055 DDG Large Destroyer Thread

[Richard Santos]

Why does the side of the missile appear charred, yet the motor appears not to have fired？

would they really open the hatches on all the other silos while one missile is being launched?

 

[escobar]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1474266711473864707

 

[iantsai]

Postcards commemorating the service of PLANS Anshan (pennant number 103, Type 055 #4).


The badge of warship Anshan.

 

[by78]

One more...

 

[iantsai]

Why does the side of the missile appear charred, yet the motor appears not to have fired？

would they really open the hatches on all the other silos while one missile is being launched?

HQ-9B uses a 'cold' launching method. The missile is popped out of the canister by pressed air, then the missile ignite in the air.

 

[Tam]

Cold launch system uses compressed coal gas. That's why it's black and creates a brief fire as it ignites and releases the compression.

 

[antiterror13]

Cold launch system uses compressed coal gas. That's why it's black and creates a brief fire as it ignites and releases the compression.

Why uses compressed coal gas ?, please educate me/us ... why not Nitrogen or other gas ?

 

[by78]

Why uses compressed coal gas ?, please educate me/us ... why not Nitrogen or other gas ?

If it recall correctly, the cold-launch propellant is basically coal powder, which is ignited underneath the missile to push it clear of the silo. I'd imagine coal powder is a lot easier to store and requires less maintenance than a compressed gas system.

 

[Tam]

Why uses compressed coal gas ?, please educate me/us ... why not Nitrogen or other gas ?

Along with by78's answer, the use of this system dates back to the Cold War with the Soviet Union. You use what is readily available, cheap, combustible but can stored in long periods.

 

[Blitzo]

Why does the side of the missile appear charred, yet the motor appears not to have fired？

would they really open the hatches on all the other silos while one missile is being launched?

That's just the residue as part of the cold launch mechanism that involves the compressed gas.

If the purpose is to sequentially fire a large number of missiles in high frequency, opening the VLS hatches of the next few designated cells is very logical. It's not like the lids are the only mechanism that protects the missile in the cell from the external environment after all. There is also the cell itself, designed to open up from the inside with the exit of the missile as it is propelled through.