The Military-industrial Scientific Research System of the Academic Master Chapter 251

Chapter 251: Technology for technology

Like almost everyone in China, Chang Haonan learned through TV news that the negotiations between JAA and FAA had reached a deadlock while taking a rest after eating.

 Under the previous working conditions, everyone definitely didn't have much time to watch TV, but after the two pods were transferred to the manufacturing process, they also had a less busy life.

 For this incident, the 7pm news on this day was specially extended by 5 minutes.

ˆ Judging from the situation mentioned in the report, the Americans, who had always had an aggressive attitude and wanted to make the investigation results public as quickly as possible and revise aviation safety standards based on the cause of the accident, suddenly began to think twice.

For him, who participated in almost the entire negotiation process, he could naturally tell at a glance that this was because JAA, who had received the confidence buff, caught the opponent off guard.

 But for the other people in School 14, there is nothing fishy about it.

However, immediately after this seemingly unremarkable news, there was a piece of news that could be called explosive.

  A package agreement on technical cooperation in the aviation field has been reached between China and the EU.

This is not the simple "cooperation" in which China paid for foreign countries to help with research and development, as before, but a true "cooperation" in which each takes what he needs.

Due to time constraints, it is of course impossible for the report to mention the entire content of the agreement between the two parties, but it includes the two most critical parts.

That is to say, the two parties will jointly establish an aviation meteorological research center to enhance the safety of aircraft in harsh weather conditions, and Airbus will build its planned "Asian Final Assembly Center" in China. The project location has nothing to do with aviation manufacturing. The construction of the factory buildings and supporting facilities were all completed by Huaxia.

Construction of the final assembly center will start before December 31, 1999 at the latest. After completion, it will be jointly managed by China Aviation Industry Corporation and Airbus. It is expected to reduce the cost of passenger aircraft products sold to East and Southeast Asia by approximately 6% to 8%. .

  The mutual recognition of regional aircraft airworthiness standards between CAAC and JAA did not appear in the news this time because the matter is of great importance and there are still some detailed technical issues being discussed.

However, even the part that has been revealed so far, combined with the TV picture of Ding Gaoheng, representatives from JAA and Airbus gathered around and signed the contract happily, is shocking enough.

At first glance, outsiders might think that this is similar to the situation of the McDonnell Douglas MD82 final assembly line established in Hufei more than ten years ago.

However, as long as you are a little knowledgeable or a little sensitive, you will find several key points behind the news.

For example, this time it is no longer the Civil Aviation Administration of China that comes forward to negotiate and sign agreements with the European side, but the Commission of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense.

In other words, the department responsible for planning and coordinating the development of the civil aviation industry in China has been officially switched.

If there are more discerning people, they will realize that placing the Airbus Asian final assembly center in China, although it can reduce costs to a certain extent, will definitely benefit China more overall.

 The European side will definitely not be charitable. Any agreement that can be reached must have parts that are beneficial to both parties.

 Hence, the only possibility is that the previous content of cooperation in building an aviation meteorological research center is actually more beneficial to Europe.

 This is a great thing.

 In the past twenty years, including China's own people, whenever they mention industrial advantages, it is nothing more than two repeated points: huge market potential and a large number of labor forces.

 When it comes to cooperating with foreign countries, these two trump cards come back and forth. Basically, there is no bargaining power. We can only engage in market exchange for technology where the initiative is in the hands of others.

Of course, it is foreseeable that if Airbus aircraft are assembled domestically, they will have a greater advantage than Boeing aircraft assembled in Seattle, thereby gaining more market share.

 However, this kind of share growth that is completely in line with market rules is essentially different from the content in past agreements.

 In the framework of market-for-technology, China must ensure that the sales volume and profits of foreign products do not fall below a certain target.

If this requirement cannot be met, money must be spent directly from the finance to make up for it.

 Pretty overbearing terms.

 But often you have to sign even if you don't sign.

As a result, this time, the agreement reached by the two parties did not mention the market share part at all, and there was no mention of "market for technology" in the report.

Every word or sentence in the 7pm news was not randomly determined.

 So, many people must have begun to wonder about the changes in the situation behind this.      “Speak up, Chang Gong.”

Guo Lin, who was also watching TV, asked Chang Haonan who was sitting next to him:

“Some time ago, several key members of our 14th institute suddenly received an order to go on a business trip to Haojing for a period of time. Is it related to this matter?”

Although Dianke Group is not a member of the aviation industry system, the relationship between the two is undoubtedly very close.

 The modification of the electronic equipment of the H-6AIT involved the participation of many electrical engineering engineers, probably the people Guo Lin mentioned.

  “So be it.”

Chang Haonan nodded:

"This is a once-in-lifetime opportunity. We currently estimate that we can lead the world in the field of aviation meteorological safety. However, the JAA happened to be very troubled by this issue, so this agreement can be signed like this." smoothly."

 Today is no longer the era of secret diplomacy two hundred years ago. Things like negotiations need to be kept secret during the process. Now that the agreement has been signed, there is nothing that cannot be said as long as it does not involve specific technical details.

“This final assembly center...is located in Shanghai again?”

Guo Lin also has some knowledge about aviation matters. After Boeing announced its acquisition of McDonnell Douglas, it was obvious to the naked eye that the MD90 model had no development prospects, so it was logical to think that it was intended to be given to Hufei. The manufacturing plant needs to find a new home so that it won't fall apart because it can't find orders.

"No, the specific location has not been decided yet, but in short, in order to prevent some people from deceiving the superiors and affecting the development of our own domestic aviation industry, we must choose a place where there has not been much aviation industry layout to build a new factory. "

Chang Haonan learned during a meeting at Sanzuomen a few days ago that the site selection principle he told Ding Gaoheng had been finalized by higher-level leaders.

 “Completely starting over? That's a big project.”

Xu Yang sat across from the dining table and could only see the TV screen through a somewhat awkward posture. Fortunately, the news had ended, so she turned back:

“When I was in school at Berkeley, my mentor and I went to McDonnell Douglas' factory in Long Beach. If we wanted to build a production base like that from scratch, I think it would be very difficult to do it in less than 5 to 10 years.”

 Berkeley and Long Beach are both in California. As a PhD student in the field of control engineering, it is normal for Xu Yang to have the opportunity to visit.

"There is no way. The lessons learned from the McDonnell Douglas project were too painful. At that time, some people thought that having this project was enough, so they threw away all the money they had saved in the past to build a new system that was in line with American standards. The result is now There are chicken feathers all over the place.”

Chang Haonan, who was playing with chopsticks in his hands, sighed and replied:

"Shanghai Aircraft Corporation, as the currently designated independent industrial base for large aircraft, must not be tortured like that again. The equipment, workers, and management can't stand it. Rather than bothering to compete with those 'own people', we might as well simply This will completely eliminate their desire to guide foreign capital to occupy the magpie's nest."

 “There are actually such people?”

Unlike Chang Haonan and Guo Lin, who have been on the front line of the project for a long time, Xu Yang's work experience can be called simple. After graduating from Berkeley, he returned to the Academy of Sciences. Before meeting Chang Haonan, he did mostly basic research, even the computer room door. They don't really need to publish it, so they naturally don't know much about the inside story of these industries.

 “Where is this going…”

Chang Haonan waved his hand:

"But let's not talk about it for now. In short, we didn't plan to build a factory the size of Long Beach in one step this time. We first kept the aircraft assembly business in our hands. As long as Airbus has experienced our In terms of production efficiency and quality, more parts production will definitely be transferred later, and it will not be too late to slowly expand the scale by then. "

After hearing this answer, Guo Lin on the side suddenly realized something incredible:

“Chang Gong, do you think our production efficiency can be higher than that in Europe?”

 This matter had basically become a consensus before Chang Haonan was reborn. Did you know that Tesla Motors, which was once on the verge of bankruptcy, counterattacked after the completion of its super factory in Shanghai? There was a sharp contrast...

But in 1997, few people dared to believe this kind of thing.

 After thinking for a moment, he gave a relatively conservative judgment:

“It's definitely not possible at the beginning, but you won't be able to say for sure in a few years. De-industrialization in Europe is now very strong. The impact of this kind of thing is almost irreversible and will be reflected very quickly..."

“What if the Europeans change their mind midway, just like McDonnell Douglas? After all, there are many dreams and long nights. The construction of this assembly center is not expected to start until three years..."

Ever since hearing Chang Haonan talk about the concept of bottom-line thinking at the Sandaomen dinner, Xu Yang's vigilance in this regard has almost increased exponentially, and it even feels a bit like cutting everything into black.

“It's unlikely. This time it's different from McDonnell Douglas and Paragon Peace. It's not a market exchange for technology, nor is it simply spending money to buy technology.”

Chang Haonan has already considered this issue:

"As Dr. Xu said, these two approaches are actually unreliable. If people don't want to play with you, they won't play with you. But now we are exchanging technology for technology, not unilaterally asking for others. Airbus wants to You have to think carefully before doing anything. The aviation meteorological research center is going to be built in China. If the agreement is really invalidated, all the investment will be in vain..."

 (End of this chapter)

Chapter end