Through memories of his past life, Mavi knew that the Mikoyan Design Bureau, due to a lack of research funding, was eventually acquired by the Sukhoi Design Bureau. However, he was unsure how things would unfold in this lifetime...
"The situation at the Sukhoi Design Bureau is quite similar to ours at Mikoyan. Research funding is scarce, and they rely on annual government subsidies. Why? Are you interested in them?" Anatoly, the elder, asked shrewdly over the phone.
Anatoly held Mavi in high regard. First, the Russian president had summoned him. Then, he had helped Ukraine resolve the nuclear disarmament crisis. Just two weeks ago, he even devised a strategy to navigate the Montreux Convention, allowing the joint Ukrainian-Russian fleet to escort aircraft carriers through the Turkish Straits with legitimate justification.
Considering these accomplishments alone, it was clear that Mavi was being positioned as the future leader of the family.
After all, for a prominent family to remain strong for generations, its leader had to possess foresight. Only then could they guide the family forward. A single poor decision could result in its downfall and eventual collapse.
"I was thinking that, if the conditions are right, we could try to acquire the Sukhoi Design Bureau to strengthen Mikoyan," Mavi stated bluntly.
On the other end of the line, Anatoly's eyes lit up with interest. "You want to acquire Sukhoi? I can arrange for someone to look into it."
Mavi's target was their family's long-time rival, making this a significant move for both Anatoly and the Mikoyan family.
After all, the two design bureaus had been competing fiercely since the Soviet era, with neither emerging as the clear winner. Perhaps it was finally time to settle the score.
"Thank you, Lord Anatoly," Mavi said politely over the phone. Regardless of his status, he always adhered to proper etiquette.
"It's no trouble at all. I'll contact you once I have more information," Anatoly responded warmly. Compared to their first conversation, his tone had become noticeably more accommodating—a testament to Mavi's rising status within the family.
Anatoly's network was remarkably efficient. Less than two hours later, before Mavi had even landed, his satellite phone rang again.
"Hello, Mavi. I've already had someone reach out. Sukhoi hasn't received any new fighter jet orders recently, and their research funds are nearly depleted. If you're serious about acquiring them, now would be an excellent time," Anatoly analyzed.
For a design bureau like Sukhoi, failing to secure orders meant a lack of funding for new aircraft development. Government subsidies alone weren't enough to cover even basic operational expenses, let alone future advancements.
"Understood, Lord Anatoly. I'll arrange a meeting with them," Mavi replied thoughtfully.
Since Mikoyan Design Bureau belonged to the entire family and not just him, Mavi considered hedging his bets. Rather than injecting funds into Mikoyan directly, acquiring Sukhoi seemed like a more secure investment.
After all, if internal family disputes ever arose, his young age and the absence of his parents could leave him vulnerable. In the worst-case scenario, his financial contributions might be embezzled by so-called "relatives," leaving him with nothing but regret.
### Three Days Later
On a quiet afternoon, after returning to Russia, Mavi took a private car to the Sukhoi Experimental Design Bureau.
Founded in 1939, Sukhoi was renowned for designing fighter jets, commercial planes, and bombers. The bureau's first chief designer was Pavel Osipovich Sukhoi, while the current chief designer was Ivanov.
Sukhoi had developed several successful aircraft, including interceptors like the Su-9 and Su-15; fighter-bombers such as the Su-7, Su-17, Su-24, Su-30, and Su-34; attack aircraft like the Su-25; and fighter jets such as the Su-27, Su-30, Su-33, Su-35, and Su-37.
As Mavi's convoy arrived at the entrance of the Sukhoi Design Bureau, a middle-aged man in a white lab coat and gold-rimmed glasses stepped out of the building.
This man was Ivanov, the current chief designer. He held a pivotal position within the bureau, overseeing the approval of many critical aircraft development projects.
Before Mavi's visit, Ivanov had already conducted background checks on him. He was well aware of the contributions Mavi had made to Russia over the past six months. To be honest, Ivanov was quite surprised—he hadn't expected someone so young to have such capabilities. Truly, a remarkable talent...
Although Ivanov typically had little regard for members of the Mikoyan family, he set aside his biases in recognition of Mavi's achievements. Greeting him with restrained politeness, he said, "Welcome to the Sukhoi Design Bureau, Mr. Mavi."
"Thank you, Mr. Ivanov," Mavi responded, free of hostility. To him, this was purely a strategic business move.
Seeing Mavi's respectful demeanor, Ivanov nodded slightly and led him inside for a tour. "Follow me, Mr. Mavi. I'll show you around. Sukhoi is quite different from the Mikoyan Design Bureau in many ways. In short, we are pioneers."
What Ivanov said was true. Sukhoi's design philosophy revolved around boldly integrating the latest scientific and technological advancements to create the world's most advanced aircraft.
However, this relentless pursuit of innovation came with risks—many experimental designs never made it to production due to technical or financial constraints.
As they walked through the facility, Ivanov brought Mavi to the Sukhoi Aircraft Museum.
The museum housed an extensive collection of aircraft developed by Sukhoi since its founding, including interceptors, fighter jets, bombers, and attack planes.
Among them were the Su-34 and Su-35, which Mavi had previously seen at a Ukrainian air base, as well as older models like the Su-7 and Su-11, which he had only encountered in historical archives.
Beyond these well-known models, Mavi noticed several unusual aircraft in the exhibit—ones he had never seen before. Some had futuristic designs, resembling alien spacecraft, while others had such bizarre structures that it was difficult to even recognize them as airplanes.
"Mr. Mavi, I'm sure you're quite puzzled," Ivanov said, observing his reaction. "These unfamiliar aircraft before you were all designed and developed by our predecessors. However, they never reached production, so they've been preserved here in our museum."
(End of Chapter)