"Xiaolin, I now understand your choice a little. In this country, there is a need for someone to engage in scientific research, and it also needs someone to make money. Without money, nothing can be done. Liu Xianghai said with emotion, speaking of money, he showed some embarrassment on his face, and said: "By the way, Xiaolin, I may not be able to repay you for the 10,000 yuan you lent me for the time being." ”

Lin Zhenhua said disappreciably: "You can take it and use it, I didn't say that I borrowed it from you, I just gave it to you." ”

Liu Xianghai said: "It's better to borrow, it's useless, how can I take your money casually." When I have more money in my hands, I will definitely pay you back. I'll tell you the truth, your 10,000 yuan really helped me a lot. ”

Lin Zhenhua asked strangely: "Why, you are a big director, and you still have to rely on this 10,000 yuan to save the emergency?" ”

Liu Xianghai said: "I can only use the public money within the scope of the system. But in reality, there are many things that are outside the system. Not long ago, one of our researchers' father fell ill and needed to borrow 800 yuan for surgery. However, according to the rules of the institute, he can only borrow a maximum of 200 yuan. He came to my house, a seven-foot-long man, with tears in his eyes. However, this is how the system stipulates, what should I do? ”

"So you lent him your own money?" Lin Zhenhua said.

"Isn't it?" Liu Xianghai said, "I only have my own money, and I have the right to use it." Xiaolin, it was only at that time that I realized what you said when you lent me money, you said that the money can sometimes be used for emergency relief. ”

"I didn't think you were using this money to do good." Lin Zhenhua said.

"And what do you mean by emergency?"

Lin Zhenhua did not answer this question, when he first sent money to Liu Xianghai, one was out of reverence for the old military workers, and he felt that it was not enough to show his heart if he didn't take some money. The other is thinking that Liu Xianghai will return to Shanghai for the first time, maybe he will have to take some old relationships, treat and give gifts, etc. However, how can these words be said explicitly?

"It's right to do good deeds, it's equivalent to me buying people's hearts." Lin Zhenhua said, "Lao Liu, I have another sentence, I don't know if you remember it." ”

"What?"

Lin Zhenhua said: "I said that I was so poor that I only had money left. If you need money for something, you can go to Huaihai Road to find the Shanghai distribution office of Hanhua Industrial Company, Xiong Lijun is now the manager there, you can borrow money from him. I will settle with him in the future. However, I also figured out that I can't afford the money you need to do the experiment, so I can only lend it to you for favors. ”

Liu Xianghai shook his head: "I can't borrow your money anymore, if I borrow too much, I can't afford to pay it back in the future." ”

Lin Zhenhua said: "Lao Liu, if you are really short of money, just ask Xiong Lijun for it, anyway, I will make it up to him." I forgot to tell you that I have applied for an international patent for the five-blade fan you designed for me, but in my name. This patent should in fact belong to you, and if you can make money in the future, I should pay you the royalties. ”

Liu Xianghai said: "How can this work, I said to give it to you, it is to give it to you, this five-blade fan, whether it is to make money or not, it has nothing to do with me." Besides, there are so many things in the public house, how can I let me pay for everything privately. By the way, it's not that I'm paying for it personally, it's that you're helping us pay for it, what's the matter? ”

"Alas, no matter how poor you are, you can't be poor in national defense, and the country shouldn't let you suffer poverty." Lin Zhenhua shouted for Liu Xianghai.

Liu Xianghai said: "You can't say that, the people have been poor for so many years, and now it's time to give priority to solving the problems of the people's lives." The above policy has been set, and in the next few years, defense spending will be drastically reduced, and many projects are threatened with disintegration. We're a little bit better here, but we can only maintain it. By the way, you just need to listen to these things, and don't spread them, you know? ”

"Of course I do." Lin Zhenhua said.

As a traverser, Lin Zhenhua has a better understanding of what Liu Xianghai said. In the early 80s, the Central Committee made a judgment on the international situation at that time, believing that it was impossible for a large-scale armed conflict to occur in a short period of time. Based on this judgment, the central authorities have drastically reduced military spending and reduced the number of troops by 1 million. Many military-industrial projects were also shelved during this period and were not restarted until 20 years later.

Later generations have mixed opinions about the gains and losses of this period of reducing military spending. According to the praisers, China decisively shifted a large amount of military spending to civilian use, which promoted economic development and laid the foundation for China's rapid economic growth in the next 30 years. Critics argue that the value of this loss is incalculable as a result of this period of curtailment of projects, which has led to the stagnation of technology and the loss of military talent.

Is it really so easy to evaluate the merits and demerits of a policy?

"So, you can use your millions of dollars a year to do research? To complete the trial production of the propeller, this amount of money is really enough. Lin Zhenhua sighed.

Liu Xianghai smiled bitterly: "How can there be millions of research funds, these two million also include the capitation expenses, medical expenses, and subsidies for the New Year and holidays of our entire institute, and I have to find a way to squeeze out tens of thousands of yuan to build houses for the staff in the institute." At present, the housing problem of our ship institute is more tense than that of the Hanhua factory, and there are many cases of researchers living in the same room for three generations. ”

"It's too much!" Lin Zhenhua couldn't help but burst away, "Then what else can you do research?" You might as well go back to Fenghua to become a wood molder, I spent more research funds in Hanhua than you. ”

Liu Xianghai said: "You can't say that, in fact, the capitation fee is also considered a scientific research investment." Our researchers, even if they are paid, still have to work. We are making good progress in theoretical research, but when it comes to experiments, we are blind. As you know, our experiments are very expensive. We wanted to renovate a large milling machine that could do propeller processing, and the material cost for the modification alone would cost more than one million. We have already sent a report to the Central Military Commission, waiting for the higher authorities to approve the money for us. ”

"The more I talk about it, the more discouraged I become." Lin Zhenhua said depressedly, "Lao Liu, if I had known that you were here every day and waiting for death, I should have persuaded you to stay in the Hanhua factory, so that you could still help me solve some technical problems." ”

Liu Xianghai laughed, he patted Lin Zhenhua on the shoulder, and said: "Xiaolin, you can't say that, we are still doing things, and when the country gets through this period of difficulty, things will get better in the future." Forget it, I won't tell you these unhappy things, Xiaolin, are you interested in going to see the warship? ”

"Interested!" Lin Zhenhua raised his hand and said, "How is it, is it a new drive?" Is there 8000 tons? ”

Liu Xianghai said: "How can there be any new drive of 8,000 tons, you won't be dizzy, right?" It is our newly built missile frigate, with a full load displacement of 2,000 tons, which is very good. ”

"Only 2,000 tons?" Lin Zhenhua said disappointedly, he said as if taking care of Liu Xianghai's emotions: "Well, 2,000 tons, go and have a look." By the way, there's no leak involved, right? ”

Liu Xianghai said: "This thing is not high-level, it doesn't matter if you look at it, just don't go out and say it." ”

The two of them walked around the factory, and the Hudong factory has been sending people to accompany them. Hearing that Liu Xianghai was going to see the frigate, the escort hurriedly led them to a huge factory.

This plant is nearly 200 meters long and tens of meters high. In the center of the factory, there is a warship about 100 meters long. The construction of the warship has not yet been completed, and groups of workers are busy on the scaffolding. The sound of smashing rivets is tinkling endlessly, and brilliant welding sparks are constantly falling from the heights, making for a busy production scene.

Liu Xianghai took Lin Zhenhua down the stairs to the high platform next to him, from where he could overlook the whole picture of the warship. Liu Xianghai proudly introduced to Lin Zhenhua: "Look, this is a new type of frigate newly designed and finalized by our institute, with a standard displacement of 1,674 tons and a full load displacement of 1,924 tons. The ship is equipped with two ship-to-ship missiles, two twin 100 main guns, four twin 37 anti-aircraft guns, anti-submarine rockets, depth charges, and anti-submarine torpedoes, and has various functions of air defense, anti-ship, and anti-submarine. ”

"That's a good thing!" Lin Zhenhua exclaimed, he had never been in contact with a warship so closely, although it was only a 2,000-ton frigate, it was enough to make him feel bloody.

Liu Xianghai said: "The only problem with this type of frigate now is that the cost is still too high. We have considered whether to reduce some of the armament, so that the displacement can also be reduced, and the speed can be further increased under the conditions of the existing two diesel engines. However, after calculating the calculations, there is no way to reduce any of them, this unit says it wants air defense, that unit says it wants anti-submarine, there is only one ship type, but it must take care of all aspects, and this is the biggest headache for us at present. ”

Lin Zhenhua said casually: "Isn't it easy, you design all kinds of weapon systems to be modular, and you can install whichever one you want." Isn't it a simple idea to design the same hull and adapt to different uses? ”

Liu Xianghai looked at Lin Zhenhua: "What did you just say?" You repeat. ”

"Didn't you hear me?" Lin Zhenhua asked strangely, the noise in the workshop is indeed quite loud, but the two of them are standing together and talking, so they can't hear clearly.

Liu Xianghai shook his head desperately: "No, no, I heard what you said just now, and I felt like a ray of light flashed in my mind, but I couldn't catch it all of a sudden." No, you must have said a very, very important concept just now, but I didn't understand it. ”

Lin Zhenhua himself thought about it for a while, and couldn't help laughing, he said: "Lao Liu, in fact, what I said is not complicated. What I mean by this is that you can make the systems standardized, modular, and then the main body of the warship is fixed, and the weapon systems can be mounted as needed. It can even be handled in this way, with more installation for those who have money and less for those that don't.

In addition, if the modular design is adopted, all weapon modules can be subcontracted to individual units for manufacturing, and the shipyard only needs to manufacture the hull. When the time comes, the modules will be transported over, and a new warship will be completed. ”

"That's right! That's the concept! Liu Xianghai shouted excitedly, "You're so right, modular!" Xiaolin, I really admire you, how could you come up with such a genius idea? ”

Belch...... I don't think I brought it up, the Germans brought it up, right? Lin Zhenhua whispered in his heart. However, he didn't dare to say that his idea was borrowed from other places, it was a matter involving military intelligence, and if he said it, the security department would not find out what he would do. Check it, the question is, where can I check this kind of uncharted thing?

"Lao Liu, in fact, my idea is just borrowing from the idea of machine tool design. Do you think it can be used in the design of warships? Lin Zhenhua said that the concept of modularization in the industry is already more popular, and his explanation is reasonable.

"Of course it works, it's so necessary!" Liu Xianghai said, "Xiaolin, you don't know, the power of our marine main engine is small, which determines that the displacement of our warships cannot be too large. According to the idea you just thought, we can quickly design warships with different configurations according to the tasks of different troops, which is much more effective than redesigning them one by one. ”

"So, I can be a warship designer too?" Lin Zhenhua asked excitedly, this is an ideal he has had since he was a child.

Liu Xianghai said with a smile: "You are not qualified for this, you just provided a very valuable idea." Modularization...... This sentence is easy to say, but how to design various weapon systems into modules with standard interfaces is not simple. To put it on a bigger scale, it could bring about a major change in the entire ship design concept. Just a layman who doesn't know anything about ships, can you do this? ”

"Isn't it?" Lin Zhenhua was very unconvinced, "Lao Liu, aren't you just engaged in thrusters, how can you do this kind of thing?" ”

Liu Xianghai said: "I didn't say that I would do it." I am now the director of the Thrusters Institute and a member of the expert committee of the Naval Academy, so I naturally want to participate in the overall design of the ship. At the next meeting of the Naval Academy, I will put forward such an idea, and all the experts will need to demonstrate it at that time. If the idea is finally approved by the expert committee, various systems will be organized to jointly tackle the problem. The excellent experts in our various systems are more capable than you can imagine. Xiaolin, maybe you can really realize this idea. ”

Lin Zhenhua asked, "Then wouldn't I be able to win an award or something?" ”

Liu Xianghai laughed: "No problem, we will use the ship's thick plate to forge a one-ton medal for you." ”

(To be continued)