Chapter 80
Chapter 80
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 80
Chapter Title: The Mid-term Defense Plan
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[It seems the U.S. military is planning a large-scale operation somewhere.]
I said it in passing and glanced at Michael.
His expression was surprisingly calm.
But he couldn't hide the wavering in his eyes.
*Swish.*
At that moment, Michael looked at the Hummer leader.
After what seemed like an exchange of glances, the Hummer leader shrugged, and a short sigh escaped Michael's lips.
[We are not preparing for a large-scale operation, but rather preparing for a potential contingency. In fact, there's been a government report that has been consistently coming up since the Clinton administration, and the current administration is taking it quite seriously.]
“…”
At first glance, his words were completely unintelligible.
It was as if he was saying, ‘Since you’re so curious, I’ll tell you, but a vague answer like this is the best I can do from my position.’
But for me, that was more than enough.
That report.
It was all too familiar to me, someone who had lived through the 2020s.
It was the document that mentioned the possibility of a terrorist attack against the United States and who was behind it.
“Hmm…”
If that was true, it felt like a slight deviation from history.
The Bush administration I knew had ignored that report right up until 9/11, which was what gave conspiracy theorists their ammunition.
That the United States knew about the terrorist attack and stood by.
Or that the incident itself might have been staged.
But now they were paying attention to the report and preparing for it?
Not only was that different from history, but it also served as evidence that conspiracy theories were just that—theories.
‘No, wait. Stockpiling war materials while preparing for an emergency… that’s strange too.’
A belated thought muddled my mind again.
Damn it, this was like a squirrel running on a wheel.
[Whatever it is, I hope it’s nothing serious.]
I immediately shook off my tangled thoughts and spoke.
There was no point in agonizing over a problem I couldn't solve anyway.
What I was curious about, though, was whether they could prevent 9/11 just by taking the terror threat seriously, unlike in the original history. On that point, my thoughts were a bit negative.
‘From experience, the rule so far has been that historical events destined to happen, would happen.’
With one exception: the North-South peace summit.
Come to think of it, why did that become erased history?
Then again, it was still hard to be sure it was completely erased.
*Swish.*
Just as my thoughts were maturing, Michael presented me with another document.
I stared at it, wondering what it could be, and he gave me a meaningful smile.
[The Pentagon learned a lesson from the Battle of Mogadishu, and I was wondering if we could tackle it together.]
[…]
[According to the testimony of Delta Force members, the Somali anti-American militia soldiers continued to fight even after being hit by numerous 5.56mm rounds. Of course, the hallucinogenic tree root they favored was a factor, but fundamentally, it means there's an issue with stopping power.]
[And so?]
[Because of that, the Pentagon plans to develop a firearm using a 6.8mm caliber bullet and supply it primarily to special forces. In addition, we plan to proceed with a comprehensive upgrade of the Warrior Platform.]
[…]
I remained silent, still unsure of his intentions.
A meaningful smile appeared on his face, and then I heard something I could hardly believe.
[How about Jaewoo and we develop it jointly?]
[Why us…?]
My reaction was, in a way, natural.
Frankly, it wasn't as if they lacked the technology.
Wasn't the United States a country capable of turning its soldiers into Iron Man all on its own if it set its mind to it?
Just then, as if understanding my expression, Michael continued.
[Mr. Jin, you seem to underestimate Jaewoo’s technological capabilities.]
[…]
[The new ballistic materials and the 40mm guided missile Jaewoo recently developed have already achieved about half of the Warrior Platform we desire. With such a capable company in an allied nation, isn't it only natural for us to join hands?]
He had a point.
The things we had achieved so far were nothing to scoff at.
From HVP to AESA, armor-piercing shells, and smart shells.
And even ballistic materials using sponge-like technology.
These were more than enough reasons for them to value Jaewoo's technology highly.
[Hmm…]
I took a moment to think.
One fact immediately came to mind.
While it was true that we were ahead of them in a few areas, the United States was still the United States.
In other words, we were the ones who stood to gain more from this partnership.
[Is this an official proposal?]
[Of course. We have already decided on the specific items.]
[Then there’s no reason to refuse.]
I readily extended my hand.
For some reason, he flashed an unusually bright smile and threw out another meaningful remark.
[Now I can finally rest easy.]
[…]
[To be honest, I was worried because it seemed like Jaewoo has been focusing too much on Russia lately. Well, I’m satisfied that this has clarified Jaewoo’s position.]
[…]
******
It had already been three months since my return from Dubai, and Saudi Arabia and the UAE had yet to finalize their investment decisions.
Well, the decision was as good as made, but it was taking time to confirm the specific investment amounts and establish the committee.
It seemed like it would take several more months for a definite conclusion.
In the meantime, the group had undergone quite a few changes.
We had completed the systematic integration of the departments of the companies we had acquired, and the research institute was given the name Jaewoo Systems, establishing it as a bridgehead for developing source technologies and materials.
All that remained was to secure the foundation for a fund and establish a venture capital firm, and that part was also scheduled to be finalized soon.
“Let’s not change Ssangwoong’s name.”
We decided not to change Ssangwoong's name.
We couldn't just throw away the brand recognition it had built up over the years.
Moreover, considering the future merger with Tesla, changing the name now seemed meaningless.
“It’s a huge relief that there are no issues with the mass production of the 40mm guided missile.”
It seemed there would be no problems with the production of the 40mm guided missile, which had entered full-scale mass production.
The biggest concern, securing manpower, had been resolved.
The core of the guided missile production line was seeker assembly, which relied entirely on human hands. Fortunately, since smart shell production had hit a plateau, we were able to reassign that workforce.
In short, the timing was perfect.
“It seems to be getting hotter than it was this time last year.”
Early June 2001.
As Vice President Kim said, the heat had arrived unusually early this year.
They said it was due to climate change caused by excessive carbon dioxide emissions.
I felt like I'd been hearing that constantly since the 2010s, but I was more inclined to believe the theory that climate change was influenced by changes in the sun's coronal ejections rather than excessive industrialization.
“The car is ready. Let’s go, Chairman.”
Having finished signing various documents, Vice President Kim Young-gi urged me to hurry.
Our destination was Jaewoo Aerospace.
It was for the prototype rollout ceremony of the attack helicopter, but for such a historic day, I felt remarkably calm.
Then again, even if it was a prototype rollout, it was still just a tin can of a helicopter without its weapon systems.
Even so, thinking of the researchers and CEO Yoon, who must have poured their souls into moving the rollout up by a whole five months, made my heart ache with pity.
“Welcome.”
“Oh my…”
As expected, CEO Yoon’s face was in worse shape than I had imagined.
A man of only sixty now looked as if he were in his seventies, he had aged so much.
Worried that he might collapse from overwork, I discreetly suggested a change in position, but he was the one who stopped me.
“Only the outside is rotting; my actual health has improved, so don’t you worry. Besides, I’m just starting to have fun. I’d feel wronged if I had to move now.”
“But…”
“I said I’m fine. The doctor told me my vascular age is close to a thirty-year-old’s. Anyway, enough about that. Let’s go to the event hall.”
He stubbornly insisted on keeping his position and led me to the venue.
If the man himself said so, what could I do? I shook off my heavy feeling and followed his lead.
“Oh! Chairman Jin. Welcome.”
The event hall was already filled with countless distinguished guests, including the Prime Minister.
And not just the Prime Minister.
The President, ministers from various departments, and the military's top commanders were all there.
The title of the nation's first domestically developed attack helicopter must be a big deal.
“It’s been a while, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.”
The most welcome face was, of course, Chairman of the JCS Lee Dong-wook.
Just in case, I looked around and saw Kim Tae-ik, the commander of the 7th Mobile Corps.
No, he had since been promoted to Army Chief of Staff, and he was waving at me.
“Seeing you is harder than seeing the President.”
Chief of Staff Kim Tae-ik's boisterousness was the same as ever.
No, looking at the sharpness in his eyes, it felt like his charisma had grown even stronger.
They say the position makes the man, and it seemed that wasn't wrong.
“The President is waiting for you.”
He immediately guided me to the President.
As the representative of the developing company, my assigned seat was right next to the President.
I would probably be bombarded with questions for a while.
*Whirrrrrrr!*
As the event began, the aircraft lifted into the air.
Thanks to the power of its two formidable 1,800-horsepower engines and stable attitude control software, it shot upwards without the slightest shudder.
Gasps of admiration escaped from the few officials who understood the significance.
“Its maneuverability is extraordinary.”
The President seemed to have noticed that as well.
It was no easy feat for a machine of that enormous size to move so smoothly.
The only disappointing part was that we couldn't yet demonstrate its weapon control capabilities, which would likely be possible around the beginning of next year.
“Ooh!”
As it performed a sharp turn, more gasps erupted from here and there.
At that unfortunate moment, the accident involving the Surion, our helicopter from before my regression, flashed through my mind.
The crash was caused by a faulty rotor gear, and several of our soldiers lost their lives in that incident.
‘Well, there was no shortage of unfortunate events back then.’
In truth, there had been a lot of controversy regarding responsibility for that incident.
Although it was developed domestically, all the core components had been imported.
Furthermore, since the rotor gear that caused the accident was entirely reliant on imports, it was ambiguous who was to blame.
“I heard it’s equipped with a newly developed radar. How is its performance?”
It was the President who broke me out of my sudden thoughts.
I quickly collected myself and recited the lines I had prepared.
“The operational tests of the radar have passed with flying colors. In terms of detection range alone, existing millimeter-wave radars can’t even compare. Signal interference is also close to zero, so its ability and speed in designating attack targets are on a different level from the Apache. If the combat system we are developing becomes fully operational, it will be a true nightmare for enemy ground forces.”
The President smiled with satisfaction at my words.
Just then, the helicopter completed its demonstration flight and landed back on the ground. Amid the applause, the President mumbled something.
“The Mid-term Defense Plan will be announced soon.”
“…Pardon?”
He had spoken in such a low voice that I wasn't sure I had heard him correctly.
I was almost certain he had said "Mid-term Defense Plan," but was there such a plan at this time?
If true, it was a deviation from history, and I was taken aback.
“Over the next ten years, we plan to invest 80 trillion won to enhance our military’s strength.”
The President’s next words made my jaw drop.
80 trillion won.
Although it was an investment spread over ten years, it meant pouring nearly 8 trillion won of additional funds into the defense budget each year. Considering the size of the defense budget at the time, it was an astronomical amount.
“Will the National Assembly approve it?”
“It’s true that it’s a bit much for the size of our economy. But recently, our country’s economic growth rate has been the highest since the 1980s. Plus, we have the justification of countering North Korea’s repeated threats. Well, it will probably get a bit noisy, but I plan to push it through.”
If the President was that determined, the chances were high.
Besides, as he said, the country was currently experiencing a record-high growth rate.
It wouldn't be a bad idea to use that opportunity to raise the defense budget ratio.
“What Chairman Jin should know in advance is that this mid-term force enhancement plan will include the mass procurement of medium-range strategic missiles and the development of our own fighter jet.”
“…You’re announcing a domestic fighter jet development plan now?”
The President was still looking at me with a smile.
If that was the case, I needed to bring up the KAI acquisition issue immediately.
As I subtly broached the subject, he suddenly raised his hand.
“There’s something I’d like to discuss…”
“Ah! Let’s talk about that after the event. I was about to bring that up myself, as a matter of fact.”
“…”