CV-18 Fujian/003 CATOBAR carrier thread

Orthan

Senior Member
Interesting image. Green circle is the 003 (called 002 on this forum) and it shows a very large chunk already assembled. With possibly even larger piece, hidden by the movable roof cover. We're talking about 100+ meters of ship hull being assembled, almost to the main deck level.

It appears that they are assembling the hull ON that place. If its 100+ meters, i have doubts that this piece of the hull can be transported anywhere, but i could be wrong.
 

Mirabo

Junior Member
Registered Member
The most significant development is that the modules have been rotated into the 'correct' orientation, and are in the process of being -- or already have been -- joined together to form a large section. The last time we saw a photo, the modules were still positioned in a row alongside each other.

Before:

02dPNLT.jpg


Now:

s8WgNdA.png


Only two possibilities regarding construction method remain:
1. The entire hull will be constructed where it currently stands, which is unlikely.
2. The section will be transported to a dry dock when a dry dock is available.

Large module assembly has been predicted for a long time now, so I'm much more inclined to believe the latter.

The question is, where are the other sections?
 

Deino

Lieutenant General
Staff member
Super Moderator
Registered Member
The most significant development is that the modules have been rotated into the 'correct' orientation, and are in the process of being -- or already have been -- joined together to form a large section. The last time we saw a photo, the modules were still positioned in a row alongside each other.

Before:

02dPNLT.jpg


Now:

s8WgNdA.png


Only two possibilities regarding construction method remain:
1. The entire hull will be constructed where it currently stands, which is unlikely.
2. The section will be transported to a dry dock when a dry dock is available.

Large module assembly has been predicted for a long time now, so I'm much more inclined to believe the latter.

The question is, where are the other sections?

Great post, thanks a lot, but do we have an idea on how long the how mated assembly is?
 

Orthan

Senior Member
Only two possibilities regarding construction method remain:
1. The entire hull will be constructed where it currently stands, which is unlikely.
2. The section will be transported to a dry dock when a dry dock is available.

Large module assembly has been predicted for a long time now, so I'm much more inclined to believe the latter.

The question is, where are the other sections?

We would need to know how big the assembled hull it is to have an ideia if it can be transported somewhere else. Right now it seems to be too big for it. Also, i dont see modules for this ship, i see small parts that are being added to the assembled hull. Large module assembly doesnt appear to be the case, but i could be wrong.

do we have an idea on how long the how mated assembly is?

I think that one way to do that would be to use GE to make an aprox. calculation, but my comp cant handle GE.
 

Totoro

Major
VIP Professional
Actually, that one image makes it seem as if the sections are NOT yet mated.. as if there is a small gap left between them. But why leave such a small gap?
 

Mirabo

Junior Member
Registered Member
Great post, thanks a lot, but do we have an idea on how long the how mated assembly is?

KBDqvXi.png


The rough shape of the assembly is somewhat discernible. The length of the assembly seems about twice the width of the modules. Assuming that the modules are approx. 40 metres wide (as previously estimated), then the assembly should be between 80 and 100 metres long.

For reference, the largest modules used in constructing HMS Queen Elizabeth were also between 80 and 100 metres long (full length 280 metres).

national-endeavour.jpg


We would need to know how big the assembled hull it is to have an ideia if it can be transported somewhere else. Right now it seems to be too big for it. Also, i dont see modules for this ship, i see small parts that are being added to the assembled hull. Large module assembly doesnt appear to be the case, but i could be wrong.

If the Brits could transport multi-thousand-ton modules across the country, then there's no reason why Chinese shipyards can't do the same within Shanghai.
 

Blitzo

Lieutenant General
Staff member
Super Moderator
Registered Member
Actually, that one image makes it seem as if the sections are NOT yet mated.. as if there is a small gap left between them. But why leave such a small gap?

Probably the photo is capturing the modules during the process of slowly moving them together before they're welded together for assembly, one by one.
We saw photos like this for 055 modules before as well, it's nothing particularly new or unique.



One more.

20LVZry.jpg


We are sure this is 003 yes, and not merely modules for an 055? I ask because the modules look like they could be for 055 in terms of appearance but they are also of course rather large for an 055, but the perspective of the picture and lack of clear adjacent structures for gauging relative size makes me want to be very confident this is indeed 003.


In any case, I think it is becoming apparent that the rumours of the last year or so about building mega sized blocks before moving them to the drydock were true. They certainly sounded reasonable and logical when those rumours first came out, and I think we are starting to get confirmation.


Yellow circle is interesting too. There seems to be a warship like bow sticking out. Those halls were used to build early few 052Ds, but then they switched to assembling them out in the open. Now they may be going back to building them inside. Would that suggest that there's not enough space to assemble them outside? Perhaps 055s will be built for some time more?

I also find that quite interesting. They built 052C hulls 2-6 as well as a few 052Ds from those halls.

However for the last few years they haven't built any warships in those halls to my knowledge, and all recent 052Ds and all 055s from JNCX have been built outside under temporary covers (perfectly adequately of course).
If they are restarting warship construction in those halls, while also seemingly not apparently reducing the warship construction outside, it brings a few questions to mind:
1: how many more "destroyer/year" will the use of the building halls end up adding to JNCX's overall destroyer production rate?
2: what were they building in those halls in the last few years?
 

Hendrik_2000

Lieutenant General
Via Icloo what you guys think
It seen like there is what looks like a new road being built that should be completed in a few months. This road is wide and link the fabrication site to the river side. My guess is that if it is indeed a road, then it is possible that module blocks could be transported by land transporter to the river bank and transfer to a barge, and then send to the dry dock. (refer to the yellow line I added to the photo)

There is another road to the West but there is a bridge, and the big question is whether that bridge can bear the weight of those large module block.

003-dnd-jpg.545145
 
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