Chapter 456: Kunpeng

The projector lit up, and an oversized engineering concept diagram was clearly projected onto the screen.

In an instant, the entire conference room once again fell into a deathly silence, but this time the silence contained vastly different emotions—shock, astonishment, disbelief, and deep confusion.

Because what was presented on the screen was by no means any kind of ship they recognized!

It was a behemoth never seen before; it looked like a ship, yet also like an airplane, but was entirely different from both. It had a massive, flat, and broad flying-wing main body, with a streamlined, ship-like structure at the bottom; the tail was equipped with four huge turbofan Engines, clearly a super-enlarged version of the "Storm Heart"; there were also two stabilizing floats at the wingtips, and the overall design was sleek and full of futuristic flair.

Next to the drawing, various parameters were clearly marked:

Total length: 170 meters

Wingspan: 90 meters

Maximum takeoff weight: 6,500 tons

Cruising speed: 200 knots (approximately 370 km/h)

Maximum speed: 240 knots (approximately 444 km/h)

Cruising altitude: 5-25 meters (within the surface effect zone)

Range: 6,000 kilometers

Aircraft capacity: Can carry 30-48 medium-to-small fighter jets or vertical takeoff and landing aircraft

"This... what is this thing?" Vice Commander Liu muttered to himself, his voice filled with unconcealable shock.

"This isn't a ship... nor is it an airplane..." Professor Zhang of the Seventh Institute squinted, as if looking at an extraterrestrial visitor.

The atmosphere in the entire conference room solidified; everyone stared fixedly at the diagram, their brains almost ceasing to function, unable to process this information that completely exceeded their cognitive range.

Li Mingyuan stood up, walked to the projection screen, and reached out to point at the behemoth: "Everyone, this is what I call an 'aircraft carrier'—to be precise, a 'Ground Effect Flying Aircraft Carrier'. It is not a ship in the traditional sense, but a new type of platform that utilizes the ground effect principle to fly at high speeds at ultra-low altitudes."

"Ground... ground effect?" a young engineer from the Seventh Institute repeated in confusion.

Li Mingyuan nodded: "Simply put, when an aircraft flies very close to the ground or water surface, an air cushion is formed, significantly reducing drag and increasing lift. This is a proven aerodynamic principle; Beijixiong Guo is already testing a small ground effect vehicle known as the 'Caspian Sea Monster'."

He pointed to several key parts on the drawing: "Our design is much more advanced. It uses an improved version of the 'Storm Heart' Engine to provide power and can fly at speeds exceeding 200 knots at an altitude of only 5 to 25 meters above the sea surface. This speed is more than 4 times that of the fastest destroyer!"

Low gasps and discussions began to emerge in the conference room, and people's expressions gradually shifted from initial shock to curiosity and interest.

Li Mingyuan continued: "More importantly, it does not require deep-water ports and can take off and land in any relatively calm sea area; its speed makes it difficult for enemies to track and intercept; its payload and range are sufficient to support long-range maritime operations."

He paused for a moment, his eyes scanning the room with a piercing gaze: "We cannot build a 100,000-ton steel behemoth, but we can build the 'Luehai Kunpeng' that belongs to Long Country!"

As his words fell, the atmosphere in the conference room changed completely. The original suspicion and confusion were replaced by a brand-new emotion—shock, excitement, and irrepressible curiosity.

"Chief Engineer Li, can... can this kind of aircraft really be realized?" Vice Commander Liu's voice trembled slightly, but his eyes were startlingly bright.

"Of course." Li Mingyuan answered confidently, "In fact, the principle of ground effect vehicles was proven decades ago, but it has been ignored due to the development of conventional aircraft and ships. But for us, this is precisely an excellent opportunity—in this field, we are not following behind others, but have the chance to keep pace, or even take a step ahead."

He walked back to the projector and switched to the next image—this was a more detailed cross-section showing the internal structure of the "Ground Effect Flying Aircraft Carrier".

"Look here, this is the flight deck and hangar area, which can accommodate 30 to 48 fighter jets, depending on the size of the aircraft. We can use existing Jian-5s or develop new vertical/short takeoff and landing fighter jets."

His finger slid to point at another area: "This is the weapon system zone, which can be equipped with up to 60 missiles of various types, including air defense, anti-ship, and ground-attack models. In fact, we could even integrate a miniaturized version of the 'Changfeng' Missile, giving this 'Flying Aircraft Carrier' strategic strike capabilities."

With Li Mingyuan's detailed explanation, the atmosphere in the conference room became increasingly heated. People began to recover from their initial shock, and the technical staff crowded closer to the screen, trying to capture more details.

"Chief Engineer Li, what about the manufacturing difficulty and cost of this... this 'Ground Effect Flying Aircraft Carrier'?" Professor Zhang of the Seventh Institute asked, a hint of excitement already in his voice.

Li Mingyuan smiled slightly: "Compared to traditional aircraft carriers, its construction cost is much lower. First, it does not require as much Advanced marine steel; second, the propulsion system is based on the 'Storm Heart' technology we have already mastered; third, the overall structure is simpler, and the construction cycle will be significantly shortened."

"What about defensive capabilities?" a naval general asked with concern, "It looks... very easy to hit."

"Quite the opposite." Li Mingyuan shook his head, "Its ultra-low altitude, high-speed flight characteristics make it difficult to be effectively captured by traditional Radar, just like the 'Changfeng' Missile. Moreover, its speed is more than 4 times that of conventional warships, making it an almost impossible task to intercept. Coupled with the Advanced Electronic Countermeasure System we can install, its survivability far exceeds that of traditional ships."

With every explanation from Li Mingyuan, the atmosphere in the conference room grew more heated, and the suspicion in people's eyes was replaced by amazement and excitement. Especially when he showed the combat simulation animation of the "Ground Effect Flying Aircraft Carrier"—the behemoth skimming the sea surface at an astonishing speed, approaching the enemy fleet, and rapidly withdrawing after launching a wave of missiles; the whole process was as fast as Lightning, leaving everyone dumbfounded.

"This... this is simply revolutionary!" Vice Commander Liu stood up, waving his hands excitedly, "If we can build this weapon, the entire concept of naval warfare will have to be rewritten!"

"That's right," Li Mingyuan nodded, "Traditional fleet confrontations will be overturned. This 'Ground Effect Flying Aircraft Carrier' can reach combat zones thousands of kilometers away in a few hours, execute strike missions, and then quickly withdraw before the enemy even has time to react."

A burst of heated discussion erupted in the conference room, and the technical experts who were originally skeptical were now scrambling to raise questions and suggestions.

"We can add stabilizing wings to the wingtips to further improve stability during low-altitude flight!"

"If we use composite materials to replace some of the metal structure, we can further reduce weight and increase range!"

"The engine intake design needs to specifically consider the issue of salt spray corrosion..."

The professional excitement of the technical staff was completely ignited, and they began to analyze and refine this revolutionary concept from the perspectives of their respective fields.

Vice Commander Liu stood to the side, watching this group of usually serious and rigid technical experts discussing excitedly like children, and couldn't help but shake his head and smile. He walked to Li Mingyuan's side and lowered his voice: "Chief Engineer Li, you really brought me a big surprise this time! I came asking for a destroyer, and you went and got me a 'Flying Aircraft Carrier'!"

Li Mingyuan smiled: "Brother Liu, didn't I say I would give you a surprise soon? How about it, is this 'big ship' up to the mark?"

"Up to the mark?" Vice Commander Liu laughed heartily, "Destroyers are nothing! This thing... this thing is the real 'big killer'!"

He suddenly restrained his smile, his expression becoming exceptionally serious: "Chief Engineer Li, tell me honestly, can this thing... really be built?"

Li Mingyuan nodded firmly: "Yes. We have already mastered the key technologies. The development of the 'Changfeng' Missile has laid a solid foundation for us—Engine technology, materials science, fluid dynamics calculations, Guidance System... these can all be transferred to the 'Ground Effect Flying Aircraft Carrier'. Of course, there are still many details to be perfected, but the basic principle is feasible, and the key technologies are controllable."

Vice Commander Liu took a deep breath, his eyes flashing with excitement: "Then I'll take you at your word! This matter must be reported to the superiors immediately to strive for project approval and funding!"

Meanwhile, the discussion in the conference room became increasingly heated. The technical staff of the Seventh Institute had already begun sketching improvement plans on paper, while the generals from the Equipment Department were fiercely debating combat usage strategies; the entire conference room had effectively become a center for a creative storm.

"If this is really built, Star-Spangled Country and Beijixiong Guo will be scared to death!"

"Just think, an 'aircraft carrier' that can skim the sea at over 400 km/h, carrying dozens of fighter jets and hundreds of missiles, suddenly appearing at the enemy's doorstep..."

"The key is that it doesn't need the massive infrastructure and port facilities of traditional aircraft carriers; it can take off from any coastline!"

The sounds of discussion, gasps, questioning, and answering intertwined, and the atmosphere in the conference room reached a boiling point. Everyone's eyes flashed with excitement, as if seeing a brand-new future unfolding before them.

Li Mingyuan stood by the projection screen, silently watching all of this with a satisfied smile on his face. He knew that, just like the "Changfeng" Missile, this "Ground Effect Flying Aircraft Carrier" concept would once again change the rules of the game, allowing Long Country to win more bargaining chips in the great power game.

"Everyone!" Vice Commander Liu suddenly shouted, trying to drown out the noisy discussion, "I propose that we immediately establish a special research group, codenamed 'Kunpeng Project', to push this project forward with all our might!"

"Agreed!"

"Support!"