Chapter 244

As for Ha Gong Da, originally it had no automobile engine specialty, and wasn't very familiar with this industry, but now, with the smooth progress of negotiations for cooperation with Mercedes-Benz, both sides will jointly develop a brand-new engine.

Qingshan Factory definitely doesn't have this capability; it will surely have to rely on Ha Gong Da to take the lead.

Since we are going to develop an advanced diesel engine, it naturally follows that we can also help the country make a big leap in tank engine development; this is only logical.

Both heavy-truck engines and tank engines are diesel engines, sharing many technologies, especially turbochargers, high-pressure fuel pumps, and fuel injectors, which can be transplanted, thereby greatly increasing engine power.

Qin Miao was expounding his ideas at length; when he finished speaking, he suddenly noticed someone still standing at the doorway?

"Director Zhao?"

"Comrade Qin Miao, I never expected you to come here! That's wonderful!"

"Director Zhao, Comrade Qin Miao wasn't invited by you, was he?" Zhu Lao was confused.

"Me? I did invite him, but I hadn't yet invited him to the meeting when he said he had something to attend to and had to leave…"

This turned out to be a mix‑up, but… it's actually good; Qin Miao just played a huge role in the meeting!

"We've been arguing for a long time about the power system of our third‑generation tank, but now we can finally decide!" Director Zhao continued, sighing: "Comrade Qin Miao, on behalf of the Fifth Ministry of Machinery, I thank you for your participation!"

"Cough cough, Director Zhao, my suggestion isn't necessarily correct; we still need all the leaders present to study and decide together. I… right, Director Zhao, I have a request."

"Speak!"

"We are cooperating with Mercedes-Benz to develop heavy‑truck engines, and we hope the experts from our Engine Research Institute can come here to help." Qin Miao said: "When we build the automobile plant, we will also build an automobile engine research center…"

"Of course no problem; while helping you with R&D, we will also learn Germany's first‑rate technology, which will benefit our own tank engine technology." Director Zhao nodded immediately, then looked at the person beside him: "Old Zhang, you send some experts!"

"Okay, no problem!" Zhang Baizhong nodded.

Qin Miao felt happy inside; good, another matter settled!

Before, he was just bluffing; aside from some subsystems like high‑pressure fuel pumps, turbochargers, valve trains, etc., Qin Miao wasn't familiar with the specific design of diesel engines. His original idea was to shamelessly let the Germans handle everything he couldn't do, while we learn from them.

Now, with the addition of experts from the Engine Research Institute, we can also demonstrate our professionalism!

"Comrade Qin Miao, we have observed that American tanks use gas turbines; what do you think of this technical route?" an engineer spoke up.

"I don't think this is a suitable route for us."

"Reason?"

"It consumes too much fuel; we're too poor to afford it."

Everyone fell silent.

The American M1 tank uses a high‑end gas turbine, a technology transplanted from aircraft engines; its structure is simple, output power large, start‑up fast, acceleration fierce…

Many advantages, only one drawback: it guzzles fuel!

The M1 tank's fuel tank capacity is twice that of the Leopard 2, and its range still can't match the Leopard 2—enough to know what a fuel‑guzzling monster it is.

Actually, if run at full power, the fuel consumption of a gas turbine and a diesel engine of equal output isn't that different; the key is that a gas turbine consumes almost the same amount of fuel at idle as at full throttle, whereas a diesel engine's idle consumption is only a fraction of its full‑power consumption.

Worldwide, besides the Americans, only the Soviets experimented with gas turbines in the T‑80 tank; during the Chechen war, a T‑80 in standby mode burned through all its fuel.

Not only does it guzzle fuel, but it also needs to burn aviation kerosene, which further vexes the army—armed helicopters haven't even been handed over to the army yet, so where would the army get aviation fuel?

"Putting it that way, if the Americans really gave us M1 tanks for free, we still couldn't afford to use them; it would be better if they also supplied the fuel…"

Upon hearing this news, Qin Miao was startled—could this be… the Perry Plan about to begin?

"Comrade Qin Miao, this matter is still confidential for now, but since you represent Ha Gong Da and are conducting R&D for our domestically produced third‑generation tank, you also have the right to know these things." Director Zhao said: "Recently, an American delegation came, hoping to provide us with a large batch of weapons and equipment for free…"

As expected, it's the Perry Plan!

Starting in the 1970s, the Soviet Union's Cold War gradually reached its peak, taking the initiative in all directions, while the Western world led by the United States remained on the defensive; the US urgently needed to find more allies to change the unfavorable situation.

Thus came ping‑pong diplomacy, Sino‑Western relations were normalized, the Eastern door opened, hoping to quickly develop its own economy.

And the United States, with a deeper purpose: to bind the East to its chariots! William Perry proposed the Big Arsenal plan.

The East's air power is its weakest point, so the United States would send F‑15s and F‑16s, even E‑3 AWACS could be sent over!

If the army lacks main battle strength? Then the United States would just send over the M1 tanks!

These weapons are supplied in sufficient quantities; they can not only meet the Eastern army's needs but also leave large stockpiles, normally stored away. Once war breaks out, American troops can simply fly in on Boeing airliners, arrive in the East, pick up the weapons, and go straight into combat.

On the surface, it looks like the East is getting a bargain, but in reality it is entirely a case of drawing disaster to the East!

The Soviet Union's massive armored forces shouldn't just be eyeing Europe; let's send a portion to the East as well!

To win over the East, the Americans even proposed letting the East join NATO!

That's nonsense—once war breaks out, would the PLA still have to take orders from you Americans?

"San Shui, what do you think?" Zhu Lao asked.

Qin Miao shook his head: "I can't say much either, but I know there's no such thing as a free lunch; free things often turn out to be the most costly."

Later on, many old men and women would go to lectures every day just to get a free egg; eventually they'd take out their pensions, buy some financial product, and then… it would all go down the drain.

Everyone fell silent.

"We Easterners have always been proud; in ancient times we would rather go without than eat food offered in contempt. Nowadays, we shouldn't see someone giving something for free, get hot‑headed and demand it, then take the freebie and possibly end up paying with our lives…"

"Well said!"

"Someone else has come? What's going on today?"

Qin Miao looked over and saw a familiar face again.

"Old Qin?"