GBP #510 - The sea giant is coming
#510 - The sea giant is coming
Dalian Shipyard.
As the National Day of 1961 approached, the festive atmosphere arrived somewhat early. Many people walked along the road with smiles on their faces, as if a great joy was about to descend.
Even Ren Zhong put aside all kinds of affairs early to come here, impatiently running to a slipway.
He just squatted outside the slipway, looking at that proud behemoth, his heart filled with excitement.
The last time he was so excited was when the Big Black Fish was launched.
"Chief, why are you crying?" Li Hu, who was closely following and guarding him, looked at the tears that unconsciously slipped down Ren Zhong's face and said with some confusion, "Shouldn't you be happy today?"
"Happy, of course, I'm happy." Ren Zhong ignored his gaffe, staring blankly at the behemoth, as if he couldn't get enough of looking at it.
"Tiger, do you know what this thing means?"
Faced with Ren Zhong's question, Li Hu was silent for a while.
Since the catapult system was determined to be used from the beginning, the old path of ski-jump evolution was not taken.
However, in terms of tonnage, considering the current needs and conditions, the full-load displacement was limited to a medium-sized aircraft carrier of 65,000 tons.
In terms of power, the new generation HN-60 compact nuclear reactor, which was enlarged and produced on the second-generation Big Black Fish reactor, was directly used. The output power directly exceeded 60,000 horsepower. A total of 4 sets of HN-60 power reactors were used for driving, with a total power of 250,000 horsepower. The deck length reached 330 meters, the width was 75 meters, and the maximum speed exceeded 32 knots, which could fully provide a large enough deck wind for heavy carrier-based aircraft.
According to the design requirements, in terms of combat carrier-based aircraft, it can carry 36 naval J-9 heavy carrier-based aircraft, 16 naval Qiang-9 attack aircraft, two naval Yun-6G early warning aircraft still in the research process, and 6 carrier-based helicopters for different purposes, including anti-submarine helicopters and rescue transport aircraft.
In terms of combat power, although the number of aircraft carried is less than that of the Forrestal-class aircraft carrier in service by Rogue Eagle, which can carry up to 70 various combat aircraft in extreme conditions, the actual combat power is not much weaker. After all, the latter's main fighter aircraft is only about 50, but there are more related auxiliary combat aircraft.
However, the J-9 heavy carrier-based aircraft, which is currently in training, has trained 36 naval carrier-based aircraft pilots and 16 Qiang-9 attack aircraft pilots. As for the early warning aircraft and helicopters used by the aircraft carrier, they are still being researched or produced.
After all, for an aircraft carrier, attack power is the first priority.
In addition to being the first to use nuclear power, another major feature of Dongda's first aircraft carrier is the cancellation of all self-defense weapon systems!
In this regard, Ren Zhong almost persuaded the high-level officials at the time by overcoming all opinions.
Because in the aircraft carrier construction during this period, almost all of them have their own defense weapon systems, including the latest Forrestal-class aircraft carrier in service by Rogue Eagle, which is now initially equipped with 8 single-barreled 127mm naval guns, surface ship torpedo defense system, 2 sets of 8-unit "Sea Sparrow" Mk29 ship-to-air missile launchers, 4 sets of Mk36 SRBOC6 tube electronic countermeasures infrared decoy and chaff launchers, 1 SLQ-26 "Nixie" towed decoy, 3 "Phalanx" Mk15 close-in weapon systems and other weapons.
However, in later iterations, people found that these were of no use. If the opponent can cut into the distance to attack the aircraft carrier, then it is almost the same whether or not these weapons are available.
It is impossible for the bulky aircraft carrier to truly get rid of the opponent's attack with these self-defense weapons.
Therefore, in the subsequent aircraft carrier construction, all these weapons were cancelled.
The defense tasks are all borne by its bodyguard destroyers, frigates, and submarines, completely turning it into a carrier of aviation weapons.
Ren Zhong took one step to reach the end of this evolution.
After all, Dongda's third-generation destroyers have gradually improved their multi-functional combat capabilities of anti-ship, anti-submarine, and air defense, truly realizing that professional people do professional things.
In terms of construction, the construction of Yandu was not smooth sailing. There was no problem with the hull. Dongda's shipbuilding industry had already developed the design and construction experience of super-large ships of more than 100,000 tons. In the process of construction, Ren Zhong's main world materials were used for reference, and there were no major challenges in the design of the elevators and hangars for carrier-based aircraft. In addition, there was a strong HN-60 compact nuclear power reactor in terms of power. The biggest problems were the steam catapult system and the arresting gear system.
Before the technical exchange with John Bull was realized, this problem was really not easy to solve for Dongda in the Liangjian world. After all, the technology in this area was very tightly blocked in the main world. Ren Zhong worked hard for a long time and only got some basic information. Although the role of this information is also very important, in the later negotiations with John Bull, relying on this information also greatly reduced John Bull's fluke mentality of asking for exorbitant prices, plus he got some arresting rope physical materials, which made them believe that even without the technology provided by them, Dongda would not be able to develop these systems in two years.
This forced John Bull to lower the asking price and successfully complete the transaction.
This allowed the behemoth to appear in front of Ren Zhong a few years earlier.
Excited, of course, very excited.
Although Dongda doesn't particularly need this thing now, and it is even unlikely that the homeland will be invaded. Within a thousand kilometers around Dongda, there are J-9 and Qiang-9 attack ranges. Due to the early appearance and lead of the Big Black Fish, the Dongda Big Black Fish lurking in the depths of the ocean is Dongda's biggest killer.
But as the most powerful weapon platform on the ocean, aircraft carriers are standard equipment for major powers.
You can not use it, but you must have it!
It's just that Ren Zhong put this in the last position in the research order.
After the third-generation destroyers and Big Black Fish matured, all the powerful bodyguards were equipped for the aircraft carrier, and then the research and construction of this behemoth began.
Now it seems that this time has come just right, coming ahead of time when the fourth five-year plan begins.
Although it will take at least two years before it can form a real combat capability, and no one in the current Dongda Navy has the experience to command an aircraft carrier battle group, all of these require time to train and accumulate. However, even so, the emergence of Dongda's first aircraft carrier battle group is also a new era in which Dongda's maritime power has been unprecedentedly powerful for hundreds of years.
According to the plan, after the first aircraft carrier is built and launched, the next one will only appear in the next ten-year plan.
It's not just that an aircraft carrier battle group costs an astonishing amount, but also because cultivating a team of aircraft carrier battle group operators cannot be accomplished overnight. In the Yandu aircraft carrier battle group, all future positions will be filled by multiple people. They will not only have to explore the tactics of commanding a battle fleet on their own, but also use this actual combat to train another team.
A century of navy, this is not just empty talk.
Dongda can produce the crew for destroyers and even the 'Big Black Fish' submarines, because these are, after all, independent combat entities. After early on-site training and maturation with a destroyer and the 'Big Black Fish', a large number of naval personnel can be mass-produced through the 'passing on experience' model.
However, the aircraft carrier battle group's combat mode is completely different.
Whether it's formation, defense, or maritime operations, almost everything is a major subject.
It would be very fast to figure out this set of combat systems in ten years.
In this regard, Ren Zhong is not in a hurry.
Now, no one is so reckless as to easily provoke Dongda. Local small-scale conflicts can basically be resolved by amphibious assault ship fleets. The demand for aircraft carriers is not so urgent. Therefore, in this regard, Ren Zhong would rather Dongda's pace be slower and more stable. Plus, technological iterations will change rapidly in another ten years. The most important thing is that the electronic systems will improve greatly.
The current radar and computers are still too weak for Ren Zhong. Doppler radar has not yet reached a high level, let alone phased arrays.
That requires time to accumulate from materials to principles. It would be a blessing to use it in the 1970s.
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Before that, the Radar Research Center is working hard on Doppler radar. The first generation that has come out can be used, but it is not very easy to use. As for the computer, it is even weaker. Now it has been updated to 8086, which can finally be used, but it is still far from being easy to use.
If the computer chip continues to iterate according to Moore's Law, in another ten years, it will be almost the 586 era. The computing speed of this computer can greatly improve the analysis of radar signals.
For maritime radar, in another ten years of development, it will be almost possible to create a three-coordinate 'Top Plate' radar in the 'Bright Sword' world. For the navy, with this radar, the overall combat capability will more than double. According to a carrier battle group configuration of 4 Luhai-class destroyers + 4 Luyang-class destroyers + 2 attack nuclear submarines, installing 8 sets of 'Top Plate' radar on the destroyers and dispersing them can create a destroyer defense circle of at least 150 kilometers.
In this way, plus a carrier-based aircraft outer ring defense circle of at least 500 kilometers, the aircraft carrier will have a basic sense of security with two layers of defense circles.
The general defense of an aircraft carrier battle group is divided into three levels: high altitude, low altitude, and underwater. High altitude is to defend against the opponent's land-based fighters or carrier-based aircraft. Low altitude defense refers to anti-ship missiles that use low-altitude sea-skimming flight. Underwater is to defend against submarines. In actual combat, the escort ships of the aircraft carrier battle group will be dispersed around the aircraft carrier. Even the distance between the nearest escort ship and the aircraft carrier is greater than the visible distance, and the farthest distance is even tens or hundreds of kilometers, because only in this way can we improve the defense space and reaction time. Concentrating the ships together makes them vulnerable to concentrated firepower attacks from the opponent. The advantage of dispersing the ships is to provide more early warning and defense space and time for the core equipment, the aircraft carrier!
Although Dongda now has anti-ship missiles, the opponent's anti-ship missiles have not yet matured. The biggest threat facing the aircraft carrier is the two main attack methods from the air: fighter bombing and missile strikes.
The danger from the sea is actually getting smaller and smaller, because there are not many weapons that can get close to the aircraft carrier at sea. Whether it is a battleship or a submarine, it is now difficult to break through the surrounding 'sword-bearing guard group' of the aircraft carrier battle group, including the triple defense of the air and the seabed.
So the aircraft carrier basically doesn't have to face the opponent directly in combat.
If it really comes to this point, the destroyers, frigates, and submarines that play the role of 'sword-bearing guards' around it will be almost dead or injured.
Even if there are weapons, it is better than nothing.
On National Day, Dongda's TV station once again exceptionally inserted a special program after the news.
It was specifically to report on the launch of Dongda's first aircraft carrier!
For the people of Dongda, this is another surprise. The people of Dongda, who are used to watching the news at mealtime, suddenly become excited again.
The last exciting thing was the launch of the manned spacecraft, which attracted the attention of not only the people of Dongda, but also the people of the world.
And today's special program, because it was not announced to the public in advance, was just a temporary insertion after the news program.
But it suddenly ignited the sense of pride of the people of Dongda!
"Viewers, viewers, the behemoth-like warship you are seeing now is Dongda's first aircraft carrier, and also the largest warship built by Dongda since Zheng He's voyages to the West. The displacement reaches 65,000 tons," the host at the scene excitedly introduced.
"Maybe everyone doesn't have a concept of this. Let's put it this way, the total height of our first aircraft carrier exceeds 65 meters, which is equivalent to more than 20 stories high. Everyone can imagine how majestic this is.
In terms of the overall area of the deck, our aircraft carrier has exceeded three football fields! From one end of the aircraft carrier to the other, even the world sprint champion would take more than 30 seconds to run across!"
As the photographer unreservedly shot upwards, filling the entire lens with the huge body of the Yandu aircraft carrier, the audience in front of the TV felt an unparalleled sense of oppression!
This is different from the non-mainstream photographers in the main world who can turn a 10,000-ton destroyer into a small fishing boat.
In the 'Bright Sword' world, Dongda doesn't have much need to conceal.
Every major breakthrough will be passed on to the world as soon as possible!
This time is no exception, and the Yandu aircraft carrier is directly displayed in front of the world in such an open and honest manner.
It's just that because there was no prior notice, not many people in other countries watched this program for the first time.
However, overseas media basically used the pictures of Dongda's aircraft carrier that were flipped from the TV in the headlines of the next day!
For overseas Chinese, this is also another particularly proud moment for them.