What the hell is a private enterprise?

Chapter 545 Using Debt to Pay Off Debt

Unlike the Navy, which achieved rocket-like development through the Gadkin Loan, the Air Force and Army are still proceeding step by step.

The J-10 did receive an additional budget due to the demand for carrier-based aircraft, but it only accelerated the process slightly.
China's aviation industry is far from "entering the free kingdom." In the north, the J-8III is still being planned, while in the south, the J-10 has already exhausted its efforts. Carrier-based aircraft are being forced into development and are being chased.

Even if everything goes smoothly, the J-10J prototype will not make its maiden flight before 2000, and small-scale mass production will not begin until at least 2003.

If we were to build a dozen or so prototypes by hand first, it might be faster, but it still wouldn't be earlier than 2002.

After carefully going through the timeline in his mind, Old Zhang exclaimed, "Good heavens!"

A legitimate naval power designs its aircraft carriers around its carrier-based aircraft, building the ships after the aircraft are ready. However, its own supercarrier is facing a situation where it will be without aircraft for at least 3 to 4 years.
Of course, the J-7J is also a carrier-based aircraft, and it will definitely be able to start mass production in 98, catching up with the US Navy's major upgrade. Perhaps because of its small size, the number of carrier-based aircraft could be increased to around 90.

But how can the Kuznetsov, a supercarrier second only to the Imperial Navy, stand up to the fact that it carries a bunch of super MiG-21s, even though it only weighs 6 tons and is superior to the Su-33?

Of course, the Navy had considered this issue a long time ago, but at that time their timeline was:

The design-evaluation shipbuilding time is about 36 to 40 months, sea trials and electromagnetic compatibility testing take 12 months, and the delivery time is after 2002, which is just in time for the J-10J to enter service, and the 891 aircraft carrier will also be in service around the same time.

Later, after Tang Wen demonstrated that he had completed the construction of battleships such as Kongo, Fusang, and New York in three or four months, this timeframe was moved forward to around mid-2001, which was still acceptable.

But now he says he can complete the construction and sea trials in 9 months, which almost pushes the timeline forward by two years!

Even the Essex-class aircraft carriers, which are known for their rapid construction, took the United States, at its peak, 14 to 16 months to complete, and the USS Kitty Hawk took three years to build!

The key point is that Lao Zhang can't question it; the speed of Gaijin Shipyard is proven by facts, so there's no need for him to lie.

The planned schedule was completely disrupted. This was the first time Old Zhang had encountered the bizarre situation of waiting for a plane while waiting for a ship. He stammered, "..."
"Since construction is progressing so quickly, why not postpone it..."

"Cough, cough!"

Tang Wen coughed heavily a few times, then looked at him intently:

"It's just a shortage of planes, no problem. Just tell me which kind you want!"

Old Zhang's face grew even more bitter; that was exactly what he was worried about!
It's one thing to build an aircraft carrier and buy domestic carrier-based aircraft, but at least it improves the technology and allows funds to flow back into the country.

Buying advanced technology from Tang Wen would certainly be a good idea, but first, it would offend the design institutes in both the north and south, and then the countries that produce carrier-based aircraft... Russia in the north, the US on the other side, and the cunning Germans—none of them are easy to deal with.

In the end, they'll still be in debt. The carrier-based aircraft used to equip a supercarrier are definitely not cheaper than the carrier itself!
Since Tang Wen had already said that, he could only go along with it for now and then try to find a way to politely decline. So he deliberately sighed and said:

"The operational objective of a supercarrier is near-shore interception, so it needs to have good performance and long loiter time. There aren't many aircraft that can meet these requirements."

These words almost imply: twin-engine, heavy, what else could be the answer besides the Su-33 and F-14?
According to his plan, if Tang Wen mentioned the F-14, he would refuse on the grounds of damaging relations with the Empire, since the economy was the bigger picture.

If it's the Su-33, we can say that it's being copied domestically, so there's no need to buy it in advance!
"That must be an F-14!"

Tang Wen's answer perfectly confirmed this, so Lao Zhang used his first excuse to politely decline.

To everyone's surprise, Tang Wen looked at him with a strange expression after hearing this:
"You don't really think the Pacific will remain peaceful and tranquil after we have supersonic aircraft, do you? Do you think the navy can resist setting sail with supersonic aircraft? Once we're at sea, it's like the Seventh Fleet. We'll be lucky if the honeymoon period lasts a year; what are F-14s compared to that?"

Even if the construction of an aircraft carrier can be kept secret, its launch and use cannot be hidden forever. It will definitely be exposed by the end of 98, and then the US will go through several stages of surprise, disbelief, anger, embarrassment and rage, and baring its teeth and claws.

At this point in time, if Company X uses the MDA project to rake in huge sums of money and then lets Shi Juzhu run away with the bucket, the MDA project will collapse, triggering an avalanche-like disintegration of the internet industry.

Meanwhile, many significant events were also occurring in the desert regions and the Mediterranean, greatly irritating the empire.

If an empire doesn't turn on its enemies after so many blows, then it's not an empire at all!
Lao Zhang: "..."

It seems reasonable?

After experiencing the first honeymoon period and the abrupt breakup, people in China are well aware that the second one won't be long either; it's just that most people haven't thought about it or brought it up yet.

And Tang Wen continued to offer temptations:
“不仅F14有、F/A18C、E2C预警机、C2灰狗运输机、EA6B电子战飞机、SH60海鹰直升机、CH53都不是不能商量啊！”

Last time, the Enterprise hangar experienced a series of explosions and fires. To prevent a secondary explosion, the ground crew pushed almost all the aircraft into the sea, turning it into Tang Wen's backup technical reserve.

There were even CH-53 heavy helicopters pushed off amphibious assault ships, so it had everything.

Old Zhang, on the other hand, was startled. This was no longer a matter of leaking secrets; he even suspected that Johnson might be a Gestapo spy.

But then I thought that didn't make sense. If the Gestapo or the South Seas had infiltrated to this extent, how could the Lost Empire still be using such rubbish as gnats?
However, Tang Wen's promises were too tempting. If all the planes on it were equipped, what difference would there be between it and the Empire's own Kitty Hawk?
The past few years are still fresh in our minds: the Type 037 submarine chaser was jokingly called a battleship, and the Type 091 was chased to its doorstep by anti-submarine aircraft. Suddenly, it is going to be on the same level as the Imperial Navy.

If Lao Zhang could make the decision, he would agree to it right now; a mere hundred billion yuan loan is simply not worth mentioning.

"I... this requires careful consideration."

He maintained a facade of hesitation, but Tang Wen, showing concern for him, said:
"Actually, your biggest problem is that you lack money, and you don't dare to borrow too much, right?"

Old Zhang nodded vigorously. If word got out that the Navy was carrying a 100 billion yuan loan on its own, countless people would gossip about it. It was just too unfair.

Tang Wen: "Actually, I know a way to make money, and the risk is very low."

"You can't do anything illegal or disorderly!"

"Of course not, what do you think about issuing bonds?"

"That would just be using debt to pay off more debt, which is definitely not going to work."

Although there have been no instances of credit cards being transferred between each other yet, Lao Zhang keenly sensed the risks involved and decisively shook his head.

However, Tang Wen explained:
"It's not about issuing bonds separately, but rather packaging and transferring the 1000 billion borrowed from Gaijin into other names for issuance, such as converting it into 120 billion US dollars in bonds, and issuing them with foreign exchange as collateral. As for the interest rate... 6.5% for 5 years and 7% for 10 years would be just right."

Old Zhang's eyes widened:
"Gaijin Loan only has a 3% interest rate, why should I take on an extra 3.5% for no reason? Isn't this just asking for trouble?"

(End of this chapter)