What the level of repair/maintenance needed if you only operate two to three weeks at a time? Is the ability to conduct basic repair like replacing a component here there sufficient? Is the ability to overhaul of an engine needed?
CV-16 Liaoning (001 carrier) Thread II ...News, Views and operations
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What the level of repair/maintenance needed if you only operate two to three weeks at a time? Is the ability to conduct basic repair like replacing a component here there sufficient? Is the ability to overhaul of an engine needed?
vesicles
Colonel
They may only stay out to the sea for a couple weeks now, but that’s never their goal. However long the Liaoning is out to the sea now is only progress, not their end goal. They definitely aim to stay out there as long as anyone else can. Thus, they definitely should possess every capability that would allow them to stay out there for a long long time.
plawolf
Lieutenant General
Where did you get 2-3 weeks from? Even the 056 can stay out at sea longer without replenishment.
Basic repairs and overhaul should cover pretty much everything except major structural work. With engines overhaul, repair and replacement being a core fundamental requirement.
All it would take is a coin sized FOD to be missed and sucked into an engine to make that engine unsafe to use without overhaul and repair. That’s a fighter out of action if you can’t replace the engine.
Space on a carrier is finite, and so will be the spare engines carried. So being able to perform basic repairs of damaged engines would massively ease your logistics burden. Similarly, being able to overhaul engines will multiply the number of sorties your fighters can perform during a deployment.
Bird strikes, heavy landings, accidents etc can and do all happen, not to mention basic wear and tear from heavy deployments. So being able to repair any such damage and replace worn parts is a non-negotiable requirement for a carrier.
And all of that is just your normal peacetime needs. These are warships, so need to be designed for war. During war, you have additional hazzards like bullets and missiles being shot at your planes, so being able to repair as much of that damage as possible is also critically important. During the falklands, harriers were being sent back up with patched up bullet holes sometimes only hours after returing with those holes originally.
To allow them to do this, all carriers should have a big spares inventory including everything from nuts and bolts to fresh engines, with all the tools and equipment needed to pull out broken/damaged originals and replace them with spares.
Carriers also should have a machine shop where they can fashion basic items like panelling, piping, basic components etc from materials in stock; perform basic repairs of some simple components; cannibalise damaged/broken equipment for spare parts; rewirring work; basic electronics repairs etc.
Intrepid
Major
We will see US-Navy-style maintenance facilities from the 3rd carrier on.
Yes. with aircraft aboard a CV the ablity to repair aircraft from the first day at sea to the last day at sea is essential.
Hard arrested landings are very tough on Naval aircraft. Jarring. Gear breaks, goes haywire. this film is 38 years old but you will get the point. this aspect of naval aviation has not changed.
SinoSoldier
Colonel
Mark my words; 3-D printing will become the next standard-issue repair system for military warships.
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