Chapter 285 Qian Xuesen's "Industrial Census"

Night.

In the Imperial Capital, at the National Key Materials Laboratory.

Outside the window, the night was deep, but the laboratory remained brightly lit.

However, the atmosphere here was not as bright as the lights; instead, it was so oppressive that it made one gasp for air.

"Clap."

A thick experimental report was thrown onto the table.

Qian Zhengming, the titan of the Eastern Country's aerospace industry, was currently taking off his reading glasses and rubbing his brow in exhaustion.

"Is it still not working?"

His voice was a bit hoarse.

The several top materials science Experts standing opposite him all hung their heads, looking like children who had done something wrong.

"Elder Qian, we have done our best."

A person in charge said with a bitter smile:

"Based on the ceramic composite concept from the robot dog shell you brought back, we have indeed solved some of the high-temperature resistance issues."

"But..."

"Regarding the strength and modulus of the carbon fiber raw filaments, we are constantly stuck at a bottleneck."

"Trying to reach the T1100 grade required by the Air Force—that is, a tensile strength of 7000 MPa and a modulus of 300 GPa—is simply challenging the limits of physics."

"Although current laboratory preparation can occasionally reach it, it is extremely unstable and simply cannot be mass-produced."

Listening to the report, Elder Qian sighed deeply.

He certainly knew it was difficult.

This was the skeleton of the next-generation stealth fighter!

If the bones aren't hard, how can the fighter perform high-load maneuvers? How can it maintain its stealth shape during supersonic cruising?

"Are we really going to be stuck here because of this tiny carbon fiber?"

Elder Qian stood up, walked to the window, and looked at the pitch-black night sky outside, his heart filled with unwillingness.

If only that young Factory Director Li could join us...

This thought flashed through Elder Qian's mind, but he immediately shook his head.

That kid is slippery, and Liu Jianguo also said that the kid has been working on some kind of Fishing Rod recently, claiming he wants to cultivate his character, and he hasn't even finished it yet.

He actually wanted to tell that kid, "Stop wasting your effort. You aren't even cut out for making proper toys, just give up on this dead-end job."

Besides, aren't fighter jets just big toys?

However, it was a pity that he couldn't even add Li Jiajun on WeChat.

"Fishing Rod..."

At this moment, Elder Qian chewed on these three words, and his eyes suddenly flickered.

If the path in the laboratory isn't working, could he change his train of thought?

Experts are among the people.

The industrial system of the Eastern Country is so vast; although cutting-edge fields still rely on the national team, in certain niche areas, private enterprises are often forced to come up with unexpected, unconventional methods or black technologies to survive.

Just like that Li Jiajun who makes toys.

"Forget it, I'll just try anything, even if it seems hopeless."

Elder Qian turned around abruptly, his eyes becoming firm once again.

"Send out the notice."

"Contact the MIIT. We are going to conduct a comprehensive industrial census across the country for all enterprises involved in high-performance fiber production and composite material processing!"

"I refuse to believe that in such a huge Eastern Country, we can't find anything useful!"

In the following days, a special inspection team led personally by Elder Qian, gathering the country's top materials science Experts, began their treasure hunt.

Holding the list provided by the MIIT, they rushed around the country without stopping.

From chemical fiber giants in Jiangnan to old-school state-owned enterprises in the Northeast.

From military supporting factories that produce bulletproof vests to private enterprises that manufacture high-end bicycles.

As long as it was related to carbon fiber, they didn't miss a single one.

However, reality is often much thinner than the ideal.

"No, this company's strength is only at the T700 level; although the output is high, it can only be used for sports equipment."

"This one can do T800, but the yield rate is too low, and the cost is frighteningly high."

"This one... this one is still using imported equipment from ten years ago; it has no core technology at all."

They went with high hopes time and again, and returned disappointed time and again.

Although the civil carbon fiber industry in the Eastern Country is developing rapidly, there is still an insurmountable gap to the T1100 grade, which represents the world's top level.

After a few days, the Experts of the inspection team were all a bit discouraged.

Some even whispered privately, feeling that Elder Qian was doing useless work; rather than running around outside, it would be better to go back to the laboratory and fire up a few more furnaces.

That afternoon, the inspection team finished their inspection of an enterprise in a city in Lu Province and was sitting on a Coaster minibus, heading to the next destination.

The atmosphere in the carriage was a bit dull.

Everyone was very tired and was leaning back in their chairs with their eyes closed to rest.

Only Elder Qian, still wearing his reading glasses, held the list of enterprises that had been densely marked up, his brows furrowed tightly.

"Comrade Xiao Zhang."

Elder Qian called out to a middle-aged man sitting in the front row.

That was Director Zhang, who was specially sent by the First Department of Equipment Industry of the MIIT to assist with the work.

"Yes, Elder Qian, I'm here."

Director Zhang quickly turned around and asked respectfully.

"Which factories on our list haven't we visited yet?"

Elder Qian pointed at the list, his voice filled with anxiety.

Director Zhang took his tablet, checked the itinerary, and reported:

"Elder Qian, we have already visited more than twenty key enterprises."

"Most of the ones we haven't visited are smaller in scale or have relatively lower technical thresholds."

"For example, there is a carbon fiber pipe manufacturer in Baishui City, and a few others that make automotive body panels..."

Director Zhang listed a few names.

In his view, those big factories were not up to the task, so these small factories would have even less chance; there wasn't much point in going.

But Elder Qian nodded, showing no intention of giving up.

"Good, you make the arrangements."

"Let's finish visiting these factories within the next two days."

"As long as there is a glimmer of hope, we cannot miss it."

"Yes! I will arrange it right away."

Although Director Zhang felt it was unnecessary, he was moved by Elder Qian's persistent spirit and immediately agreed.

Just as Director Zhang was about to turn around to make a phone call to arrange the itinerary.

"Wait a moment."

Elder Qian suddenly called him back.

At this moment, outside the window, they were passing by a fish pond.

Several fishing enthusiasts were sitting on the bank, holding Fishing Rods, staring intently at the water surface.

Elder Qian's gaze lingered on those slender Fishing Rods for a second.

He remembered that sentence Liu Jianguo said during their video call, half-joking and half-serious, which made him so angry he blew his beard and stared—

"If I let him research a Fishing Rod, can the Air Force use it too?"

Although he thought it was nonsense at the time, he had still secretly sent someone to pose as a distributor to go to that factory, but they hadn't started producing Fishing Rods there.

Thinking of this, Elder Qian raised his head, looked at Director Zhang, and asked:

"By the way, Comrade Xiao Zhang."

"Are there any Fishing Rod factories on your list?"

"Huh?"

Director Zhang was stunned for a moment, looking at Elder Qian blankly.

"A... Fishing Rod factory?"

"Uh... I don't think so."

"Our census list is mainly aimed at industrial-grade and military-grade enterprises; Fishing Rod factories belong to the sports and recreational goods industry and are not within our key focus range."

Hearing this, Elder Qian nodded and said:

"Add them."

"By the way, make arrangements to buy me some of the various Fishing Rods from every factory on the market."

He just thought of the Fishing Rod factory; he was just trying his luck.