PLAN Aircraft Carrier programme...(Closed)

[JayBird]

Hmm...compare this picture with the most recent picture we had prior to this one.

Notice that the point of view is somewhat similar, and that the "bridges" betwen the 2 sides of the hull are still there. The square that we noticed on the "bow" in the earlier picture is there without the blur, but those red strutures obstruct us to see what it is inside that square. Does anyone knows what does this square means and if this is normal for carriers or what???

Beyond that, it doesnt appear that the construction made too much progress betwen the pictures, IMO.

The picture was posted today, but it doesn't mean it was taken more recent than the other pic eariler. These pics are from different posters and different forum.

 

[JayBird]

There are still missing three or four more decks to the flight deck. What we see is the hangar floor with openings to install the machinery below.

That's a very good point, right now all we see is the hanger floor level. So.. of course there is no openings for the elevators right now.

 

[Jeff Head]

Good points, Jeff, and without openings for elevators, it probably isn't CV001. A 40kt AOR perhaps...?

Still too soon to tell for sure either way.

If this was built up to the Hanger Deck, the supporting structure for the elevators would be seen...and I do not see them. But that does not mean it is built up that high yet.

In addition, I do still see the large open/vacant areas in the center, which still tends to have me lean away from a carrier.

Time will tell all.

 

[Jeff Head]

That's a very good point, right now all we see is the hanger floor level. So.. of course there is no openings for the elevators right now.

Not so.

As I have said, I wave watched carrier construction for the last 30 years...including here on SD every picture we could get of the Liaoning while it was being refit .

The structure and openings for the elevators extend well below the hanger deck for these vessels, including US carriers.

Many folks were not here during that refit...or for that matter, for the construction of the Kuznetsov and Varyag (which became the Liaoning) themselves by the USSR.

Here's a picture of the Liaoning looking at the starboard side of the vessel. notice the location of the hanger deck and the cutouts/structure for the elevators extending below it.

 

[JayBird]

Not so.

As I have said, I wave watched carrier construction for the last 30 years...including here on SD every picture we could get of the Liaoning while it was being refit .

The structure and openings for the elevators extend well below the hanger deck for these vessels, including US carriers.

Many folks were not here during that refit...or for that matter, for the construction of the Kuznetsov and Varyag (which became the Liaoning) themselves by the USSR.

Here's a picture of the Liaoning looking at the starboard side of the vessel. notice the location of the hanger deck and the cutouts/structure for the elevators extending below it.

From the picture you just posted the structure and openings for the elevators does extend below the hanger deck, but it's not nearly as big of an opening at the hanger deck level.

You can see the elevator kind of extend out to the sea at the hanger level in this pic. You would only see these huge openings the same size as the elevator at the higher level all the way to the flight deck. You will barely notice that opening from the port side far away with all the clutter blocking the view. It looks to be about 1/8 of the size of the elevator's opening at hanger level.

 

[asif iqbal]

Well all answers to question will be answered soon as this unit is moving fast

 

[Jeff Head]

...you will barely notice that opening from the port side far away with all the clutter blocking the view

I have seen that pic many times.

The point is, for those knowing what to look for, the support structure to allow for the elevators would be there and would be noticeable.

I simply do not see it at this stage.

Either they have not gotten to that level in the building yet...or it is not there. As I said, at this point, I cannot say which it is.

 

[Blitzo]

I have a feeling that this ship could be an LHD rather than a CV

Even at this kind of early stage of construction, if it were an LHD we would likely see a well deck and we do not see one.

 

[Blitzo]

The photo is low resolution, possibly taken from a passing passenger plane. We can see that those big open spaces are no longer there, having been constructed over.

The deck and the hull itself seems too clean and straight for a carrier, i mean, there is no sign of the extended deck which is caracteristic of aircraft carriers. IMO, by now they should be appearing.


Also, for a shipyard and indeed for a nation itself, that has never built a carrier before, they are constructing at a very fast rate, which makes me believe that this is a civilian ship.

But we need better resolution pictures at this point in order to make further conclusions.

They're still in early stages of construction -- the bow isn't even attached yet, so of course the hull is still relatively straight and there is no flight deck.
But if we look at other pictures of higher resolution, they actually show that the beginnings of the more bow part of the ship is starting to taper off.


Given the stage in construction that they're at, it's still too early to say that it probably isn't a carrier.
However I will say that we can probably be certain that this thing probably isn't an LHD (no well deck, which should have appeared by now).
The hull form doesn't seem too similar to that of bulk carriers or liquid carriers, and it seems like there is a lot of complicated internal work being done in the compartments right now which would also be somewhat unexpected in bulk or liquid carriers... but obviously we can't rule out the possibility.

Hmm...compare this picture with the most recent picture we had prior to this one.

Notice that the point of view is somewhat similar, and that the "bridges" betwen the 2 sides of the hull are still there. The square that we noticed on the "bow" in the earlier picture is there without the blur, but those red strutures obstruct us to see what it is inside that square. Does anyone knows what does this square means and if this is normal for carriers or what???

Beyond that, it doesnt appear that the construction made too much progress betwen the pictures, IMO.

We really have no idea what the time between the two pictures was taken is.

And at this stage it seems like they're doing a lot of work inside the large compartments of the hull, which we cannot see from photos anyway.

 

[Blitzo]

Still too soon to tell for sure either way.

If this was built up to the Hanger Deck, the supporting structure for the elevators would be seen...and I do not see them. But that does not mean it is built up that high yet.

At present I think the highest point of the carrier is maybe a deck or two below the actual hangar deck, at least. i.e.: once they seal up the open compartments that they're working on there will probably be a few additional decks above it before they actually build the hangar deck itself.

Also, we should recall that we may not see the supporting structure for the elevators very well; the elevators will probably be on the starboard side of the ship, and most of our pictures are looking towards the port side, so we will likely only get pictures of the elevators and the supporting structures of the elevator once they are well into construction.

The supporting structures for the elevators are also probably going to be relatively late additions in the ship's construction schedule; chances are we will see the "walls" of the hangar come up first before we see the side additional elevator structures on the side of the hull, like below for ford class:

or for a cvf module:

So, based on this, I propose another way of positively identifying the ship as a carrier -- after the open compartments are sealed up and after construction reaches the hangar deck level, we will start to see "walls" coming up on the side's of the ship to create a "hangar," that would be very strong indication that this is a CV.
(Of course, a hangar could also suggest it is an LHA, but really we have no rumours to suggest the ship at DL is an LHA, so while it may be academically useful to consider that suggestion there is no practical reason for us to give it any credence)

In addition, I do still see the large open/vacant areas in the center, which still tends to have me lean away from a carrier.

Like it's been said, the openings/compartments are probably because they're still doing work there. I expect that if this ship is a carrier, then in time the openings will be sealed up and they will continue building the ship "upwards".
If the opening compartments are never sealed up and the ship is launched open, then that would suggest that this thing isn't a carrier.

I feel like pointing out the openings/compartments in the ship at present is not a very useful point of support or contention regarding whether the hull is a carrier or not, because there is no reason why such open compartments can not exist in a carrier's construction at this stage.