Chapter 331 Tacit understanding
Lao Chen thought about it and said, "Leaders, why don't we simply set up a special product branch based on the research laboratory and confidential workshop? In addition, the factory leaders will set up a coordination team to connect with this special product branch and provide it with the ability to mobilize resources from the entire factory. When necessary, resources from other units in the factory can be temporarily mobilized."

The leader followed his line of thought, thought about it, and nodded: "It's okay in the general direction."

After saying that, he looked at the chief engineer of the department: "What do you think?"

The chief engineer of the department nodded and said, "We can do this. We have both technical and production strength. My opinion is that this branch factory should put technology first. In addition to completing production tasks, the production side mainly needs to cooperate with the work rhythm of the technical side. After all, it is different from ordinary factories."

Several people followed this line of thought and discussed it for quite some time.

Finally, Director Yang thanked the two leaders: "Thank you, both leaders. We will implement this matter when we return and report the plan to the department as soon as possible."

The leader pondered for a moment and added: "The name of the branch factory should not be called the Special Branch Factory, just call it the Third Branch Factory."

Director Yang was stunned. Although we have branch factories, judging from the name, we don’t even have branch one or branch two, so where did the third branch come from?
After thinking about it further, I realized that my leader is mature, prudent and thoughtful.

Gao Zhendong was completely unaware of these changes and he continued to work according to his own pace and schedule.

He was receiving an unexpected but reasonable guest.

The efficiency of Beijing University of Technology is very high, including the efficiency of initiating sub-projects.

Sitting in front of him was Associate Professor Luo, the person in charge of the sub-project on grenade accessories for the squad gun family.

Professor Liu finalized the launch of the sub-project as quickly as possible, and then gave Associate Professor Luo an internal appointment. After receiving the appointment, Associate Professor Luo immediately obtained the relevant permits from the Defense Work Committee and came to find Gao Zhendong.

Even without this permission, he could still find Gao Zhendong, but he would have to rely on guessing throughout the process, just like Gao Zhendong and the Institute of Advanced Studies before.

"Director Gao, after Professor Liu came back from your visit, he shared with me a lot of what he learned from you. This really broadened my horizons. So, for work, I took the liberty of coming here. I can communicate with you directly, which will be more efficient."

Gao Zhendong put down the cup in his hand and said with a smile: "Professor Luo is welcome to come and exchange ideas. I am also looking forward to learning more about other majors."

"Haha, Director Gao, you are too modest. I came here specifically to seek your advice. You can't just send me off with just an exchange." The two laughed.

Gao Zhendong also explained the situation very sincerely: "Professor Luo is too modest. In this regard, I am only outstanding in my sudden ideas and actual combat experience. In terms of the theory and practice of this type of equipment design, I am really your student."

Professor Luo shook his head and said, "Director Gao, your ideas are firmly rooted in existing technical conditions. They can solve problems without being too demanding. Although they are strange, they are very practical. We are in need of ideas like yours."

The two of them started to praise each other and talked for a while.

Seeing that it was almost time, Professor Luo began to get the topic back on track.

"Director Gao, when I was reading your thoughts on rifle grenades, I realized a possibility. Are you not optimistic about anti-tank rifle grenades?"

Upon hearing this, Gao Zhendong also admired Professor Luo for being an expert in rifle grenades and was very sharp.

"Yes, Professor Luo, I think you should know more about the anti-tank grenade than I do. My opinion is just a perceptual one, while you should have a rational understanding based on data and theory."

To Professor Luo, what Gao Zhendong said was too true. He was working in this field and he knew the situation of the data in his hands very well.

"You are right, Director Gao. A serious problem with anti-armor rifle grenades is that they are limited by the firing conditions and are seriously underpowered. They can only barely penetrate the armor of a tank. At this time, there is a very serious contradiction between the power, recoil, range, ballistic performance and other indicators. If one is guaranteed, the other cannot be guaranteed."

Gao Zhendong thought, in fact, you can't guarantee any of them. With the current rifle grenades, you can't penetrate any of the composite and explosive anti-armor equipment of the Grassland Tractor Factory.

But he couldn't say this openly, after all, these two things were not public now.

Professor Luo's words are actually the biggest problem with anti-tank rifle grenades now. Unlike the large number of newspaper shells during the S2 season, at this time, the armor of tanks is no longer something that can be dealt with by rifle grenades with a caliber of 40~50mm. Why not use a larger caliber? For example, 80mm, there are some, but the actual combat effectiveness is not very good.

Since the 60s, there have been very few large-caliber rifle grenades in serious use. As for the domestically produced Type 50 rifle grenade with a range of 70m and a caliber of 67mm, it can only be said to be extremely bad. Putting aside the hard indicators, the launch preparation alone is enough to make all the soldiers curse.

For example, the APAV40 used by the Gallic Rooster, a 40mm rifle grenade, can penetrate 120mm/0 degree average steel armor. This penetration depth was basically a scratch when attacking the front of a tank in 1960, and there was no guarantee that the side and rear armor could be penetrated.

Moreover, when this thing hits people, it uses indirect trajectory, so the range is okay. When it hits armor, it uses direct trajectory, so the range is even more worrying.

What's the price for such weak performance? The common complaint is that this thing has too much recoil!

Even such a small thing has been criticized for having too much recoil, let alone bigger ones.

Gao Zhendong listened to Professor Luo's words and said with a smile: "Professor Luo knows the problem himself, so I won't teach him anything. So in my opinion, the dual-purpose rifle grenade against light armor/personnel still has some uses, but the anti-tank one is no longer meaningful, and this task should be handed over to other equipment. Of course, this is just one person's opinion, and things still need to be done according to plan, haha."

Professor Luo knew what he meant by this. The rifle grenade was a project that had been launched, and the anti-tank rifle grenade was one of the important types of ammunition. It was impossible for the two of them to decide not to work on it.

But he was unwilling to see the money and resources being wasted on something that all skilled, rational and experienced researchers knew was meaningless.

However, he remembered what Gao Zhendong had just said - "Leave it to other equipment."

He turned his head and looked at Gao Zhendong: "Director Gao, the other equipment you mentioned, is it..."

Gao Zhendong raised his hand with a smile in his eyes, but said nothing.

Professor Luo seemed to understand what he meant. He struggled in his eyes. After thinking for a long time, he said, "Director Gao, regarding the rifle grenade, I have decided to focus on developing anti-light armor/anti-personnel ammunition first. It will take about a year according to the plan. Then I will consider anti-tank ammunition. I hope you can support me in this regard."

Well, there are always priorities for the two types of ammunition. This arrangement is very good. As for one to one and a half years later, the situation should have changed.

Gao Zhendong nodded: "Professor Luo, don't worry, I fully support you. At the same time, if you need any anti-tank grenade launchers, I will also fully support you."

Two "full efforts", Professor Luo understood what Gao Zhendong meant.

This "tacit understanding" between the two people only optimized the research process of equipment. From small to large, from easy to difficult, is the normal route of equipment development. If the situation is not ideal at that time, just continue to develop anti-tank ammunition as planned, and there will be no problem.

The two men put aside the issue of anti-tank rifle grenades and began to concentrate on discussing the dual-purpose rifle grenades for light armored personnel.

There are far fewer things to consider for dual-purpose rifle grenades than for anti-tank ones. It can be directly considered as hitting a grenade away, but this grenade has relatively more functions.

In fact, there are many designs that add some designs to the hand grenade, which can be directly converted into a rifle grenade. However, this design has a great impact on the grenade itself and will greatly increase its complexity. For us to produce hundreds of millions of them, the cost is too high.

"Director Gao, I know that you have strong opinions about the use of blank cartridges to launch rifle grenades from the perspective of actual combat. From the perspective of advancement and practicality, we also have doubts about this method. But the problem now is that the live ammunition catcher wants to reliably capture the projectile while not affecting the aerodynamic shape of the grenade body and tail tube. Given the existing material capabilities, this catcher will be very heavy, even comparable to the weight of the grenade itself."

Gao Zhendong also understood this matter. He smiled and said, "Regarding the material issue, you can consider communicating with Professor Liu. He has just obtained a steel material with much higher rigidity and toughness than the existing materials. Maybe you can use it. If this approach works, then the penetration method I mentioned can be abandoned."

After all, it is a penetrating type, which will have an impact on the design that Professor Luo and his team have already completed, and it actually reduces the amount of explosives. It is not that it cannot be used. There will be many such penetrating rifle grenades in the future, but it will just cause waste.

At this point, Gao Zhendong remembered something, and he called Liu Rongguo: "Old Liu, please go to the warehouse and get some WT-1 and WT-2 thick plates."

After Liu Rongguo and his men brought the items over, Gao Zhendong smiled and said to Professor Luo, "Professor Luo, you can try these two materials to make the liner during the experiment. The processing performance of these two materials is not bad. They can be processed into the shape you want. Maybe compared with copper, there will be some surprises."

Professor Luo took it with a look of surprise, he didn't expect to get this. Although it may not be a replacement, he had heard that Gao Zhendong had high attainments and achievements in materials, and he said there might be surprises, so it was worth a try.

(End of this chapter)