Chapter 153
Chapter 153
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 153
Chapter Title: The Korean Helicopter Program
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[Distinguished guests. We will now commence the K-SLBM maritime ejection verification test for the ROKS Ahn Changho.]
With the announcement, the venue fell deathly silent.
The ROKS Ahn Changho, having already submerged, was out of sight.
A single rubber boat floated on the sea to mark its precise location, and another announcement informed the onlookers that the boat’s position was directly above the submerged submarine.
[The ROKS Ahn Changho, currently undergoing operational evaluation, is equipped with a six-tube vertical launch system.]
Before the launch, an official provided a brief overview of the Ahn Changho’s specifications.
He primarily focused on the vertical launch system, which was relevant to today's test.
But the President’s gaze turned to me, as if he wanted to hear more than just the publicly disclosed details. I immediately took a step closer to him and continued the explanation in a near whisper.
“The vertical launch system we developed is capable of ejecting a weight of up to twelve tons from underwater.”
“Twelve tons?”
“Yes. The missile itself is heavy, and the weight of the protective canister capsule is also substantial.”
“Good heavens, what on earth do you use to push that much weight?”
“Typically, a cold-launch method is used. The problem, however, is that even a cold-launch system requires a solid propellant to generate enough pressure to push that much weight.”
“Using solid propellant inside a submarine?”
The President asked again, a look of bewilderment on his face.
It made sense; overcoming the challenges of initiating a combustion process inside a submarine was no simple feat.
The fact that the President understood this much was quite remarkable in itself.
“I understand your surprise. In such a case, the launch tube must withstand temperatures exceeding 2500 degrees Celsius, not to mention the immense internal pressure. That's why we use a mixed-gas method, similar to the American system.”
“What’s the specific difference?”
“First, it’s the same in that we burn rocket propellant to obtain pressure. However, to prevent the high-pressure gas and heat generated during combustion from contacting the missile's canister and the inside of the launcher, we release a coolant in the final stage. This causes the internal temperature of the launcher to drop rapidly.”
The President nodded at the lengthy explanation.
As if he had understood it all.
His gaze returned to the sea where the rubber boat floated, and he suddenly made an unexpected remark.
“I think I will miss days like this.”
“…”
“Once I step down, I won’t be able to see such spectacles again, will I?”
I finally understood his words and managed an awkward smile.
The President then placed a hand on my back and continued speaking suggestively.
“In that sense, I think I've been very fortunate. Honestly, what other president has witnessed such a continuous increase in our national defense capabilities during their term?”
“That’s…”
I swallowed the words I was about to say.
Saying anything in this situation felt like it would only make the atmosphere more somber.
But just then, the President looked at me again, his expression turning resolute, and he said something surprising.
“To be frank, I am prepared for the administration to change hands.”
“…”
“So, I plan to do what I can within my term before I step down.”
“What do you mean by that…?”
His tone was unusually serious, so I immediately looked at him.
He glanced around discreetly and, taking advantage of the announcement that had just begun, whispered in my ear.
“I'm talking about the Korean Helicopter Program.”
The Korean Helicopter Program referred to the KHP project that our government had led before my regression.
It was a massive national project that would later expand to include the Light Armed Helicopter (LAH).
According to history, it should have started in June 2006—this year. I thought it might have been skipped because so many other projects had been initiated.
But it seemed that part of history was destined to repeat itself after all.
“But the budget right now…”
“Considering the exploratory development phase, the budget I'd need to secure during my term would only be a few tens of billions of won. Why should I worry about that?”
Hearing that, it made sense.
Before my regression, the initial budget for the Surion, the result of the KUH project, was only in the tens of billions of won.
Even so, I couldn't shake the feeling that this was all a bit sudden. As I stared at him, he spoke in a joking tone.
“Why? Does Chairman Jin also think I'm just leaving a huge mess behind?”
“Of course not. Who on earth would use such an expression for such an important project?”
“Who else? Representative Lee Pil-yong, the leader of our party.”
“You mean he said that to your face?”
“He wouldn't dare. It was something he said to others that reached my ears. In any case, it seems that man thinks the KHP project is a pile of crap.”
If true, it was an incredibly absurd way of thinking.
To describe a project meant to replace aging utility helicopters as a pile of crap.
If a man like that were to become the ruling party's presidential candidate…
*Damn it, even if it's unlikely, the thought alone is horrifying. In that sense, Representative Lee Ju-hwan is definitely…*
At that moment, of all people, Representative Lee Ju-hwan came to mind.
If the leading presidential candidates from both the ruling and opposition parties were all as ignorant about national defense as they seemed to be, it would naturally be better for me if someone like Lee Ju-hwan became president.
Of course, he himself admitted to being a layman when it came to defense, but at least he was a man willing to listen.
“So you’re finally going to announce the project…”
[Beginning countdown.]
Just as I was about to ask, the announcement came on again.
With the ensuing countdown, an SLBM shot up from where the rubber boat had been.
It immediately spewed a massive plume of fire and soared straight into the sky.
“Ooh!”
The President watched the rising missile, his face a mask of awe.
But that wasn't the end.
Soon, another missile burst from the surface of the water, following the same trajectory into the sky, and a third and fourth missile repeated the process.
“What a tremendous sight.”
The image of missiles piercing through the smoke-filled sea and ascending into the heavens was like a scene from a movie.
It felt like watching the last-resort nuclear missiles launched by a nation devastated by an enemy’s nuclear attack.
In other words, it was like witnessing the final tool of mutually assured destruction being put to use right before my eyes.
“Hmm…”
A moment later, a long sigh escaped the President's lips, though I wasn't sure what he was thinking.
I looked at him with curiosity, and he leaned in close to my ear.
“Watching this, I'm filled with a sense of dread. If those were carrying nuclear warheads instead of conventional ones, it would truly be the beginning of the end, wouldn't it?”
“If nuclear warheads were mounted on missiles of this weight, and all six of them hit, it would be enough to wipe a moderately sized country off the map. So calling it the beginning of the end wouldn't be an exaggeration.”
I replied with a nonchalant expression and looked at him.
For some reason, the President let out a dry laugh.
“Chairman Jin, sometimes I just can't read you.”
“…”
“I said that because watching this made me realize anew how serious North Korea's nuclear development is, but your words… it's as if you have a desire for nuclear weapons yourself.”
I offered an awkward smile in response.
In truth, it would be a lie to say I didn't have that desire.
Especially for someone living in a region as complex as this.
“By the way, what’s the warhead weight of that SLBM?”
As I was lost in thought, he posed another question.
I had been wondering when he would ask.
I took a deep breath and said.
“The maximum warhead weight is four tons. What's important to note is that the amount of actual explosives isn't that large.”
“Then what fills the other four tons?”
“Heavy metals.”
“Heavy metals?”
“A ballistic missile's destructive power comes mostly from the kinetic energy of the impact. So there's no need to fill the entire warhead with explosives. Moreover, heavy metals can cause more extensive damage to the impacted area. In short, it's a missile with destructive power comparable to a tactical nuclear weapon.”
In reality, saying it was comparable to a tactical nuke was an exaggeration.
No matter how small, a nuke was still a nuke. How could a conventional heavy metal warhead compare?
But its destructive power was undeniably immense.
The President probably understood that much.
*Bwooooong!*
Just then, the ROKS Ahn Changho, having completed its ejection test, broke the surface.
Its presence was absolutely overwhelming.
Murmurs of awe rippled through the crowd at the imposing sight of the vessel, which was hard to believe was only a 3,000-ton class submarine.
“When is the official commissioning expected?”
The President, seemingly lost in the moment as well, asked with a dreamy look in his eyes.
I glanced to my side, and CEO Lee Yong of Jaewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering answered in my stead.
“It's scheduled to be commissioned around February of next year when the final tests are complete. Eight months after that, the second ship, the An Mu, and the third ship will be commissioned in succession.”
“Ooh! So today won't be my last event after all.”
“Barring any special circumstances, you should of course attend.”
The President smiled, looking relieved.
His gaze returned to the ROKS Ahn Changho, and he continued as if talking to himself.
“But I hear the fourth ship onwards will be equipped with all-solid-state batteries?”
At that question, I looked back at CEO Lee Yong.
My eyes conveyed that he should be the one to explain this part.
But he seemed burdened by the prospect of addressing the President and wore a troubled expression, so I ended up answering again.
“Yes, that’s correct. Once they are, its operational efficiency will increase to a level that’s incomparable to what it is now. It’s not just the all-solid-state batteries, but also the X-rudder, the hydrogen fuel cell-based AIP, the metamaterial acoustic tiles, and our indigenously developed sonar system. It will be a vessel into which we have poured every capability we possess.”
At my words, the President's eyes once again took on a dreamy quality.
I wondered what he was thinking. He then looked at me intently, smiled, and patted my back.
“I don't know if I'll have another chance to say this, so I'll say it now. Thank you for everything, Chairman Jin.”
“Yes… Thank you as well.”
******
[This morning, the government and the Ministry of National Defense announced the Korean Helicopter Development Program.]
A few days later, the President announced the helicopter development program, just as he had told me he would.
Ironically, the most fervent opposition came from Representative Lee Pil-yong, the leader of the ruling party.
But the President refused to back down, and eventually, Representative Lee Pil-yong went so far as to demand the President’s withdrawal from the party.
[This morning, Representative Lee Yong-jae voiced his direct opposition to the government’s Korean Helicopter Development Program. With this, the program now faces opposition from both the ruling and opposition parties…]
Representative Lee Yong-jae of the opposition party also reacted negatively.
He alleged that there was some sort of collusion between military personnel and companies through the helicopter development project.
Considering that KAI was the only company in the country capable of developing a helicopter domestically, his accusation was ultimately aimed at me. To remain silent in that situation would be foolish.
“I urge Representative Lee Yong-jae to cease these baseless slanders.”
Unable to tolerate it any longer, I finally held a formal press conference to refute the claims.
I even went so far as to demand an official public hearing.
But Lee Yong-jae's unsubstantiated remarks were met with a storm of criticism from the political sphere and the public. By the time he realized his mistake and offered an apology, it was already too late.
[This morning, unable to withstand pressure from the public and within his own party, Representative Lee Yong-jae abruptly resigned from his position as leader of the opposition party. Representative Lee Ju-hwan is being mentioned as a potential successor…]
[Representative Lee Yong-jae has indicated that his resignation today is unrelated to any presidential ambitions. As a result, a storm is expected to brew in the opposition party, following the one in the ruling party.]
“So Representative Lee Ju-hwan is finally stepping into the spotlight. The situation is a bit ambiguous, isn't it? It’s become hard to tell which is the ruling party and which is the opposition.”
CEO Ahn of KAI, who was watching the news with me, clicked his tongue in agreement with my muttered comment.
It was because of the opposition party's policy shifts after the change in leadership. Setting other things aside, their stance on national defense, at least, was now more aligned with the current government than even the ruling party, which was confusing even to me.
“By the way, have you decided on a development direction?”
“Of course.”
In response to CEO Ahn’s question, I turned the laptop I was looking at toward him.
After staring intently at the concept image on the screen for a while, CEO Ahn blinked and asked again.
“Wh-what is this?”
“What do you think it is? It's the Korean utility helicopter we'll be developing.”
“No, I mean… what is this tail rotor facing backward?”
“That's the means to enable high-speed maneuvering. With that, the cruise speed of the helicopter we're developing will exceed an incredible 460 kilometers per hour.”
“…A helicopter with a cruise speed of 460 kilometers per hour?”