Intrepid
Major
never ever
00X/004 future nuclear CATOBAR carrier thread
- Thread starter AETHER
- Start date
Lethe
Captain
RAND's 2017 Future Aircraft Carrier Options looked at a 70,000 tonne "CVN LX" with one reactor plus gas turbines in an IPS setup and concluded that it "would allow considerable savings across the ship’s service life [relative to Ford] and appears to be a viable alternative to consider for further concept exploration."
Can this serve as an (un)official confirmation that Dalian is now capable of building nuclear-powered ships, including 004/005 CVNs?
lcloo
Captain
This is called circumstantial evidence which is suggestive rather than comfirmative. Meaning, May Be but not Confirm.
However, from words or rumour that have been circulating for more than a decade, we are expecting both Shanghai and Dalian to be capable of building nuclear powered aircraft carriers.
Just to tap the brakes a bit, it’s entirely possible that they are collecting tenders for subsystems right now and for the next carrier to not be nuclear. These subsystems are potentially new enough and high risk enough that you might need the extra lead time just to familiarize yourself with them before you put them on a production ship.
CONAG does have some advantages when combined with IEP as it would then be like a mini civil power grid: N for base load, G for peak load like sprinting. Gas turbines doesn't need much space like boilers do and without needing direct shaft coupling you can synchronize the engines better. We'll have to see if any IEP gets tested on a Chinese ship first.
Still remember this one from Dalian?
This time, it is Jiangnan's turn:
According to @单手搓核弹 on Weibo, this illustration of a CV-20 nuclear-powered supercarrier has been posted by the official socmed account of Jiangnan Shipyard. The illustration was released as the header of an article titled <<[Look at the ship's culture(?)] Help spread culture, light up every dream>>.
Besides, that carrier-based fighter to the top right corner looks kinda weird, if it is indeed a J-35...
Moreover, notice the ship at the center right - that structure looks like a new design. 054B or 052E, perhaps?
So, which shipyard will be responsible for the first unit of 004 CVN? Dalian or Jiangnan? I guess only time will tell.
This time, it is Jiangnan's turn:
According to @单手搓核弹 on Weibo, this illustration of a CV-20 nuclear-powered supercarrier has been posted by the official socmed account of Jiangnan Shipyard. The illustration was released as the header of an article titled <<[Look at the ship's culture(?)] Help spread culture, light up every dream>>.
Besides, that carrier-based fighter to the top right corner looks kinda weird, if it is indeed a J-35...
Moreover, notice the ship at the center right - that structure looks like a new design. 054B or 052E, perhaps?
So, which shipyard will be responsible for the first unit of 004 CVN? Dalian or Jiangnan? I guess only time will tell.
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Looks like AI art