00X/004 future nuclear CATOBAR carrier thread

[THX 1138]

The first ship of a class takes longer to build than subsequent ships of the same class. The first Nimitz carrier required 7 years from the time it was laid down to the time it entered service. But the vast majority of Nimitz carriers that followed required only about 5 years each.

Right now, the Type 003 is taking very long because it's the first ship of its class. Furthermore, it switched from Steam to EMALS catapult after construction had already begun. From what I understand, they had to pause work for several months while they sorted things out. And there was also COVID to deal with.

The first Type 004 carrier will probably face similar complications because it's introducing nuclear power. I do not doubt the first Type 004 will take 6-8 years for construction and trials. But subsequent ships of that class should take much faster. There's no reason to believe they can't match the pace of construction for the Nimitz.

 

[Blitzo]

So why do I argue for aircraft carriers? Well, because I believe China ought to have the ability to conduct missions on a global scale. More importantly, to deter the gangsters in Washington DC and in particular it´s Western lapdogs to shy away from their wild hegemonic dreams. The West and the rest of the world need to grasp who is the biggest dog in the kennel - and it´s not the people who cannot distinguish between girls and boys.

This discussion is now far beyond the scope of 00X/004 and is looking into very very distant future strategic procurement goals/intents.

Everyone has basically had their say now, so future posts on this tangent will be deleted.

 

[Lime]

It was 2015.

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Even if it did begin in 2017, that's still 6 years. This is similar to the Nimitz class, which took around 6 to 7 years from being laid down to being commissioned.

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Gerald R. Ford classes take even longer.

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China is skilled at building ships, but 100,000 ton, 300 meter ships will always take years for anyone to complete.

The building of 003 halted due to the change from steam to electromagnetic catapult.
Nobody knows the accurate time unless the related personnel. But there is still some information can analyzed from public.
The original blueprint was designed before 2015.
The first steel cutting may happened at 2015~2016.
The building is halted and the blueprint was redesigned at 2017.
The building is continued at 2017~2019(no exactly time)
When it goes to 2020, Some parts can been seen in the dry dock. You can see lots of photos in the forum.

 

[VESSEL]

The building of 003 halted due to the change from steam to electromagnetic catapult.
Nobody knows the accurate time unless the related personnel. But there is still some information can analyzed from public.
The original blueprint was designed before 2015.
The first steel cutting may happened at 2015~2016.
The building is halted and the blueprint was redesigned at 2017.
The building is continued at 2017~2019(no exactly time)
When it goes to 2020, Some parts can been seen in the dry dock. You can see lots of photos in the forum.

Please pay attention to the steel plate yard and imagery date. The first steel cutting happened at 2017/04~2017/11.

 

[styx]

has the first steel cut for the type 003 successor?

 

[H2O]

has the first steel cut for the type 003 successor?

I don't believe so. China needs time to evaluate the Type 003 which would take at least several years.

 

[kwaigonegin]

Supercarrier takes too long to build. I thought about an all-in-one ship such as a cruiser sized ship that carries 20 fighter jet. Tonnage for this ship is smaller than a supercarrier but it is faster to build. This cruiser ship has the same type of missiles as a destroyer does.

20 jets would still require at least a 25k ton vessel. To build a ship that's both a pocket carrier AND a cruiser would be far fetch and likely end up being a white elephant because it would be good at neither.
In the distant future I can see super cruisers that acts as a mothership for advanced AI driven VTOL drones. That would make much more sense.

 

[ACuriousPLAFan]

Pop3 drank some more chicken blood on the 004. Need to compile info before posting.

 

[ACuriousPLAFan]

New stuff from pop3:



Q:

(Based on that hull-shaped module spotted at the new Hudong-Zhonghua site at Changxin Island) I guess it’s 004

pop3:

Nope (Title)

The so-called 004 probably refers to the People's Navy aircraft carrier No. 4, but the No. 4 ship has not yet started construction, but it is only one centimeter away from starting construction.

When the No. 1 ship is under construction, the No. 2 ship is already under development, and the No. 3 ship is also under review.

It was at the same venue that I was forced to hear a little about the No. 2 and No. 3 ships, as well as the No. 4 ship while I was covering my ears.

I swear to God, I didn't reveal anything.

In fact, the equipment development of our People's Navy is really down-to-earth, step by step.

This is really not nonsense. I used the current actual situation to compare the aircraft carrier development plan and plans approved by the Military Commission in 2004.

There are some discrepancies, but on the whole they are all achieved. There are some imperfections, and some are even ahead of their time.

Our military decision-making and military implementation levels still have a group of clear-minded practitioners.

Q:

Damn it, 004 hasn’t started yet

pop3:

This matter is a bit complicated (Title)

When Project 048 was established, there were plans for a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier.

At that time, the nuclear industry assured them that there would be no problems with nuclear power for aircraft carriers, but they refused to quote prices at that time, which also led to a lot of criticism.

Looking back now, I can understand that years of military investment has been seriously insufficient and even in debt, so they have to be cautious.

The tradition of equipment development of the People's Navy is extremely forward-looking. Pre-research can fail, but it cannot be without pre-research, that is, it cannot be without advance.

I remember I posted a picture before, which was a scaled-down model display of some pre-research models from the China Shipbuilding Research Institute. Some of those models were shelved, but some became official models.

Although the People's Navy had its share of misdeeds even during the era when the military was engaged in business, the People's Navy has never lacked people of insight. For the sake of the strength of the motherland and in order to resist foreign humiliation, they are still struggling.

Everything should not be generalized. This is just like my concept was greatly shocked after I went to Liugong Island in 2021.

The corruption of the late Qing government does not mean that the Beiyang Navy is incompetent. The predecessors of the Beiyang Navy used their own lives to defend the dignity of the country, which is commendable.

When I paid homage to the deeds of the Beiyang Navy predecessors on Liugong Island, tears filled my eyes.

The Chinese nation is invincible, and the Chinese people are invincible.

Since I got this information first from @horobeyo on Twitter, here's his intepretation:

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1730401373425176826

Rough translation:

pop3: 004 (the fourth aircraft carrier) has not yet started construction

Interpretation: Construction (of the 004) is about to start. (004 will be) Non-nuclear

Speculation: The biggest problem with 003 is that it is not big enough. If it is extended by 20 meters, everything will be fine.

 

[vincent]

CVN doesn‘t make much sense for the PLAN in the next 10 years anyways. PLAN’s main operating theatre will be the West Pac and conventional carriers have higher availability and lower cost (construction, maintenance and scrapping costs).