After confirming that Castle had officially sent someone to contact Northrop Grumman, their competitor for the next-generation integrated attack and reconnaissance UAV contract for the US military, intending to transfer or authorize the use of Castle's two uniquely designed drones and their valuable semi-intelligent flight control system, the entire board of General Atomics in California was in an uproar. The original proposal to kidnap the chubby guy and steal the two drones, made by an idiotic board member, had backfired spectacularly, and he was promptly sent home to reflect on his actions. Though his idea wasn't entirely bad, it had disastrously misfired, and someone had to take the blame.
The current mission of the vice president was to win Castle's forgiveness at any cost and to join the technical transfer negotiations. Even if they couldn't push out their rival Northrop Grumman, they needed to ensure that General Atomics had the same opportunity. If Northrop Grumman obtained Castle's drone prototypes and their groundbreaking semi-intelligent flight control system, it could spell disaster for General Atomics.
After reviewing the footage of Castle's drones flying around New York, General Atomics' technical staff unanimously agreed that these drones used a completely different technology from the current mainstream military drones. Although they might not have a significant advantage over the jet engine-powered military drones requiring runways for takeoff and landing, the vertical takeoff and landing, combined with the ability to hover like a helicopter, had astonished them. In wartime, such vertical takeoff drones would be far more responsive and easier to deploy for urgent missions, proving more useful for certain task forces than the small quadcopter drones currently in use. It was only 2009, not 2020!
Current military drones couldn't hover like helicopters while maintaining high speeds, which Castle's drones could. Modern civilian drones could hover, but they used quadcopter designs. None could match Castle's drones in both vertical takeoff and fixed-wing flight speed. The V-22 Osprey could do this, but its complex engine structure made it inefficient and prone to accidents, unlike Castle's drones, which constantly flew over New York like flies, limited only by their fuel capacity and flight range. Their high technical standards and design philosophies were crucial for General Atomics, especially while bidding for the next-generation military UAV contract.
The US military had only two UAV suppliers: Northrop Grumman, whose Global Hawk was solely for reconnaissance, and General Atomics with its MQ-1 Predator and MQ-9 Reaper, which combined reconnaissance and attack but required many operators per drone. In contrast, Castle's drones could be perfectly controlled by one person, using just civilian satellite channels. If given a dedicated military satellite channel, their performance would be even better.
This technological prowess was almost lost due to a foolish board member who, instead of paying for a technology transfer, had sent a black ops team to kidnap the wrong person. After the failed kidnapping, during which their personnel were neutralized with strong tranquilizers and the team leader and three technical experts were handed over to the police, General Atomics hadn't panicked. They were, after all, a military partner and one of the only two UAV suppliers for the US military. They bailed out their employees the next morning, initially planning to let things settle before deciding on their next move. But they didn't expect Castle to act so decisively, inviting their biggest competitor to New York and arranging a flight demonstration the very next day.
Based on current information, Castle had aligned with Northrop Grumman, receiving strong endorsement from their aerospace technical director, Mark. Some code for the semi-intelligent flight control system had already been handed over to Northrop Grumman for review. Once validated, formal technical transfer or authorization negotiations would begin. If General Atomics couldn't secure Castle's forgiveness and join the negotiations, they would fall behind Northrop Grumman in the bid for the next-generation military UAV contract—an unacceptable outcome for the board.
Northrop Grumman was a formidable opponent, ranked third among US defense contractors. They had close ties with top military officials and unparalleled manufacturing capabilities, including the only nuclear-powered aircraft carrier plant in the US. They had a strong historical connection with the Air Force, dating back to World War II, making them a tough competitor. If not for Global Hawk's early development lacking strike capability, General Atomics' Predator and Reaper might not have secured military contracts at all.
Now, Northrop Grumman was competing with General Atomics for the next-generation military UAV contract. General Atomics struggled with the required flight control systems, and if Northrop Grumman monopolized Castle's drone technology, how could they compete? This realization dawned on Castle as he answered the call, hearing the vice president of General Atomics groveling, apologizing profusely, and offering a substantial monetary compensation for the chubby guy's fright.
Unfortunately, Castle had no desire to engage with General Atomics. In his previous life, he was a 'cat fan' who adored Northrop Grumman's F-14 Tomcat. Displeased with the botched kidnapping attempt and their audacious plan to steal his valuable drones, Castle didn't hesitate to hang up on the vice president mid-sentence.
The vice president, standing in a luxurious suite at the Waldorf Astoria in Manhattan, furiously threw his phone. He cursed the brainless board members—if they wanted to do something illegal, couldn't they at least get their facts straight first? Not only did they kidnap the wrong person, but their delay after the incident cost them the best opportunity to calm the situation. Castle's swift response, contacting Northrop Grumman and arranging a demonstration the next day, caught them off guard.
Now, with Castle aligned with Northrop Grumman and receiving strong support from their aerospace director, Mark, the vice president's mission to seek Castle's forgiveness and join the negotiations seemed impossible. Moreover, bypassing Castle to kidnap the chubby guy again was futile, as he was now under strict protection at a Long Island estate owned by the powerful Italian D'Antonio family, known for their formidable underworld influence. No one, not even a military UAV supplier like General Atomics, dared to provoke them, especially with the D'Antonio heir residing there.
With Northrop Grumman about to validate the flight control system code, they would secure the technology transfer, leaving General Atomics at a severe disadvantage. The vice president felt his trip to New York might end in complete failure.
_________________________
[Check out my Patreon for +200 additional chapters in all my fanfics! Only $5 per novel or $15 for all!!] [www.p@treon.com/Mutter]
[+50 Power Stones = +1 Extra Chapter]