I'm playing whack-a-mole in Siberia

Chapter 509 Unkind
George still has confidence in the empire, but at the same time he has to be prepared for both situations. In case the situation worsens, this plane is the last way out George has prepared for Nicholas.

Today's fighter jets are light in weight and slow in speed, so they don't have high requirements for runways and can take off and land smoothly on any flat ground.

Transport aircraft have a large deadweight and high requirements for runways. Only Tsarskoye Selo near St. Petersburg has the conditions to build a runway.

If the repair was done somewhere else, George was worried that Nicholas wouldn't be able to get on the plane at all.

In addition to military system reform and officer corps adjustments, reforms to the logistics supply system are also underway.

During the era of Vladimir and Alexei, it generally took the navy about five years to build a battleship, and the longest time was seven years.

The all-heavy artillery battleship built by the Amur Shipyard will be ready for service by the end of next year, with a construction period of 30 months.

The construction period of the three battleships at the St. Petersburg Shipyard was given to be 3 months, and they were expected to be in service by 48.

Referring to the tradition of the St. Petersburg Shipyard, this is definitely not the final time. If George does not interfere, he will be thankful if it can be completed in 5 years.

The person in charge of the construction of naval warships was Grand Duke Peter Nikolayevich.

Peter was Nicholas the Younger's younger brother. His health was not very good, so he was unable to serve in the Guards like Nicholas the Younger.

George asked Peter to speed up the construction of the battleship, which had to be completed within 36 months.

"George, this is impossible. St. Petersburg is not Vladivostok. The situation here is special."

Peter lay down calmly. The matter of naval shipbuilding was as complicated as military system reform.

"why?"

George thought he had left room for the St. Petersburg Shipyard.

The same battleship only needs 30 months to be built in Vladivostok, but George gave the St. Petersburg Shipyard another half year. If it is not completed, even if the lawsuit is brought to Nicholas, George will have something to say.

"Due to weather conditions, construction could not proceed normally in winter every year. The supply of raw materials was not timely. Sometimes the raw materials delivered were substandard or even wrong. The workers were instigated by the rebels and went on strike every now and then, demanding better pay and more rest time. The design was not mature enough and the drawings were often changed during construction. We once waited for four months for the naval guns."

Peter complained bitterly, but George was not very clear about the other things. The point about naval guns had something to do with George.

When Russia began building the Borodino-class battleships, it initially decided to use twin-mounted 305mm naval guns.

During the construction of the Borodino-class battleships, the Vladivostok Shipyard submitted an electrically powered twin-mounted 305 to the Navy Ministry for testing, which sparked controversy over naval guns.

Electric drive is undoubtedly more advanced, and the Baltic Fleet tends to convert the main gun of "Borodino" to electric drive.

However, the military industry department has already built the main gun used by "Borodino". If the Baltic Fleet does not want it, it will have to be redone, which will cause the budget, which has already been increased several times, to soar again.

The Baltic Fleet and the Navy Department argued about this issue for four months and failed to reach an agreement until the outbreak of the Russo-Japanese War. As a result, one battleship failed to catch up when the Second Fleet set out.

"Can I ensure that there will be no problems with the supply of raw materials, the drawings will not be changed, and the fees will be received on time, and the time can be brought forward to within 36 months?"

George hopes Peter can give a positive answer, otherwise George will change people.

"I'll try to—"

Peter didn't even hesitate in his answer, and it was obvious that he was just getting by.

"It's not about trying, it's about having to! If you can't do it, you have to bear the corresponding responsibility."

George assigned responsibilities to people. It was already 1909, and if it was completed within three years, it would be commissioned in 1912. The officers and soldiers would spend two years on board to familiarize themselves with the equipment, so that the ship could basically form combat effectiveness before the outbreak of the world war.

If the battleships were not completed by the time World War broke out, the officers and soldiers would have no time to familiarize themselves with the equipment, and the tragedy of the Second Fleet would be repeated.

The Second Fleet's officers and soldiers were hastily boarded the ships and organized training while sailing to the Far East. It would be a miracle if they could win the battle.

"George, you are forcing me!"

Peter was angry. Our two families have such a good relationship, how could you wield a knife at me?

"Peter, if the battleship cannot be completed within 36 months, you are also making things difficult for me!"

George was the First Lord of the Admiralty, the man with the primary responsibility.

As George expected, little Nicholas came to George the next day, hoping that George would spare Peter.

"Big guy, the new battleship must be completed within 36 months. There is no room for negotiation."

George insisted that little Nicholas be nicknamed "Tall Nicholas" because of his tall stature.

"Nicholas the Short" is naturally the Tsar.

"George, don't go too far!"

Little Nicholas was in a bad mood. The thing he was most worried about finally happened.

Vladimir and Alexei died one after another. There were rumors in St. Petersburg that both of them were killed by George, so some people in St. Petersburg now call George the "Avenger".

Although revenge was not the case, factional strife was real. After losing the Russo-Japanese War, Alexei's family was destined to be marginalized. Even if they were not buried by George, they would be completely overthrown by others.

What little Nicholas was worried about was that after George killed Alexei, he would turn his target towards himself.

"Niki, I don't need to ask how the battleships are built, and I won't make any adjustments to the military industry. The only requirement is that they be completed and put into service within 36 months. Is that too much?"

George knew why little Nicholas was angry, but he would never compromise on this issue.

This is not the first time that the St. Petersburg Shipyard has built battleships. In terms of technology and experience, it is no less than the Vladivostok Shipyard.

The reason for low efficiency is definitely a human problem.

As the person in charge of shipbuilding, if Peter does not have a sense of urgency, then the people below him will naturally be relaxed and happy.

George didn't mean to make things difficult for Peter, and Peter didn't need to do the screwing himself. Was it that difficult for him to just sit in the office and give orders?
"The St. Petersburg Shipyard has become accustomed to the current pace. It is difficult—"

Little Nicholas himself found it a little difficult to say.

“Is what you are used to right?”

George actually wanted to calculate how much money Peter could make from building these three battleships, and then give the money to Peter so that Peter could go to Crimea for medical treatment.

You are in poor health, so why not take care of yourself first? You can't ruin your health just to build warships for the empire. This will make George, the Secretary of the Admiralty, seem unkind.

(End of this chapter)