The Rise Of Australasia-Chapter 1035 - 777: Five-Year Shipbuilding Plan

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"Minister Thomas, isn't the Ministry of Defence's naval construction plan a bit too extravagant? Even if we don't consider the country's financial situation, do we really need to build so many warships within five years?" In the Administrative Court, Prime Minister Raul incredulously asked as he looked at the shipbuilding plan report submitted by Defence Minister Thomas.

Prime Minister Raul was aware of the collapse of the Naval Limitation Treaty, and he understood that Australasia must join the naval arms race in the upcoming years and enhance the country's naval power as much as possible.

But the problem was that the naval construction plan submitted by Minister Thomas was too exaggerated; it was a massive plan the likes of which Australasia had never seen before.

"I hope you can give me a proper reason, otherwise, you can go persuade the Cabinet and His Majesty yourself!" With annoyance, Prime Minister Raul said to Thomas, who seemed unbothered.

"Your Excellency, as I'm sure you understand the current importance of building a navy," Defence Minister Thomas began to explain unhurriedly: "The situation is different now; our relationship with Britain is not as close as one might think.

To ensure the security of our territory, we must strengthen our naval forces in the Pacific and Indian Oceans.

Secondly, the Islanders have clearly begun to see us as potential rivals. If we ignore their shipbuilding plans, the Island Nation's navy will surpass ours, which is absolutely unacceptable.

If we lose our naval advantage over the Island Nation, we are very likely to fall behind in our competition with them, even losing supremacy in the Pacific Ocean.

It is for these reasons that I believe it is necessary to greatly expand our navy to ensure our supremacy in the Indian and Pacific Oceans."

"All that said, we don't need to build ten aircraft carriers all at once, do we?" Prime Minister Raul said irritably as he looked at Minister Thomas, who spoke earnestly: "Do you know how much it costs to build ten aircraft carriers?

Based on the cost of the latest model aircraft carrier, just the carriers alone would be close to 100 million Australian dollars!

If other ministers find out that you plan to spend 200 million Australian dollars on the navy, I'm afraid the next Cabinet Meeting would turn into a bustling marketplace.

Last year's fiscal revenue was only 407 million Australian dollars; I cannot agree to this naval construction plan that exceeds 200 million Australian dollars."

"Regardless, Your Excellency, we must establish naval superiority over the Island Nation," Minister Thomas explained: "You know very well His Majesty's dislike for the Island Nation, and I think it's very likely that we'll find ourselves in a war with them.

Instead of waiting until war comes to build warships, it would be better for us to prepare in advance and seek to crush the Island Nation in all three domains: land, sea, and air.

If you disagree with this shipbuilding plan, then what do you think about this one?" Minister Thomas took out another prepared shipbuilding plan and smilingly handed it over to Prime Minister Raul.

"Dammit, I knew you had something else up your sleeve," Prime Minister Raul said, slightly annoyed but still taking the second plan from Minister Thomas.

Compared to the previous, very exaggerated, shipbuilding plan, the second one that Minister Thomas handed to Prime Minister Raul seemed much more reasonable.

Also spanning five years, this shipbuilding plan included 2 dreadnoughts, 3 aircraft carriers, 2 battlecruisers, 10 destroyers, and nearly a hundred large and small warships.

The number of main battleships was 7, which would ensure that after completing the shipbuilding plan, Australasia's main naval force would be slightly larger than that of the Island Nation.

Coupled with the previously determined submarine construction plan, it would secure Australasia's naval superiority in the Pacific.

If a conflict or even war were to break out between Australasia and the Island Nation, relying on this naval superiority, Australasia could easily blockade the Island Nation's logistical supply lines, turning the Island Nation into an isolated country in the sea.

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For a country like the Island Nation, being cut off from the sea routes would be akin to severing its lifeline.

This is why Minister Thomas repeatedly emphasized the importance of maritime superiority, which essentially guaranteed Australasia's advantage in a war against the Island Nation.

"Are all the warships using the latest design?" Prime Minister Raul frowned, asking about some of the details in the plans.

"Yes, Your Excellency," Minister Thomas said with a smile, nodding and explaining: "As you know, our R&D focus has been on aircraft carriers. Compared to aircraft carriers, our other warship designs have fallen slightly behind, even inferior to those of the Islanders.

While expanding the navy is necessary, we certainly cannot afford to spend huge sums of money building outdated products.

All main battleships, including the aircraft carriers, will use the latest designs, striving to create the world's most advanced naval vessels."

Hearing Minister Thomas's explanation, Prime Minister Raul nodded without any objection.

As an official who rose from Defence Minister to Prime Minister, Prime Minister Raul naturally also understood how advanced warship design influenced the combat capability of a warship.

If substantial funds are going to be invested in building warships anyway, naturally, constructing the most advanced and highest-performing ships would be the Australasian Government's preferred choice.

"How much fiscal budget is expected for this shipbuilding plan?" Prime Minister Raul asked, raising the issue he was most concerned about.

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