The rise of a great power: starting with military industry

Chapter 254 Low Level War
Only if you have money can you get things done easily.

Only when Panshan Machinery Factory has money can it expand and develop rapidly, build large-scale projects, and even invest in the construction of reservoirs, hydropower stations, roads, and railways!
It was precisely because of the huge profits earned from exports that Liu Tao dared to agree to help solve the problem of the third-line factories in the weapons industry system in the four southwestern provinces.

It was precisely because of the money that the Fifth Ministry of Machine Building dared to take drastic measures to help the third-line factories in the weapons industry system to carry out reforms, rather than watching the third-line factories fall into difficulties and being unable to do anything.

Also, because of the large amount of foreign exchange, the military can purchase aircraft from the United States and send more students and scholars to study abroad to learn advanced concepts and technologies from Europeans and Americans.

Some problems cannot be solved just by having money.

But money can solve most problems!

In addition to firearms, you should know that Liu Tao has two types of weapons and equipment: self-use version and export version. The self-use version of weapons and equipment is much more advanced than the export version.

But the army didn't have the money to purchase a large number of versions for their own use.

"Leader, if we can't export this and that, we won't be able to expand our business and our funding will be cut off," Liu Tao said. "If the aircraft performance is not good enough and is under threat, then we need to improve the aircraft performance."

"Just like tanks and anti-tank weapons, they have always been in a relationship of spear and shield. The same goes for airplanes and air defense weapons. We cannot criticize the advanced performance of air defense weapons, but instead we should improve the performance of aircraft." Liu Tao was speechless about this.

Wang Baoguo said helplessly: "That's true, but our party and our country emphasize democracy. It's normal to have different voices. We should also let comrades with different opinions speak out. Otherwise, it's not democracy, but dictatorship."

"The troops are very satisfied with the Type 81 light tanks, Type 81 medium tanks, Type 81 amphibious tanks and Type 81 infantry fighting vehicles you have provided to them," Wang Baoguo said. "We will strive to deliver all of these orders within three years, and within five years at the latest."

Liu Tao nodded, "Understood, we will definitely deliver it within three years!"

As a weapons industry system, it naturally has close ties with the troops.

Give the troops the greatest support possible.

"Since you are back in Beijing, there will be a meeting tonight. You should also report and let everyone know the latest situation of this month." Wang Baoguo said, "The latest situation of the Iran-Iraq War, you can go to the Confidentiality Department to borrow and read it, and you will understand it more carefully."

Liu Tao left Wang Baoguo's office and went to the confidentiality department.

The Confidentiality Department is responsible for keeping confidential documents.

Many of the confidential documents here are even top secret.

Liu Tao borrowed intelligence about the Iran-Iraq War, which was transmitted back from the Middle East and the intelligence was very detailed.

Obviously, the war was brutal.

During the war, Persia often used human wave tactics similar to those used in World War I. Iraq had powerful armored forces, but its tactics and strategies had problems.

Both sides have advanced weapons. For example, the Persian Air Force has F14 "Panda" fighters with advanced performance. The Persian Army has a large number of British and American tanks. The performance of M47 and M48 tanks is quite good, no worse than T54 and Type 59 tanks. The M60 tank is now the main battle tank of the US military, and the Chieftain tank is now the main battle tank of the British Army. At the beginning of the war, the Persian Air Force was all American-made, including F4 fighters, F5 fighters and F14 fighters. The F4 is the main fighter of the United States today, and the F14 is the third-generation carrier-based aircraft of the Navy. The United States only exported it to Persia before. The F5 fighter is a special export fighter built by the United States for its allies.

During the Pahlavi dynasty, Iran's equipment developed almost in sync with that of the US military. In the 70s, Persia needed third-generation fighter jets, and the United States generously sold F15 and F14 fighter jets to Iran at the same time. Both F15 and F14 are the most advanced aircraft in the United States, and the US military did not have many equipment. The fact that they could export the most advanced military aircraft to Persia shows how strong the relationship was at that time!
As for Iraq, although its air force is weak, its army is extremely powerful and equipped with a large number of armored forces.

Before the war, Iraq's military strength was even ranked third in the world. At that time, the mainstream media believed that Iraq's armored forces would easily defeat Persia.

Now that the war has been going on for more than a year, many military experts have come to believe that the Iran-Iraq War was "a war with the least technical content fought with the most advanced weapons"!
According to some comments from current military experts, the performance of both sides is really unbearable. Persia's thinking is still at the level of World War II or even World War I. It does not destroy troops and eliminate soldiers, but focuses on attacking cities and fortresses, pushing forward on the front line, using trench warfare extensively, and even using human wave tactics to clear minefields. The Iraqi army is also the same. The steel torrent did not appear, and tanks were often used as fixed turrets and mobile turrets.

At the beginning of the war, Iraq had an absolute advantage, but did not take advantage of the situation, giving Persia a breathing space. A large number of troops surrounded Abadan, wanting to capture Abadan, but worried about destroying the Abadan refinery and refining equipment. They tied their own hands and feet, and made various crazy moves. Even the supply lines were attacked from time to time by Persia.

"Will there be peaceful talks soon to resolve the differences between the two sides through negotiation?" Liu Tao shook his head. This mainstream view will prove to be nonsense.

Iraq still has the upper hand. Its oil revenue is greater than its war consumption, and its foreign exchange reserves have exceeded 400 billion US dollars, which is more than before the war. It is far from being exhausted.

Persia is now at a disadvantage. They cannot afford the pain of having such a large area of ​​land occupied because it is a rich oil-producing area. If they lose this area, Persia will not be able to recover for 20 to 30 years.

Only by driving out Iraq, regaining this area, and relying on oil exports can Persia recover in a short period of time.

Besides, Persia had just overthrown the Pahlavi dynasty. If it lost this war, the Pahlavi dynasty would probably be restored. Persia now could not afford the failure of this war.

As for low-level warfare?
This is only relative to big and powerful countries!

In the Middle East, Africa, etc., this is already a very strong combat capability.

"It's still early. If it ends so early, how will we make money?" Liu Tao hasn't made enough money yet.

His goal is to earn all the foreign exchange reserves of Iran and Iraq, even if it is just one third, that would be good.

Liu Tao thought to himself, "Let's go meet up with my old friend first and have a good chat."

There are still several hours before the evening meeting, and he won't just waste time here.

If you use this time, you can go and see one or two good friends.

Only by meeting more often and communicating more can the friendship between the two sides be truly established.

Every time he returns to Beijing, Liu Tao always visits his friends and takes a stroll whenever he has time.

They would also introduce some friends to Liu Tao, so that Liu Tao had quite a few friends in the capital.

(End of this chapter)