Tech Giants: Starting from Bankrupt Companies

255: Chapter 255 Turbulent Times: The Arms Race8:15 PM, Washington, White House Situation Room.

The atmosphere in the room was colder than a morgue.

Seven people sat around the oval long table: the President, Vice President, Secretary of State, Secretary of Defense, National Security Advisor, Director of the CIA, and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

In front of each person lay a briefing, with ”Top Secret - Urgent” printed on the cover.

On the big screen was a military map of the Asia-Pacific region, marked with dense data:

China’s current 99A main battle tanks: approx. 1,200 units.

New sabertooth hx-30: 1,000 units (to be delivered within three years).

Current Red Flag-9 / Red Flag-22 air defense battalions: approx. 40.

New Peregrine Falcon S-15 systems: 400 sets (can cover all military brigade-level units and above).

Current J-10, J-11, J-16, and J-20 fighter jets: approx. 2,000 (estimated).

New Comet air-to-air missiles: 10,000 (can equip at least 500 fighter jets).

”Gentlemen,” Secretary of Defense Mark Esper tapped the table, his voice hoarse, ”The most dangerous part is not the increase in quantity; it is the qualitative generation gap.”

He pulled up the test data for the Sabertooth’s main gun: ”140mm electrothermal-chemical gun, 2,000 meters range, penetration of 1,100mm homogeneous steel armor. Our M1A2 SEPv3 tank’s frontal armor equivalent is about 800mm. This means...”

He paused, enunciating every word: ”At a distance of 2,500 meters, the Sabertooth can penetrate the frontal armor of all our active-duty tanks, while our 120mm gun can only penetrate about 600mm at the same distance. This is a one-sided slaughter.”

National Security Advisor Robert O’Brien added: ”What’s more troublesome are the international orders. According to intelligence, the international intent orders received by Xingchen Defense today exceed $50 billion. Among those confirmed: Saudi Arabia $22 billion, Iran $1.25 billion, Pakistan $3.2 billion, UAE $3.5 billion... and at least ten other countries are inquiring.”

”What about Russia?” the President asked.

”Russia has an $8 billion intent, but they are still in negotiations,” said CIA Director Gina Haspel. ”However, from channel information, Moscow is very likely to buy. Because their T-14 ’Armata’ tank project has effectively stalled—too many technical issues, costs out of control.”

The room was dead silent for a few seconds.

Russia buying China’s tanks? This was unimaginable three years ago.

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Mark Milley spoke slowly: ”Gentlemen, this means the land-based deterrence of the First Island Chain has failed.”

He walked to the map and pointed with a laser pointer:

”Kadena Air Base in Okinawa is only 600 kilometers from the Chinese coast. If a conflict breaks out, China can use the qimingxing missile to paralyze the base’s runways and hangars, and then land with Sabertooth tank clusters—our Marine Corps’ current M1A1 tanks have no chance of winning against the Sabertooth.”

”What about Guam?” the Vice President asked.

”Guam is 2,500 kilometers away, within range of the qimingxing missile,” said General Milley. ”Furthermore, if they have really developed the ’Heavenly Bow-3’ anti-missile system... our bombers won’t be safe in Guam either.”

The President leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes: ”The solution?”

”Three,” said Secretary of Defense Esper. ”First, accelerate the sixth-generation fighter NGAD project and strive to deploy it before 2028. Second, increase sales of F-35s to Japan, South Korea, and Australia, at least to secure air superiority first. Third...”

He paused: ”Launch ’Project Crucible’ and spare no cost to acquire the core technology of Xingchen Defense. Especially the electrothermal-chemical technology of the 140mm gun, the AI algorithms of the active defense system, and the glide warhead design of the qimingxing missile.”

”Project Crucible has risks,” warned CIA Director Haspel. ”Xingchen Defense’s security level is very high, their CEO Gu Xinghe is a former soldier with extremely strong counter-reconnaissance awareness. And China’s national security departments are likely protecting them in secret.”

”Then increase the investment,” the President opened his eyes. ”Allocate $2 billion in special funds to the CIA from the budget. I want to see results within six months.”

He looked at Secretary of State Pompeo: ”What about diplomacy?”

”We have notified Israel and agreed to send an additional armored brigade to station there,” said Pompeo. ”In addition, we are pushing for secondary sanctions on Xingchen Defense: any company that does business with Xingchen cannot do business with American companies.”

”Is it useful?” the President asked.

Pompeo smiled bitterly: ”Saudi Arabia has clearly stated that if the US sanctions them for buying Chinese weapons, they will stop settling oil in US dollars. The UAE and Qatar are also watching...”

”Those ungrateful Middle Eastern upstarts!” the Vice President cursed.

”They are just looking for the most reliable protector,” General Milley said calmly. ”It used to be us, but now... China has provided a better choice.”

The meeting lasted until 9:00 PM.

Final resolutions: Accelerate sixth-generation fighter development; Increase F-35 sales to Asia-Pacific allies (Japan 80, South Korea 60, Australia 40); Launch ”Project Crucible” to steal technology; Diplomatic pressure, but avoid direct conflict; Secretly contact Xingchen Defense to probe ”technical cooperation” possibilities.

When the meeting broke up, the President whispered to the Secretary of Defense: ”Mark, do we still have an advantage?”

Esper was silent for a long time: ”In the fields of space and nuclear weapons, yes. But conventional warfare... if war starts today, we will lose in the Western Pacific.”

The President’s face turned pale.

This was the answer he least wanted to hear.

8:45 PM, Prime Minister’s Office, Jerusalem.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu looked at the briefing in his hand, his fingers trembling slightly.

The briefing listed Saudi Arabia’s procurement list: sabertooth hx-30: 200 units; Lynx V-25: 300 units; Peregrine Falcon S-15: 50 sets; Comet air-to-air missiles: 500 units; qimingxing missile (medium-range): 100 units.

Total amount: $22 billion.

”200 Sabertooth...” Netanyahu muttered to himself, ”Saudi Arabia’s current M1A2 tanks are 400 units, plus these 200... their armored assault capability will increase by more than three times. If they attack from the north and south simultaneously with Iran...”

He didn’t finish, but everyone in the room understood.

Minister of Defense Benny Gantz said in a low voice: ”The US agreed to increase the deployment of an armored brigade to the Negev base, but requested that we purchase more ’Iron Dome’ systems.”

”Iron Dome?” Netanyahu sneered, ”Iron Dome is fine for intercepting Hamas’s crude rockets, but can it intercept the qimingxing missile? That kind of glide warhead can maneuver within the atmosphere. Iron Dome’s interception algorithm assumes the target flies in a parabola; it is completely ineffective against such maneuvering targets!”

He grabbed the satellite phone on the table, but hesitated and put it down.

”Mossad,” he looked at Intelligence Director Yossi Cohen, ”Through our shell company in Cyprus, secretly contact Xingchen Defense. Ask them... will they sell to Israel?”

Everyone in the room was shocked.

”Prime Minister!” Gantz blurted out, ”This will be seen as betrayal by the US! We will lose $3.8 billion in annual military aid!”

”If Saudi Arabia attacks Tel Aviv with the qimingxing missile, can the US intercept it?” Netanyahu countered, ”If Sabertooth tanks charge over from the Jordanian border, can the US M1A2 block them?”

No one answered.

”When the US cannot protect us, we must save ourselves,” Netanyahu’s eyes were cold, ”Do it secretly. Pay with cryptocurrency, transit through a third country. Buy 10 Peregrine Falcon systems first to protect our airbases. The price... can be 20% higher than Saudi Arabia’s.”

Cohen hesitated: ”But if the US finds out...”

”Then let the Americans produce equivalent technology,” Netanyahu interrupted, ”Their ’Iron Dome’ was developed with our participation; we know its limits. Now that there is a better choice, should we wait to die because of political loyalty?”

He paused and added: ”Tell Xingchen Defense that if the deal is successful, Israel can become their technical service center in the Middle East. We have the best engineers and the richest combat experience.”

This was a bait.

Israel wanted to trade technical services for deeper cooperation, or even... technology transfer.

Gantz sighed: ”This will change the entire strategic landscape of the Middle East.”

”The landscape has already changed,” Netanyahu looked at the night view of Jerusalem outside the window, ”From the moment China brought out those weapons, the old landscape died. The question now is: who can survive in the new landscape.”