal can proceed smoothly.

The next day, back in downtown Canberra, he checked into a hotel near Parliament House, using the identity of George Wilson.

In his hotel room, he made an overseas call back to New York. He had previously used a young New York lawyer to complete a real estate transaction. He didn't know this young lawyer well, but he had left his phone number, and George Wilson's identity made it possible to use him.

"Quasimodo Brown, the lawyer?"

"Yes, sir, and who are you?"

"My name is George Wilson. I've heard of you from a friend. I have a request here; I wonder if you can handle it?"

"Mr. Wilson, thank you and your friend for your trust in me."

"Also, let me introduce myself. I am an outstanding graduate of UC Berkeley School of Law, and I specialize in all economic legal matters."

"I also have experience in other business areas. Please trust my expertise and your friend's recommendation."

"Berkeley Law School, huh? That's great. You can start taking notes now."

"Please say."

"I need you to register a company for me right away. The company name will be 'West Point Material Recycling Company'. If this name is already taken, you can help me come up with another one, as long as the business type remains the same."

"My requirement is that this commission be completed within three days. Please estimate the cost, and I will transfer it to your account immediately."

“Okay, Mr. Wilson, registering a recycling company is very simple.”

"No, it's not that simple."

"Because the business I will be involved in in the future includes the recycling of decommissioned military equipment, which may require some qualifications. You will need to inquire about the specifics yourself."

"Military equipment? Like weapons and ammunition?"

"Well, I guess you could call it a weapon."

“Mr. Wilson, you need to make your requirements clear, otherwise, you may miss filling in the business scope when registering.”

"Okay, okay, in the future my company may be involved in the recycling and dismantling of large equipment such as tanks, fighter jets, warships, submarines, aircraft carriers, space shuttles, and satellites."

"Attorney Brown, just register according to these guidelines."

Sun Zhiwei didn't think there was anything wrong with writing "satellite" and "space shuttle," even though the first U.S. space shuttle had only just launched this year.

But satellites and space shuttles will eventually be retired. What if he really needs these kinds of jobs in the future? It would be too much trouble to add them to the business scope at the last minute. It's better to list them all at once.

Attorney Quasimodo Brown was a little confused by Sun Zhiwei's words, and he couldn't help but look at the phone in his hand with suspicion.

Poor thing, he's just a junior lawyer who graduated a few years ago. Who on the other end of the phone is this big shot who needs Camilla's help to register such a large company?
"Mr. Wilson, are you sure?"

"What, you can't do it?"

"How could that be? Please trust my professional abilities."

“Mr. Wilson, because your new company may be involved in many sensitive business projects, the costs may be relatively high.”

(End of this chapter)