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

Chapter 416, Part 052: Progress is fast!

"Just like with the new engine, we'll cover the R&D costs, and we'll share the patent rights once the product is developed. As for the person in charge, let Schroeder take the lead."

Schroeder was in charge of the Spey refit, so it's only natural that he would continue to lead the improvement of RB211!
The British people present looked at each other, somewhat... uneasy. If they were to make improvements here, wouldn't they have to bring over the entire set of technical data for RB211?
However... it was already sent over once when the fan was modified, so this time... it should be fine, right?
“This project needs to be reported to headquarters,” Stanley said.

"Yes, I hope they can expedite things over there, since time is very tight."

"Report, Mr. Stanley, our headquarters has sent a message requesting that we cooperate with the Easterners to complete the upgrade of the 36-megawatt marine gas turbine as soon as possible!" Just then, a British female secretary walked in with a fax.

Qin Liang was also somewhat surprised; this Englishman was even more anxious than he was!

It makes sense. Rolls-Royce is eager to get this project off the ground as soon as possible, since they don't even need to invest in research and development! Once it's developed, they can market it to the United States. The US Marine Corps' amphibious ships are currently still using boilers, so it would be perfect to replace them with these gas turbines!

"Okay, then let's send another batch of people over to strengthen the gas turbine R&D team!"

This project is now settled!

With the power issue resolved and electronic equipment being a strength of Northwestern Polytechnical University, the next step is the hull, and that's where the bidding decision is made!

The meeting room in the shipbuilding industry department was completely silent.

"This project has very high requirements!"

"That's right, the welding error for this crucial compartment cannot exceed 2 millimeters!"

"The installation of this driveshaft is even more outrageous. They had to observe the deformation for half a month to find the optimal installation position. This..."

"We've been building ships for half our lives, and we've never seen such requirements before."

"This is the international standard," Director Sun said. "The international standard is much higher than our domestic standard. If our country's shipbuilding industry wants to align with the world, then we must follow these standards in our construction. If none of our brother units have the capability, then it's up to our Dalian Shipyard!"

Everyone else was stunned for a moment, and then... their hearts were filled with fighting spirit.

"Hmph, if you can do it, so can we!"

"That's right! We're no worse than you!"

Professor Wang glanced at Factory Director Sun with a complicated expression. Was this old factory director deliberately provoking the opponent?

"By the way, Professor Wang, could you give us a heads-up about the planned budget for this warship?" Director Sun asked Professor Wang.

The technical requirements are all met by their Dalian Shipyard; the key is the price!

"One hundred million."

"What? Such a complex ship for only one hundred million US dollars? That's far too little!" Even Director Sun was stunned.

"Yes, Siam's offer was 300 million, right? Now you're only offering 100 million? That's outrageous!"

I don't know who said that, but it represents what everyone is thinking.

Leader Zhou was also a little embarrassed: "Comrades, don't be nervous. Comrade Qin Liang must have his reasons for making this arrangement!"

"The 300 million is divided into three parts. The 100 million for the hull is already the limit. The research and development and production of the gas turbine will require another 100 million. If that's not enough, Northwestern Polytechnical University may have to subsidize it. All the electronic equipment on the aircraft carrier, including various radars, aviation combat command systems, etc., will also cost 100 million. This amount may also not be enough, and Northwestern Polytechnical University may have to subsidize it again."

Professor Wang looked at everyone: "For us, we'd rather lose money than not secure this project, just to pave the way for the future of our domestically built aircraft carrier. After all, whether it's a large or small aircraft carrier, it needs supporting equipment. Moreover, we also plan to develop an electromagnetic catapult project, which will also require a huge investment..."

Northwestern Polytechnical University was prepared to lose money, and the construction of this ship... of course, it was impossible to allocate all 300 million to them!

Everyone was silent.

"After you all go back, do a careful cost accounting. If you all think it's not worth it, then forget it. Northwestern Polytechnical University will acquire a shipyard and build it ourselves. Even if we lose money, we will pave the way for our domestically built aircraft carrier!"

What if no one bids and forces Northwestern Polytechnical University to raise prices? Of course, Northwestern Polytechnical University won't tolerate this bad habit; Northwestern Polytechnical University will handle it itself!

Just as the Eastern shipbuilding industry was facing a choice, India, having received the news, was also buzzing with discussion.

"Hmph, the Easterners want to build an aircraft carrier? This is no ordinary warship; with their level of technology, they simply can't build one!"

"That's right, going into the water could capsize the boat!"

Most people are amused and skeptical, but some are deeply worried.

For a long time, India has been very proud, after all, they were the first country in all of Asia to have an aircraft carrier! They see it as a symbol of a great power, but now... Siam is about to have one too, and it's being built by the East!

"Currently, our navy's aircraft carriers are outdated and it's time for them to be replaced," said Admiral Oscar Stanley Dawson, the navy's chief of staff, with a serious expression. "Our aircraft carriers must be modernized!"

In the 1960s, India, with its ambitions of becoming a great power, went to Britain and spent 50 million pounds to purchase a Majestic-class aircraft carrier, HMS Hercules, with a full-load displacement of 20,000 tons. This made India the first country in Asia to possess an aircraft carrier, making it a little hegemon. Moreover, it made great contributions during the Third Indo-Pakistani War.

However, after more than 20 years of weathering the elements, the INS Vikrant aircraft carrier has aged, and the Harrier carrier-based aircraft it carries are also outdated. India needs a modern aircraft carrier!
Actually, the plan for a domestically built aircraft carrier was conceived as early as 79, but given India's procrastinating nature, it was just a plan, a PowerPoint presentation.

Thus, in 1985, Britain retired one of its aircraft carriers, which was bought by India and named HMS Hermes, forming a dual-carrier battle group. However, HMS Vikrant was too old, and in the 1990s, it finally couldn't withstand the strain and was decommissioned.

With only one dilapidated ship left, the Indians were unhappy. Fortunately, the Russians recommended the second-hand aircraft carrier Admiral Gorshkov. So, the Indians bought the carrier at a low price, paid a high price for refitting, and were ripped off three times before finally getting the Vikramaditya, thus transitioning from a light aircraft carrier to a medium-sized aircraft carrier.

Dissatisfied, the Indians started building another ship themselves. After several launches and miraculous voyages, it finally entered service and was named the Vikrant. The Indians were very fond of this name.

Now that the British aircraft carrier has sunk in the Atlantic, the Indian Navy only has one aircraft carrier, which was commissioned twenty years ago and can even be traced back to the war legacy of World War II. They must have a new aircraft carrier!

“Yes, to control the Indian Ocean, we need modern aircraft carriers, but…” Indira Gandhi looked worried: “We simply don’t have the funds to build them right now!”

Indians have a very peculiar way of thinking. They don't even consider whether they have the ability to build it. Their only worry is money!
"Now, the Americans are still pursuing us relentlessly, with three aircraft carriers gathering here. We have no choice but to accept their demand for two billion dollars in compensation." Indira Gandhi said this with mixed feelings.

I don't know which bastard did it, but the Americans are determined to pin the blame on those Indians!

With three aircraft carriers approaching, war seemed imminent. At this critical moment, India had no choice but to back down!

So they're willing to pay two billion US dollars in compensation, an astronomical sum for India in this era! And they haven't defaulted on the final payment for their deal with Dassault... It's safe to say that India is truly broke now!
"Yes, this time the Americans sent three aircraft carriers to force us to pay two billion dollars in compensation. What about next time? What if they come again and demand compensation from us? What will we do then?" General Dawson gritted his teeth. "We must build a powerful navy! Next time the American navy comes, we will meet them head-on! If they want to fight, let them fight. Our Indian navy is not afraid!"

They need to be strong enough to face the world's number one military power, because this humiliating history must not be repeated!
"Therefore, we must have modern aircraft carriers. Moreover, light aircraft carriers are not enough. Our aircraft carriers must have a displacement of at least 40,000 tons and be able to launch conventional carrier-based aircraft! Currently, we are developing our own fighter jets, which can be fully developed into carrier-based aircraft. Only in this way can we have the strength to confront the US carrier strike groups head-on!"

General Dawson considers this coercion by the Americans a lifelong disgrace! Moreover, in history, General Dawson's greatest achievement during his tenure, from taking office in 1982 to stepping down in 1985, was the introduction of the British aircraft carrier HMS Hermes. Although he had already stepped down when it entered service, he was the one who promoted the negotiations and the handover process.

He's a proponent of aircraft carriers!

Now, light aircraft carriers are no longer enough for him; he needs medium-sized aircraft carriers!

The less money we have, the more we need to develop!
Indira Gandhi took a deep breath: "That's right, we must develop aircraft carriers, such powerful naval weapons! Even if we don't have the money now, we must find a way to develop them!"

This humiliation has had a significant impact on her, and may even lead to her resignation! Therefore, there must be projects that can instill pride and confidence in ordinary Indians, and aircraft carriers fit her criteria perfectly!
Develop aircraft carriers! And they have to be domestically built! If the East can produce them, so can the Indians!

Without hesitation, they immediately summoned the shipyard's management to discuss how to research and produce the product.

The sky slowly brightened, and a new day dawned!

The East, Shanghai.

"After repeated calculations, our Dalian Shipyard believes we can break even. Although we may not make a profit, we've accepted the contract to build this aircraft carrier!" Director Sun stood up. "We will definitely maintain strict standards and carefully oversee the process to complete the construction task within the stipulated time!"

Listening to what Director Sun said, Director Hu wanted to stand up several times, saying, "What your Dalian Shipyard can do, our Jiangnan Shipyard can also do!"
but……

He still didn't move.

The requirements are too high. The domestically produced Type 052 destroyers 112 and 113 are currently under construction on their slipway. The requirements are not as high as those for aircraft carriers. They have mobilized all their elite troops there. For them, the most important thing at present is to complete the construction of this brand-new domestically produced destroyer with high quality and quantity.

As for the rest... I really can't worry about that for now.

He then looked at the Huangpu Shipyard. Although they had modified aircraft carriers, they lacked experience in building large aircraft carriers. In addition, the profit margin was not high, so they really dared not make this promise. After all, in the South, the most important thing is profit!
This means it can only be business for the Dalian Shipyard, which also has a shipyard building nuclear submarines and has a lot of experience in processing high-strength steel...

"If no other units have any objections, then this construction work will fall to Dalian Shipyard!" Leader Zhou said. "Sure enough, when faced with a challenge, Dalian Shipyard is the first to step up!"

The others looked a little embarrassed, but in the end, they didn't stand up to bid, after all, the contract had a compensation clause!

"Okay, let's sign the contract then!"

Swish!

Qin Liang, representing Northwestern Polytechnical University, and Director Sun, representing Dalian Shipyard, jointly signed the contract.

After exchanging contracts, Qin Liang said, "Director Sun, in order to ensure the quality and quantity of the construction of this aircraft carrier, Northwestern Polytechnical University has developed some brand-new machines. Let's put them in your factory for trial use first."

Everyone else was stunned. This...

"What kind of machine?" Director Sun also got excited. He knew that Northwestern Polytechnical University would definitely not treat them unfairly!
"The CNC cutting machine can automatically cut steel plates by simply uploading our design drawings, thus saving workers' cutting time."

Being a welder requires a very steady hand; the cutting motion cannot be shaky! Previously, this could only be done by skilled workers, but now, professional CNC cutting machines can guarantee cutting quality and reduce labor costs…

The people from the other two factories stared wide-eyed.

"After cutting, the next step is bending the plate, which is the most time-consuming stage. Therefore, we developed a three-dimensional CNC bending machine. The cut steel plate goes into this bending machine and is formed in one go..."

"With this equipment, production costs can be reduced by 10%, and labor costs can be reduced by 30%!" Director Hu said. "With this equipment, our Jiangnan Shipyard can also take on production tasks!"

"Old Hu, it's too late!" Leader Zhou said with a smile, "Northwestern Polytechnical University is the general contractor. We'd rather lose money ourselves than let other companies lose money. You guys just don't have the guts!"

Qin Liang continued, "After these two steps comes welding. We've also developed a welding robotic arm. Although it can't weld certain parts, it can weld most straight seams and curved seams with a slight degree of curvature..."

"This...this contains at least 30% profit, a profit of 30 million US dollars!" Factory Director Hu was genuinely heartbroken!
What does shipbuilding involve?

Getting steel plates from the steel mill, cutting, rolling, welding... now, these three steps can all be automated! Even if it's only semi-automated, it can greatly improve efficiency and reduce costs!

Reducing costs by 30% means increasing profits by 30%!

"Comrade Qin Liang, our Jiangnan Shipyard also hopes to purchase these equipment!"

"Our Huangpu Shipyard also hopes to make purchases!"

Qin Liang nodded: "Don't worry, everyone. Now that we have developed these devices, we will definitely expand them to all shipbuilding companies. However, they have just been developed and are still in the trial period. So, you will need to wait. Also, we hope you will keep this confidential."

In later generations, the rapid production of warships in the East was based on low costs. In addition to cheap electronic equipment, the advanced processing equipment was also a factor, as most of the work could be automated, which naturally made it very cheap!
Last time, when Qin Liang came to the groundbreaking ceremony for the 112 ship, he saw the steel plates being cut and bent on site and thought of these machines. The principle is not difficult, but the main problem is the creativity. It is easy for outsiders to learn. Now, we must start with building warships, which must be kept highly confidential!
At the scene, Factory Director Sun couldn't stop smiling.

"Comrade Qin Liang, thank you Northwestern Polytechnical University for your support! With this support, we are better able to complete our tasks with high quality and quantity!"

"Yes, our Department of Mechanical Engineering and Department of Electronic Engineering at Northwestern Polytechnical University will also send people to be stationed there permanently. New machines will encounter various problems during use, and we need to be able to carry out emergency repairs at any time." Qin Liang nodded.

Not only did they send out machines, but they also provided technical personnel!

Everyone was envious, but... all they could do was be envious. Who told them not to fight for it back then?
"Comrade Qin Liang, since you're here, how about... we visit our Jiangnan Shipyard? The domestically built destroyer we're currently constructing is progressing smoothly..."

"Okay," Qin Liang nodded.

Director Hu was trying to curry favor, and Qin Liang was also eager to see the progress of these warships, after all, they were the backbone of the Eastern Navy!
Northwestern Polytechnical University not only has aviation, but also aerospace and maritime programs. The navy should also be developed as soon as possible so that the South China Sea issue can be resolved in the 1980s to avoid future troubles.

Professor Wang will continue to liaise with Director Sun and they will also visit the Dalian Shipyard together to lay the groundwork. Once the first batch of construction funds for the Siamese aircraft carrier arrives, construction can officially begin. At that time, the navy will likely also visit to take a look, as this aircraft carrier is something the navy has been eagerly anticipating.

Qin Liang, accompanied by his wife and Factory Director Hu, went to the Jiangnan Shipyard. When they saw the ship already completed on the slipway, Qin Liang was stunned.

"The construction speed is so fast?"

"That's for sure. Our Jiangnan Shipyard has mobilized its most capable workers, working day and night to speed up the process. Unfortunately, we still haven't used the segmented construction method, as we're not ready to use it yet. However, our plan is to weld the superstructure together on the side and then hoist it directly over for connection. This will save a lot of time..."

Sure enough, the concealed bridge next to the slipway was basically complete!

"So that means we'll be able to go into the water very soon?"

"Let's do it next spring."

A reconnaissance satellite flew overhead.

(End of this chapter)