Seeing The New Weapons (2)

Director Sibilker tactfully began explaining the transport aircraft.

“This is the first transport aircraft we have developed, and it is large enough to carry a total of twenty-two people. It also has the capability to travel a distance of as much as 1,000 kilometers in one trip, and with two engines installed, it can fly at a much faster speed than at least the Dragan, our current main fighter.”

“Twenty-two people. Then it should have some effect as a transport aircraft.”

“That is correct. In addition, it can also transport two tons of cargo.”

“Two tons. Isn’t that too little?”

“No. It is only able to transport two tons of cargo because seats for passengers are required.”

‘Assuming the average adult man weighs 70 kilograms, and if the crew is included too, another 1.5 tons would be added, wouldn’t it? If there are a little more, it could increase further, but in any case, does that mean it can sufficiently transport 3.5 tons?’

“If that transport aircraft is modified into a bomber, it could carry over 3.5 tons of bombs, couldn’t it?”

“Of course. I was actually about to explain the bomber version as well. As another version of that Arsis transport aircraft, it can be given the capability to load over three tons of bombs and pour them straight down toward the ground.”

“So the name Arsis was given to the transport aircraft?”

“That is correct. What do you think of it?”

“This name is good as well. Not bad.”

“Thank you, Your Highness.”

At Ian’s praise, Director Sibilker’s expression looked quite pleased. In any case, flying a distance of 1,000 kilometers could be called a groundbreaking range when he thought of the past. However, it could not help but fall short compared to airships. In other words, that meant such a thing could never cross the great ocean.

‘Still, if it moves by landing in stages toward the Old Continent, it should be able to show sufficient commercial value.’

Since it could move far faster than an airship, he thought that if proper operating facilities were prepared, it would be able to reach its destination at a much faster speed. In fact, improving performance to this extent in only about twenty years was already remarkable.

When he thought of the Ed, the first-generation aircraft that had flown slowly through the sky, this was enormous progress. Back then, people had to personally carry bombs by hand and throw them toward the ground. Considering that reality, they had achieved tremendous progress.

‘As more time passes, transport aircraft capable of moving far longer distances than now will probably be developed as well.’

Thinking of it that way, it was not bad—no, rather, it could be called a considerably good result. Of course, just as they had developed like this, the Magnia Empire, the Moria Empire, the Noma Empire, and even the newly revealed Republic of Promance would soon unveil much more advanced forms of aircraft as well.

‘For us, who do not have a larger country than them and do not have a larger population than them, it is enough just to be able to develop at a similar level.’

He did not intend to pursue becoming a hegemonic power, and he thought it would be enough simply to maintain enough military strength to speak loudly against the other empires. And he was doing exactly that. Even now, there was no country that could pressure their kingdom.

‘At the very least, unless they are prepared to lose the use of their arms and legs, they cannot pick a fight with us.’

After checking the transport aircraft as well, Ian was also able to see a half-track armored vehicle named “Bart.” That, too, could be called an important strategic tool in its own way. It would be able to mount machine guns, mortars, and even anti-tank guns, though they would be small-caliber ones.

Since a relatively much greater quantity could be produced, he thought it would become a fairly important means of projecting firepower. Even if they gave up on defensive power, if they at least mounted weapons capable of dealing some degree of damage to tanks and overwhelmed the enemy numerically, it would become a sufficient fighting force.

‘First of all, it is also a decent transport vehicle for moving troops, so once it is completed, we should produce at least around 3,000 units.’

Safely transporting soldiers to the battlefield on a battlefield where bullets were flying was also an important means, and the half-track armored vehicle would be able to break through rough terrain sufficiently while safely carrying troops to the battlefield. Since it was a weapons system that was necessary in many ways, he planned to produce it in large numbers.

Like that, he checked various other weapons as well, and they were certainly far superior in performance to the weapons that had appeared so far. From howitzers with much larger calibers and longer barrels, to ground-type anti-aircraft guns that targeted fighters in the sky, and mortars and bombs with much larger calibers and improved stability, truly many things were being developed.

“What do you think?”

At Director Sibilker’s cautious question, Ian smiled as if he had been asked something obvious and said,

“You have truly worked hard all this time. I could feel how much effort you put in to develop these things. Please continue doing your best during the remaining development period as well.”

“Thank you. We will do our utmost during the remaining schedule as well and work toward completion.”

The faces of the many researchers belonging to the Polia Kingdom who were gathered around Director Sibilker brightened at the king’s praise. Of course, the personnel belonging to the Doicheun Empire also looked rather cheerful. Since the King of Polia had praised them, they felt that their own emperor would be greatly satisfied as well.

“Now, now, instead of just standing here, let us record today’s events. Shouldn’t all of you leave your faces in history?”

It was an important new weapons development project of the Polia Kingdom and the Doicheun Empire, and as such, there was a very high possibility that the photographs would remain in history books in the future. Ian thus took a photograph that would go down in history together with hundreds of researchers and officers.

They could not reveal such things to the world right away, but once it became acceptable to reveal them, many people would learn that such efforts and such researchers had existed. Ian intended to personally lead that matter.

‘Everyone should know their efforts. More than that, it really was right to come see it in person.’

Seeing it directly with his own eyes allowed him to accurately calculate how to proceed with the future expansion of military strength. Like that, he exchanged various conversations, and afterward, he prepared to return. He wanted to stay longer, but if he calculated the time needed to return, the gap in his absence would become too long, so he had to leave quickly.

Ian boarded the submarine he had ridden in on again and immediately settled into his seat, and in the midst of this situation, he could see Secretary Mardin lost in thought. Ian asked him as if asking what he thought.

“How did it look to you?”

“It was truly… impressive. Especially seeing the performance of the fighters, I think I understand why Your Highness says the future is the age of the sky.”

“That is right. From now on, it can be said that whoever controls the sky will control the battlefield. That is why seizing air superiority must be placed as the top priority.”

“If fighters like those come flying in swarms, then the moment we cannot shoot them all down, bombs will fall, and battleships will be struck without being able to properly resist.”

The speed of the fighters he had thought of before and the speed of the fighters that had appeared now could not help but be far different. Since he had seen them directly, he could not help but feel in his skin how much the situation could change. At this sight, Ian said in satisfaction.

“That is why I prioritize fighters along with aircraft carriers. Armin, you understand what I mean, don’t you?”

His gaze had turned at some point toward Armin, who was holding his chin with a thoughtful expression. It seemed he had received his own shock from the sight of the new weapons he had seen this time. Since he possessed outstanding ability in ship design, the power of the fighters and large bombs shown this time must have shocked him considerably.

“Haa, now that things like that have appeared, the age of battleships is over.”

“You must be quite disappointed.”

“That’s right. When the Avalon-class battleship appeared, I thought our Polia Kingdom had finally entered the age of battleships like the empires.”

“That is why I told you. I have no intention of producing many battleships. Even now it is like this, so what do you think will happen later when bombs weighing over one ton appear and are used?”

“If they hit, the battleship itself would be completely smashed apart.”

“The reason I said we would produce one battleship every five years is also because of that. In fact, I will reduce the number of battleships as well. I am thinking of moving all the Monglia-class battleships we have operated for a long time to second-line duty or retiring them within at least ten years.”

“If that happens, the number of battleships will decrease a lot.”

“Instead, we can use the maintenance costs saved from that to build things like aircraft carriers and cruisers.”

“You had been telling us to properly make air-defense cruisers since before. Now I finally understand a little why you said that.”

“The means to protect aircraft carriers from enemy aircraft attacks are air-defense cruisers. That is why they are absolutely necessary.”

The enemies would also come to understand the importance of aircraft carriers later on, and they would build many aircraft carriers and load aircraft into them. And there was a high possibility that they would soon send such fighters to target their aircraft carriers. To stop such aircraft, ships specialized in air defense were absolutely necessary.

‘In addition, if I think about the existence of missiles that will appear later, honestly speaking, the usefulness of naval guns will quickly decrease.’

For that reason, when thinking of the future, he believed battleships were not important. They simply needed to develop them as a matter of appearances, build them in small numbers, and deploy them. Of course, many naval personnel still likely did not understand this choice of his.

‘I cannot send all of them here to make them confirm it, so I have no choice but to leave them be.’

He thought it was important that at least close aides such as Secretary Mardin and Armin knew this fact. Amid such thoughts, the submarine they had boarded slowly began to depart.

As it moved, cutting through the sea, and as soon as it entered waters of some depth, it slowly began to travel by submerging.

Like that, Ian was able to return to the island that was his vacation spot, and only after spending a few more days there was he able to return to the mainland capital. It was a slightly regrettable vacation, but it could not be helped. Still, he was satisfied that he had spent a vacation in which he could build memories with his family.

August 15th, Jemir, capital of the Doicheun Empire.

The atmosphere in this metropolis of eight million people was not very good. Since the defeat in the Great War, everything had been on a downward curve. Because they had to repay enormous reparations, many things had to be reduced.

At present, the Doicheun Empire had not only lost all of its colonies, but its economic situation had also hit rock bottom. Many companies had gone bankrupt and collapsed, and many people were in economic hardship, to the point that with sharply rising prices, they could not even properly buy food to eat.

To begin with, if they had won the war, they could have repaid to some extent the enormous finances they had pulled in during the war, but they could not even do that and were even paying reparations, so there was no way a proper economic recovery could happen.

At present, the total population of the Doicheun Empire was 280 million. During the Great War, it had decreased to 270 million, but because many babies had been born during that time, it had risen back to the 280-million range. As such, for the empire that had to support such a population, it could not help but become a burden.

The empire’s sources of money were properly drying up. Not only had even the facilities of the factories located inside the empire been taken away, but various rights and interests had also all been taken by the nations belonging to the opposing alliance, so even if they tried to recover somehow, they were in a situation where recovery was impossible.

In the midst of this situation, even the military had been reduced, leaving them in a humiliating situation where only the bare minimum of defense was possible. The Doicheun Imperial Army, which once had 2.8 million regular troops and had possessed military strength so powerful that it operated a massive force of over ten million during the Great War, now had no choice but to possess a mere 200,000 troops.

Because this was the situation, the hearts of the Doicheun imperial citizens could not help but be filled with much resentment. Some dreamed of revenge for the past Great War, while others had a feeling of desperation.

Aside from that, there were also those who emigrated because they thought they could not live in the Doicheun Empire, and most of them headed to the Polia Kingdom. They chose the Polia Kingdom because it was apparently in the same language sphere, was currently living quite well, and had not been an enemy nation during the Great War.

More and more people crossed over while dreaming of new success and began again. Even while knowing this situation, the imperial family of the Doicheun Empire was unable to take any action.

Rather, there was even a sense that they were encouraging it, perhaps because they were in a situation where they could not handle the increasing population, so it seemed they had chosen to send people to other countries instead.

Meanwhile, inside the imperial palace. In the emperor’s office.

‘Prototypes, is it? Not bad.’

Emperor Rednix’s gaze was fixed entirely on the documents secretly delivered to him. There were materials on the new weapons that had been produced as prototypes through joint research with the Polia Kingdom, and every one of them was a decent weapon.

Originally, even these prototypes would not have been able to appear. At present, every military industry project in the Doicheun Empire had been blocked, and since the Great War, they had been unable to do anything. However, by secretly developing weapons with the Polia Kingdom like this, they had been able to create new weapons even while staying still.

‘The synergy effect is quite good in its own way.’

Although much of their technology and many of their technicians had gone over, in exchange, they did not need to worry about development costs. Unlike the empire’s situation, where money was drying up, the Polia Kingdom currently had a great deal of money coming in from everywhere, so it had the capacity to secretly develop such new weapons sufficiently.

‘More than that, I did not expect the King of Polia to personally go there and inspect them.’

It was said that he had visited the island where the new weapons were being researched in secret under the pretext of a vacation. That must mean his interest was that great. From that fact, Emperor Rednix could tell that he too was preparing for the future.

‘In any case, it will take several more years for development to be completed. What should I do then?’

For now, development would be completed. Once that happened, the quantity of weapons would be important. The problem was that they could not possess weapons such as tanks, nor could they possess fighters beyond a certain number. They were even in a situation where they could not openly deploy such new weapons.

‘In conclusion, we have no choice but to ask the Polia Kingdom to produce them by proxy and store them, but…’

The problem, as expected, was that the empire’s economy was extremely difficult. Since the Great War, many things have been on a downward curve. Therefore, there was nowhere for money to come from.

Basically, the finances that came from the empire’s scale could not be compared to other kingdoms and were enormous, but with that, they could only barely maintain things, and they could not achieve development.

‘There has to be something we can offer as collateral for them to produce the new weapons on our behalf. What would be good?’

As Emperor Rednix, he could not help but ponder what to use as collateral. Even if he wanted to find something of great value, they had already been taken by other nations, so finding anything itself could not help but be difficult.