Chapter 1346 Lockheed Martin or Boeing?

As Chang Haonan estimated, it is impossible to completely conceal the outside world from the simultaneous actions of multiple key domestic departments, even without considering the factor of internal channel leaks.

Shortly after the "Kadena Express" entered the formal development stage, all parties concerned basically caught some clues.

Considering that the United States had just conducted a breakthrough hypersonic aircraft test just a few months ago, this series of reactions was naturally regarded as a targeted counterattack.

It can also explain why China did not give feedback as soon as possible after the first flight of the X51A, like other countries did.

After all, they really have the goods in their hands.

At that time, it will be much more useful to take out the competing products than to publish a few PPTs.

As for why China has made rapid progress in the field of hypersonics...

On the one hand, over the years, countries have gradually adapted to the new players in the high-tech industry.

On the other hand, until the JF14 wind tunnel was put into use, China had never missed the "Ground Test Award" selected by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics.

This award is somewhat similar to the computing power ranking of supercomputers. The equipment owner or operator decides whether to participate. If participating, they need to submit some basic performance data.

Although it does not involve specific technical details, the approximate performance level can still be inferred from it.

Therefore, countries have some understanding of the situation of the two old wind tunnels of JF8 and JF10, and are not completely unprepared.

At most, they did not expect China to transform the research results of basic theories into projects so quickly.

And for most countries, it is more in their interests to maintain a certain degree of tit-for-tat on both sides of the Pacific Ocean, but to maintain a state of fighting without breaking.

So they are mainly in the mentality of watching the excitement.

But for the other country involved, America, the situation is not so relaxed and happy.

When the X51A test had problems, they were able to use the mentality of celebrating a funeral to make a "partial success". In addition to wanting to evade the project review of the Accountability Bureau in this way, there is another factor that is really not in a hurry-

Yes, the first flight did not meet expectations.

But at least it has made significant progress compared to the past, and looking around the world, there is no competitor worth looking at.

Who would have thought that in less than half a year, this competitor would actually jump out?

Therefore, the originally balanced situation between the parties involved in the X51A project was quickly broken.

Soon someone couldn't sit still...

Colorado.

Peterson Air Force Base.

In recent days, General Lance Lord, commander of the Air Force Space Command, has been a little anxious.

As the actual commander of the land-based and air-based strategic forces of the United States, he certainly can't be satisfied with knowing that "China is developing a new weapon", which even the spectators have heard of.

So as early as last week, he had asked his space unit to cooperate with the intelligence department to carry out more specific intelligence collection and analysis.

However, after a few days, the whole thing was like a drop in the ocean, with no response at all.

After failing to concentrate on reading the work report of the previous quarter for the third time, Lord simply gave up completely, closed the folder and threw it aside, and then opened an encrypted document called [Force Application and Launch from Continental United States] on the computer.

"Force Application and Domestic Launch", according to the usual alphabetical naming method of the United States, is abbreviated as FALCON.

Although it sounds like a civilian transportation project, it actually involves a series of hypersonic verification aircraft with different technical solutions.

In fact, it is not a brand new plan. As early as the beginning of the 21st century, it had received some funding support from the Space Command and Lockheed Martin was selected to be responsible for the concept development.

However, after the X43A led by NASA and Boeing undertook specific tasks entered the fast lane, the FALCON plan received the treatment of "restricted funding" from Congress at a key hearing in 2005, and has basically stagnated since then.

It was not until the test of X51A at the beginning of the year that someone turned out the relevant documents and handed them to Lord, hoping that he could lead his brothers to rush again.

Lord is still quite positive about this matter.

Although both are air force, X51A is closer to a cruise missile and will inevitably be controlled by the aviation force in the future, while the HTV series aircraft in the FALCON plan needs to be launched by a ballistic missile, which is more in line with the positioning of the Space Command.

He will retire in about two years, and he must leave something that can be remembered by future generations.

Of course, more importantly, the relationship between Lord himself and Lockheed Martin is closer, and the latter has promised to give a well-paid foreign relations specialist as a retirement position in the future.

However, human desires are always unlimited.

If he can get another big project for Lockheed Martin before then, this "specialist" may not be promoted to "director"...

...

Just when Lord was looking forward to his wonderful retirement life, a hurried sound of footsteps finally came from outside the door.

After knocking on the door, John Raymond would walk into the office, and the report of the former had a few days of reports under the armpit.

There is no mistake, one, one, one, one, one, one, one, one 619, one book, one, one, one, one, one, one, a book!

Lod raised his head, and his eyes flashed for a moment, as if the new pension position and the annual salary of 1.5 million US dollars were beckoning to him. The restlessness in his heart disappeared instantly.

"John, I thought you forgot about this."

But Raymond's expression is still serious, obviously can't laugh:

"Admiral, we have tried our best, but there is very little news that we can get."

Lord's heart was also tight, but the face was not revealed:

"Let's talk about it first."

At present, the most ideal situation is that he can get specific news about the progress of the research and development of Huaxia, and then use the threat of the other party and the delay of X51A. limit.

Of course, his fundamental purpose is to get greater benefits in the rotating door, so even if you discount, it is not unacceptable.

Raymond open the folder:

"First of all, the eye -locked satellite observed the new situation in a missile shooting range in the northwest of Huaxia. Originally, Huaxia was conducting anti -ship ballistic missile experiments and successfully hit an simulated target that may have mobile capabilities ... According to the law, according to the law, They should collect the relevant data of this experiment and restore the facilities of the target area to prepare for the next test shooting, but the activities of most personnel and equipment have stopped, and some of them have been transferred to another area of ​​about 6.5 kilometers away, but There is no new action yet. It is speculated that it is a target for special demand for the new weapon test and deployment ... "

"Our intelligence staff tries to analyze some clues from the peripheral mobilization of Huaxia Engineering Army, but the other party has a high degree of confidentiality. I only know that one of the engineering brigades belonging to the second artillery and an engineering tour under the Army recently received the transfer command. , But you can't get more detailed information ... "

He turned the file to the latter page, and as soon as he was about to continue, it was interrupted by Lord:

"What about the procurement of raw materials?"

"Construction projects can be handed over to the engineering army forces, but construction materials are always impossible for military factories to produce ... and even if it is produced by military factories, such a large range of actions should always be somewhat traces."

Raymond shook his head:

"The intelligence department also considers this, but I did not find any part of the part ... I can only say that either they have found any new channels, or they are not in the amount of raw materials. Moreover, it will not affect the combat reserve, so that the purchases can be dispersed into other orders, unless there is a direct related internal material, it can be left without traces. "

Lord ignored the previous possibility:

"Mobilize the personnel and equipment of the two engineering brigades, but there are few engineering materials used?"

Lord couldn't think of it for a while, what kind of target this would be.

Most of the American missile weapons tests were completed on the sea/lake, either hitting a target boat directly or simply piercing into the water. There is really no experience in this area, so I have to signal Raymond to continue.

"In addition, Huaxia has recently concentrated a group of R & D personnel. It is speculated that it has restarted a stagnant medium -range missile project. It is likely to prepare for their new hypersonic weapon projects, or use the opportunity to develop new models to promote it by the way. The old project that was blocked before, you know, they are good at doing this ... "

Hearing this, Lord, who was originally lazy, sat upright in an instant:

"In detail, how do you speculate?"