Chapter 660: Chapter 376, Century Navy_2
Currently, four models are planned.
The “Blackfish” class rapid patrol vessel is equipped with shield generators, S-grade laser cannons and kinetic cannons. Compared to standard patrol vessels, it uses a Spirit Infusion Engine Module, which typical patrol vessels are reluctant to install, enhancing agility and speed.
This is to facilitate the use of wolf pack tactics by the patrol vessels.
Although small, its defensive capability is limited by the patrol vessel’s grade and isn’t very substantial; it will explode if hit by cannons. However, the “Blackfish” class can rely on its speed and agility, making it easier to dodge locks, reduce the likelihood of being hit, and more easily disperse formation to surround and attack ships much larger than itself.
In short, its design philosophy is for the small to overcome the large through agility.
The “Silver Helm” class escort ship has stronger shield intensity and thicker armor, with the capability to withstand hits from M-grade firepower; it is equipped with rapid-fire kinetic cannons and laser cannons, with a focus on enhancing its interception capabilities. It’s meant to stay in front of main fleet ships, acting as a shield. Its main goal is to intercept as much enemy firepower, landing pods, and space fighters as possible.
…
Belonging to the same class of escort ships, the “Silver Sword” class high-speed torpedo vessel, has simplified energy shields and armor compared to the Silver Helm; its interception ability isn’t great either. But, like the latter, it specializes in speed and agility, has an enhanced engine, and apart from the conventional S-grade weaponry, it comes equipped with S-grade “Scalpel” missiles and manages to fit an M-grade “Rift Axe” torpedo missile system onto an escort ship.
Torpedo missiles can bypass energy shields or Void Shields at their terminal deceleration phase, potentially causing direct damage to the ship’s hull. The ship-launched torpedo missiles are powerful and are not part of conventional artillery. However, the issue is that they are easily intercepted at low speed and can be wasted, but if even one hits, and if the shield doesn’t work and interception fails, the enemy ship will suffer greatly, especially since the “Rift Axe” itself is an M-grade weapon. It’s not just ships of the same grade; even cruisers two grades higher would be seriously damaged if they took a direct hit from a “Rift Axe.”
This too follows the principle of the small overcoming the large. The “Silver Sword” class is relatively small and inexpensive, so betting on scoring a hit could result in a significant payoff.
The “Berserker Shark” class combat destroyer is a conventional gunship without any unnecessary frills, centered around the “Hammer” Colossal Cannon, emphasizing a balance between defense and firepower.
The estimated cost of a “Blackfish” class rapid patrol vessel is 32 million tax currency apiece. The cost for the “Silver Helm” class reaches 300 million 20 million tax currency. The price of the “Silver Sword” class torpedo escort ship is a bit cheaper, at 240 million for one. The construction cost for a “Berserker Shark” class combat destroyer is 1.7 billion tax currency per ship.
After the designs for these four types of ships were completed, Gu Hang contacted his mother and, through Miss Wang Qi, reached out to his future father-in-law, the retired naval General Fufana, to evaluate these four classes of ships.
After listening carefully to Wu Jiarong’s introduction, the old general remained silent for quite some time, as if struck by something.
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After a while, the old general finally spoke, “Young man, don’t set your sights too high.”
“?”
Gu Hang was a bit puzzled after being criticized by his future father-in-law.
What’s so overly ambitious about this? The old general had spent his lifetime on the battlefield, commanding countless ships and fighting many sea battles of varying scales. Could it be because the Alliance’s few ships prompted such a remark?
That can’t be it, right?
And I’m not being overly ambitious. These ships were designed from blueprints that Wu Jiarong obtained through a technology raffle.
The Alliance’s shipyard has already started building docks for these models. Once the docks are completed, all these ships can be properly produced.
How is that being overly ambitious?
Furthermore, the so-called “construction costs” Gu Hang mentioned were actually on the high side and not the actual production costs.
After all, many components were produced by the Black Box or manufactured on production lines pulled from the Black Box; the actual costs aren’t that high. Estimates suggest that the real cost for the Alliance to produce these items varies from one-tenth to half of the ship’s quoted price. The difference mainly depends on the proportion of Black Box production in shipbuilding.
The higher the proportion, the lower the cost.
This “construction cost” is merely an estimated price that Wu Jiarong calculated based on the Imperial Navy’s ordering prices from various shipyards.
But then, General Fufana went on to tell Gu Hang about the situation and prices of the ships that the Tianma Fleet ordered from the Flying Wing Star Shipyard.
“`
Involving specific parameters and design specifications, naturally, it wouldn’t be appropriate to discuss in detail. However, after hearing it all, Gu Hang roughly understood why General Fufana had spoken as he did.
Take the “Rampaging Shark-class” battle destroyers, for instance. The models produced by Flying Wing Star Shipyard ranged from the cheapest at 1.2 billion apiece to the most expensive at 2.2 billion, yet none of them technically matched the “Rampaging Shark.” Gu Hang thought that the “Rampaging Shark”‘s design was unremarkable—its ship robust and its cannons powerful—but with this level of protection and firepower, it was already considered ferocious among destroyers.
And you’re saying just 1.7 billion?
The “Silver Helm” and “Silver Sword” followed the same logic. An escort ship from Flying Wing Star Shipyard was generally priced around 300 million, but even the standard escort ships, when compared to “Silver Sword,” had nearly identical parameters, similar protection levels, and normal firepower. Yet your “Silver Sword” somehow squeezed in an extra “Rift Axe” and had high-speed characteristics, all while being 60 million cheaper…
Then who would go to Flying Wing Star to buy ships?
General Fufana did not believe the prices and performance parameters Gu Hang had mentioned.
He thought Gu Hang was talking nonsense.
The old man’s earnest words echoed in Gu Hang’s ears: “It’s good that Rage Owl Star has begun building spacecrafts; it proves that your work is bearing fruit. I also believe that Rage Owl Star has the potential to grow, to build good ships, big ships. But everything must develop according to objective conditions. You need to progress step by step, cultivate steadily, and not dabble in flashy and disorderly things; doing so might cause you to take a hard fall. And that so-called ship designer of yours is either deceiving you or lacks capability and is talking nonsense. Execute her; don’t trust her.”
“Mm-hmm, I’ll take the lesson. I’ll get rid of that designer right away, how dare she deceive me!”
During the call, Gu Hang nodded repeatedly, indicating he completely understood his father-in-law’s kind intentions.
After ending the communication, Gu Hang let out a long sigh of relief.
Wu Jiarong, who had been listening in, was already pale. As soon as the communication was disconnected, she immediately said, “Governor! I didn’t…”
“That’s enough; no need to say more.” Gu Hang’s face was alight with an excited smile, “Now, immediately adjust the ‘construction cost’ of all ships by 30% upwards!”
“?”
Gu Hang said earnestly, “You’re too honest for your own good!”
“Uh, okay.”
“And how much longer before our shipyard can get up and running?”
Wu Jiarong steadied herself and said, “According to our plan, the first phase of the project will be completed in one year, at which point the Silver Helm-class, Silver Sword-class, and Black Fish-class ships can begin production. The second phase will take four years to complete, and by then, all four types of ships we currently have can be produced. The third phase will take six years, and only then can we achieve the goal you’ve set: a two-year shipbuilding cycle, producing one destroyer, three escort ships, and ten patrol ships… Our first destroyer will not be in service until at least eight years from now.”
Gu Hang let out a long sigh.
“They say a decade for land forces and a century for naval forces.”
It’s the same with the Star Sea.
At this rate, even with unlimited resources, the alliance wouldn’t truly have its own naval fleet until eight years later, and it would still be a small fleet with just one destroyer.
Of course, during that time, there should be more than just three escort ships and ten patrol ships; and after the third phase is completed, the alliance’s shipyard won’t stop construction, entering into a complete shipbuilding cycle, and the speed at which ships are produced will become increasingly faster.
If Gu Hang really had a hundred years, he might indeed have a very powerful fleet by then.
But a hundred years…
“`