This period was the peak of the Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union.

The Soviets claimed that they had developed a second-generation aluminum-lithium alloy that could be applied to the fuselage materials of the new generation of fighters, which greatly disgraced the Western capitalist camp led by the United States.

As the most staunch ally of US imperialism, if Britain can come up with a new aluminum-lithium alloy with comprehensive performance stronger than the Soviets in all aspects at this time, it will definitely be able to slap the polar bear in the face!

Williams originally just had the mentality of trying it out, to find out if John Yang had the ability to research aluminum-lithium alloys, but he didn't know that this master had quietly made a second-generation aluminum-lithium alloy that was even better than 1420 alloy! The excitement and excitement in Williams' heart can be imagined.

He has made another great contribution to MI6 and given the M6 director a big face!

After repeatedly verifying the comprehensive properties of this aluminum-lithium alloy, Donald was happy to dance a Scottish dance in Yang Weiping's office like a child.

The reaction of the John Bulls was expected by Yang Weiping.

Watching Donald lead his students to sing and dance there, Williams kept rubbing his hands together and spun in place, as if the aluminum-lithium alloy was their research result. Yang Weiping secretly despised it in his heart, you have to be careful, when you are still struggling to explore the industrial mass production process of the second-generation aluminum-lithium alloy, Lao Tzu will directly let Huaxia put the third-generation aluminum-lithium alloy into production!

The third-generation aluminum-lithium alloy, in fact, to put it bluntly, is based on the research of the second-generation aluminum-lithium alloy, adding rare earth elements, so as to form a series of strategic metals with different uses.

This is the ultimate goal of Yang Weiping's current need to use the resources of the British government and the British military to acquire rare earth mines around the world!

Rare earth is known as industrial "gold", because of its excellent optical and electromagnetic physical properties, it can form new materials with different properties and a wide variety of other materials, and its most significant function is to greatly improve the quality and performance of other products.

For example, the tactical performance of steel, aluminum, magnesium, and titanium alloys used in the manufacture of tanks, aircraft, and missiles has been greatly improved. Moreover, rare earths are also lubricants for electronics, lasers, nuclear industry, superconductivity and many other high-tech lubricants. Once rare earth technology is used in the military, it will inevitably bring about a leap in military science and technology.

In a certain sense, the overwhelming control of the US military in several local wars after the Cold War, as well as its ability to openly kill the enemy with impunity, are due to the superhuman superiority in the field of rare earth technology.

In the last generation, in 1990, China's rare earth reserves accounted for 80% of the world's rare earth reserves! However, due to ignorant management, only 23% of such an important strategic resource was left in 2012!

From 1990 to 2005, China's rare earth output accounted for 96% of the world's rare earth production!

60% of China's output is used for export, and the export volume accounts for more than 63% of international trade, and Huaxia is the only country in the world that supplies a large number of rare earth products of different grades and varieties. It can be said that Huaxia is opening the door to supply to the world at any cost!

Japan and South Korea, which started with manufacturing and electronics industries, are short of their own resources, and their dependence on rare earths is self-evident, and they buy them through imports and mines, but they occupy more than 30% of the world's rare earth reserves. Nearly 70% of China's exports go to these two countries.

As for the United States, which has the world's second largest rare earth reserves, it has sealed the country's largest rare earth mine, the Monting Pass mine, and the production of molybdenum has also stopped, and it has been imported in large quantities from China every year.

Western European countries do not have many reserves, so they cherish their rare earth resources even more, and they are also important users of rare earths in China. The greed of the developed countries is manifested in the fact that, in addition to the needs of production, they are not only overpurchased through government grants, but also stored in warehouses in their respective countries.

Japan, the United States, South Korea and other countries have been doing this for many years. In addition to buying, they also circumvent Huaxia laws and participate in rare earth development through investment and other means. Or directly lure Chinese domestic officials to smuggle rare earths, and carry out public plunder. …,

In this life, let these evil neighbors and robbers all eat!

Yang Weiping must prevent this kind of strategic decision-making mistake from happening again! Even if it costs anything!

With his back to the big tree to enjoy the shade, Yang Weiping could only choose the British government as a transition when he was unable to obtain the support of the senior leaders of the central government in China for the time being.

At that time, Yang Weiping will not lose even a gram of rare earth resources in China!

This will be an extremely difficult task. Because in order to convince the high-level leaders of the Chinese central government to attach importance to rare earth resources, Yang Weiping must be able to come up with several cutting-edge technologies for the application of rare earth elements in the field of national defense and military as bargaining chips.

At present, it is possible to achieve these high-level, refined, and cutting-edge results only by establishing the best laboratories in Europe and making use of the high-tech talents of Western European countries to pool their wisdom and efforts.

……

The importance of the second generation of aluminum-lithium alloys, Professor Donald is obviously very clear. After he was excited, he calmed down and immediately asked Williams to report to China, and immediately took the strictest security measures against the Tiangong New Materials Research Institute to prevent leaks.

I have seen and applied too many third-generation aluminum-lithium alloys in later generations, and Yang Weiping really doesn't take the second-generation aluminum-lithium alloy in his eyes now.

Compared with the third-generation aluminum-lithium alloy, the second-generation aluminum-lithium alloy still has serious anisotropy, low short transverse strength, low plastic toughness, and serious loss of toughness after heat exposure.

However, even so, the new alloy he is throwing out now is enough to attract the attention of major military powers.

In fact, aluminum-lithium alloy is not a new concept. The recognition of this material has gone through quite a long time. Due to its small specific gravity and high solubility in aluminum, lithium has long been regarded as a close partner of aluminum.

As early as the 20s of this century, scientific and technological workers made many comments on aluminum-lithium alloys. In 1924, Germany successfully developed an industrial aluminum-lithium alloy - Sikron. This is an aluminum-zinc alloy containing only 0.1% lithium. Its mechanical properties were slightly better than the aluminum-magnesium alloy that prevailed at the time, Dura aluminum. Since Dula aluminum was already recognized at that time, it affected the wide attention that Sikron alloys should receive.

In 1943, the high-strength aluminum-zinc-magnesium-copper alloy came out, once again underestimating the industrial value of aluminum-lithium alloy. In 1957, the United States successfully developed X-2020 aluminum alloy containing 1.1% lithium. This alloy is used on the skin of the wings and horizontal tail of American carrier-based supersonic attack aircraft, and after replacing the aluminum alloy in the original design, the RA-5C aircraft is 6% lighter. Soviet scientists also developed an aluminum alloy containing 2% lithium.

After another 10 years of wandering, in 1967, after the world-wide energy crisis, countries began to study aluminum-lithium alloys on a large scale again. Due to the development of metallurgical technology and related technology, it is possible to make the emergence of aluminum-lithium alloys with larger lithium content, smaller specific gravity and higher strength.

Many of today's advanced fighter jets and civil aircraft use this alloy. The cost of aluminum-lithium alloy is only about 1/10 of that of carbon fiber reinforced plastic. If a Boeing aircraft were to be built from aluminum-lithium alloys, it would be 14.6 percent lighter, 5.4 percent less fuel, 2.1 percent lower aircraft costs, and 2.2 percent less per aircraft per year.

Back in the 50s of the 20th century, the United States developed x2020 aluminum-lithium alloy, which was later used to replace 7075 for RA-SC AWACS aircraft.

The Americans use aluminum-lithium alloys for the vertical and flat tails of Boeing 777 and Airbus A330/340 aircraft, which have better fatigue resistance and high strength than ordinary aluminum alloys. Among them, the A330/340 aircraft uses 650kg of Al-Li alloy per aircraft, which can reduce the weight of the aircraft by 4250kg, which can increase the payload and reduce fuel consumption.

McDonnell Douglas' C-17 transport aircraft uses aluminum-lithium alloy plates and extruded profiles to manufacture the floor beams, flap ailerons and other structures of the cargo hold, with a dosage of 2.8t, which is 208kg lighter than ordinary aluminum alloy. …,

Although the United States, the Soviet Union, France and other countries are investing heavily in the research of aluminum-lithium alloys, for the time being, none of the aluminum-lithium alloys they are researching and using can compare with the aluminum-lithium alloys made by Yang Weiping.

"Colonel William, I suggest that before the Ministry of Defense responds, you should use the power in your hands to bring in a garrison and keep Mr. Yang's research institute under strict protection!" Donald said Williams solemnly: "Hong Kong is the capital of freedom where commercial espionage and agents of various countries are most rampant in the world!"

"Professor, I'll arrange your suggestion right away!" Williams replied solemnly.

"Wait!" Yang Weiping coughed and said indifferently: "Everyone, this is my private place, I am still relatively confident in the security measures provided by my Rock Security Company, so I don't need to trouble Colonel William." ”

"Mr. Yang, although your research institute seems to have a certain amount of security, do you think that with the batons in their hands, they can stop the invasion of the KGB and the CIA?" asked Donald solemnly.

Yang Weiping smiled confidently: "Professor Donald, there is an old saying in China, it is called, 'There are no silver three hundred taels here'. If Colonel William had transferred troops directly from the Tamar Naval Base or the Shigang Air Base, would you think they would have been able to avoid the eyes and ears of the Soviets, Americans, Frenchmen, Chinese, Japanese, Germans, and other spy agents of various countries? Do you think that if there is suddenly a group of British GIs in my factory, even if I can let these soldiers change into security uniforms, will it not attract the attention of some well-intentioned people?"

"Well, Mr. Yang's words make sense. Donald nodded thoughtfully.

"Mr. Yang, if your Rock Security Company is used to protect your laboratory, I personally feel that the force is too thin and there are too many security loopholes. Because you don't even have the most basic weapons of self-defense. Williams questioned it seriously.

"Since they don't have weapons, then equip them with the necessary weapons for self-defense!" Donald looked at Williams without hesitation and said: "I see that the security guards outside seem to have undergone some military training, if they are equipped with a certain number of firearms, their defense can be greatly improved." ”

Quack, Professor Donald, you are so cute, you are like a roundworm in the stomach of Lao Tzu!

Yang Weiping smiled secretly in his heart, but on the surface, he nodded quietly and said, "Colonel William, I think the professor's suggestion is worth serious consideration. MyPanshi Security is a legal security company officially registered with the Hong Kong Police Force. It's just that when I applied for a gun license at that time, I encountered some obstacles. If the Colonel can help with the gun plate and some of the guns and ammunition, I have every confidence that my institute and laboratory will be as safe as a rock!"

Williams pondered for a moment, nodded and said, "Guns and weapons, it's not a problem. However, I need to arrange for a group of retired officers and soldiers to enter your Rock Security Company!"

Yang Weiping lowered his head and pondered for a while, thinking that he had no intention of raising the flag to rebel in Hong Kong when he set up the Panshi Security Company, and a few days ago he was still thinking about advertising the rock, recruiting and absorbing retired soldiers from all over the world to join, and putting on an international coat for the rock.

Now that Williams has proposed to arrange for a group of retired British officers and soldiers to enter the rock, although the other party's move has the intention of overtly and covertly supervising the rock security company, from the general direction, it is beneficial and harmless to the development plan of the rock in the next five years.

Thinking about the links and the stakes, Yang Weiping immediately raised his head and replied: "No problem! With this batch of retired British officers and soldiers, I can make the members of my Panshi Security Company more professional in training." ”

"Professor Donald, Chairman Yang, you talk first, and I will report to the domestic headquarters immediately!" Williams said hello to Yang Weiping and Donald, and hurriedly left the house.

"Yang, can I know how you smelted this revolutionary second-generation aluminum-lithium alloy?" Donald asked Yang Weiping quite modestly.