Chapter 745: Planning for carrier-based aircraft
Chang Haonan finally decided to put aside the matter of finding bargaining chips for negotiations with Türkiye.
After all, the Torch Group alone has now spread its business to at least a dozen countries in Europe and Asia. Whether it is directly related to patent authorization or cooperation projects, it adds up to dozens of countries. Xiang, if we consider the indirect connections, there are countless of them. It would definitely be very inefficient for him to work here alone.
It is better to ask Song Jingming to go to the archives and conduct a systematic inventory after returning.
If you can find it, you can use it directly during negotiations.
And if not, you need to think about it and see if you can play a hand of void cards.
After all, China’s current national strength is stronger than that of the previous generation, and its relationship with the European Union is also closer.
In the late 1990s, Türkiye generally had a dog-licking mentality when it came to the EU.
So the latter point is very important.
Ding Gaoheng naturally didn't know that Chang Haonan was already thinking about things a few months later. He just took off his coat and hung it on the hanger, then sat back on the office chair and continued:
"An aircraft carrier is not only a big ship. If it wants to exert its combat effectiveness, the core is carrier-based aircraft."
"Our navy is developing slowly. Even for carrier-based helicopters, the experience in using them is very weak, and not even all of them have Destroyer detachments all have operational capabilities, let alone fixed-wing carrier-based aircraft. Their use, maintenance, and dispatch are all brand-new topics.”
“So, the current meaning above is to make preparations for both. If the model can catch up with the transformation progress of the aircraft carrier itself, then we will use domestic models. If not, we can also consider importing a batch first and let the troops practice relevant subjects.”
He said a little. He paused for a moment, straightened his upper body and looked at Chang Haonan on the sofa:
"Xiao Chang, do you think, given our current situation, are the conditions ripe for independently developing carrier-based aircraft?"
Chang Haonan has limited knowledge about shipbuilding and the navy, but when it comes to carrier-based aircraft, he is not sleepy:
“Mature, of course mature!”
“Imported carrier-based aircraft, It is nothing more than the Russian Su-33, and now on our own side, the first prototype of the J-11B has begun production, and the turbofan 10 has also entered the final stage of dual-engine installation testing. It can be said that it restricts our country’s third-generation aircraft. The two major obstacles to achieving complete autonomy for fighter jets, structure and power, are only a few steps away. As long as these two are solved, there will be no major problems with at least the most basic aspects of flight safety.”
< br>"As for combat effectiveness, the Su-33 is just a standard third-generation aircraft with the technical level of the late 1980s. The airborne equipment is not much different from the Su-27SK we imported before. The Russian Kuznetsov cannot leave port for a few days throughout the year. , there is no motivation to upgrade according to the Su 27SM standards, so it is impossible to compare with the J-11B after major modifications.”
Hearing Chang Haonan’s affirmative answer, Ding Gaoheng showed satisfaction. Expression:
"However, there are still some differences between carrier-based aircraft and land-based aircraft, and more importantly, since our military has never been exposed to carrier-based aircraft in the past, users are not very clear about the specific differences. In this way, In terms of progress..."
As he spoke, he took out a notebook from the drawer next to him, opened it and looked like he was preparing to record it.
Obviously, this question was not what Ding Gaoheng wanted to ask Chang Haonan, but the question that the former prepared to use in response to inquiries from higher-level leaders.
Actually, this is a very real concern.
For a brand-new subject like carrier-based fixed-wing aircraft, the biggest trouble is not how the aviation industry system solves the problem, but the fact that the Navy does not have an aircraft carrier or a carrier-based aircraft. I have no idea about the entire aviation operation on the ship, and I have no idea what the problems will be.
And if you forcefully launch an immature model, and later find so many problems during use that it needs to be rebuilt, more resources will be consumed.
In this regard, even a country like the United States, which has been operating aircraft carriers since before World War II, has iterated on five levels of aircraft carriers from Midway to Nimitz, and from F9F to F18 after entering the jet age. It was only after the fourth generation of carrier-based aircraft that relatively stable and mature design and use specifications were formed.
Countless carrier-based aircraft were dropped and pilots were lost in this process.
The Chinese Navy has neither resources nor time to waste like this.
This is why in the original timeline, in addition to the upgrade of the airborne weapon system, the technical status of the initial version of the J-15 was closer to the T10K-3 prototype. After entering mass production, it was gradually Beginning to move closer to later domestic models.
By the time the two-seater model of the J-15S was introduced, it was closer to the J-16 in terms of pedigree (the Su-33 does not have a tandem two-seater model).
However, this was all in the past. Now, Chang Haonan naturally already has a plan:
“If what is towed back is a complete aircraft carrier that can be put into use immediately, it is indeed impossible to come up with a perfect aircraft carrier in a few months. It is a very high-level carrier-based aircraft, but I heard Old Wu talk about the situation of the Varyag a few years ago. The ship is currently only 60% complete, and the boiler and steam turbine inside have been dismantled. Even if all the technical personnel and technical data from Nikolayev Shipyard are brought over, it will be difficult to complete the project within three to five years."
His tone was very determined, and he picked up the cup. After taking a sip of water, Fang continued:
"As for the problem of the Navy's lack of operational experience, on the one hand, I asked Lao Wu to pay close attention to the situation at the Nitka aircraft carrier training base. He has already established a relationship with the managers at Ermao, although the fixed facilities cannot be moved. , but the design drawings and materials can be bought back, and the Ermao Navy only has a few small ships, so there is no room for naval aviation. The instructors in the base can also be introduced to the country through the friendship program to help us with training. "
< br> "On the other hand, when I helped Guihang Group design the JJ-9, I considered the possibility of being put on a ship, so I specially left enough strength margin for the rear fuselage and landing gear, so that it can Simulating shipboard dispatching operations to a certain extent allows the Navy to have a general concept of carrier-based aircraft operations. After discovering problems through land-based simulations, it can then optimize them to the official carrier-based aircraft model. ”
< br>"With this two-pronged approach, the three to five years spent building warships...is enough to iterate several versions of technical verification aircraft."
"The other is my field, aviation development, shipboard The aircraft's aviation engine needs to additionally improve its salt spray resistance. This only requires the application of new coatings on the fan and compressor blades. The previously replaced ion plating production line has been put into production. There is not a big problem in this regard. When a go-around occurs, there may be an emergency thrust greater than the afterburner thrust. This requires modifying the parameters of the afterburner..."
"..."
"Now that you say that, I'm relieved."
Ding Gaoheng nodded while writing quickly.
“Actually, I would say that it would be best to have a medium-sized fighter equipped with dual mid-thrust thrusters as a carrier-based aircraft, just like the MiG 29K and F18. However, our financial resources are still thin after all. In fact, We cannot afford to serve three types of third-generation aircraft at the same time. We can only wait until the fourth-generation fighter is developed in the future..."
Chang Haonan's plan obviously does not stop at the immediate few years. .
“You’re saying… that medium-sized opportunities are better?”
Ding Gaoheng raised his head curiously.
“This is true for carrier-based aircraft.”
Chang Haonan explained:
“For land-based aircraft, because the airport’s dispatch space can be regarded as close to infinite Large, so when the technical levels are similar, it is natural that the heavy-duty aircraft has stronger overall performance and is more advantageous.”
“But the aircraft carrier has a lot of space in both the hangar and the deck. Although the heavy-duty aircraft takes off. The performance is better, but the area occupied during the maintenance process is too large, which will cause trouble in scheduling and is not conducive to improving the dispatch rate. Therefore, theoretically speaking, for aircraft carriers of different sizes, there will be carrier-based aircraft-sized aircraft carriers. Optimal solution.”
"From this perspective, it is best to determine the basic design of the aircraft carrier and then specially develop the corresponding model of carrier-based aircraft to achieve the best matching effect between the ship and the aircraft. However, this is definitely not the focus of our current consideration. That's it..."
Ding Gaoheng also followed Chang Haonan's answer to complete the record, then closed the notebook and lightly dusted the dust on the cover:
"Old General Liu If you see this plan, you will be very happy. Before he retired from his leadership position, the last document he signed was about the development of naval aviation..."
Mr. Liu is known as "the leader of Chinese aircraft carriers" "Father" has made outstanding contributions to the modernization of the navy, including aircraft carriers.
It is a pity that in his previous life, he was not able to see the day when China's first aircraft carrier was commissioned.
But based on the current timetable, that should be more than enough.
Not to mention seeing it, maybe you can take advantage of the old man's good health to go out to sea for a while...
"After all, planning is just a drawing. Wait until Mr. Liu sees our country's aircraft carrier. , I will definitely be happier..."
Chang Haonan also replied with a smile on his face.
(End of this chapter)