The rise of a great power: starting with military industry

Chapter 499: Oil Prices Soar
In recent years, the United States has been trying to suppress oil prices.

After all, the United States is the world's largest oil consumer and the world's largest oil importer.

Last year, the United States consumed 7.9 million tons of oil, which is an astronomical figure. However, this is not the highest amount of oil consumed by the United States. In 1980, the United States consumed 8.5 million tons of oil.

Calculated based on 8.5 million tons of oil, that means 62.305 billion barrels of oil are consumed annually.

In other words, the United States needs about 104 billion barrels of crude oil a year.

For every dollar increase in oil prices, the United States will have to pay at least tens of billions of dollars more!

Add to that other intermediate prices, and every $1 increase in crude oil prices would be equivalent to an additional $ to $ billion a year in social value.

Before the first oil crisis, the average price of a barrel of oil was about $3, only about half the price of coal. Now the average price of a barrel of oil is $35, which means that the United States has to pay nearly $ trillion more for oil than before the first oil crisis.

From this, we can see why the United States is deindustrializing. Due to the high labor costs in the United States, industries that used to make money are now not making money, and are even losing money. If prices are raised, they will not be competitive in the market.

Every $1 increase in oil prices will have an impact of $3 to $4 on real society, rather than just $1.

In order to control oil supply, the United States used up its oil reserves in 1982, but it was used up soon after. It still failed to suppress oil prices. Later, it had to import oil to fill its oil reserves, which naturally made it even more impossible to suppress oil prices.

The price of oil also has to follow the relationship between supply and demand.

Now, the relationship between the United States and Libya has become tense, and the first to react is the oil market. The oil price in the oil market has risen directly, easily breaking through 40 billion US dollars.

After all, Libya is a major oil-producing country, and its oil production has consistently ranked among the top ten in the world, sometimes even ranking among the top three.

More importantly, once a war breaks out, it will be in the Mediterranean, which will affect not only Libya and North Africa, but the whole of Europe and even the whole world.

This is the influence of oil!
As the world's energy center, its every move affects not only the local area, but also the entire world.

It can be said that the country that is suffering the most right now is the United States. After all, not only does it have to bear the shame of the sinking of the Perry-class frigate, but it also has to bear the pressure brought by rising oil prices.

However, all this could not stop the carnival in the capital market, and countless funds poured into oil futures.

Even Liu Tao's securities company in Hong Kong was no exception, with funds pouring into oil futures crazily.

Oil, weapons, gold, food and other things related to war are all very popular.

In the blink of an eye, a month has passed.

During this month, all parties have been engaged in a war of words. The United Nations has voted twice and the arguments are intense.

The Soviet Union cast a veto, which was of no avail even if the United States, Britain and France all voted in favor.

Three votes in favor, one vote against, and one abstention!
This situation has no chance of being passed in the United Nations.

Yangcheng Shipyard.

The first Type 039 conventional submarine held its launching ceremony.

After more than a year of construction, this new conventional submarine has completed all construction work except special outfitting work!
This is a big event for Yangcheng Shipyard, and even more so for the Chinese Navy, because this is the first launch of a new type of conventional submarine.

It is precisely because of the significance of this milestone that the Navy Commander brought a group of naval generals to the Yangcheng Shipyard. This launching ceremony is also the most important node in the construction of the submarine.

After the successful launching, the submarine will be towed to the submarine outfitting dock, and it will take another two or three months to carry out the final outfitting, testing and sea trial preparations.

The launching ceremony was chosen to be held at 8 a.m. The reason for choosing this time is that it will be relatively hot in Guangzhou during the day, and it will feel hot even if you wear short sleeves at noon.

Early in the morning, the naval leaders arrived at the Yangcheng Shipyard.

At this time, in the submarine assembly workshop, preparations for launching have already been made. The submarine will slide into the water through a long track.

The officers and soldiers who received the ship also arrived at the ceremony site at this time. 35 people lined up neatly, wearing white military uniforms.

When Liu Tao arrived, he saw the Type 039 submarine, with a body like a giant whale, sleeping quietly on a special cart. The most conspicuous thing was the propeller at its tail. These propellers were specially processed by a five-axis machining center and made very little noise, greatly reducing the risk of the submarine being discovered by sonar.

Looking at this new conventional submarine, Liu Tao was in a good mood. This was a new conventional submarine developed by him personally, which made China's conventional submarine technology reach the world's leading level and greatly improved the safety and combat effectiveness of China's conventional submarines.

Although conventional submarines are not as advanced as nuclear submarines, this new conventional submarine uses many new technologies and processes.

Liu Tao saw the pride in everyone's eyes and his smile grew wider.

This is a conventional submarine with a 100% domestic production rate, all of which are produced and developed by China itself.

Advanced weapons and equipment can greatly boost people’s self-confidence and self-esteem!

Look at this submarine that is about to be launched. This new conventional submarine that carries the dream of revitalizing the Chinese Navy is like a new recruit, with red ribbons on its body, ready to be launched.

Liu Tao looked at the naval generals again, and each of them had excitement and anticipation in their eyes.

There is no navy that does not want to have advanced warships.

Advanced surface ships are needed, and advanced underwater ships are also needed!
With this Type 039 conventional submarine, China's submarine force will be able to enter and exit the first island chain quietly, and the first island chain will become meaningless.

Although the relationship between the two sides is now close and at its highest level in history, no one is naive enough to think that the two sides can remain friendly forever.

There are no eternal friends or eternal enemies, only eternal interests.

Over the past 30 years since the founding of the Republic, the country has gradually grown from immaturity to maturity in terms of governance, and has become increasingly aware that national interests come first.

So although the Chinese navy is still very weak, it is constantly making plans to ensure coastal security.

Navy commanders all know that aircraft carriers are out of the question in the short term, and nuclear submarines will not be built in large numbers in the short term, because China is still weak and cannot afford aircraft carriers, and even if they are built, they cannot be used. Similarly, nuclear submarines are expensive, so it is impossible to build too many.

This also means that the main force of China's submarine force in the future will be the Type 039 submarine.

This Type 039 submarine will be a powerful weapon for the Chinese Navy to defend its maritime borders and deter jackals, tigers and leopards.

Liu Tao was chatting with a group of generals. They were all very familiar with each other now. After all, they had dealt with each other more often, and even though they were unfamiliar with each other before, they are now familiar with each other.

Besides, the navy now has to rely on him to get more warships.

(End of this chapter)