Go back in time and be a chaebol

Chapter 2618 We Must Prevent the Outbreak of War (First Update, Please Subscribe)
May in Moscow is the most beautiful time of year. It has neither the heat of summer nor the cold of winter. People always come to the parks, walkways and riverbanks along the Moscow River at this time to enjoy the spring sunshine.

As people walked along the banks of the Furlong Causeway, they were unaware of what was happening inside the magnificent Ministry of Defense building next door.

People were simply enjoying the spring sunshine here, just like any other day.

A black Volga sedan slowly drove out of the Ministry of Defense building. As the car traveled along the riverside road, the passengers would occasionally glance at the roadside and at the people enjoying the bright spring sunshine.

Looking at the men and women, young and old, lining the roadside, at the laughing children, and the young couples immersed in the bliss of love, Simonov's expression grew even more serious.

Looking at the people on the roadside, Simonov thought of himself forty years ago. Back then, he was just like them, carefree and enjoying the sunshine and the joy of being with his classmates and friends.

They even enjoy love.

He was only a teenager then, and everything was so wonderful until one day war broke out, and he and his classmates went to the battlefield one after another.

From Moscow to Berlin.

When the war ended, he, as a war survivor, returned to school.

But what about his class?
Only three people survived: one boy and two girls.

Despite the honors he gained in the war, it was from that day on that Simonov's greatest fear became war.

For the next few decades, all his work revolved around one core principle—preventing the outbreak of war.

His job was to design the best electronic warfare equipment—as long as there were weapons with sufficiently advanced performance, those Americans and Westerners would always be hesitant to launch a war.

Sunlight streamed through the car window, falling on Simonov's tired yet furrowed brow, and he slowly turned his gaze away from the outside.

Then he leaned back in the back seat, seemingly relaxing there, but what was he actually doing?

The images of drones ravaging the battlefield from the video kept replaying in his mind. His colleague Ivanovich couldn't help but speak up, breaking the brief silence in the car.

"I still can't figure it out. Those drones seem so insignificant, so how did they become an unsolvable problem?"

Ivanovic's voice held an undisguised confusion; his head was furrowed, and he continued:

“What we just discussed is all correct. SEA’s drones are not only very small in size, but also have a large proportion of composite materials, resulting in a pitifully small radar cross-section. They also fly slowly, and their radar echoes are indistinguishable from those of birds in the sky. When our air defense radar turns on and scans them, it will mostly be filtered out as clutter and cannot be accurately identified at all.”

Simonov slowly opened his eyes, nodded, and didn't speak. His eyes were filled with seriousness as he lit a cigarette, took a puff, and then slowly said...

"That is indeed very relevant, especially their design philosophy."

Amidst the swirling smoke, Simonov's tone was extremely grave:
"When they designed this drone, they took stealth into account first, and further increased its stealth performance by reducing its size."

The extensive use of composite materials, coupled with its small size, makes it difficult for our radar to detect. Its slow speed, almost like that of a bird, means it can be easily missed even if detected.

Ivanovic nodded, his face full of worry:
"That's right. With its low detectability, high mobility, and long loiter time, it is indeed difficult for conventional air defense methods to deal with."

"But none of these are the most crucial factors."

Simonov took a deep drag on his cigarette, the butt glowing red. He rolled down the window a crack, letting the wind blow some of the smoke away, and his tone became more forceful.

"The most lethal thing is the entire combat system behind it."

Think about it, why are those drones so rampant on the Syrian battlefield?
Because they are located near the battlefield, with electronic warfare aircraft, early warning aircraft, and reconnaissance aircraft circling around 24 hours a day, like an impenetrable net, completely covering the entire battlefield.

Ivanovic was taken aback by what he said, and his brows furrowed instantly:

"You mean, battlefield surveillance?"

“That’s right.” Simonov’s expression grew even more serious, and he continued:

"Those early warning aircraft were watching every corner of the battlefield, and the electronic warfare aircraft were suppressing the entire field. The radar system we provided to Syria was subjected to strong electromagnetic interference from beginning to end. The screen was full of snow, and we couldn't even find the target. Our electronic warfare capabilities were completely suppressed by the enemy, and our air defense system was unable to effectively counter it."

Without electromagnetic dominance and battlefield intelligence advantage, our tanks and artillery are sitting ducks, allowing their drones to operate with impunity on the battlefield, striking wherever they want.

We are not just facing drones themselves, but a Western electronic warfare system comprised of early warning and electronic jamming mechanisms.

These words were like a bucket of cold water, making Ivanovich's heart sink. He leaned back in his chair, stunned for a moment, and when he spoke again, his tone was full of helplessness:
"The suppression of the entire system... No wonder the Syrian army had no chance to fight back. Our equipment was useless there."

A brief silence fell over the car as the street scene outside the window rushed past.

He stood there, stunned. After a long while, Ivanovic finally came to his senses and asked with a hint of uncertainty:

"Was it really a situation of complete suppression on the battlefield?"

"The pattern of warfare has changed, yet we are still immersed in the steel torrent of World War II. This is the problem we need to face, not just drones."

As Simonov uttered these words, his brow furrowed sharply, and he stubbed out his cigarette in the ashtray. Then he closed his eyes again, his mind flashing back to fragmented intelligence reports from the battlefield, the colonel's questioning in the conference room, and the burning wreckage of tanks in the video. When he opened his eyes again, they were filled with unwavering resolve:
"Based on our intelligence feedback in Syria and Thang Long, the situation is only worse than we analyzed. The data is too fragmented and too one-sided; they are only looking at the problem from a military perspective."

Just as they believe stealth aircraft, drones, and electronic jamming are the top priorities, they haven't realized that the nature of warfare has been completely transformed.
These secondary sources alone are far from sufficient.

He paused, his tone firm and unwavering:

"To understand the changes in the mode of warfare, I need to obtain first-hand information, go to the battlefield to see for myself, directly experience how they conduct warfare, understand their combat rhythm, and see with my own eyes how drones cooperate with the system of operations."

"You're going to the battlefield yourself?"

Ivanovic's eyes widened suddenly, his face filled with disbelief and shock, and his voice involuntarily rose a few decibels as he said:
"This won't do! Chief Engineer, the front lines are engulfed in artillery fire, and drones are patrolling at any time. It's far too dangerous for an electronics expert like you to venture into the battlefield! The consequences could be unimaginable if you're not careful!"

Ivanovich's tone was urgent; he knew all too well the dangers of the front lines. Those drones could easily destroy even armored units, let alone an unarmed researcher. He tried to dissuade him, but Simonov gently shook his head, interrupting him.

Simonov looked out the window; Moscow was still bustling and vibrant. This was the very city he had once protected.

Looking out at the city, his gaze softened slightly, then became incredibly firm again, his tone calm yet carrying an unwavering resolve.

"Danger? Of course I know it's dangerous. But compared to the danger of going to the battlefield, the greatest danger is that our country is completely powerless in the face of this new type of warfare!"

His voice wasn't loud, but every word carried immense weight, echoing through the car.

"Our military system, which we have spent decades building, is no match for the enemy's system; our army can only passively take hits in the face of drones. If we cannot solve this problem and find a way to counter it, the entire Soviet Union will suffer in the future."

The Volga sedan slowly crossed a bridge over the Moscow River, the city's buildings reflected in the shimmering water. Simonov gazed into the distance, then said:

"I must go to the battlefield. This is not a choice; it is our responsibility. Our responsibility is not just to manufacture weapons and equipment, but more importantly, to prevent the outbreak of war and to stop the enemy from invading our country."

Seeing the chief engineer's resolute expression, Ivanovich swallowed back the words of advice that were on the tip of his tongue, letting out only a heavy sigh.

Silence fell again inside the car, while the evening breeze outside remained warm and pleasant, carrying the warmth of Moscow's springtime.

But Simonov, seemingly calm, was thinking of the past, of his classmates and comrades who had sacrificed their lives on the battlefield, and also of the future, of the people outside the car window enjoying the bright spring sunshine with their families.

Simonov was at peace; he simply sat there quietly as the car drove into the depths of twilight.

Two days later, this top Soviet electronic warfare equipment expert, along with several colleagues, boarded a transport plane bound for Damascus.

After several hours of flight, the transport plane finally landed in Damascus. As the cargo door of the military transport plane opened, Simonov stepped off the plane. Looking at the Soviet soldiers coming and going in the airport, at the S-300 air defense missile system not far away, and at the phased array radar that was working, his brows furrowed. That was the Soviet Union's most advanced air defense radar, which was now also rendered useless.

(End of this chapter)