Chapter 852: Bitter France Again

Latest website: Having a brotherly country like Australia really solves a big problem in the UK. From this point of view, finding Australia's iron ore in advance has made Australia's finances more abundant and helped Britain at this time.

"In the field of security, Australia is really willing." Frank couldn't help but sigh. He didn't expect it to go so smoothly.

"In the field of security, you can always trust Australia, and you can even count on Australians to help you fight a nuclear war." Alan Wilson laughed and gave what he thought was the highest evaluation.

"Isn't this a bit exaggerated?" Frank smiled bitterly, how could such a country exist?

"It's not an exaggeration at all." Alan Wilson smiled and shook his head, "This is what I really think."

The mobilization of 950,000 troops from a population of 8 million happened only ten years ago. Alan Wilson has not forgotten it so quickly. With this history as a reference, what money is spent and what economic benefits are important to Australia's security? It's all trivial.

The United Kingdom and the United States are willing to let Australia make knives, and Australia itself is also willing to make knives. With such tools, it can be said that we are not afraid of a nuclear war. Even if Australia is denuclearized, Alan Wilson will not care, as long as he and the enemy die together. This is what Australia values.

In any case, this result is still very satisfactory. The Labor government is really stingy in its military investment. Now with this single arms sale as the basis, the construction of new aircraft carriers should not be a problem.

"For things like military investment, it is better to invest sooner rather than later. The later the investment is, the greater the investment will be." Alan Wilson and his colleagues said, "Our prime minister is a little unclear on this point."

When China's economy was not particularly strong, it forced the promotion of high-speed railways, which was initially questioned.

But what if we wait for ten years to build when we have money? Is the cost going to be sky-high? It is better to implement it while the cost is low.

Frank almost laughed out loud and reminded, "I know the relationship between General Mountbatten and you, but you should avoid saying this kind of complaints about the party. Although we are not a system, it is still a trouble."

"Frank, you misunderstood. This is just a small problem. It can be overcome if you think more about it." Alan Wilson corrected Frank's conjecture. He is very supportive of the Labor government.

Picking at the ropes is just a small problem. With the British military stock here, it will be difficult to maintain the current scale.

It is understandable that we are unwilling to invest in new weapons and equipment.

It's better than the Conservative Party confidently performing high-level diving, right?

"Actually, we still have problems. For example, the Vengeance class has little potential for modification. If it is sold, it is an aircraft carrier of over 30,000 tons. It is not economical to sell less, and it may arm unfriendly countries." Allen When Wilson mentioned the current inventory of the Royal Navy, he was also confused.

There are only a few countries in the world that are rich and willing to pay like Australia. It would be great if Canada was willing to accept it. I couldn’t help but ask Frank if he had heard of similar news.

During World War II, apart from the United Kingdom, the United States and the Soviet Union, Canada was actually the fourth largest country in the world, both in terms of military strength and economic strength. It served five aircraft carriers at the same time.

If we compare the navy alone, Canada was ranked third in the world during World War II. Now Canada still has two aircraft carriers in service. Needless to say, they were built by the United Kingdom during the war.

"Canada has little hope. Canada doesn't have this demand now. I don't know if Argentina is interested." Frank also knew that the Ministry of the Navy and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs were selling aircraft carriers everywhere.

"Argentina? It's not out of the question!" Alan Wilson thought about it. In fact, selling to Argentina wasn't a big problem. The main combat effectiveness of an aircraft carrier lies in carrier-based aircraft. What is the use of an aircraft carrier without carrier-based aircraft?

It just so happens that the hangar of the Vengeance-class aircraft carrier has been specially strengthened, making it very difficult to modify it. In his opinion, the two Resentment-class aircraft carriers should be sold to countries like Argentina or India.

"It's better to ask Canada. After all, the Vengeance class is a 30,000-ton aircraft carrier, which is much larger than the one currently used in Canada." Alan Wilson still said that he would fight for it and it was best not to sell the Vengeance class to India.

He knows the country of India very well. If he really sells the Vengeance class to India, he will only want bigger ones in the future.

There are really not many candidate countries. Mexico's economy is very good in this era, and it is still competing with Spain for the top spot in the Spanish-speaking world. It is an impulse purchase. But Mexico is a neighbor of the United States. If Britain sells aircraft carriers, the United States will definitely not want its neighbor to increase its military strength.

The same goes for Spain. You must know that Spain and the United Kingdom have a dispute over Gibraltar. Strengthening the navy of such a country cannot pass the cabinet level.

When selling aircraft carriers, the UK can only choose countries with no disputes, and it also has to worry about what the United States thinks.

"There is another country that you haven't thought of." Frank suddenly said, "France, France is at war in Algeria now, and ensuring the smooth flow of the Mediterranean is a top priority. The Royal Navy's Mediterranean Fleet cannot always help the French for free and blockade other countries. The country secretly supports Algeria’s route, and the most important thing is that they do it themselves.”

Alan Wilson clapped his hands and said angrily, "That's right, Frank, but are you sure about this?"

"The key is that the Ministry of the Navy must have this idea. France's demand exists objectively. I heard that France has begun to build its own aircraft carriers, but the construction cycle also takes time. What about France's requirements now? Wait until five or six years before putting them into the battlefield. ," Frank changed the topic when he said this, "But in this matter, if we want to maintain the unity of Britain and France, we need General Mountbatten to do the work. If there is no problem in communication between the two navies, the deal can be facilitated."

France currently has five aircraft carriers in its hands, the representative of which is the Béarn aircraft carrier, built in 1927. As old as Alan Wilson, but younger than the battleships in the Malayan naval base. Among the remaining aircraft carriers, the most combat-effective is the Titan-class leased from the United Kingdom, and the rest are almost useless.

Alan Wilson stood up, took out a bottle of whiskey and poured it for Frank. He celebrated reaching a consensus on the matter of suffering the French. He touched a glass and said, "In fact, most aircraft carriers in the Royal Navy have no other way out than to dismantle them." . The Vengeance class is indeed suitable for the French. It would be too much for us to retain it. It is not suitable to sell it to countries such as Argentina and India. For those countries, it is almost enough to buy a Titan class. "

The most important thing, Alan Wilson did not say, is that his wife Pamela Mountbatten’s oil share in North Africa is related to French interests. Not to mention anything else, how close is Libya to Algeria?

"I didn't say anything." Frank chuckled and shirked his responsibility, "I was just joking."

"No, it's not. France deserves a 30,000-ton aircraft carrier. And Frank, don't be too humble. You can definitely help. You are in the Ministry of Finance." Alan Wilson said something with understanding. He has decided Well, I need to call my wife to see if she can help with this matter.

This is a matter for the Royal Navy. As the daughter of the First Sea Lord, shouldn't she be more concerned about it?

Frank took a sip of whiskey and shook his head with a wry smile. "My so-called help is just to settle accounts for the cabinet. Selling to the French will be more profitable. But in fact, to facilitate this deal, a person in France is needed." Only people with connections will do, and I’m sorry, I’m not talking about your wife.”

"I don't think so." Alan Wilson pretended not to know, and then poured another drink for his reliable colleague.

After two days in Kuala Lumpur, Frank declined Alan Wilson's invitation to attend a reactionary gathering and took his wife on the flight back to London.

This time the location was chosen in Penang, the earliest British colonial stronghold in Southeast Asia. Although Singapore is the location of the Far East Combat Command, it is too remote. Penang's location is much friendlier to the major sultans.

Of course, among the people invited were Alan Wilson's old friend Ali Khan and his new friend Bao Dadi.

At this time, Frank, who had returned to London, with the help of Edward Bridges, clarified his report to the cabinet.

"It shouldn't be a problem, Sir." Frank was still a little nervous. As opportunities suddenly appeared, he began to worry about gains and losses.

"What's the problem with that?" Edward Bridges asked strangely, "Do you think the cabinet will notice? In fact, most cabinet ministers can only do true and false questions. It's good to know what's right and what's wrong."

"I hope so. This arms sale is very important." Frank, who wants to go further, does not hide his desire for progress.

This push for progress was something Edward Bridges had seen many times, explaining, "They were selected by their constituency party organization, which is to say, by thirty-five people wearing dirty raincoats. Selected by 35 men and 35 women wearing funny hats. The subsequent "selection" process was equally absurd: there were only 630 members in total, and a party with more than 300 members formed the government. ——Of these three hundred people, one hundred were too old and too stupid to become ministers, and the other hundred were too impatient to become ministers. So the remaining one hundred members filled one hundred government positions. There is really no choice.”

"Of course, the Labor Party has been re-elected in three circles and has accumulated many skilled political officers, but when faced with arms sales that have huge benefits and no losses, they will not find fault."

With the words of Edward Bridges, Frank became much more confident and left the Treasury to go to the Cabinet.

Things were as expected by Edward Bridges and passed very smoothly. Soon the cabinet's resolution was circulated on a small scale, and the resolution on the construction of a new aircraft carrier was passed.