Chapter 21: It's fine, let's keep going!

An Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar alone is enough to look down upon all current radar technologies! One must realize that even the warships of the United States currently still use Passive Electronically Scanned Array (PESA) radars.

It wasn't until the American "Arleigh Burke-class Flight III" seven years later that they finally implemented the most advanced AESA radar.

Although the 1,916-day analysis time was long, Su Dingping felt it was well worth it!

In addition, there were the advanced YJ missile systems and the HHQ missile systems—these were the very foundations upon which a warship's survival and combat effectiveness rested!

However, there was no rush for the latter two; he first had to finish analyzing the core technology of the Type 052D.

Subsequently, he turned his gaze toward the "White Swallow Supersonic Anti-ship Missile System" and the "SA-N-7 Hurricane Air Defense Missile System," selecting them for analysis.

In the next second, two analysis panels appeared in his mind.

【White Swallow Supersonic Anti-ship Missile System, paired with the 'SS-N-22 Sunburn' supersonic shipborne anti-ship cruise missile.】

【'SS-N-22 Sunburn Anti-ship Missile': Integrated turboramjet engine technology (Analysis time: 879 days, Progress: 14%), Active/Passive Radar Guidance technology (Analysis time: 331 days, Progress: 44%), Launch Command System (Analysis time: 88 days, Progress: 67%), 'Top Steer' fire control radar (Analysis time: 101 days, Progress: 52%)...】

【'SA-N-7 Hurricane Air Defense Missile System', paired with the 9M38 shipborne anti-aircraft missile.】

【9M38 Anti-aircraft missile semi-active monopulse radar guidance technology (Analysis time: 331 days, Progress: 36%), Three-coordinate anti-air search and guidance fire control radar (Analysis time: 487 days, Progress: 31%), MR-750 anti-air search and warning radar (Analysis time: 301 days, Progress: 44%), 10B Air Situation Station (Analysis time: 312 days, Progress: 19%)...】

As his gaze swept back and forth between the three virtual panels, Su Dingping was brimming with motivation.

He naturally looked toward the shipyard, and as expected, a brand-new Type 052D had appeared next to the Type 956E.

With a single step, Su Dingping appeared on the Type 052D.

He had only seen this ship on television in his previous life; this was his first time actually stepping onto a Type 052D.

With a wave of his hand, the Type 052D was instantly divided into thousands of pieces. Immediately after, with a thought, the Type 956E was likewise disassembled into countless components.

Having completed this, Su Dingping moved between the components of the two warships, beginning a new round of research.

Two days passed quickly.

That afternoon, while Su Dingping was busy making his final plans, there was a knock on his dormitory door.

*Knock, knock, knock—*

"Dingping, are you in there?"

"Professor Zhang, I'll be right there."

Opening the door, he saw Engineer Zhang Gongnong standing outside, drenched in sweat.

"I looked for you in the lab, the classroom, and the library several times but couldn't find you. I knew you'd be in your dorm."

Zhang Gongnong followed Su Dingping into the room, feeling a surge of emotion as he looked at the piles of manuscript paper filling the dormitory.

Having talent was one thing, but diligence was equally important.

And Su Dingping possessed both.

"I didn't feel comfortable letting anyone else pick you up. Is everything prepared?"

Picking up a bag at random, Su Dingping said, "Everything is ready. We can depart at any time!"

Looking at the room full of blueprints and then at the backpack in Su Dingping's hand, Zhang Gongnong was momentarily stunned.

He pointed at the items on the desk and then at the surrounding blueprints: "All of these... are no longer needed?"

"I've memorized them all. These are just trivial things."

Zhang Gongnong's eyelid twitched violently.

Half an hour later, the two arrived at the 335 Research Institute.

Upon seeing Su Dingping, Sun Yongguo walked over excitedly and shook his hand.

"Dingping, you'll have to work hard for a while."

"Dean Sun, this is what I should be doing."

Su Dingping scanned the room and found that, in addition to Professor Li, there were three other professors he didn't recognize.

"Dingping, we spent two days studying those blueprints you brought back from Old Zhang, and we have benefited immensely," Professor Li said.

The other three professors nodded in agreement.

Originally, when they saw Zhang Gongnong and the others bringing a whole vehicle's worth of blueprints and learned it was the graduation project of a senior student, they had all expressed that it seemed uninteresting.

But after reading them, every single one of them was struck by how incredible they were.

"The application to visit the 956E will be approved in a few days," Sun Yongguo said, changing the subject. "How about Dingping gets familiar with things here for one night, and we start tomorrow?"

"Dean Sun, time is tight. I can start today."

"Won't you rest a bit?"

Su Dingping shook his head.

Sun Yongguo immediately made the call: "Alright, I've already prepared a place for you."

...

"Beyond-visual-range engagement is the greatest weakness of our ships! It is also the primary problem that urgently needs to be solved! The 'Ore' maritime situational awareness radar on the 956E, in its active detection mode, can..."

At the lectern, Su Dingping spoke while listing derivation formulas.

"We know that the X-band causes significant energy loss during dispersion and reflection. According to calculations from the electromagnetic wave integral equation, the range cannot reach that far. What if we replace the X-band with the $\gamma$-band and apply the Fresnel conjecture?"

Su Dingping was lecturing earnestly, and Zhang Gongnong and the others were taking notes very seriously.

After more than an hour, Su Dingping asked, "Does everyone understand?"

"We understand."

"Professor Zhang, do you understand?"

Being called on so suddenly, Zhang Gongnong felt a bit awkward; it had been many years since he had been a student.

"It's alright."

Su Dingping looked back at the derivation formulas and asked, "Which part is unclear? Tell me, and I'll explain it again."

Professor Li nudged Zhang Gongnong's arm from the side, and Zhang Gongnong said helplessly, "Dingping, actually, I... didn't understand any of it."

The others followed suit.

"Yeah, it's the first time we've encountered these theories, so none of us have figured it out yet."

Su Dingping looked back at the derivation formulas once more.

Was it really that difficult?

Only then did he realize that breaking through technical barriers and filling technical gaps was indeed not that easy.

He had a system, but they did not.

Seeming to notice Su Dingping's silence, Sun Yongguo quickly said, "Dingping, it's fine, just keep going with your lecture! We will discuss it after class."

The others quickly added, "Yes, we'll go back and study it ourselves tonight. It's no trouble."

Taking a deep breath, Su Dingping said, "It's fine. It's like this when you first encounter something; it will get better with time. Come, let's go over it one more time!"

As he spoke, Su Dingping erased the formulas on the blackboard and began writing again.

"The Fresnel conjecture faces many problems during the practical stage. At this point, we need to..."

Three and a half hours later, a half-hour dinner break allowed everyone to breathe a sigh of relief.

Sun Yongguo said to Zhang Gongnong, "I originally thought about bringing everyone from the research institute here for lectures, but it looks like that won't be possible in the short term."

"Sigh," Zhang Gongnong sighed.

"There's no other way. We are completely lost regarding much of this theoretical knowledge. If we want our Navy to move from non-modernization to modernization, we have to shoulder this burden! Once we get through this hurdle and bridge the knowledge gap, things will be much easier later."

Zhang Gongnong looked helpless.

"Dean Sun, do you think Dingping was wondering earlier why these professors couldn't understand? I thought my explanation was thorough enough!"

Back when he taught at HIT, facing those so-called "prodigies," he often wondered why they just couldn't understand!

Now, he had become the very object of that same sentiment.

Hearing this, Sun Yongguo's mouth twitched violently.

He really knew how to bring up the most sensitive topic.

(End of Chapter)