The Americans moved quickly, and after they had visited the J-7, they made a short assessment that it was really necessary to start with this attack aircraft, which had a different mode of combat than previous military aircraft. The United States has always been ahead in the field of military science and technology, but that does not mean that Americans will not absorb what others have. The V-2 rockets were taken away from the Germans, the British made catapults, STOVL fighters, and the Americans followed. Getting other people's whimsical ideas and then researching and expanding on them yourself has always been the strength of the Americans, who also think that if they can buy defenders from China, they can develop something better.

"After a prudent assessment by China's Ministry of National Defense, it is believed that the Q-7 project is a very good project, which will not only improve the combat effectiveness of the US military, but also be extremely beneficial to promoting military cooperation between China and the United States. The U.S. Navy and the Marine Corps are working together to award a $1.2 billion contract for the Q-7 remodel, which we will designate A-11, codenamed Defender. There are still several issues that need to be discussed: first, the company must cooperate with two or more U.S. defense contractors to produce the aircraft; Second, we hope that the whole cooperation will include the transfer of relevant technologies; Thirdly, if this contract involves a relatively large purchase quantity, we also hope that Shenghua Group can open a branch and factory in the United States. Rashid, an official of the U.S. Department of Defense, said solemnly.

Qi Yiming actually didn't expect that the Americans really wanted his plane at the beginning, and he would also allocate funds to contract the project plan and develop two different models: the Navy version and the Marine Corps version. At the same time, Qi Yiming couldn't help but be excited, if the United States can really purchase this attack aircraft in large quantities, then the benefits are self-evident. As for arming the United States will lead to the United States being too strong or something, Qi Yiming couldn't help laughing at himself just thinking about it slightly. You can build hundreds of defenders for the United States, and you can build tens of thousands of your own bases, and the truth that the rioter is a great man can push the ultimate holy will of all those who do not obey the force!

"Well, working with multiple U.S. contractors is not a problem, we will work with Northrop and Grumman to produce modified aircraft, and depending on your requirements, the avionics systems, weapons systems, etc., will also use American products, so it is not difficult to do that. However, on the issue of technology transfer, I need to state a few points, if the Pentagon's purchase volume is less than 200 aircraft, we will not transfer the relevant technology, in addition, before the transfer of technology production, we must be assembled and manufactured by our Shenghua (China) Group alone to manufacture 200 finished products, and the subsequent products can be assembled by other American companies according to the agreement, and we are only responsible for the production of parts that cannot be produced by the United States, such as VTOL engines. ”

Rashid's eyelids jumped and he asked, "Isn't the VTOL engine on the list of technology transfers approved by your country?" ”

Qi Yiming pretended to be helpless and said: "That's right, I'm sorry, in order to develop this engine, our country has invested a lot of costs, and it is also listed as one of my country's top technical secrets." In view of our friendly alliance with the United States, we can agree to export such engines to the United States, but it is not possible to transfer our technology to the United States as well. ”

Rashid menacingly closed the document in his hand and said, "If you can't get the VTOL engine, then what's the point of transferring technology?" If you are so insincere, I am afraid that our negotiations will not be able to proceed. ”

Qi Yiming replied: "Then will the United States agree to transfer the relevant technology to our Seawolf-class nuclear submarines?" Will you transfer to us the technology of stealth painting developed in your country? Will the Aegis system above Ticonderoga be transferred to us? ”

Rashid was dumbfounded by Qi Yiming's question, not to mention the transfer of technology, if China wants to buy something like the F-117, the Seawolf class or the Ticonderoga class, the Americans will not take care of it. In the same way, China regards VTOL engines as something similar to the advanced equipment technology of the United States and above, and since it is impossible for the Americans to sell these things to China, China will not transfer the technology to the United States.

"I don't think what you've just said is comparable to what we're talking about," Rashid argued. How can an attack aircraft be worth as much as a cruiser, a nuclear submarine, and so on. Not long ago, Japan agreed to transfer the production technology of the F-14 to your country, a decision made by Japan out of concern for our passionate alliance, and we hope to receive the same treatment. ”

Qi Yiming didn't eat him, he smiled and said: "We have received your relevant technology on the F-14, but you forgot to mention a few facts, the follow-up improvement and research and development of the F-14 is my country's participation, there is no new F-14 without me, moreover, my country has not taken your F-14 engine technology, the F-14CN engine has always been China's own WS-10, and the United States uses F110." You ask for equal treatment, and now it is equal treatment, we didn't take your engine skills, and now you don't want to take our engine skills! ”

The two sides had disputes and anxieties on this issue, and the negotiations could not continue, so Qi Yiming simply terminated the negotiations. In fact, he is not anxious at all, and although it is a pity that he does not make money, he cannot be more eager than the Americans.

Sure enough, on the afternoon of the breakdown of the negotiations, Bilvos came to Qi Yiming's office in a hurry and asked, "Mr. Qi, is it really impossible to transfer engine technology?" ”

Qi Yiming replied firmly: "Yes, we think that the value of VTOL engine technology is comparable to the nuclear reactor of a nuclear submarine, not to mention that we have nuclear reactor technology, but VTOL engine is completely an epoch-making new technology." China and the United States are close allies, but not to the point where they can share all their secrets, don't you think? ”

Bilworth felt Qi Yiming's firmness and toughness, in fact, he actually understood that if the United States developed this kind of engine, it would never be possible to transfer it to others so quickly. Don't say that it is not epoch-making, even if it is an ordinary new product, if it is not held in their hands for ten years, the Americans will not consider selling it. There is a stricter secrecy in the power system itself, for example, several of the Americans' main aero engines, whether it is F110, F404, F110, F119, even when it comes to the new generation of engines, the United States has not transferred these engine technologies to anyone. (In this way, it is more absolute, the F110 engine GE transferred technology to Japan's Harima production to make the F-2, but the core components such as turbine disks are not processed in Japan, and they are basically imported from the United States, and Harima is then assembled, so it is still not completely self-produced)

"Well, I'm sure we all have our own positions, but the basis of cooperation hasn't changed, so I'll see if there's anything I can do to soften the attitude of those people in the Pentagon." Bilworth said helplessly.

Qi Yiming smiled and said, "President Bilworth, thank you for your trust and understanding. Our cooperation should be based on equality and mutual trust, but the Pentagon official looked at us with a condescending attitude and thought that we in China need to obey any instructions from him, which gave us a very bad impression, and I believe that we can cooperate on the basis of friendship and equality. ”

Bilworth nodded, and did not talk much with Qi Yiming, and immediately passed the word to the really powerful defense officials and congressmen in the country through his connections, saying that Rashid had sabotaged the negotiations, and that the Chinese really had no intention of spreading the VTOL engine technology out of the country.

Grumman has broken free from the trough after experiencing cooperation with Qi Yiming, and Grumman, as a traditional carrier-based aircraft developer, is also relatively influential in the US Navy. Bilworth's lobbying led directly to the recall of the Defense Department official, Rashid, and the exchange of negotiators to a more veteran official, Reicter.

After the resumption of negotiations, Reicter, on behalf of the U.S. side, did not completely abandon the pursuit of the transfer of VTOL engine technology, but used a new strategy, "We understand that your country cherishes this technology, and in order to show sincerity, we may be able to sign a technology exchange agreement to achieve a satisfactory result for both of us." ”

This kind of exchange is naturally easier to accept than a simple request, but Qi Yiming still bites the bullet, for the existing technology of the United States, the United States does not give what he wants, and he basically has better ones that the United States can give, so he does not bother to make this effort, and still insists on rejecting any proposal for the transfer of VTOL engine technology.

"If the U.S. side wants to, our country can produce for your country, but please don't put forward any more proposals about the transfer of technology, our position is firm and consistent, and this is something that cannot be discussed."

Rechett had heard Bilworth say before that the Chinese did not want to transfer the technology, and although it was not negotiated, it was not too annoyed, and moved on to other details about the project.

Qi Yiming said: "There are not too many problems with opening a North American branch and factory in the United States. However, I still hope that 200 Q-7/A-11 planes produced entirely by China will be exported to the United States, and naturally we will install the US side's own friend or foe identifiers and data links, or the US side will install them itself after they arrive in the United States, and we will not accept the use of relevant US equipment for the first 200 fighters. As for the addition and improvement of US equipment, the US side can do it itself after the completion of the first phase of our contract. ”

The reason why he made such a request was that Qi Yiming knew very well that if the Americans asked the Americans to use theirs for radar and theirs for their wings, the profits left to him by the entire aircraft would definitely be low, so he resolutely demanded that the production before the transfer of technology be completely carried out by China.

Reckert frowned: "With Chinese equipment, it is difficult for us to carry out quality control, and the quantity is a bit too large. ”

Qi Yiming retorted: "At least 30% of the electronic components of the avionics system used in your domestic military products are imported from China, and China's design capability Grumman knows best, we can open the US side for acceptance and evaluation, if we are not satisfied, we can also make improvements." There is no need to talk about the quantity, 200 aircraft are completely in-house, which is part of the transfer of the final assembly technology that we have agreed to. ”