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

Chapter 512 Advanced Airborne Radar, 80 Million Per Unit!

It can only be said that Northrop was ahead of its time.

It's important to know that the J-20's main combat mode in later generations was long-range air-to-air missiles and fighting with unmanned wingmen. The fighting was the work of the subordinates, and the J-20 could command from the rear. Therefore, the J-20 also had a two-seat version.

Northrop's YF-23 is indeed suitable for this kind of battlefield, after all, its dogfighting performance is too poor.

However, this was only the 1980s, and the close-range air combat capability of fighter jets was still very important. For example, when a stealth aircraft faced another stealth aircraft, the detection distance was very close, so after detection, there might not be enough time to evade, and they would enter the range of close-range dogfights.

At this point, the side with poor mobility will obviously be at a disadvantage, and will suffer a great disadvantage!

At that time, Northrop Corporation was unaware of these things, and even if they had known, they would never have admitted it. In their eyes, their aircraft was the most advanced in the world!
After all, the original design parameters have already determined the actual performance of this aircraft, and it is not so easy to make temporary modifications.

The next day, around dusk.

"Excellent, excellent! The wing design is complete too!" Bob Sandsky exclaimed excitedly. "This supercomputer is so convenient to use! We should have asked the East for help a long time ago!"

“Sandsky, you’re right. You should have asked the East for help a long time ago! We can calculate the complex aerodynamics of our General Electric aircraft engines here, let alone the simple shape of this aircraft. Come on, let’s go have a drink. We don’t work here at night.”

Of course I work at night, but I don't take on external work at night.

"Alright, Ted, we should go get a good drink! Are there any bars in Chang'an?"

"Yes! Flying Piano Bar at 79 Heping Road. We Westerners all like to go there for a drink. Come on, I'll take you there tonight."

Bars, something that only exists in Western nightlife, are considered decadent bourgeois things. They first appeared in Chang'an, for a simple reason: there were too many Westerners there!
Most of them came to Northwestern Polytechnical University for help. They have their own cultural life and they hope to have a place to relax. Thus, Flying Piano Bar was born in Chang'an.

Of course, it's different from ordinary bars. Those places where you dance, touch, or even kiss in the pools of alcohol are too low-class. This is a high-end place. There's a piano here!

Every night, musicians come to play the piano, and of course, if any of the patrons want to play, they can go up and perform.

The piano music made the bar more elegant. People quietly enjoyed their drinks, talked about life and work, and relaxed. Very few people came specifically to find women.

When Bob Sandasky and Ted Inglen arrived, they heard Beethoven's famous "Für Elise," a melodious and cheerful tune that flowed like a mountain spring, making the atmosphere in the bar very light and cheerful.

"Gentlemen, what would you like to drink? Listening to this famous Beethoven piece, it's best to drink Royal Xuan wine with Sprite. It's only four hundred yuan a glass. Would you like to try one?"

If outsiders heard this, they would be astonished: four hundred yuan for a glass of wine!

These days, the average monthly salary is only 96 yuan, and this glass of wine costs more than four months' salary!

However, foreigners obviously don't care about these things.

Bob Sandsky pulled out US dollars.

"If it's in US dollars, 150 will do! Just a moment, I'll prepare it for you right away."

Just as the mixing was underway, another person came over.

"Oh, you guys are here too? What a coincidence!"

Bob Sandsky turned his head and saw several familiar faces, and for a moment, he felt a little embarrassed.

Cheney, the representative from British Aerospace, looked at him meaningfully: "What, your YF-23 has also come to Northwestern Polytechnical University seeking help?"

“No, no, of course not. Northrop Corporation has the capability to solve the design of the machine.” Bob Sandsky shook his head repeatedly. “We’re just passing by…”

"If it's not the airframe, then it must be the avionics?" Jürgen from MBB Corporation said, "It seems that you also know that the East already has gallium nitride technology. The radar and other products developed with this technology have incredibly advanced performance."

“What, gallium nitride?” Bob Sandsky exclaimed in surprise again.

"That's right. The power amplifier modules in those mobile communication base stations use gallium nitride. Don't install them. Everyone knows that. There's no point in installing them like that."

He wasn't faking it; he was genuinely stunned.

According to the plan, the fourth-generation fighter jet is a revolutionary aircraft, with its airframe designed for stealth and its avionics being state-of-the-art.

Northrop Grumman and Raytheon collaborated to develop the new AN/APG77 radar, which is the world's first active phased array airborne radar!

Equipped with thousands of liquid-cooled gallium arsenide T/R modules, it can search targets with a radar cross-section of five square meters at a range of over 160 miles... The overall technology is twice that of existing airborne radars, making it one of the most powerful weapon systems for fourth-generation fighters.

I just didn't expect that people in the East already have gallium nitride components. How can we compare?
Seeing Bob Sandsky's surprised look, Cheney couldn't help but roll his eyes at him. Keep pretending, huh?
"You mean, they already have radar with gallium nitride components?"

"Of course."

"how much is it?"

"We don't know. We haven't asked. After all, we have enough planar slot antennas for now. We just hope that the Easterners can teach us the technology to manufacture this kind of antenna."

The bartenders were still wiping the glasses inside, while the tape recorder under the table had been turned on for a long time.

the next day.

Qin Liang slowly opened his eyes and glanced at his side. His wife was already up?
He put on his coat and went into the living room, where he saw his wife wearing headphones and listening to something.

"Duoduo, what are you busy with?"

"It's nothing, I just have some information from the bar."

The owner behind this bar is, of course, Yang Duo'er. It's just an insignificant business under the Pacific Company. It was originally established to enrich the nightlife of foreigners, but it quickly developed into a major place for intelligence gathering.

"Duoduo, this kind of thing can be left to the relevant departments to handle. Right now, the most important thing for you is to take good care of your health."

Seeing Qin Liang glancing at her stomach, Yang Duo'er gave him a sweet smile.

"Brother Liangzi, it's okay. In the whole world, only in the East do we have the concept of postpartum confinement. This period of pregnancy is also the most troublesome in the East."

Foreigners don't really have that many rules. It was only after a big comparison on Xiaohongshu (a Chinese social media platform) that foreigners accepted the well-intentioned advice from the East, such as drinking more hot water, whereas before they drank ice water.

As for prenatal care, it's most meticulously done in the East. Foreigners, even with big bellies, continue with their lives as usual! The most remarkable pregnant woman continued running and exercising even after nine months of pregnancy! And after giving birth, they continue with their lives as usual; they absolutely do not stay in bed for a month, forbidden from showering or opening windows…

"Duoduo, now that you've married into the East, you have to live up to our Eastern standards." Qin Liang stroked Yang Duo'er's belly with tenderness.

Foreigners develop their physique through training from a young age, while we Easterners, or rather, people of the yellow race, follow the rules set by our ancestors. Even if it's not very useful, at least it's not harmful, right?
This must be taken seriously.

Looking into Qin Liang's eyes, Yang Duo'er's face was full of sweetness.

"By the way, these foreigners have already guessed that we have gallium nitride radar, and they will probably come to buy it next."

Qin Liang smiled and said, "We can buy it! We'll sell it to them for 80 million US dollars. If they're willing to spend the money, then they can buy it."

Eighty million!
Yang Duo'er's eyes widened. "Brother Liangzi, you really dare to take it?!"

Even if we sell it, the Americans can't replicate it. The most crucial thing about gallium nitride is the production of raw materials. The Americans don't have the technology, so they can't produce it!
If the Americans can't produce it but still want advanced performance, then they'll have no choice but to continue buying from us!

The radars we produce can be jammed, or even controlled, at any time on the battlefield!
Moreover, the radar is ours, and we will absolutely not open up the weapon interface. If you Americans want to pair it with weapons, you'll have to come to us for matching!
In this way, the weapons of the United States' fourth-generation fighter jets will all be under our control!

Just then, the phone rang.

"Okay, I got it. I'll head to the Electronic Engineering Department in a bit."

Northwestern Polytechnical University, Department of Electronic Engineering.

A few years ago, the first pulse-Doppler radar in the East was born here. Now, it is the most advanced airborne radar research and development site in China and even the world!

In the conference room.

"Currently, our planar slotted radar antenna has many overseas customers. Many European fighter jets are also equipped with our radar antenna. If you are interested, we can also provide the most suitable solution," Professor Liu Weiguo of the Department of Electronic Engineering introduced.

"Mr. Liu, we in the United States have mature planar slotted radar..."

“Your antennas may be mature and reliable, but your post-processing circuitry is too poor. Using our technology, we can make the most advanced airborne radar,” Liu Weiguo continued. Bob Sandsky looked somewhat embarrassed.

The other party is right. In terms of post-processing circuits, the East is definitely more advanced than the United States. In this field, it is really not easy to catch up!
but……

I didn't come here this time to coordinate anything about flat panel slotted radar!
"Mr. Liu, we've heard that your company has a more advanced active phased array radar that still uses gallium nitride technology?"

Liu Weiguo was having a headache. This was something he couldn't just say; it was classified information, and he had no idea how the news had leaked out...

"This technology is still classified." Just then, a voice came from the doorway.

Liu Weiguo breathed a sigh of relief. Principal Qin had arrived! With him there, he didn't need to rack his brains for words; he could simply hand the matter over to Principal Qin for coordination!
"Principal Qin?" Bob Sandsky was meeting Qin Liang for the first time. After all, Northrop had kept its distance from Northwestern Polytechnical University to avoid suspicion.

"Hmm, your Northrop Corporation beat Lockheed to win the bid for the fourth-generation fighter jet, that's truly admirable."

"Ahem, this is it..."

“We at Northwestern Polytechnical University have long looked forward to cooperating with you. For us, Lockheed or Northrop are the same.”

"This... thank you for your support, Principal Qin."

"It's a pity. You guys are really something, sneaking around like this, cooperating with Northwestern Polytechnical University. Is it something you're ashamed of?"

"Principal Qin, this..."

"Forget it, let's talk about airborne radar instead. We do have advanced airborne radar technology, but... advanced also means high cost, and you... probably can't afford it."

"We Americans have money, and the Air Force is willing to spend a lot of money on the fourth-generation fighter jet project."

"I see. You can make your requests, and we will help you develop a modern active phased array radar that your fourth-generation fighter jet needs. The development cost is four billion US dollars. After the development is completed, the prototype will cost about one hundred million US dollars. Once it is mass-produced, the price will drop to about eighty million US dollars."

Bob Sandsky's eyes widened: "What?"

Aren't products from the East known for their high quality and low price?

This price is absolutely astronomical!

“We, we, we…” Bob Sandsky’s eyes darted around before he said, “Could we just buy one batch of T/R components to take back?”

"of course can."

"The price..."

"Eighty thousand for one component."

What the hell!

Bob Sandsky almost swore!

Each component costs 80,000 dollars, and a radar requires more than a thousand components, so it still costs 80 million US dollars!

How about we buy one or two to take back and study?

"Minimum order of 10,000." Qin Liang's next words completely shattered his dream.

Eight hundred million US dollars! Northrop Grumman can't afford that! Unless they ask the US Air Force for money... saying they're researching gallium nitride technology and need R&D funding...

Bob Sandsky's mind raced.

Furthermore, if the price of the components is already similar to the price of the entire radar... then it's better to just buy the whole system directly, which would save a lot of R&D expenses and allow for greater profits...

"Okay, then we'll recommend it to the company when we get back."

Watching the Americans leave, Liu Weiguo asked with some concern, "Principal Qin, can we sell our treasures abroad?"

"Yes, we have an unshirkable responsibility to monopolize the Americans' advanced airborne radar."

We've monopolized the market, and American companies have lost their R&D funding, causing related industries to fall into disuse!
Look at what happened later. This is how the hollowing out of American industry was caused. Capitalists moved their industries to regions with low labor costs in pursuit of high profits, and then... the domestic manufacturing industry was abandoned.

Want to return? The slogans are loud and clear, but in reality... let's see in four years whether there has actually been a return.
As they were talking, the phone rang again.

"Yes, okay, I got it."

Putting down his phone, Qin Liang looked at Liu Weiguo and said, "The Americans will have to think about it for a while. They can't possibly agree right away. Let's get on with our business first. I have other things to do."

Administrative work is so busy!
Aircraft Department.

"Principal Qin, you've finally arrived! We've been here today..."

Before Director Liu could finish speaking, Cheney had already come up.

"Qin, the technology at Northwestern Polytechnical University is truly advanced! Our European fighter jet has completed all the external design. We will take this data back to Europe to build the first prototype!" Cheney said excitedly.

Typhoon Lapi is progressing the fastest!

With the aerodynamic shape and airframe structure designed, they can go back and start building the prototype!
This speed...

This will absolutely shock the French!

They just want to compete with the French. After all, the French have been causing trouble in the Typhoon fighter jet project. They joined first, then wanted to take the lead, and then they broke up and went back to developing the Rafale.

Once the typhoon that brought Lapis back is brought back, the French will know what truly cutting-edge technology is!
Cheney was genuinely excited.

“Yes, we are very satisfied with the Eastern technology,” Jürgen added. “I will stay here and study for a while longer.”

His so-called study was just an excuse; his real goal was to stay and continue the collaboration with Northwestern Polytechnical University on the stealth aircraft project!

Although the project was transferred to Shenyang, much of the research and development work still requires equipment from Northwestern Polytechnical University, so the team is mainly based here.

"Yes, we are willing to help. If you need any other supporting subsystems on your aircraft, you can also entrust them to us for development."

Qin Liang was just being polite, but he didn't expect... Cheney would actually take it seriously. A few minutes later, he said, "We really need the help from the East. We hope to have a qualified long-range air-to-air missile."

Europe has fighter jets for now, but other subsystems are still lagging behind, such as air-to-air missiles.

The UK's most advanced missile right now is the Skyflash missile, a semi-active radar-guided model that is quite good. The technology has even been introduced by the US and used in the modification of the AIM-7M.

After that, the British went on to develop an active radar model, which they named Active Skyflash.

However... this missile was not successfully developed.

And the long-range air-to-air missile they mentioned is clearly not this one!
Could it be... a shooting star?
In the mid-1990s, European countries decided to jointly develop a fourth-generation beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile, with plans to start in 1997. However, due to the great technical difficulties, its service entry has been postponed to 2016!
Compared with other air-to-air missiles, its most distinctive feature is the use of a variable-flow solid ramjet engine, which is quite unique and was praised by many people during the research and development stage.

However, later generations concluded that this missile was a useless tool, completely inferior to our dual-pulse engine. Now... let's just lead these guys astray!
"Of course, no problem," Qin Liang said. "What specific requirements do you have?"

"The range must exceed one hundred kilometers, and there must be a sufficiently large no-escape zone within the entire firing envelope..."

"Hmm, that's a bit difficult. Have you considered variable-flow solid rocket ramjet engines?"

The Europeans' eyes widened: "You have this technology?"

"No, but we can develop it. We believe that ramjet engines are the best choice for achieving top-notch performance across all airspace..."

Other missiles use solid rocket engines, which burn for about ten seconds until the engine is completely burned out. What remains is inertial flight, with the speed decreasing more and more, making it increasingly difficult to counter aircraft with high G-force maneuvers!

It's supposed to be 35G overload, but at the target location, it might only be 5G overload!
Ramjet engines burn fuel throughout the entire process, and are subjected to the same overload throughout!

(End of this chapter)