In 1978, I was admitted to Harbin Institute of Technology

Chapter 270 Relationship to Nuclear Deterrence Distance? Saddam Hussein Invests an Additional $1 Million in Rockets and Solid Fuel Technology

"Tch, I thought they could hold out for a few more days! And they're supposed to be Pakistan's elite."

Xie Wei knew that the Pakistani personnel hadn't even lasted 24 hours, and his face was full of disdain.

He knew better than anyone else that no other country or nation in the world had a research team as dedicated as China's defense science and technology workers!
"What's your attitude!"

Yulihua was displeased. "If this gets out, it will definitely cause a dispute."

"What disputes could there be? That's an indisputable fact. This way it's easier to manage things later... Otherwise, they'd be receiving preferential treatment, and not only would they not learn anything, it would inevitably cause trouble sooner or later. This is Northeast China!"

Xie Wei was truly concerned about the safety of the Pakistani technical personnel.

Once foreigners are given a sense of superiority, various problems can easily arise, causing unnecessary trouble and ultimately affecting the school's reputation.

Liu Debao and the others simply sized up Xie Wei, still unable to understand why he was so tough on foreign trainees and international students.

He wouldn't tell me even when I asked.

"Alright, let's talk about drones. You mentioned before that to improve the performance of air-to-air missiles, surface-to-air missiles, and even ground radar, we need excellent drones... After discussion, the higher-ups decided that the Changkong series target drones don't really meet future development needs..."

Yuli Hua did not want to participate in discussions about school administration.

Let's switch to talking about drones.

During this period, he thoroughly explored all of Harbin Institute of Technology's military technology projects, and sometimes he even felt that Harbin Institute of Technology had far too many military technology research and development projects.

If Xie Wei hadn't made hundreds of millions selling weapons and equipment, he would have advised the school to cancel some projects without hesitation.

Limited funds need to be used wisely.

He also understands that schools are different from research institutions. Research projects are all theoretical. Only when theoretical research is successful can the technology be transformed into products through school-enterprise cooperation.

There are so many cutting-edge technologies.

"Is the military preparing to invest?"

Xie Wei perked up.

When the school was improving the PL-4 air-to-air missile for live-fire testing, Xie Wei pointed out that the Changkong-1 unmanned target drone was too slow and lacked maneuverability in the air, making it unsuitable for testing air-to-air missiles and air defense missiles that required high speed and high sensitivity.

"It depends on how much funding is needed, and it also depends on your technological reserves."

Yuli Hua did not deny it.

Whether it was due to Li Rui's efforts or the military's observation that the projects developed by the university brought back hundreds of millions of dollars in foreign exchange and research funding, the military was indeed prepared to increase its investment in related projects at Harbin Institute of Technology.

With the $80 million funding from Pakistan and the nearly $100 million funding from Iraq for the purchase of 36 tanks, the military naturally won't continue to invest in this project.

"Isn't fighter jets more urgent? The Air Force's most advanced aircraft right now is the J-8, which is simply no match for a supersonic bomber like the Tu-22 Backfire that can penetrate defenses at low altitudes at Mach 2."

Liu Debao was somewhat displeased.

The military is just too... well...

The fighter jet project is what is more urgently needed, and it also requires a huge amount of funding and more supporting projects, but the military simply doesn't mention it.

After Yu Lihua learned the details of the third-generation fighter jet project, he reported it directly to his superiors.

He believes that the technology cannot be improved in the short term, making it difficult to meet the school's own design targets.

"Aren't the school and the project team discussing whether to turn the design research work into a preliminary research phase?"

Yu Lihua countered with a question, decisively changing the subject, "Let's talk about unmanned target drones. The Department of Electrical Engineering is designing new dedicated chips, the Department of Radio Engineering is researching digital signal communication for remote control, right? The Department of Energy is researching lithium batteries, the Department of Materials Science is researching new composite materials, and there are some optoelectronic technologies..."

In the past, he would never have known the inside story.

Even if they know about these topics, they wouldn't consider the direction of drones.

All the technologies are cutting-edge high-tech in the world. Even if there is no international embargo, there are very few papers on these topics.

During my long time at the school, through conversations with relevant personnel, indirect inquiries, and Director You's personal judgment, I discovered that all the cutting-edge technologies were geared towards supporting drones.

Do not!
Not just drones.

These technologies can be applied in a variety of fields.

"I heard that you're planning to improve not only the maneuverability of the Changkong-1 UAV, but also its range and loiter capability. If that's true, it could be a good direction for developing reconnaissance aircraft..."

As Yu Lihua spoke, he observed the reactions of Xie Wei and Liu Debao.

Xie Wei didn't react at all when he heard this, as if he knew nothing about it.

Liu Debao, on the other hand, had a series of changes in expression. Although he quickly regained his composure, You Lihua still noticed the changes in his expression.

"The fighter jets can be put on hold for now..."

"To get this project started, you simply need at least 30 to 50 million!"

Xie Wei interrupted Yu Lihua directly.

When will the military be allowed to make decisions about school projects?
It wasn't that Xie Wei was so arrogant that he didn't know his own limitations; it wasn't impossible for the military to make decisions about the school's research projects.

You have to pay!
"..."

Upon seeing Xie Wei immediately offer tens of millions in funding, You Lihua's eyes widened in surprise, and she was momentarily at a loss for words.

It took me a while to come to my senses. "Didn't Iraq place another order for over $4 million?"

"It's not even close to being settled yet. We've already given them our conditions, and General Abdullah went straight back to report... We're arguing about how to eat the geese before we've even shot them down. In the end, we won't even see a single feather."

Xie Wei said irritably.

The purchases made by Iraq previously were already different from those in history.

Although confident, Xie Wei wasn't sure if Iraq would accept his current price.

Long-range rocket artillery could effectively enhance the Republican Guard's long-range attack capabilities and even allow Iraq to obtain solid fuel, but none of these are what Saddam Hussein urgently needs right now.

······
Baghdad.

Unlike last time, this time Abdullah arrived at the palace where the president received him and met the president in just over forty minutes.

"They demanded that the accompanying rockets also be purchased at the price of $4.8?"

Shadama frowned upon hearing this.

It means that China's long-range rockets are cheaper, and their range is 35 kilometers longer than the Scud-A.

According to the previous budget, the purchase price can be reduced to $40,000 per missile. In this way, the price of purchasing one Scud-A missile can be used to buy about six Chinese YH-150 rockets.

What does it matter if the accuracy of six rockets carrying a 420-kilogram warhead is slightly worse than that of a Scud missile?
But the other side discovered their plan.

Seeing the president fall silent, Abdullah felt a little worried and explained, "The Chinese side agreed to most of our conditions; the price of the rocket artillery launcher system was reduced from $280 million to $240 million..."

"Comrade Major General, each launch system originally cost $2.8 million, but that included eight rockets. Now, those eight rockets are not included! So, each launch system is only $16,000 cheaper..."

The logistics minister, who had been called in by the president to discuss the matter, said with dissatisfaction.

Upon hearing this, Abdullah did not know how to refute it and could only look at the president.

The president stared at him, waiting silently for his explanation. "The point is, the price of the most expensive rocket, which was originally under contract, has been reduced to $4.8, a 20% decrease. This will save the country over $5100 million! And the Chinese offer was already several times cheaper than the West's, without any strings attached..."

"You mean the other party won't lower the price anymore?"

A high-ranking official from the logistics department questioned him.

Shadama frowned.

The savings of $5100 million were far less than the nearly $9000 million they had previously anticipated.

It's true that Iraq is wealthy from selling oil, but it's about to launch a war against Khomeini. If it can quickly occupy Iran, it will greatly accelerate Saddam Hussein's unification of the entire Arab world.

Money is needed everywhere.

Once war breaks out, oil extraction will definitely be affected, and Khomeini might even block Iraq's already narrow access to the sea.

"It's basically impossible! Although the other party said that the cost of $280 million was largely inflated, compared to the Scud missiles we purchased from the Soviet Union, these rockets, priced at $4.8 each, probably wouldn't have much profit. If it weren't for China's reform and opening up and the lack of foreign exchange to import advanced technology and equipment, we would have had a hard time importing them at such a price!"

After giving the high-ranking logistics official a deep look, knowing that the other party was trying to sow discord against him, Abdullah felt that he could no longer remain silent.

Otherwise, the president would think he was actually receiving huge kickbacks from the Chinese, which is why he was speaking up for the Chinese side so vehemently.

He paused here, observing the reactions of the crowd, especially the president, before Abdullah said with a serious expression, "Most importantly, the propellant of this rocket launcher is solid fuel, not liquid fuel!"

Solid fuel!

Upon hearing this, everyone's expression changed.

The logistics personnel dared not speak again, secretly observing the president, whose expression remained unchanged.

Shadak remained calm upon hearing about solid fuel.

If it weren't for solid fuel, would he have purchased five more battalions of this long-range rocket artillery without even seeing its true power?
Previously, he had arranged for someone to secretly go to the Soviet Union to seek the purchase of tactical missiles with a longer range, preferably more than 1000 kilometers, so that they could cross a straight-line distance of 865 kilometers and directly deter the troublemakers from Iraqi territory.

However, no matter how much they offered, the Soviets simply wouldn't budge.

They're unwilling to provide missiles with a range exceeding 1000 kilometers, let alone missiles with a range exceeding 500 kilometers.

The missile experts hired by Iraq at great expense by the Soviet Union offered the Iraqi Ministry of Military Industry an alternative solution: to achieve a longer range, the outer shell of the Scud-B missile could be sawed off and spliced ​​onto two other missiles. This would allow each new missile to carry thousands of kilograms of fuel, increasing its range to over 600 kilometers.

The only downside is that the weight of the warhead will be significantly reduced, and the accuracy will also be greatly affected.

Unless solid fuel propellant is used.

Using the same Scud missile, without splicing, the missile's range can exceed 750 kilometers. Still choosing the "three missiles combined with two missiles" scheme, and adding solid fuel, the range can reach 1300-1500 kilometers!

Ran and egg.

The Soviet Union did not sell solid-fuel propellant missiles at all.

"Is it really a solid fuel propellant?"

Minister of War Industry Tikrit asked eagerly, "Can our plan be realized?"

He was previously unaware of the performance of this state-of-the-art long-range rocket artillery piece, which was purchased from China.

He had barely finished speaking when his expression changed, and he shook his head in disbelief: "Impossible. China doesn't even have solid-fuel propellant missiles or rockets; they're all equipped with liquid-fuel missiles. Even their air defense missiles are the same as ours... That's precisely why their air force doesn't have any advanced air-to-air missiles available..."

Once solid fuel propellants are put into practical use, missiles will definitely be the first choice.

Especially anti-aircraft missiles and air-to-air missiles.

Solid propellants have a higher energy density, which can not only provide rockets with stronger power, but also make missiles smaller and improve their maneuverability.

"The best things the Chinese have are always kept hidden away! Although they only completed industrialization twenty years ago, let's not forget that many of their world-class scientists returned to build the motherland after the founding of New China... At the same time, Chinese researchers, except for a little time to sleep, spend all their time on research and development..."

Abdullah believes he has a lot to say on this matter.

It's not like China, with its many world-class scientists, couldn't have developed solid fuels.

Just because the outside world doesn't know doesn't mean they don't!

"Your Majesty, if we can accept their price, even if we can't get the complete technology, we might be able to acquire the solid fuel formula and the rocket engine. Perhaps we can even obtain the rocket production technology from them..."

"Add another $5000 million, no, $1 million. You'll be in charge of this! I need to see the rocket production technology!"

Before Abdullah could finish speaking, the president impatiently issued the order.

A range of 1000 kilometers marks the dividing line between tactical and strategic missiles.

Currently, there are not many countries in the world that possess strategic missiles.

Since becoming president, Saddam Hussein has been importing advanced Soviet weapons and technology on a large scale, claiming himself to be the world's third strongest military power.

Without strategic missiles or nuclear warheads, relying solely on conventional weapons, even if it were to become the world's third-largest military power, it wouldn't be very convincing.

The nuclear agreement with France has brought Iraq one foot in the door of becoming a nuclear power.

Even if you develop nuclear weapons, it's useless if you don't have missiles to deliver them!

If Iraq were to combine its Scud missile production technology with China's long-range rocket artillery technology to create a solid-fuel missile with a range exceeding 1000 kilometers, its defenses would be impregnable!

With a range of 1000 kilometers, are intercontinental ballistic missiles with ranges of 3000 kilometers and 5000 kilometers still a problem?

看看中国，第一款远程导弹东风-1，射程也不过600公里；然后以东风-1的技术为基础进行改进，东风-2的射程直接就打着滚增加到了1300公里；东风-3更是直接达到3000公里……

Shadak knew the model number.

He doesn't believe that China's strategic missiles only have a range of 3000 kilometers; otherwise, the US, the Soviet Union, and China wouldn't have become so amicable in recent years.

At the very least, the Chinese had the capability to deliver mushroom bombs to the Soviet Union and the United States.

The Soviet Union and the Americans became more polite to China, and this was definitely not because China developed the Q-5 fighter jet, which, once launched with nuclear weapons, would never have a chance to return.

Originally, the Q-5 carrying hydrogen bombs was not called Q-5, but Kuangbiao-1!
That was the first tactical nuclear attack method used by the Chinese.

The reason why so many people around the world know about it is because it is China's first exported fighter jet with a range of 1200 kilometers!

"Abdullah, if you can't bring back the production technology for rockets and solid fuel, you don't need to come back! If you can, you will be the new Minister of Defense!"

Even in front of his Minister of Defense, Saddam Hussein still said these words.

"Your Majesty, regarding the budget..."

Abdullah glanced at the current Minister of Defense Industry, Tikrit, and then looked at him with a bitter expression.

Adding only $1 million in funding might not be enough to cover both rocket production technology and solid fuel production technology...

"That's all! I don't care what methods you come up with! This is not just about national defense, but also about the development of the entire Arab world!"

Shadama's face was full of seriousness.

It was as if he could already see his troops possessing a large number of medium-range tactical missiles with a range of thousands of kilometers.

If that troublemaker dares to spout nonsense again, before his American daddy even arrives, we can just nuke his little wretch's place and bring peace to the Middle East.

(End of this chapter)