General Moraes couldn't be sure whether what Fang Lang said was the correct direction and trend. Now that he was the Minister of Defense, he did not dare to take risks.
Originally, I wanted to fully support Fang Lang in building a small arms factory in the country, but now after hearing what Fang Lang said, I started to feel unsure.
"Fang, I don't object to your research into new technologies and new directions. However, I think we can try to start with the current mainstream firearms first.
For example, I can come forward to talk to the United States about the production authorization of the M1 Garand rifle, and then your small arms factory can produce this rifle first. "
Fang Lang understood that this was because General Moraes was worried that Fang Lang was too ambitious and was not optimistic about Fang Lang's idea of directly developing a fully automatic rifle.
Regarding General Moraes' offer to help obtain authorization for the M1 Garand rifle, Fang Lang believed that it would not be difficult given the current relationship between the United States and Brazil.
However, as far as Fang Lang knows, the total production of M1 Garand rifles has reached 5.5 million, which is a quite terrifying number.
At the same time, the number of M1 Garand rifles that Shatta Company can purchase directly from the U.S. Logistics Department is in the millions. With such a huge quantity, if Fang Lang joins in and continues production, he will definitely have it in his hands in the future.
This kind of loss-making buyer and seller will not do it.
And at this time, the cost of negotiating with the United States for the authorization of the M1 Garand would be worse than going directly to Germany to obtain the authorization of the G43.
But after these guns were produced, Fang Lang didn't know who to sell them to.
Therefore, Fang Lang thought again and again and said:
"Your Majesty General, if I directly set up a small arms manufacturing company, will the Brazilian Defense Force replace all weapons and equipment with ours?"
It is definitely impossible to get a definite answer to this question. After all, the Brazilian army is not the army of the Fang Lang family. How can it replace all the equipment for the sake of localization?
Seeing General Moraes shaking his head in embarrassment.
Fang Lang smiled. He didn't want to embarrass the Minister of Defense. When he saw the other party shaking his head, he continued:
“So, we don’t need to let the small arms factory have a large output now, or how much active equipment we produce, right?
In my opinion, I still want to build a small arms factory and conduct experiments.
At the same time, we will also conduct research on light weapons, whether they are military or civilian weapons.
Maybe our main product in the early stage will be shotguns! "
In fact, it's not that Fang Lang doesn't want to directly own an excellent small arms manufacturing factory. It's really an embarrassing time now. The world war has just ended.
Military industrial companies around the world have just relaxed from large-scale ordnance production and have slightly slowed down the manufacturing of weapons and equipment.
Although equipment has a service life, everyone is now focusing on clearing inventory.
At this time, you start to enter this market on a large scale. Not only will you not make much money, but you will also have to invest a lot of money into it.
If someone wants arms, wouldn't it be better to earn some dividends from Shatta Company?
Brazil's artillery factories are much better.
After all, Brazil did not have many troops participating in the European War, and the National Defense Forces did not have many advanced artillery.
And the artillery factory aims the artillery at large-caliber artillery of 105mm and 155mm, which is urgently needed by the Brazilian Army.
For the officers of the Brazilian Expeditionary Force who have experienced the baptism of the European War, the current main artillery of the Brazilian Army are 75mm caliber mountain guns, which is really unacceptable to them who have seen the world.
Therefore, Fang Lang was not worried that the artillery factory would have no business.
Now we have to see when the artillery factory will include various series of mortars in the production plan.
"Okay! You convinced me. But I have to tell you that I firmly support your small arms factory plan.
Even if we do not produce light weapons on a large scale now, we must have the ability to produce light weapons on a large scale. "
General Moraes actually expressed his intention very clearly, that is, he wants Brazil to have its own small arms industry and have the ability to manufacture large-scale weapons.
Fang Lang thought for a while and said:
"Your Majesty General, in order to thank you for your help from our family, I will first build the bullet production line in the factory to ensure that our own army uses domestically produced bullets."
You know, until modern times, there were only more than thirty countries in the world that could produce bullets, and there were only thirteen countries that could produce artillery shells.
It’s not that bullets really can’t be made. There are many people who can make bullets using manual craftsmanship. How can you say that bullets are difficult to make?
However, whether qualified bullets can be produced on a large scale and whether bullets can be manufactured are two completely different concepts.
Take Ah San, for example, who keeps clamoring to launch an aircraft carrier today and the most advanced tanks tomorrow, but this country actually does not even have the ability to manufacture qualified bullets on a large scale.
Fang Lang said that there were reasons for building the bullet production line. First, he wanted to take advantage of this special period to master bullet production capabilities.
Second, bullets are consumables. Bullets are lost during military training. The rifling of a gun is not so easy to smooth. Even if the rifling is smoothed in many places, the gun cannot be easily replaced.
But bullets are different. Once you shoot off one round, they are gone and you have to buy new ones. This is a long-term business!
Moreover, the exit of bullets is far less sensitive than the exit of weapons.
It won't attract anyone's attention at all.
"Okay, as long as your bullet production line can mass-produce qualified bullets, I can promise you that in the future, the bullets for the National Defense Force will only be purchased from your factory."
General Morais was very happy after hearing what Fang Lang said. It was difficult to replace weapons and equipment, but purchasing bullets was not difficult for him at all.
This can not only ensure that the bullets are made in China, but also help Fang Lang further stabilize the profitability of the small arms factory, so that the rare small arms factory will not be stillborn, which can be regarded as the direct and greatest support.
Fang Lang was of course very happy about General Moraes's promise, which meant that as long as he had production capacity, his customers would be stable.
Thinking that General Morais wanted to have a strong defense industry, Fang Lang thought for a while and said:
"Your Majesty General, I actually have a project on hand, and I may need your support then."
Hearing this, General Morais was surprised. He did not expect that in addition to the artillery factory and small weapons, Fang Lang had other projects on his hands.
He couldn't help being surprised, and said in surprise regardless of his identity:
"Oh! Tell me, what other projects are there?"
Because Pohlman has not yet given a clear answer as to whether the aircraft designers have been recruited, Fang Lang cannot be too confident and can only say:
"I plan to set up an aircraft modification factory. I will first purchase American military transport aircraft and convert them into passenger aircraft, and then slowly see if there is an opportunity to develop into the aviation industry."
"What? You want to enter the aviation industry? However, it is difficult to support an aviation company with our basic industries in Brazil!"
General Morais obviously has some knowledge of the aviation industry.
We are also very aware that Brazil’s weak domestic industrial base makes it difficult to support the development of an aircraft manufacturing factory.
Therefore, in his opinion, the reason why Fang Lang wanted to enter the aviation industry was that he obviously had the same dream of independent national defense as him.
For a moment, Fang Lang's image in his eyes began to become extremely dazzling, as if he saw another version of himself, and this young man was more courageous than himself.
Directly using his family's financial resources to enter the defense industry at all costs, this is something he himself cannot do.
After hearing what General Morais said, Fang Lang smiled and said:
"Haven't you, General, heard about the recently rumored plan to introduce the automobile industry? In fact, this plan is my plan for the aviation industry."
Of course General Moraes has heard about the introduction of the automobile industry system. This is what General Dutra is promoting as his biggest political achievement since taking office. How many people in the government don't know about it now?
He also knew that this project was introduced by Fang Lang, and Fangyuan Group was the largest shareholder of this project.
At that time, he did not expect that this project would actually pave the way for the aviation industry.
It seems that the young man in front of me is not simple!
He is a master who takes one step at a time and sees three steps ahead. How can such a person be put down to be an ordinary naval officer!
At the very least, you should join the General Staff Headquarters and be responsible for promoting the localization of weapons and equipment. Only then can you make the best use of your people!
Thinking of this, General Morais did not hesitate and said directly:
“Fang, it’s such a waste for you to be a simple admiral in the navy.
Are you interested in working at the General Staff Headquarters?
I can promise you that you will be promoted to the rank of major general within two years.
Become a powerful general in charge of a separate department.
I believe that with your ability, you may soon become the next Chief of Staff of the Defense Forces, or even the Minister of Defense. "
These words shocked Fang Lang. The original General Morais was not like this. He still remembered that when they first met, he fell into his trap and gave up his good job as a transport captain to become a captain. The destroyer captain.
Now he wants to give up his good job as a powerful military commander and go to the General Staff Office to sit in the office. This is not his goal.
He shook his head quickly and said:
"General, please don't.
I also want to become the commander of Brazil’s first aircraft carrier fleet!
I can't stand it if you ask me to do the office work. "
Upon hearing Fang Lang's words, General Morais didn't know what he was thinking of, and laughed loudly and said:
"Haha. I remembered it. When you first wanted to join the war in the Pacific battlefield, you just wanted to learn aircraft carrier command experience!
So did you learn anything? "
This is a bit embarrassing. Fang Lang didn't really learn aircraft carrier tactics on the aircraft carrier, but he did learn the tactics of the US military aviation at the airport.
However, since I want to be the commander of an aircraft carrier fleet, I certainly can't say that I haven't learned aircraft carrier tactics!
The person in front of him is the Minister of Defense. If he directly said that he had never learned aircraft carrier tactics, he would have no chance of becoming the commander of the aircraft carrier formation.
After thinking for a while, he said:
"Your Excellency General, because of the short time, I have only learned aviation tactics. I originally wanted to learn aircraft carrier tactics in detail when we continue to fight against Japan.
As a result, little Japan surrendered.
However, please rest assured that if you let me serve as the commander of the aircraft carrier fleet, I am confident that I can do the job. "
Fang Lang's answer neither said that he had learned aircraft carrier tactics nor that he had not learned aircraft carrier tactics.
What General Moraes heard was that after half of the study, the second half was originally intended for detailed study on the battlefield. Unexpectedly, the war was over.
As a result, I failed to learn everything. Even if he doesn't learn it all, he is the only senior officer in the entire Brazilian army who understands aircraft carrier tactics.
Moreover, Fang Lang was born as an infantryman, and as a naval officer, he was the only naval officer who had participated in actual combat and had an excellent record. He also learned aviation tactics in the US Navy.
There is no other officer in the whole of Brazil who is more suitable to serve as the commander of the aircraft carrier formation than him.
General Moraes looked at the young officer in front of him, and for a moment, he felt filled with emotion.
This is really young and promising! He is capable of both literary and martial arts, but I did not have such abilities when he was his age.
He actually had the idea that he was not as good as him.
Maybe the Brazilian National Defense Force can become a truly modern and powerful force in his hands!
The idea of training him to be his successor became stronger.
(End of chapter)
