Chapter 41 Nuclear-Powered Aircraft Carrier

  February 11, 1975 was the traditional Chinese Lunar New Year, which was also Lin Feng's first Spring Festival after marriage. After spending the Lunar New Year's Eve with Chao Ya-chih, Lin Feng and his wife returned to Hong Kong to visit his father-in-law, and had a good time in Hong Kong for a week. After receiving an urgent phone call, Lin Feng rushed back to Taiwan with Chao Ya-chih.

  Lin Feng received an urgent notice from Taiwan that China's first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier is about to enter the shipbuilding phase. After nearly three years of effort, Lin Feng finally saw the dawn of China's first nuclear-powered submarine being put into service. Normally, building a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier would cost around $2.5 billion, excluding the initial research and development costs. However, due to Lin Feng's shipyard adopting advanced automation and intelligent management production, the construction cost was greatly reduced. Building such an aircraft carrier in Taiwan would cost around $1.8 billion, and without the need for prior technical reserves, it can be said that Taiwan could afford the construction costs if they tightened their belts.

  To be honest, Lin Feng didn't think much of the role of nuclear-powered aircraft carriers, but before China's space force was established, aircraft carriers still had a great use in handling local wars and maintaining national strategic deterrence. Therefore, Lin Feng currently plans to build two nuclear-powered aircraft carriers, which will form a dual-carrier combat group during wartime, maintaining air superiority and sea control over the enemy. The 100,000-tonne aircraft carrier built by Taiwan is the first of the "Saint" class, the "Confucius", with a full load displacement of 100,000 tonnes, a length of 332.8 meters (1,092 feet).

  The total width is 77 meters (252 feet).

  Deuterium fuel powers two nuclear fusion reactors Top speed over 60 knots Range: Full lifespan without refueling Crew: 4,660 (including sailors, flight squadrons and ground personnel)

  Flight facilities

  Flight deck area: 333 × 77 meters

  Four electromagnetic catapults, advanced arresting gear (AAG) system (including three arresting wires and one arresting net)

  Two hangars, three elevators.

  Can carry 120 aircraft of various types, including:

  Fighter jets (86)

  Early warning aircraft (4)

  Unmanned aerial vehicles (20)

  Electronic warfare aircraft (4)

  Helicopters (6)

  Weapon systems also include the "Thunderbolt" missile launch system

  Two "Punisher" air defense missile launchers can launch "Lethal Sword" and "Dagger" medium- and short-range air defense missiles.

  The aircraft carrier is also equipped with an active phased array radar, a radar system that the United States did not have until the 1980s. This radar system is the core of the "Chinese Aegis" system, and on the aircraft carrier it is mainly used for searching and detecting targets.

  The "Kongzi" aircraft carrier uses an electromagnetic catapult, which has a higher efficiency than traditional steam catapults and is not limited in the number of takeoffs and landings. Compared to the aircraft carriers currently equipped by countries around the world, it has four major advantages:

  First, its combat capability is stronger. The carrier-based aircraft on this aircraft carrier are the fourth-generation "Sea East Green" fighter-attack aircraft with stealth capabilities that are currently in service, and a large number of unmanned combat aircraft will be equipped. In addition to being equipped with precision-guided weapons for precise strikes, these drones will also be equipped with infrared and synthetic aperture radar sensors to perform maritime surveillance, airborne early warning, battlefield assessment, and support anti-submarine and rescue missions.

  Furthermore, the Navy plans to equip the aircraft carrier with electromagnetic railguns, high-energy lasers, and high-energy particle beams as new concept weapons. The electromagnetic railgun launcher can directly convert electromagnetic energy into kinetic energy, using electromagnetic force to launch projectiles, with a maximum range of 300 kilometers, even exceeding the range of some missiles currently equipped on aircraft carriers.

  Two, the degree of informatization is higher. The saint-level aircraft carrier will adopt more advanced combat system (command, control, communication, computer and intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance system) technology and automated equipment, fully supporting the national army's network-centric warfare capabilities, and can achieve "interconnection, intercommunication, and interoperability" with other weapons and military services. And it will widely adopt computer displays, personal digital assistants and handheld computers to replace the manuals and reference materials currently used by personnel, making it convenient for personnel to save, search and use them daily.

  Three, combat support equipment is more advanced. According to the plan, the Saint-class aircraft carrier will adopt a nuclear fusion power device, using a 15,000-volt power distribution system, which produces three times the electrical power of the current aircraft carrier's power distribution system. On the flight deck, an electromagnetic catapult system will be installed, with a working principle similar to that of an electromagnetic railgun, using electromagnetic energy to drive the takeoff of carrier-based aircraft, and can increase the speed of the aircraft to 160 knots within a distance of 100 meters. Advanced arresting gear will also be installed. The flight deck will be redesigned. The Saint-class aircraft carrier can normally launch 160 sorties per day, with a peak of up to 270 sorties, far exceeding that of current aircraft carriers in service.

  Fourth, the working and living environment is more humanized. The personal living space of the crew on the saint-level aircraft carrier will be increased, and the number of personnel configured on each aircraft carrier does not exceed 5,000 people. Due to the adoption of a large number of automated systems and unmanned equipment, the workload of the crew on the ship has also been reduced compared with the current aircraft carriers. In addition, the navy plans to redesign the crew quarters on the aircraft carrier, each living room is equipped with a bathroom, and the crew's living space is more privatized.

  The "Confucius" aircraft carrier has now completed its main construction, with only the installation of nuclear power devices remaining. The current nuclear power device is undergoing final testing at a engine factory in Taiwan. It is expected that the Confucius will enter naval service in the second half of this year, at which time the Chinese Navy's ability to engage in long-range combat operations will be greatly enhanced. At that time, Lin Feng will also have more confidence in winning next year's war.

  Lin Feng and Chiang Kai-shek, along with many high-ranking generals, were so excited that they couldn't speak when they saw the aircraft carrier "Confucius". Currently, only the US Navy has nuclear-powered aircraft carriers. Now, the Taiwanese Navy will also establish China's first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier battle group, and all warships in this battle group are equipped with full nuclear power devices.

  Taiwan's first aircraft carrier battle group consists of: one Saint-class nuclear-powered aircraft carrier as the flagship, accompanied by two Mingjiang-class missile cruisers, four City-class missile destroyers, two missile frigates, two Emperor-class attack submarines, and one comprehensive supply ship.

  The nuclear-powered aircraft carrier battle group can operate far from its home base, without relying on land-based airports, as a rapid mobile force of the navy, to complete the following combat tasks: First, conduct sea battles and engage in large-scale sea-air frontal warfare.

  Second is the protection of sea transportation routes during wartime and their use and safety, especially for amphibious forces' transport and mission execution.

  Three is to support ground troops from the sea, coordinate with land-based aircraft to form and maintain air superiority in a specific area, and win the victory of the ground war. For example, during the Gulf War and Iraq War, the United States deployed nuclear-powered aircraft carrier battle groups to support and assist ground troops in ground combat.

  The fourth is to show strength on the sea in peacetime and use military means to satisfy national interests. The United States has often used this method to achieve political purposes.

  Of course, nuclear-powered aircraft carriers also have obvious disadvantages: the target of the aircraft carrier is large and easy to be discovered. The entire aircraft carrier formation has at least 7 or 8 ships of various types, and more than 10 ships, with more and more electronic components, radar reflectors, and a larger reflective cross-section. Electromagnetic signals, infrared signals, and audio signal characteristics are very obvious, making it easy to be detected by the opponent's detection facilities. After being discovered, the aircraft carrier formation will face frequent harassment and attacks from multiple directions and batches of enemies, and will be exhausted from responding.

  Moreover, the general aircraft carrier's logistics capabilities are poor, and there are loopholes in its air defense system. The catapults, arresting hooks, radar, and underwater propulsion systems on the flight deck of an aircraft carrier are easily attacked and temporarily lose their functions. Stopping on the flight deck is easy to damage, which greatly reduces the combat effectiveness of the aircraft carrier, and the combat effectiveness of the aircraft carrier is more affected by weather changes. To overcome these shortcomings, the Saint-class aircraft carrier adopts various new technologies and materials, greatly improving the stealth capabilities of this class of aircraft carriers. At the same time, other warships in the aircraft carrier formation will take on tasks such as air defense, anti-submarine warfare, and striking enemy targets.

  The strength or weakness of a country's comprehensive national power can be reflected to a large extent in its aircraft carrier fleet. If a country's comprehensive national power is not strong, it is unlikely to possess one. With the improvement of comprehensive national power, especially the enhancement of technological and shipbuilding capabilities, a country will have the ability to develop and build aircraft carriers. In this sense, an aircraft carrier is a manifestation of a country's comprehensive national power. After having an aircraft carrier, a country's maritime power will see a three-dimensional, systematic, comprehensive, and informatized improvement, pushing its maritime activity capability from near-sea to mid-far sea.

  An aircraft carrier is a large sea-based airfield that can operate in more distant waters, so any country with an aircraft carrier has the ability to do so in mid-to-far seas. At the same time, it brings about changes in the entire nation's military strength, most directly in the naval force system, command system and logistics support system, even in laws and regulations, combat theory and a series of changes, thereby making the country's sea and air forces undergo structural adjustments and changes, so the significance and impact it brings are enormous. The construction of aircraft carriers is extremely important for improving the combat capability of navies around the world and has become the leading force in the development of naval systems and weapon equipment construction.

  The navy is a knowledge-intensive and technologically complex military branch, and the construction of the navy can only form combat capabilities at sea under careful planning. Now, many countries' naval construction has not made significant breakthroughs, or has been greatly restricted. In fact, one major reason is that there is no development outline for leading weapons and equipment. The development of aircraft carriers has driven the development of other types of weapons, such as submarines, destroyers, frigates, cruisers, transport ships, and many information support forces. Therefore, developing aircraft carriers, in a certain sense, means grasping the dragon's head of naval construction, driving comprehensive, systematic, and coordinated development of the navy.

  As Taiwan's economy has developed and is now the most advanced region in Asia after Japan, Taiwan will become China's vanguard for strategic strikes against foreign countries in the future. The aircraft carrier fleet will also be the vanguard of external forces for the time being. The Sino-Japanese war is about to break out, which is the best opportunity for China to regain its dominance in Asia. Currently, the US has secretly fully supported Japan, and at that time, the Chinese army may encounter the US Navy. Although the possibility of the US formally intervening in the war is small, it is also necessary to guard against the limited support of the US Navy for Japan. The commissioning of the Saint-class aircraft carrier will greatly increase China's chances of winning.