Chapter 138
Chapter 138
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 138
Chapter Title: An Unexpected Obstacle
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He must have been quite surprised.
Until now, only Seong-ho and I had set the specific development direction to maintain strict security.
But now that development is complete, it doesn't matter if he knows.
No, in fact, it would be absurd to keep it a secret from CEO Kim until the very end.
“It’s true. That’s why we’re avoiding a public test—to keep it a secret.”
“But how is that even possible… No, setting that aside, how long can this secret be kept? Once it’s deployed and operational, the ones using the weaponry will figure it out immediately.”
“I know. For the time being, we plan to place a partial lock on the ship’s radar, the missile’s operational program algorithm, and the detection band. Only key military commanders and ship captains will be aware of the truth. It will only be utilized when absolutely necessary.”
“…”
“Do we really have to go that far?”
“For now, we must. If nothing else, if this gets out, it will spark debate about the obsolescence of stealth fighters. It’s obvious how the United States will react if they find out.”
At my words, CEO Kim frowned.
As someone who knew the United States better than anyone, he was likely imagining their reaction upon learning the truth.
Since I had brought it up, I revealed another fact.
“You should also know that the multi-pulse, medium-range air-to-air missile to be mounted on the KFX also has a stealth-killer function.”
“…”
“In fact, that missile’s seeker was developed based on that very technology.”
“…Then does that mean the KFX’s AESA radar can also detect stealth aircraft?”
“Of course.”
“Why are you only telling me now… Come to think of it, don’t the President and the key Air Force commanders also not know about this?”
“I reported it to the President a while ago. As for the others, not yet… This is a matter that could lead to a full-blown conflict with the United States, so there’s no need to let rumors fly. The key military commanders will learn of this fact on the day the KFX’s armament is fully equipped. And only after they’ve sworn to maintain strict confidentiality.”
“I’m not sure if this situation is turning into a bit of a farce. Having to hide a function even from the operators themselves. Anyway, I don’t know if I can even believe this… I never imagined detecting and taking down a stealth aircraft was possible.”
"To be honest, the stealth detection and tracking capability wasn't intended from the start. It was just a byproduct of maximizing the seeker's performance."
He slumped his shoulders as if all the strength had left him.
Then again, it was impossible to comprehend with the common sense of this era.
But explaining it all right here and now was out of the question.
I quickly got into the car and urged him.
“Get in.”
The first thing I did after getting into the car was to activate the soundproof partition separating us from the driver’s seat.
Fortunately, the new armored vehicle was equipped with bulletproof glass to divide the cabin.
I immediately raised it and looked back at CEO Kim.
“The K-band is a frequency band that is inherently useful for stealth detection. Its short wavelength allows for radar miniaturization and provides high resolution. However, the K-band is generally susceptible to signal attenuation caused by water molecules in the atmosphere, which is why it has long been considered unsuitable for radar system operation.”
“…”
CEO Kim looked at me, his expression clearly asking what I was talking about.
I let out a faint smile and spoke again.
“Simply put, we’ve surpassed that conventional wisdom.”
“How?”
“You wouldn’t understand even if I told you. For now, just know that we are using the Ka-band frequency for a multifaceted detection system. This has given it high resolution, deception capabilities, and even electronic warfare countermeasures. The thing is, due to the characteristics of this band, it can also catch stealth fighters.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about… In any case, the bottom line is that this technology must never be leaked. If it gets out, not only the U.S. but we too will suffer the consequences.”
“That’s right. It’s a double-edged sword. However, it’s not a major concern, as it’s impossible to access the technology with just the physical product alone.”
“…”
“To develop this, you’d have to start with a different development concept for the device itself, and right now, no one else is capable of that.”
“That’s a relief. So, we just need to thoroughly manage our own researchers. Shouldn’t we take this opportunity to raise the security level of the missile development center even further?”
“I’ve already reached an agreement with the Blue House on that. I asked them to manage the missile development center as a Class 1 security facility. The military and the NIS will probably take action in a few days.”
Hearing this, CEO Kim Young-gi finally let out a sigh of relief.
I wonder what he was thinking. He glanced back, shook his head, and then stared intently at me.
“What is it?”
“It’s not just you, Chairman, but I’m starting to think your friend isn’t normal either. Honestly, who in their right mind would actually build something just because they were told to?”
“…”
******
August 15th.
The President and key military dignitaries all gathered on Geoje Island.
Today was National Liberation Day, and also the day the nation’s first Aegis destroyer, the Sejong the Great, was finally delivered to the military.
Designating Liberation Day as the delivery date was the President’s idea, and considering its significance, I thought it was an excellent choice.
[Today, along with the joy of liberation, we will protect the seas of this nation…]
The President, having already given a Liberation Day speech in Seoul, took the podium again to begin another.
It was a report to the nation about the nine Aegis destroyers to be built over the next four years.
Perhaps he was overcome with emotion; he briefly teared up during the speech, and it spread through the crowd like a contagious pathogen.
“You’ve worked hard.”
The President said to me, his face filled with emotion, as he watched the Sejong the Great set sail.
It was the first destroyer in history to be delivered to the navy with a nearly complete set of armaments.
According to the plan, it would begin a year of operational testing, but that would likely be little more than a formality with no real significance.
After all, that ship was the culmination of all our operational experience so far.
“This is the first time a naval HVP is being used for close-in defense by any country other than the United States, isn’t it?”
The President’s question came out of the blue.
The close-in defense system we chose instead of the RAM was the naval HVP.
However, since the main gun couldn’t be used solely for defense, we had installed an additional 76mm high-speed naval gun specifically for the HVP, and had even finished modifying the shells for it.
“That’s correct. The U.S. military also applied the HVP for close-in defense with our help in the past. The difference is that instead of using the main gun like they do, we’ve installed a separate 76mm high-speed naval gun.”
“Technology advances day by day. Honestly, I never would have imagined the concept of building a close-in defense system with a naval gun.”
“The core of close-in defense is, after all, the probability of interception. In that respect, the HVP is the optimal choice.”
“I’m well aware of that. By the way, it’s quite amazing that you managed to reduce the projectile size to 76mm.”
The President was greatly intrigued by the miniaturization of the HVP projectile.
But considering the advancements in semiconductor technology, it was a natural outcome.
If there was a downside, it was the shorter range compared to the existing 127mm HVP projectile, but it was still vastly superior to the range of conventional close-in defense systems, so it wasn’t an issue.
No, in terms of accuracy and cost-effectiveness, it was a huge success.
“One thing to keep in mind is that the 127mm main gun can also be used for defense in conjunction with the HVP. In other words, it’s equipped with a dual close-in defense system.”
“I’ve heard about that, but I don’t understand why the navy insisted on installing an additional CIWS on top of it.”
The navy had, in fact, strongly insisted on installing a CIWS in addition to the HVP system.
Of course, I refused, citing that it would be overkill, but in the end, the Sejong the Great was equipped with a Goalkeeper as well.
“Who can curb the navy’s greed?”
The President let out a dry laugh at my words.
As if he couldn’t agree more.
I glanced at the Chief of Naval Operations standing in the distance and was about to return the smile when the President continued.
“True, the navy would probably say a spaceship isn’t enough for them. And it’s not just the navy; the air force and the army are the same. Oh, speaking of which, have you heard the news? The total number of Chungmugong Yi Sun-sin-class destroyers currently being introduced will be increased to twelve over the next six years.”
I had only heard about that a few days ago.
Spurred on by the air force’s buildup, the navy had demanded more, leading to the decision to acquire additional KDX-IIs.
I had doubted that a request for additional construction of a destroyer class that hadn’t even been fully deployed would be accepted, but the Blue House ultimately approved it, and they had been on the defensive recently because of it.
They were facing attacks from all sorts of opposition groups, questioning why they were so madly focused on a military buildup.
“Can you handle it?”
“I have to. You remember what I said before, don’t you? That I have big dreams.”
It seemed the President had firmly made up his mind.
To achieve balanced development across the army, navy, and air force.
Perhaps because of that, the reduction in army troop numbers had become more pronounced lately, and the army, already on edge, was pushing back even harder.
*Tsk, it’s not like they’re just blindly cutting troops.*
Why don’t they consider the overall increase in military strength through the introduction of advanced weapon systems and more tanks and self-propelled artillery?
In the end, their opposition was nothing more than stubborn resistance born from an extreme aversion to reducing the number of generals. Anyway, the problem with this country is the self-serving top brass.
“The mental burden must be great.”
“It is. They refuse to accept the plan to raise the equipment standards in exchange for reducing troop numbers.”
“Even so, as the Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces, what can they do?”
“It’s not that simple. Some politically-minded military figures are using the media to attack me.”
I had been worried about that as well.
The collusion between generals aiming to enter politics and the media.
Because of that, Minister Lee Dong-wook and JCS Chairman Kim Tae-ik had tried to persuade them several times, but it wasn't as easy as it sounded.
In the end, some of the top brass who left the military ended up clashing with the President, and that had become the biggest burden for the Blue House.
“Anyway, even with the reduction in troops, I plan to only raise the soldiers’ salaries by a minimal amount for the time being. I feel a bit sorry about it, but it’s unavoidable if we want to complete the military buildup as quickly as possible within a limited budget.”
That was a slight deviation from history.
It was an attitude that seemed to go in a different direction from the tendencies I knew him to have.
I had nothing to say, so I remained silent. He gently tapped my shoulder.
“Why the long face? Are my words that surprising?”
“Yes, honestly, a little…”
I replied with an awkward smile and looked back at the departing Sejong the Great.
My heart was already racing at the news of the additional construction of the Chungmugong Yi Sun-sin-class destroyers, something I hadn't been sure of.
*They’re even building more Chungmugong Yi Sun-sin-class destroyers? It seems the early 2000s will truly be a turning point for this nation’s future.*
“By the way, you’re not planning to skip the firepower and anti-air defense demonstration for the Sejong the Great, are you?”
The President spoke while I was lost in thought.
Since so much of its armament was top secret, I honestly wanted to skip it, but that would be difficult since it was all built with taxpayer money.
I replied with a smile.
“We plan to hold a public demonstration as soon as the military’s operational evaluation is complete. Excluding, of course, the things that shouldn’t be revealed.”
The President nodded deeply, as if he understood.
As he watched the ship sail away, his eyes held an expression as if he had gained the whole world.
******
[Samjung Electronics announced this morning that it will apply the solid-state batteries developed by Jaewoo to its mobile phones and other home appliances. It's not just Samjung; most mobile phone manufacturers and home appliance companies that rely on secondary batteries worldwide are welcoming the development of solid-state batteries…]
The news of the room-temperature solid-state battery’s development became a bigger topic of conversation as time went on.
The number of companies that had recently contacted Jaewoo Energy was over a hundred.
Since we had also opened up the possibility of producing cylindrical cells, the number of interested companies had increased exponentially, so in a way, it was a natural result.
[Japanese battery companies are said to have held an emergency meeting this morning. Furthermore, the Japanese government has decided to accelerate solid-state battery development by providing up to 300 billion yen in funding to related companies over the next ten years…]
The ones feeling the most heat were the Japanese battery companies.
They were already losing the lithium-ion battery market—a technology they had been the first to commercialize—to Korean companies, and now they were about to be hit with a counterpunch. It was an expected outcome.
And it wasn’t just the Japanese companies.
LC was in a state of mourning as well, and rumors had it that they too had recently decided to accelerate their solid-state battery development.
-To gain one thing, you have to give up another.
Considering their relationship with us, Samjung decided to withdraw from the battery sector.
It was a last-ditch measure born from the conclusion that there was nothing to be gained from clashing with me.
Thanks to that, we decided to absorb Samjung SDI’s battery division, and SDI’s primary business area was now limited to displays.
“Continue to consult with the government on the site for the new factory construction. And for the time being, we will completely renovate Samjung’s battery factory and use it as our second production base.”
The smooth negotiations with Samjung provided some breathing room in our lack of production facilities.
After all, utilizing existing facilities was more time-efficient than building a new factory from scratch.
Even so, it was impossible to handle all of the exponentially increasing consumer demand.
Now, the speed at which we could dominate the battery market depended on how quickly we could build a new factory. As a result, I was busy dealing with government officials for a while.
“Chairman!”
One day in November.
As I was reviewing documents related to the renovation of the factory acquired from Samjung, Secretary Kim knocked and rushed into the room.
It was a stark contrast to her usual calm demeanor.
I looked at her, puzzled, and she delivered some startling news.
“Fanuc from Japan has refused to deliver the robots and equipment needed for the battery factory expansion.”
“…”