Chapter 525: Aurora-20
Translator: _Min_ Editor: Rundi
Apocalypse.
After half a month’s efforts, the mutant nests in the west side of Wanghai were cleared out. Other than that, NAC soldiers built eleven inspection stations along Huangpu River to block all bridges that connected the west side of the city to the east side to prevent mutants from spreading to the west.
All the mutant nests on the west side of the city, whether on the surface or underground were all eliminated by NAC soldiers and mercenaries. Although creatures such as mutated cockroaches and rats were hard to remove completely, the more hostile mutants such as zombies, Roshans and even Death Claws were completely extinct from the west side. Due to the force of the NAC, the survivor groups in the area were all incorporated under NAC’s control.
The mercenary groups and raider groups without the cleanest track records either reformed or left the city. When they witnessed the rain of rockets in the sky, they had no desire to be defiant at all. NAC had used its supreme power to announce its control over Wanghai.
Liuding Town who previously had the same influence as the Sixth Street could no longer stand against the behemoth known as NAC.
When they saw God’s Cane strike onto the city center, they had completely accepted the fact. They didn’t know it was NAC’s battle against the Supreme as they were only aware of NAC’s mutant nest cleaning project. Therefore, they mistakenly thought that the tungsten rod was launched by NAC…
Other than asserting a controlling position, NAC also sent engineering soldiers with nuclear protective suits to the city center to clean the radiation source piled up in the area.
The difficult to remove radiation source was collected to lead barrels and thrown into a deep pit created by tungsten rods before being buried under concrete with lead content. And the area with lower levels of radiation was cleaned with radiation cleaning agents; it wouldn’t take too long before the gamma level in the city center return to normal levels.
Also, the explorer teams were sent to nuclear companies, research institutes, and industrial bases to search for prewar technology. All the collected documents would be sent to Camp 027 for control and categorization. The city center “protected” by radiation was just like an untarnished treasure. A lot of the technical documents hidden underground were well preserved and were of high value. The one thousand scientists in Camp 027 instantly became overwhelmed with work.
The Huangpu River that ran straight across Wanghai was just like the Berlin Wall; the left side was the NAC controlled area with established order while the right side remained as the land of chaos.
Followed by the end of the mutants flood, the survivor groups in the east had returned from the large survival bases such as Liuding to return to their homes and restart their lives. But when they witnessed the difference between the two banks, without the need for more persuasion, the survivors who longed for the safety and stability of the west city brought their families and migrated to the west bank.
The inspection stations that spanned across Huangpu River didn’t stop their migration, but the entire population of survivors moving into NAC territory must surrender their nuclear grenades, mini nukes, and other dangerous goods. The nuclear prohibition policy was beginning to push outward from the Sixth Street and enact in all NAC controlled territory.
Currently, in Wanghai Airport.
Ten construction vehicles were moving along the taxi lane and repairing the destroyed airport. The repair work was contracted out by NAC to the biggest construction company in Sixth Street – Metal Shell Commerce with the Second Division responsible for the safety of the construction site.
The commercial airport prewar had been part of NAC’s requisition as NAC’s first military airport managed by the closest camp, Camp 027. Currently, in the hanger of the airport, there was a fluid and dynamic-looking aircraft that resembled a swallow, its name was Aurora-20.
Jiang Chen was in front of the hanger with Fang Weijie touring the newly developed weapon by the fallout shelter.
“Aurora-20, fixed-wing fighter, it can take off through both the vertical takeoff and runway modes. The aircraft can be mounted with two rounds of short-range air-to-air missiles and four rounds of long-range air or ground missiles. A 10mm cannon is installed at the head of the aircraft. Based on
Including Tiger II, Transport Helicopter Type-51, the most advanced military techs in the NAC were created from the team led by Fang Weijie.
Jiang Chen nodded in content as he stared at the powerful looking fighter.
“What about the stealth capacity and speed?”
Stealth capability and speed are the life of a fighter, armor thickness at high altitude offered less significance. No matter how advanced the fighter, it is difficult to withstand the impact of two missiles’ direct hit.
“The aircraft shell is coated with a radar signal attenuation coating that displays only a sparrow-sized area on most radars. The radar signal detection system at the bottom of the aircraft can reverse track the coordinates of the ground radar base station. As for the speed, the maximum cruise speed is up to Mach 4.5.” A smug look appeared on Fang Weijie’s face.
Jiang Chen was extremely impressed with the number.
4.5 Mach’s highest speed has surpassed the Mig 25 high-altitude high-speed interceptor’s 3.2 Mach’s record. The number was approaching the speed limit a fighter jet could reach in the atmosphere.
Of course, in case of near combat situations, it was infeasible to combat at the highest speed. Disregarding 4.5 Mach, even if the speed was Mach 2, the acceleration of the fighter taking a turn would knock the pilot out.
In addition, according to Fang Weijie’s introduction, this “Aurora-20” fighter has a combat radius of up to 3100 kilometers in the case with no tanker support, the number has far exceeded F22’s 2177 kilometers record. It was partially because the aircraft’s new titanium alloy which made the weight of the aircraft compared to the 21st-century fighter much lighter, it was also because the aircraft’s use of the engine and synthetic fuels were better than the technology level of the 21st century.
“From the engine to the fire control system, everything is PAC’s military technology. From the aircraft landing gear to air to air missiles, everything was made using 3D printing technology.
“What is the feasibility of industrial production?” Jiang Chen asked.
The cost of 3D printing was high and will waste a lot of materials and energy. The cost of producing a fighter through 3D printing was three times the cost of producing a fighter on a production line. Although NAC was rich, if the cutting-edge weapons continued to rely on 3D printing technology, Jiang Chen would still be pained by the money he would have to burn.
“It is difficult. The engine heat-resistant material is hard to produce with Sixth Street’s industrial capability.” Fang Weijie shook his head.
Jiang Chen thought for a moment and said.
“Hand the production information of some simple parts of the production process to the Sixth Street’s military factory; outsource these parts as much as possible too. Thus, the cost should be much lower than 3D printing, but this will also shorten the production cycle, do you think Is it feasible?
Fang Wei pinched his chin and began to contemplate.
“Simple parts of the process? Strictly speaking, there is no one part of the production process that is simple…”
Jiang Chen shook his head and smiled.
“What I refer to as simple process is not what we know as easy to produce, but instead technological feasibility. Don’t underestimate the innovation of the wasteland people. As long as we offer the right price, technologically feasible, maybe they could develop production processes at a lower cost.”
Fang Weijie was not exactly convinced by what Jiang Chen said. Since he came from the fallout shelter and was part of the elite level before the war, he didn’t believe the “hobo” dressed survivors had the capability to solve the production problem of the fighter parts.
But due to the class difference, he didn’t display his scorn to the survivors on the wasteland.
Seeing Fang Weijie was silent, Jiang Chen could guess what he thought. But he only smiled without further discussing the problem.
Fang Weijie was proud, but the proudness didn’t come from arrogance, the proudness originates from his meticulousness to technical capability.
“Science and technology are two completely separate topics. The former dictates the growth of the latter; the latter determines the value of the former. To be able to survive on the cruel wasteland to this day, it already proved the innovation of the survivors.”
“But you can’t count on a bunch of refugees to do the work of technicians… Okay, if you insist. Let me think… screw, wings, seat cover, ejection seat, control panel shell, around 60% of the basic parts are relatively easy to make.” Fang Weijie sighed in defeat.
“Great.” Jiang Chen nodded and pleasingly patted the scientist’s shoulder, “Make a detailed list of the parts and give it to Xu Lu. The rest of the parts will still be produced by 3D printing.”
“I understand.” Fang Weijie nodded.
They were only responsible for the development, building of the first prototype model, and providing blueprints and production specifications. As to the exact details of the production process, it would be the responsibility of the Fishbone Military Factory, not the worry of the scientists.
“Regarding the next research project,” Jiang Chen paused and looked at Fang Weijie seriously, “I hope you can develop an airship with long airtime, armor protection capability, and basic firepower.
“Airship? Armor protection capacity?” Fang Weijie took a second to process this as his eyebrows furrowed. “Built with steel?”
“Is it difficult to achieve technically?” Looking at Fang Weijie’s troubled look, Jiang Chen asked.
“No, technically, it is not difficult to achieve, but… I have never heard of an airship before,” Fang Weijie said wryly
His experience naturally had to be from before the war. Disregarding before the war, the airship with poor mobility and as a large target was eliminated as early as the beginning of World War II. Although the 22-century technology could create a steel airship without much difficulty, this kind of weapons being cost-effective was something Fang Weijie was deeply skeptical about.
So he euphemistically expressed that he had never heard of such weapons, hoping Jiang Chen would change his mind.
“It’s okay, if there is none before the war, just create one with the pre-war technology from the beginning.” However, Jiang Chen did not change his mind
“To build such an air fortress, the amount of steel, titanium, copper, and aluminum required would be an astronomical figure. From a cost-effective point of view, is this really meaningful?” Fang Weijie questioned.
“Of course it is meaningful,” Jiang Chen said with a smile.
He gazed at the sky beyond the airport.
It was clear, but further in the distance, it was covered by dark clouds.
Fang Weijie followed Jiang Chen’s sight, but he didn’t understand Jiang Chen’s intention.
“What is it?”
“To spread our belief, our order, and our ideology to places beyond the horizon.”