171: The Dragon Kingdom becomes a chess player, a tacit understanding of superpowers!

The first batch of 36 J-10E 'Vigorous Dragon' fighter jets will be delivered to Iraq first!

Peng Lin's words instantly restored everyone's confidence in the conference room!

The Soviet Union's massive infusion of equipment to Iran had already given the Iranian Army the ability to counter Iraq.

After all, Iraq's combined arms forces currently only have 5 light combined arms brigades, 1 heavy combined arms brigade, and 1 army aviation brigade.

However, this was not what worried everyone the most.

Everyone's biggest concern was a large group of Iranian pilots who had gone to the Gagarin Air Force Academy in the Soviet Union for special training.

The Soviet Union was determined to aid the Iranian Air Force with Su-25 and MiG-25 fighter jets.

If the Iranian Air Force gained air superiority, the scales of war would completely tip towards Iran.

It was even possible that they would use their air advantage to bomb Long Country's oil fields within Iraq, which Long Country would absolutely not allow!

"The Soviet Union's goal is very likely to drag us into the quagmire of the Iran-Iraq War through a proxy war!"

"This will directly disrupt our strategic deployment in the Middle East and the implementation of our national reform and opening-up policy!"

"Therefore, our best strategy is to deliver the J-10E and use its air-ground integrated advantage to help Iraq achieve a quick victory!"

Peng Lin added again.

"Air-ground integrated advantage?"

"Quick victory?"

Peng Lin's words deeply shook many senior Long Country military generals in the entire conference room.

It should be known that Long Country's opponent this time was the Soviet Union, which was frantically supplying Iran with aid!

Not only did the Iranian Army and Air Force receive large quantities of advanced weapons and equipment from the Soviet Union, but many mid-level military officers also went to the Soviet Union or its military bases in the Middle East for training!

But under these circumstances, Peng Lin actually had the confidence to help Iraq achieve a quick victory in this conflict, which was undoubtedly shocking!

"The key to victory in modern warfare is air superiority!"

"Although the Su-25 and MiG-25 are infinitely close to the performance level of third-generation fighter jets, their combat systems remain at the level of second-generation fighter jets!"

"As long as we gain air superiority, we can gain the initiative in the war!"

"Now that we have finally gained a foothold in the Middle East, if we are forced to retreat this time, it will be difficult to re-enter in the future..."

Peng Lin continued.

And most importantly, Long Country had already made large investments in oil field development facilities in Iraq!

In the Rumaila oil field along the Arab River in Iraq, Long Country invested in the construction of 200 oil wells at once.

After this one oil field is fully completed, its daily output can reach more than 2 million barrels.

Even after sharing profits with the Iraqi government, Long Country could still earn more than 40 million US dollars in profit daily!

It should be known that this was daily profit!

This income would be directly used for Long Country's reform and opening-up policy!

To this end, the Long Country government specifically planned the "Long Country Highway and Railway Network Five-Year Construction Plan" this year, with an estimated total investment of 10 billion US dollars!

Using the profits obtained from developing oil fields in Iraq, they would build a "three vertical and three horizontal" national highway backbone in the country, connecting coastal economic belts with inland industrial zones, forming an "8-hour economic circle"!

In addition, there were a series of plans including renovating existing railway main lines, building a new "coal corridor," constructing border defense highways, and opening up "capillary" county roads!

In total, they aimed to build a 100,000-kilometer road network, including 5,000 kilometers of expressways, within five years, and the railway operating mileage would exceed 60,000 kilometers, forming a "military-industrial driven + economic radiation" golden transportation triangle!

It is no exaggeration to say that the funding for the construction of Long Country's entire domestic public transportation network and the reform and opening-up plan were all awaiting the feedback from the Iraqi oil fields!

As long as the Iraqi oil fields could be successfully developed and continuously profitable, Long Country would rapidly complete the era of grand infrastructure and industrialization, developing from a regional power into a world power!

But at this juncture, the Soviet Union wanted to clear Long Country's influence from the Middle East, so how could Long Country not fight desperately?

"Fight one punch, avoid a hundred punches!"

"A strong military force is inherently meant to safeguard people's livelihoods!"

"No matter who obstructs our great plan of reform and opening up, our Long Country military will be the first to disagree!"

Marshal Xu Yong'an also said in a deep voice.

Subsequently, the Long Country military high command quickly formulated a military aid plan, preparing to wrestle with the Soviet Union!

Long Country now finally had the qualifications to stand at the chessboard and contend with all parties!

...At the same time.

The tense situation between Long Country and the Soviet Union in the Middle East also greatly shocked USA!

The White House had never thought that one day, Long Country would be able to transform into a chess player in the Middle East, fighting a proxy war with the Soviet Union in the region!

It should be known that just two years ago, Long Country and Vietnam were still pawns of their two superpowers!

In addition, a development report about Long Country also made the President of USA break out in a cold sweat.

It should be known that oil was the absolute lifeline of USA!

USA had always consolidated the dollar's status as the world's reserve currency by dominating global oil trade settled in US dollars!

This way, the USA government could transfer its domestic economic risks to the world through dollar inflation!

But now, Iraq was paying for Long Country's military purchases with oil revenues, reducing its reliance on the US dollar, which was absolutely a direct challenge to the dollar system!

In addition, Long Country's cooperation with Iraq in developing oil fields directly threatened USA's monopoly over Middle Eastern oil!

If Long Country controlled a certain amount of oil resources, it would directly affect USA's pricing power over international oil, and even contend for global energy discourse!

Furthermore, Long Country's automobile industry, relying on Beidou navigation's global coverage and military-grade quality, rapidly occupied the Middle Eastern market, forming a closed loop of "equipment export - energy control - market monopoly," squeezing out Western companies!

All these signs indicated that Long Country was rapidly rising globally!

Its influence was constantly expanding!

Containing Long Country's development was imperative!

"Use the hands of the Soviet Union and Iran to cut off Long Country's ambition to interfere in the Middle East!"

"Notify the Pentagon to lift military sanctions on Iran's Islamic Revolutionary forces, allow the export of F-14 'Tomcat' fighter jet parts to them, and strengthen the Iranian Air Force!"

The President of USA issued the order.

During the Pahlavi dynasty, the Iranian Air Force had purchased tens of billions of dollars worth of fighter jets from USA, possessing the strongest air power in the Middle East!

However, after the Islamic Revolution broke out in Iran in 1979, USA imposed both economic and military sanctions on it.

This directly led to the Iranian Air Force's fighter jets lacking parts and air-to-air missiles, making them unusable in war!

This was also one of the reasons for Iran's disastrous defeat in the previous round of the Iran-Iraq conflict!

But this time, the White House and the Kremlin had an uncharacteristic tacit understanding to jointly support Iran in defeating Iraq and eliminating Long Country's influence in the Middle East!

Neither of the two superpowers wanted to see a third superpower with global influence rise!