Having a brotherly country like Australia has really solved a big problem for the UK. From this point of view, finding Australia's iron ore in advance has made Australia's finances more abundant and helped the UK at this time.
"In the field of security, Australia is really willing." Frank couldn't help but sigh. He didn't expect it to go so smoothly.
"In the field of security, you can always trust Australia, and you can even count on Australians to help you fight a nuclear war." Alan Wilson laughed and gave what he thought was the highest evaluation.
"Isn't this a bit exaggerated?" Frank smiled bitterly, how could such a country exist?
"It's not an exaggeration at all." Alan Wilson smiled and shook his head, "This is what I really think."
The mobilization of 950,000 troops from a population of 8 million was only ten years ago. Alan Wilson has not forgotten it so quickly. With this history as a reference, what money is spent and what economic benefits are important to Australia's security?
It's all trivial.
The United Kingdom and the United States are willing to let Australia make knives, and Australia itself is also willing to make knives. With such tools, it can be said that we are not afraid of a nuclear war. If Australia were to be denuclearized, Alan Wilson would not care, as long as we die together with the enemy. This is Australia
the value of.
In any case, this result is still very satisfactory. The Labor government is really stingy in its military investment. Now with this single arms sales as the basis, the construction of new aircraft carriers should not be a problem.
"For things like military investment, it is better to invest sooner rather than later. The later the investment, the greater the investment." Alan Wilson and his colleagues said, "Our prime minister is a little unclear on this point."
When China's economy was not particularly strong, it forced the promotion of high-speed railways, which was initially questioned.
But what if we wait ten years to build it when we have money? Then the cost will still be sky-high? It is better to implement it while the cost is low.
Frank almost laughed out loud and reminded, "I know the relationship between General Mountbatten and you, but you should avoid saying this kind of complaints against the party. Although we are not a system, it is still a trouble."
"Frank, you misunderstood. This is just a small problem. It can be overcome if you think more about it." Alan Wilson corrected Frank's conjecture. He is very supportive of the Labor government.
Picking the ropes is only a small problem. With the British military stock here, it will be difficult to maintain the current scale.
It is understandable that they are unwilling to invest in new weapons and equipment. It is better than the Conservative Party confidently performing high-level diving, right?
"Actually, we still have problems. For example, the Vengeance class has little potential for modification. If it is sold, it is an aircraft carrier of over 30,000 tons. It is not economical to sell less, and it may arm unfriendly countries." Allen
When Wilson mentioned the current inventory of the Royal Navy, he was also confused.
There are only a few countries in the world that are rich and willing to pay like Australia. It would be great if Canada is willing to accept it. I couldn't help but ask Frank if he had heard of similar news.
During World War II, apart from the United Kingdom, the United States and the Soviet Union, Canada was truly the fourth largest country in the world, both in terms of military strength and economic strength. It served five aircraft carriers at the same time.
If we compare the navy alone, Canada was ranked third in the world during World War II. Canada still has two aircraft carriers in service today. Needless to say, they were built by the United Kingdom during the war.
"Canada has little hope. Canada doesn't have this demand now. I don't know if Argentina is interested." Frank also knew that the Ministry of the Navy and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs were selling aircraft carriers everywhere.
"Argentina? It's not impossible!" Alan Wilson thought about it. In fact, selling to Argentina is not a big problem. The main combat effectiveness of an aircraft carrier lies in carrier-based aircraft. What is the use of an aircraft carrier without carrier-based aircraft?
It just so happened that the hangar of the Vengeance-class aircraft carrier was specially strengthened, making it very difficult to modify. In his opinion, the two Vengeance-class aircraft carriers should be sold to countries like Argentina or India.
"It's better to ask Canada. After all, the Vengeance class is a 30,000-ton aircraft carrier, which is much larger than what Canada is using now." Alan Wilson still said that he would fight for it and it was best not to sell the Vengeance class to him.
India.
He knows the country of India very well. If he really sells the Vengeance class to India, he will only want bigger ones in the future.
There are really not many candidate countries. Mexico has a very good economy in this era and is still competing with Spain for the top spot in the Spanish-speaking world. I have this impulse purchase. But Mexico is a neighbor of the United States. If the United Kingdom sells aircraft carriers, the United States will definitely not be willing to do so.
The military strength of one's own neighbors increases.
The same goes for Spain. You must know that Spain and the United Kingdom have a dispute over Gibraltar. Strengthening the navy of such a country cannot pass the cabinet level.
When selling aircraft carriers, the UK can only choose countries with no disputes, and it also has to worry about what the United States thinks.
"There is another country that you haven't thought of." Frank suddenly said, "France, France is at war in Algeria now, and ensuring the smooth flow of the Mediterranean is a top priority. The Royal Navy's Mediterranean Fleet cannot always help the French for free and block other countries.
The country secretly supports Algeria’s route, and the most important thing is that they do it themselves.”
Alan Wilson clapped his hands and said angrily, "Yes, Frank, but are you sure about this?"
"The key is that the Ministry of the Navy must have this idea. France's demand exists objectively. I heard that France has begun to build its own aircraft carriers, but the construction cycle also takes time. What should we do with France's requirements now? Wait until five or six years before entering the battlefield.
," Frank said with a change of subject, "But in this matter, if we want to maintain the unity of Britain and France, General Mountbatten needs to do some work. If there is no problem in communication between the two navies, the deal can be facilitated."
This chapter is not finished yet, please click the next page to continue reading the exciting content! France currently has five aircraft carriers in its hands, among which the representative aircraft carrier Béarn was built in 1927. It is about the same age as Alan Wilson
, but younger than the battleships at the Malayan naval port. Among the remaining aircraft carriers, the most combat-effective is the Giant class leased from the United Kingdom, and the rest are almost useless.
Alan Wilson stood up, took out a bottle of whiskey and poured it for Frank, celebrating reaching a consensus on the matter of suffering the French. He touched a glass and said, "In fact, most of the Royal Navy's aircraft carriers have no other way out than to dismantle them."
The Vengeance class is indeed suitable for the French. It would be too expensive for us to keep it. It is not suitable to sell it to countries like Argentina and India. For those countries, it is almost enough to buy a Titan class."
The most important thing, Alan Wilson did not say, is that his wife Pamela Mountbatten’s oil share in North Africa is related to French interests. Not to mention anything else, how close is Libya to Algeria?
"I didn't say anything." Frank chuckled and shirked his responsibility, "I was just joking."
"No, it's not. France deserves a 30,000-ton aircraft carrier. And Frank, don't be too humble, you can definitely help. You are in the Ministry of Finance." Alan Wilson said with understanding, he had already decided
Well, I need to call my wife to see if she can help with this matter.
This is a matter for the Royal Navy. As the daughter of the First Sea Lord, shouldn't she be more concerned about it?
Frank took a sip of whiskey and shook his head with a wry smile, "My so-called help is just to calculate an account for the cabinet. Selling to the French will be more profitable. But in fact, to facilitate this transaction, a person in France is needed.
Only people with connections will do. I'm sorry, I'm not talking about your wife."
"I don't think so." Alan Wilson pretended not to know, and then poured another drink for his reliable colleague.
After staying in Kuala Lumpur for two days, Frank declined Alan Wilson's invitation to attend a reactionary gathering and took his wife on the flight back to London.
This time, the location was chosen to be Penang, the earliest British colonial stronghold in Southeast Asia. Although Singapore is the location of the Far East Combat Command, it is too remote. Penang's location is much friendlier to the major sultans.
Of course, among the people invited were Alan Wilson's old friend Ali Khan and his new friend Bao Dadi.
At this time, Frank, who had returned to London, with the help of Edward Bridges, clarified his report to the cabinet.
"It shouldn't be a problem, Sir." Frank was still a little nervous. The opportunity had suddenly appeared, but he began to worry about gains and losses.
"What's the problem with that?" Edward Bridges asked strangely, "Do you think the cabinet will notice? In fact, most cabinet ministers can only do true and false questions. It's good to know what's right and what's wrong."
"I hope so. This arms sale is very important." Frank, who wants to go further, does not hide his desire for progress.
Edward Bridges has seen this mentality of progress too many times, explaining, "They were selected by the party organization in their constituency, which is to say, thirty-five people wearing dirty raincoats.
Selected by 35 men and 35 women wearing funny hats. The subsequent "selection" process was equally absurd: there were only 630 members in total, and a party with more than 300 members formed the government.
——Among these three hundred people, one hundred were too old and too stupid to become ministers, and the other hundred were too immature to become ministers. So the remaining one hundred members filled one hundred government positions.
There is really no choice."
"Of course, the Labor Party has been re-elected in three circles and has accumulated many skilled political officers, but when faced with arms sales that have huge benefits and no losses, they will not find fault."
With the words of Edward Bridges, Frank became much more confident and left the Treasury to go to the Cabinet.
Things went as expected by Edward Bridges and passed very smoothly. Soon the cabinet resolution was circulated in a small area, and the decision to build a new aircraft carrier was passed.