00X/004 future nuclear CATOBAR carrier thread

[leibowitz]

No, if it's indeed the 004, a CVN, then there's no chimney. There's no feasible scenario in which a CVN needs so much auxiliary power as to necessitate a whole chimney.

The most likely explanations for the persistence of the chimney at the mockup site are:

a) It's testing two things at the same time. The island of the 004 and a chimney configuration for another project.

b) It's still under construction and the chimney will be gone when it's done.

c) The "chimney" is part of the inherent structure of the mockup carrier, i.e. office space.

d) It's not a CVN at all.

A variation of (c) - there is a gas turbine in the mockup for powering EMALS and other systems

 

[Tomboy]

A variation of (c) - there is a gas turbine in the mockup for powering EMALS and other systems

This mockup isn't used for operational testing, test flights and EMALs tests are at a actual airbase. Some say this mockup is likely for electronic compatibility testing and maybe optimizing deck layout. But either way as this mockup is literally just a carrier shaped building on land, it could just tap into the grid like any other industrial building.

 

[ACuriousPLAFan]

A variation of (c) - there is a gas turbine in the mockup for powering EMALS and other systems

The testing for EMALS has already been conducted elsewhere for years, not at Huangjiahu.

Also, the spaces underneath the mockup flight deck aren't empty. Some of the 701st Institute's offices are housed in there.

 

[arthur2046]

No, if it's indeed the 004, a CVN, then there's no chimney. There's no feasible scenario in which a CVN needs so much auxiliary power as to necessitate a whole chimney.

The most likely explanations for the persistence of the chimney at the mockup site are:

a) It's testing two things at the same time. The island of the 004 and a chimney configuration for another project.

b) It's still under construction and the chimney will be gone when it's done.

c) The "chimney" is part of the inherent structure of the mockup carrier, i.e. office space.

d) It's not a CVN at all.

I heard another plausible explanation: the chimney was not newly constructed but transplanted from the 003 mockup site. The purpose of this was to save money and reduce construction time. This would not affect conducting the electromagnetic compatibility testing. The mockup site does not require absolute equivalence with the actual aircraft carrier.

 

[pipaster]

No, if it's indeed the 004, a CVN, then there's no chimney. There's no feasible scenario in which a CVN needs so much auxiliary power as to necessitate a whole chimney.

The most likely explanations for the persistence of the chimney at the mockup site are:

a) It's testing two things at the same time. The island of the 004 and a chimney configuration for another project.

b) It's still under construction and the chimney will be gone when it's done.

c) The "chimney" is part of the inherent structure of the mockup carrier, i.e. office space.

d) It's not a CVN at all.

e) There is a small possibility the chimney will function as a VLS for ballistic missiles, or other missile systems (sarcasm).

Probably best to wait and see for now.

 

[HailingTX20]

Not a lot to see in the latest image, but tomorrow we'll probably get the HD version:

 

[Sczepan]

Thats not a carrier-bow

 

[bd popeye]

P.S. In emergency situations, those jet engines can be attached to the ship directly instead of being on wheels. Might increase the top speed of the ship to over 45 knots as speculated by @bd popeye.

No..testing engines on the fantail/balcony has no effect on the speed of the ship.

 

[bd popeye]

Many conventional ships have small secondary engines( often diesel piston engines) so I can't see why a CVN must be purely nuclear.

All USN CVNs have EMERGENCY diesel generators to power the ship in an emergency. However they cannot move the ship. Not even one meter.

 

[para80]

The only way to provide auxiliary propulsion through diesel generators (or in fact any sort of generators) would be an integrated electric setup (turbo-electric for nuclear arrangements). That way either the reactor(s) or any generators could feed the electric motors driving the hull.