I don't think so, the shape of the block itself is a odd shape and the canal bit still doesn't looks like it matches this.That's likely a stern ramp for launching and recovering boats.
Type 076 LHD/LHA discussion
- Thread starter banjex
- Start date
by78
General
That canal is only a cut out. They have yet to install the actual ramp mechanism for recovering boats. Another clue that this isn't a catapult track is that the canal is angled downward.
by78
General
I was just thinking that the module in the shipyard looks much bigger than these small patrol boats, such will it be a much larger vesselThat canal is only a cut out. They have yet to install the actual ramp mechanism for recovering boats. Another clue that this isn't a catapult track is that the canal is angled downward.
by78
General
The image may well have been taken from very far away with a telephoto lens, which makes objects further away look a bigger than they actually are. Furthermore, stern ramps come in different sizes, not just used to recover small RHIBs. The fact that canal is also angled downward counts against it being a catapult track. The canal could also simply be a design feature of a civilian ship, one that whose function we have no idea of. On balance, it's far too speculative and too much of a stretch to say that it's a catapult track.
I don't recall we have any photo of 003 modules with "catapult track" before it was assembled on ship and we've had false alarm before with catapult-like structure. Thus I wouldn't put too much faith on this new discovery having any relation to a catapult.
Quoting from the Chinese Loyal Wingman/higher end UAV/UCAV thread:
Shorter EMALS catapult length means lesser space constrains on the flight and hangar decks of the 076 LHDs. Lower amount of electical power would be required to power shorter EMALS catapults for every launch as well.
Since carrier-based UCAVs will most likely be smaller and lighter than manned carrier-based fighters (i.e. ~15-22 tons vs ~28-33 tons), maybe the 076 LHDs don't need EMALS catapults that have similar dimensions to those on the 003 Fujian CV?
Shorter EMALS catapult length means lesser space constrains on the flight and hangar decks of the 076 LHDs. Lower amount of electical power would be required to power shorter EMALS catapults for every launch as well.
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I always take his research with a grain of salt, allegedly 076 has a dimension of 252.3m x 45m x 12.8m, two catapults, two elevators and two islands.
Source:
The diagram is notional only and public journal is unlikely to have an accurate figure on dimension for confidentiality purpose.
Source:
The diagram is notional only and public journal is unlikely to have an accurate figure on dimension for confidentiality purpose.
If the stats given by him are anywhere close to actual, that means outside of proper CVs, the 076 would be the largest flatdeck in the world. 076's alleged overall length of 253 meters is slightly shorter than America's 257 meters, but having an alleged beam of 45 meters could be a first for all non-proper CV flatdecks in the world.
Judging by the specs, the 076's full displacement would probably reach 50 thousand tons or more - Again, outside of proper CVs, the 076 would be the heaviest flatdeck in the world.
However, how did he arrive at the conclusion that the 076 will have 2 EMALS catapult launchers? Alongside the respective locations of those catapults and deck elevators?
Besides:
1. Where's the angled deck for landing operations with arresting gears? and
2. Where (and how many) are the planes and helicopters can park on the flight deck?
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