The rise of great powers: starting from military industry

But the leaders could not help but frown.

Because the thought of the investment in a combined battalion makes people's scalps numb.

The investment is really too huge!

Look at the combined battalion of Panshan Machinery Factory now. It is not a complete heavy-duty combined battalion. How much money is needed for the weapons and equipment alone.

The price of 20 Type 80 main battle tanks given by Panshan Machinery Factory to the troops is the cost price, and even the price is reversed. One tank costs 1 million yuan, and 20 tanks cost 20 million yuan.

The price given by Panshan Machinery Factory for 2 self-propelled anti-aircraft guns is also as low as it can be, so low that the military leaders will be embarrassed. One tank costs 3 million yuan, and 2 tanks cost 6 million yuan.

Add bulletproof vests, bulletproof helmets, transport vehicles and other weapons and equipment, and a combined battalion like Panshan Machinery Factory costs about 40 million yuan.

The strong training intensity of the combined battalion, as well as food and wages, cost at least 10 million yuan a year.

In other words, the investment of only 40 million RMB can only be regarded as the money for weapons and equipment, and it will cost about 10 million RMB every year to support a synthetic battalion.

Military expenditure is only about 17 billion RMB a year now, and it will not increase much in the future. 17 billion RMB can only equip 425 synthetic battalions with weapons, which is about 340,000 troops.

But you have to know that it is impossible. Even if the plan to streamline the troops is completed this year, the entire army will still be as high as 5.3 million people.

Not to mention that the Air Force and the Navy are very expensive, and it is impossible for all military expenditures to be given to the Army.

Even leaders who are not good at accounting do not think that the current military expenditure can support the synthetic battalion.

Everyone knows the benefits of mechanization of troops, but why are only the US and Soviet armies in the world currently mechanized?

First, it is because of the large investment. The investment in mechanized troops is very large. Without strong national strength, mechanized troops cannot be supported at all.

Second, it is because of the need for talents. Mechanized troops need a large number of talents in this area. Without talents, even if there is national strength, it will not work.

It's not that China doesn't know the benefits of mechanized troops, but it still hasn't built a mechanized force because China doesn't have these two aspects.

For example, the US military spends about $143.7 billion a year, and the Soviet military's annual military expenditure has never been made public, but everyone knows that as one of the two major hegemons today, the Soviet military's annual military expenditure is definitely not much less.

And China calculated it at 17 billion RMB, even at the latest exchange rate, it was less than $9.6 billion.

Just after the New Year, the exchange rate between the US dollar and the RMB has changed from the official 1 US dollar to 1.49 RMB to 1 US dollar to 1.7768 RMB!

The settlement between Panshan Machinery Factory and the Fifth Machine Department has also changed from 1 US dollar to 1.75 RMB to 1 US dollar to 2.1 RMB.

"Alas, the investment is too large. Even if we use 100 years, we probably can't realize the digital synthetic battalion you mentioned!" The leader shook his head and smiled bitterly.

Liu Tao laughed in his heart, but he never thought that China could build a synthetic force at this time.

Even decades later, in the era of soaring military expenditure, this goal was achieved after so many years of construction.

As for now, there is not so much money, nor so many talents.

"Leaders, our synthetic battalion is an experiment, to explore, grope, summarize experience, and prepare for the future." Liu Tao said, "Next, we plan to build a synthetic brigade based on the synthetic battalion, and build a synthetic brigade in five years!"

Synthetic battalion, this Panshan Machinery Factory can do it.

After all, as a military factory, it is normal to have an armed department, and it is not excessive to have a battalion of armed forces.

But if you want to have a brigade-level armed force, that won't work, and you must get the military's consent.

"Synthetic brigade?" A leader was a little surprised, "If you want to do it, you should first do a synthetic battalion, what kind of synthetic brigade, you have to take one step at a time, and eat one bite at a time."

Everyone knows that above the battalion-level unit is the regiment-level unit.

As for the troops, during the Anti-Japanese War, there were brigade-level combat units, but they were gradually cancelled later. Now it is the organization of army, division, regiment, battalion, company, platoon, and squad.

In theory, above the battalion is the regiment.

As for the brigade, through practice, it has long been proved that it does not meet the requirements.

"Leader, what a regiment can do now, a combined battalion can also solve. Why does a combined force need a regiment?" Liu Tao said: "The combined force will be changed from the current three-level organization of 'army division regiment' to the three-level organization of 'army brigade battalion'. The combined battalion will be the most basic combat unit, and it will be meaningless to set up a regiment."

The leaders thought so.

What a regiment can do, a combined battalion can also do.

In this case, there is no point in setting up a regiment.

At this time, a leader mentioned, "The combined battalion may not be suitable for a protracted war, especially the heavy combined battalion. The water network in the south makes up for it. The existing bridges cannot support heavy tanks at all."

"Indeed, this time our combined battalion arrived at Kunshi Railway Station and was transported to the front line by train. When heading to the front-line battlefield, we often dare not pass the existing bridges. If there are good riverbed conditions, we will go directly to the river, and if the conditions are not good, we will reach the pontoon bridge." Liu Tao nodded and said, "In order to facilitate the combined battalion to arrive at the battlefield in time, we prepared for work one month in advance, formulated the marching route, and built the pontoon bridge in advance."

"It should be said that most of the current bridges cannot support the weight of the Type 80 tank, or even the Type 80 self-propelled tank. Many bridges are overhanging." Liu Tao said, "This is why the current synthetic battalion is not suitable for the troops."

"Here, I suggest that the country should improve the construction standards of roads and bridges on important bridges in the future, otherwise the bridges will not be able to pass heavy tanks, and even tanks will walk on them and the road surface will be crushed." Liu Tao said.

Things like roads are absolutely huge for the military, and the main traffic roads are all considered for military purposes.

The current standards of bridges and roads are too low.

Not to mention heavy tanks such as the Type 80 main battle tank, even medium tanks such as the Type 59, many bridges and roads do not meet the requirements.

A group of leaders nodded slightly, and they all found that behind the strong combat effectiveness of the synthetic battalion is a strong logistical support capability.

Panshan Machinery Factory was making various preparations a month before the battle began.

Like the Type 80 tank, it is actually subject to great restrictions in the southern area. Roads and bridges cannot pass. Tanks have a high probability of getting stuck in the river and unable to get out if they want to cross the river, because many rivers in the south are silt or soft soil.

But what Liu Tao said is also reasonable. With the development of the Type 80 main battle tank by China, it is impossible to leave it unused. All major traffic roads and bridges must be upgraded and constructed.

In fact, when the country is carrying out road construction in the future, the standards are constantly improving, including military use.

For example, after the birth of the 99A main battle tank, all highway bridges are required to carry at least 55 tons of cars, that is, the standard value of car gravity is 550kN, and this value is exactly the weight of the 99A main battle tank.

First-class highway bridges, considering the design surplus, can bear 300 tons.

As for the fourth-class highway, considering the design surplus, there is no problem even if it carries a 60-ton car.