Chapter 1288 Reflections on Naval Development
A complete, information-based army group!
An air force brigade composed of the most advanced stealth fighters!
And... a naval base comprising eight frigates, a full range of auxiliary vessels, and a complete shore-based system?!
In the blink of an eye, Gu Chengyuan's brain, honed through countless trials and tribulations and accustomed to handling massive amounts of information and complex situations, had already completed a value assessment and strategic calculation of this unexpected "gift package."
At least 2.8 million in system funds!
This is almost ten times the total amount of liquid funds he currently has! It's a terrifying resource that he could hardly accumulate in a short period of time even if he sold everything he owned and scraped together!
Especially naval bases!
Thinking of this, his breathing quickened almost imperceptibly for a moment.
He knew all too well that the Navy was a true "money-devouring behemoth" and a "technological abyss"!
A modern frigate, from its hull and weapon systems to its electronic equipment and personnel training, is far more complex and resource-intensive than army equipment of the same value.
Not to mention the supporting auxiliary ships, shore-based facilities, maintenance systems, and the long-term training and massive amounts of dedicated supplies (fuel, ammunition, spare parts) necessary to form combat capability.
In the medium to long term, it may be impossible for a country to allocate its precious resources to the navy on its own.
The army needs to be expanded and re-equipped, the air force needs to maintain its fleet and establish a more comprehensive early warning and air defense network, people's livelihoods need to be restored, and industry needs to be rebuilt... Every aspect is a bottomless pit that desperately needs to be fed.
This is also why he has always felt guilty towards Chen Haitao, the "lone wolf" naval commander who worked tirelessly and put out fires everywhere but didn't even have a decent warship.
He couldn't provide the navy with any systemic resources; he could only offer empty promises and force Chen Haitao to continue "crossing over" to do other jobs.
After all, in his assessment, in the medium to long term, the main war situation will still be a continental war, and the role of the navy is really limited.
Considering the endless stream of mutated sea monsters in the ocean, even with warships, it's questionable whether they can even leave port...
But now... it's being given away for free, so... well...
The system delivered a complete, high-level naval force that could immediately form combat capability!
Although it is only a coastal force with frigates as its core and cannot be considered a large ocean fleet, anything produced by the system is bound to be of high quality!
Gu Chengyuan had no doubt about the performance of those eight frigates. They absolutely crushed Zhou Bang's ships of the same level before the apocalypse, and might even crush the destroyers of other countries!
In addition, there is a complete support and shore-based system...
This means that as long as he can quickly seize a suitable deep-water port along the coast, the Central Plains Theater can, in a very short time, possess a powerful naval force capable of controlling the near seas, projecting forces along the coast, protecting sea lanes, and providing fire support to the land!
It skips the "inland waterway navy" and jumps directly into the "coastal navy"!
'I just wonder if this coastal navy can play the role of an inland river navy?'
Considering current strategic needs, while a coastal navy is formidable, it's not as useful as an inland waterway navy. The urgent priority is securing the Yangtze River waterway, and, in certain circumstances, the inland waterway navy can also support the army in urban offensives...
If the navy cannot access inland waterways, it may remain a mere decoration for the foreseeable future...
'Haitao...'
Thinking of all this, Gu Chengyuan's gaze subconsciously turned to the back of the naval commander, who, despite trying to straighten his back, still couldn't hide the complex expression in his eyes as he looked at the aerial formations from the parade command seat not far away.
'No matter what, getting a free navy is a huge win for them!'
'Haitao, your fleet is coming!'
'But…' Gu Chengyuan's mind raced: 'The most urgent task is to select a suitable port as soon as possible! And it has to be quick!'
The southeast coast? Or south to find a more suitable harbor? Intelligence and reconnaissance units need to be ordered to begin a focused search immediately!
The inner turmoil was quickly suppressed and transformed into a clear and decisive course of action.
At this moment, the momentary freeze on Gu Chengyuan's face had vanished without a trace, as if it had never happened. He calmly straightened his clothes, and amidst the still enthusiastic atmosphere and surrounded by a group of high-ranking officials from the war zone, he slowly stood up and led the way in raising his hand to applaud.
The applause was thunderous and lasted for a long time.
Amidst the still-floating colorful balloons and banners, and the lingering cheers of tens of thousands of soldiers and civilians, the 'Night Market Battle Victory Celebration and Parade,' destined to be recorded in the annals of the apocalypse, finally drew its glorious curtain to a close.
Behind the reviewing stand, a completely different, orderly scene had already unfolded.
On both sides of a temporarily widened passage, dozens of gray-painted executive buses were already waiting quietly in a strict sequence.
They are not military vehicles, but they still have a rugged design, with specially treated windows and a low-key dark paint job.
The fleet is clearly divided into regions according to its affiliated system:
At the forefront were several escort vehicles and ceremonial vehicles bearing the emblem of the Central Plains Theater Command; behind them were the exclusive vehicles for the main leaders of the Army, Navy, and Air Force; further back were the vehicles arranged for the leaders and accompanying personnel from the three theater commands of the East, West, and South to attend the ceremony; and finally, the vehicles for other senior officers of the theater command headquarters and some specially invited representatives.
This arrangement silently embodies order and hierarchy.
Surrounded by the core leadership, Gu Chengyuan slowly descended the steps paved with a red carpet.
The sunlight stretched their shadows, casting them onto the brand-new, clean road. The excitement and exhilaration from the parade still lingered on everyone's faces, but even more so, there was a weighty composure belonging to the victors and decision-makers.
They spoke in hushed tones, smiles on their faces, commenting on a particularly impressive formation they had just witnessed, or exchanging quiet thoughts on what to do next.
However, careful observation reveals subtle differences beneath this seemingly harmonious atmosphere.
The high-ranking officials of the Central Plains Theater had even more genuine smiles, walked with a lighter step, and their brows radiated a sense of ownership, pride, and control.
The senior commanders and officers from the other three theater commands, though smiling and exchanging pleasantries, still retained a trace of lingering shock, contemplation, and even subtle prudence and weighing of options in the depths of their eyes.
The ghostly H-20 formation in the sky, the unknown torrent of steel on the ground, and especially the final, unfamiliar intercontinental ballistic missile, were like cold steel stamps, deeply imprinted on their minds.
The smiles and conversations at this moment, in addition to politeness, also carried a deeper meaning of mutual probing and information exchange.
