What the hell is a private enterprise?

Chapter 508 Second Trip Abroad

After daybreak, four helicopters began searching for the F117 pilot who had parachuted, based on information provided by the Air Force, and prepared to collect the wreckage.

But Charles was actually quite annoyed because the attack was entirely the Air Force's doing, yet it was well-planned and exploited within the limits of their autonomy.

It seemed fine on the surface, but it made him, a general who should have been coordinating the work and personally going to the front lines, look like a joke.

If it were just about taking credit, that would be one thing, but now he also has to clean up the mess left by the Air Force!

Rescuing a pilot is a minor matter, but the wreckage of the F117 is too important to be collected and transported out before the Hans, which is a big problem for the Marines, who are short of manpower and equipment.

And then... confirm the results?
"How do I confirm? Do you expect me to land on top of an anti-aircraft tower like Sylvester Stallone? Is Wayne's brain made of water?!"

Hunter and William stood to the side, their faces also looking grim.

The overwhelming firepower of the eight anti-aircraft guns last night left them speechless, making them realize that this was a renowned anti-aircraft tower.

The mere mention of its name is enough to deter ground troops; who would want to take on such a monster? Even helicopters are no longer willing to approach the vicinity.

And the results of the battle still need to be confirmed? Those anti-aircraft guns were still firing even after being attacked!

However, Wayne insisted that the anti-aircraft guns might be located on the lower level or in the surrounding area, and that the main body of the bunker had been destroyed, demanding that they confirm the results of the battle.

"Send an RQ2. I think we can see it very clearly now."

Charles nodded slightly after William's suggestion, approving the reconnaissance mission that was a one-way trip.

Three hours later, an RQ2 was spotted 3 kilometers from the anti-aircraft tower. Its 16 cannons opened fire like madmen, creating a box-shaped three-dimensional explosion zone. The drone only had time to take a picture before it crashed.

The remote command center carefully zoomed in on the photos taken at the last moment, and what came into view were rows of upward-pointing gun barrels and the top of the fortress without any signs of damage.

Not to mention it was destroyed, even the shallow crater left by the bomb is nowhere to be seen, and the traces of the explosion are disguised by mottled cement and green plants.

Charles counted the number of anti-aircraft guns and the defenses were breached immediately:

"Was it attacked? I bet not a single bomb hit! Is this what Huai En confidently promised, that all the bombs would hit?! Such a dense array of anti-aircraft guns, and not a single one was destroyed!"

At that very moment, the incredibly unlucky F117 pilot, Kerry, was rescued. Apart from a large gash on his arm, he was unharmed and, upon boarding the helicopter, revealed some astonishing news:

"I was shot down by machine gun fire! I saw the break in the tail section; it couldn't have malfunctioned and broken off. The wing was also damaged; you could definitely tell from the wreckage!"

……

The second major air raid ignited public opinion within 12 hours, spreading across the world at a speed exceeding the previous two.

Unlike the previous two well-known battles, the Lost Empire's actions this time are very puzzling:

There were no particularly valuable objectives, the losses were heavy but the exchange ratio was not good, and there was no clear strategic purpose.

While 100 fighter jets may not be as exaggerated as 300, this number is still astonishing.

Countries around the world are busy trying to find out the reason for the airstrike and the losses on both sides, while local accounts confirm yet another close call by Hans the Superman:
Despite intense anti-aircraft fire, they flew at almost the height of a bus, and none of them crashed due to impact!

Domestic interest is even stronger.

……

Old Zhang strongly suspected that the relationship between Southeast Asia and the lost empire was closer than imagined, and Tang Wen's late-night stay seemed somewhat coincidental. However, more than that, he was concerned about whether he could obtain the key technology for extremely low-altitude penetration through this relationship.

"It can't be sold, it really can't be sold."

Tang Wen helplessly spread his hands at him:
"This request made Hans angry. He said it was a core secret and that it wasn't as simple as you think."

"Can't we think of another way? If we can confirm that it works, we can offer a higher price, and many things are negotiable."

Old Zhang couldn't hide his disappointment, but Tang Wen's attitude was firm, though he offered him some consolation:
"I can only reveal a little bit, but it is very likely related to DNA modification and cloning. You know about Dolly the cloned sheep? Anyway, you can study it too. Who knows, you might find some similar insights in the future?"

Gene editing and cloning... are not considered heretical paths.

"Ok."

Old Zhang could only bring up the Bremerton again. It took a lot of effort in China to find out through various channels and by piecing together clues that the Bremerton and its crew had indeed been missing for a long time and were suspected of being missing. The one Tang Wen had was real.

As for how they shielded the safety devices and convinced the entire crew, that remains unknown, but several months have passed and it has been proven that once they obtained that submarine, there was no longer any need to worry about being exposed.

After finalizing the procedures for the USS Bremerton's entry into the South China Sea next week and the handover process, Old Zhang suddenly remarked:
"Fortunately, we joined the WTO. The higher-ups were worried that the economy would overheat and collapse. Joining the WTO has provided us with a safety net. Next year, the overall military spending can be increased a bit more."

"Want to buy new gear again?"

"No, no, no, the main thing is... to improve the treatment of officers and soldiers."

Old Zhang was a little embarrassed when he got to this point, as this one also came from the Bremerton.

Even the fact that the Empire's main nuclear submarines, which were at the height of their power, could be treated so well and have such strict regulations, led to their defection. This made the supposedly frugal nation uneasy, prompting a decision to significantly improve the treatment of the military, especially special high-value branches, and to issue documents requiring all grassroots units to proactively provide assistance to soldiers facing financial difficulties.

Tang Wen: "..."

This is probably considered unexpected good news?
……

After their conversation, the two arrived at Da Wan, where they encountered Yan Jian, who had a dark expression, and the other staff officers behind him.

Upon seeing them, Yan Jian immediately went up to complain:
"No way, these foreigners in Geijin should at least be at the level of generals, right? How did you manage to lure them here?!"

To add some depth to the storyline, the battle scenes in the promotional video are actually a strategic maneuver between Yan Jian's naval team and Gai Jin's general staff, with many elements added to maintain balance.

However, during this process, the R-class fleet, remotely commanded by the General Staff Headquarters, demonstrated extreme professionalism, at least in terms of simulation, completely overwhelming the M-class staff group that was impersonating the Navy. They barely managed to complete the script's satisfactory ending only by relying on various buffs and the director team's leniency.

Tang Wen simply smiled knowingly at this, and then checked the quality of the unedited sample footage.

It must be said that the effect of shooting on location is unparalleled. Because the production team could shoot every detail without any pressure, they shot several long takes that were over an hour long. It is conceivable that they will once again set a record for shooting war movies on location.

Even before the promotional video was edited, the hype surrounding the Great White Fleet had already been building for almost half a month.
For more than ten days, a bunch of battleships and cruisers engaged in live-fire exchanges off the coast. Countless media outlets paid for their own boats and helicopters to follow and film them, and gave them all sorts of sensational headlines.

Tang Wen was very satisfied with the result, which also meant that the Great White Fleet was about to set sail.

He actually knew that the IAA had some doubts about Geigin's resume and was secretly investigating him, but... who would refuse a young tycoon who was buying up everything in the Empire and who chose to party on a cruise ship for a month during the most tense time?

Last time he brought back McDonnell Douglas, this time his target is electronics.

(End of this chapter)