Perris immediately held a seminar on adding a tank chassis to the Bofors.
"We need this weapon!" Perris said, "and without delay!"
However, Davis still stood on the opposite side, and his opposing views were very similar to Wilson's.
"Colonel!" Davis said: "The anti-aircraft gun can only be semi-open, and its survivability on the battlefield cannot meet the requirements of soldiers. If we do this, we can build a tank and send it to the battlefield. Obviously, the tank
It will be more useful on the battlefield!"
Davis had the experience of joining the army and was more superstitious about closed turrets. He believed that only in this way can the infantry be better protected. Otherwise, a mortar shell or grenade can blow it into pieces.
However, air defense must be semi-open, because the gunner needs to have good vision and external perception capabilities. Only in this way can it be possible to shoot down an aircraft passing overhead at high speed.
Davis thinks this is extremely ridiculous. A fully enclosed turret that can be made into a tank is made into a semi-open turret. It costs about the same amount of money but has much worse survivability than a tank... What is the point of developing this kind of equipment?
Thinking of this, Davis added: "Colonel, maybe we should listen to the military's opinion. The purpose of our research and development is to be used by soldiers on the front line, and decisions must be made based on their needs. If they are unwilling to use it or don't want to
If it needs to be used, it means a huge waste!”
Perris thought for a while and replied: "I basically agree with your opinion, Major. But if this is a piece of equipment that is not currently available, and the soldiers don't know it exists at all, let alone whether they need it, then do we
Should we produce it and let them use it?"
Davis was speechless. This was indeed the case for many pieces of equipment, such as the proximity fuze. This thing was even being developed as a secret. Of course, frontline soldiers did not know about it, but this did not affect its research and development.
"Let me tell you why we need this equipment!" Perris raised his head to the adjutant standing next to him.
The adjutant understood, turned on the projector and turned off the light. A large map with a red circle was immediately projected on the other side of the conference room.
"I believe everyone knows what this is." Perris said: "This is the enemy's offensive posture. You see, they rely on the superiority of the navy and air force to occupy islands one after another in the Pacific. After occupying the islands, they build airports on them.
Do you know what this means?"
Perris took the coffee and took a sip, then continued: "The Japanese Zero fighter has a maximum range of 2,222 kilometers. If it is equipped with an auxiliary fuel tank, it can fly 3,350 kilometers. In other words, as long as the Japanese occupy an island in the Pacific
And successfully built an airport on the island. Within a thousand kilometers of the island are the areas controlled by the Japanese. Our warships and aircraft cannot get close to it. This is equivalent to the Japanese cutting off our military's traffic in the Pacific.
!”
This does not require much explanation, Yingjiang officers all know this, after all, Yingjiang has been working hard in this direction.
"Therefore!" Perris continued: "Although our army is currently engaged in naval battles with the Japanese, unless we admit defeat, we will inevitably compete with the enemy for these islands in the future. Gentlemen, when our army lands on these islands, what do you want?
What anti-aircraft weapons do they have? Machine guns? Bofors? Or M1 anti-aircraft guns?"
Everyone in the conference room was silent.
Machine gun air defense is the kind that is better than nothing. It has poor firepower and short range, and can hardly pose a threat to fighters.
Bofors and M1 may be possible, but their weight is there. When landing, they need to be docked or hoisted to land, and they also need to be cleared and set up on the complex terrain of the island. These are extremely unfriendly challenges to the artillery. More serious
The enemy and our armies are still fighting on the island, and the anti-aircraft firepower is extremely vulnerable to enemy infantry and artillery attacks.
Perris leaned back on the chair with his coffee and said easily: "But if we can install the Bofors on the tank chassis, all the problems will be solved. We can use the landing craft to transport it directly to the shore, and the tank chassis
It determines that it has extremely strong cross-country capabilities and can provide air and ground cover for infantry as soon as it stops... Do we have any reason to reject this equipment? It is simply prepared for our future operations on the island!"
There was immediately silence in the conference room because no one could refute Perris's point of view.
Perris stared at the projected map and said thoughtfully: "We know that weapons and equipment usually lag behind wars, because it is often the soldiers who find out what they need on the battlefield and give us feedback, and then we use these
The project needs to be established for research and development, but this will lag at least several months or even years. The result is that many soldiers will needlessly sacrifice on the battlefield due to equipment problems during this period."
Perris stood up and faced the participants and said: "So, why don't we try advanced research and development? This equipment may not be useful now, but one day when we compete with the enemy for the island... If we can be there when the soldiers need it
Send this equipment to them immediately, and the soldiers will exclaim, 'Wow, this thing is great!', don't you think so?"
The researchers who were not initially interested nodded in agreement after listening to Perris's analysis.
Perris's analysis and prediction are reasonable. Unless Yingjiang is beaten to death by the Japanese, this equipment will definitely be used.
In this case, why not do research and development in advance and be prepared? Do it as soon as possible!
At this time, the signal corps sent another telegram, still from China.
Perris took a look, and then nodded with sigh: "Gentlemen, in addition to what I just said, you can check the information of the Japanese tanks. Our Bofors installed on the tank chassis is likely to be able to
Penetrate most Japanese tanks!"
The conference room once again stirred up. If so, this equipment will undoubtedly play a big role in future battlefields.
Perris thought that this was not intentional by the battalion commander of the Chinese Eighth Route Army, but that Yingjiang and Huaxia had the same enemy. In the process of fighting the enemy, Huaxia would have a series of needs. At least some of these needs could be transplanted to Yingjiang.
Enter the sauce's army.
Thinking of this, Perris called Davis over and said, "I need someone to go to China. On the one hand, I can communicate with them better, and on the other hand, I don't want to miss any of their ideas."
"Why me?" Davis was a little reluctant.
Although Davis didn't know much about China, he knew that it was very backward.
"Because you need such training!" Perris replied: "Go and see real wars, real needs, and how they face and solve these needs!"