In fact, it turned out that Fang Lang didn't know much about the strength of the Brazilian Navy, but after communicating with Colonel Parisi, Colonel Teach, and his subordinates, De La Torre, he gradually got a general understanding of the strength of the Brazilian Navy.
In addition to these two battleships, the Brazilian Navy's most advanced battleship is the Bahia-class light cruiser. This kind of light cruiser was also ordered by the Brazilian government from the United Kingdom.
The British built two ships (Bahia and Rio Grande Doso) according to the specifications of the British reconnaissance cruiser Adventurer. They were also veterans who had participated in World War I.
Unfortunately, there is only one left now. Because after the war, specifically on July 4, 1945, the Bahia was performing a mission to rescue a U.S. transatlantic transport aircraft.
During a routine live-fire anti-aircraft shooting training, a gunner operating a 20mm anti-aircraft gun hit the target drone. I don't know whether he was greedy for success or addicted to shooting. This guy followed the target drone's trajectory while flying the gun. Chase and fight.
Who would have thought that because the target drone fell in the direction of the ship, the gunner's shells unfortunately hit the depth charges arranged on the ship. After a strong explosion, the Bahia sank to the bottom of the sea.
In addition to the remaining cruiser Rio Grande Doso, the Brazilian Navy has only eight old World War I-era destroyers left.
In other words, the current Brazilian Navy, except for Fang Lang's First Naval Fleet, has only eleven old warships in total.
However, Fang Lang's first fleet has one of the latest US military Cleveland-class cruisers, three Fletcher-class destroyers, one Little Shark-class submarine, one of Germany's most advanced U-shaped submarines, and two US military gift ships. tank landing ship.
There are eight warships in total, and all of them are advanced warships that have just undergone World War II testing. Their combat effectiveness is different from the original old warships of the Brazilian Navy.
This naturally made the other generals of the Brazilian Navy jealous and wished they could carve up the warships of the First Fleet.
It is a pity that the Naval General Staff is not willing to separate the warships of the First Fleet.
This also resulted in Fang Lang's special status in the Brazilian Navy, although he was very powerful. But relations with other navies were not harmonious.
The encounter with Colonel Teach was before the end of the war, and the First Fleet had not yet been established at that time!
Therefore, we can become friends.
According to the naval generals, Fang Lang was the biological youngest son of the Navy Department, while the others were adopted before their biological sons came out.
Colonel Teach was certainly aware of this particular situation. Therefore, I want to use the inauguration ceremony of the new president to introduce Fang Lang to other navy officers and ease their friendship.
"Fang, let me introduce to you our colleagues from the Brazilian Navy. This is Captain Marcelino Orlando, captain of the battleship Minas Gerais;
This is Captain Emre Little, captain of the USS St. Paul,
This is Colonel Gonzalo Thorne, captain of the cruiser Rio Grande Doso,
This is Colonel Przemyslo Doyle of Belem Naval Base,
This is Colonel Gordon McCoy of the Salvador Naval Base,
This is Colonel Genard Berry of the St. Paul Naval Base. "
Fang Lang also saluted and shook hands with everyone one by one, appearing very humble and polite.
However, standing among a group of middle-aged and elderly colonel officers with wrinkled faces and some with gray hair, no matter how humble and polite Fang Lang acted, he looked a little out of place.
Everyone looked at Fang Lang with different eyes. Some looked carefully, some looked playful, and some simply looked disdainful. There were various expressions.
However, at this special time, everyone still showed great restraint. Some people just nodded and ignored it, and some people still had fake smiles on their faces.
Someone also shook hands with Fang Lang enthusiastically. This person was Colonel Genard Berry of the St. Paul Naval Base.
"Colonel Fang, I am stationed in your hometown! Santos Port has become very lively recently due to the big moves made by Fangyuan Group!
Next time I go back to Sao Paulo
Be sure to come to me for a drink. "
Fang Lang also quickly stepped forward to communicate with him cordially.
"Hello, Colonel Berry! Hello! Our family's safety in St. Paul is thanks to your protection! Next time I go to St. Paul, I will definitely treat you to my home for a nice dinner."
"Haha. Why do we have to wait until next time? After Mr. President's inauguration ceremony is over, we will have a good time with Teach."
Hearing Berry's words, Fang Lang had some speculations in his mind and looked at Colonel Teach beside him.
Sure enough, he saw Colonel Teach smiling and nodding at him.
Fang Lang understood that Colonel Berry might be a good friend of Colonel Teach, so he was so enthusiastic about him.
"No problem, let's get together after Mr. President's inauguration ceremony and make new friends."
In fact, the current commanders of several naval bases in the Brazilian Navy still have some rights, because they are actually not just commanders of naval bases.
During World War I, Brazil divided its navy into four theaters, namely the Belem Theater in the north, the Salvador Theater in the east, the Capital Theater in Rio de Janeiro, and the Sao Paulo Theater in the south.
Of course, there is now a Natal theater in the northeast of Fang Lang.
Obviously the commander of this theater is the commander of each naval base now.
In fact, each naval base can only deal with two old destroyers from World War I. The four theaters combined only have eight old destroyers.
As for the two battleships and the remaining cruiser, they are directly under the jurisdiction of the Naval General Staff.
When necessary for fighting in each war zone, he will be assigned to the corresponding war zone to participate in the battle.
Fang Lang didn't even know what two destroyers could do in a war zone. Who could they expel?
Therefore, after the end of World War II, it became inevitable that the Brazilian Navy would purchase new warships from the U.S. Navy to arm itself.
Historically, the Brazilian Navy really began to take off when Brazil purchased dozens of warships from the United States after World War II.
Adhering to the road of localization of ships, it has developed many ships on its own, which has rapidly improved its naval strength, surpassing Chile and Argentina successively, and becoming the number one maritime power in South America.
Of course, although it now has Fang Lang's first fleet, the Brazilian Navy is actually still a rookie.
Just as Fang Lang was recalling the strength of the Brazilian Navy at this time, he was guessing why Colonel Berry was so enthusiastic.
Colonel Teach had already told Fang Lang the reason first.
"Haha. Berry, if you want a new destroyer, you should go to the Admiralty. It's useless to go to Fang Lang."
When Fang Lang heard this, he still didn't understand why Berry was so enthusiastic.
This must be the last time he revealed to Colonel Teach that he could get an American Fletcher-class destroyer for him.
Colonel Teach told Colonel Berry the news.
The officers of the other two naval bases were startled when they heard what Colonel Teach said.
Soon his face became very enthusiastic and he came over and said:
"How can you miss us if you want to eat? Right! McCoy."
The person who spoke was Colonel Przemesro Doyle of the Belem Naval Base, and Colonel Gordon McCoy of the El Salvador Naval Base who was questioned by him also nodded repeatedly:
"That's right! You can't do without us while drinking!"
This was completely different from the expressions on the two men's faces when Colonel Teach made the introduction just now.
Colonel Teach saw this and smiled, without saying much.
The captains of the other two battleships still had arrogant and disdainful expressions on their faces, as if they looked down on the performance of several people who fawned over Fang Lang for the sake of a small destroyer.
On the contrary, Captain Gonzalo Thorne, the captain of the cruiser Rio Grande Doso, showed a hint of interest after hearing the conversation of several people, but he hesitated and did not take the initiative to join in.
How many people did Fang Lang see?
The change in attitude was very enthusiastic, and he did not treat the other person differently just because he had a bad attitude when greeting him previously.
After all, the customer is God!
He only has business if everyone has demand for new warships!
Whether you want decommissioned warships from the U.S. Navy or build new warships in Brazil, there is no way to escape his business scope.
"Okay, I'll be the one to treat you to the meal tonight. We all must stay drunk until we get home."
When several people saw Fang Lang taking such initiative, they laughed loudly and said they would not go back until they were drunk.
General Morais in the distance saw the movements of several people from a distance, and smiled slightly, and asked General Leta beside him:
"Leta, I heard that the Fangyuan Group's military industrial group rushed to trial-produce a few artillery pieces to present them to Mr. President. Is it true?"
When General Leta heard the Minister of Defense asking about his work, he quickly said seriously:
"Yes, Your Excellency, General. The trial production this time is an American millimeter howitzer. It completely uses imported American artillery technology and was completed under the full guidance of American experts.
After testing by our logistics department, there is no difference with artillery made in the United States.
However, American experts said that this is just a trial production, and the artillery still has certain flaws, and the process needs to continue to be improved before it can be officially put into production. "
"Oh! Have the American experts explained what specific flaws there are and what processes need to be improved?"
General Moraes was a little curious as to why the Brazilian Logistics Department had already approved it, but American experts still said that they should continue to improve the technology.
"Your Majesty General, as far as I know, the artillery expert named Girard Bull said that the current artillery is a complete imitation of American artillery.
However, when Colonel Fang recruited him from the United States, he specifically stated that he would be given the right to research artillery. Now he is already making new improvements to this type of artillery.
He wants to use new electroslag remelting and barrel self-tightening technologies to produce the gun. It is expected that the barrel of the gun will be stronger, have a longer service life and be lighter than the original American one.
At the same time, he expressed his intention to apply chromium plating process to the inner boring of the artillery to further extend the service life of the artillery.
Therefore, we are not ready to mass-produce this artillery yet. "
In fact, General Letta didn't know much about these manufacturing processes. This can be regarded as a bit of a hit with General Moraes because he learned it now and put it into practice.
"You mean, he wants to produce a better artillery than the American original, right?"
General Moraes didn't understand these techniques, but he easily grasped the key points of the expression.
"Yes, General."
This was obviously beyond General Moraes' expectation. In everyone's perception, American products are the most advanced and best. Unexpectedly, the artillery expert Fang Lang found could actually be used in American products. improvements on the basis of.
