Aviation-Centric Combined Fleet

Chapter 2 - Utilizing Privileges

"Could you please reconsider? If something were to happen to you, the losses to the Imperial Navy would be immeasurable," pleaded a high-ranking naval officer.

However, Admiral Prince Fushimi responded with a calm expression, throwing aside the façade of a military man.

"I cannot simply recline in the rear and enjoy myself, claiming to be an admiral, while burdening only the young with perilous tasks. Leading from the front is a tradition of the Imperial Navy. That's why both enlisted personnel and officers follow suit. This applies not only in times of war but also in times of peace. The higher-ups, especially those with limited time left, must take the lead precisely because it is dangerous."

While saying this, Prince Fushimi was thinking about something else.

It had been quite some time since he became the Military Councilor, and this position was, for the most part, idle. Although the role of a Military Councilor allowed for significant influence in personnel struggles, factional disputes, and what one might call power games within the Navy, such opportunities were rare. Moreover, any organization, not just the Navy, would be better off without conflicts. In addition, the storm in a teacup caused by the Washington Naval Treaty, which imposed a 60% main fleet ratio against the US and the UK, had already subsided. Looking at the world, there were no major wars, and the Imperial Navy, on the surface, remained unified in its fleet decisive battle and big-ship, big-gun doctrines.

In this era of peace, the tasks assigned to the Military Councilor were mostly related to personnel matters, and the trivial issues were handled by the deputy chief of staff. Nevertheless, Prince Fushimi had never considered wasting his free time idly or inactively. There had always been a sense of duty, almost like anxiety, to achieve something as an admiral, but he couldn't figure out what to do. However, he felt that the vague image of what the Imperial Navy should be in the future was revealed through the conversations of young officers he overheard the other day.

Certainly, Prince Fushimi was a staunch advocate of battleships, and he didn't blindly believe that airplanes would triumph over battleships. However, it was evident that battleships and airplanes were merely means of delivering bullets and bombs to the enemy. If, hypothetically, evolved airplanes in the near future possessed destructive power comparable to torpedoes and shells carried by surface vessels, what would happen to battleships? These thoughts started to occupy his mind.

Moreover, the world's navies had many royal and imperial family members, as well as nobles serving as military personnel. Still, there was likely no one who had combat experience on surface vessels and could master airplanes. If he also gained experience in submarines, he could pioneer the three-dimensional combat of the sea, surface, and air before anyone else in the world. Such experiences and insights would undoubtedly enhance his position and influence within the Imperial Navy. Perhaps influenced by his long years in the Navy, Prince Fushimi, despite being a member of the Imperial Family, had a relatively down-to-earth or mundane way of thinking. The temptation to ride an airplane was intertwined with his considerable ambition and proved difficult to sever.

In the end, Prince Fushimi's request was granted. No one could say no to the absolute authority of the Navy who is also referred to as "His Imperial Highness." It was said that it would take about six months for preparations, but Prince Fushimi decided to wait.

In this era, domestic aircraft had already made their debut, but due to concerns about their reliability, it was said that appropriate foreign aircraft would be purchased as reference materials. During this period, Prince Fushimi decided to experience submarine duty. It wasn't a bad idea to accumulate underwater experience before experiencing the skies.