Chapter 125
Chapter 125
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Vine
Chapter: 125
Chapter Title: The Next Generation
-----------------------------------------------------------------
[Welcome.]
Fifteen days had passed since the incident in Iran quieted down.
As foretold, Michael finally paid a visit to Korea.
Perhaps because he knew we were involved in the recent affair, his expression as he deplaned the VIP transport was not as bright as usual.
[I assume you're aware that our government is in an uproar?]
As expected, his first words were about the Iran situation.
Mindful that we were at a military air base, he paid no heed to prying ears and got straight to the point.
[I had my suspicions. But we merely sold the weapons; how they're used is up to the user. Besides, Israel is a traditional ally of the United States and maintains friendly relations with us as well. Furthermore, it's not like they're North Korea or some other rogue state with restrictions on arms sales. So, the fact that they used our weapons in an operation is no reason for us to be blamed.]
[...]
[If you're going to make an issue of that, shouldn't our arms exports to the United States also be subject to criticism?]
At that, Michael's eyes narrowed slightly.
It wasn't an expression of displeasure, though.
As I expected, Michael soon let out a sigh and spoke again.
[To be honest, what you just said, Mr. Jin, has been a point of contention within our government.]
I watched him silently, waiting for what he would say next.
Michael glanced back at me, then suddenly let out a dry laugh and continued.
[The funny thing is, quite a few people made that same argument in Jaewoo's defense. Especially those of Jewish descent.]
In fact, that was precisely what I was counting on.
The power of the Jewish lobby in American politics is astronomical.
Since I was the one who scratched their itch, it was only natural they would take my side.
[And so?]
[And so, my being here on Korean soil is your answer.]
[...]
Not understanding his meaning, I tilted my head.
He suddenly clapped me on the shoulder, his expression instantly brightening as he continued.
[In the end, the U.S. government has decided to dismiss the 'rumors' of South Korean involvement in the Iran incident.]
Treating a 'fact' as a 'rumor' was a clear sign of their intent to turn a blind eye to our involvement.
Just as I was about to smile in relief, he leaned in and whispered to me.
[Frankly, the debate was short-lived.]
[...]
[Our government was also desperate to eliminate North Korea's nuclear scientists, but we were holding back because direct intervention would have made things more complicated. As a result, some in the government felt a sense of relief, as if a nagging tooth had finally been pulled.]
That was understandable.
If a country like the United States had caused this incident, it would have become a controversy not just in the Middle East, but worldwide.
With Israel stepping up to pull that nagging tooth for them, it made sense that they were staying silent now.
Still, if that's how things were playing out, I didn't understand why he'd tried to scare me at first.
[Anyway, I'd like to see those drones.]
[...]
*So that was the real reason?*
******
[This little thing produced such incredible results?]
Facing the actual suicide drone, Michael was full of admiration.
But it was still too early to be surprised.
I explained that it would eventually be equipped with a two-stage propellant and a multiple launch system. After listening to my explanation, he suddenly brought up the issue of Iraq.
“This would be perfect for dealing with insurgent forces in Iraq, wouldn't it?”
In fact, I had thought of that as well.
It would be more efficient to handle them with drones than to risk soldiers' lives by sending them into counter-insurgency operations every time.
Moreover, drones offered peak operational efficiency, as they were equipped with surveillance capabilities and could time their attacks with precision.
If these were actually deployed in Iraq, they could become a means to save countless soldiers from harm, unlike in the original history.
[From our perspective, it feels like the most revolutionary piece of equipment since the Polar Bear.]
Michael continuously showed his desire for it.
For the United States, whose top priority is minimizing troop casualties, this was only natural.
Now that the negotiating table was tilted in my favor, it was time to add more fuel to the fire.
[The price of a Hellfire missile is about 120,000 dollars per unit, isn't it?]
[Roughly.]
[Isn't it a bit of a waste to fire those at the beat-up cars the insurgents drive around in?]
Michael's eyes narrowed instantly.
He seemed to understand my meaning.
Sure enough, he smirked and asked,
[So, what's the unit price for Jaewoo's suicide drone?]
[Thirty thousand dollars per unit.]
[Th-that's even less than a smart shell, isn't it?]
[It is.]
[How is that possible?]
[In the case of the smart shells, it was our first attempt, so the production yield for parts was low and development costs were high. But now, with advanced MEMS technology, the manufacturing cost of the sensors has dropped significantly.]
At my shrugged reply, Michael's eyes lit up again.
Honestly, at that price, you'd be a fool not to buy them.
As expected, he immediately asked me when development would be complete.
[If we rush, we can finish within four months. The problem is the time needed for operational testing by the U.S. military...]
[I'll take care of that.]
Michael cut me off firmly.
When I remained silent, he twisted his lips into a smirk and continued.
[Even though we've declared an end to the war, we're still effectively in a state of active combat. In that case, we have an excuse to drastically shorten the operational testing period. Besides, like the Polar Bear, this is something that can have a significant impact on the safety of our soldiers. So I doubt Congress will make an issue of the testing period.]
He stated his opinion with conviction.
I answered with a slight smile and extended my hand to him.
[It seems Jaewoo and the U.S. Department of Defense have just taken another step closer.]
[We always value our relationship with Jaewoo. It's just that sometimes there are people who try to throw a wrench in the works.]
He was probably referring to Boeing.
Since the topic had come up, I decided to test the waters and get some confirmation.
[This is just a hypothetical, but if we were to develop our own transport aircraft or other large military planes, is there a chance the State Department would interfere again?]
[No, that's unlikely to happen.]
[How can you be so sure, Director?]
[The only ones who would interfere are Boeing, and after getting burned so badly last time, it's doubtful they'd try again. Besides, the State Department is in no position to force the issue any longer.]
It seemed that matter would proceed as I had expected.
I had been confident, but never entirely certain.
A smile spread across my face in sheer relief.
[By the way, have you heard any news about that North Korean agent?]
I looked at him again, surprised by the sudden change of topic.
Just as I noticed his expression had darkened, he said something startling.
[Actually, I recently asked the CIA for some information on that man.]
[Why would you do that, Director?]
[Because if you're in danger, Mr. Jin, it's a problem for our Department of Defense as well.]
That was another unexpected remark.
I mean, if they were that concerned about me, they should stop interfering with my business.
Then again, it's the U.S. military that values its relationship with me, not necessarily the U.S. government, so that made sense.
In short, the government was the government, and the military was the military.
[Anyway, the CIA believes it's highly likely the man is already dead.]
[...Why do they think that?]
Confused, I immediately asked back.
Michael then took a step closer and suddenly brought up Natasha's name.
[I'm talking about the woman named Natasha who is currently providing you with tacit protection.]
The fact that Michael knew about her wasn't particularly surprising.
Our joint missile development with Russia had already been fully exposed to the U.S. during the KMD announcement.
No, it would be more accurate to say the U.S. had known even before that, but had simply remained silent.
After all, the Brown Bear project started with America's consent, and the missile development was carried out under that banner.
In any case, the U.S. would have continued surveillance on me and my surroundings since then, so it was impossible for them not to know of her existence.
[What about her?]
[The CIA recently located the North Korean agent somewhere in Seoul, but after she appeared there, all traces of the agent vanished.]
[What exactly does that mean?]
[Simply put, it's highly probable that the woman, Natasha, eliminated the North Korean agent.]
[...]
******
A few days after Michael returned to the U.S., I set off for work as usual.
Before getting into the car, I glanced over at Natasha, who was watching me from a distance.
Surprised by my unusual behavior, she met my eyes for a moment before pointedly looking away.
*Hmm...*
I shook my head, as if to make sure she saw.
But she continued to feign ignorance, so I eventually got back in the car and headed to the office.
“Chairman, you're in?”
Just as I was taking off my suit jacket to hang it up, I heard CEO Kim's voice from outside.
Wondering if something urgent had come up, I immediately opened the door, and he entered with a pleased expression.
“Has something happened again?”
“Not at all. I have good news.”
“What is it?”
“The Ministry of National Defense plans to begin exploratory development for the next-generation tracked infantry fighting vehicle next year.”
My mind snapped to attention.
A tracked infantry fighting vehicle requested by the military at this time could only mean the K21.
The time had finally come.
*But why is it only starting now?*
That was the question.
According to the original history, exploratory development for the K21 should have officially begun in 1999.
Well, actual exploratory development began in 1995 in the original timeline, but it was canceled when a proposal to upgrade the K200's firepower gained traction.
After many twists and turns, it was history that exploratory development was confirmed again in 1999 through Thales, but strangely, I couldn't find anything about the K21 in the business sectors I reviewed after taking control of Thales.
In other words, in this world I've returned to, the K21 development project simply didn't exist.
“When next year are they saying it will start?”
“The selection of the exploratory development company is scheduled for around July of this year.”
“I understand. This is a field where Defense and Thales will need to cooperate closely, so please contact Defense in advance.”
I said, suppressing my excitement.
K21.
It was, in effect, another massive future cash cow.
Putting everything else aside, the 'Redback,' developed based on the K21's chassis, would eventually be shortlisted as a replacement for the Bradley by not only Australia but also the U.S. Army.
It would be stranger not to be excited when the foundation of a project that could expand to tens of trillions of won was about to be laid.
“Oh, and one more thing. At the same time they select the company for the next IFV, they'll also be selecting one for the next-generation tank.”
I tilted my head at his words.
Hyunwoo Rotem had been selected as the developer for the K2 tank a long time ago.
To select them again seemed contradictory.
“Are you saying Hyunwoo gave up on the development?”
“Not exactly. The Ministry of Defense has decided to develop the powerpack in-house. So they're selecting a separate contractor for that part.”
“Now?”
For a moment, I was flustered, wondering if my memory was faulty.
If history held true, the decision to develop the powerpack domestically should have been made in 2003.
Moreover, the history of the K2's development hadn't been particularly distorted.
The problem was S&U, the company that was supposed to tarnish that history, was now on the verge of collapse, making its participation in the project unlikely. I had a feeling things were about to get complicated.
“Hmm.”