Munitions Empire

Liu Guozhu is fiddling with his new toy: a new tank equipped with an automated reloading system. Its blast suppression system has been enhanced, which is a necessary design to protect the tank crew.

The new tank has one less loader, so the heavy routine maintenance tasks of the armored tank unit now have to be done by the remaining three people.

They need to regularly clean the barrel, check the tracks, and ensure all electronic equipment is powered on, tested, and calibrated.

The ballistic computer for the entire tank is likely more complex than a tank from other countries; it can provide precise data to ensure first-round hits.

The ammo feeding mechanism, resembling a roulette, looks very beautiful, with shells in various colors representing different functions.

Without the loader, the tank can swiftly reload shells in any situation, and its firing rate can be maintained even during off-road maneuvers. The new tank can deplete its ammo reserves in a matter of minutes, something that was impossible with previous models.

The new cannon also has a reliable smoke extraction device, which can keep the air inside the tank fresh, greatly enhancing the combat effectiveness of the tank crew.

Past tank smoke extractors could only work when the interior was filled with smoke, which in itself was inefficient.

The device installed on the gun barrel uses negative pressure to remove gunpowder combustion smoke from the breech, and does not need to wait for the tank interior to fill with smoke before starting to work. This design alone can greatly improve the combat efficiency of the tank crew.

As an ace tank commander, Liu Guozhu gave up many opportunities for promotion. This choice has kept him as a platoon leader, commanding five Type 64 main battle tanks.

He enjoys the feeling of controlling the tank and scoffs at the idea of commanding from the rear. In his view, a true warrior should drive a tank to break through enemy lines fiercely, eliminating all obstacles, and becoming the sharpest spear of the Empire.

The strength of the Great Tang Empire's armored corps is steadily rising, with a large number of Type 59 tanks paired with elite Type 64 tanks, surpassing the times.

The nearly mechanized infantry can easily keep up with the tank unit's advancement speed. If Santoku's blitzkrieg in World War II emphasized speed, then the speed of the Great Tang Empire's armored troops is even faster!

From the perspective of the Empire's senior commanders, future large-scale operations can almost avoid urban warfare. The enemy won't have time to turn important cities into fortress areas before the Empire's armored corps grinds them into dust.

And Liu Guozhu considers himself the person who will lead his troops to break through the frontlines first and keep pushing forward!

Another person aspiring to be the sharpest spear is currently sitting in a cramped cockpit, giving a thumbs-up to the ground crew beside him.

The nose landing gear of his aircraft is very sturdy, and at this moment, it is attached to a special device. The jet's nose is pointed at the bow of the aircraft carrier, with its exhaust already starting to roll and steam.

The ground crew kneels on one knee, throws out their palm, and makes a forward chopping motion. Instantly, the F4 Phantom Fighter fixed on the catapult is launched off the carrier's deck.

The acceleration of that instant is immense, so pilots usually have to grip the handles on both sides to adapt to the significant G-forces.

The two engines roar as they propel the aircraft into the distance; the Phantom Fighter, despite its slightly clumsy stance, is merely a transitional model hastily commissioned by the Navy for jet fighter deployment.

Tang Mo certainly won't easily give up the beloved Tomcat. Since the Navy has lit up the technology tree for aircraft carriers, the Tomcat is a topic that can't be ignored.

Combat capability might be temporary, but being cool lasts a lifetime. No youngster dreams of flying a Tomcat Fighter through the sky, and no one can refuse the Tomcat Fighter's fearsome combat capability.

It is a heavyweight carrier-based fighter in the truest sense, possessing interception capabilities beyond its time. From any perspective, it surpasses its predecessors and successors in majesty.

Compared to the Tomcat, the Phantom Fighter is almost like a clown. It is too unattractive, and its performance is actually immature.

Similarly, the Hornet Fighter, which succeeded the Tomcat, in all aspects, is merely a plastic toy. It is the result of self-castration by the United States Navy, bravely roaming Nanshan in loneliness.

In fact, Tang Mo also greatly admires the F-14 Tomcat Fighter. He believes he can use this plane until his Flying Shark Catapult Model is deployed on carriers or the J-15 enters service.

There's no way around it; looks equate to combat power. Just one look at the F-14 Fighter, and you know it's a terrifying war machine. It, together with its supporting weapons, was the pinnacle of carrier-based fighters in the 1980s.

There weren't any Flying Sharks back then. The Tomcat, capable of carrying the ultra-heavy Phoenix Air-to-Air Missile, had unrivaled power.

Sun Rui piloted the catapulted F-4 Goblin Fighter, beginning to climb, skimming over the sea, and bypassing a new missile destroyer on alert.

The radar on that destroyer kept spinning, surrounded by numerous electronic device antennas and fully automated ship cannons, making the whole fleet look even more modern.

The navy helicopter in the hovering shadow saw the plane departing, finally shifting its body: Its mission was to rescue pilots who fell into the water if the catapult failed. Now that the task is complete, it can vacate this position.

Lu Qianshan saw such a spectacle for the first time; he never dared to imagine such a scene before: A decade or so ago, he didn't even believe humans could fly in the sky.

Now, he witnessed with his own eyes a twin-engine jet fighter soaring towards the distant sky.

"It's spectacular!" He lowered his binoculars and looked at the aide beside him. "It's really unimaginable."

"Indeed, when I saw propeller planes take off from the carrier, I was already amazed; I never thought... now I can actually see..." The aide was speaking when an E-2 Early Warning Aircraft was catapulted out, the enormous disk on its back catching Lu Qianshan's attention.

"Is this the latest secret weapon?" Looking at the large disk, Lu Qianshan asked.

"Yes, with it... our aircraft... one can serve as three! And, the enemy's planes... will be henceforth untraceable." The aide confidently replied.