Modern aircraft carriers face many "two choices": big or small?Nuclear power or conventional power?

[Global Times reporter Ma Jun Fan Wei Global Times special reporter Chen Shan] As the iconic force of the modern navy, the aircraft carrier has always received great attention from the outside world. However, there are many types of aircraft carriers in the world and different performance. This is because if you want to build a aircraft carrier, you must make many "two choices" choices based on their national strength and technical capabilities.

Is it "big aircraft carrier" or "small aircraft carrier"?

Shi Hong, the editor -in -chief of military experts and the executive editor -in -chief of "Carrier Weapons", first emphasized in an interview with the Global Times reporter: "What kind of aircraft carrier needs a country, first of all, you need to determine the national military strategy, especially the naval strategy. Do types, offensive and defensive or offensive navy? Is it a regional or global navy? Only by confirming these needs can the aircraft carrier be selected in the next step. "

Shi Hong said that the maximization of the combat power of aircraft carriers alone has a simple logic that is "big and big." However, the issues that need to be considered when developing aircraft carriers in various countries are not so simple, and they must be measured according to their national strength and technical capabilities. Because the construction and use cost of aircraft carriers is quite considerable, countries with weak national strength often choose light aircraft carriers priority; although Japan and South Korea are sufficient to support the construction of larger aircraft carriers, they are subject to insufficient technical reserves. The deck -type amphibious attack ship, and then consider being converted into light aircraft carriers on the basis of it.

Anonymous military experts said that the combat power of light aircraft carriers and large and medium -sized aircraft carriers is very large. Therefore, the most discussing the "two -choice" problem of medium -sized aircraft carriers and large aircraft carriers (including super carrier). At present, the French "Da Gogho" and the "Super Kings" of India and the "Vikrant" drainage are 40,000 tons, which are typical medium -sized aircraft carriers; And Chinese aircraft carriers Liaoning ships and Shandong ships are over 60,000 tons, which are large aircraft carriers; 11 nuclear aircraft carriers in the United States are 100,000 tons, which belongs to super carrier.

Shi Hong said that there is not much difference between medium -sized aircraft carriers and large aircraft carriers in terms of structure. Whether it is a flight deck or a cabin setting, the normal aircraft carrier should have something. Therefore, the large aircraft carrier is relatively better design, and the medium -sized aircraft carrier must be considered. Taking the "De Gaulle" as an example, because its flight deck length is not enough, the introduced US -made steam ejaculation can only shorten the ejection stroke, resulting in a significant decline in the ejection capacity. Later, the French Navy discovered during the trial voyage that the length of the "Dai Gaulle" flight deck could not meet the requirements of the take-off and landing E-2C early warning aircraft. It was forced to welded with 4 meters of deck to reluctantly solve the problem.

In addition, large aircraft carriers can usually be equipped with a full and large number of carrier -based aircraft, which has the ability to perform diversified tasks. The carrier-based aircraft wounds equipped by U.S. super carrier include F/A-18E/F "Super Hornets", F-35C carrier-based fighters, EA-18G electronic attack aircraft, E-2C/D carrier-based early warning aircraft, anti-submarine helicopter, anti-submarine helicopter, For various fighters such as transport aircraft, the total number can reach more than 80. The "Da Goghle" is equipped with a rebounder medium-sized aircraft carrier. It can only be equipped with the "Ge Ge Ge" fighter, E-2C early warning aircraft, and a small amount of helicopter. The comprehensive combat capabilities are greatly restricted. Experts also said that, in addition to the limited number of carrier -based aircraft, the layout of medium -sized aircraft carrier -promoted flight decks also led to great restrictions on its fighter scheduling, which caused the result to greatly reduce combat effectiveness. It is generally believed that the combat effectiveness of large aircraft carriers is more than twice the medium-sized aircraft carriers, and it is 6-8 times that of light aircraft carriers. In addition, small and medium -sized aircraft carriers are more likely to be affected by wind and waves, and their safety is weak.

But on the other hand, although the advantages of large aircraft carriers are obvious, the construction and operation costs needed are much higher. In order to moor and repair large aircraft carriers, special military docks and docks need to be built. In this sense, "big aircraft carriers" are indeed not affordable by ordinary countries.

Shi Hong mentioned that in recent years, the U.S. Navy has emerged as a call to reduce the number of super aircraft carriers and replace the use of medium aircraft carriers. But this is not the US Navy more agreed with medium -sized aircraft carriers, but a response to the continuous shrinking situation of the existing fleet. In the end, the U.S. Navy discovered that for the U.S. Navy that needs to be deployed around the world, the medium -sized aircraft carrier with limited combat effectiveness is not meaningful. The "lightning carrier" developed in the United States is a large-scale amphibious attack ship equipped with about 20 F-35B vertical take-off and landing fighters, which is equivalent to obtaining available light aircraft carriers without significantly increased additional costs. However, the performance of the "Lightning Carrier" and the number of carrier -based aircraft equipped are very limited, and the lack of the ability to fight independently, so it is only an expedient. In short, what kind of aircraft carriers to choose from all countries must do their best.

Should carrier -based aircraft take off or ejection?

The carrier -based aircraft take -off method of the carrier can be divided into two categories: slippery take -off and ejection take -off. Choose different carrier -based aircraft and corresponding take -off and landing methods to largely determine the combat effectiveness of the carrier.

For light aircraft carriers, it is not only a feasible way to take off with a sliding deck, but also must also introduce a carrier -based fighter with a short -range take -off/vertical landing capability simultaneously. This has also led to today and South Korea to promote light aircraft carrier programs, and F-35B fighters must be introduced from the United States.

In contrast, the choice of large and medium -sized aircraft carriers is much larger. The US "Nimitz" class, Ford -class super carrier and French "Da Gogh" use the standard "ejection take -off+blocking landing" mode, which can be equipped with a variety of conventional fixed -wing aircraft. Russia's "Kuznetsov" and India's "Super Rich King" and "Vikrant" aircraft carrier chose the "Slide take -off+blocking landing" mode, but it can only take off and land fixed wing fighters, but not cannot Take off fixed wing early warning aircraft. The British "Queen Elizabeth"-class aircraft carrier is even more unique. He chose the F-35B fighter aircraft to cooperate with the "Slide and take off+vertical landing" mode. Military experts said that the benefits of slippery -style take -off are that the maintenance costs of aircraft carriers can be reduced and the structure of the aircraft carrier can be simplified. However, the sliding deck restricts the take -off weight of the fighter, resulting in the combat radius, stagnation time and weapon carrying volume of the fighter. At the same time, special aircraft, including early warning aircraft, cannot take off using the skidial deck, causing the aircraft carrier to lose long -distance air warning detection capabilities during the long sea of ​​war. In addition, the sliding deck will occupy the pillar space of the aircraft carrier flying deck, causing the parking space and scheduling of carrier -based aircraft to be affected.

In contrast, the advantage of ejection take -off is very obvious. The first is that the fighter can take off with fuel and ammunition, which is equivalent to directly improving the combat capabilities of the fighter. At the same time, the ejection take -off can also allow the aircraft carrier to have the ability to carry a fixed -wing carrier -based early warning aircraft, which greatly improves the early warning detection of aircraft carriers and the ability to ensure and scheduling the carrier -based aircraft.

However, the ejection take -off requires a very high -specific ejection device. The US "Nimitz" and the French "Da Gogh" use steam projectiles, and its manufacturing processing technology is in the hands of the United States. The currently updated generation of the ejection device is an electromagnetic ejaculation. According to experts, electromagnetic rebounders have great advantages over steam projectiles. For example, digital management and monitoring can be performed, and aircraft of different quality can flexibly control the control of ejection force, the weight and capacity of electromagnetic population ships are low. Maintenance is relatively simple. According to the test results of the US Navy, the 4 steam ejaculation of the "Nimitz" -class aircraft carrier can usually ensure a maximum ejection take -off of 200 times a day, and the 4 electromagnetic jets of the "Ford" increase this number to 270 times , Greatly improved the displacement efficiency of carrier carrier aircraft. In addition, the electromagnetic ejaculation can also easily control the ejection force. It is as large as transport aircraft and early warning aircraft. Various models of drones can take off from the aircraft carrier by ejection, making the aircraft carrier's combat mode more flexible. However, the development of electromagnetic jets is even more difficult to develop. The "Ford" has failed to form a combat effectiveness for several years. One of the main reasons is that the failure rate of electromagnetic jets is high.

Choose nuclear power or conventional power?

According to the source of the aircraft carrier, it can be divided into two categories: nuclear power and conventional power. At present, only nuclear -motorized in the world's active aircraft carriers is the "Nimitz" class, "Ford" class, and the French "Da Gogho". Other aircraft carriers are conventional power.

Shi Hong said that the advantages of nuclear -powered aircraft carriers are mainly "almost infinite endurance capabilities", and they can also save fuel space for ships, and then carry more carrier -based fuel fuel and weapon reserves. The US "Ford" class nuclear -powered aircraft carrier does not need to replace nuclear fuel during the 50 -year service period planned, which can achieve the same life of nuclear reactors and aircraft carriers. In addition, the nuclear reactor does not need air during work, which can save the flue space of the upper -level buildings, make the ship island smaller and help improve the infrared stealth effect.

However, conventional power carrier and nuclear -powered aircraft carrier are not much different from combat effectiveness. The "Midway" class conventional aircraft carrier in the United States frequently participated in local conflicts during the Cold War. The "Little Eagle" conventional aircraft carrier has been in service until the beginning of the 21st century. The carrier -based aircraft forces are almost the same as the nuclear -powered aircraft carrier of the same period.

The shortcomings and advantages of nuclear -powered aircraft carriers are as prominent. Military experts said that nuclear -powered aircraft carriers have expensive costs, long construction cycles, high maintenance difficulty, and difficult to supplement during wartime damage. For example, the cost of two A1B water reactors used in the "Ford" class is as high as billions of dollars. The development of nuclear reactors used by aircraft carriers is very difficult, and the requirements for volume and anti -strike capacity are very high, and they also need professional technicians. In addition, the disassembly cost of nuclear aircraft carriers is much higher than conventional aircraft carriers. In general, from the perspective of the full life cycle fee, the cost of nuclear -powered aircraft carrier with a service cycle of more than 50 years is much higher than that of conventional power carriers.

Shi Hong believes that the high -tech threshold of the nuclear reactor itself blocked its promotion, and the advantages of nuclear -powered aircraft carriers are currently not obvious. Because nuclear -powered aircraft carriers have unlimited battery life, they do not mean that the aircraft carrier battle group also has the same ability. The cruisers, destroyers and frigates that escort the aircraft carrier are conventional power, and they need to be supplied frequently. Even the US aircraft carrier strike group must rely on global naval bases and accompanying high -speed supply ships to provide logistical support. Therefore, it is questionable whether nuclear -powered aircraft carriers are suitable for other countries.

However, Shi Hong emphasized that from the perspective of future development trends, nuclear -powered aircraft carriers have better prospects. According to reports, with the development of modern technology, the demand for power supply for advanced technologies such as electromagnetic rail cannons, high -power orientation weapons and full -power promotion systems has become higher and higher. At present, the US "Ford" -class aircraft carrier and the British "Queen Elizabeth" -class aircraft carrier has adopted a comprehensive power promotion system. The power system first drives high -power generators to generate electricity, and then rely on computers to accurately distribute electricity to power systems, radar systems and weapons. Different power departments such as systems. This approach can allocate the entire ship's electricity: when high -speed sailing, the power energy is given priority to the promotion system; when combat is needed, the electrical energy is transferred to the weapon system. In the future, laser weapons, electromagnetic rail guns, electromagnetic ejection, etc. that may be equipped by aircraft carriers are all equipment that requires a large amount of energy supply in a short time. It has high requirements for electrical energy distribution. The total power of conventional power systems is difficult to continue to improve. It cannot meet huge power demand, and the advantages of large nuclear reactor power and long continuous working time are very obvious.