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

Chapter 504 Eastern Navy, Set Sail!
In Dalian, flags and colorful banners flutter in the harbor.

A banner fluttered in the wind.

Departure ceremony of the first naval escort fleet.

Since this is the first batch, there will inevitably be a second and a third batch. The navy's escort missions will become a regular occurrence in the future!

Beside the port, the destroyer No. 105, the frigate No. 533, and the comprehensive supply ship Beiyun 575 are ready to set sail!
The main force is naturally the destroyer No. 105. The naval guns were removed from the stern of this destroyer and a helicopter landing platform was installed. It is the first main warship of the navy to be equipped with a shipborne helicopter!
Moreover, it's a ten-ton Z-20!

The addition of this helicopter has brought about a complete transformation in the performance of this warship, and last time, it made great contributions thanks to the shipborne helicopter.

As for the frigate No. 533, it also has a lot to offer. It was the first ship of the 053H1 class, which was designed and built domestically in the early 1980s.

With a maximum displacement of nearly 2,000 tons and a top speed of 26 knots, it is equipped with two diesel engines and its main armament consists of two quadruple YJ-81 anti-ship missile launchers, two 100mm naval guns, and four 37mm anti-aircraft guns.

Everything else remains the same. Since the YJ-81 missile can be exported, it will naturally become the main weapon of the navy. It has long been equipped on various warships. When the 105 was being upgraded a few years ago, it was also equipped with the YJ-81 missile.

It can be said that these two warships have the strongest anti-ship attack capabilities, their anti-submarine capabilities are passable because of the helicopters, but their air defense capabilities are absolutely the weakest. After all, relying on anti-aircraft guns for air defense is outdated.

It's fine to take them out now, since the pirates don't have modern weapons and equipment. Once the next batch is equipped with anti-aircraft destroyers, then there won't be any problems.

"Comrade Qin Liang, the construction of our export-type frigates is progressing smoothly. In the future, we will also improve upon the export version to develop a domestically used model to meet the needs of the Navy." Leader Zhang led Qin Liang over and began to introduce the project.

Destroyers are designed for domestic use first and then exported. Frigates are the opposite. Export-oriented frigates were designed first, and the customers were very satisfied and placed orders. Construction is now going smoothly, and the Navy has also taken a liking to them and decided to build domestically-oriented warships based on the export-oriented standards.

"Yes, the navy should have modern frigates. Our export version has a displacement of 4,000 tons, a large internal space, and can meet the needs of long-distance ocean voyages. It is also well-rounded in air defense, anti-submarine warfare, and anti-ship warfare. We can purchase it in large quantities." Qin Liang nodded.

They were originally intended for export to be used by the navy itself.

"Of course, our navy has been paying close attention. The warship is progressing quite quickly. I heard that it is about to complete its outfitting and is planning to undergo sea trials."

Qin Liang's eyes lit up; building this frigate was so easy!

His gaze returned to the supply ship.

An army marches on its stomach.

Although we have already coordinated with surrounding countries for escort missions, and both Saudi Arabia and Pakistan can provide port supplies when needed, a comprehensive supply ship is still essential. No matter what, having our own is the only way to truly have what we need.

The Taicang was the first large replenishment ship built in China. It entered service in 81. Its main task was to provide replenishment, fuel, lubricating oil, fresh water, refrigerated food and other supplies to destroyers and frigates during long-range operations.

With a full-load displacement of 20,000 tons, although it differs in size from the aircraft carriers of later generations, it is definitely a large supply ship nowadays.

Later, the hull number of the Eastern warship was changed once. This ship, Taicang Beiyun 575, was renamed Hongzehu 881. It served for 38 years, sailed through many seas, three oceans and five continents, 26 countries and 29 ports. It was a meritorious warship of the navy and was known as the first supply ship of China.

Now, this warship is about to embark on a journey to fight pirates!

After all, the warship also has a large flight deck at the stern. Although it does not have a hangar, it can still provide an additional take-off and landing platform for helicopters when needed.

"Our replenishment ships are still not advanced enough. They can only replenish a limited range of products and are not large enough. We still need to continue developing more advanced replenishment ships in the future."

"Yes, this task still falls to Northwestern Polytechnical University."

"No, no, that won't do. If all the work is done by Northwestern Polytechnical University, other units will have objections. We can help assist, but the task of designing the integrated supply ship should be handed over to other units."

Qin Liang was self-aware; if we ate all the meat, others would have objections.

"Alright, Northwestern Polytechnical University is designing warships for foreign countries and getting all the meat, but we can't even look at the soup for our own navy."

This……

You guys are actually trying to provoke us like this!
Qin Liang was truly helpless.

"Leader Zhang, we should refer to foreign replenishment ship development technology and develop our own replenishment ships. We can't rush this."

Taicang built a total of four ships. The fourth was sold to Pakistan, the third was converted into an oil tanker, and only two remained in service with the navy. In the 1990s, a comprehensive supply ship was introduced from Russia, and new development began after that.

Currently, our self-developed products certainly have various defects and are still at a backward level. However, once we learn from advanced technologies from abroad, they will become world-class products.

This really can't be rushed!
Hearing Qin Liang say this, Leader Zhang nodded: "Yes, Northwestern Polytechnical University has frequent contact with foreign countries, so it is most suitable to entrust this research and development task to you."

Well, there's no way to get out of this now!
"Yes!"

"Reporting to the leader, the first escort fleet in the Gulf of Aden is ready to depart. Please give instructions!"

Just then, a powerful voice rang out.

The group had already reached the dock, and dozens or even hundreds of soldiers stood in formation beneath each warship.

Everyone was excited.

We used to just roam the coastal waters, but this time we're finally going to set sail!
"Comrades, this is a great journey. On this voyage, you must demonstrate the might and civilization of our Eastern Navy! Always remember, when you go out, you represent our motherland!"

Leader Zhang delivered a passionate speech.

After he finished speaking, he looked to the side and said, "Comrade Qin Liang, would you like to say a few words?"

Qin Liang quickly waved his hand.

"Comrade Qin Liang, please say a few words to us!"

"Comrade Qin Liang, you were the one who secured this mission for us."

What?
I didn't do anything!
Qin Liang looked at the crowd with a helpless expression: "Everyone, I do have some ideas, but... there's no need for so many people to listen. Marines and formation commanders, I can discuss them with you... How about this, I'll set off with you, and when we get to Shanghai, just send me back to land."

"Welcome Comrade Qin Liang!" The crowd cheered.

"Comrade Qin Liang, let's go aboard our Beiyun 575, this is the biggest warship!"

Destroyers and frigates, not to mention their large displacement, have a very large length-to-width ratio, so they sway too much at sea, which is very uncomfortable. In addition, the interior space is cramped, so it is definitely not comfortable to sit on them.

Supply ships are different. With a displacement of over 20,000 tons and a large bridge in the middle, they have enough space inside to entertain guests!

Qin Liang nodded: "Okay."

"Comrades, let's go!"

Everyone started jogging onto the warship, and Qin Liang also started walking towards Beiyun 757, and then... he saw Leader Zhang following beside him.

"Manager Zhang, what are you doing?"

"I'll go up and listen too."

"You're incredibly busy!"

“No problem, I’ll get off when we arrive in Qingdao. It’s our first long-distance voyage, so we’ll have to take you for a while.”

"Ok."

Wait, what about the other officers following behind? Are you all going up?
Woohoo!

With the sound of the ship's horn, the formation began its voyage.

Destroyer No. 105 was at the very front, frigate No. 533 was in the middle, and the large supply ship was at the very back.

The fleet embarked on its journey.

A large group of guests arrived on the Beiyun 757.

Because the bridge was spacious, there was also a dedicated conference room. Everyone sat together, listening to Qin Liang's explanation. "Currently, the pirates are still very restrained; they haven't killed any hostages, they're just waiting for the ransom. Our approach to dealing with the pirates should primarily be to drive them away." Qin Liang's words immediately left everyone bewildered.

What did you say
Is the primary objective to expel them?

They are pirates, robbers, and criminals. Shouldn't such people be brought to justice? They should be shot on the spot!
Everyone was a little confused.

Qin Liang felt somewhat helpless.

"Gentlemen, the appearance of pirates has various complex reasons, which cannot be solved by our group alone. We are going there to ensure safety, not to cause trouble! Even ancient镖师 (bodyguards/escorts) would avoid fighting if possible."

Now, what is everyone's positioning?
An ancient镖局 (security escort agency).

If a security escort agency were to engage in constant fighting and killing along the way, by the time they returned, almost everyone in the agency would be dead.

Even if you're really good at fighting, you'll still offend all sorts of powerful figures along the way. Who knows how many people will jump out and cause trouble? Peace brings wealth, that's a truth we've known since ancient times!
"Comrade Qin Liang, thank you for your reminder." The squadron commander spoke up, and he was the first to understand what Qin Liang meant.

Our main goal is to drive them away and try not to harm the pirates. In return, the pirates will not go too far. Everything is within a basic framework and is open to discussion.

On the contrary, if we go all out, it might provoke the pirates' rebellious mentality, and they might even attack our country's cargo ships!

If they don't intend to plunder, but instead just come up and fire an RPG, how are our cargo ships supposed to carry out their transport missions?
"In this way, we need to detect pirates in advance, and all the escorting merchant ships also need to maintain close communication with each other. Our Beidou satellite terminal can be used in this situation. We can communicate through satellite communication, and once we detect pirates approaching, we can use various means to drive them away."

"For example?"

"There are many options. We can fire artillery shells from a distance, and if we don't hit them, we can drive them away. We can also take off shipborne helicopters, fly over, and have snipers drive them away or damage their engines, etc."

The pirates aren't stupid; they must have known we had a backup plan and didn't go straight for the kill.

A negative example is the French Navy, which not only escorted ships but also engaged in entrapment operations, luring pirate ships to attack. They even landed ships and wiped out the pirates' strongholds.

The pirates' tactic was to intercept French ships even more diligently.

There's a reason why only the French did this. Historically, many of Africa's former French colonies were like one big family, so they treated looting like it was their own ship.

Just look at Paris, France. The increasing number of Black faces shows that France doesn't really belong to France; it belongs to the Black people. When they cause trouble, they even shout, "Get out! Paris is ours!"

In a few decades, the haters will be able to take over France by virtue of their birth rate. In a one-person-one-vote system, whoever has the larger population will have the advantage.

Of course, these are all things to be discussed later. In short, the main goal is to drive them away!
"What if the pirates rob our ships?"

"If they go all out, we'll go all out too!" Qin Liang said. "Try to deploy shipborne helicopters with marines in international waters as much as possible, and wipe out all the pirates, or capture them and hand them over to the international court for trial, to make an example of them!"

This is the point where forbearance has reached its limit, and there's no need to endure it any longer!

Take it easy most of the time, but occasionally unleash your full power. After these two moves, the pirates will know that escort fleets are not to be trifled with.

"Yeah, I understand."

Clearly, this is what everyone's been waiting for. If the pirates succeed in their raids and we're still hesitant and restrained, then we won't be able to do anything.

This general approach is now in line with the actual situation.

Everyone looked at each other, full of anticipation.

"Next, let's talk about the formation of the escort fleet. After the fleet that needs escort is assembled, the leader can be the 533 frigate, and the rear guard can be our 575 comprehensive supply ship. Our 105 will sail on the dangerous side of the fleet. This should be the safest way."

Frigates and supply ships are slow and are used to hold the line. Destroyers are fast and run on heavy fuel oil, which is the cheapest and can make multiple trips to be in dangerous situations.

Everyone nodded; this was the most reliable plan.

"In the future, as more and more merchant ships require escort, we can divide the fleet, with one warship escorting one formation. At this time, helicopters will play a significant role. Of course, there's no need to rush. We can carry out this type of escort once we have our new warships."

Everyone nodded. This was just a preliminary exploration. The real test would come when the brand-new warships were ready to showcase the navy's prowess!
"The tropical region has posed a great challenge to our physical strength and other aspects. Everyone has had a tough time going there."

"It's not hard work!"

"We are not afraid!"

Everyone was full of fighting spirit.

“Yes, we can conduct targeted training along the way south,” Leader Zhang nodded.

We can't be afraid to spend money. If the navy isn't properly trained and escort missions become a joke, that would be truly shameful.

"By the way, we don't know if the pirates will use our Beidou system. If they do, our escort will be even more effective." Qin Liang suddenly thought of something else: "Our ground stations will be paying close attention to this."

Everyone nodded in agreement.

The fleet sailed south and arrived near Shanghai a few days later. Qin Liang boarded a shipborne helicopter, left the warship, and headed straight for the shipyard.

Shanghai has several shipyards, and the frigate was built by Hudong Shipyard.

Historically, this shipyard has primarily focused on building frigates, including the famous Type 053, whether it's the Type 053H or the Type 053K. Therefore, it was only natural that the construction of the Type 054 frigate would be arranged here.

On the outfitting dock.

"Mr. Rahim, we only have a few outfitting items left, which will be completed in three days. Next will be sea trials. Please trust us, we will definitely deliver the best frigate to you."

Rahim, the naval representative of the Etuo Navy, looked at the frigate with anticipation on his face.

"Yes, we need to complete the sea trials as soon as possible so we can sail back to the Gulf of Aden for escort duty!"

"why?"

As soon as Director Li finished speaking, he realized he had made a mistake.

Is that even a question?
The canal blockage has led to a significant decrease in Ethiopian revenue. They were hoping to recover some of their profits after the canal reopened, but unexpectedly, piracy has resurfaced in the Gulf of Aden, and many ship owners are still hesitant to use the Suez Canal. Now, only a few countries in the Red Sea and Europe are using it.

Ai Tuo was really anxious!

They decided to provide protection as well!
We need to instill confidence in cargo ships. If those self-proclaimed maritime powers are unwilling to act as bodyguards, then we'll do it ourselves!
"Ahem, we're installing avionics equipment, including the advanced BeiDou navigation system," Director Li quickly changed the subject.

Just then, a helicopter flew in.

Factory Director Li was immediately overjoyed: "Mr. Rahim, Principal Qin is here!"

Rahim was also excited: "Qin is here?"

The helicopter landed on the open ground of the shipyard. Qin Liang got off the helicopter and was still very satisfied. This Z-20 had solved a big problem for the navy.

Before he could even express his feelings, a figure pounced on him and gave him a bear hug.

"Qin!"

Qin Liang was nearly strangled to death. Only after he saw who it was did he manage to force a smile.

"Rahim, what brings you here?"

"Judging from the progress of our warship, we have high expectations for this warship. Moreover, it is very modern and will definitely meet our operational needs. It will become our first professional air defense frigate..."

Looking from the bow, behind the naval guns are the vertical launch units, where the HQ-16 air defense missile system, which has proven its prowess in the Bekaa Valley, is installed. There is a land-based version and a ship-based version. With a maximum range of 47 kilometers, it is an advanced medium-range air defense missile and the strongest weapon for the Etuo Navy!

Although it lacks a four-sided phased array radar and only has a rotating air defense radar, it is still a powerful weapon! Not to mention the anti-ship missile launchers in the middle and the helicopter landing platform at the tail.

It's a pity that it's not wide enough to carry only one aircraft, but that's better than nothing.

(End of this chapter)