Black technology: a super empire spanning two worlds

Chapter 403 [Consensus Reached, Let's Do It!]

The only variable is that the price of room temperature superconducting materials is still too high. If the price of these materials can be reduced to 300,000 to 500,000 yuan per ton, it will be economically feasible.

Xiao Yu has full confidence in the cost reduction and efficiency improvement of room temperature superconducting materials.

In terms of productivity, given the current level of industrial capacity across the country, there is absolutely no problem. To put it bluntly, building a medium-sized aerial base with a capacity of 200 million tons is only equivalent to the construction of three Shanghai Towers.

Even a super-large aerial base with a capacity of 1000 million tons can be built.

More than 30 years ago, the great Eastern power used more than 28 million tons of cement to build the Three Gorges Hydropower Station.

Needless to say, more than 30 years later, and the plan to build an aerial base is set for the middle of this century, which is 20 years from now, which is even more certain.

If the cost of room-temperature superconductivity can be reduced now, we can achieve it right now, without having to wait twenty years.

As things were pieced together, the higher-ups realized that there was more and more potential in it. The benefits of an air base were self-evident, both militarily and economically.

Soon after, the matter was put on the agenda, and relevant parties conducted several discussions and studies on it.

They quickly reached a consensus that an air base should be built, but the question of how large and how many should be built is still under discussion.

……

In early May, during the national holiday, Zhao Heyang returned to Linzhou and met with Xiao Yu.

"Comrade Xiao Yu, after thorough research and discussion, the higher-ups have decided to establish this airborne base," Zhao Heyang said directly. Xiao Yu was taken aback upon hearing this, and immediately said, "It was decided so quickly?"

Xiao Yu thought that even if it was fast, it would still take half a year, but he didn't expect to get results in just half a month, and that they were going to start.

"After I went back and reported, the higher-ups discussed this matter several times and attached great importance to it," Zhao Heyang said. After a moment, he added, "There are external environmental factors involved in the reason why we want this matter to be resolved as soon as possible."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Yu was immediately puzzled: "External factors?"

Zhao Heyang nodded and said, "That's right. Given the current situation of the United States, its hegemony won't last for many more years. The era of multipolarity is coming soon."

Xiao Yu suddenly realized what he meant.

The implication is that once the old US hegemony is gone, the great Eastern power will naturally ascend to become the new "superpower" of the Earth, making the need for air bases urgent.

Zhao Heyang looked at Xiao Yu and smiled, "Not only should we build the airborne base, but the sooner the better. Comrade Xiao Yu, there's a question that the higher-ups are quite concerned about: can the price of room-temperature superconducting materials be reduced to 50 yuan per ton in about ten years? In other words, can the timeframe be shortened by half?"

Currently, the biggest hurdle restricting the development of airborne bases is the cost of room-temperature superconducting materials.

Xiao Yu pretended to be deep in thought. After a while, he looked at Zhao Heyang and replied, "I have great confidence in the next twenty years. As for the next ten years, it's really hard to say. But I will do my best. Technological breakthroughs still have a lot of chance involved. Maybe there will be a huge breakthrough next year."

In fact, as long as there is demand, we can supply it continuously this year.

The abundance of natural room-temperature superconducting mineral veins on Earth is greater than that of iron ore on Earth, and if the mining cost were roughly transferred to Earth, it would be cheaper than mining iron ore.

However, Xiao Yu certainly couldn't make any absolute statements to Zhao Heyang. Since the higher-ups were so eager, adjustments could be made flexibly. Speaking of which, it's all Lao Mei's fault for being so terribly incompetent.

Looking back, Xiao Yu realized that he had indeed overestimated Magnesium West. If he had known that Magnesium West would collapse so quickly, he certainly wouldn't have quoted a cost of 8 million yuan per ton when he first came out with room temperature superconducting materials.

Fortunately, it's not a major problem and can be explained away by technological breakthroughs. After all, technological breakthroughs are sometimes accidental, which is a good excuse.

Since the higher-ups want to get the airborne base built as soon as possible, Xiao Yu has no problem with it. In a few years, he will arrange a scenario of a major breakthrough in room temperature superconducting material technology, resulting in an exponential increase in production capacity and a sharp drop in costs.

Finally, Xiao Yu immediately asked, "How many do the military plan to build?"

Zhao Heyang smiled and said, "At least 24 air bases, with a total tonnage of around 5000 million tons. This number is based on the needs of future global deployment."

In the future multipolar era, the major Eastern power will certainly need to maintain its military presence in major strategic locations and sea lanes around the world, including important straits and ports, as well as inland regions of continents.

To maintain its global military advantage, Amalika has established hundreds of military bases around the world.

However, the Eastern superpower only needs a dozen or so air bases deployed overseas to replace and surpass the role of the hundreds of military bases that Amerika currently has.

The reason for building 24 stations is, of course, to ensure cyclical deployment.

After all, the air base also needs to be returned for maintenance, and at that time another one will be needed to relieve it.

Zhao Heyang asked, "Comrade Xiao Yu, how long does it take to build a 200 million-ton-class aerial base?"

Xiao Yu immediately replied, "It will take about five years, which is similar to the current construction cycle of aircraft carriers."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Heyang was greatly surprised: "So fast?"

Xiao Yu smiled and said, "The construction difficulty is not high. Just treat the aerial base as the infrastructure project of a large-scale construction project. The main materials used are reinforced concrete."

The aerial base requires a large amount of reinforced concrete and other building materials. As for why other lightweight and better-performing building materials are not used, the reason is simple: to save money.

An air base is essentially a large, mobile military base building. Using the reinforced concrete used to build military bases already meets the standards for an air base, so concrete is the obvious choice.

Because it's cost-effective and can save you money.

Room temperature superconducting materials account for two-thirds of the total budget for the construction of the air base. The budget for a 200 million-ton air base is about 1500 billion, of which 1050 billion is spent on room temperature superconducting materials.

With the remaining budget of 450 billion, it's still a tight squeeze to cover all aspects of the air base.

After a while, Xiao Yu turned to ask, "Who will lead this project? China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation?"

Zhao Heyang said with a smile, "China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation will participate, but the higher-ups have decided to entrust this project to AVIC Linfei to lead. Considering that this is a completely new thing and no one has any experience, and the suggestion was made by you, it is most appropriate for AVIC Linfei to take the lead."

……

(End of this chapter)