Back in 1978, I was admitted to Northwestern Polytechnical University.

Chapter 393 If it dares to threaten us, we'll blow it up!

India, the capital.

"Damn it, using our mushroom bombs to scare people at this time is the stupidest thing to do!" Sarabai looked at the crowd: "So, what are you all thinking? Have you drunk too much Ganges water?"

In 1944, Homi Bhabha persuaded the Tata Group to fund the establishment of the Tata Institute of Basic Physics, marking the beginning of India's research into nuclear weapons. In 1948, India established the Atomic Energy Commission, with Homi Bhabha as its head. He continuously lobbied internationally, and in 1955, India acquired the Apsala nuclear reactor from the United Kingdom, and later the Sirius reactor from Canada.

On the surface, they claim to be using these nuclear reactors for peaceful purposes, but in reality, they are using them to produce plutonium for use in nuclear bombs.

When it comes to mushroom bombs, countless people think of centrifuges.

Centrifugation is mainly used to produce weapons-grade uranium raw materials. In nature, uranium has three isotopes, of which more than 99% are uranium-238. The nucleus of this uranium atom does not easily fission and is not suitable for generating chain reactions.

Uranium-235, which accounts for only 0.7 percent, is the most suitable raw material for fission, so it is necessary to extract uranium-235 from it.

These two are chemically identical, and the only difference in their physical properties is the presence of three neutrons in their atomic nuclei. Separating them is very difficult, and after much research, countless engineers chose centrifugation as their method.

Uranium ore is crushed and filtered to extract uranium, resulting in a yellow powder containing 70% to 90% uranium peroxide. This powder, which has appeared in movies, is called yellowcake.

This substance is poorly soluble in water, but it can react with hydrofluoric acid to produce uranium hexafluoride gas. This gas then enters a high-speed gas centrifuge, where the heavier uranium-238, which has three fewer neutrons, is thrown to the outermost part of the centrifuge, near the shaft. Uranium-235 is more abundant in this area. It is then extracted and further purified in the centrifuge…

Only by operating a large number of centrifuges, like windmills, can enough uranium-235 be extracted.
The specific number is often hundreds or even thousands of units, each over five meters or even more than ten meters tall. They rotate at high speeds of over 100,000 revolutions per minute, consuming a large amount of electricity, and it takes several years to produce enough weapons-grade uranium.

India didn't use this method. They didn't have enough electricity or centrifuges. Centrifuges are a closely guarded secret worldwide; they can only be made domestically. India didn't have the capability to make centrifuges, nor did it have a sufficient power supply.

So they set their sights on another route.

Uranium-238 cannot directly fission, but it can absorb fast neutrons in a reactor to become uranium-239. This substance is unstable and will undergo two decays to become plutonium-239. This plutonium-239 is hidden in a pile of uranium-238. These are two different elements and can be separated by chemical means!

Thus, the fast neutron reactor became a magic furnace that could burn uranium-238 into plutonium-239!

Therefore, in the later stages, no non-nuclear country in the world will obtain fast neutron reactors. If they want to use nuclear reactors, they will all use thermal neutron reactors. Fast neutron reactors are supervised by the International Atomic Energy Agency.

However, it wasn't there in the early days.

Therefore, by introducing fast neutron reactors, India gained the ability to produce plutonium, which they then used to manufacture mushroom bombs.

However, Homi Bhabha died in a plane crash in 1966, and his successor was Sarabaj, who was a key figure in India's nuclear energy research.

He is furious right now!

Even though India detonated the nuclear bomb, it never openly declared that it possessed nuclear weapons. They have always used the slogan of peaceful use of nuclear energy! Homi Bhabha was even repeatedly reprimanded back then.

From Sarabayi's perspective, as scientists, they understand the concerns of nuclear scientists worldwide about nuclear proliferation! They only want the peaceful use of nuclear energy and don't want to see another country possess nuclear weapons!

The scientists who developed nuclear weapons for the United States in the early days often spent the rest of their lives in repentance!
Mrs. Gandhi was also furious at this moment.

"Just because you wanted to show off, you severely damaged our reputation. We publicly declared our intention to form a non-aligned movement, and then we became the villains ourselves? You idiots!"

Politicians actually want to develop nuclear weapons, since they are something that can give them confidence and power, but... they don't dare!

To assert their presence, India rallied a group of followers and launched the Non-Aligned Movement, a significant demonstration of their international influence. And then what? The followers suddenly discovered that their leader had nuclear weapons at home! What will they think? "We agreed to lie low together, why are you suddenly stirring things up?"
I can't manage this group of underlings!

“But they’ve already shot down our Mirage 4000s. Now, not only can we not retaliate, but we can’t even threaten them?” Lafontaine said.

He was the one who leaked the information about using mushroom bombs.

India has a sense of shame. Their newly purchased plane was attacked, so how could they not seek revenge? But looking at their resources, it seems they don't have much left to offer, so... they threatened to "plant mushrooms" in Siam. Little did they expect that so many people in their own country would oppose it.

Lafontaine felt wronged.

"We pose no threat whatsoever; on the contrary, we will only isolate ourselves internationally..."

Before Mrs. Gandhi could finish speaking, someone rushed in.

"Report! American diplomats have arrived and lodged a strong protest against us. If we continue to pursue our nuclear weapons program, we will face sanctions from the entire Western world!"

"See? The United States has already brandished its butcher's knife against us!" Mrs. Gandhi gritted her teeth.

"Don't be afraid. Our relationship with the United States isn't very good to begin with. In the Western world, we have France's support, and our biggest backer is the Soviet Union..."

Before he could finish speaking, someone rushed in: "Report! The Soviet Union has issued a formal ultimatum to us: if we continue to develop nuclear weapons, they will suspend all trade with us!"

"What? The Soviets are actually going to sanction us? They're our good friends! They should know that we're helping the monkeys, helping them!" Lafontaine was stunned.

"Fool! No country wants to see us have mushroom bombs, not even our closest friends!" Indira Gandhi's face darkened.

Siam.

“No country wants to see a new country with nuclear weapons emerge. Some countries don’t want others to have them, and those that don’t want one to suddenly have one,” Qin Liang said. “Therefore, India’s initiative to announce that they have nuclear weapons will only be met with opposition from the whole world.”

"And then?" Gandhara asked with a serious expression.

"Then, there will be the threat of force," Qin Liang said. "Especially the US Navy. To demonstrate their military power, they will definitely send a carrier strike group there soon, and that will be the best time for us to act!"

Gandara took a deep breath: "Use our twin-engine Q6 to sneak over, blow up their reactor, and then blame it on the Americans?"

Qin Liang nodded: "That's right! The South Asian subcontinent absolutely cannot have a country that casually carries around mushroom bombs! They are a threat now, but if pushed too far, they might really take action! For you, they are the biggest threat!"

Gandalak felt his heart pounding violently.

This plan is insane!
For a long time, Siam’s defense policy has been self-defense-oriented. They rarely have the idea of ​​launching an attack, let alone bombing India’s nuclear reactor!
and many more!

"Our fighter jets probably don't have enough range!"

Indian fighter jets could only barely reach Siamese air bases for bombing by taking off from the eastern part of their country, while Siamese warplanes could only reach the eastern part of India at most. India's nuclear reactors, located in the west, are too far away for twin Q-6 bombers to reach. India's nuclear weapons research institution, the Trumbe Atomic Energy Research Institute, is located in Trumbe, near Mumbai. This institution is similar in status to the Alamos National Laboratory in the United States. Later, it was renamed the Bhabha Atomic Energy Research Center in honor of Homi Bhabha.

After India acquired the 1-megawatt Apsala nuclear reactor, it was installed in this research institute. Similarly, the reactor later imported from Canada was also installed in this institute.

These experimental reactors can also produce weapons-grade plutonium, but in very small quantities. Even the latter only has a power output of 4 megawatts.

Therefore, in 1977, India decided to build an even larger Drewa reactor, increasing its power to 100 megawatts! It can be said that this was the first nuclear reactor designed and built by India itself. After it went into operation, it began to provide India with a large amount of weapons-grade plutonium. This reactor was officially completed in 85, and afterwards... it became India's main production base for weapons-grade plutonium.

In the late 1990s, India's new leadership came to power and decided to cross the nuclear threshold, detonating multiple nuclear bombs, the nuclear materials of which were produced in this Drewa reactor.

And this reactor is also located in this research institute!
To destroy India's nuclear base, you would need to fly to western India!
Even if you fly directly over Indian airspace, the straight-line distance is more than 2,000 kilometers one way. If you go around from the south of the peninsula, the one-way distance will exceed 4,000 kilometers!
A round trip of 8,000 kilometers—only strategic bombers can fly that far. If we had the H-6 bomber from the East, it would be possible, but… if the H-6 went up there, we would be exposed, and we wouldn’t be able to shift the blame to the US Navy!
This journey is truly long!

"That's right, the Siamese Air Force doesn't have that capability, so the Indians won't suspect Siam. We'll also spread the word worldwide that the Homi-Baba air disaster was orchestrated by the CIA. Back then, it was to prevent the Indians from acquiring nuclear weapons, and now, it's the same thing! Only the methods will be more violent, but... it's necessary!"

“Alright.” Gandara nodded. “As long as it doesn’t involve us, we’ll do it. However… we’ve never flown that far before, so this will require careful planning!”

Qin Liang nodded: "Yes, we must plan carefully. First, we need to increase the range of our twin-engine Q-6. So, we will remove the engines from our existing twin-engine Q-6 and replace them with fuel-efficient engines..."

During the design phase, the dual-engine Q6 had two engine options.

The WP-15 turbojet engine has sufficient power, even enabling the twin-engine Q-6 to achieve supersonic cruise capability. However, this type of engine consumes a lot of fuel, so its range cannot be increased.

The other option is the Spey. Although it lacks power and is sluggish at high altitudes, it's fuel-efficient!
"After the engine is replaced, with the payload of two external fuel tanks and four bombs for an attack mission, the range can reach about 3,000 kilometers. On the way there, only one aerial refueling is needed. After dropping the bombs, it can fly about 1,000 kilometers to reach an absolutely safe airspace, and then refuel once more, which is enough to return."

Qin Liang began to calculate.

The engine was changed, and the range increased dramatically. That's amazing! You know, the original Tomcat, the one with the TF30 engine, had a ferry range of only 3,200 kilometers, and at that time it only carried auxiliary fuel tanks and no bombs.

With the bombs attached, the weight and drag increased, yet the range was still 3,000 kilometers, which is quite impressive!
"The bombs also need to be redesigned. We can't use the bombs produced in the East; we should use the American standard bombs you already have. We'll modify them with satellite navigation kits. Oh, and it would be best to have another original one, and it has to be the kind with a malfunctioning fuse that prevents it from detonating. If you have an American laser seeker, you can install that..."

This is obviously to preserve evidence. By doing this, we can clean up Siam's mess!
As for the Americans' reaction... well, the Americans wouldn't want to see India have mushroom bombs anyway. They weren't asked to do anything, they were just asked to take the blame, so they should be able to accept it.

So what if they've already taken it? What can the Indians do? Take vicious revenge on the US? They don't have the guts!
"Also, this project must be kept secret, and the most reliable people must be chosen to operate it..."

Gandhart nodded: "Understood!"

If this matter is exposed, it will be absolutely disastrous for them! India dares not retaliate against the United States, but it will definitely go all out against Siam!
If we're talking about absolute reliability, then it has to be members of the royal family? This time, Maha definitely counts as one, and then another group is selected from those associated with the royal family. Ordinary people... no matter how reliable they are, they could still be bribed with a lot of money.

And there is...

"President Qin, could we invite a few consultants to participate in the mission?"

"Of course not." Qin Liang shook his head decisively.

Gandal was a little embarrassed. "Mr. Qin, isn't your refusal a bit too abrupt?"

“Those who carry out the mission must be your people. You cannot hire advisors. However… if those people are included in your military organization and become your people, then there will be no problem.”

Gandhart immediately understood: "Yes, I understand!"

When Qin Liang walked out of the conference room, it was already dark outside.

Yang Duo'er accompanied him on the way to their residence.

"Brother Liangzi, isn't there a deeper purpose behind your plan?"

Qin Liang smiled and said, "Actually, it's nothing. The most important thing is to break the Indians' backs so they won't be jumping around all day."

Mushroom bombs are something that can make us stand tall, so we need to have them, and the Indians can't have them.

India is bizarre. Even though most of the country is poor, they always try to compare themselves to us. They want everything we have. Even though many rural areas don't even have electricity, they claim to be surpassing Southeast Asia.

In his later life, Qin Liang once visited the capital of India. He took a taxi, a brand-new Toyota, and the taxi driver, who was so arrogant that his head was practically pointing to the sky, started talking non-stop when he heard that Qin Liang was from the East. He said that he could earn XXX rupees a month by driving a taxi, which was equivalent to more than 1,000 yuan.

Then, he proudly asked Qin Liang, "How much do taxi drivers in your Eastern capital earn in a month?"
Qin Liang thought for a moment: "Ten thousand."

Needless to say, the good old days of ride-hailing services when they first came out and people took advantage of the platform's incentives are over. Even after things returned to normal, it was still quite normal for Didi drivers to earn 10,000 to 20,000 yuan a month if they were willing to put in the effort. After deducting various costs, they could still take home around 10,000 yuan.

If he could get a Beijing license plate within the Second Ring Road, his income would be even higher.

The Indian taxi driver was frustrated and didn't say another word after that.

The Indians on the border are always causing trouble for us. Just because there are raging fires and they can carry mushroom bombs, they think they can stand up straight and talk back to us!

Now, let's blow up their entire nuclear base! If we do that, they won't be able to produce nuclear materials for ten years. Besides, there are bound to be many experts inside. If they die, there will be a talent gap, which would be even better.

Moreover, we are a civilized and righteous army, so we certainly cannot take action. It is perfectly reasonable for Siam, which is under threat, to take action!
"What if the Siamese don't agree?"

“If they won’t do it, there are others who are willing to, like Lang Tuo. Give them ten twin-engine Q-6 helicopters for free and see if they’ll be willing to deploy them.”

In short, India's nuclear base must be destroyed!
The Prime Minister's Office, the capital of Siam.

"This plan is very bold!"

“Yes, it is a bit daring, but we have no other choice. After all, the Indians are threatening us with mushroom bombs. As long as we don’t eliminate this threat, they will continue to use it to threaten us!” Gandhara insisted.

"Yes, we Siam should not suffer such insults. Now, it is time to nip the threat in the bud!"

Even if we know it's just a bluff, the Siamese are genuinely disgusted by their wielding of the nuclear weapon. First, there were Mirage 4000s launching cross-border airstrikes, and now they're wielding the nuclear weapon. Do they really think we Siamese are easy to bully?
Let me show you what I'm made of!

Of course, there are successful experiences to draw upon. In 81, the Davids succeeded in doing it this way. Now, Siam can certainly try it once more. And, most importantly, they have already found a scapegoat in advance!
(End of this chapter)