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

Chapter 493 052 goes underwater, once again sparking a trend in equipment.

He was tall and straight, standing like a pine tree. Although he was nearly seventy years old, he still had the dashing air of a soldier.

His face was sharply defined, bearing the marks of time, yet it could not conceal his sharp eyes. At this moment, he was looking at the warship in front of him, as if he were looking through the warship at the future of the Eastern Navy.

"Old Liu?"

Old Liu turned his head and saw that it was Qin Liang, and immediately smiled.

"Comrade Qin Liang, you've arrived?"

"Ah."

"Our navy's modern warship is finally about to be launched. I really hope it can complete its outfitting and enter service as soon as possible."

"Yes, it will happen soon. This is just the beginning. In the future, we will continue to build a large number of warships of the same type," Qin Liang said. "We will not only patrol our sea borders, but also go abroad and go global."

The world is not peaceful, especially recently, with all sorts of things happening.

Serious incidents have begun to occur in the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Aden, while the economy in the East continues to develop and maritime trade increases, making the East increasingly reliant on maritime transport.

To ensure the safety of maritime transport routes, a strong navy is essential!

Old Liu nodded: "Yes, our navy can no longer be a coastal navy as before. We must develop towards the open ocean. This warship is just the beginning. As long as the sea trials of this warship go smoothly, the navy will directly order five more in the next batch."

With this one added, there are a total of six ships. This way, each fleet can be allocated two ships, which will become the main force of each fleet.

Compared to other naval forces, it is still much weaker, but compared to the past, it is an absolute transformation.

Two ships in one fleet?
Qin Liang nodded in agreement: "Yes, that's right. In addition to the main destroyers, the navy also needs to build a batch of main frigates, with a displacement of around 4,000 tons, which would be just right. The weapons can be simplified a bit... After all, we have a long coastline, and the navy needs not only quality but also quantity."

Four thousand tons, and it's a frigate?

The others present were somewhat moved. Our Type 051 destroyer has a displacement of only about 3,000 tons, and you call a ship with a history of more than 4,000 years a frigate?
Old Liu nodded: "That's right, it's time to build a large number of frigates. Northwestern Polytechnical University should also play a role and complete the design drawings as soon as possible."

"no problem."

This destroyer was designed with the help of Northwestern Polytechnical University, and it has proven to be an excellent design, a complete innovation that no other domestic institution could have designed.

Factory Director Hu hurriedly stepped off the ship's platform.

"Reporting to the leaders, all preparations before launching have been completed!"

"Yes, the rising sun is a good omen, let's hold the launching ceremony. Comrade Qin Liang, would you like to say a few words to us?"

Qin Liang waved his hands repeatedly: "No, no, Mr. Liu, it's your turn to speak."

"Alright, since you're unwilling to speak, how about we let Comrade Yang Duo'er handle the bottle-breaking ceremony later?"

"Oh? My wife didn't come."

"I've already sent someone to invite them."

As they were talking, a car drove up to the dock.

Yang Duo'er, dressed in a formal gown, stepped out of the car, her face flushed, and she exclaimed excitedly, "Old Liu, I promise to complete the mission!"

Standing on the makeshift platform, Mr. Liu was filled with excitement.

"Comrades, the West says that a navy takes a century to build, but our navy has only been around for 36 years. However, thanks to our intelligence, hard work, and the equipment of our navy, we have officially joined the ranks of the world's first-class!"

"The warship behind me is an important symbol of our navy's modernization. Besides the US Navy's Aegis warships, this is our second warship equipped with four phased array radars and a vertical launch system!"

"Once this warship is completed, our navy's air defense problem will be fundamentally solved. Moreover, our navy will have world-class air defense capabilities. Our air defense ships will be able to deal with saturation attacks and ultra-low-altitude sea-skimming attacks!"

In the past, the navy only had anti-aircraft guns, which couldn't defend against anything!
Now, no matter how many missiles come, whether they fly at high altitude or very low altitude, we can intercept them!
Even in the future, it can intercept ballistic missiles!
Many of the features of this warship are more advanced than the American Aegis system!

As he talked about these things, Mr. Liu became more and more excited.

"Back then, the Western powers relied on their superior ships and cannons to tear apart our national defenses. Now, we have the capability..."

Ten minutes, twenty minutes, half an hour.

The sun had already risen, and sweat was seeping from Old Liu's forehead. Only then did he realize he had said too much.

"Alright, that's all for now. Let's begin the bottle-breaking ceremony! Please come up here, Comrade Yang Duo'er!"

Yang Duo'er strode confidently onto the stage, bowed to the people below, and then... pressed the button.

The old-fashioned practice of simply throwing the bottle is outdated. This custom is usually performed by women, as it is an ancient tradition. However, women are not strong enough, and if the bottle doesn't break, it's not a good omen.

and so……

With the advancement of technology, the bottle-throwing ceremony was changed to a button-controlled one. The bottle is hung up and controlled by an electric device. When the button is pressed, the bottle will fall like a pendulum and then hit the bow of the ship.

Snapped!
The bottle broke, and foam splattered everywhere.

The crowd below applauded.

Yang Duo'er came down with a smile and stood next to Qin Liang.

"Brother Liangzi, how did I do?"

"Indeed, Duoduo, you will surely be recorded in the annals of the development of the Eastern Navy."

"Yeah, the first modern warship was launched, but I was the one who threw the bottle!"

Cut the cable!

Conventional ships are launched from the back. There are tracks on the slipway, and after construction, they can be launched by sliding backward. The ships are kept stationary by cables.

Of course, this is the ancient method. The modern method of cutting the rope is also symbolic, involving only a rope as thick as a finger.

The 112 warship was intended to be equipped by the North Sea Fleet, so the leaders of the North Sea Fleet swung an axe and chopped it down in a few strokes.

Dragged by tugboats, the warship, with a displacement of over 6,000 tons, began to slowly reverse, its stern hanging in the air, before finally falling downwards.

Wow!
Water splashes!

Launching ceremony complete!

"Let's go to the outfitting dock!"

The first step in building a ship is welding the hull, which is usually done on a slipway. Slipways are valuable, so once the hull is built and can float, it is launched and towed to an outfitting dock to complete the outfitting work.

If the slipway is not busy, some outfitting work can be done on the slipway, but much of the work must wait until after the ship is launched.

One of the major issues is stress release. The hull will deform after being launched. To install things like drive shafts and propellers, it is necessary to wait a period of time after launching before moving into the dry dock for installation, which will be more precise.

The same applies to many electronic devices at higher levels.

It's difficult for everyone to get on the slipway, but once you reach the outfitting dock, you can step onto the bridge planks and board the warship.

At the stern, on the spacious helicopter deck, Old Liu stood, brimming with excitement.

"This can carry two of our shipborne helicopters, which are indispensable for maritime anti-submarine warfare!"

"That's right, the navy also needs a powerful carrier-based aviation force!"

In front, past the hangar, are the two sets of vertical launch units behind, which are currently empty.

"This is the location of the universal vertical launch system, which is nine meters deep and can carry various long-range weapons, including cruise missiles and anti-ship missiles."

"Not bad!"

Ahead, passing through the bridge, we entered the bow of the ship. Looking at the space reserved at the bow, Mr. Liu was filled with anticipation.

"Although our model is a destroyer, its combat capabilities are comparable to those of a cruiser!"

"Ahem, Mr. Liu, we still need to build 10,000-ton destroyers in the future, and the current warships are not up to standard."

10,000 tons, and a destroyer at that?

Everyone present exclaimed in admiration, "Comrade Qin Liang, you really have a brilliant mind!" Meanwhile, a reconnaissance satellite streaked across the sky.

United States, CIA.

“Based on the nearby buildings, this warship is about 150 to 160 meters long, nearly 20 meters wide, and has a displacement of over 6,000 tons,” said Intelligence Officer George.

“Yes, its displacement is twice that of the previous Type 051. The key is its weaponry. It’s obvious that this is an advanced warship equipped with vertical launch systems and four-sided phased array radar. With Eastern electronic technology, these are not difficult to match.” Vance chimed in from the side.

"Does that mean it's about to catch up with our Aegis warships?"

"Their displacement is not as large as ours, but their electronic systems are definitely more advanced."

"Tell the boss this."

The White House.

Recent events have left everyone in a state of utter chaos. Well-laid plans have been ruined by the Soviets. The key issue is that the Soviets have stopped pretending and are openly sabotaging things. Moreover, the West cannot criticize them; they claim that the Soviets instructed their allies to do these things and will never admit it.

just now……

What's the next step?
"The pirates demanded weapons and equipment from the islanders, but the islanders didn't dare make the decision on their own and came to ask for our opinion," William Casey said.

“Of course we can’t give these weapons to the pirates. If they have these weapons, wouldn’t it be even easier for them to rob us in the future?” Weinberg immediately shook his head: “Now, we must show our toughness. It’s time to use force!”

If you can't beat Lang Tuo, can't you beat the pirates?

At that moment, they didn't realize that they were truly no match for them!
The Slipper Army is no ordinary group.

Ronald nodded: "Yes, we really have to take action, otherwise the whole world will laugh at us and tell Saleh that since they can't deal with the pirates, let us deal with them!"

"it is good!"

Just then, someone knocked on the door.

"Mr. Casey, we have some new intelligence delivered."

William Casey took a look and frowned.

"This...this latest warship launched by the Easterners is really advanced! Four phased array radars, vertical launch system, and most importantly, the hull design is going to set a new trend."

Weinberg glanced at the photo: "Hmph, what's so advanced about it? It can't compare to our Aegis warships!"

The U.S. Navy's Aegis system is undoubtedly the most powerful warship of this era!
"According to various intelligence reports, the Easterners have mastered active phased array radar technology. If I am not mistaken, these four phased array radars must be active."

Active versus passive – what a generational gap!

The Americans' Aegis system still has countless ferrite phase shifters on its flat panel antenna!
“How is that possible? You’re kidding!” Weinberger exclaimed incredulously.

"I hope it's a joke! The mobile phone base station of Northwestern Polytechnical University has already been built here. Our technicians have taken it apart and found that the power amplifier devices inside use gallium nitride components!"

“Gallium nitride? This, how is this possible! We just mastered gallium arsenide technology!” Weinberg’s eyes widened.

"In the field of electronics, no one can compare to the East," William Casey remarked.

"However, advanced radar alone is not enough; we also need missiles, especially in the field of air defense missiles..."

"During last year's military parade in the East, the HQ-9 missile was already on display. This missile is not outdated; it can intercept ballistic missiles. The one equipped on this destroyer is most likely the HQ-9! It has regional air defense capabilities."

Weinberg remained silent.

An active phased array radar, equipped with vertically launched area air defense missiles—this technology is exceptionally advanced…

Eastern technology has developed so rapidly in recent years!
Alexander Haig sighed: "You haven't grasped the key point yet. The East has built world-class warships, and next..."

"What's next?"

"The whole world will flock there!"

In the field of aviation, Northwestern Polytechnical University is already a leader!
It's not just third-world countries that are procuring these products; developed European countries are also seeking improvements from the East. Even some of the United States' stealth aircraft have connections with Northwestern Polytechnical University.

It can be said that the aviation industry has completely fallen!
Then... it's the turn of the maritime field!
This warship has a very unique shape and looks very imposing. It will definitely start a trend. So, will a large number of customers go to the East to order it or ask the East to help with the design?
Thus……

America's maritime hegemony will be undermined.

On the one hand, there's their shipbuilding industry. The shipbuilding technology in the United States is outdated. Things like sectional construction are impossible. They're still using the old tower shipbuilding method, which is technologically backward and very costly.

but……

Thanks to America's maritime hegemony, there are still quite a few customers coming to place orders. The Perry-class destroyers are selling very well now, and when they can also sell Aegis systems in the future, there will definitely be many more customers coming to the United States to purchase them.

No matter how high the shipbuilding price is, they can still sell the ship.

What now?
If everyone goes to the East to purchase goods, the American shipbuilding industry will lose orders.

On the other hand, if customers acquire advanced warships, it could pose a threat to the United States. America's maritime hegemony is built on advanced weaponry; if other countries also acquire advanced weapons...

Everyone has different areas of responsibility and different perspectives on problems, but they all arrive at the same result.

Once these warships are built in large numbers in the East, they will pose a threat to the United States!

However, knowing all this is useless. After all, the East is currently a friend of the United States, but it is the kind of friend that can only be won over. If we relax our efforts even slightly, we may push the East to the side of the enemy!
This is clearly detrimental to the United States.

So, what to do?
Everyone was at a loss.

"Damn it, how did their technology suddenly become so advanced? Just a few years ago, they were trying to buy Sea Darts from Britain," Weinberg cursed.

United Kingdom.

As a junior partner of the United States, sharing intelligence, they quickly discovered the Eastern warship as well.

“Now, the East has mature gas turbines. Even if it’s just an improvement on the Spey, four Speys would be enough to power a 6,000-ton warship.” Adrian Johns looked at the picture in front of him and began to analyze.

After 82 years of war, many British naval officers had gone down to the countryside, which conveniently freed up space.

Adrian Johns is a beneficiary of the system.

He graduated from Imperial College London, joined the Royal Navy in 1973, and was promoted to deputy commander in 1982.

The navy doesn't have much to offer right now, but in his eyes, that's an opportunity!
"The phased array radar and vertical launch system used on it are powerful weapons against saturation attacks. I believe we should introduce these weapon systems and develop our Type 45 destroyer. Gentlemen, the Type 43 and Type 44 have failed. The Navy must start the Type 45 as soon as possible!"

The Type 42 destroyer suffered a major blow in the Falklands War. In fact, the Royal Navy developed the Type 43 and Type 44 destroyers after this one.

The Type 43, designed starting in 1978, is 172 meters long, 18 meters wide, and has a displacement of 7,000 tons. Its main air defense system consists of two twin-mounted Sea Dart surface-to-air missile systems and four six-mounted Sea Wolf short-range air defense missile systems.

The most bizarre proposal was a central helicopter deck, but unfortunately, the project was cancelled in 81.

Then came the Type 44 destroyer project, which has many different interpretations.

There were supposedly smaller versions of the Type 43 and larger versions of the Type 42, but in the end, none of them came to fruition.

If the Type 43 had been built and had short-range missiles to compensate for the air defense gaps, the naval battle of 82 might have had a different outcome.

just now……

Now it's the Type 45's turn. This one has to be modern.

Upon hearing his words, Robert Fulton frowned: "Johns, you're saying we're going to import weapons and equipment from the East?"

This is hard for the British to accept. Just a few years ago, the East had coordinated the import of their Sea Darts, and now they've switched sides?
How can this be!

"Yes, we have the NFR-90 project. We can reduce R&D costs through multinational cooperation..."

Sir Edward, standing nearby, said with a complicated expression, "Moreover, using our own equipment will create jobs for our country and make it easier to get Parliament's approval."

"Hmph, if we use our own equipment, the price will be twice as high as the imported ones. The solution we are proposing now is the most suitable. In fact, we can save even more costs by purchasing the entire warship directly."

Who told you that self-developed technology is cheaper? Self-developed technology is more expensive, and as for multinational cooperation? That's absolutely a long way off! Over the years, how many multinational cooperation projects have actually come to fruition, especially with the involvement of the French!

(End of this chapter)