00X/004 future nuclear CATOBAR carrier thread

[tphuang]

Yes, but the OP was about how the ACP100S is going to be the reactor used in the 004. I imagine in order for it to be possible there must be a new carrier design which allows for more frequent refueling.

I think he was just talking about it from the possibility of what type of power and dimension requirements are to power 004. And it's possible they have a naval version of 125MW reactor that will be put inside 004.

 

[iewgnem]

Global power projection requires a massive logistical network to back it. Those logistical networks require nodes where aircrafts and ships will transmit through in order to support the forward-deployed forces required to establish and maintain presence at various locations that are far-flung from home.

Air bases, naval bases and various types of stations and facilities are pretty much part-and-parcels of this logistical network - And this is also pretty much how the US establish its global empire for decades. How else are you going to do global power projection without it?

I think people focus too much on initial conditions and forget how current conditions came about.
US didn't have their global bases until after WW2, its their ability to project power globally that gave them those bases, not vice versa.

There are two future scenarios: conflict and no conflict.
- If there are no conflict, civilian port visit agreements combined with merchant marine and at sea replenishment are enough to sustain force presence globally, i.e. it'll let China lose to Houthis type force and bomb civilians anywhere around the world, this is the "global empire" China does not aspire to be.
- If there is conflict with the US, which is the only scenario that actually matters, having global power projection means having the ability to take bases from the US globally, the same way US took them from Japan and Germany, not all at once, but incrementally, with the naval, merchant marine, shipbuilding and industrial base to sustain and resupply it

China doesn't need to have a global empire with bases in every country, but China very much need, and is objectively building a force that can actually project power globally when needed.

 

[sunnymaxi]

I think people focus too much on initial conditions and forget how current conditions came about.
US didn't have their global bases until after WW2, its their ability to project power globally that gave them those bases, not vice versa.

There are two future scenarios: conflict and no conflict.
- If there are no conflict, civilian port visit agreements combined with merchant marine and at sea replenishment are enough to sustain force presence globally, i.e. it'll let China lose to Houthis type force and bomb civilians anywhere around the world, this is the "global empire" China does not aspire to be.
- If there is conflict with the US, which is the only scenario that actually matters, having global power projection means having the ability to take bases from the US globally, the same way US took them from Japan and Germany, not all at once, but incrementally, with the naval, merchant marine, shipbuilding and industrial base to sustain and resupply it

China doesn't need to have a global empire with bases in every country, but China very much need, and is objectively building a force that can actually project power globally when needed.

China could be very well fortified Asian continent through its BRI contact/agreements in coming years or in next decade if he wants.. this comes within China's range and military build up.. i don't see China is even interested to build hundreds of bases around the globe or replacing US role as world policeman.

 

[sunnymaxi]

Can you show us the link or source for the 2 years refueling cycle? This is more like refueling cycle of a civilian land based nuclear power station.

Aircraft carrier nuclear reactor in US navy has refueling cycle of 25 years, and refueling is done during MLU which can take upto 4 years or more in a drydock.

Aircraft carrier usually serve for 50 years, so they would only need one refueling in their whole service life.

Edit: I found the source to the 2 years refueling cycle on ACP100S. Therefore I don't think the reactor on 004 is ACP100S.

ACP100S is a civilian land based nuclear power reactor but has many variants so most likely naval version of ACP100S will power 004..

Edit- i just read the report. ACP100S is a multi-purpose small reactor, specifically adapted for marine environments like for floating nuclear powerplant , oil and gas drilling platforms. design completed in 2014 and passed safety assessment in 2016.

 

[AndrewS]

I dont think China built the worlds largest navy and now nuke carriers to hang out in Asia

Global power projection does not equal global empire, for one China's enemy has a global empire so you need global projection to fight it

@ACuriousPLAFan

Historically, the world's largest trading nation builds the world's largest Navy to protect its overseas trade and investments. And such a Navy would have global reach.

At a minimum, that means strategic bases on a global scale

 

[hkky]

they are talking about refueling cycle of a civilian land based nuclear power station which is ACP100S.

for military applications, there will be HEU reactor.

I am not sure you understand reactor physics. You can't just increase enrichment. In a fission reactor you load all of your fuel that you will burn for the cycle. The more fuel you load the more reactivity you will need to suppress at beginning of the cycle. What you are suggesting, the reactor would likely blow up like Chernobyl.

 

[sunnymaxi]

I am not sure you understand reactor physics. You can't just increase enrichment. In a fission reactor you load all of your fuel that you will burn for the cycle. The more fuel you load the more reactivity you will need to suppress at beginning of the cycle. What you are suggesting, the reactor would likely blow up like Chernobyl.

can you read ??

ACP100S is a civilian land based nuclear and LEU so not likely to power CVN.. for 004 there will be different reactor with High enriched uranium.

 

[iewgnem]

China could be very well fortified Asian continent through its BRI contact/agreements in coming years or in next decade if he wants.. this comes within China's range and military build up.. i don't see China is even interested to build hundreds of bases around the globe or replacing US role as world policeman.

China might not be interested in building global bases, but in a war with US scenario China will need to take over at least those US bases within strike range of Chinese soil, and then other bases within strike range of those bases and so on. The question then becomes will China be interested in returning those bases to the US in a theoretical ceasefire, and I think we all know China won't.

China might not be able to prevent itself from becoming a global empire, China can only decide if it will be a benevolent one.

 

[gelgoog]

I expect the naval reactor to have twice that power level. So that you will only need two instead of four reactors.

 

[sunnymaxi]

I expect the naval reactor to have twice that power level. So that you will only need two instead of four reactors.

so Four reactors is not efficient solution ??