America: My Time

Chapter 959 Cooperation with a Tycoon
Chapter 929 Cooperation with a Tycoon

The allure of drones is undeniable for Middle Eastern tycoons; at least they don't need to worry about danger, and financial investment isn't an issue! Upon hearing John's words, the Middle Eastern tycoon immediately showed great interest, nodding and saying, "Yes, we look forward to this cooperation and have faith in Gulfstream Aerospace's capabilities!"

This isn't just polite talk; it's a statement of absolute approval from Middle Eastern tycoons for Gulfstream Aerospace. With the changes in the US defense industry, these Middle Eastern tycoons are naturally aware of the underlying issues, especially the closure of the F-14 Tomcat fighter jet production line. This situation has undoubtedly impacted the interests of Grumman Aircraft, a subsidiary of Gulfstream Aerospace. Gulfstream Aerospace is now frantically trying to save itself, seeking more international partnerships, and securing export rights is their biggest achievement.

Seeing the Middle Eastern tycoon's approval, John smiled and said, "We can also cooperate on the F-14. Although the production line is closed, it can be restarted at any time for us. Moreover, with your financial support, we can tailor-make new fighter jets for you. I believe you have all heard of the Ultimate Panda!"

John's words were like a thunderbolt, shocking the Middle Eastern tycoons. They were well aware of the reputation of the F-14 Panda, as countries on the other side of the Gulf had equipped themselves with it, guaranteeing its combat capabilities. However, what worried them most was the obstruction from the United States, after all, it was a heavy weapon of the US Navy!
John didn't want to do this if he could, but for the sake of survival, it was unavoidable. The US military had already abandoned the F-14, and the production line couldn't just be abandoned like that. So he had been waiting for an opportunity. Although the production line was forcibly shut down, it wasn't a problem for Gulfstream Aerospace because they had already reached an agreement with the US government, which not only granted them export rights but also the right to collaborate on research and development with overseas partners. Any product from Gulfstream Aerospace could be included, including Panda. Now that a Middle Eastern tycoon had come knocking on their door, John naturally wouldn't let this opportunity slip by!

“Mr. John, it’s not that we don’t want to accept your offer, but are you sure this will work? Are you sure the US military won’t stop us?” Middle Eastern tycoons may have a lot of money, but they’re not stupid. They naturally wanted to ask this question carefully to avoid trouble later.

"I can say this with absolute certainty, and you can all rest assured. We have already obtained the authorization. As long as we raise our own funds for research and development, we will not encounter any obstacles, including exports. Moreover, you don't think the US military is unaware of our cooperation, do you? They are aware of it, yet they still give such a guarantee. Do you think there will be any problems? As long as you are willing to contribute funds, Gulfstream Aerospace will have no issues!"

John paused here, then continued, "As you all know, Gulfstream Aerospace isn't as rosy as it seems on the surface. The F-14 is also very important to the entire group. On such an important issue, I won't give you the wrong information. After all, our cooperation is multifaceted, and it's not worth plunging the entire group into crisis over this one matter, or even dragging down other groups. But everything needs to be done quickly, at least before Donald takes over. Time is still very important to us; after all, nobody wants any more trouble!"

“Mr. John, if that’s the case, we have no problem with it. But since Gulfstream Aerospace has such a cooperation, we can also cooperate with Bentley Motors!” The Middle Eastern tycoons weren’t afraid of being ripped off by John. They really didn’t have such thoughts in mind. After all, John’s integrity was there. Besides, this was just a verbal agreement. When it came to actual cooperation, they would naturally look at the agreement reached between Gulfstream Aerospace and the US government.

In order to maximize the company's profits and stabilize its development, Gulfstream Aerospace is also trying its best to shift towards the civilian market. The market for drones is huge, and being able to complete its research and development with the help of Middle Eastern tycoons is a good thing. At least its research and development funding is no longer an issue, and as for exports, that's even less of a problem! As long as there is a need, even civilian applications can be converted to military use, as long as the money is sufficient, there will be no problem!
In the early 1990s, the United States possessed formidable scientific research capabilities, and its major defense contractors were also extremely powerful. If it weren't for the "Last Supper" incident in 1995, which deprived US defense contractors of military research funding and forced the cancellation of many projects, the subsequent predicament would not have occurred. Gulfstream Aerospace is now under considerable pressure, with the closure of its Panda production line being one example. Moreover, with no sign of recovery in the US military, the pressure on defense contractors will only intensify!

However, Gulfstream Aerospace has now taken the lead, having completed its transformation and integration, and its scale is comparable to Boeing's. Its share of the civilian market is also constantly expanding.

After John reached a verbal agreement with the Middle Eastern tycoon, the tycoon was extremely satisfied. Previously, the US had repeatedly restricted their arms exports, but now Gulfstream Aerospace had opened a loophole. How could they not be happy? Furthermore, they were shown more advanced aircraft projects and the Starlink project—all of which were enough to entice the Middle Eastern tycoon. And this time, they weren't just one group; they were the beginning for the entire Middle Eastern tycoon community. "Ava, inform Ms. Carol Tomey that we've reached a verbal agreement with the Middle Eastern tycoon. Let them follow suit. This is crucial to Gulfstream Aerospace's development; we can't afford to make any mistakes. Once we've secured the Middle Eastern tycoon's support, Gulfstream Aerospace will be free of pressure and can focus on its development!"

With John's side of the deal done, the US side quickly followed suit. Gulfstream Aerospace's cooperation with Middle Eastern tycoons was extremely close. Once the boss made the decision, everything was fine. They would recommend any project they could offer to the Middle Eastern tycoons, since they were wealthy. Moreover, they weren't just one company, but a consortium of Middle Eastern tycoons. The size of their share was considerable. Now, Gulfstream Aerospace wanted to monopolize the orders from the Middle Eastern tycoons.

"Damn bastards, how dare they do this? This is a complete provocation against us! We demand an explanation from the White House! Gulfstream Aerospace is even selling F-14s to Middle Eastern tycoons and is going to conduct new research and development. What are they trying to do? We absolutely cannot allow this to happen!" Soon, as the enemy of the Middle Eastern tycoons, the reaction from the Serbian side was extremely fierce. They were unwilling to accept this outcome.

"Is all this useful? Even if we stand up and oppose it, the US won't care. The key isn't the US military or the White House, but Gulfstream Aerospace. They're willing to do anything to survive right now. That little fox John won't listen to our protests. No matter how much we make a scene, he won't pay attention. In fact, the more we make a scene, the happier he'll be, and he might even get more financial support from Middle Eastern tycoons. We've all underestimated this little fox's schemes and his many previous calculations. Now, no matter how hard we try to stop him, it won't work!"

"But we can't do nothing. If we do something, there's still a chance. We can also use the power of the oil capital to increase the pressure on that little fox, John. As long as they stand up against us, there might still be a chance. There's no harm in trying. If we succeed, everything will be fine. Even if we don't succeed, we can still put pressure on that little fox!"

Is opposition useful? No, it's useless. The White House won't listen to them now, and the old man is about to step down. Even the Donald Trump had to compromise with John. So no matter how much they protest, it won't make a difference. The cooperation between Gulfstream Aerospace and the Middle Eastern tycoons will not be affected. Most importantly, John is now using his lobbying team to take action, and the Middle Eastern tycoons are also taking action. There's a new idea within the US now that they can't put everything on Israel. They need to maintain a balance in the Middle East, and the tycoons are naturally important partners for them. So, with the lobbying team pushing things along, there will naturally be no more trouble!
The United States prioritizes its own interests. Since the military has already determined the next steps and will reduce support for military-industrial enterprises, it will not prevent such research and development cooperation. Moreover, the United States does not need to pay for such research and development. If it is feasible, it can also produce new equipment. So the United States will turn a blind eye!

Faced with absolute profits, Gulfstream Aerospace's plan could naturally proceed smoothly. Using funds from Middle Eastern tycoons to support its own military-industrial complex was a win-win situation. As for the F-14, although it was very powerful, its maintenance costs were too high. Most importantly, the US military had also conducted an assessment. They did not believe that the soldiers of the Middle Eastern tycoons could operate such an aircraft effectively, given that the Middle Eastern tycoons' combat record was so poor that even the US military could not stand it.

Don't be fooled by the impressive victories achieved by Middle Eastern tycoons in previous wars. These victories were not achieved by them, but by the command of Jaguar Security Company. Most importantly, most of these victories were achieved by using money to cover up the losses. Only the tycoons can afford this kind of tactics, which even the US military finds appalling.

However, this is not a problem for Middle Eastern tycoons. They have plenty of money, and their underground wealth is enough to equip them with more powerful weapons. They don't care about the amount of money; security is the most important thing.

(End of this chapter)