Chapter 151: The Sucker Who Takes Over the Mess

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Hongdu was now exhausting every possible means for its new trainer project. Having traveled thousands of miles to find the base, the base, as host, naturally had to offer them a proper welcome.

This time, in its effort to attract foreign investment, Hongdu had sent none other than the future chief designer of the K-8, who was currently the head of the design team for Hongdu’s new basic trainer project: Shi Ping.

The chief designer of the renowned K-8, a legendary basic trainer, wore the same thick glasses perched on the bridge of his nose. What set him apart from most people was his build. Among southerners, Shi Ping was exceptionally tall, giving the impression of a capable, energetic, knowledgeable scientific and technical leader.

And in the history of his previous life, Shi Ping had indeed been a man of considerable drive. The Republic’s first agreement to attract foreign capital for aircraft development had been arranged by him. His paper, “Developing Our Country’s New Trainer by Drawing on Foreign Experience,” had opened an entirely new chapter.

After the base secured foreign investment for the New Fighter-Trainer Seven in this life, Yang Hui held this imaginative and enterprising chief designer in even higher regard.

As secretary-general of the new company, Yang Hui came forward to receive Shi Ping. Hongdu had not sent many people either. In matters of military affairs, quality mattered more than quantity; sending Shi Ping alone was enough to demonstrate Hongdu’s sincerity.

Yang Hui was young, and out of respect for Shi Ping, he naturally extended his hand first and welcomed him with a smile.

“Hello, Chief Designer Shi. I’m Yang Hui, executive secretary-general of the Southwest Aviation Industry-Science Joint Corporation. I’ll be responsible for receiving you during this visit.”

Although Yang Hui was young, Shi Ping was very friendly toward him. Since Hongdu wanted to pursue foreign cooperation this time, it naturally had to learn the full story behind the Southwest Corporation’s New Fighter-Trainer Seven project and its external partnership. Yang Hui, who had played a major role in attracting foreign investment, was therefore someone Shi Ping considered especially important.

With the easy familiarity of an old friend, Shi Ping said with a smile, “Hello, Secretary-General Yang. I’m the head of Hongdu’s new basic trainer project. I heard that you’ve found a way to cooperate with foreign partners, so I came here especially to learn from your experience.”

Shi Ping’s humility was best taken as a courtesy. Yang Hui led him toward the base guesthouse. Along the way, Chief Designer Shi could hardly contain his impatience, constantly asking about the origins and details of the base’s cooperation on the New Fighter-Trainer Seven.

For matters he could discuss, Yang Hui naturally answered openly. As for matters he could not reveal, he remained completely silent.

As executive secretary-general, Yang Hui handled the preliminary discussions with Shi Ping himself. The other managers all had their own responsibilities; none of them had that much free time.

After settling Shi Ping into his room, Yang Hui, who disliked dragging things out, stayed behind and began an informal exchange of views.

“Chief Designer Shi, where do you think you need our help with this new trainer project? If there’s anything we can do, we’ll do our best. Just tell me directly.”

Seeing that this young secretary-general was not the sort of person who procrastinated, Shi Ping felt reassured. Sitting on the bed, he began chatting with Yang Hui.

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“You’ve probably learned about Hongdu’s new basic trainer project over the past few days. Since the new project has no government investment, we need to seek foreign funding, just as you did with the New Fighter-Trainer Seven.”

Foreign funding...

It seemed that, inspired by the base, Hongdu had moved the K-8’s path toward international cooperation forward ahead of schedule.

But now that Hongdu had come to the base, the situation was entirely different. Having come from the future, Yang Hui knew how enormously successful the K-8 would become. It would eventually seize more than half of the international basic trainer market—a truly remarkable achievement.

With such strong sales naturally came enormous profits. If he failed to take advantage of an opportunity like this, Yang Hui himself would feel he had let himself down.

As for whether Hongdu had enough money to complete development of the new trainer on its own, Yang Hui had absolute confidence in the answer.

Hongdu was not merely an aircraft manufacturer. Its other civilian products—motorcycles, textile machinery, and the like—would all become best-selling goods during the 1980s and 1990s.

Hongdu’s desire to find investors for the new trainer was not simply a matter of funding. More importantly, it was looking for a launch customer.

At this time, the domestic military had little interest in Hongdu’s new trainer. If Hongdu wanted to build a new trainer, it could only look overseas for customers.

In his previous life, Hongdu had approached Pakistan. In the end, Pakistan provided twenty-five percent of the funding, an amount totaling less than twenty million US dollars, and purchased the new trainer in return.

In Yang Hui’s view, the base could completely provide that sum now. It could even cover up to half of the development costs. The more it invested at this stage, the greater the returns would be later. Yang Hui intended to have the base step in and take over the investment that Pakistan had provided in his previous life.

“Chief Designer Shi, are you also hoping to obtain investment from Pakistan or Saudi Arabia?”

Shi Ping nodded firmly at Yang Hui’s question. Hongdu’s senior management believed that it would be best to secure foreign investment for the new aircraft project. China simply could not produce that kind of money at present.

What they had clearly overlooked, however, was the extraordinary Base 0011.

“Yes. On the one hand, we lack sufficient funds. On the other, we hope to use the opportunity to open up overseas markets. Our new trainer needs a launch customer.”

As for a launch customer, Yang Hui knew there would be no shortage. Pakistan had an urgent need for this kind of basic trainer. Even without Pakistani investment, the new trainer could approach Pakistan directly.

At the same time, Yang Hui had several ideas concerning Hongdu’s new trainer. If those ideas could be realized, they would bring tremendous benefits to both Hongdu and Base 0011.

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Yang Hui explained his thoughts on the new trainer. “Chief Designer Shi, I don’t think the new trainer necessarily needs foreign investment. Base 0011 can provide the funds and participate in the development of the new aircraft. As for a launch customer, if the aircraft is designed according to the approach I’m about to suggest, finding one should be easy.”

Regarding Hongdu’s new trainer, Yang Hui felt it was entirely necessary to develop it as a companion to the base’s current New Fighter-Trainer Seven. If the two trainers were closely coordinated, they would greatly enhance each other’s competitiveness. One plus one would certainly be greater than two.

Shi Ping was very interested in Yang Hui’s proposal and waited to hear what exactly he had in mind. If the plan proved feasible, cooperating directly with Base 0011 would naturally be the simplest option.

“Very well, Secretary-General Yang. Please tell me your thoughts. We’re not wedded to bringing in foreign investment. No matter what, a domestic partner is still more dependable.”

Whether a partner was dependable could not be decided by words alone. It depended on whether the proposed plan was practical. Yang Hui laid out his idea.

“I believe our New Fighter-Trainer Seven and your new basic trainer occupy different positions, with no overlap between them. What we need to do now is carefully plan how the two trainers will complement one another. At the very least, we should make it possible to transition seamlessly between them during training. For example, we should aim for as much commonality as possible in the cockpits and in logistics and maintenance.”

Shi Ping now understood what Yang Hui meant. He wanted the two trainers to be closely integrated, allowing them together to cover the entire training program. Shi Ping naturally agreed wholeheartedly with the idea.

As long as the two trainers were more closely coordinated, whichever aircraft was sold, its purchaser would become a potential customer for the other. Commonality in logistics and maintenance, combined with seamless continuity in training, would be an inducement almost impossible for any buyer to resist.

Since Shi Ping agreed with Yang Hui’s idea, he naturally needed to ask about the modifications planned for the New Fighter-Trainer Seven. Only by understanding the aircraft’s plans could the designers account for commonality between the two new aircraft when designing the new basic trainer.

“This really is a stroke of genius. I believe these two new trainers will achieve great things. Let’s go take a look at the New Fighter-Trainer Seven’s design now. I need to make a detailed assessment of whether your proposal is feasible.”

Once they had formed a plan, neither man could sit still. They hurried toward the First Institute, where the technical specifications for the New Fighter-Trainer Seven were kept.

To be continued.