PLAN Carrier Strike Group and Airwing
- Thread starter Jeff Head
- Start date
Re: PLAN Carrier Construction
Bridle system was discarded by the USN in the 1970s. I can't see any reason why the Chinese would revert back to it.
Bridle system was discarded by the USN in the 1970s. I can't see any reason why the Chinese would revert back to it.
Intrepid
Major
Re: PLAN Carrier Construction
That is, what I say since eight years: Liaoning will be followed by two or three indigenous carriers with an improved Liaoning-design. Minor changes like less weapons and more aircraft. Perhaps a new and smaler island due to topweight. When these carriers are in service, Liaoning will get a major overhaul with waist catapults. Thereafter we will see the first indigenous carriers with catapults - if not at this time catapults are obsolet, but I think, they are not obsolet in the next twenty years.
Re: PLAN Carrier Construction
I think there are other reasons to think the current geometry of J-15's nose gear isn't ideal for a minimum change adaptation to cat launch.
Take for example the point where the back strut connects to the nose gear. The strut on the J-15 connects to the nose gear relatively high up on the gear leg compared on the what is found on the known catapult adapted gears such as those on the F/A-18, F-14, A-6, F-35C, and E-2. Having the strut connection high up means the point of connection of catapult tow bar would also be high up. This would force J-15's tow bar to be very long in order to reach down to the deck and engage catapult shoe. I wouldn't say it is impossible to adapt this configuration for cat use, but it would seem much less than ideal.
The same with the long oleo in the nose gear. J-15 gear back struct connects at the same level as the strut on the Su-27/J-11. In Su-27 this facilitates a long oleo strut in the nose gear, which improves available suspension travel when the nose gear is rolling over rough ground, and this imporves Su-27's ability to taxi, land and take off on poorly prepared fields. It appears to me J-15 has the same oleo length as Su-27/J-11. But on a carrier the field is as good as it gets. Having a long oleo could actually be a problem because when the catapult fire, it would cause the long-travel oleo to compress a lot, which would cause the aircraft to pitch down a lot as it begins its roll. Again, I can't say this makes catapult adaptation impossible, but it certainly doesn't seem the J-15 gear has been optimized for this possibility.
I think there are other reasons to think the current geometry of J-15's nose gear isn't ideal for a minimum change adaptation to cat launch.
Take for example the point where the back strut connects to the nose gear. The strut on the J-15 connects to the nose gear relatively high up on the gear leg compared on the what is found on the known catapult adapted gears such as those on the F/A-18, F-14, A-6, F-35C, and E-2. Having the strut connection high up means the point of connection of catapult tow bar would also be high up. This would force J-15's tow bar to be very long in order to reach down to the deck and engage catapult shoe. I wouldn't say it is impossible to adapt this configuration for cat use, but it would seem much less than ideal.
The same with the long oleo in the nose gear. J-15 gear back struct connects at the same level as the strut on the Su-27/J-11. In Su-27 this facilitates a long oleo strut in the nose gear, which improves available suspension travel when the nose gear is rolling over rough ground, and this imporves Su-27's ability to taxi, land and take off on poorly prepared fields. It appears to me J-15 has the same oleo length as Su-27/J-11. But on a carrier the field is as good as it gets. Having a long oleo could actually be a problem because when the catapult fire, it would cause the long-travel oleo to compress a lot, which would cause the aircraft to pitch down a lot as it begins its roll. Again, I can't say this makes catapult adaptation impossible, but it certainly doesn't seem the J-15 gear has been optimized for this possibility.
Blackstone
Brigadier
Re: PLAN Carrier Construction
Carriers are the ultimate multi-mission platforms that are useful in combat and non-combat operations. Unlike BBs, they're very adaptable and will be around for a long time. Expensive to build and field? You bet! But critical for major maritime nations that wish to project power far away.
Carriers are the ultimate multi-mission platforms that are useful in combat and non-combat operations. Unlike BBs, they're very adaptable and will be around for a long time. Expensive to build and field? You bet! But critical for major maritime nations that wish to project power far away.
Re: PLAN Carrier Construction
It's not what they can do that determined whether they will be come obsolete. It's whether threats develop that will inflict unaccaptables rate of attrition upon them if they were to try to do it.
It's not what they can do that determined whether they will be come obsolete. It's whether threats develop that will inflict unaccaptables rate of attrition upon them if they were to try to do it.
Re: PLAN Carrier Construction
Since the J-15 has been designed from the get-go as a carrier aircraft, it will be fine, if they decide to use the cat to launch it, they will simply redesign the nose gear strut, and aft support, the Flanker is a very robust aircraft in any regard. As evidenced by the F-35 when you are making one bird do it all there will be some compromises, and the first attempts to Hook-up the F-35 required a hook redesign, but its all do-able. The J-31 will likely be brought onboard as top-cover if development continues in a timely manner, and will likely be adapted to indigenous engines, it will make a very nice complement to the J-15, so after the President's visit, I am rather certain that all these projects will be prioritized at the top of the list, the fact that Shenyang has the J-15 looking sharp will be a plus for the self designed J-31, but we shall see??? brat
Since the J-15 has been designed from the get-go as a carrier aircraft, it will be fine, if they decide to use the cat to launch it, they will simply redesign the nose gear strut, and aft support, the Flanker is a very robust aircraft in any regard. As evidenced by the F-35 when you are making one bird do it all there will be some compromises, and the first attempts to Hook-up the F-35 required a hook redesign, but its all do-able. The J-31 will likely be brought onboard as top-cover if development continues in a timely manner, and will likely be adapted to indigenous engines, it will make a very nice complement to the J-15, so after the President's visit, I am rather certain that all these projects will be prioritized at the top of the list, the fact that Shenyang has the J-15 looking sharp will be a plus for the self designed J-31, but we shall see??? brat
Engineer
Major
Re: PLAN Carrier Construction
Tags: China; aircraft carrier; marine nuclear reactor cutaway; marine nuclear reactor model; navy; submarine;
Future CVN reactor:
Tags: China; aircraft carrier; marine nuclear reactor cutaway; marine nuclear reactor model; navy; submarine;