Chapter 53: Time is Ticking: Katyusha and the 107

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……

At that time, Li Yunlong had profoundly realized the value of special operations through his many clashes with the Yamamoto Special Forces.

After the war ended, he defied public opinion and hand-picked a group of agile and sharp-minded soldiers from various units to form this special reconnaissance force.

The training for the "Lightning Reconnaissance Battalion" was exceptionally rigorous; every soldier had to be proficient in infiltration, reconnaissance, demolition, close-quarters combat, and precision shooting.

Unlike conventional units, they did not rely on human-wave tactics, but instead emphasized the flexibility and assault capabilities of small-unit operations.

In Li Yunlong's philosophy, the mission of this unit was to "inflict the most lethal blow at the lowest cost, in the place the enemy least expects."

Every soldier in the unit had undergone at least three rounds of elimination-style selection, and less than five percent remained in the end.

They had to complete a ten-kilometer armed run in the pitch-black night, be able to infiltrate enemy camps to steal intelligence without using any tools, and even disassemble and assemble various types of firearms within thirty seconds.

Although this unit was officially designated as a "reconnaissance battalion," it actually possessed all the characteristics and capabilities of the special forces of later generations.

It was just that in the military concepts of this time, there was no such term as "special forces," so they were simply classified as "Scouts."

These soldiers of Battalion Commander Li had one common trait—each person was proficient in the use of at least three types of weapons, could survive in extreme environments for over a week, and could complete missions that usually required a small squad while operating as a lone soldier.

They were not just soldiers; they were "jacks-of-all-trades" and "problem solvers" on the battlefield.

Precisely because of this, when this batch of new-style transformable weapons was delivered to them, these soldiers grasped the essence almost immediately, pushing the performance of the weapons to the limit.

Ordinary units might need months to adapt to new weapons, but they took less than a week to skillfully utilize all their functions.

Today, the "Lightning Reconnaissance Battalion," equipped with this revolutionary weapon, can be called one of the most elite combat units currently in existence.

……

Jingcheng, Rolling Mill office.

Li Mingyuan was hunched over his work, his desk piled high with blueprints and calculation sheets.

The farming in the System Small World was progressing smoothly; the first batch of poultry had started laying eggs, and the piglets were also growing quickly.

But his main energy was still focused on weapon improvement.

"Chief Engineer Li, there is a phone call for you." The secretary knocked and entered, handing him a note, "It is from the Chief himself, saying there is an emergency."

Li Mingyuan took the note and hurried toward the secure telephone room.

After connecting the call, a familiar voice came from the other end:

"Xiao Li, that batch of weapons of yours is shining brightly on the front lines! The Military Region just sent a commendation telegram, saying the weapons you designed have changed the landscape of the battlefield!"

Li Mingyuan smiled slightly: "This is what I should do, Chief."

"Well done! The higher-ups have decided to place an additional order for five thousand units! Can you rush the production?"

Li Mingyuan felt a surge of joy, but he remained calm on the surface: "No problem, Chief. However, I need more materials and workers."

"Don't worry about that; the Military Industry Department will provide full support. Remember, this project is top secret; continue to keep a low profile."

"Understood, Chief."

Hanging up the phone, a smile tugged at the corners of Li Mingyuan's mouth.

The weapon designs provided by the system were indeed extraordinary; the verification on the battlefield was even more successful than he had imagined.

Li Mingyuan looked at the darkening sky outside the window, still clutching the design drawings in his hand, while calculating the time in his heart.

It was already mid-November, and there was less than a year left.

Although the production line had begun to take shape, it was far from enough to deal with the coming storm!

"Ordinary rifles are too limited," he muttered to himself with a frown, images of those tragic battlefields from his past life flashing through his mind.

Factory Lou Changzhang pushed the door open, holding a stack of documents, his face overflowing with unconcealable excitement:

"Chief Engineer Li, good news! The Military Department has specially approved our factory's expansion application; equipment, materials, and manpower will all be supplied with priority!"

Li Mingyuan took the documents, scanned them quickly, and nodded: "This is a good opportunity; it is time to implement the next phase of the plan."

"The next phase?" Factory Lou Changzhang's eyes lit up like a child waiting for a surprise.

"Yes, once I have it figured out, I will submit the proposal."

……

Returning home and confirming the door was tightly shut, Li Mingyuan opened the System Space and browsed through the various military materials he had previously stolen.

It finally settled on an old Russian document—"Design Principles of the Katyusha Multi-Barrel Rocket Launcher."

【Host's Insight Value detected as meeting the criteria; triggering the 'Heaven-defying Insight' trait; unlocking relevant military technology...】

A warm current flowed from the top of Li Mingyuan's head throughout his entire body, and countless pieces of knowledge about rocket launchers flooded into his mind—launch principles, guidance systems, rocket engine structures, warhead designs...

【Ding! Congratulations to the host for unlocking: Basic Technology of the Katyusha Rocket Launcher】

【Ding! Congratulations to the host for unlocking: Improvement Technology of the 107 mm Rocket Launcher】

【Insight Value increased: 20→22】

Li Mingyuan closed his eyes, carefully digesting the massive amount of information flooding his mind.

First was the Katyusha rocket launcher—the BM-13 model, loaded with 16 132mm rocket shells, with an effective range of 8.5 kilometers and a maximum range of 11.8 kilometers.

A single volley takes only 7-10 seconds to launch, and 16 rocket shells fired simultaneously can cover a 400×400 meter area.

The rocket shell itself is 80 centimeters long and weighs 42.5 kilograms, with the explosive charge weighing 28.9 kilograms, and a kill radius of 15-20 meters after explosion.

"Simple and crude, yet exceptionally effective." Li Mingyuan quickly recorded the key points of the manufacturing process in his notebook.

"The key to the rocket engine lies in the propellant formula—65% potassium nitrate, 15% charcoal, 20% sulfur; this is the most basic, and if a small amount of aluminum powder or magnesium powder can be added, the effect is even better."

He quickly calculated a feasible plan under the current industrial conditions:

"The launch tube can be made of 4mm thick steel pipe; the inner wall needs special treatment to reduce friction. The launcher structure is not complex; it is mainly about welding technology and angle calculation. The fuse system uses electrical ignition; the simplest version can be triggered with a battery and a resistor wire."

Then there was the 107 mm Rocket Launcher, which was the weapon that truly excited him, one of the three great guerrilla artifacts.

The single-tube weight is only 25 kilograms, 1.3 meters long, with a caliber of 107 millimeters, a minimum elevation angle of 18°, and a maximum elevation angle of 55°.

The standard rocket shell weighs 18.8 kilograms, with the warhead weighing 8.3 kilograms and an explosive charge of 1.3 kilograms.

Maximum range 8,000 meters, minimum range 500 meters, firing rate 4-5 rounds per minute.

"The manufacturing process is relatively simple; this is the weapon most suitable for our current stage." Li Mingyuan quickly drew the exploded view of the rocket launcher on the blueprint.