USSR 1991

Page 195

"This is the first time I have set foot on this modern-class ship. I heard that you insist on completing the last cruise?" General Zhang patted the deck of the modern-class ship, "I also just arrived in Vladivostok, and I haven't arranged a place to stay yet. I just came here directly. I have been on quite a few ships, but this is the first time I have set foot on this Type 956 Hyundai-class ship."

As a representative of a country, General Zhang did not show the restraint of a representative of another country at all. Instead, he looked calm and calm, like a good friend who has known him for many years, walking on the deck of a modern class.

"Would you like to introduce your ship to me?" General Zhang asked.

"Of course I would." Kutuzov nodded, introducing the Hyundai class in front of General Zhang like a treasure, "The overall design of this ship is centered around anti-ship warfare, so its forecastle Two sets of quadruple-mounted SS-N-22 anti-ship missile launchers are arranged on both sides, one double-tube 130mm naval gun for each of the A and Y gun positions, and one SA-N-7 hurricane single gun for each of the B and X gun positions. Arm anti-aircraft missile launcher, powerful anti-ship combat capability makes Type 956 the most powerful destroyer in the Soviet Navy. The most important weapon of Type 956 is two sets of quadruple P-100 sandfly supersonics located on both sides of the front of the bridge Anti-ship missile launcher, in addition, there are two AK-630 55mm grenade launchers on board, and can carry 22 mines. Once the US ship is bitten by the modern class, the final result will be bad or bad."

These anti-ship weapons were only used during exercises, and even Kutuzov didn't know what would happen if he really shot the US Nimitz aircraft carrier.

"Its bow and stern are each equipped with a double-mounted 130mm70-caliber AK-130 naval gun, which is the largest caliber naval gun in the world except for the 16-inch cannon of the Iowa-class battleship throughout the entire era. In addition to being commanded by the MR-184 fire control radar and directly controlled by the situation room, you can also choose to use the photoelectric sighting device on the upper right of the turret for fire control."

Kutuzov showed off the advantages of modern-class firepower, which is also the point that Type 956 is most proud of. The Slavic nation, who is extremely fanatical about artillery and anti-ships, likes to tear everything apart with a powerful firepower net.

"But apart from the weapons, the other places are not very brilliant." General Zhang said bluntly, "Its old main engine steam boiler is time-consuming and laborious to maintain, and it does not have the automatic radio communication system that should be equipped. was the cause of the early decommissioning of the Hyundai class."

"Yes."

Kutuzov's originally happy heart suddenly poured a basin of cold water. The guest in front of him said exactly the same as Avakyants at that time. This is why the Soviet Navy gave up these old antiques.They can't keep up with the combat thinking of the new era, and they are either thrown into museums, or they can only become target ships.

"They are like our withered veterans. No matter how brilliant their achievements are, they can no longer keep up with the times."

Kutuzov felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned his head, just in time to see the other party looking at him with a smile, and said with relief, "Even so, this cannot stop their loyalty to the motherland. We will slowly Fades, but glory never grows old."

Kutuzov looked at the aging but still majestic Type 956 destroyer and muttered to himself.

"Yes, no matter what, they can't stop their loyalty to the Red Navy."

"Goodbye, Modern Class."

Chapter 434 New Modern Class Destroyer

Long before Yanayev proposed the plan to abolish the navy, the Ministry of Defense began to contact suitable buyers for these old ships, so that these ships that were about to be eliminated could create final value for the Soviet Union. The former Minister of Defense Yazov Comrades visited China and expressed their willingness to sell ships cheaply.It is hoped that this will promote the development of friendship and mutual assistance between the Soviet Union and Asia-Pacific countries.

Of course, Yazov also seized the right time. In March this year, the Asia-Pacific region just experienced a lot of turmoil. From March 25th to March [-]th, China carried out the second "Joint [-]" across the Straits. The missile launch and the military exercise of the island seizure operation suddenly presented a tense situation in East Asia.The United States sent the USS Independence aircraft carrier battle group from the Persian Gulf to the Asia-Pacific waters, and is scheduled to join the USS Nimitz aircraft carrier battle group to ensure that the situation will not suddenly get out of control and intensify friction in the Asia-Pacific region.

Under such circumstances, the meaning of the Soviet Union's arms sales to China is self-evident. This is not only for arms sales, but also to maintain the political balance in the Asia-Pacific region. Facing enormous challenges, as allies with the same interests, no one wants to see the other party suppress the greatest enemy.

Aircraft carriers and cruisers that are mainly used for anti-ship and air defense are included in the scope of this arms sale. There is a deal between one Kenda-class guided missile cruiser.Other members of the Chinese delegation went to the Black Sea Shipyard to conduct field inspections and trade negotiations on the last Kiev-class aircraft carrier, while he was in Vladivostok to negotiate destroyers and cruisers.

Inside the hotel where he stayed, General Zhang put forward corresponding opinions based on his temporary visit, "Soviet destroyers and cruisers can only exist as emergency plans to deal with crises, and cannot achieve substantial development, because they happen to be the new generation In the transitional period when domestic plans have not yet taken shape, several long-term new ship plans in China cannot be matured in a short period of time. It is necessary to quickly obtain some modern ships that can quickly form combat capabilities to solve the urgent need for vertical launch of anti-aircraft missiles developed by Type 051B destroyers. The system is facing a serious technical bottleneck; since the performance index of HHQ-8 is not better than the Type 956, I think it is very necessary to purchase the Type 956 destroyer at this time."

"Besides, the Asia-Pacific region is very unstable. If we have a strong naval force, will we still be suppressed by those clowns and the forces behind them?"

Hearing this, everyone's hearts darkened. The recent missile drills and island landing drills have become more and more frequent. When Masao Iwasato visited the United States in private, the Chinese side showed an angry gesture, and even the US side had to Be cautious and start to strengthen the game of military power in the Asia-Pacific waters.

Thinking of this, General Zhang clenched his fists. He looked out of the window. It was a peaceful night in Vladivostok. There were only sporadic lights and the sound of waves in the distance.But the southeast coast of my motherland is covered with clouds.

"But this Hyundai-class ship has been in service for nearly 16 years?" Someone questioned, "Is it necessary to buy a ship that has been in service for 16 years?"

"That depends on the price they propose. If the price is low, we are naturally willing to buy it. If the price does not meet our expectations, we will reject it." General Zhang said decisively. "The main goal of our visit to Vladivostok this time is not the second-hand modern-class and second-hand Kenda-class ships, but the Yekaterinburg and Nevsky, which have not yet been completed."

The construction of Yekaterinburg and Nevsky, which were originally stopped due to funding problems in history, was not stopped because of funding problems. Yanayev never thought about continuing to build this outdated Type 956 destroyer, but the naval strength is far from China, which is not strong enough, saw the importance of the Type 956, so it wanted to buy two ships that were not fully completed.

When Yekaterinburg stopped construction this year, some equipment, cables, drainage pipes, 130mm naval guns, AK-63030mm machine guns, and supporting MR-123-02 fire control radars, 533mm torpedo tubes, etc. were installed, and the side walls were polished. stage, the progress of the project has reached 65%, while the Alexander Nevsky is still parked on the berth, but the installation of the compartment has been completed, and the progress of the project is 35%.In the eyes of General Zhang, these two ships can provide a transitional guarantee for the development of the Chinese navy, but in the end, they have to rely on themselves to build a truly powerful naval force.

"Remember, the Type 956 Modern Class is just a cover. What we really want to take down is the Yekaterinburg and the Nevsky. These two are our main goals. As for the others, they are just bonuses. Ken As the oldest type of guided missile cruiser, the Da-class is no longer of much use value, if the Soviet Union is willing to sell it at a low price, it can be considered as a contribution to the expansion of the Chinese naval force."

General Zhang continued, "And we have to let the Northern Shipyard build it according to our plan, replace the old steam boiler, add an automated radio communication system, and have a matching SA-N-7 The air defense missile system and the 3M-30 supersonic anti-ship missile, they agreed to these three points before we considered other purchase items. And the superiors also said that if the 956 model is good, the Ministry of Defense will make additional orders.”

"What if they refuse?" asked the attendant.

"Just as we urgently need to buy new ships, the Soviet Union is also eager to get rid of those old ships. If so many ships are eliminated at one time, without combat, the usual maintenance costs alone will be enough for these old men. It's too late, so the time for this negotiation is urgent, which is not good for both parties, and it is also beneficial to both parties. As long as whoever can hold his breath, whoever is the ultimate winner. The Northern Shipyard has also been on the verge of shrinking due to the reduction of the size of the navy over the years. In the situation of bankruptcy, if we don’t buy these two Type 956 modern-class ships, they may not be able to operate.”

"So that's how it is." Only then did the others realize that the purpose of this negotiation was actually here. The negotiation between major powers was originally a silent contest, except of course the one in India.

"Okay, everyone, get ready, this negotiation may be an uphill battle."

General Zhang stretched his waist, packed up all the negotiating materials, and put them in his briefcase.Tomorrow he will have a meeting with the top leaders of the Pacific Fleet, and this meeting will certainly not be as friendly as this afternoon.

Chapter 435 Tragedy Will Not Repeat Again

The person in charge of negotiating with the Chinese representative, General Zhang, is Avakyantz, commander-in-chief of the Pacific Fleet, and Vorobev, who is the representative of the Ministry of Defense, and the location is set in Vladivostok. It seems that both parties are aiming for a quick battle. , finalize this order as soon as possible.Quickly sell the things that should be sold.

General Zhang didn't have time to spend with the representatives of the Soviet Union, so at the beginning of the negotiations, he showed a very tough and aggressive posture. As soon as he came up, he pointed out the Kenda-class guided missile cruiser and the Type 956 destroyer in front of the Soviet representatives. various problems in between.

"Kenda-class guided missile cruiser, as the first generation of guided missile cruiser of the Soviet Union, I think it goes without saying that it has been in service for such a long time. The Chinese side will not spend a high price to buy such a ship. At that time we worried that the cost of maintenance would be higher than the cost of buying a new ship. As for the current Type 956 destroyer, let alone, its boiler power is low, maintenance is troublesome, and it often breaks down. And it has been used for nearly 14-year-old ship, how can we spend a lot of money to buy a destroyer that is destined to become a thing of the past.”

At the negotiating table, General Zhang still used Chinese to communicate with the Soviet delegation. After all, some professional term translators were more accurate than what he explained.

To General Zhang's disappointment, after he picked the first wave of thorns, the other party didn't respond at all, and he was still calmly waiting for General Zhang to continue talking.Especially when they exchanged glances with Avakyantz, the other party even just smiled and nodded, politely showing his kindness.

This made him feel a little at a loss, as if he was going to charge the other party with a blow and directly make them mess up, but he didn't expect this punch to hit the cotton, which was not painful or itchy.The Soviet side didn't seem to care how old their ships were, and there was even a feeling that you loved buying and selling.

There is no other way.General Zhang originally planned to launch a second wave of attacks after their rebuttals, destroying the other party's confidence in the negotiation step by step, but since this is the case, General Zhang continued to exert pressure until Avakyants and Vorobiev died because of their mistakes. yield.However, looking at the two amiable high-ranking officers of the navy opposite, General Zhang was really worried that the other party would not accept his softness.

General Zhang continued, "It is far less cost-effective for China to purchase your Kenda class and Type 956 modern class than to purchase your unfinished Yekaterinburg and Nevsky. At least the latter is still an unfinished destroyer. There is also the value of changes. It is not a bunch of old guys that have been running for decades and are about to be scrapped. If your quotation is not reasonable enough, the Chinese side can only express regret that we are only willing to buy your remaining two ships that have not been successfully built. It’s not about buying a bunch of broken copper and iron to go back.”

"If you don't want to, this negotiation will come to an end."

General Zhang directly threw out a threat.

Originally wanted to rush to sell the obsolete ships, but he didn't expect that the other party would focus on his unfinished destroyer instead. Avakyants frowned, and he turned his head and whispered to Vorobev, his eyes flickering from time to time. He glanced at the Chinese delegation.

Seeing this scene, General Zhang's lips formed an imperceptible arc. It seems that the other party has officially fallen into his trap. As long as he grasps the rhythm next, he can completely buy the Yekaterinburg and Nevsky. No., for the purpose of sending modern-class and Kenda-class.

However, he obviously did not expect that the Soviet delegation would consider General Zhang's request very carefully.

"Ekaterinburg and Nevsky can be sold. After all, after abandoning Type 956, the Soviet Navy plans to abandon the construction of a series of follow-up models. If the Chinese side purchases demand, the Soviet side will also make a careful decision. , What do you think? General Zhang."

These moves by the representative of the Soviet Navy are like using softness to overcome rigidity in the hands of Tai Chi Tui, completely resolving all of General Zhang’s offensives. Originally, he thought that the Soviet Navy was more nervous and the old ships could not be sold, but he did not expect them to be ready to generalize. Unfinished destroyer ready for sale.

This is when Avakyantz began to make his own request, "Of course, if the Chinese side is willing, two destroyers, including a set of supporting SA-N-7 air defense missile systems and 3M-30 supersonic anti-ship missiles, and The new steam boilers, all the updated communication systems, a total of [-] million dollars will be packaged and sold, and I think this contract will definitely not let you suffer."

Two brand new Type 956E ships worth US$[-] million. This price is already a good choice for the Chinese side. They bought two Hyundai-class ships at a reasonable price.

"Okay, China is willing to accept this price. What about the next Kenda-class and Hyundai-class destroyers? What price will you propose?" General Zhang asked straightforwardly.The most important part of this negotiation has reached an agreement, so the next Hyundai-class and Kenda-class are somewhat irrelevant. If the price proposed by the other party is too outrageous, General Zhang will directly reject it.

"A Kenda-class and a Hyundai-class totaled 2000 million and were sold to China," Vorobev said.

"We reject this price." General Zhang replied directly, "We will not spend [-] million to buy a Kenda-class and Hyundai-class without supporting facilities. The Chinese side is not a fool, and we ask the Soviet Union to show due sincerity."

In the eyes of General Zhang, the Kenda-class and Hyundai-class without supporting facilities cost 9000 million at most, and he would not accept the price on the Internet.

Avakyantz took Vorobiev's words and gave General Zhang a surprise, "We are referring to the Kenda-class and Hyundai-class with supporting anti-ship systems and anti-aircraft missile systems, including anti-submarine helicopters. The price is 2000 million."

This time it was the Chinese representative's turn to take a deep breath. This kind of generosity was only felt when the big dogs in Saudi Arabia bought Dongfeng missiles. Even General Zhang found it unbelievable. Such a price is definitely not a half-selling half-free ?Or are you sure that these ships are not scrapped?

"Are you surprised?" Avakyantz said, "We know that you are facing a lot of pressure in the strait, so this arms sale is equivalent to using Soviet ships to relieve your pressure from the Pacific region, although we have also done so before. Tit for tat days, but the Soviet Union is not stupid. They know who the real enemy is, and know that if there is still internal strife at this time, we will only have the fate of being suppressed. If China falls, the end of the Soviet Union will not be far away .”