Chapter 2566 The old hunter deserves to be an old hunter
Roque will never forget that the day after Italy surrendered, the Germans used aviation guided bombs to sink the "Roma" and damage the "Italia".
The "Italia" is still in Cyprus, and it is said that the repair work will not be completed until the end of the year.
The reason why the progress is so slow has a lot to do with the plummeting status of battleships.
Starting almost two years ago, battleships no longer have a place in the shipbuilding plans announced by various countries. All models that were previously planned to be built but have not yet been started have been cancelled, and battleships have completely become abandoned.
The generals in southern Africa finally stopped worrying, and they had a new goal.
Considering that both the United States and the United Kingdom are increasing their shipbuilding efforts, Southern African generals hope to obtain a new type of aircraft carrier to maintain the Southern African Navy's superior position in aircraft carriers.
As the main aircraft carrier currently in service in southern Africa, the "Island" class has been in service for more than ten years. It is also an objective fact that it has lost its overwhelming advantage when facing the latest "Midway" class aircraft carrier of the United States.
The USS Midway, the first ship of the "Midway" class, started construction in 2043. It is still under construction and is not expected to enter service until the end of the year.
Here you can see the importance the U.S. Navy attaches to the "Midway" class. You must know that when the speed was the fastest before, the United States was building aircraft carriers at a rate of one per week.
The performance of "Midway" is indeed very powerful. It is the first U.S. aircraft carrier equipped with an armored flight deck, and the first U.S. warship whose maximum width is designed to meet the requirements of passing the Panama Canal.
Being able to pass through Panama means that the "Midway Island" is no longer limited to the Atlantic or Pacific Ocean and can be quickly deployed around the world.
Since the armored deck of "Midway" is 3 inches (7.62 cm) thick and it can carry up to 145 aircraft, the full load displacement of "Midway" is as high as 60,000 tons. When completed, it will be the largest aircraft carrier in the world.
For comparison, the "Giant" class aircraft carrier currently under construction in the UK has a standard displacement of only 13,190 tons, a pitiful carrying capacity of 50 aircraft, and a maximum speed of only 25 knots.
The maximum speed of "Midway" can reach 33 knots.
With the "opponent's" data, the generals in Southern Africa have a big appetite. They hope to get a ship that can take off and land jet fighters and bombers. It is also equipped with a flight deck, can reach a maximum speed of 35 knots, and is equipped with long-range rockets.
A super battleship that can carry out long-range strikes against enemy warships or ground targets.
According to the requirements of the Navy, the tonnage of this "super battleship" may exceed 100,000 tons, because the generals in Southern Africa greedily hope that the new aircraft carrier can also reach the level of "Midway" in terms of aircraft carrying capacity.
The carrier-based aircraft of "Midway" were designed according to propeller standards, so they could reach 145 aircraft.
Rock would definitely not agree with this standard, for the same reason that Rock denied battleships, which was inappropriate.
In another time and space, how did the world's first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier appear?
Rock forgot, it was probably the sixties or seventies.
Southern Africa's research in the field of war is the best in the world and can be applied to war at any time, so in order to appease the navy, Roque began to make trouble for the navy again.
If you want a conventionally powered aircraft carrier, nuclear power is the way to go.
The technology of ship-to-ground rockets is not yet mature enough, and its accuracy is not guaranteed. Even if it is applied to warships, it is still a gimmick and needs to be further improved before it can fully play its role.
The technology of jet carrier-based aircraft is also not mature enough, and key heavy bombers cannot be applied to aircraft carriers at all, unless the aircraft carrier is equipped with a flight deck that is more than a kilometer long.
Such an aircraft carrier would probably sink as soon as it hits the water, just like the British amphibious tanks.
Luo Ke's skill in drawing cakes was quite good, and the generals in southern Africa were very happy.
It doesn't matter what the performance is. The key point is that all the cakes drawn by Rock have been realized. This is the most terrifying thing. Otherwise, the Southern African Navy can only be like the Royal Navy, holding a bunch of obsolete battleships and watching Southern Africa and
The U.S. aircraft carrier battle group is drooling.
Of course, the naval generals are not easy to fool. Roque was in Yalta, and the generals were not idle. They quickly came up with a transitional plan, hoping that Roque would approve it.
"The Navy organized a discussion and found that with the current technology, it is impossible to meet the requirements, so-" Gavin was helpless. The navy generals found that Roark was not easy to fool, so they targeted Gavin as the heir.
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Roque is about to retire, and he won't be able to continue to shine for a few more years. Gavin is still easy to fool, and it's not like southern Africa can't afford it.
The key is here.
When Rock initially denied battleships, Southern Africa had limited strength, and good steel must be used wisely and not be wasted.
With the current strength of Southern Africa, according to the previous plan, it is not a problem to start construction and launch a dozen ships at the same time, so why hesitate?
Aircraft carriers are the concrete embodiment of the status of a great power.
"This is not a question of strength at all. It has nothing to do with it. The key is whether it is needed. The existing fleet size is enough to safeguard the interests of Southern Africa. There is no need to overinvest." Roque told Gavin that the truth was that Southern Africa had just been established.
At that time, it was indeed impossible to build a super battleship.
During World War I, with the strength of southern Africa at that time, it was perfectly possible to build ten or eight ships. The reason why Rock was determined not to build one was because there was no need at all.
Why are Americans trying so hard to build aircraft carriers?
To fight the Axis powers?
It is enough for Germany to leave it to the Royal Navy. Regardless of the shabby condition of the Royal Navy's aircraft carriers, the Royal Navy's overall strength will not allow the German Navy to sail to the sea. As long as the German Navy's warships drive away from the military port, it will definitely be able to return to the sea.
Not going.
The Japanese navy is even worse. Facing the overwhelming superiority of the Allied navy, it has completely lost the war initiative since the end of 1942. Now all its main battleships have been lost and sea lines of communication have been completely cut off.
It is said that the Japanese Navy was forced to start researching submarines under pressure.
So the problem arises. Even if Japan obtains German submarine technology, Japan no longer has the strength to start construction and is just struggling to death.
So why are Americans so desperate to build aircraft carriers?
The purpose is not only to replace Britain and compete for leadership of the international community.
Another important reason is to provoke a new arms race.
Rock's response is simple, you fight yours and I'll fight mine.
It’s already 1945. What kind of arms race is this? In order to cope with the possible economic recession after the end of the world war, Southern Africa has been promoting the conversion of military to civilians since last year, closing a large number of military factories, or switching to the production of civilian products.
Give some orders to American counterparts.
So regardless of some war-related companies in the United States, the financial data are quite good now. In order to meet the order requirements, they even built new factories.
It won't take long, at most half a year, before the United States may encounter a new round of Great Depression.
Who likes economic crises the most?
That must be some international capital, they are sharpening their knives and preparing to go to the United States to hunt for bargains.
That's right, a certain diamond family, I'm talking about you.
"The military's requirements still need to be met -" Gavin had his own ideas. The war is not over yet, so he can't offend him too harshly.
"How much does it cost to build an aircraft carrier?" Rock gave Gavin a detailed calculation.
"Fifty million rand!" The data in Gavin's hand was also very detailed.
Rock frowned.
Fifty million is the cost in southern Africa. In the United States, it must be over 100 million.
Like battleships, aircraft carriers are also behemoths that swallow gold. On an aircraft carrier, the total length of cables exceeds 1,000 kilometers, more than 2,000 telephones, 70 to 80 radar transmitters, more than 100 receivers, 70 to 80 antennas, and tens of thousands of steel materials
tons, and this does not include the cost of carrier-based aircraft and personnel. When an aircraft carrier is launched, the fuel cost will be tens of thousands.
Relatively speaking, the cost of US aircraft carriers is higher for many reasons. After all, in the United States, it is not in the 21st century that a coffee pot costs US$1,500.
"Okay, even if it's fifty million rand -" Rock followed Gavin's words.
Fifty million is the cost of the "Island" class. If new ships are built in accordance with the requirements of the Navy, the cost will be almost doubled.
"How much does it cost to build one kilometer of highway? Has the highway from Los Angeles to Cape Town been completed? What about the one from Walvis Bay to Port Edward? Every veteran in southern Africa can get his pension in full and on time.
"Has every child in southern Africa received the education they deserve?" Rock asked one question after another, and Gavin was sweating profusely.
Let’s not talk about other things. The last point is that no country can reach it, let alone southern Africa.
What is proper education?
If it is the level of public education in the United States, southern Africa has indeed reached it.
But according to the standards of Nyasaland, not to mention the private schools in Los Angeles that only cater to high-end people and have annual tuition fees of tens of thousands, even the most ordinary standards are difficult to reach in other states.
So the problem arises.
Are school-age children in Cape State human beings? Should they receive the same level of education as school-age children in Nyasaland?
This is just education, what about medical care? What about elderly care?
Southern Africa is still far behind.
So don’t start playing arms race just when you have a little money. Let the Americans play if they want. Anyway, the Americans don’t dare to provoke a war with southern Africa.
When Americans go to war, they are very picky about their opponents.
Countries that didn't even dare to touch Germany and Japan at their peak, but only dared to bet on the outcome of the war when the outcome was clear, don't talk about world leadership anymore, shame on you!
"During the war, the military has the highest say, and all resources should be tilted towards the military." Rock continued to go deeper, which was a bit murderous: "In peacetime, we should focus on construction and strive to improve people's lives.
level and alleviate social conflicts, this is what you have to face in the future."
Winston was worried all day long. What he feared most was that workers all over the world would unite.
In order to fool British workers, British politicians did not hesitate to create a nondescript Labor Party to appease the spiritual needs of the people at the bottom. In fact, it has nothing to do with workers at all.
Roque is also worried about this problem, so Roque has always advocated hiding wealth among the people, so that the people can live a good life and meet the dual needs of spiritual life and material life.
Of course, there is a problem here, which is to let the people know the truth about the world, so that they will know what they want.
The truth is that this world has never been truly peaceful since the birth of mankind.
It’s better to be a peace dog than a person in troubled times. When you are sad because you don’t have a pair of good shoes, when you go out and see a person without feet, your heart will be balanced.
This is not the spirit of Ah Q. If you want to get a good pair of shoes, the best way is to work hard to make money, rather than buying them for zero yuan.
"——As for the soldiers, after the war is over, they will lose most of their right to speak. In order for this day to come as late as possible, they will do anything." Rock reminded Gavin that they will face more problems in the future.
Lots of lobbying.
Like Washington, there are lobby groups in Pretoria, there are lobby groups in London, there are lobby groups in all countries.
In order to achieve their goals, the military in Southern Africa will constantly look for various excuses. If they can find them, they will make them up. Then they will start hyping up threats with only one purpose: to make money from Congress.
"Tell the generals who are lobbying you to either start building a new aircraft carrier, or use the money to build the aircraft carrier to resettle veterans and improve military benefits, and let them choose." Rock is insidious, and internal division is still very effective.
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Congress can spend money, but the key is how the money is used.
An aircraft carrier is a gold-swallowing behemoth, and 50 million is just the cost of construction. In subsequent use, if calculated based on its 40-year service life, the expenses incurred during this period will be enough to build dozens more ships.
This is really not an exaggeration.
Let’s take the USS Midway as an example. When the United States built the USS Midway, it cost US$92.09 million. It was completed in 45 years and decommissioned in 90. It served for a total of 47 years, during which the cost was more than US$13.7 billion.
This is assuming it was successfully completed.
When France built the "De Gaulle", many problems were exposed one after another, so the French had to make repairs. It took 15 years to complete the "De Gaulle". By the time it was completed, the cost had exceeded the original plan by 6 or 7 times.
Not only are aircraft carriers expensive to use, but the cost of decommissioning them is also very high. Few countries can afford to use aircraft carriers that easily cost tens of thousands of tons. After decommissioning, if you can find someone to take advantage of and sell them second-hand, that's fine. If you can't sell them, you'll have to dismantle them yourself.
Yes, this part costs a lot and takes a long time, so the aircraft carrier is a gold-swallowing beast from birth to death.
If you look at it this way, with so much money, there is nothing better to do. It has to be spent on building aircraft carriers, which is a waste.
Of course, the waste here is based on the fact that southern Africa already has a sufficient number of aircraft carriers to protect the interests of southern Africa.
Otherwise, Roark would have to compete with the Americans even if he tried to sell the iron. Even if it could not reach the point where the British promised that Germany would build one ship and the United Kingdom would build two ships, he would at least be on a par with the Americans.
"I know what to do!" Gavin's eyes shone, the old hunter was worthy of being an old hunter.
