Military career: Starting with a recruitment letter

Chapter 282 The Strongest Aid: This Battalion is Living on a Tight Budget

The demonstration camps are special because they are affiliated with a new information technology system.

In the past, when the Blue Army camp conducted experiments, at least they had some information technology equipment, such as radar, cross-linked satellite positioning systems, and drones for auxiliary combat.

Now that it has been officially established, its equipment is more than a generation behind.

Currently, the only new equipment the entire battalion can boast about is the Type 95 rifle.

As for the Type 92 infantry fighting vehicle, there is only one; the rest are Type 89, which is an upgraded version of the Type 63 and is nothing new.

The Type 98 main battle tank is more for show than practical use. It was only allowed to test its performance, and it couldn't even fire a single shot before it was approved for use.

Equivalent to chicken ribs.

This phone call from the General Armament Department effectively granted the demonstration battalion its true identity.

Chen Mo rubbed his hands together excitedly, and even when he put his hands on his hips, his fingers were unconsciously twitching, unable to hide the excitement in his heart.

After all this trouble.

They're finally getting serious.

"Um, do the other officers know about the General Armaments Department's news?" Chen Mo asked Wang Jianyong.

"Everyone's waiting in the conference room. You're the last one to find out, no, you and Liu Ying are both the last to know."

Wang Jianyong just kept scratching his head and grinning foolishly; how could he not be happy?

The arrival of new equipment will also completely change the way the reconnaissance company previously conducted armed reconnaissance, as they will take over new equipment such as drones and radar.

Establish a reconnaissance company for the information age.

As a veteran reconnaissance soldier, he felt no less joy at seeing his company's current state than Liu Hongyun did when he saw the new main battle tank.

"Go get busy, scholar. What are you standing there for? The whole camp is waiting for your opinion."

Liu Hongyun smiled and waved the notebook in his hand.

Chen Mo didn't linger. He tugged at his military uniform, straightened his collar, and quickly left.

Wang Jian was so caught up in the chaos that he had to jog after him.

The two returned to the conference room on the East Campus.

Push door.

Hey!
A wave of heat hit my face.

Surprisingly, everyone was there. The huge conference room was almost full of people, even the cadres who don't usually hold any positions came to join in the fun.

They saw the battalion commander come in.

Some of the key officers in the camp have basically returned to normal, and they are all sitting up straight, looking quite mature.

The joy that shone through his eyes was impossible to conceal.

The crowd gathered at the entrance made way, eagerly watching the battalion commander enter.

Seeing this, Chen Mo smiled and strode towards the conference table: "Don't hold back, everyone. If you want to laugh, just grin."

Bang bang bang.
next moment.

The applause was thunderous, almost lifting the roof off, and was even mixed with whistles.

This doesn't look like a meeting at all.

Chen Mo experienced tinnitus from the static vibrations, but at the same time, he felt a surge of heat.

The demonstration battalion had no official designation. Although their gathering carried a heavy responsibility, we also had to consider the feelings of the soldiers and officers.

There were no unit numbers, and all the positions were fake. Whether it was a company commander, battalion commander, platoon leader, or political instructor, none of them were included in the personal files, and the military region had no record of them.

Once dismissed.

All plans and expectations will vanish in an instant.

Now, a phone call from the General Armaments Department has put everyone's minds at ease.

Chen Mo sat in his seat until everyone's emotions had calmed down before he sat up straight and glanced at all the cadres.

"Since everyone is here today, there are two main points for the meeting."

"I didn't pay much attention to the basic training, as it was overseen by Liu Ying and supervised by the General Staff. I glanced at the training report, and the first phase of the exploration went quite well."

"The officers are new officers, but the soldiers are all veterans. It can be said that the soldiers are the ones who have carried the entire situation through basic training."

"The equipment from the General Armament Department has arrived. I don't know exactly what it includes yet, but there's no doubt that our upcoming training tasks will be heavier and more challenging."

"To put it simply, we need to combine the characteristics of foreign militaries with the characteristics of our own military to build an information-based system in the future, focusing on three points."

Wow!
A sound of flipping through a notebook came from behind.

Chen Mo also took out his notebook: "First point, the main combat company and the detachment should be built independently."

"You've all been reading these manuals lately, and I'm sure everyone has their own insights. We'll explore these topics in more depth later, but here's a reminder for you all."

"Secondly, the use of combat platforms needs to be strengthened."

"After the new equipment arrives, the electronic warfare unit and the reconnaissance company will be temporarily grouped together. Lao Wang, Lao Hou, you two coordinate."

"Yes!"

Wang Jianbin and Hou Zhanye quickly stood up to respond.

Chen Mo nodded, gesturing for the two to sit down. He then closed his notebook and leaned back in his chair: "Thirdly, looking ahead twenty years, we plan to create the world's number one army."

The cadres who were taking notes all paled when they heard the third point.

Twenty years from now, the world's number one army?

All eyes were on Chen Mo; this was a very big topic.

Any cadre who understands the current situation has already seen the cruel and ruthless gap in the Gulf War.

Can it really return to its peak in just twenty years?
Chen Mo calmly accepted everyone's gazes without offering any explanation, and simply continued, "Our field army was the pinnacle of light infantry fifty years ago."

"No matter what the situation was, first place is first place. There's nothing wrong with acknowledging your weaknesses and recognizing your strengths."

"During the process of mechanization, the military made way for the economy and progressed more slowly, but that doesn't mean we lack the ability to return to the top."

"The process of informatization is an opportunity to overtake others by taking a shortcut."

That concludes the meeting.

All the cadres present had put down their notebooks and were listening quietly.

It's somewhat laughable for a battalion-level unit to talk about ten- or twenty-year plans.

However, there were many young cadres present, and they were not lacking in this drive.

Chen Mo only paused slightly.

Then continue.

"The Academy of Military Sciences and the School of Computer Science of Tsinghua and Peking Universities have jointly launched a project. Our battalion will then carry out joint construction and cooperation to jointly develop auxiliary combat equipment."

"Simply put, it is a personal aid that incorporates data from simulated warfare, including urban warfare, field warfare, mobile warfare, beach landings, and positional defense, and uses diverse military modeling and various mathematical formulas."

"These things can maximize the efficiency of individual soldier combat execution."

Chen Mo's points left most of the cadres present completely bewildered.

What kind of diversified military modeling and individual soldier assistance using multiple mathematical formulas?

What do you mean!
What, are you going to handcraft an atomic bomb?

Chen Mo didn't offer much explanation for everyone's reaction. At this point, it was difficult for field officers to comprehend what society would be like twenty years from now.

Those kinds of robotic dogs, intelligent AI, cloud computing, and big data are products that could only emerge during the period of the Internet industrial revolution.

It cannot be understood through imagination alone.

Of course, Chen Mo didn't expect them to understand that the unknown is what fuels the desire to explore; what's the point of development if you can see the end from the beginning?

"Quiet down for a moment." Chen Mo raised his hand and tapped the conference table: "Gentlemen, let me remind you."

"If you still don't understand, then you can try to understand what I just said using the concept of Yustun."

"The UsAegis system manages the number of aircraft carrier fleets, up to dozens of large surface ships, and can simultaneously allocate hundreds of technical weapons to strike according to battlefield objectives."

"The same principle applies to individual soldier intelligent assistance. By combining satellite networks and air-to-ground reconnaissance, it can quickly assess and analyze the battlefield situation and assist commanders and soldiers in combat based on combat type data."

"These things cannot be accomplished by manpower alone, but the combination of manpower and technology will be the mainstream of future informatization."

"So, comrades, we still have a long way to go, but don't be afraid. I believe that your opportunities and rewards will come in the future."

The officers understood this explanation.

Aside from being somewhat unbelievable, all that's left is anticipation.

After all, they figured that if such words came from the battalion commander's mouth, even if it was unreliable, at least the higher-ups were planning in that direction, right?

Otherwise, how did the battalion commander know these things?

Even if an ordinary person tried to make it up, they couldn't.

Moreover, among the cadres present were top computer science graduates from Xiangjian, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and the National University of Defense Technology.

None of these people questioned it.

They have no right to question it.

Seeing that the future plans were almost finished, Chen Mo stood up and clapped his hands: "Alright, everyone stop crowding here. With so many people, the air isn't circulating."

"Our demonstration battalion has only one purpose, which everyone should remember: to develop an information-integrated combat system, safeguard the prosperous era, and dedicate ourselves to the future."

"As long as you work hard in the future, you will definitely have a place here. How you choose to leave is up to you."

"Is it clear?"

"clear!!"

Everyone responded in unison.

Chen Mo's words were very persuasive, especially since they had just mobilized the enthusiasm of all the officers in the battalion.

Everyone is working hard for the bottom-ranking elimination system; nobody wants to be last.

With the advent of information technology equipment, this presents a great opportunity.

It's important to understand that once a field officer is promoted to captain, further advancement requires going through a brutal selection process.

Ability and timing are both indispensable and complementary.

In many cases, timing is even more important than the former.

To give a simple example, when motorization was transitioning to mechanization, a single order led to the systematic disbandment of 500,000 troops.

Who dares to say that there aren't any exceptionally outstanding officers among these 500,000 troops?
Of course there are, and in fact, most of them exist.

However, in order to advance the times, one has no choice but to take off the uniform and leave the military. This is the relationship between the grand historical context and individual destiny.

Often, ability seems powerless in the face of opportunity.

But they are quite the opposite.

We are riding the wave of the times.

From an official standpoint, the arrival of information technology equipment has completely reassured everyone, allowing them to forge ahead without fear of obstacles and focus on training and preparation for war. There is nothing to worry about now.

On a personal level, the bottom-ranking elimination system gave them the opportunity to take control of their own destiny, and all officers in the battalion were essentially put on a fast track to advancement.

Even if it's terrible, how bad can it get when you're riding the wave?
There's a saying that goes something like this: only by standing at the forefront of the storm can one grasp the rotation of the sun and moon.

The sense of accomplishment and fulfillment are both in it.

For the entire military, nothing is more significant than developing a new combat system.

. . . . . .

End of the meeting.

Near noon.

The demonstration camp received the highest level of welcome ever.

Battalion Commander Chen Mo, along with his political instructor, staff officers, and company officers, were all impeccably dressed in military uniforms and beaming with smiles.

Gazing expectantly into the distance.

Just as Chen Mo was getting anxious, the clerk hurriedly ran over from a distance and whispered a few words in Fang Peijun's ear.

He watched as Lao Fang went from frowning at the beginning to grinning like a dog's tail in the end.

His mouth almost stretched to the back of his tail.

"What's up, Lao Fang? Why are you so happy?"

"Great news, great news!" Fang Peijun was so excited he was almost at a loss for words. He took off his hat and rubbed his scalp several times before saying, "The military region called."

"The support this time is quite substantial. Not only are there tanks, but also a group of students from the 1999 class of Jinling Army Academy have been recalled and assigned to our area."

"Not only that, the Xijing Army Academy, and a unit that the Jincheng Military Region recently planned to cut, have all their personnel sent here."

"Chief of Staff Qin has arrived with his team."

"So fast?"

Chen Mo heard that not only equipment was being transported here, but also the missing personnel were being transported to this location.

He wasn't so happy. Something was definitely amiss. Which leader had pulled some strings?
No, at most one task can be completed; it's impossible to transport both equipment and personnel over.

Moreover, it spans the entire military region.

They extended their reach to Nanjing and Xi'an; this is something that a single military region could not accomplish.

Aside from the intervention of the higher-ups, Chen Mo couldn't think of anyone else with that ability.

This is really not an exaggeration.

It should be noted that the benefits offered by the demonstration camp are already quite good, and it provides a lot of convenience.

Even so, they have been trying to find ways to get things during this time.

As for other units, it goes without saying.

Some military units, especially the People's Armed Police, still mostly use Type 56 semi-automatic rifles. Even if they have Type 81 rifles, the rifles are no younger than the soldiers.

After all, the country is vast, and there are many places where money is needed.

Chen Mo had always wanted good equipment, but he only tried to apply for it and make some noise; he never blamed those above him.

Look at those armed police officers. Even if we don't mention them, their equipment in the air force is also lacking, not to mention the army.

Currently, a large number of J-7 and J-8 fighters are still in service within the Army Aviation Division.

In the first half of the year, the 2nd Air Division of the Northern Air Force suffered a setback when a J-7 training aircraft crashed, and the pilot sacrificed his life to protect the plane. Everyone was in a difficult situation.

Chen Mo just wanted to make a little money here and a little money there, and get the demonstration camp up and running.

Even if the army aviation regiment sent all its best pilots away for training, and the radar regiment reported all its spare equipment for repair, he just wanted to do some publicity and attract the attention of his superiors.

I never imagined that I could replenish both the people and the equipment all at once.

What's going on here?
Why would the authorities suddenly be so generous?
Chen Mo forced himself to analyze quickly.

The instructor's words just now revealed several pieces of information.

First, units that were originally to be laid off in the Jincheng Military Region have suddenly been transferred here, and the Xijing Army Academy has also recalled the cadres assigned in 1999 and is transporting them here.

This likely means that the Jincheng Military Region's information technology demonstration battalion is about to enter the construction process.

second.

With the Nanjing Army Academy also involved, does this mean that the Nanjing Military Region will be the third major military region to respond to the call to establish an informationized battalion?
Such large-scale support must come with conditions from above.

But what are the conditions?

Is the transfer of troops being brought forward?

Are those above eager to see results?
Chen Mo had no clue at the moment.

But at least he knew one thing: many high-ranking officials would definitely be coming today.

We need to be prepared; we can't just stand here like idiots to welcome them.

"Old Chen, Old Chen? What are you thinking about?"

Seeing Chen Mo's uncertain expression and his silence for a long time, Fang Peijun stood beside him and called his name several times.

Chen Mo snapped out of his daze, then quickly waved his hand and turned to look at the group of cadres behind him.

"Xu Zhanqi?"

"To!"

"Qin Xiaojun?"

"To!"

"You two companies, assemble immediately, drive the tanks out of the vehicle and artillery range, remember, drive the ones that look the worst, and go notify Battalion Commander Liu that all the new equipment should be transported back to the battalion and hidden away."

"All Type 95 rifles are put into storage. The Type 56 semi-automatic rifles and Type 81 rifles are issued. Wear the uniforms you've worn in the last few days that haven't been washed. If you don't have any, wet your clothes and roll them on the ground."

"When you see the new equipment coming, you all better watch out. Tell your comrades to only look from a distance and not to come over unless you're told not to."

"Like other companies, remember, you must be most enthusiastic about training, but you must be the most disheveled in appearance."

"Everyone, change into your uniforms! Dismissed, now!"

Chen Mo's sudden order.

All the cadres were completely baffled; why was he acting so unpredictably?

In other units, when they hear that a leader is coming, everyone paves the road with yellow earth and splashes water on the street, afraid that they might not do something right.

The demonstration camp was a mess; they went for the sloppiest possible.

What do you think?
No matter how you think about it, the order has been issued, so just execute it.

However, when Cheng Dong and Fang Peijun were about to go to their dormitory...

Chen Mo unexpectedly stopped them: "You two shouldn't go. If the three of us in the whole camp are dressed so dirty, wouldn't that be too fake?"

"I don't think we need to complain about being poor," Cheng Dong thought for a moment and then asked, expressing his doubts.

The main problem is that Chen Mo's method is too obvious.

Many organizations would use this during holidays, but now, instead of an inspection, the higher-ups are coming to deliver gifts.

If they've already offered assistance, why pretend to be poor?
Fang Peijun, standing to the side, was equally bewildered. Why couldn't they just happily receive the equipment?

Chen Mo did not respond to the question immediately. Instead, he waited until all the nearby cadres had left, then took out a cigarette and offered one to each of them, puffing smoke from his nostrils as he said, "The military parade is coming soon."

"Ok!"

Neither Cheng Dong nor Fang Peijun understood the sudden remark.

Chen Mo didn't expect them to understand, and continued, "The military parade is a major event, and it takes up a lot of the higher-ups' energy."

"Therefore, the development of the demonstration battalion in the early stage was somewhat like a free-range operation, and a military region could not provide for an information-based demonstration battalion."

"I reckon someone made a special trip to Kyoto this time to discuss the camp's development at the conference; otherwise, they wouldn't have brought such strong support."

Now the two understood.

Especially Cheng Dong, he's just straightforward, he doesn't have that many scheming and malicious thoughts in his head.

But after so many years of working at the grassroots level, I still have some insight.

"You mean the development of the demonstration camp was leaked to higher authorities, and there were all sorts of opinions at the meeting, with support leading to conditions?"

"Yes."

Chen Mo sighed: "With so many units in the army, if the demonstration battalion develops slowly, I guess no one will say anything. But if we give so much equipment all at once and cancel units that should be eliminated, we're not worried about the scarcity but about the uneven distribution. In order to withstand the pressure, how can we not make some demands?"

Cheng Dong neither confirmed nor denied.

This thing is obvious; it's right in front of you.

"Then what's the point of all this?"

"If there are requirements from above, will they be lowered just because we seem to work a little harder?"

"It's not that bad," Chen Mo shook his head. "But it's still better than us all grinning and strutting over to greet them, isn't it?"

"Seeing how hard we've been working, it'll make us feel a little better if they give us equipment. Maybe we can be a little gentler when they bite us."

What else can be said after all this has been said?

Cheng Dong and Fang Peijun exchanged a glance and returned to their dormitory in tacit agreement.

I went downstairs not long after.

The two men did not change their military uniforms, but the clothes they wore underneath were changed to loose-knit sweaters. Looking at the neckline, the stitches of those sweaters were almost as worn as woolen trousers.

I have no idea where they got those tattered clothes.

Even their necks were smeared black, making their overall appearance resemble a shiny donkey dung ball.

Even Chen Mo stared wide-eyed.

Be nice!

Having stayed in the demonstration camp for a long time, they all become quite adept at putting on an act. Even he himself didn't expect that it could be done this way.

Chen Mo thought about it and felt that there was really no need for him to make any further adjustments.

It's understandable that he's the only one in the entire battalion who's dressed neatly. But what if everyone in the battalion is dressed sloppily and the commander sees them, and it backfires?
He specifically gave instructions.

The infantry company, tank company, reconnaissance company, engineers, and logistics personnel all began going out for training.

The thumping footsteps, along with the tanks, kicked up clouds of yellow dust as they headed toward the training ground.

About twenty minutes have passed.

The reconnaissance company soldiers on duty at the front finally sent back a message.

A large convoy of tow trucks is heading towards the sergeant academy.

It's unclear how many vehicles there were, but the convoy was very long.

Armed police vehicles led the way, followed by numerous transport trucks.

Upon receiving the notification, Chen Mo immediately led several key officers from the battalion, along with training record sheets, to the assembly point of the reconnaissance company.

Wang Jianbin controlled the vehicle-mounted drone to take off and fly in the direction reported by the scouts.

at first.

Chen Mo thought the soldier's report meant that he couldn't see the rear of the convoy at all, and that there were twenty or thirty tow trucks.

After all, there are no proper roads here, and the ground is rugged and uneven. Twenty or thirty trucks kicking up dust can create the appearance of hundreds of vehicles on a highway.

But when the drone actually took off and observed the ground from a distance, even though Chen Mo was somewhat prepared, he was still startled.

It really does stretch as far as the eye can see.

At a glance, the convoy stretched for at least two or three kilometers, with armed police vehicles escorting it on both flanks.

The camera zooms in.

Wang Jianbin first frowned and stared at the screen, but after seeing it clearly, he immediately pushed up his glasses on the bridge of his nose excitedly: "Wow, Xiucai, we've struck it rich!"

"Look, the tractor unit is equipped with all sorts of special vehicles, including tactical missile vehicles, rocket vehicles, communication vehicles, radar vehicles, infantry fighting vehicles, and engineering cranes."

"Zoom in a bit more."

Upon receiving the order, the officers of the electronic warfare unit continued to adjust their line of sight.

Meanwhile, Wang Jianbin's eyes were practically spitting fire, burning with desire.

"I rely on!"

"JY-50 external radiation source radar? We only have one of those on our missiles, and they sent four this time?"

"Back up, back up, close the distance!!!" Wang Jianbin kept giving instructions.

"What the heck???"

"YLC-2V three-coordinate early warning radar? We have that too! We don't even have one of those, we've only seen the design drawings."

At this moment, Lao Wang, who had always been proud of his whistling arrows, was about to have his confidence shattered.

Chen Mo didn't react much, not because he didn't want to, but because he didn't recognize the thing at all.

He could only read the model numbers of all the new equipment mentioned in the information documents; he didn't know what the actual equipment looked like.

"Is this thing powerful?" Chen Mo asked instinctively.

"It's not just very impressive, it's incredibly impressive!"

Old Wang was holding his military-grade rugged laptop with both hands, his eyes practically glued to the screen.

"Putting everything else aside, just take this YLC-2V model for example. It is an S-band phased array radar with a maximum detection range of 300 kilometers and the ability to track 200 targets at the same time."

"Let me put it this way: if we had this radar, and we went to war with the 188th Division of Xiaocheng, as long as their main force entered within 70 kilometers of our side, they would be within the range of our rocket artillery."

"Then the other side will have no chance of escaping the fire coverage. This radar has reached the international leading level. It is difficult for any electronic jamming to reach it. At least I don't have that level of capability, including the Xiangjian and all special forces. None of them have the capability to jam it."

If it were any other data, Chen Mo would feel like he was completely blind, unable to understand even if he were given an explanation.

But when it comes to the passive phased array system, Chen Mo understands.

Because this type of radar, which became very common in later generations, uses electronic scanning to track multiple targets, its reaction speed is more than three times faster than the mechanical scanning radar of the past.

But the most impressive thing will be the active phased array radar that will be integrated with the BeiDou navigation system in a few years. That thing will have a scanning range of up to 500 kilometers.

Good guy.

At this distance, if it were any farther, the movements of the Qinglong Gorge troops could be monitored directly from the Sergeant Academy.

In this situation, it would be a complete crushing defeat for any troops that are in the third stage of mechanization.

They don't even need tactics; a single move is enough to wipe out an entire enemy regiment's main force.

The premise is that the attack range must be within reach.

"What other equipment is on the vehicle?" Chen Mo's interest was piqued.

"It's hard to see clearly. A lot of equipment has been covered with tarpaulins, and even the outlines have been deliberately propped up."

Wang Jianbin was so anxious that sweat poured down his forehead.

"The rest of the sights are some of the latest RG-P7 man-portable anti-tank missiles. Is this to prevent satellite photography? Why are they covering it with so many tarpaulins?"

Old Wang looked up at the sky and felt something was strange.

Whether he was strange or not was no longer important. The convoy was getting closer and closer, and as the battalion commander, Chen Mo had to go and meet them.

Fang Peijun, as the instructor, and Cheng Dong, as the chief of staff, quickly followed Chen Mo's footsteps and hurried towards the location of the convoy.

Meanwhile, at the front of the convoy, in the lead car...

Political Commissar Liao Hongjun, Chief of Staff Qin Quan'an, and a senior officer from the General Armaments Department were all sitting in the car.

Such a large-scale transport of new weapons must be handled with caution, and three people accompanied the vehicle.

Of course, besides escorting the goods, we also wanted to see how far this Kyoto demonstration camp had progressed.

Originally.

The assembly line staff came along.

For Liao Hongjun and Qin Quan'an, they were guests no matter what.

The purpose of notifying them of the itinerary in advance was to allow the officer academy to make preparations.

Unexpectedly.

Upon seeing the soldiers of the demonstration battalion, I noticed that they were all operating Type 85 tanks, carrying Type 81 rifles, and even more outrageous, some of them were Type 56 semi-automatic rifles.

Forget it.

The equipment in the military region's sealed warehouse used by the demonstration battalion was almost fine.

However, some soldiers' uniforms were so tattered that their buttocks were exposed. Qin Quan'an personally witnessed an infantryman carrying a Type 56 semi-automatic rifle, whose red underpants were completely exposed when he bent over.

Even more extreme, some had ripped trousers that went all the way from the hem to the waistband, fluttering in the wind as they walked—a truly carefree and unrestrained style.

If Qin Quan'an hadn't visited the officer academy before and assured that he hadn't come to the wrong place, he would have really thought he had returned to the militia regiment fifty years ago.

This scene seems so familiar!
"This demonstration camp is living a pretty frugal life."

The head of the General Armaments Department, sitting in the back seat, gave a chuckle and an evaluation.

Liao Hongjun sat in the passenger seat, his face so gloomy it was almost dripping with water, and he didn't say a word.

Qin Quan'an's fists clenched so tightly they cracked; he now wished he could strangle that Chen kid to death right then and there.

Damn it, ever since the demonstration camp was assigned here...

Has this kid ever done anything to make the military region look good?
Thinking about it carefully, it seems there really isn't.

Not even once
They've really brought shame to the military region.

We've already provided the equipment, and you're still jumping up and down and disagreeing?

(End of this chapter)