CV-18 Fujian/003 CATOBAR carrier thread

[supersnoop]

Coverboy...

View attachment 95648

When will we actually see something like this? Talking about the takeoffs.
It had occurred to me that the Navy is trying to launch 3.5 programs near simultaneously.
0.5. J-15T Update for CATOBAR Ops
1. Fujian itself
2. KJ-600
3. J-35

This would make for a very demanding schedule, and requires (1) to be ready sooner than later, a critical path milestone.

What do people think?

 

[Intrepid]

What do people think?

All projects are timed in such a way that they fit together 100% in terms of time.

 

[supersnoop]

All projects are timed in such a way that they fit together 100% in terms of time.

Yes of course, but I mean what is the schedule going to be like going forward? I don't recall seeing anything since the launch, people were too excited just to see it in the water.

I mean J-35/FC-31 has gone through numerous iterations at this point. Not sure how much more they can do on the ground...
We've seen enough KJ-600 flights as well, so same thing.

Some people decry EMALS (US or Chinese) as vaporware, but all the associated Chinese hardware is too far along for this to be the case.

Of course it could still run into post-production problems like Type 726 or Ford-class, but still will be exciting to see those planes taking off.

 

[Intrepid]

I think it's years, not months.

How much exactly? No idea. Maybe five? When I look at similarly ambitious projects in other countries and how long they took, it was definitely somewhere between two and ten years.

 

[Intrepid]

It will be ready in 2049 - including at least one nuclear carrier ... ready for operation and with a well-trained and experienced crew. The Chinese don't do half-hasty things, they plan from the bottom up.

 

[by78]

A grainy photo update.

 

[henrik]

My opinion would be that once 003 is tested and have all the kinks worked out, it would be a much faster, cheaper and more reliable carrier to add to the fleet than a nuclear 004. That's why I think the go-ahead will be given to two more 003, once the first one has gone through the commissioning process.
This is because the fight capability of the carrier is NOT the ship itself, but rather the air wing carried on it. Carriers are just platforms. the faster these platforms can be put into commission, the faster a multi-carrier combined air group can gain operational capability.

Due to the urgent need for more type 003, they will not wait for the full commission of the CV-18 before constructing more of them.

 

[henrik]

When will we actually see something like this? Talking about the takeoffs.
It had occurred to me that the Navy is trying to launch 3.5 programs near simultaneously.
0.5. J-15T Update for CATOBAR Ops
1. Fujian itself
2. KJ-600
3. J-35

This would make for a very demanding schedule, and requires (1) to be ready sooner than later, a critical path milestone.

What do people think?

It is not demanding at all. Different groups of experts are working on each project.

 

[sunnymaxi]

It is not demanding at all. Different groups of experts are working on each project.

absolutely. China has the largest industrial capacity on planet earth with unlimited supply of human capital. different teams working on each project.

KJ-600 under XAC
J-35 is for Shenyang
J-15 is already under production. just need to upgrade aircraft with advance avionics and electronics.

 

[supersnoop]

absolutely. China has the largest industrial capacity on planet earth with unlimited supply of human capital. different teams working on each project.

KJ-600 under XAC
J-35 is for Shenyang
J-15 is already under production. just need to upgrade aircraft with advance avionics and electronics.

That's not the issue.

More engineers aren't going to get you faster results, this is the #1 myth of engineering scheduling.

What is critical path? Tasks that need to be completed before the next portion of the project can commence.
If you are building a building, you need to pour a foundation before framing the structure.

All of these teams are working, they have the land based test facility and computer modelling to work on, but at some point they will need to do "design verification" which means Fujian must be in the sea.

There is that video of the Indian Vikrant carrier bobbing up and down, was that anticipated? Most people feel it is unlikely.
Real life problems like that on sea trials or engine power up trials causing delays can impact the timeline of the other projects.
The US as another example, they have other catapult carriers that can undertake this work. China does not.

So, yes, a lot of demands are going to be put on the team working on the Fujian.