Free Web NovelChapter 1282: Chapter 615: Spacecraft Designer: Ensure the Complete Mission!_2
High-end fighter jet design?
Pointless now!
Once we have anti-gravity vehicles, there’s simply no need to design planes anymore.
Most of the institute’s design work is now in the civil sector, and even the renowned aircraft designer Yang Cong has no work on his hands; he spends his days sitting in the office, drinking tea, chatting, and surfing the internet, and before he knows it, the day is almost over.
Yang Cong knew that the future would be like this because domestically, fighter jets were about to be phased out.
Even if they wanted to keep fighter jets from being phased out, the country already had the J-40, and for twenty or thirty years, there would be no need for high-end fighter jets; at most, they would design auxiliary function aircraft such as AWACS, reconnaissance planes, and helicopters.
In comparison, the performance of anti-gravity vehicles is too superior.
One advantage is their super high payload capacity; a larger payload means being able to carry more equipment, weapons, and so on.
Another is safety, with anti-gravity vehicles equipped with space canopies, they’re essentially immune to attacks, and they also have exceptional performance; anti-gravity vehicles can ascend dozens of kilometers into the sky in one go and are also capable of landing anywhere at will, not just on airfields.
Although anti-gravity vehicles’ speed doesn’t match that of fighter jets, possessing these two significant advantages is enough to compensate for the speed issue.
Yang Cong also knew about Z-wave technology; he was clear that domestically, there would definitely be no future development in fighter jet technology.
No matter how superior the performance of a fighter jet, it’s just a sitting duck, which can be easily locked on by ground-based Z-wave systems.
Even if the stealth capability is exceptional, becoming visible even for an instant when dropping bombs might be enough, and a second’s lock-on by a Z-wave system would suffice.
In short, the development of anti-gravity technology and Z-wave technology is absolutely lethal to the traditional fighter jet strike system.
Yang Cong felt somewhat depressed thinking about it; after designing fighter jets his entire life, he hadn’t even reached fifty and was already living a retired life.
"Sigh!"
He exhaled a breath.
Thinking about what Zhao Yi had said, he also started to consider the situation of the researchers under him; it was evident that the job of an aircraft designer had no future.
He was older and had received all the honors he should have, so early retirement was not an issue for him.
However, many in the institute were still young, and they felt very uncertain about the future. Some who were less ambitious didn’t mind just muddling along, but others worked hard and hoped to truly achieve something.
And the result?
Their direction was completely wrong.
"Better to have these talented and capable young people switch to aerospace design work, participating in spaceship design is undoubtedly a great opportunity for them," he thought.
Yang Cong decisively took out the institute’s personnel list and started to look it over carefully, eventually locking onto two names—
Li Jianming.
Lei Yong.
Li Jianming was among the most outstanding designers at the Shencheng Aircraft Research Institute and the chief designer of the domestic fifth-generation fighter jet. However, once the Warhawk plane was designed, his work was replaced.
Li Jianming’s work had not been going well, but his ability was definitively acknowledged, and besides, at only forty-five, he still had potential for development.
Lei Yong was quite a bit younger than Li Jianming and could be described as a ’rising star’ at the Shencheng Aircraft Research Institute; he had participated in the Warhawk’s design work and was directly promoted to a researcher upon his return.
Yet, after being promoted to researcher, he hadn’t taken on any major projects before anti-gravity technology started to develop.
Since then, Lei Yong had become the most relaxed researcher, with no projects to take on, not knowing what to do even if he wanted to work, and eventually simply took up small civil aircraft projects.
Yang Cong marked the names of Li Jianming and Lei Yong and immediately called them to his office, discussing with them about reporting to Zhengyang under Zhao Yi’s lead and also directly pointed out, "It’s to design spaceships. This opportunity is rare, and you both know the recent trends in scientific and technological development—we aircraft designers are almost out of a job."
He went on talking about it.
Li Jianming and Lei Yong felt similarly despondent; they had dedicated their lives to aircraft design, pouring themselves into their work every day, only for the rise of another technology to render their efforts futile.
This indeed was an opportunity, getting involved in the design of spaceships; it might enable them to make the transition successfully.
The whole world was discussing space shuttle technology, saying humanity would move into outer space; spaceship design certainly held great potential.
Li Jianming and Lei Yong walked out of the office together, exchanging a glance that saw hope in each other’s eyes.
Li Jianming thought seriously for a moment and said to Lei Yong, "Director Yang said it’s about designing a spacecraft, and I guess it’s definitely not an ordinary spacecraft, but perhaps one of those super-large spacecraft."
"Isn’t there space shuttle technology now? Maybe it’s about designing a super spacecraft that can utilize space shuttle technology to travel through cosmic space."
"A spaceship?"
"Pretty much!" Li Jianming nodded earnestly.
"I get it now."
Lei Yong, with a look of surprise, nodded in thanks to Li Jianming for the tip and then pulled him along to leave, "Come on, let’s go to the mall!"
"What for?"
Li Jianming was very puzzled, "Why go to the mall? Are you preparing stuff for the trip? No need, my spouse will take care of that."
"No, you’ve got it all wrong," said Lei Yong. Without further explanation, he continued to pull Li Jianming along, "Just come with me, and you’ll see."
The two went to the largest mall and found the children’s toy section.
Two hours later.
Holding two spaceship models with a baffled expression and following Lei Yong, who was carrying several toy models, Li Jianming walked out with a strange look on his face, repeatedly asking, "Are you sure buying these is useful? Isn’t this just a joke?"
"You heard it right, it’s definitely correct!" Lei Yong nodded seriously, "I’ve worked alongside Academician Zhao before, and I have experience."
"But—" freēwēbηovel.c૦m
"There are no ’buts’, Director Li. Although you are stronger than me in terms of your professional ability in aircraft design, when it comes to understanding Academician Zhao or, shall we say, knowing his work habits, you certainly can’t compare with me. Trusting me this time is the right move."
"Alright!"
Li Jianming thought it through carefully. In the end, it was just buying a few toy models, so it really didn’t matter at all.
These toy models weren’t cheap, with a LEGO set priced at over eighteen hundred yuan, but to them, it really wasn’t a big deal.
Yet, he still couldn’t understand the purpose of buying models.
Why buy these?
Could it be that designing a space shuttle required toy models for reference?
This had to be a joke!
—
The Aerospace Bureau.
Compared to Shencheng Aircraft Research Institute, the Aerospace Bureau was much more professional in spacecraft design. They had access to more information, and even the ordinary spacecraft designers knew about Zhao Yi taking over the spaceship design work.
So going to work with Zhao Yi was certainly about designing a spaceship.
The Aerospace Bureau sent out Dong Tiancheng and Deng Yuan, both of whom were highly regarded young talents around thirty-five years old, having both advanced to the rank of researchers through their scientific contributions.
Dong Tiancheng and Deng Yuan were very confident. They knew Zhao Yi had invited seven designers, all involved in aircraft and spacecraft, and they were the only ones from the Aerospace Bureau.
Right before their departure, Director Li from the design department organized a group, hosting a farewell party, "Once you go, you’ll become spaceship designers, leaving the rest of us behind."
That comment made everyone laugh.
In fact, many were laughing with envy, wishing they could work under Zhao Yi to take part in the most significant aerospace design project. They would come back as spaceship designers—which sounded very prestigious. Salary, treatment, and professional title, all would surely rise. freēwēbηovel.c૦m
However, the work positions were limited.
Dong Tiancheng and Deng Yuan were keenly aware of the rare opportunity and couldn’t help feeling very excited and expectant.
Director Li patted their shoulders, saying earnestly, "You both come from the Aerospace Bureau, and now you are involved in spaceship design. Spaceships are highly related to spacecraft, and we have a significant advantage in our field of expertise."
"So this time, I don’t ask for anything else, but you must outperform those from the Aircraft Research Institute. Don’t let down our Aerospace Bureau or the spacecraft design team!"
Dong Tiancheng and Deng Yuan exchanged a confident glance, saluted, and then said loudly, "We guarantee to complete the mission!"
