"These starships are all models I've never seen before?" Annie looked at Commander Zhao Chen in surprise.
Commander Zhao Chen pointed at those starships: "I've already done some basic editing inside, including the fundamental technologies required for construction, raw materials, construction requirements, approximate construction time, and so on.
Detailed technical blueprints for construction will be compiled into the Starship Construction Blueprint System of the T2 Hammer-class Heavy Interstellar Industrial Ship later."
Annie began to click open the brief introductions of those starships, examining them carefully.
Jenny beside her also leaned her head over to look. Commander Zhao Chen had previously allowed her to view them, but at the time, she declined because she couldn't handle the overall planning.
However, if it was just about looking at the construction requirements for a single starship, she, as a Stellar Artisan, did have the capability.
Secretary Officer Lilith watched Commander Zhao Chen's profile with some astonishment.
In just a few short months, Commander Zhao Chen had produced technical blueprints for several more starships. Although Commander Zhao Chen had demonstrated astonishing abilities in starship manufacturing and research...
This was still a bit too terrifying.
Perhaps this was also why Governor Chu He and the royal family paid such close attention to him.
Soon, Annie, with a post-meal lollipop in her mouth, muttered: "Your plan requires that one T3 Andromeda-class Interstellar Medical Ship and one T3 Goddess Academy-class Starship must be built.
Then, the T2 Hammer-class Heavy Interstellar Industrial Ships need to be expanded, with a minimum of five or more.
As for the others—the T3 Phantom Sting-class Light Interstellar Stealth Bomber, the T2 Snow Mastiff-class Heavy Interstellar Battleship, and the T2 Lion King-class Heavy Interstellar Missile Ship—there are no specific construction quantity requirements. They just need to be built gradually after the former construction tasks are completed."
"Correct." Zhao Chen nodded.
"As for raw material funding..."
"No need to consider it. What I want is efficiency!" Zhao Chen stated bluntly. The first installment of Governor Chu's 1.5 billion funds had already been directly credited. That old man handled things quite well—he said what he meant and meant what he said.
Now, Zhao Chen had also become someone who wasn't short on money.
What he wanted were starships! The more interstellar warships, the better!
"In that case..." Annie raised her hand, summoning a holographic projection interface beside her, along with a holographic keyboard. Her hands hovered in the air, rapidly typing on it.
Zhao Chen's eyes lit up at the sight.
Annie's posture was very professional. Of course, it would be even better if one could ignore the grease stains on her hands, the lollipop in her mouth, and her constantly swinging legs.
A few minutes later, Annie finished typing and wrapped up. She turned the projection screen toward Zhao Chen: "Commander, take a look at this construction plan I've designed.
Based on the current situation, around mid-April, the two T2 Hammer-class Heavy Interstellar Industrial Ships we are currently building should be commissioned into service."
Zhao Chen glanced at it.
April: The four completed T2 Hammer-class Heavy Interstellar Industrial Ships will continue to manufacture and produce four more T2 Hammer-class Heavy Interstellar Industrial Ships. This way, by early May, Zhao Chen will have a total of eight T2 Hammer-class Heavy Interstellar Industrial Ships.
May: Four T2 Hammer-class Heavy Interstellar Industrial Ships will continue producing more T2 Hammer-class ships, which can be completed by the end of May. The remaining three T2 Hammer-class ships will each be responsible for constructing one T3 Andromeda-class Interstellar Medical Ship, one T3 Goddess Academy-class Starship, and one T3 Phantom Sting-class Light Interstellar Stealth Bomber. These three starships, with a two-month construction period, can be completed by the end of June.
The final T2 Hammer-class ship will be responsible for producing one T2 Lion King-class Heavy Interstellar Missile Ship in May and one T2 Snow Mastiff-class Heavy Interstellar Battleship in June, commissioning one of each.
June: The four additional T2 Hammer-class ships, together with the original four, making a total of eight T2 Hammer-class ships, will continue producing more T2 Hammer-class ships. This way, another eight T2 Hammer-class ships can be commissioned into service by the end of June.
All things considered, by the second quarter of this year, the number of active T2 Hammer-class ships will reach twenty!
There were even more detailed construction plan contents following...
Ultimately, by the end of June, Zhao Chen's interstellar fleet size is estimated to be:
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One T3 Blizzard-class Light Interstellar Battlecruiser
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One T3 Phantom Sting-class Light Interstellar Stealth Bomber
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One T3 Andromeda-class Interstellar Medical Ship
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One T3 Goddess Academy-class Starship
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One T2 Lion King-class Heavy Interstellar Missile Ship
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One T2 Snow Mastiff-class Heavy Interstellar Battleship
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One T2 Queen Bee-class Heavy Carrier Starship
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One T2 Bronze Eden-class Starship
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Ten T2 Black Rhinoceros-class interstellar heavy assault frigates
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And twenty T2 Hammer-class Heavy Interstellar Industrial Ships.
This totals fifteen Combat-type Starships, comprising two at T3 Level and thirteen at T2 Level.
Twenty-three Support-type Starships, comprising two at T3 Level and twenty-one at T2 Level.
The total Starship Count reaches thirty-eight ships!
In Zhao Chen's mind, an image had already formed: an interstellar fleet hovering in the cosmos, awaiting his command.
Just thinking about it made him a little excited.
However, the number still felt a bit small. What he wanted was a fleet numbering in the hundreds or even thousands!
Wouldn't cruising around in that be utterly domineering?
Reining in his excited emotions, Zhao Chen carefully reviewed the details. Annie had even listed the required material resources and, crucially, the current shortage of starship craftsmen at the end.
First were the construction resources, which she had already converted into Star Coins based on current raw material prices.
And it must be said, she was truly meticulous!
The total cost for this three-month construction plan was 80 million Star Coins.
In the past, Zhao Chen would have been running around frantically to scrape together such a sum. But now, he wouldn't even bat an eye.
This amount wasn't even a fraction of the funds he currently held.
Prior to this, Zhao Chen had already accumulated 7 million Star Coins from Escort Mission rewards and the bonuses from this recent commendation.
Add to that the colossal sum of 1.5 billion!
This three-month construction plan was completely feasible.
The required raw materials were also relatively common, so procurement wouldn't be a major issue.
Money wasn't the problem, but Zhao Chen discovered another issue looming before him.
That was personnel!
Once these newly expanded starships are commissioned into service, they will require nearly four thousand personnel!
This includes over 200 Combat-type Crew members and nearly 3,800 Technical-type Crew members.
The largest gap, of course, comes from the one-time expansion of 18 T2 Hammer-class Heavy Interstellar Industrial Ships!
"The personnel issue is indeed a significant problem, especially when it comes to technical talent, the Starship Artisans."
Zhao Chen slightly furrowed his brow, rubbing his chin as he muttered to himself, "With insufficient personnel, we'll face the awkward situation of having starships but no one to operate them once they're commissioned.
This is particularly true for the T2 Hammer-class Heavy Interstellar Industrial Ship... Without enough Starship Artisan-type technical personnel, the subsequent construction plans cannot proceed!"
"Commander, I actually have a suggestion... We dwarves are natural-born artisans and would be perfectly suited for this role!" Annie raised her hand and called out.
"Is that so!" Zhao Chen feigned surprise as he looked at Annie, much like a big bad wolf seeing Little Red Riding Hood walking right up to him.