00X/004 future nuclear CATOBAR carrier thread

[Biscuits]

Even if China decides to make a nuclear carrier, its not gonna have a better range than the 003. The humans on board still need to be supplied, and all the DDGs around it will be conventional fueled and need to stop for refuel.

Until China decides to permanently base in the Atlantic and/or South Americas, the nuclear carrier doesn't need its range, it will effectively operate together with conventional carriers and act exactly like one.

There is no technical barrier to making nuclear carriers due to China already mastering small reactor types, through cost might be an issue. Honestly, given the increased aggression from some large countries we've seen recently, China should bring its military spending up to the 2-3% range. That would provide the necessary funding to mass produce the many cutting edge prototype equipment that's been developed.

 

[Blitzo]

Even if China decides to make a nuclear carrier, its not gonna have a better range than the 003. The humans on board still need to be supplied, and all the DDGs around it will be conventional fueled and need to stop for refuel.

Until China decides to permanently base in the Atlantic and/or South Americas, the nuclear carrier doesn't need its range, it will effectively operate together with conventional carriers and act exactly like one.

The benefit of nuclear propulsion in terms of its range, is not in its indefinite range, but rather a reduced need to refuel for its own prime movers, compared to conventionally powered carriers, and freeing up replenishment ships volume for other ships in the battlegroup that are conventionally powered, or freeing up more space for jet fuel for the carrier.

All of that put together, provides an increased range and increased warfighting capability for the CSG overall when holding the rest of the battlegroup constant (same escorts, same replenishment ship etc), because your nuclear carrier doesn't need refuelling for its own propulsion.


A nuclear powered carrier has substantial benefits even if one doesn't seek to do 6 month deployments on the other side of the world.
A high intensity conflict fought within 8000km or even 5000km of your home port, would still see great benefits from a nuclear powered carrier that a conventionally powered carrier would not.

 

[Lethe]

All this time I have been saying next one is nuclear. But you hear all these people screaming more 003 conventional plz. Chinese military of 21st century tend to have rapid incremental steps before committing to mass production of most satisfied design. These people claim things are going bad need to have more carriers, but rushing one ship 1 or 2 years earlier really dont make much difference in the force balance. May as well wait this short time and get a proper nuclear carrier next.

Efficient allocation of limited capital is the greater concern. The additional up-front cost of a nuclear carrier over a conventional carrier necessarily comes at the expense of something else: fewer escorts, fewer aircraft, fewer missiles.

When one faces an adversary with superior fielded forces, one needs to choose very carefully how to invest one's resources. The long-term picture doesn't matter because if you don't get the short-term right the long-term might never arrive.

 

[TK3600]

Efficient allocation of limited capital is the greater concern. The additional up-front cost of a nuclear carrier over a conventional carrier necessarily comes at the expense of something else: fewer escorts, fewer aircraft, fewer missiles.

When one faces an adversary with superior fielded forces, one needs to choose very carefully how to invest one's resources. The long-term picture doesn't matter because if you don't get the short-term right the long-term might never arrive.

China can choose when to engage, that is why short term don't matter. China will plan for long term. In fact if enemy were to want engage early, any time from 1991 to today is a better time. They are not coming for a reason, and if they choose to start a fight one carrier or more will not affect that decision. The strategic missiles would.

 

[longmarch]

China can build 1 nuclear and 1 conventional at the same time. China purposely has two shipyards that are capable of building carriers for a reason.

I believe there would be another conventional carrier due to logistics, maintenance, pairing and in case nuclear carrier fall behind schedule. But the nuclear carrier doesn't need to wait and could even start before the conventional carrier.

That's what I would do

 

[Fedupwithlies]

It has been increasingly felt that China's next carrier, 004, is likely to be a nuclear one ...

CNNC (China National Nuclear Corporation) doesn't feel like being left out of the party atmosphere around the launch of 003/Fujian and has jumped in to post such

Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!

:

View attachment 91121

Basically, it says it's got something more advanced under cooking as far as nuclear propulsion is concerned.

Again, this is PLA Watching, nothing confirmative, nothing definitive at this point. You know the drill.

Google translate for the curious:

Since it is on the hot search, let me give you a brief introduction to popular science: nuclear technology has always been a cutting-edge technology that is highly blocked and tightly controlled by nuclear powers, and a core technology that cannot be bought or bought. Nuclear power plants can be mounted on submarines, ships, rockets, aircraft and other devices. At present, the competition between major powers in the nuclear field has developed to a higher-end direction. Only by strengthening my country's basic research capabilities and original innovation level can we lead the development of nuclear technology in the world and provide strong support for my country's strategic high-tech leapfrog development.

 

[Suetham]

High-resolution satellite images of the shipyard showing the precise current location of the carrier as well as recently vacated dry dock.

Just to mention, they're using this photo as an argument that a new CV 003 is about to start construction.

 

[asif iqbal]

I dont think China will rush into a second 003

for us Carrier watchers that might be it until they have learnt from the 003 operations which is still years away

probably post 2025, after that they will decide what to do and what changes they will implement

around 2025 we could see 004, probably a CVN + EMALS and 100,000+ tons

 

[Lime]

It is a mystery whether there will be a second 003. No one indicate the existence clearly.
But if 004 is still under design and there is no second 003. It is a long time that no carrier is under construction.
Shandong launched at 2017. Fujian might begin before 2017 if there was no modification to EMALS.
So I think if there will be a second 003. The carrier segmentation should appear in the dock soon, maybe within 1 year.

 

[Lethe]

China can choose when to engage, that is why short term don't matter. China will plan for long term. In fact if enemy were to want engage early, any time from 1991 to today is a better time. They are not coming for a reason,

This is profoundly short-sighted. In accordance with power transition theory specifically, and realist thought more generally, the risk of conflict is growing precisely because the power differential between the dominant and rising power is diminishing. The risk of conflict will not begin to diminish until the power differential begins to increase again, which will likely not occur in any broad-spectrum sense before the 2040s. The relationship between China and USA has deteriorated almost precisely in concert with China's growing strength, and not for any of the narrow reasons given by Washington, but precisely owing to this growing strength and therefore diminishing power differential and the combination of hostility and anxiety this arouses in the dominant power, i.e. the USA.

and if they choose to start a fight one carrier or more will not affect that decision. The strategic missiles would.

Which is why I favour a rapid construction cadence of affordable (i.e. 003-type) carriers so as to generate a strategically meaningful force in a relevant timeframe at lower cost than the nuclear path favoured by others, freeing funds to be spent on other relevant capabilities.