America: Starting with Daily Intelligence

Chapter 311 Testing Warthogs

"Boss, didn't you go to work today?" Sig asked, a little confused.

"You had a blast last night, didn't you? You even dared to go on a three-player ranked game with other people. Do you know how you got back?" Zhang Ailun asked.

Sieg said somewhat awkwardly, "I really didn't realize what was going on, but I think Boketu and the others carried me back. I felt something was wrong after drinking, but there was nothing I could do; the die was cast!"

"Take fewer of those little blue pills from outside in the future. Do you know how much technology and ruthless techniques are in them? If you ruin your kidneys, no one will care. If you really want to become stronger, besides the natural fitness postures I taught you, you can also go to Dr. Jerry and have him research low-dose Viagra for you," Zhang Ailun joked.

"Boss, I'll definitely be more careful in the future," Sig hurriedly said. This time, he had overestimated himself, thinking that by following the Grand Master and being influenced by him for so long, his own level and physique were already very strong.

But he didn't expect that as soon as he came into contact with Sweet Three-Row, he would feel the pressure increase so much that it was beyond his ability to bear!

Zhang Ailun gave Sieg a long lecture, told him to wash his face, get dressed, and then leave with his female assistant Gwen.

Sieg was put in charge of driving the vehicle to the hangar in the suburbs, where he planned to take the professional ground crew to the General Dynamics shipyard to select a few decommissioned ships in good condition.

After all, the leader's knowledge of warships is limited to online chatter. He has hardly ever been on a yacht or cruise ship, and he doesn't really understand the cost of maintaining a warship or how many people need to be recruited. He especially needs the reference and advice of professionals.

First, they had Sieg drive to the suburban storage facility and pick up Haval, who was responsible for overseeing and maintaining the nuclear reactor.

After parking the Rolls-Royce on the side of the road, Zhang Ailun called Haval, told the silly boy to get in the car, and then drove to a suburban hangar to pick up Qibatu and his other excellent ground crew members.

Once in the car, during the drive, Zhang Ailun asked Haval, "How have you been feeling lately?"

"It's fine. Apart from the daily research on nuclear power blueprints and open-source materials, there's not much else to do. Boss, did you call me here because you have something to do?" Haval answered honestly.

"Of course there's something. We contacted General Dynamics shipyard; they have several littoral combat ships and decommissioned destroyers for sale, and I'd like to buy them for maintenance and repair. Maybe it can really make your dream come true," Zhang Ailun smiled.

"Littoral Combat Ship?" Haver asked, somewhat surprised. "Wasn't that thing strategically obsolete?"

"If we're not strategically eliminated, how could we possibly buy at a low price?" Zhang Ailun said.

The Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) project took 20 years and cost approximately $300 billion, but was ultimately described by the US media as "the most failed project in the history of the US Navy."

However, according to his research, the Littoral Combat Ship cannot be considered a complete failure. It's just that the Navy had too high expectations for it, which did not match the strength and strategic requirements of the US Navy's dominant class. The times were also changing too fast.

If it's just for self-defense and counterattack in coastal waters, then it's still very useful and meets the needs of small third-world countries. Many countries are willing to purchase it. But if it's for launching an offensive from a port, then it's just a freebie.

Its original design was intended by the US Navy to replace the Perry-class frigates, with its primary mission being to enter enemy coastal waters to attack maritime defenses, including striking surface ships and conventional submarines, mine countermeasures, transporting special forces, and conducting near-shore surveillance and blockade.

Its features include high speed, good stealth performance, modular design and construction, and simple and easy-to-modify hull shape.

The design emphasizes high speed, stealth, and the ability to utilize helicopters and unmanned combat platforms.

Its shortcomings are also obvious. There are some fundamental problems in its design concept, which makes it almost unable to defend against anti-ship cruise missiles, let alone complete the mission of forward presence to compete for sea control and power projection. It can only complete some humanitarian aid, disaster relief and self-defense missions in the near sea.

However, it is not without its advantages.

Cheap.

Although it was very expensive to develop, it became very cheap after it was phased out.

A simple design means it's easier to modify and adapt.

With its high speed and ability to carry helicopters and speedboats, it is well-suited for self-defense counterattacks against illegal maritime organizations and pirates approaching private island territories.

In a struggle between nations, this is a strategic mistake; against a major power, it's nothing more than a novice offering themselves up for slaughter. After all, the other side has anti-ship missiles.

However, for individual armed forces, its performance is exceptionally superior!

Because other players can't afford to use anti-ship missiles when attacking you, it will appear to be very "tanky" and durable.

You think a decommissioned frigate worth $100 million is flimsy, poorly maintained, and outdated?

You think a $400 million secondhand warship is well-made, durable, and reliable, and can still fight for another ten years?

Haval: "..."

After thinking about it, there's nothing to refute. After all, you can buy an American-equipped warship for four million dollars, or even slightly more. What more could you ask for?

If you only pursue performance, there are plenty of excellent warships on the market, but even if you can afford to buy them, you can't afford to maintain them.

"The Spruance-class decommissioned destroyers, although they are old warships that have been replaced by the Arleigh Burke-class destroyers, still have excellent performance even by today's standards. The Aegis system was developed based on the Spruance destroyer. If we could buy them and use them for experiments to study and improve nuclear power, if successful, they would be a very qualified modern destroyer." Haver became interested.

Zhang Ailun nodded without refuting it.

Sieg drove to the suburban airport.

After getting off the car, we could see a majestic and imposing Warthog parked at the airport in the distance. Beggar Clan disciples and Qibatu were also gathered around it, and warning banners were put up all around, prohibiting passage.

To debug and test the overall performance of the A-10, including takeoffs and landings, the Beggars' Sect disciples voluntarily rented a dedicated runway from the airport. Many people nearby watched the A-10 warthog with amazement, taking out their phones to take pictures; after all, this is something most people only see in movies.

Zhang Ailun walked over to take a look, but didn't disturb them, only nodding in greeting. After Qibatu and the Beggar Clan disciples finished checking and confirmed everything was in order, an air force officer boarded the A10, adjusted the instruments and electronic equipment, and after the official start-up, the two turbofan engines began to run.

The A10 engine emitted a roaring noise similar to a motor, sprinted forward a distance, the Warthog's front wheels gradually lifted, raising the nose, and then with a whoosh, it soared into the sky.

"Number 001, please check if the electronic equipment and engine speed are normal." Qibatu called the A10 pilot over the radio.

"001 received, equipment confirmed to be in good working order. Requesting in-flight cyclical flight test, gradually accelerating from cruise performance to maximum performance," the Warthog's pilot replied.

"Acceleration is permitted."

Qibatu had barely finished speaking.

Suddenly, the warthog sped up, and with a whoosh, its silver-white fuselage tilted, emitting a deep roar, before disappearing from sight in an instant.

Zhang Ailun looked up and watched as the warthog nimbly turned a corner and whizzed past overhead.

Listening to the roar of the turbofan engine, even from a great distance, one could almost feel the awe-inspiring power of the machinery, and couldn't help but feel a surge of excitement.

"Two million for this thing? That's a steal!!"

Zhang Ailun clicked his tongue, watching the warthogs fly around overhead, the little black dots disappearing on the horizon. The next second, he could hear a rumbling sound from a great distance, and then they whizzed past overhead at a speed of 833 kilometers per hour!

If it weren't for the fact that unauthorized firing tests weren't prohibited here, and the warthog wasn't yet loaded with ammunition and was only undergoing flight testing, Zhang Ailun would really like to try out the Gatling gun in the warthog's mouth right now and spray a hundred bullets per second, frantically licking the ground! That scene would definitely be spectacular.

As an enemy, they must also be terrified.

It truly lives up to its reputation as a tank unboxing tool.

Who said warthogs should retire? These pigs are great!

The A-10 conducted a flight test for about ten minutes, occasionally reporting on the attack aircraft's status. The results showed that it was in good condition.

With a service ceiling of 13700 meters, its maximum range, if equipped with three external fuel tanks and without armed load, can reach 3900 kilometers. Its close air support combat radius is 460 kilometers, and its anti-armor combat radius is 500 kilometers.

Once the A-10 slowed down and landed smoothly at the airport, the pilots disembarked under escort, marking the successful completion of the attack aircraft's testing.

Zhang Ailun led the people around him in applause, then walked over and praised, "Well done."

"It's a pity we can't test the Gatling gun's close-range attack for now; we can only test the Gatling gun spinning in the air without weapons," Qibatu said with some regret.

"This kind of thing can be tested anytime. The warthog is in perfect health, so why would it be afraid of not being able to spit out bullets? If we really let you test the power here, the state police would probably come and arrest you." Zhang Ailun smiled.

He proactively sought Colonel Wood's help, suggesting that he make an appointment at the military base to use their facilities for performance testing, and even apply to conduct live-fire exercises with their pilots. But there was really no need for that, given how expensive bullets are!

Even when firing at a target, the Warthog Gatling gun fires dozens or even hundreds of rounds per second, so let's leave it for the big spenders to use.

Zhang Ailun beckoned to Gwen, who took a handbag from the trunk of the Rolls-Royce. Sieg took it, unzipped it, and pulled out stacks of US dollars, rewarding them one by one. At least three hundred thousand US dollars were given out in rewards!

"There will be plenty of work like this in the future. Once I officially take over Jehovah Island with my men, you can come with me to the island to set up camp and help us get our own weapons and equipment in place," Zhang Ailun continued to encourage them.

"Boss, you even bought a private island?" The Beggars' Sect disciples were astonished.

"It was a gift from someone else," Zhang Ailun said with a calm smile. He waved his hand to indicate his composure.

The Beggars' Sect disciples marveled and began to discuss it amongst themselves.

After completing the inspection and debugging of the A10, Zhang Ailun also informed Qibatu about the fighter jets and destroyers at General Dynamics Shipyard.

Chibatu's understanding of these things far surpassed that of laymen. He pondered, "The Spruance-class destroyer is 171.6 meters long, 16.8 meters wide, has a full-load displacement of 7700 tons, and a maximum range of 6600 nautical miles. If you're just doing basic operations, navigating around the islands and performing routine maintenance, you'll need at least 50 to 80 people. To fully utilize its capabilities, you'll need at least 200 people. The military's service requirement is 300 people per Spruance-class destroyer."

"There's no need to worry about maintenance and repairs, because if a decommissioned ship is used privately, it's unlikely to participate in frontline warfare. Just maintain it to the minimum standards. Including personnel salaries and living expenses, the cost will be at most two to five million US dollars per year."

Listen to that, it's only two to five million US dollars a year, and that's the bare minimum.

If you were serving in the navy, wouldn't it cost millions of dollars in military expenditure just to fire a single shot, order takeout that can be flown around the world, or have the captain lead a banquet on the high seas?

I won't even go into how much of that was wasted spending.

The auditor? The moment the auditor stepped onto the warship with his left foot, he slipped and fell into the sea, sinking to his death.

So what's your solution?

Auditors are easily dissolved by water, fire, electricity, bullets, airplanes, heart disease...

The captain vouched for us with his personal integrity; we tried to save him, but we couldn't. His plane also sank due to a malfunction. I definitely didn't do it.

Even if that's the case, do you have any evidence?

Zhang Ailun then asked him if it was possible to build a nuclear-powered destroyer.

Chibatu was somewhat speechless: "It's possible, but isn't it unnecessary? The destroyer's main engines are already four General Electric LM-2500 gas turbines, with a total power of 86000 horsepower. Replacing the reactor with a nuclear reactor would indeed save fuel, but the project is much more complicated than assembling the A10, and it would be time-consuming and labor-intensive. Besides, we don't seem to have any technical personnel in this area."

"He's a genius!"

Zhang Ailun pulled Haval out.

Qibatu looked at the boy's wise-looking face with some skepticism, but after learning about the boy's 'strength' and background, he couldn't help but be astonished: "You secretly modified a nuclear reactor and didn't die from radiation? You're incredibly lucky! How did you do that?"

Haval said nonchalantly, "I just have a basic understanding of the principles of nuclear reactors. This and that. And then I got it running."

"..."

Qibatu was completely stunned after hearing this.

He looked him up and down with a strange expression. "You're the one who's crazy, aren't you?"

"Do you think it's feasible?" Zhang Ailun asked.

"We can do it, but we have to take it slowly," Qibatu said tactfully.

"Okay, then there's no problem."

Zhang Ailun nodded. As a leader, he only needed to focus on the results; he wouldn't interfere with the rest of the process.

After all, the leader of the sect is not a professional and has no right to give orders. He might just make things worse.

We'll provide the money and manpower! Then we can just sit back and wait for the nuclear-powered destroyer to be ready.

Zhang Ailun left the other Beggars' Sect disciples and Mark behind to maintain the Black Hawk helicopter and tow the A10 back to the hangar to load ammunition. He then took Qibatu, Sig, and a few others to the port area where the General Dynamics shipyard was located.

It took some time to get to the bay area near San Juan Casselano, California.

Sieg drove the Rolls-Royce smoothly along the highway to the General Dynamics shipyard dock and parked in a nearby parking lot.

The group got out of the car and walked along the beach and palm-lined road. In the distance, they could see a shipyard and a shipyard. Several warships and destroyers were also moored on the sea. Many other private cruise ships and yachts were also undergoing maintenance and repair. Many shipyard workers were looking around on the destroyers.

Zhang Ailun and Sieg and the others entered the dock area and admired the coastal scenery. They took a few photos with their phones before calling the relevant person in charge to explain the situation. The person in charge quickly sent people to meet them.

The manager in charge wore glasses, black stockings, and high heels; she was also a beautiful woman with long, wavy red hair.