What the hell is a private enterprise?

Chapter 216 Submarine Propeller Outsourcing (4000 monthly votes in March)

While the Navy was testing the waters at Hanover, a high-ranking Foreign Ministry official, along with Tomohiro Uchimura, who was visiting the warship, was urgently summoned back to Japan for a duty report.

After a thorough investigation, the Cabinet confirmed that the Maritime Self-Defense Force was not involved in the Gulf of Aden naval battle, and it was even impossible for it to be a reappearance of ships from the old Combined Fleet.

Because the Akizuki-class is a large destroyer, the construction and disappearance of each one are recorded. Whether it was sunk or used as compensation, everything is traceable, so there is no possibility of old ships being refurbished.

However, Japan has built too many destroyers, and there are many with similar hull structures, so it is not difficult to copy them.

In contrast, the mysterious appearances of "Colbert" and "Captain Robert" are the ones that are problematic.

Although the Château de la Colbert, docked in the port of Bordeaux, is not very popular (local residents think it spoils the beautiful scenery?), at least it is guarded by staff, and there is video footage proving that it was indeed there when the incident occurred, and there were even tourists present!
The Colbert can be considered France's modern cruiser, and only one was ever built. The appearance of a second one would mean a serious leak of secrets.

It wasn't just a leak of ordinary parameters and key components; it was a leak of the entire ship, including almost all design data and production data left over from shipbuilding.

Could it be a misunderstanding?

The predecessor of HMS Colbert was actually the cruiser HMS De Grasse from the 40s. HMS Colbert was its second ship, but it was almost a completely new design. However, HMS De Grasse was dismantled into parts in 1972.

Therefore, the most likely scenario is that the De Grasse was not dismantled, or only "dismantled" but not "destroyed," and was smuggled out of the country for reassembly and launch.

Regardless, the people of the Philippines did not believe in the so-called "joint fleet pursuit theory" or "time travel theory".

There is also supplementary evidence, namely the so-called "oxygen torpedo." Although the torpedo launched by the Akizuki appears to be Type 93, video footage and crew records show that the speed reached over 60 knots, which is not a technology from World War II.

For this reason, they chose to conduct their own investigation at breakneck speed.

However, the four warships from the three kingdoms that participated in the battle were commended. Their main commanders were praised for their composure in the face of danger and their bravery, which greatly enhanced their seniority.

As for the specific reasons and objectives of the naval battle, setting aside the illogical "crossing theory," from a profit-seeking perspective, the international community generally believes that it was a conspiracy against the Suez Canal, which failed for various reasons.

All of Europe and the United States focused their attention on the Gulf of Aden, declaring that they would organize a larger fleet to conduct regular patrols and salvage operations, as well as to find out who was behind it.

France was eager to expose internal corruption, while Britain commended its naval personnel. The US, naturally, intervened in the Gulf of Aden. Only Japan, bewildered, apologized twice, only to find that it had nothing to do with them.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs personnel responsible for the blunder were immediately dismissed, and along with the personnel changes, the previously strained relationship, which had been eased by the Yamato battleship, also changed.

……

"Terminated? What do you mean by terminated? We've already paid a $500 million deposit, and some of the equipment has already been delivered!"

Despite being in the icy wilderness of Murmansk, Lao Zhang couldn't suppress his anger.

With Tomohiro Uchimura's return to Japan, FANUC, the company that secretly helped Shenyang Machine Tool Group import the Dongzhi MPB112C machine tool, said that it could no longer continue this business.

Since most of the parts have already been handed over, and the total value exceeds the $500 million deposit, the deposit is non-refundable.

This move left both the Navy and Shenyang Aircraft Corporation dumbfounded. The MPB112C introduced this time was an upgraded version of the MPB110S that had been sold to the Big Brother, and it used more advanced control technology, so they accepted the inflated price.

But even if there are internal changes, why are they not even going to complete the transactions that are about to be finished?

However, no matter how his own personnel negotiated, Tomohiro Uchimura always replied with "private matters," indicating that the countermeasures headquarters was about to be disbanded and could no longer provide support.

In reality, Tomohiro Uchimura had his own unspoken difficulties. Everyone knew the market potential of the University of Tokyo, and they were unwilling to give up this lucrative opportunity. However, the countermeasures headquarters' plans and the organization of experts and scholars to visit the 001 battleship aroused the father's vigilance, and the fragile connection was about to be severed.

Not only should contact in sensitive areas be severed as soon as possible, but the currently harmonious atmosphere may also soon be reversed.

This unexpected turn of events caught the Navy off guard, especially the forced termination of the machine tool import. Dongzhi was afraid of triggering another investigation and was unwilling to ship the machine tools.

Shenyang Aircraft Corporation gave the following reply:

The delivered parts include most of the machine tool's overall structure. Shenyang Machine Tool Group (SMTG) can complete the remaining mechanical parts and ensure their performance, but the electrical control system is also missing. Without the manufacturer's guidance, SMTG cannot guarantee that it can complete the installation and commissioning.

With the infinite silent propeller in hand, ready to take flight, the Navy was furious but helpless. They could only drag out their notebooks and at least complete the transaction first.

……

"A submarine? I don't actually have one you're looking for."

Tang Wen admired Lao Zhang's imagination. Last time, he mentioned using submarines to smuggle equipment, and now he's asking if Tang Wen has any decent submarines.

of course not.

Even the most overpowered shipyard submarines are vastly different from real nuclear submarines.

As for the propeller, I don't know about advanced submarines, but the Sperm Whale of VI... and so on.

Tang Wen came to his senses and suddenly realized that what limited the quietness of the submarine's propeller was the manufacturing capability, and the shipyard's manufacturing process was absolutely top-notch.

Old Zhang, who didn't receive a reply, wasn't disappointed. If Gai Jin possessed a nuclear submarine, he would suspect that they were one of the other four great philanthropists behind him, as this was a technology that the general public could never possibly possess.

But at that moment, Tang Wen suddenly said:

"However, we have a very advanced processing plant in Southeast Asia. It is a sensitive equipment that was secretly imported. Its processing capabilities are top-notch. We can even try to produce seven-bladed or nine-bladed large-angle propellers."

"If you can provide the data, I'll manufacture the main shaft and propeller, and then ship them over via submarine."

Old Zhang's subconscious reaction was no.

The design of a nuclear submarine's propeller is a closely guarded secret, and the dimensions of the main shaft can be used to infer the output power and internal layout. This is a true national strategic asset, and its secrets cannot be leaked.

But... what Tang Wen said is very likely true. The ability to quickly manufacture battleships suggests that the processing capabilities are not lacking, which may indeed be true.

"Can't we move the equipment to China? We're willing to pay double or even triple the price, and we can also negotiate other preferential treatment."

Old Zhang wouldn't give up.

Compared to the development costs of nuclear submarines, how much does it cost to purchase machine tools?
Tang Wen: "As you know, it's very troublesome to relocate this kind of precision equipment, and it requires guidance from the manufacturer's technical personnel. There's only one of these in Southeast Asia, so it's very difficult to send it out."

"..."

"This requires internal discussion. Wait for my message."

(End of this chapter)