Great Power Industry: You're a private company building an aircraft carrier?

In the warm spring of March, when flowers are in bloom, Laiyang is a vibrant and lively place.

On this day, the docks of Laiyang Shipyard were adorned with fluttering banners and colorful flags, creating a festive atmosphere.

The scene here even alarmed people in other factory areas.

"What are they doing at the shipyard? Celebrating Women's Day? There probably aren't many women there."

"Women hold up half the sky, so we should respect our female comrades. Isn't it normal to hold a special celebration for them? What's all the fuss about? Our President Qin is not the kind of person who favors men over women!"

puff!

Passersby laughed: "You guys are so silly! Today is the day the aircraft carrier was launched, and you're trying to connect it to Women's Day? Besides, Women's Day wasn't even today; it was yesterday!"

Aircraft carrier launched?

Everyone was shocked.

This matter cannot be kept secret. After all, satellites fly overhead every day, monitoring the construction progress of this large ship. Once it's halfway built, we'll be able to tell what it is.

However, those Westerners, when we don't have them, they will make a lot of noise and exaggerate the threat of our aircraft carriers. But when we do have them, they will turn around and say that having aircraft carriers is useless, and so on.

Walk your own path and let others talk!

Several luxury cars drove into the shipyard and headed straight for the dock. When the cars stopped, Old Liu, with his full head of white hair, got out of the car and looked at the warships adorned with colorful flags, his vision slowly blurring.

More than a decade ago, he had visited the West and seen an American aircraft carrier. Although the Americans allowed him to see it, they did not allow him to touch it. So he could only put his hands behind his back and lean his upper body forward, just like an obedient schoolboy.

Back then, Mr. Liu longed for his country to have its own aircraft carrier, and now, it finally does, and it's about to be launched!

"Old Liu, welcome, welcome!" Qin Chuan stepped forward: "Did any female comrades from our superiors come this time? We need a female comrade to perform the bottle-breaking ceremony later."

This is also in line with international standards. Although it's a Western culture, it's for good luck.

"There's one right here!" Old Liu said with a smile as he looked at Yang Xue, who came up to help him.

“Old Liu, I can’t do it. It has to be a female leader with status, I…”

“You are the chairman of Laiyang Group, that’s quite a high position, you’re the one!” Old Liu said, striding forward with great strides, his steps light and breezy, without needing Yang Xue’s help.

His slightly trembling hand spoke volumes about Old Liu's excitement at that moment.

Three microphones were placed on the table. Old Liu sat behind the table, looking at the dark mass of people below, and took a deep breath to calm himself down.

"Back then, the Western powers used their warships and cannons to force open the doors of our motherland. Our country was shattered and invaded by the powers. It was only through the brave and fearless warriors who sacrificed their lives that we were able to establish the new China!"

With a deep gaze and a calm tone, Old Liu recounted history: "When the new China was founded, it was poor and backward. In that difficult time, our country was willing to spend four tons of gold to buy back four warships, because we knew that without a strong navy, there would be no peaceful and stable environment! A strong navy means a strong country!"

"However, due to our underdeveloped economy, we have long relied on air, submarine, and fast ships. But... those hard times are over, and our navy will usher in a period of great development! We will have advanced destroyers and advanced aircraft carriers. I am very happy because... we live in this great era!"

As the gentle spring breeze blows, everyone bathed in the morning sun has a fire burning in their heart!

"Now, I hereby announce that the No. 16 aircraft carrier is named Dongshan, and the launching ceremony officially begins!"

Qin Chuan had mixed feelings. When the aircraft carrier was being built, it only had a hull number and would be named after it was launched. The naming of the aircraft carrier after the province had been decided. It was just a matter of which province would have the honor. Now, the first one was the Dongshan. Was he benefiting from the aircraft carrier, or was the aircraft carrier benefiting from him?

"Cut the cable, throw the bottle!"

Cutting mooring lines is an ancient tradition. Ships built on slipways would simply have their mooring lines cut before launching. Of course, things are not so primitive now, and docks no longer require mooring lines, but the ritual has still been preserved.

With an excited expression, Babich represented the shipyard workers, while Zheng Ming, looking radiant in his military uniform, represented the navy. Almost simultaneously, the two swung their fire axes and cut the finger-thick marker cable on the dock.

Yang Xue walked onto the stage and gently pressed the button next to the microphone. The champagne that had been prepared on the crane on the dock was released instantly, arcing through the air and crashing into the bow of the ship. Bang! The bottle shattered, and champagne flew everywhere.

Bang! Bang!

Fireworks, which had been prepared in advance, soared into the sky one after another. Fire trucks, which had been ready on both sides of the dock, began to spray water jets towards the opposite side. The two water jets intertwined to form an arched water gate.

Seeing all this, Old Liu was very satisfied: "Xiao Chuan, you've got quite a few tricks up your sleeve!"

"These are all things I learned from watching TV in later generations!" Qin Chuan smiled and said, "Of course, this is our country's first aircraft carrier, so the launching ceremony must be grand!"

Accompanied by the sound of a military band, seawater slowly filled the dock. Once it was level with the outside, the dock gate opened, and two tugboats waiting there worked together to pull the aircraft carrier out, slowly heading towards the outfitting pier on the other side.

The aircraft carrier launching ceremony has successfully concluded!

"Let's go to the outfitting dock and take a look!" Old Liu strode off, his steps quick and powerful.

A satellite streaks across space.

Across the ocean, the Pentagon.

"This speed is incredible! They completed the ship's construction in less than two years... This is unbelievable..."

Woolsey couldn't continue. Even at the most professional Newport News Shipbuilding, it takes three years to build an aircraft carrier for the U.S. Navy! Not to mention the one that recently had a launch malfunction, the timeline would be even longer.

The Easterners actually launched that aircraft carrier in less than two years. That speed is like taking off on a rocket!

“That’s right, their construction progress has far exceeded our expectations.” Steadman said with a complicated expression, “However… they are using a segmented construction method, and they also have a large number of workers recruited from Er Mao, so it is normal for the progress to be fast.”

American shipbuilding uses a tower shipbuilding method, starting with laying the keel and building layer by layer upwards. This method is more traditional, but slower.

When the Russians were building aircraft carriers, they started using a modular construction method, cutting the ship vertically into several sections, just like cutting a loaf of bread. One section was built in the dock, and another section was built on the slipway next to it. Once they were finished, they could be hoisted over and welded together, which greatly accelerated the construction progress.

At the same time, the accuracy requirements are very high. If there is any error and the parts cannot be connected, they will be scrapped.

"Hmph, an aircraft carrier isn't just a shell; it contains a lot of specialized equipment: engines, catapults, arresting gear, landing aids... These are all things that Easterners..."

Woolsey initially wanted to say that they had none, but then he thought, that didn't seem right; it seemed that Easterners had everything!

"Hmph, even if they build an aircraft carrier, they won't be able to form a combat capability. A navy that lasts a century is no joke! They'll need at least twenty years to master the operation of the aircraft carrier and the command of the fleet!"

"Then how do we communicate this to the outside world? Should we exaggerate the threat, or..."

"What threat? When have Easterners ever been a threat to us? You're kidding! We're the most powerful people in the world!"