The rise of a great power: starting with military industry

Chapter 785 Saudis want to buy mushroom bombs? (Seeking monthly tickets at the end of the month)
The next night.

Liu Tao held a banquet in the courtyard to entertain Prince Sultan.

Apart from Prince Sultan, there are only his two sons and Liu Zhenbang.

After drinking for more than thirty minutes, they started talking about business.

Liu Tao did not expect that the Saudi side also wanted to strengthen cooperation between the two sides.

This is naturally a good topic to talk about.

Liu Tao agreed without hesitation to Saudi Arabia's proposal to increase the number of international students studying in China.

After all, this is a good thing.

Firstly, international students studying in China do not live for free like they do in China. Instead, they have to pay tuition fees and also have to pay for food, which is a form of income generation.

Secondly, military academies in Shijiazhuang already have a large number of international students from third world countries, and it is not possible to increase the number now. If they are combined with studying abroad in other prestigious universities, this number can be fully absorbed.

But when Saudi Arabia proposed to import fuel-air explosives and fire tanks, Liu Tao couldn't help but feel embarrassed.

The destructive power of the fuel-air bomb is too strong. It is known as a sub-nuclear weapon, and its power can be imagined.

Currently, no country that has developed fuel-air explosive bombs has exported them.

He had just reached a consensus with the Americans that some weapons were not suitable for re-export. If they were to be exported to Saudi Arabia, it would be a violation of the previous promise.

No one knows whether the Americans will use this as an excuse to impose sanctions on Panshan Group out of anger.

Although he has countless ways to avoid American sanctions, it is still troublesome to say.

Panshan Group's business in the United States is constantly expanding.

Exports of automobiles, motorcycles, computers, semiconductors, etc. to the United States continue to set new historical records.

Even when the passenger aircraft is successfully developed, it will still require the cooperation of the Americans if it wants to obtain the North American airworthiness certificate.

Otherwise, if they don’t give it a North American airworthiness certificate, that means the passenger plane cannot fly to North America.

More than one-third of China's international flights go to the United States.

There is no need to turn against the Americans at this time.

"Your Highness, this may be difficult!" Liu Tao said with a wry smile, "Have you ever heard of any country exporting mushroom bombs and fuel-air explosive bombs?"

"Look at South Africa now. South Africa has developed mushroom bombs. From what I know, South Africa is now planning to give up mushroom bombs in exchange for the lifting of international sanctions." Liu Tao sighed, "Mushroom bombs and fuel-air explosive bombs really cannot be exported."

"South Africa is going to give up mushroom bombs?" Prince Sultan was shocked. "Are they crazy? They paid such a huge price and now they have succeeded, but they are going to give up!?"

Mushroom bombs are the most destructive and lethal weapons developed by humans so far.

After major countries came into possession of mushroom bombs, their development and possession were banned, and now only the five permanent members of the UN Security Council in the world can legally own mushroom bombs.

In addition, it is a secret that is not a secret, that is, South Africa also has mushroom bombs.

South Africa, located at the southernmost tip of the African continent, guards the Cape of Good Hope. It is one of the countries with the richest uranium reserves in the world, with a total proven uranium reserve of 35 tons, accounting for about 11% of the world's proven uranium resources. As early as World War II, South Africa began to supply uranium raw materials to the United States' Manhattan Project.

By the 50s, South Africa had become the world's major producer and exporter of uranium raw materials.

In the late 50s, the United States agreed to provide South Africa with nuclear reactor technology and help train researchers under the framework of the "peaceful use of atomic energy" cooperation, and to assist South Africa in the peaceful use of nuclear energy. With the help of the United States, South Africa gradually mastered uranium enrichment technology.

Like many countries, South Africa, which has become proficient in using nuclear energy, could not resist the temptation of mushroom bombs, so the South African nuclear weapons project was launched under the guise of "civilian nuclear energy."

It is said that Israel, in need of uranium resources from South Africa, proposed to exchange technology for raw materials. The two sides eventually completed the exchange of raw materials and technology. Israel obtained 600 tons of natural uranium from South Africa, while South Africa got the technology to make mushroom bombs as it wished.

In 1979, South Africa successfully conducted a nuclear test, declaring its nuclear capability, and then in 1982 South Africa produced its first mushroom bomb.

South Africa has also paid a huge price for going down this path, namely, increasing international pressure, the high cost of making mushroom bombs and the maintenance costs of at least six or seven million US dollars each year, which has made South Africa feel overwhelmed.

But in the view of Prince Sultan, South Africa's future will be bright as long as it overcomes the current difficulties.

After all, with the mushroom bomb, other countries will have to think twice before attacking South Africa.

If they give up, all their previous efforts will be wasted, and South Africa’s previous huge investment will be wasted.

Moreover, buying one mushroom bomb is enough to make back all of South Africa’s previous investment.

If South Africa sold all the mushroom bombs it had, it would definitely make a lot of money.

Liu Tao smiled and said, "This is no longer a secret. South Africa is already preparing to launch its nuclear disarmament plan and plans to start destroying the nuclear warheads stored in its nuclear arsenal next year!"

Pressure from the international community and the heavy financial burden of possessing nuclear weapons led South Africa to voluntarily give up its nuclear weapons.

Although if we can overcome the current pressure, there will be an extremely bright future.

But the problem is that not everyone can withstand the initial pressure.

In recent years, mercenaries have helped South Africa sell more than 300 tons of gold.

However, after importing food and other commodities, the income from South Africa's gold sales should be almost gone now.

South Africa, which is under international sanctions, has no ability to earn foreign exchange at all.

You should know that before the development of mushroom bombs, South Africa was the leading comprehensive power in Africa. Its industrial output value even accounted for nearly 45% of Africa at one time. Indicators such as steel production capacity, which represent the level of industrial development, almost monopolized the African market, and its per capita GDP reached the level of developed countries.

People say that Mandela is the 'Father of South Africa', but it was during his administration that South Africa's various indicators, including economic level and international status, plummeted. Now, South Africa has become a developing country.

Although South Africa’s development of mushroom bombs is not the only reason, it is the most important reason.

With this as a reference, one can imagine the greatness of China, because it was in the midst of numerous difficulties, facing the extremely difficult circumstances of technological blockade and material blockade, that China successfully conquered the "two bombs and one satellite", withstood all the pressure, and finally ushered in a new era.

If it weren't for this incident, South Africa would have been sanctioned. South Africa has a land area of ​​nearly 122 million square kilometers, and is surrounded by oceans on three sides. It has the world's busiest sea route, the Cape of Good Hope, and is rich in various mineral resources, including gold and diamonds. Its gold reserves even rank first in the world. With its superior geographical location, rich mineral resources, and vast territory, these excellent basic conditions can easily make South Africa a developed country.

It can be said that South Africa paid a heavy price to develop mushroom bombs.

(End of this chapter)