The role of aircraft carriers has been changing throughout the post-war development.

However, in general, there are still two types of tasks.

The first is to safeguard maritime rights and interests.

This is also the function of a traditional large ship at sea.

The second is to serve as a mothership platform for ground attack aircraft.

In World War II, if you wanted to bomb a hostile country, you could basically only use long-range bombers.

Especially when bombing the island country, the bombers at that time even had to make several transfers and refueling to complete.

Not only has the frequency of bombing been greatly reduced, but the bomb load has also been greatly reduced.

After the war, the development of aircraft carriers made everyone think of using it as a bomber take-off platform.

In previous decades, this usage was also tested by war.

In the past several wars, Eagle Sauce has proved the effectiveness of this way of using aircraft carriers.

"In the future, we will also move out of the light blue and towards the deep blue."

Han Zitao lit a cigarette and said with a somewhat confused look.

He is not young for a long time, and he has seen how the Navy has endured all these years.

The 052C, which was just launched last year, made many people feel excited.

Especially the grapevine, the first aircraft carrier is undergoing a retrofit.

This is great news for anyone who has a deep affection for the Navy.

However, even if the transformation of the aircraft carrier is completed, it will not be able to form combat effectiveness in the first place.

There is currently no domestic experience in the use of aircraft carriers.

It will take seven or eight years to form combat effectiveness, to say the least!

"For the ocean-going navy, it is easy to suffer without aircraft carriers."

Han Zitao said after taking a deep puff of his cigarette.

"That's why I came to you."

"The navy wants to know whether there is a possibility of success for the drone carrier?!"

Geng Bo waved his hand with some disgust, scattering the second-hand smoke created by the other party.

"I don't know much about aircraft carriers, but the previous low-altitude sea assault experiments have indeed confirmed that there is no problem with the flight of drones at sea."

Geng Bo is currently responsible for various projects in the Navy.

This is also an important reason why Han Zitao is looking for him.

The two sides have been cooperating for a long time and are relatively familiar.

"But can you get enough boats for drones to take off?"

"No matter how you say it, its take-off distance is not short."

At present, the main combat ship with the largest tonnage in China is still the Type 052C destroyer that has just been launched.

The full load displacement is only 6200 tons.

There is not a single main battle ship of more than 10,000 tons.

Geng Bo wanted to know where the mothership would come from if the navy really wanted a drone carrier.

Even if the weight of the drone is not too large, in comparison, there is no need for a ship with such a large displacement.

But at least the specifications of a light aircraft carrier are needed.

The lower limit of the displacement of light aircraft carriers is probably around 15,000 tons.

This is actually not a big problem for the current shipbuilding force in China.

The key is that it has not been built.

and the question of whether it's worth it.

"This matter is still undecided."

Han Zitao flicked the cigarette butt into the sea, turned around and said.

The two of them were on their way back from the drone range.

The island is hundreds of miles away from the nearest landmass.

"The main controversy is its use."

"We need real aircraft carriers because of ocean-going needs."

"But what is such a light aircraft carrier, or rather an amphibious assault ship, going to do?"

"At present, there are many different views on this issue."

The positioning of the light aircraft carrier is indeed a little awkward.

Because of the problem of displacement, it is capable of carrying very few carrier-based aircraft.

In general, the development of light aircraft carriers in the first place will be considered only in the absence of money.

Many small countries that previously claimed to have aircraft carriers actually use this kind of light aircraft carrier.

For example, the Invincible-class light aircraft carrier. With a full load displacement of 20,000 tons, it is capable of carrying 10 to 20 "Harrier" short take-off and landing fighters.

It once existed as the flagship of the ocean-going fleet.

And what about domestic?

First of all, the ocean-going fleet will definitely not need such a drone carrier.

After all, the first standard aircraft carrier has been renovated in the dockyard.

So if it's just in the sea area at home, is there still a chance to use a light aircraft carrier?

"We're over there, can't we still use light aircraft carriers?"

Geng Bo pointed to the northeast.

There was an island there, and it was never returned.

Although it is only separated by a strait that is not too wide.

But it's still nerve-wracking.

Especially in terms of the operation to seize the island.

At this time, there were no reliable amphibious assault ships and dock landing ships in the country.

As for how to log in to the beachhead, it is still not clear.

"There are indeed people who hold a similar view to you, that light drone carriers can be used as amphibious assault ships."

Han Zitao put his hand half-propped on the railing of the warship and said:

"Actually, I also think that the plan for an amphibious assault ship is better."

"I also watched yesterday's bomb experiment."

"The range of the drone is definitely enough for us to launch an attack on any target point on the island hundreds of miles away from the sea area east of the big island."

The length of the island is only 394 kilometers from north to south, and the width from east to west is 144 kilometers.

Even if a drone takes off from the Miyako Strait, which is more than 300 nautical miles away, it will be able to strike the entire island.

As for why it was taken off from the ocean, and not from the hinterland, which was much closer.

Or for the sake of survivability.

Aircraft carriers sailing on the oceans, in this era, are still more survivable than land airfields.

"Personally, I completely agree with this idea."

Geng Bo nodded and said:

"After all, we are not very rich now, and it is not bad to get a drone carrier to try it out."

"But whether it can succeed or not depends on whether we can find a suitable hull."

"At present, there are only two shipyards in China that have the ability to manufacture large ships."

"It is estimated that the only one that can manufacture a 10,000-ton ship is Jiangnan Shipyard?"

The Varyag was still being remodeled on the slipway in the north at this time, and it is estimated that they did not have so many empty docks to build light aircraft carriers.

"The large dock landing ship being developed by the 708 Institute is estimated to be able to reach a displacement of 20,000 tons."

Han Zitao said as he recalled the data he had seen before.

"If you say that they are the most capable of completing the design of a light aircraft carrier today, it is estimated that they are the ones who are most capable of completing the design of light aircraft carriers."

There is a big difference between a large dock landing ship and an amphibious assault ship.

However, just talking about such a large platform, 708 can be designed.

A slight change to an amphibious assault ship or a light aircraft carrier is not a big problem.

Especially carrier-based UAVs, the requirements themselves are not high.

Not as cumbersome as a normal fighter.

Take, for example, the stealth fighters of the unattacked series.

The minimum take-off distance is 198 meters, and the maximum speed is Mach 2.1. The maximum range is 3800 km.

The ultra-short take-off distance means that even if the aircraft carrier does not have catapults and glides over the deck, the fighter can still take off.

Moreover, the current UAVs of the non-offensive series are actually equipped with the J-20.

If you want to get on the ship, you can also transform a wave.

It is possible to sacrifice part of the range to achieve greater speed or bomb load.

"Drone carriers may not be very good if they are used for aerial confrontation."

Geng Bo thought about the current performance of the drone:

"But if it's used to perform ground attacks, it's pretty good."

"Especially as a stealth drone, entering their radar defense circle is like entering a no-man's land."

In fact, UAV marshalling still has a lot of advantages over traditional third-generation aircraft.

Especially against the F-16 and Mirage-2000 fighters on the island, with a handle in hand.

Before that, the stealth performance is not the latest J-20 has set an example.

Almost the whole time, the F-16 was driven like a rabbit that met a tiger.

Although this situation has something to do with the active phased array radar carried on the fighter at that time.

But it is undeniable that stealth performance is also an extremely important part.

The point is that there are a lot of air combat tactics that can be used in UAV formation!

It doesn't matter if it's discovered!

Even if you exchange one for one with the other party, from a certain point of view, it is earned.

The key is not in the value of the fighter itself, but in the pilot.

UAVs do not have pilots, which reduces the possible loss of pilots from combat.

UAV marshalling can use all kinds of lures and routines unscrupulously.

There is no need to worry about this loss at all.

And pilots can be a very important bargaining chip at some point.

No matter what country it is, a pilot who can fly a fighter jet is a rare and important resource that is difficult to increase even for a period of time!

As for drones, as soon as the assembly line is opened, it can be produced continuously.

It can be said that no matter what you do, you will not lose.

"Their radar defense circle itself is not worth mentioning, and what we need to pay more attention to is still possible,"

When Han Zitao said this, his face became much more serious, and then he gently spit out a few words:

"Eagle Sauce's Carrier Battle Group!"

It's no wonder that Han Zitao is so serious.

For any country on the planet.

Eagle Sauce's aircraft carrier battle group is an existence worth taking seriously.

That's not just a large aircraft carrier of tens of thousands of tons.

There were also hundreds of fighters, as well as several destroyers and underwater submarines escorting the ship.

With such a powerful sea force, any existence that wants to confront him must think carefully about it.

What's more, there is currently a navy that does not have a single aircraft carrier.

"Don't worry too much, we're not afraid of his aircraft carriers now."

Geng Bo patted the other party's shoulder and said:

"As long as he dares to come, we dare to serve him with anti-ship missiles!"

"See if he can stop our hypersonic anti-ship missiles!"

Qiao Yang's anti-ship missile, for the aircraft carrier, is like a sword of Damocles hanging over its head.

I don't know when, I'll be able to give it to you.

And you can't stop it.

"Especially yesterday's experiment, you also watched it."

"Stealth drones are attacking with bullets, and it is impossible for them to defend against them!"

The biggest difference between the air-launched anti-ship missile and the previous ship-launched version and land-based version is that.

The air-launched version can be relaunched close enough to the carrier.

So the base would not have had any reaction time for air defense in the first place.

Ship-launched versionIn any case, the missile is to fly at high altitude for a period of time.

Theoretically.

During this time, the aircraft carrier has the possibility of discovering and destroying missiles.

Although this possibility is infinitely closer to zero.

But such a possibility in the air-launched version.

It doesn't exist at all.

Because of the problem of the curvature of the earth, the UAV will not be detected if it flies at low altitude to within 50 kilometers of the aircraft carrier.

After the launch at 50 kilometers, the anti-ship missile will not fly at high altitude at all, but will fly close to the sea all the way.

If the aircraft carrier wants to be anti-ship at this time, it can only rely on close defense artillery.

But the close-in defense artillery wants to protect against missiles with terminal penetration speeds of more than Mach 10.

It's almost a dream.

As for wanting to rely on AWACS to detect UAVs, the likelihood is also very small.

An important reason for this is that this is a stealth drone.

The radar reflection area is small, and it is easy to hide in the waves.

"The first view of the drone yesterday was really shocking."

Han Zitao talked about the scene of seeing the drone yesterday.

It stands to reason that after so many years in the navy, I am tired of seeing the scenery on the sea.

But the first view of a fighter flying at low altitude is almost a different view from what you see on a warship.

In particular, the sense of first-person substitution is very strong.

Let everyone who watches have the thrill of flying at a low altitude.

When many people watch it, their urine rush and adrenaline secretes wildly.

"However, it is not known whether this tactic can inflict a blow on the aircraft carrier."

"After all, we are hitting a fixed target this time, and the difficulty is relatively low."

Han Zitao was a little more conservative, because he was more aware of the position of aircraft carriers in the fleet.

I want to break into the inner circle of the aircraft carrier.

It's definitely a lot more difficult than this experiment.

After all, the shield ships of the outer air defense are not vegetarians.

"Anyway, it's always going to get better."

Geng Bo said after a long sigh of relief.

"The scenery on the sea is so beautiful, but unfortunately we have too little to hold on to."

"I really hope that there will be a few more aircraft carriers in an instant."

When Han Zitao heard Geng Bo's joke, he also smiled and said:

"If only someone could give us an aircraft carrier right now."

"We don't have anyone to do it."

"You still have to go your own way!"

The waves in the South China Sea never seem to stop.

The southeast wind blows the warmth of the equator.

Even now the first snow has already fallen in the north.

Everyone on the warship is still wearing short-sleeved summer clothes.

On the helicopter deck of a warship, a drone that has just completed a bomb strike experiment is parked.

Fill almost the entire deck.

The off-white painted surface is a stealth coating.

The strong sunlight of the South China Sea shines on the fuselage, and it does not emit any reflection.

He was like an alien monster, quietly perched on the helicopter deck.

"Go back this time, it is estimated that there will be a few more different models in the Wuoffensive series, right?"

Han Zitao looked at the drone and said.

"Not necessarily, it's possible that a new set name will be launched."

Geng Bo shook his head and said:

"This series is mainly an air superiority fighter."

"We're still talking about it internally."

"Anyway, war drones will definitely be a big trend in the future!"

(End of chapter)