Chapter 175: The Battle for the Refueling Platform

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“The tanker project is indeed under the Air Force’s responsibility, but currently, we lack sufficient funding, and the tanker’s priority is not at the top. The Air Force has many ongoing projects, and with the military’s overall budget being limited, there has been no progress so far.”

Once again in the capital, Yang Hui had lost count of how many times he had been here. But this visit felt different — this time, he was here to discuss matters directly with the military, without the usual bureaucratic entanglements involving government departments. This brought a fresh change.

What surprised Yang Hui the most at this meeting was the presence of a high-ranking naval official. The Navy was taking the tanker project very seriously, and here Yang Hui saw the Navy’s top leader—General Liu.

Yang Hui knew the general, though naturally General Liu did not know him. The tanker project was the focus of negotiation between General Liu and the Air Force representatives.

“Old Zhang,” General Liu began, “let’s sit down and have a serious discussion about the tanker project. We must accelerate the progress. It’s not just that you need mid-air refueling capabilities; the Navy needs them just as much. To be frank, both sides should co-invest to speed up this project.”

Originally, the tanker project was assigned solely to the Air Force. However, their demand wasn’t as urgent as the Navy’s, so it had been put on hold, with the Navy having little say at the time. The Navy also lacked the extra funds—they were heavily invested in developing the new H-7 bomber, so there was no budget left.

But now things were different. The Navy had come to realize the immense difficulty of the H-7 project, and their limited funds were clearly insufficient to see it through. If things continued this way, it was uncertain when results would appear. Meanwhile, the Navy’s urgent needs could not wait any longer.

Seeing the new J-7 variant, the Super J-7, had the potential to be a versatile anti-ship platform—even though it would take two to three years before it was fully ready—gave them hope. At least the plane had already made its maiden flight.

A tanker was a simpler matter. It could be developed domestically with investment or imported. More importantly, this project could be a joint venture with the Air Force. Sharing development costs would be far better than the Navy shouldering all expenses alone, as with the H-7. There were reliable platform options for the tanker, and the project could deliver results relatively quickly.

The Navy’s willingness to co-fund the tanker project naturally pleased the Air Force. After all, this project was ordered by the Military Commission’s senior leadership, and having the Navy share the financial burden was a welcome relief.

“Oh? The Navy still has the resources and spare funds? I thought all your money was tied up in the H-7 project. Where are you getting this sudden windfall?” Old Zhang from the Air Force asked skeptically.

A windfall? The Navy had no such luck at this time. In the mid-1980s, the Navy hadn’t yet found ways to generate extra revenue. Smuggling operations involving landing ships were still too risky and unpopular, so the atmosphere remained quite disciplined, and the mindset hadn’t fully “liberated” yet.

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As for where the Navy’s funds were coming from, they had already made a decision. The H-7 project was too distant, and the Military Commission’s leadership had again voiced calls to abandon the H-7 development. The idea of starting a completely new aircraft was causing frustration in the upper echelons, who demanded the termination of this money-burning program.

The Navy was not entirely unified either. There were persistent calls from shipbuilding factions to scrap the project and concentrate funds on developing the new Type 052 destroyer.

There were just too many voices like these. Without the emergence of the Super J-7 in a previous life, General Liu would have continued to defend the H-7 project and keep investing.

But now things were different. With the same amount of money, investing in the Super J-7 and tanker projects could yield results comparable to the H-7, while also providing the invaluable capability of mid-air refueling benefiting multiple aircraft types. Most importantly, these two projects could deliver results in two to three years.

After such considerations, General Liu could no longer insist on pushing the H-7 project. With the already limited defense budget, every penny saved counted. Every area was clamoring for funds.

“We have decided to suspend the H-7 project and redirect those funds towards the tanker’s development and other projects. Our sincerity this time is strong; no one is allowed to renege on the tanker project again,” General Liu said pointedly.

His words carried an implied meaning well understood by all present. The Air Force’s past delays with the H-7 project were widely known, especially among those from the Xi’an Design Institute attending the meeting.

The cancellation of the H-7 project was a heavy blow to the Xi’an Institute, which stood to lose the most. Yet their chief designer, Mr. Chen, showed no expression. He had long anticipated the project’s termination. The H-7 had been shelved and revived multiple times, surviving only due to the Navy’s staunch support.

Before attending the meeting, Chief Designer Chen had already received word from the Navy that they intended to halt the H-7 project. With this critical backing gone, his reluctance was palpable, but there was no alternative. Fortunately, the Navy promised to help Xi’an secure the tanker project, which was a sort of consolation prize.

Though saddened by the H-7’s cancellation, dragging it on indefinitely—even with Navy support—would not accelerate progress. Switching to a new project was the better choice.

As for the Air Force’s prior failure to deliver, the Xi’an Design Institute could do nothing about it now. It was best to forget past grievances and focus on the new tanker project, which was promising.

The Air Force was also unwilling to dwell on these matters. Further discussion would be pointless. “Very well, we will not delay this project again. It has been designated by the chief designer at the Military Commission meeting. We have no reason not to support it,” Old Zhang stated firmly.

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The Air Force had its own need for tankers. Although the J-8 had a much longer range than the J-7, it was still insufficient. The Air Force required J-8s to escort the H-6 bombers, and tankers were essential.

General Liu was not overly worried about the Air Force’s past delays with the tanker project. After all, it was primarily their responsibility. Moreover, given the tankers’ broad applicability, the Air Force had no excuse to falter.

With the tanker project confirmed, General Liu turned to discuss the Navy’s conditions. The Navy was giving up on its own H-7 project to join the Air Force’s still uncertain tanker effort, so naturally, there were terms.

“Our Navy’s participation in the tanker project comes with one condition. We want the project to be assigned to the Xi’an Design Institute to lead. Since they have lost the H-7 project, this serves as compensation. The platform will be based on the H-6 bomber. I believe the Air Force has no reason to oppose this,” General Liu said, staring intently at the Air Force commander, Old Zhang. If the Air Force refused, it would be hard to justify.

General Liu’s stance was born out of necessity. The H-6 was the country’s best tanker platform, but early on, the Air Force did not think so. They had their own ideas about tankers.

The heaviest domestic transport aircraft was not the H-6 but the Y-8, capable of carrying up to twenty tons. The American KC-135, converted from the C-135, could refuel with up to twenty-three tons—significantly more than the H-6-based tanker.

Later versions of the H-6 tanker could only manage eighteen tons, and their operational costs were higher than those of the Y-8.

Therefore, the Air Force was puzzled by the Navy’s insistence on using the H-6 as the tanker platform. Clearly, the Y-8 seemed superior.

“Why not use the Y-8 as the tanker platform? The C-130, comparable in class, has been successfully converted into tankers. During the Falklands War, these tankers repeatedly refueled British bombers, enabling their long-range strikes. So the Y-8 should be the best choice,” the Air Force argued.

(To be continued.)