Chinese aircraft carrier Liaoning. Chinese aircraft carrier "Liaoning": history, features, specifications and interesting facts
The Chinese Navy is armed with two aircraft carriers: Liaoning and Project 001A, which will receive its official name only by 2020.
The history of this aircraft carrier is extremely confusing and even somewhat dramatic. In 1985, in the now Ukrainian city of Nikolaev, the creation of a new aircraft carrier for the Pacific Fleet of the USSR Navy began at the Black Sea Shipbuilding Plant. The name of the vessel changed several times, but, in the end, the aircraft carrier officially became the Varyag. In terms of its design, the new ship almost completely coincided with the previously built aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov of the Fleet of the Soviet Union.
However, at the end of 1991, the state of the USSR ceased to exist. The construction of the aircraft carrier "Varyag" at that time was only 68% completed. The Black Sea plant henceforth belonged exclusively to the Ukrainian side. But due to lack of funding, the new owners of the ship not only did not complete the construction of the aircraft carrier, but also did not provide it with proper protection. Everything that could be carried was stolen from the ship. Therefore, in 1997, the sale of the ship for metal was announced. The auction was won by a travel company from Macau. According to an official statement, the buyers planned to turn the hull of a warship into a casino on the water. Prior to this, Chinese companies had twice bought dilapidated Soviet aircraft carriers to convert them into floating entertainment facilities. At that time, no one knew that behind the front company from Macau, the leadership of the Chinese Navy was hiding, wanting to include the former Soviet aircraft carrier in the Chinese fleet.
Transportation of the Varyag took a very long time; the ship was moored to the Chinese coast only in the spring of 2002. Despite the fact that since 1991 the aircraft carrier was slowly destroyed, and it was missing a part of the equipment, the skin and internal mechanisms remained strong and reliable.
Since no technical documentation was attached to the ship, Chinese specialists studied the ship for several years. Only in August 2011 did the Chinese side manage to complete the construction of the Varyag, which from that moment on was called Liaoning. And in 2012, the aircraft carrier decommissioned 15 years ago received a second life and became a full-fledged combat unit of the Chinese fleet.
But the second aircraft carrier, which is in service with the PRC, was built by the Chinese side on its own. The creation of this vessel was kept secret for a long time. Only occasional rumors reached the public, but in 2015 the Chinese authorities officially announced the construction of a new warship. At the design stage of the future vessel, the drawings of Liaoning were used. Therefore, ironically, this newest Chinese aircraft carrier also resembles a Soviet warship.
Of course, the new ship will have some upgraded parts. For example, greater displacement, longer runways, electromagnetic catapult, latest generation electronics and much more.
At the same time, China completed the development of a model of the latest carrier-based fighters, which will equip both aircraft carriers.
In April 2017, the aircraft carrier was launched, but for now it will undergo additional tests. In all likelihood, Project 001A will become a new combat unit only at the end of 2019. The Ministry of Defense invited the people of China to choose the name for the ship themselves. For this, even Internet voting was opened. The Chinese chose to name their warship in honor of the mantis shrimp or stomatopods that inhabit the seas of the Far East.
Aircraft carriers are huge ships, on the deck of which planes and helicopters can land. They perfectly illustrate the combat power of the state. Not every country can boast of having an aircraft carrier in its arsenal.Aircraft carrier "Liaoning"became the first ship of this class to join the ranks of the Chinese navy. Before this happened, the ship had to go through many interesting events. It was created in the Soviet Union, completed in Ukraine, and as a result ended up in China. Let's see how it all happened and what a Chinese aircraft carrier with Soviet roots can boast of.
Construction
In December 1985, a significant event took place at the Black Sea shipbuilding plant - the launch of the lead cruiser of project 11435. The vacated platform for construction, which in ship practice is called a slipway, was empty for a short time - soon a new TAKR (heavy aircraft-carrying cruiser) was laid on it. At first, the ship was given the name "Riga". It, unlike the lead cruiser of the project, was designed for use in Pacific waters. The main difference between the ship and the lead ship was a more modern radar system.
Launching
In November 1988, the Riga was launched. Construction was to be completed afloat. In the summer of 1990, the future aircraft carrier was renamed Varyag. At first, the construction of the ship proceeded rapidly, with strict observance of the schedule. But by the end of 1991, when the USSR began to disintegrate, construction stopped. At that time, the ship was 68% ready. Ultimately, in 1992, it was mothballed. Both Russia and Ukraine refused funding. The ship could not even be saved - in 1993, when the guards were dismissed due to lack of funding, the ship began to be plundered.
new owner
In order to have at least some use from the cruiser, they decided to sell it as scrap metal. In 1997, an international tender was announced for the purchase of the ship. The travel company, registered in the Portuguese colony of Macau, offered the largest price for the ship - $ 20 million. As a result, in the spring of 1998, the unfinished aircraft-carrying cruiser began to belong to her. The company claimed that it would build a pompous shopping center in the huge hull of an aircraft carrier. A little later it turned out that the company was a shell company. Today, no one hides the fact that the ship was actually acquired by the Chinese Navy.
Delivery to the buyer
It took a lot of time and resources to get the ship to its destination. The ship did not manage to be equipped with engines and control systems, which means that it had to be towed. The unfinished aircraft carrier left the territory of the plant in the summer of 2000. As soon as he got into the Black Sea, problems arose with the Turkish authorities. As a result, he stood still almost until the winter of 2001. Having set off and reached the Aegean Sea, the cruiser broke away from the tug due to a strong storm.
When the hitch with grief was restored in half, the ship set off around Africa, through Gibraltar. Then it entered the South Korean Sea through the Indian Ocean and Singapore. And only in March 2002, the former Varyag was delivered to the Chinese port of Dalian. His journey to his destination was 15,000 miles.
Further fate
The ship was sold as scrap metal, so construction documentation was not attached to it. For the first few years, Chinese engineers studied the ship. And only in 2005, the completion of the aircraft carrier began. According to preliminary data, it was supposed to be used to train young pilots.
Completion
The Soviet ship was made very high quality, as it was built for itself. Of course, during the downtime, it became covered with corrosion, but the main parts (hull, boilers, screws and skin) were preserved quite well. Everything that could be stolen from the ship (cables, electrical appliances, etc.) was stolen from it during the downtime in Nikolaev.
To restore the normal condition of the ship, the Chinese had to do a remarkable job. They did not have any documentation at their disposal, so the ship's electrical system had to be developed from scratch. And it was difficult to equip the cruiser with the existing weapons at the disposal of the Chinese military due to the fact that it was built for other, domestic weapons.
Having worked hard, the Chinese were still able to build their first aircraft carrier. In the summer of 2011, the first tests of its driving characteristics took place. The ship was at sea for almost a whole year and only occasionally called at the port of Dalian to eliminate shortcomings.
In September 2012 onaircraft carrier Liaoning"loaded ammunition, and he went to test weapons. A few weeks later, the cruiser officially entered the ranks of the Chinese Navy.The first Chinese aircraft carrier "Liaoning"was named after one of the local provinces. Nobody mentioned the training status of the ship anymore. Now, apparently, he is a full-fledged combat unit.
It is interesting to note that the cruiser serves in the same waters for which it was created, only under the flag of another state. We turn to the consideration of the technical characteristics that this ship can boast of.
Armament
The ship was not equipped with massive weapons, for which it was prepared by Soviet designers. He was armed with the minimum number of weapons sufficient for self-defense. A similar practice was implemented on a number of American aircraft carriers. According to the assumption of domestic engineers, the mines intended for the main strike complex were converted by the Chinese into a storage facility for fuel and ammunition for the air group.
During completionaircraft carrier Liaoning"was equipped with anti-aircraft installations of local production. It must be admitted that, in terms of their composition and capabilities, they lag far behind the installations envisaged by the Soviet project. As for the air group, for their first aircraft-carrying cruiser, the Chinese even created a special modification of the J-11 fighter, which they called the J-15. It is worth noting that this aircraft is almost a copy of the Soviet-made Su-27 fighter.
In addition to aircraft, Z-9 and Z-18 helicopters will also serve on deck. And for the radar patrol at long distances, China purchased Ka-31 helicopters from the Russian Federation. In total, the air group of the cruiser is represented by 24 fighters, 6 anti-submarine helicopters, 4 AWACS helicopters and 2 search and rescue helicopters.
Communications and other equipment
During the construction of the Varyag, it was assumed that the RLC (radar complex) Forum would be installed on it, instead of the Mars Passat, which was equipped with the lead ship of the series. Therefore, the attachment points of the Mars-Passat antenna posts were sealed during the construction of the Varyag. And during the completion of the ship in China, antenna arrays of the Chinese RLC 348 were installed in the same places. Interesting fact:aircraft carrier Liaoningmore like the lead ship of the 11435 series than the unfinished Varyag. The ship was also equipped with a rotating Chinese radar antenna called "Sea Eagle".
From the point of view of the aviation technical part, the firstaircraft carrier of China - "Liaoning" -retained the features that the Soviet development had. We are talking about three starting positions equipped with gas shields and retractable delays, a springboard instead of catapults, an optical landing system and four cable-type arresters equipped with hydraulic brake machines.
In the stern of the vessel, at the left side of the edge, there is a post of the head of the visual landing of an open type. Americans use similar posts in their aircraft carriers. In Soviet aircraft-carrying cruisers, the post is carried out in the form of a closed glazed cabin, in which it is more comfortable to work in the North and the Far East.
All other characteristics thataircraft carrier "Liaoning" (engines, control systems, etc.) were not disclosed. It is only known that the thousandth crew is very comfortable living on the deck of the ship. In this regard, it bypassed other ships of the Chinese Navy.
Aircraft carrier "Varyag" / "Liaoning": service
In 1991, the formation of a crew for the Varyag cruiser under construction at that time began in the USSR, but in 1993 it was disbanded.
In 2012, when the Liaoning entered service with China, it began to train pilots of naval specialization, including on the J-15 fighter. On November 5 of the same year, an aircraft with a cable hook was landed on an aircraft carrier for the first time. At the end of 2013, one of the ships sailing in the Liaoning escort almost collided with the American ship USS Cowpens in the South China Sea. In the resulting misunderstanding, the representatives of the two countries exchanged mutual accusations.
In November 2014, the US Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel visited the cruiser. Arriving in China on an official visit, he could not help but look at the first Chinese aircraft carrier. He was given a two-hour tour of the ship. Hagel was generally positive about the aircraft-carrying cruiser, but said that China still has a lot to learn in this field. Which, in general, is not surprising: decades must pass before one can seriously consider"Liaoning" against US aircraft carriers. Americahas long mastered the construction of such equipment and is constantly developing in this direction.
In the autumn of 2015, information appeared in the media that the cruiser was moored in the port of Tartus (Syria). However, according to experts, this news is fictional. The fact is that it is unlikely that such a large ship as"Liaoning" (aircraft carrier). Where nowthe location of the ship is unknown. It periodically leaves the port for the purpose of testing.
Conclusion
Today we took a closer lookaircraft carrier Liaoning (China). Storythis ship was very unusual. It was built in three countries, and only the last of them was able to complete this work. And the Liaoning is the only aircraft carrier sold for such a low price.
On the morning of April 26, China launched its first aircraft carrier of its own production. Prior to that, the Chinese Navy had only one ship of this type - the Liaoning, built on the basis of the Soviet cruiser Varyag. But, according to the Chinese themselves, this is only the beginning. The plans include the creation of six aircraft carrier strike groups and ten naval bases around the world.
Xu Guanyu, a retired major general and senior adviser at the Arms Control and Disarmament Association, said in the Chinese Defense Ministry's PLA Daily last Friday that China would build ten bases for its aircraft carriers, preferably on all continents of the world, but this will depend on China's relations with various countries.
In addition to the aircraft carriers themselves, attack submarines and destroyers with guided missile weapons will be based there. The stated purpose of creating aircraft carrier groups, according to PLA Daily, is to provide a "breakthrough" for the Chinese fleet through the first chain of islands (Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, the Philippines) and establish Chinese influence in the western Pacific.
Second and third aircraft carriers
The new Chinese aircraft carrier Type 001A is due to enter service in 2020, it is planned to base from 28 to 36 Jian-15 (J-15) fighters on board. The ship has not yet received a name and goes under the name CV-17. Its construction took only two years. For comparison: the former "Varyag" was bought in 1998, and it was put into operation only in 2012.
Western analysts note that the construction of the largest warship in the history of the country gives China invaluable industrial experience. Despite the fact that the new CV-17 is very similar to the Liaoning, there is nothing to worry about. For example, American aircraft carriers of the Nimitz type have been built according to the same model for 40 years, but this is what allows the shipbuilding industry to take a step forward and enter new classes of ships.
At the same time, experts note that the CV-17 will not yet be able to become the core of an aircraft carrier strike group, since it does not have the appropriate range of autonomous operations, depends on ground-based air reconnaissance (it is unable to launch aircraft with an early warning system) and carries too few aircraft .
Meanwhile, work is already underway in Shanghai on a third Chinese aircraft carrier, the Type 002, which may be nuclear-powered and look more like American designs like the Gerald Ford than Soviet models.
Base in Djibouti
As for the ten bases, it's still a stretch to call the only overseas Chinese naval base, or "point of support," facilities in Djibouti in East Africa. A year ago, the Chinese Ministry of Defense confirmed that it was carrying out construction work there, and for the first time China used this base during the evacuation of its citizens from Yemen in the spring of 2015, after which it began negotiations on a permanent presence.
Chinese military experts say that although soldiers will be stationed at the base, it will still be different from its neighbors in Djibouti - the military bases of France and the United States. First of all, it will serve as a service point for Chinese ships in the region, and will also allow you to keep abreast of shipping through the Suez Canal. However, it will also serve to support the operations of the Chinese Navy in the Indian Ocean and to more quickly respond to events in North Africa and the Middle East.
Shen Dingli, a professor at Fudan University in Shanghai, said the US has been expanding its business around the world and has sent its military to protect its interests for 150 years. Now it's time for China to do the same.
Other bases in theory
Prior to the establishment of a base in Djibouti, the Chinese Navy used the port of Victoria in the Seychelles for refueling ships and resting sailors on a par with the navies of other countries. True, in this case, China went further and donated a patrol boat to the Seychelles Coast Guard as a token of gratitude for receiving their warships.
Today, Beijing is involved in commercial infrastructure projects at Gwadar Port in Pakistan on the Arabian Sea and Hambantota Port in Sri Lanka. And although the projects are commercial, in the same Gwadar, China offers Pakistani services to ensure port security. Xu Guanyu also talks about the possible creation of a Chinese naval base in Gwadar.
In 2014, Chinese submarines docked at the port of Colombo in Sri Lanka. Moreover, they did this in a container terminal owned by a Chinese commercial company, and not in the usual mooring place for naval ships of other countries of the world.
In the Maldives, China is investing in the iHavan port infrastructure project as part of the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road concept. It is expected that the Maldives will not be able to pay off huge debts, and, in fact, all objects in the future will come under the control of Beijing, both commercially and militarily if necessary.
Under the “politics is big economy” formula, China could theoretically deploy coastal infrastructure based on its commercial assets in other countries, without necessarily resorting to already existing overseas port services used by other countries' navies.
It should be noted that rumors about China's plans to create 18 naval bases across the oceans have been circulating for many years, at least since 2014. Xinhua News Agency at one time "recommended" the creation of bases in such ports as: Chongjin (North Korea), Port Moresby (Papua New Guinea), Sihanoukville (Cambodia), Koh Lanta (Thailand), Sittwe (Myanmar), Djibouti, Maldives, Seychelles, Gwadar (Pakistan), Dhaka Port (Bangladesh), Lagos (Nigeria), Hambantota (Sri Lanka), Colombo (Sri Lanka), Mombasa (Kenya), Luanda (Angola), Walvis Bay (Namibia) , Dar es Salaam (Tanzania).
Few people believe that China will be able to gain a foothold in all these points and, moreover, open bases there, but it can be recalled that in 2014 no one believed in the Chinese base in Djibouti either. However, today it is already a reality.
China smashed a bottle of champagne on the hull of its second aircraft carrier. While the new, unnamed aircraft carrier looks like a replica of the Soviet-made aircraft carrier Liaoning, China has incorporated lessons learned from older ships into its new ship. The new aircraft carrier, which was laid down in 2013, is due to enter service in 2020.
Until now, little is known about the new aircraft carrier in China, which is known only as Type 001a. It will take years of sea trials and practice to become a fully functioning aircraft carrier.
The first aircraft carrier of its own production in China was built in Dalian, China, the former Russian city of Dalniy.
So far, China has had only one operational aircraft carrier, the Liaoning. Like much of China's military equipment, the Liaoning is a remake of an old Soviet-made model.
Liaoning moored at the port of Dalian, Liaoning province in 2012.
The Soviet-style aircraft carriers that Russia and China still use today have a different purpose than the US flat-deck aircraft carriers. Rather than truly being a global strike carrier, these ships make more sense for coastal defense.
Carrier-based aircraft J-15 "Flying Shark" on the deck of Liaoning.
Liaoning launches planes from a ski-jump deck because it doesn't have the catapults that are used on American aircraft carriers.
Two J-15 "Flying Shark" aircraft on the Liaoning platform ski jump.
This means that J-15 Flying Sharks that take off from Liaoning or the new Type 001a aircraft carrier cannot carry as much fuel and as many bombs as US carrier-based aircraft. This greatly limits their capabilities and effectiveness in combat.
China's Liaoning aircraft carrier launches Leopard missile
The Russian aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov, which to some extent is the basis of the design of the aircraft carriers Liaoning and Type 001A, is the only Russian aircraft carrier. The ships are the same size and speed.
Russian aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov.
The Russian aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov recently saw action in the Mediterranean in 2016 to support the Syrian government. Everywhere, the Russian aircraft carrier accompanies the tugboat in the event of a breakdown, as was the case in 2012.
China's southern neighbor India has two small aircraft carriers.
The aircraft carrier "Vikramaditya" of India, built for him at the Russian military shipyard.
Over the past few years, Liaoning has been used as a training ship.
A Japanese Hyuuga-class helicopter carrier in front of a Nimitz-class aircraft carrier.
China's eastern neighbor Japan has a "helicopter destroyer" that is designed to carry helicopters and short or vertical takeoff aircraft.
But Japan recently launched a large Izumo-class helicopter carrier. These carriers will soon support the F-35B maritime variant, which will provide unprecedented air and sea dominance.
But the US is the undisputed world leader in aircraft carriers. USS Abraham Lincoln, one of the US Navy's 10 Nimitz-class aircraft carriers that carries more aircraft than the Liaoning or Type 001a, with catapults to allow heavier aircraft to be launched.
American aircraft carriers, unlike Russian, Chinese and Indian ones, have a nuclear power plant, so they can sail around the globe without refueling from tankers or ports.
But it is reported that China has plans to build aircraft carriers with catapults and nuclear power plants, which may allow it to be more competitive with American aircraft carriers.
China's aircraft carrier Liaoning compared to US aircraft carrier Midway.
The USS Abraham Lincoln, along with ships from Australia, Chile, Japan, Canada, and Korea, during an exercise in 2000.
In addition, a new class of aircraft carrier with oversized nuclear propulsion is currently being developed in the US to support future weapons such as railguns and lasers.
Nimitz-class and Ford-class aircraft carrier.
Other countries boast fewer types of aircraft, and only the United States has a carrier-based AWACS.
A table showing which countries have the most aircraft carriers and the relative sizes of aircraft carriers from around the world.
US Navy aircraft carrier Gerald r. The Ford shown in this picture is slightly larger than the aircraft carrier Nimitz, which is now in service with the US Navy.
The US currently has more aircraft carriers than the rest of the world combined.
The rapid economic development of the People's Republic of China is increasingly affecting the growth of the capabilities of its armed forces. Today, one of the directions for developing the combat potential of the PLA is the formation of aircraft carrier strike groups as part of the Chinese Navy. The aircraft carrier "Liaoning" opens a series of articles on this topic.
According to Japanese military experts, the military-political leadership of the PRC has repeatedly authorized the development of an aircraft carrier by the forces of the national military-industrial complex.
The first attempt to design a ship for the simultaneous actions of aviation and amphibious assault forces was made as part of the "Project 707". The project was approved in July 1970, closed in September 1971. Work on a new ship to ensure aviation operations received the designation "Project 891" (approved in January 1989, closed in 1998).
TAVK "Varyag"
Obviously, the curtailment of the second development took into account the acquisition in 2002 in Ukraine for 20 million US dollars of the unfinished Soviet heavy aircraft-carrying missile cruiser Varyag. The ship was towed to Shipyard No. 1 in Dalian (northeast China). Ukrainian shipbuilders were also invited to the plant. The latter acted under the guise of a company that repairs ships under the Register.
Chinese experts admit that close acquaintance with the ship and its designers allowed them to save 8-10 years only on research and development work. According to Chinese sources, the decision to repair and modernize the Varyag was made by the PLA Navy Command on April 26, 2005.
The aircraft carrier Liaoning received its name on September 25, 2012 in honor of the province in which the city of Dalian is located.
The main stages of construction
To modernize the aircraft carrier, an indoor assembly shop and a dry dock were built on the territory of the shipyard. Their length is 400 and 360 m, respectively. These structures will allow building larger nuclear aircraft-carrying ships in the future.
Let us note the main milestones in the process of completion and preparation of the first aircraft carrier of the PLA Navy.
The future aircraft carrier Liaoning was brought into dry dock in April 2005 to inspect the underwater part and start work on the slipway. The work was actually completed by July 27, 2011. The total cost of the work carried out is estimated at 10 billion yuan. During this period, Chinese shipbuilders from Dalian and Shanghai have gone through a serious practice. According to the calculations of Chinese engineers, the Liaoning aircraft carrier, which was officially commissioned into the PLA Navy on September 25, 2012, should serve for 35 years.
As a result of the redesign of the interior of the ship and the installation of modern digital equipment, the standard displacement of the Liaoning is 55,000 tons. Its total displacement reaches 67.5 thousand tons. The crew consists of one thousand people.
Sea trips
The ship went on its maiden voyage on October 30, 2012. A month later, on November 23, 2012, naval aviation pilots in Jian-15 heavy fighters made their first deck landings. As of September 21, 2013, the pilots of the first carrier-based fighter aviation regiment completed 100 takeoffs and landings. This made it possible to test the brake cable system for strength under conditions of high flight intensity.
Aircraft carrier "Liaoning" On January 2, 2014, the Liaoning aircraft carrier went on a training and test campaign lasting 37 days. During the trip, the first crew of the ship gained experience in using radio navigation systems, checked all the installed radars, the flight control system (SMS), worked out the actions of the deck crew.
When organizing the work of the ship's crew, the experience of the US Navy was used. This means that all crew members, depending on their mission, wear vests of a certain color: white for the air traffic control group, red for weapons, purple for fuel, green for maintenance and repair, etc.
On the deck of the aircraft carrier Liaoning With regard to the EMS of the Liaoning aircraft carrier, it is known that one shift consists of six military personnel. They monitor the situation on deck with 16 high-definition video cameras. Information from the cameras is transmitted to four widescreen monitors. In addition, the CMS duty shift has at its disposal a transparent large-scale model of the flight deck and hangar, which reflects the current situation on the ship.
Aircraft carrier "Liaoning" - the core of the AUG
On December 24, 2015, the first exercises were held to coordinate the actions of the crews of warships of the promising aircraft carrier strike group (AUG) of the PLA Navy. In addition, control measures were taken to train the second group of carrier-based fighter pilots.
A year later, on December 23, 2016, the first carrier-based aviation exercises took place over the Yellow Sea. During the event, the fighter pilots performed aerial refueling and conducted several training battles against a mixed squadron of the Eastern Fleet of the PLA Navy.
Fighters on the deck of the Liaoning It should be noted that the crews of the ships began training for these mock battles as early as December 15, 2016. During the preparatory period, the following were practiced:
- issues of early detection of air targets and early warning of air attack;
- electronic interception of targets;
- electronic missile launches against imaginary enemy surface ships;
- anti-missile defense techniques.
Based on the results of these exercises, already on January 2, 2017, the Liaoning aviation group began new training activities, but now over the waters of the South China Sea.
Formation of the AUG
As part of the subsequent exercises of the AUG of the PLA Navy, the project 052C destroyers Changchun, Jinan and Yantai were introduced into its structure. The ships of this project form the basis of the AUG air defense.
In April 2018, the PLA Navy AUG conducted joint exercises with the Air Force. Their goal was anti-submarine defense and the reflection of massive raids by bomber aircraft of a potential enemy. The tasks of the exercises were worked out in the waters of the South China and East China Seas, as well as in the western regions of the Pacific Ocean.
Currently, the Liaoning aircraft carrier is located at the quay wall of the shipyard in Dalian. The ship is awaiting the replacement of a three-coordinate radar for early detection of air targets, some units and electronic systems with more modern ones.
Aircraft carrier "Liaoning" - design features
It is known that the Chinese and Ukrainian specialists did not begin to remodel the flight deck and left the springboard with a rise of 14 degrees. However, a complete replacement of the ship's air defense system was carried out. Some experts in the PRC argue that the Chinese designers have unnecessarily simplified and even weakened it. The ship was equipped with only three 30 mm H / PJ-11 eleven-barreled anti-aircraft guns (also known as Type 1130) and three mechanized launchers of the Naval Red Banner 10 missile defense system.
Engines and fuel
Chinese experts in the field of ship power plants were able to copy Soviet-made boiler-turbine units (KTA). In China, they received the designation TV-12 (according to other sources, TY-12).
According to Chinese sources, the Liaoning aircraft carrier received four KTA TV-12s with a total capacity of 150,000 hp. Additionally, 8 more high-pressure KTAs (running on diesel fuel) were installed, which provide another 50 thousand hp.
This KTA complex allows Liaoning to confidently maintain a speed of 30 knots for five hours. It should be noted that Chinese engineers are carefully analyzing the capabilities of the Russian-made KVG-6M CTA (they have three-dimensional drawings and drawings). In their opinion, the units will allow the only Russian aircraft-carrying cruiser to show all its capabilities.
The standard and maximum capacity of fuel tanks (fuel oil) is 6,000 and 8,000 tons, respectively. According to observers of Chinese military-technical publications, to fully prepare an aircraft carrier for a cruise, it takes from three (with high-pressure CTAs operating) to 10 hours.
It is known that Chinese experts are exploring the possibility of using two heavy R0110 gas turbine engines. According to the tests carried out, the engines develop a maximum power of 150 thousand hp. (114500 kW) and have a resource of 200 thousand hours.
Two such gas turbine engines will allow the Liaoning aircraft carrier to easily reach a speed of 35 knots, and heavier promising ships will provide a speed of 30 knots. It should be noted that the appearance of such turbines, as well as the mass production of some components of carrier-based fighters, became possible after the appearance in China of a hydraulic press providing a pressure of 80,000 tons.
Calculations, calculations
According to data obtained during several maritime combat training cruises, at a constant speed of 18 knots (the minimum permitted speed for carrier-based fighter flights), the ship consumes 390 tons of fuel oil. This allows him to overcome about 780 km. Thus, one refueling of 6 thousand tons of fuel is enough for such an aircraft carrier as the Liaoning only for 12 days of the trip.
With a fuel oil price of 2,169 yuan per ton, the cost of such a short-term entry to the sea is 13 million yuan, or about 130 million rubles. Traditionally, the duration of the combat training campaign of the Liaoning aircraft carrier is 38-40 days. At the same time, the maximum combat radius of the ship is more than 4200 miles. The cost of marine fuel alone for such a period of combat training reaches 31 million yuan, or 310 million rubles.
Aviation Group
According to Japanese sources, Chinese and Ukrainian designers decided to partially remove the vertical launchers of P-700 anti-ship missiles located under the flight deck.
Heavy carrier-based fighter Jian-15 However, even this small upgrade made it possible to increase the capacity of the aircraft hangar. As a result, it became possible to place 24 Jian-15 heavy fighters, i.e. standard regiment of three squadrons. With the price of one Jian-15 fighter about 400 million yuan, the cost of a regimental set (25 aircraft) reaches 10 billion yuan, and a brigade (36 aircraft) already 15 billion yuan.
In addition to aircraft, the Liaoning aircraft carrier has 12 helicopters for various purposes as part of the carrier-based air group. Among them are six Z-18F anti-submarine defense (ASD) helicopters, four Z-18Y long-range radar patrol (DRD) helicopters and four Z-9C search and rescue service (PSS) helicopters.
At the same time, during all combat training campaigns, only half of the indicated number of rotorcraft was deployed on the ship. It should be noted that most surface ships of the PLA Navy carry Z-9 Black Panther PLO helicopters, which in the future can be replaced by heavier Z-20s.
Preliminary results and prospects
It seems possible to assert that almost five years after the commissioning of the aircraft carrier "Liaoning" justified the cost of its creation. The ship allowed:
- prepare the first fully combat-ready regiment of carrier-based pilots;
- train instructors for training units;
- check the reliability of landing system components;
- conduct exercises as part of an aircraft carrier strike group, as well as interspecific exercises with the PLA Air Force and solve other tasks.
According to specialized publications of the PRC, the Chinese military and shipbuilders are considering several options for modernizing the Liaoning as a future training ship.
As part of the first option, it is proposed to increase the flat part of the flight deck by dismantling several air defense systems. Gas deflectors will also be removed from the two farthest starting positions.
According to the second option, it is planned to replace the springboard part of the deck with a straight one and install two electromagnetic catapults (EMC) on the ship.
Basically, all EMC systems and components are modular and mounted in the frames of standard 40 and 20 foot shipping containers. The exception is the guide line, which will have to be embedded on the deck of an aircraft carrier. For this decision, a group of researchers from the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences under the leadership of Academician Rear Admiral Ma Weiming received a state award.
To be continued…
According to the materials of the magazine "Ship weapons". Beijing. Publishing House of the China Shipbuilding Industrial Corporation.