Regarding the debate about the caliber of 122 mm versus 155 mm, it is clear to everyone that this is not for the sake of this project, but for the influence of the ideas of domestic artillery.

For the first time, Xie Kai intuitively saw the controversy over the caliber of artillery.

In the beginning, it was white-hot.

No one wants to give up their ideas.

122 mm caliber that is conservative, this caliber artillery is more mature in domestic use.

The 155 mm caliber artillery is a star in China, even if it is only 3 mm larger than the 152 mm caliber, it is definitely more powerful for the Chinese people who have the ideological tradition of artillery.

Even if the 155 mm caliber gun at some times was even inferior to the 152 mm caliber power.

The military chiefs are also thinking the same way.

The power of artillery, since the birth of the Red Army, has always been a meme in the hearts of military chiefs.

At that time, the enemy was all aircraft, tanks, and artillery, but the Red Army was a big sword and spear, and it was impossible to explain to outsiders how much artillery losses it suffered.

Since then, the development of artillery in the country has become far more active than the whole world. After the improvement of relations with Western countries, a lot of artillery technology was introduced.

Electroslag remelting, self-tightening of body tubes, long body tube manufacturing process, advanced fire control system, etc.

That's why there was a PLZ05 type 155 mm 52 times diameter self-propelled gun that was far ahead of the world.

Watching these guys arguing about calibers, his original hope of using them to determine what caliber of artillery to adopt was frustrated.

Most people admire large-caliber artillery, and the larger the caliber, the more powerful it is.

Of course, the technology required is also higher.

The charge capacity of the shell and the stability of the performance of the propellant are all related to the firing range and power. The larger the shell, the greater the recoil when fired, and everyone knows this.

Now if you build a 152-mm self-propelled howitzer, the technical difficulty is much more difficult than that of a 122-mm one.

"Since our artillery is positioned in terms of export, we have to consider being able to fire shells from NATO countries, otherwise, we will lose a lot of market ......" Cao Yunyang saw that everyone was at a stalemate about caliber, and no one was willing to give up.

Even the people in the base were divided into two factions and began to make their words more credible from the side.

Zheng Yucheng smiled and nodded, "Therefore, the 155 mm caliber is more suitable, and the Western suppression of artillery, there are only three calibers: 105, 155, and 203, and 273 are all used for multiple rocket launchers." If we use 203 mm caliber guns, it will be too technically difficult...... The power of 105 is not as good as that of a tank gun, so the most suitable one is 155 caliber. With a 152 mm caliber, you can make a ......"

"Let's see what Xiao Xie has to say. Qi Yuanzhi and Bai Yanjun were not interested in artillery, they had always been cold bystanders, Wang Guilin wanted the two of them to help talk, they both shook their heads and refused, in desperation, Wang Guilin burned the fire to Xie Kai, "After all, the project was proposed by Xiao Xie." ”

Xie Kai was also entangled at first, whether to make an artillery that could fire Western-standard shells.

It is possible to fire Western-standard shells, and for these guns, the market sales will definitely be much better.

Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, these countries that have purchased domestic PLZ45 type 155mm self-propelled guns, are all asking for the possibility of firing Western shells.

Originally, they were all equipped with NATO equipment.

On 155, the difficulty is too great.

"There seems to be a 155 mm caliber self-propelled gun on the side of the Northern Ordnance Industry, and they have imported technology from abroad, I don't know to what extent. Xie Kai didn't say how big the caliber was first, but asked everyone.

Cao Yunyang looked at Xie Kai suspiciously, what does this have to do with the artillery project on the side of the Northern Ordnance Industry?

"Do you mean to get the technology from them, and we will directly get the 155 mm caliber on the horse?" Zheng Yucheng knew that Xie Kai, this kid, often had the idea of beating other people's technology, thinking that he was thinking like this again, and his face became happy, "No problem, whatever technology you want, I'll get it back." ”

"What are you doing here? Everyone has been doing it for a few years, so what's the matter if we intervene again?" Wang Guilin was unhappy, "It's not easy for us to accumulate some family funds." ”

"I said that the two of you are also quite boring, and Xiao Xie didn't say anything and quarreled again. Let's listen first!" Bai Yanjun couldn't stand it.

I knew it earlier, so I found an excuse not to come and see the excitement.

What's the point of doing this?

The two of them, who were blushing and thick-necked, looked at Xie Kai.

Xie Kaiti is not without a purpose.

"Since the Northern Ordnance Industry is working on 155 mm guns, why should we go to work on the same project with them?" Xie Kai said.

Zheng Yucheng was anxious, "What caliber of cannon, someone is doing it now!"

He was worried that Xie Kai would not support him, Xie Kai's words were very critical.

Bai Yanjun and Qi Yuanzhi are not interested in this thing, one wants to engage in the sky, and the other wants to engage in the sea.

"122-mm howitzers, there was technology in the country in the fifties, it has been developing over the years, and the technology is more stable. Xie Kai said slowly.

"We have to think about the customer's ammunition supply!" Zheng Yucheng emphasized.

Xie Kai saw that he was so kind to consider the customer, and a helpless smile appeared on his face, the old guy wants to make a big caliber, this kind of words can come out of his mouth, it is not easy.

"The issue of ammunition, the customer himself will think about it. We have a lot of artillery shells in our domestic reserves, and we can sell them cheaply......" Wang Guilin was not happy, "How many years will it take for the domestic stocks to be used up?"

Before the international situation was tense, the domestic military industrial system has been busy with production.

Bullets, shells, these things, I don't know how many years the domestic stocks will be used up.

Xie Kai also knew this, he hadn't thought about such a problem.

"It's also a good thing to digest part of our domestic inventory. Besides, if we talk about logistics, our potential customers are all engaged in both Soviet and NATO equipment, and they will not consider such a problem now. If there is such a consideration, we will do it again. Xie Kai said. "Now on 155, on the one hand, our technical reserves are insufficient, and it is too difficult; on the other hand, we have finished this project, what will we do in the future?"

Hearing that there are still projects in the future, Zheng Yucheng no longer emphasizes the need to engage in large calibers.

"This time it is considered to accumulate experience, 122 mm to get out, the effect is good, and then to make a larger caliber, so it is also easier, and it is more able to get customer orders. Xie Kai further said.

Self-propelled howitzers of 122 mm caliber do not belong to Western standard artillery.

However, this does not mean that there is no market.

Many small countries simply cannot afford to be armed with heavy artillery of 155 mm caliber.

122 mm caliber guns, which are already of the strategic class.

After selling the cannon, and then selling the ammunition, the ammunition is a consumable, and it is completely a long-term business.

You can't let the shells made in the country in those previous years rust there, don't you?

Or do you learn from North Korea, where there are so many shells that there is no place to use them, that they directly use shells to execute criminals? Such a thing is simply impossible in China.

"Then do 122 caliber?" Cao Yunyang was a little unwilling.

He was originally engaged in 152 mm caliber artillery, and now he has run to the 404 base to engage in 122 mm.

"Yes, it's 122 mm, 39 times the diameter or 45 times the diameter of the body length. Xie Kai nodded and said, "It depends on our domestic manufacturing technology." It is best for this project to bear fruit as soon as possible. ”

"Why don't we improve on the basis of the 70s?" asked Huang Aimin. "That way, it's a lot easier. ”

"No, the Type 70 self-propelled guns are too rudimentary. Xie Kai shook his head and said, "We have to think about the follow-up development, not just consider such a project." ”

"How about adopting a newly designed chassis?" Cao Yunyang asked. "We, the Armored Corps Research Department, have come up with a new self-propelled artillery chassis, and there are no users yet. ”

Zheng Yucheng looked at Xie Kai.

Without users, who can guarantee that this thing is reliable?

They are now rushing to export, and all kinds of technologies are the top in China.

"Yes. Our artillery is made with the most advanced technology in China, and the main target is foreign customers, of course, our own customers......" Xie Kai said.

The new chassis that Cao Yunyang said is not known if it is the chassis used by PLZ45.

If it really is that thing, it will be easier to do 155 in the future.

"The requirements of our side have been clearly expressed, and everyone has already understood, right?" Seeing that no one had any more opinions, Wang Guilin asked.

Cao Yunyang and the others all nodded.

Whether they want to or not, people 404 pay money, and 404 people decide to engage in 122 mm caliber, they naturally have no opinion, right?

If you have an opinion, people won't care.

If these people can't do it, they will change a group of people.

Anyway, people don't care, there are many domestic artillery experts.

"After coming down, I hope you can come up with a specific plan, and after the plan comes out, you will directly start to follow the plan to complete the car. Zheng Yucheng said.

The others couldn't help but be dumbfounded, "Don't you need to demonstrate the plan?

"Didn't you just prove the plan? You don't think it's not feasible, do you?" Zheng Yucheng said to the person who asked the question.

A bunch of people were completely dumbfounded.

404 to engage in projects, it's as simple as that?

"As for the approval from the higher authorities, we don't need the higher-level leaders to allocate funds, so where can we use the approvals? They agree that we have to do it, but if we don't agree, we still have to do it! The meeting is dismissed!" After Zheng Yucheng finished speaking, he got up and walked outside.

Xie Kai chased him out, he was afraid that he would be surrounded by this group of technicians, and all kinds of problems would be easily exposed.

"What's the matter, there's nothing to do with you here, you can go back to sleep. Zheng Yucheng said dissatisfiedly to Xie Kai, who was holding him.

"Lao Zheng, didn't you say okay, take me to the firearms research?" Xie Kai looked at Zheng Yucheng and said dissatisfiedly, "You don't want to cross the river and tear down the bridge, do you?"

The old guy obviously wanted to cross the river and tear down the bridge, and not take himself to the firearms research institute.