Chapter 1247 Hard currency smells so good (first update, please subscribe)
“Buy a car from the Soviet Union!”
After receiving this instruction, Zheng Xingying was completely shocked. Tender.
As we all know, there will be people buying Soviet AKs, Soviet artillery, Soviet tanks, and Soviet aircraft, but... basically no one will take the initiative to buy Soviet cars.
After all, this thing is selective. Basically, as long as it is a country that produces cars, it is not necessarily worse than the Soviet Union.
Is there any mistake?
“Are you sure?”
Zheng Xingying asked again. This is already the third time I've asked.
"Pretty sure, the timber company hopes to introduce 300 to 400 heavy-duty off-road vehicles for timber transportation..."
Okay!
It's just transporting wood. Although the Soviet Union certainly doesn't mind exporting trucks to Southeast Asia, it certainly can't be said that we buy trucks to serve as missile launchers.
Fortunately, there are many tropical rainforests in Southeast Asia, and wood logging and processing are extremely developed. It is perfect to buy hundreds of off-road trucks to transport wood in rainforests with inconvenient transportation.
As an employee of the company, Zheng Xingying immediately flew to Moscow as soon as there was this order. Having studied in the Soviet Union, he was already familiar with Moscow. As soon as he arrived in Moscow, he contacted his old friends .
“You want to buy cars from the Soviet Union?”
Ivan, who works at the Soviet Foreign Trade Company, looked at his old classmates in surprise, feeling like he was dreaming.
This is really amazing.
"You know, the tropical rainforest is full of swamps and mud, and ordinary cars cannot be used at all..."
Ivan said before Zheng Xingying finished speaking.< br>
“I understand, just like Siberia, there are no roads and we can only rely on cars. Indeed, only the Soviet Union has cars suitable for such roads.”
This is also an advantage!
After thinking about it, Ivan said:
“In this case we are going to Minsk!”
More than 200 kilometers west of Moscow, just beside the highway leading to Minsk, there is a complex Building and a large factory, this is the Minsk Automobile Plant of the Soviet Union, referred to as MAZ.
"Zheng, look, this is here. This is a factory established in 1947 that specializes in the production of heavy trucks."
MAZ is enthusiastic about customers from abroad, especially in Dezhou. After knowing that the other party would buy 300 to 400 trucks, they immediately showed off their best products without any hesitation.
"This is our best heavy-duty truck at present - MAZ-537. It is equipped with a D12A525A diesel engine with a displacement of 39 liters, which is an improved version of the 12-cylinder diesel engine used in the T54 tank. The speed is 2000 rpm, It can output 525 horsepower..."
Looking at the behemoth in front of him, although Zheng Xingying did not study mechanics, he had to admit that although the Soviet Union's technology was not as good as that of Western countries, it also had some unique features.
“It adopts an 8x8 all-wheel drive system, independent suspension and other mechanical structures. The vehicle has enhanced traction capabilities. It can haul various materials.”
From missiles to tanks!
It can’t be towed without it!
Looking through the information in his hand, Zheng Xingying still said, although the performance was very good,
“Let’s take a look at its test run first!”
So, after Ivan and the factory staff, Accompanied by Zheng Xingying, he arrived at the test track. As soon as he arrived at the test track, before he could see the MAZ-537's passing ability, he saw a heavy-duty truck with a more spectacular model passing through a deep pool. .
Different from the somewhat rounded MAZ-537, its cabin looks sharp and angular. It has the same 8x8 all-wheel drive. The special appearance immediately attracted Zheng Xingying’s attention.
"What kind of truck is this? It looks a bit like a mine cart."
Faced with his inquiry, the MAZ factory staff did not hide it, and even said it in a rather proud tone.
“This is the MAZ-543 truck we have just successfully developed. It is a new truck we developed based on the MAZ-537 model, and its performance has been comprehensively improved!”
In fact, this truck was a development order issued by the Soviet military three years ago in order to transport missiles. In addition to improving performance, it also needs to optimize the transportation of missiles. Because the vehicle uses many MAZ-537 parts, the development progress is very fast, even far faster than the missile itself.
Although this is a special vehicle for transporting missiles, it is also a truck, so MAZ did not deliberately keep it secret.
Facing this truck with its unique and even powerful appearance, Zheng Xingying said with some displeasure:
"Since it's a new truck, you should introduce it to me first! Not the old one!"
His dissatisfaction seemed natural to the Soviets. After all, he paid for it with real money. Off-road truck.
In the end, you got a fucking old thing to deal with, how could he not be angry? So, he was really angry, but it was precisely because of his anger that the Soviets quickly provided him with all the technical information.
This is also to appease, of course, even so Zheng Xingying still showed his dissatisfaction and anger. And repeatedly remind the other party that it is wrong for you to do business this way.
Just two days later, in the Military Building in Chang'an, several military technicians were stunned when looking at the models and drawings brought from Moscow.
"It was born to launch missiles!"
They saw the advantages of this truck at a glance - although the driver's right side vision blind spot is huge, its central "recessed" part is just right Place missiles. And it’s still very thick!
“MAZ-543 can also be called a giant. The length of the basic model is 11.6 meters, the width is 2.97 meters, the height is 2.67 meters, and the transportation mass is up to 22 tons, which can basically meet our requirements , except that there is no refrigeration and air conditioning." Putting down the drawing in his hand, the army major said:
"It's just right to use it as a missile launcher. The left side of the cab can be converted into a control unit. room, as for the load capacity, it’s almost just enough!”
Can it not be enough?
The missile weighs only 15 tons, leaving a full 7 tons of weight. Even if it is equipped with various control equipment, it is only a lot more. It can be said that this is a born launcher.
Isn’t this innate!
Originally, the Soviet army asked the Minsk Vehicle Manufacturing Plant to create a heavy-duty truck specially used to transport, erect and launch missiles.
In the next few decades, basically all Soviet missile launch vehicles will be improved with it from air defense to ballistics.
Therefore, he is definitely the most suitable missile launcher!
“The only problem is that the life of this car’s engine is too short!”
This is a common problem with Soviet engines, not just engines, but also other Soviet products.
Of course, this car is also included, but this is not a problem. After all, a missile launcher cannot run and play on the road every day.
“There is no problem. After you buy it back, you can replace it with our engine. Anyway, this car is cheap. It is half cheaper than our heavy-duty trailer of the same tonnage! If it is an off-road vehicle of the same tonnage, at least 80% cheaper!”
Cheap!
Soviet stuff is really cheap, especially industrial products. In order to earn foreign exchange, the Soviet Union Group was very happy to export their goods at low prices.
After all, apart from oil and arms, the Soviet Union really didn’t have much to export. So they are very happy to trade prices for sales!
For the Soviet Union, the order of 500 MAZ-543 trucks is not a large amount in its own country, but in terms of exports, it is definitely the largest export order of finished machines in history, and it is also to the West. The country’s exports, this has never happened before!
So much so that it alarmed the Kremlin.
"The KGB believes that Nanyang's purpose of purchasing this truck is not simple, and it is not just for transporting wood."
In the Kremlin, Brezhnev looked at Khrushchev and said.
“After all, this truck can transport missiles.”
Hearing what he said, Khrushchev asked.
“So you think they couldn’t build this truck without our help?”
Faced with this question, Brezhnev simply remained silent.
Nanyang’s automobile manufacturing technology is much more developed than that of the Soviet Union. If they had military needs, there was absolutely no need to import them from the Soviet Union. Just like if the Soviet Union had military needs, it would definitely develop it itself.
“A few years ago, Nanyang introduced electroslag remelting technology from us. It was the first time we exported technology to Western countries. This transaction earned the country US$3.8 million!”
This deal was brokered by Li Yi'an. At that time, Nanyang had just introduced L7 rifled gun technology from the United Kingdom. However, Nanyang did not use the traditional vacuum furnace to refine the gun steel. Instead, at Li Yi'an's suggestion, Nanyang imported the L7 rifled gun technology from the Soviet Union. Electroslag remelting technology was introduced. Through the introduction of this technology, Nanyang's tank gun technology once again surpassed Western countries.
This is entirely inspired by France. Historically, France has not solved the problem of high-pressure tank gun technology. French military-industrial enterprises negotiated with the Soviet Union and exchanged electroslag with the Soviet Union for tank thermal imaging and other sighting systems. With remelting technology, France's main battle tanks were replaced with useful artillery.
Therefore, Li Yian suggested that the steel company negotiate with the Soviet Union, not only introducing two sets of electroslag resmelting furnaces, but also introducing technology together, thus becoming the first country in the Western world to produce electroslag steel.
Looking at Brezhnev, Khrushchev said:
“For the Soviet Union, the West only needs our oil, wood and other raw materials, they do not need our technology , our industrial products, but doesn’t our Soviet Union lead their technology?”
The answer is yes, it is not just electroslag remelting technology. In fact, the Soviet Union has other technologies in many fields. Unique technologies, these technologies even promoted the progress of some technical fields in Europe and the United States to some extent after the collapse of the Soviet Union.
“We have a lot of technology and machines, which are the best in the world, but most of the time, the Western world holds a prejudice against the Soviet Union and thinks that our things are backward and not worth mentioning. , so they don’t even bother to understand our technology, but the Nanyang people are willing to understand us!”
Khrushchev lit a cigarette, took a puff, and then said with a smile:
"Even if they apply it to the military, so what? They can also use it to hit missiles On the Soviet Union’s head? Didn’t the military say it can only carry missiles weighing more than a dozen tons, and its range is only a few hundred kilometers?”
After saying this, Khrushchev He pointed at the report.
“My friend, this is a large order of tens of millions of dollars, and this is cash!”
Despite saying that international trade based on US dollars is American Conspiracy, the Soviet Union will replace all this with trading rubles and barter, but the body is very honest, facing large orders of tens of millions of dollars.
Let alone a missile launch vehicle, even if Nanyang wanted to buy tactical missiles, Khrushchev would agree. However, he knew very well that Nanyang did not need Russian missiles at all.
But now that he can export hundreds of trucks, he is satisfied! Moreover, they not only purchased the truck, but were also willing to exchange small car technology for the MAZ-543 truck technology. In short, this was definitely a very cost-effective business for the Soviet Union.
It can only be said that hard currency is incense. In this way, with the consent of the Kremlin, 500 of the latest MAZ-543 trucks were exported to the Soviet Union before the Soviets themselves had any equipment. Nanyang achieved zero breakthrough in the export of Soviet heavy trucks to the West.
In this way, the famous MAZ-543 model came to Nanyang.
Although it was only a business worth tens of millions of dollars, it also opened a new chapter in the economic and trade cooperation between Nanyang and the Soviet Union. In fact, Nanyang has never minded commercial cooperation with the Soviet Union. After all, business that can make money , no one will refuse.
(End of this chapter)