"These warships are too fragile. It is hard for me to imagine how long it will last when a torpedo or bomb hits a warship that may hit hard or even sink. Then, when facing the high-intensity strike of the German Navy," said Duff.

"Well, General Betty on the front line also has objections to this. So we have to use experiments to find a balance point, which can take into account both the cost and the construction cycle, and also make the survival rate of this warship less bad. So we need a lot of battlefield data." Thomas said.

"Since you have told me so much today, does it mean that if I had completed the Italian mission, I would have gone to the Pacific Ocean? After all, Betty and the others might have been a bit short of manpower." Duff said.

"Yes, our battlefield personnel will increase, and we must not only focus on Japan, but also on the Americans. In addition to the navy, there is also the Air Force. We must collect information and accumulate experience as much as possible."

"Does our Air Force have new projects?" Duff asked.

"There is one, the current research and development of large aircraft in the Empire is strictly limited, so we can only make a fuss on twin-engine medium aircraft. The Empire is now cooperating with the Japanese to develop a twin-engine fast multi-purpose bomber that can perform dive bombing and torpedo attacks at the same time. This aircraft will be the main tactical strike aircraft of the Imperial Air Force in the future." Thomas said.

"This is a bit difficult. Diving bombing requires a bit of high strength of the body structure. We also need to be equipped with special aiming equipment. Even if the aircraft is created and put into the battlefield, it may not be able to achieve the effect that we are satisfied with in the early stage." Duff is not very good at aviation, but with his years of experience in the military, he knew that if a new piece of equipment wants to go down from a drawing to a factory, it takes time and hardship to transform a tactic from an idea to a reality.

Moreover, if Thomas requires two-in-one dive bombing and torpedo attack, the size of this aircraft will not be small. After all, the volume and weight of the torpedo are now there. The weight of the new aviation torpedo is above 450KG. If high-speed requirements are added, the requirements for the engine will reach a new height, which is a big challenge for the British who are now restricted in the aviation industry. After all, the British's engine power is limited.

"We are accumulating experience and ideas. The Empire's aviation research and development cannot be cut off. Even if we will not be equipped in the end, we must maintain the necessary research and development capabilities." Thomas explained this.

"I feel it would be better for me to be responsible for the navy. Let's leave the aviation to professionals." Duff said hesitantly.

"Well, let's talk about the next question, what do you think of the cruiser of the future Imperial Navy?" Thomas asked.

"Cruisers are getting bigger and bigger now. I always think that the Germans' 175MM artillery cruiser and the 190MM artillery cruiser we are preparing to build are already big enough. As a result, the Americans have installed 10-inch artillery. Now the new large cruisers built by various countries are almost the product of the rapid and fearlessness of old large cruisers."

"To be honest, the cost-effectiveness of this large warship specially used to deal with the opponent's cruisers is actually very low. Because of lightning strikes, they are not as good as light cruisers equipped with 6-inch guns. In terms of fleet combat, they are far inferior to high-speed battleships. Their existence is just to deal with the opponent's cruisers, and the cost is quite high. If possible, I hope the Royal Navy will not build a single ship, and all the money saved is used to equip other warships." As a veteran of the Royal Navy, Duff still has a thorough understanding of the current problem of large cruisers.

"However, there are many things in this world that are unreasonable. What do you think will happen after the war is over? In order to maintain their own interests, they must require the signing of a treaty that restricts arms. In terms of the navy, the tonnage and performance of the main ships will be restricted to the extreme. So in order to ensure combat effectiveness, everyone can only use their brains on the secondary main ships. The Americans have already started, and the Germans may follow up soon. So, in this world where you have and I have, how do you choose the Royal Navy?" Thomas asked back.

"This..." Duff is not easy to answer this question.

"Okay, this time we will not only focus on heavy cruisers equipped with 10-inch guns, but also mid-range cruisers using 7.5-inch to 8-inch guns, and the 6-inch gun light cruisers we are now equipped with. However, in my personal opinion, the 5,000-ton cruisers we left during the war are no longer useful in the future. After all, the tonnage of destroyers is also increasing. In order to ensure the absolute advantage of lightning strike warships, our light cruisers must be improved in terms of tonnage and firepower." Thomas said.

"Okay, but I feel that there will be no more cases of war in cruisers. At least the Americans equipped with 10-inch artillery armored cruisers will not be very useful, because the Japanese cruiser team has been almost destroyed. Even if we sell a batch of legacy during the war, we don't have to find these big guys with full load displacement of nearly 20,000 tons to fight." Duff said.

"Don't forget the old cruisers in the hands of the Japanese and the cruisers that Japan is preparing to purchase from the Italians. I believe that in the future, these cruisers will make the Pacific very confused." Thomas said meaningfully.

"Then let's wait and see," said Duff.

So, when the war on New Ireland just ended, although the confrontation between the United States and Japan was over, it was just a brief rest between the war. The major powers in the world were more or less involved in this war. The Americans and the Japanese fought for dominance in the Pacific, while the Germans, Austrians, British, French and Italians were considering what they could get in this war. Therefore, under the influence of various factors, the fire of war will not only not be extinguished, but will intensify!

Just when Thomas planned how to make the war go on longer and more intensely, the team represented by US Secretary of State Lansing finally came to Germany to discuss the next issue of military cooperation between the United States and Germany. This visit will undoubtedly open a new page in the game between the United States and Germany. What Lansing expected was that this time, his main pressure did not come from politics, but from his own knowledge of the "military" profession. Even with the help of Colonel Lech, he would not be able to start many things!
Chapter completed!