Daming 1805

Chapter 554 Nuclear Powered Ships

On the evening of November [-]th, the third year of the Grand Duke's reign, the emperor's office was in Wenhua Hall, the new capital city of Yingtian Prefecture.

Zhu Jingyuan received the good news from Tiannan Continent.

The fusion bomb experiment was a complete success. The energy released by the fusion bomb during the experiment was approximately equivalent to 500 million tons of standard explosives.

Zhu Jingyuan nodded secretly with great satisfaction and personally wrote a letter of commendation and encouragement.

Issue orders to relevant agencies to sort out existing experimental and production data and produce a batch of fusion bombs of the same test model as soon as possible.

At the same time, we continue to prepare for live-fire testing in more situations to find suitable usage methods and suitable yields.

Design and produce new fusion bombs for different purposes as soon as possible.

After Zhu Jingyuan finished writing these natural orders, he handed the document to the Secretary of General Affairs to pass it down.

Then he opened the drawer and took out another report that he had specially kept at hand, and placed it next to the report on the successful fusion bomb experiment he had just received.

That was the acceptance report of the "Type [-] strategic ballistic missile" for live-fire target shooting at sea.

The design goals of Ming Dynasty's first strategic missile are a maximum range of [-] kilometers, a maximum payload of more than two tons, and an error within one kilometer.

The report stated that after the design and production were completed, ten missiles of the same type were test-fired in succession, and all qualified results were achieved.

A missile with an error of nearly one kilometer and a payload of only two tons is actually of limited use in actual combat if it is used to deliver conventional bombs.

The hit rate, usage cost and strike efficiency are far inferior to using bombers to directly drop iron bombs.

But this missile itself is prepared to carry nuclear weapons.

Equipped with the newly completed three-phase bomb with a yield of 500 million tons, the error of less than one kilometer is no longer unacceptable.

A 500-megaton nuclear bomb will be directly wiped out within one kilometer.

At this time, ballistic missiles have the advantages of being faster to strike than aircraft, being more difficult to defend, and not requiring pilots to be involved in danger.

It has truly entered the level of "everything goes up in flames while talking and laughing".

In this world, the weapons that he could successfully create in his own knowledge were finally in his hands.

In terms of pure weapon power, Ming Dynasty has almost reached its end.

The subsequent research goals are to further miniaturize the warhead, continuously improve the hit rate and controllability, and continuously improve the range and payload.

Toward a multi-warhead, multi-vehicle, all-weather all-out strike mode.

Zhu Jingyuan stared at the two reports for a while, then overlapped them and handed them to Niu Jian beside him:
"Copy and save it and send it to the Shejiku Archives for archiving."

Then he leaned back on the wide and comfortable chair, picked up the teacup and took a sip, looking at the sky outside the window in a good mood.

It has been three years since Zhu Jingyuan ascended the throne.

Various plans and goals formulated three years ago have been gradually implemented this year.

The first batch of dedicated rocket launch bases have been completed, and several launch vehicle technology verification experiments have been conducted.

The formal launch vehicle design has been basically completed in the second half of this year, and production has now started in a specially built rocket manufacturing factory.

After the new year, the official "false moon" launch experiment can be carried out.

Now the most important strategic missiles and hydrogen bombs have been completed, and the experimental nuclear submarine should be launched soon.

It may take some time for these things to become truly practical, but it only takes time.

However, the war in Europe and the West has also reached a new critical node.

If the war ends in two or three years, these new things will have no chance to go on the battlefield.

Zhu Jingyuan considered the situation in his mind and continued to deal with his official duties.

Zhu Jingyuan's guess was correct. Only half a month had passed since the successful hydrogen bomb experiment. On November 22, the Ordnance Department sent new news.

The first nuclear-powered submarine can be launched before the year. I asked Zhu Jingyuan if he has any special instructions.

For example, personally host the launching ceremony.

Because the nuclear submarine project was able to be completed so smoothly and ahead of schedule, it was due to Zhu Jingyuan's personal guidance and decision-making.

Zhu Jingyuan personally made the decision three years ago to synchronize the land-based experiments of the nuclear power reactor with the design and construction of the nuclear submarine itself. The project management plan showed that there were basically no flaws in the end.

The onshore test reactor of the naval nuclear reactor successfully passed the verification.

The finished reactor for actual shipment was also completed at the final stage of submarine construction.

The goal, which might have taken five years to implement step by step, was basically completed in only three years.

After Zhu Jingyuan saw it, he did not think of going to the shipyard to host the launching ceremony, but went directly to the Ordnance Department.

The person in charge of the Ordnance Department and the person in charge of the nuclear power project were summoned for a meeting.

Let them explain the specific situation to themselves in detail on the spot.

Li Rui, Minister of Ordnance, first gave Zhu Jingyuan a document with a brief description of nuclear submarines and nuclear submarine reactors.

Ming Dynasty's first nuclear-powered submarine, and also the world's first nuclear-powered submarine, was of course under the direct guidance of Zhu Jingyuan at the beginning of its design.

Or it can be said to be instructions, reminders and suggestions in the general direction, as well as requirements in specifications and parameters.

In terms of the appearance of the nuclear submarine alone, the appearance of the mature diesel-electric submarine was directly abandoned.

Instead, it uses an elongated water drop shape that is completely designed for submersible navigation.

This is the final form of Zhu Jingyuan's mature nuclear submarines and AIP submarines in his previous life.

The propeller is directly behind the submarine, not under the hull.

Only when the submarine is fully submerged and sailing can the full power of the propeller be used.

When sailing on the water, because the propeller is too shallow from the water, it cannot release full power.

In terms of displacement data, submarines are different from surface ships in that they do not distinguish between empty and fully loaded, but between underwater and above water.

The underwater displacement is equivalent to the full load displacement of a surface ship.

According to the principle of buoyancy, the "displacement" of a ship is equal to the weight of the water displaced by the ship and equal to the total weight of the ship itself.

Surface ships will not be completely submerged in the water, and the volume of water displaced is much smaller than the volume of the ship itself.

When a submarine is submerged completely submerged in the water, the volume of water it displaces is equal to the volume of the boat.

The underwater displacement of the Ming Dynasty's first type nuclear submarine directly reached [-] tons, which was directly doubled compared to previous traditional diesel-electric submarines.

Compared with Zhu Jingyuan's first nuclear submarine in history, the Nautilus also increased by 50.00%.

It is basically equivalent to the mature attack nuclear submarines of later generations.

The emperor Zhu Jingyuan's view on the navy has always been that he likes to make it a little bigger and at the same time like to make it faster.

At the same time, we also know that six thousand tons is also a more suitable tonnage for early attack nuclear submarines.

If the tonnage is too small, the power and weapons limitations will be too great.

The tonnage has increased, and the corresponding shaft power output by the turbine of the corresponding nuclear reactor has also reached [-] horsepower.

It is [-] times that of the Nautilus, the earliest nuclear submarine in history.

This power and power ratio allows the submarine's maximum submersible speed to reach 35 knots.

Faster than most surface ships.

With a hull of the same displacement and an engine of the same power, a submarine is much faster than a surface ship.

Because the displacement of a surface ship, the volume of water displaced when sailing is the volume of its part below the waterline, and this part of the volume is still an irregular inverted trapezoid.

The displacement of a submarine, the volume of water displaced, is the entire volume of the submarine itself, and it can also be in the shape of a drop with the least resistance.Therefore, most modern surface ships cannot catch up with nuclear submarines that let go.

It's just that many modern surface ships basically have helicopters. No matter how fast a submarine runs, it can't outrun the speed of a helicopter. If an anti-submarine missile hits it, the submarine will be gone.

Furthermore, submarine noise levels are proportional to the cube of speed.

Once the submersible speed exceeds twenty knots, the sonar feedback is like driving a train underwater, and there is no concealment ability at all.

Modern nuclear submarines usually control their speed below ten knots when lurking and hiding.

The ideal goal is to keep noise levels below the ocean noise floor, where they are completely undetectable by passive sonar.

The theoretical maximum speed of 35 knots is actually only used to rush to the scene quickly in non-combat conditions and to follow aircraft carrier formations in combat.

Ming Dynasty's first nuclear submarine does not have high pursuit of "high-end" requirements such as noise control.

Even research related to noise control has not yet formed a complete system.

In addition, the current submarine was originally used for technical verification and experiments, and was not even prepared for mass production.

In the future, nuclear-powered submarines will be designed for mass production based on test feedback after service.

Zhu Jingyuan flipped through the documents in his hand and listened to Li Rui's brief explanation and introduction beside him, learning about the current situation of nuclear submarines.

After Zhu Jingyuan asked some detailed questions, he expressed his appreciation and encouragement to the relevant personnel, and then asked another question:
"What is the status and progress of large-scale reactors for surface ships?"

Li Rui immediately recounted Jiazhen's report and said:

"Your Majesty, please design a nuclear reactor with a power output of [-] horsepower for large and medium-sized surface ships.

“The construction of the onshore test reactor is now basically completed, and it is expected that the official ignition test will be available after the construction starts later this year.

“If the onshore reactor continues to operate for half a year without any problems, or if the problems that arise are solved, it continues to operate for [-] hours.

“It will enter the actual production stage of naval reactors and is expected to be ready for shipment within three to five years.

“The design of the drawings for nuclear-powered aircraft carriers, battleships, and cruisers has also been basically completed.

"If His Majesty gives the order, construction can officially start within one year."

Daming’s scientific research plans are all linked together.

While small and medium-sized reactors for submarines are being tested on land, large and medium-sized reactors for large surface ships are also being designed.

The shipment of reactors for submarines has been completed, and the construction of onshore test reactors for large ship reactors has also been completed.

If we follow the nuclear submarine engineering management plan and start designing a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier now, it will be launched in three years at the earliest.

There is actually no essential difference between the reactors used in nuclear submarines and the reactors used in nuclear-powered aircraft carriers.

Of course, the reactor of a nuclear submarine can also be used when installed on an aircraft carrier.

The biggest problem is that the output power of the reactor used in nuclear submarines is too small for aircraft carriers.

The reactor used by Zhu Jingyuan's early nuclear submarines in his previous life had a power of less than 25 horsepower, and the goal was only to allow a submarine of several thousand tons to run [-] knots.

To reach the threshold of at least 20 knots, a large aircraft carrier of eight to one hundred thousand tons needs at least [-] horsepower.

Therefore, if an aircraft carrier wants to use submarine reactors, it must have more reactors.

The reactor used by Zhu Jingyuan's first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier Enterprise (cvn65) in his previous life was modified from the submarine reactor.

In order to meet the speed requirements of the aircraft carrier, eight submarine reactors were directly installed, which is as many as the boilers of traditional large ships.

And so many reactors make the Enterprise the fastest super aircraft carrier in history.

In the future, the speed of the Nimitz and Ford classes will not be as fast as the Enterprise.

The disadvantage of the Enterprise is that there are too many reactors, which take up a lot of space inside the ship.

The key is that the construction cost is extremely high, almost twice that of a Kitty Hawk, and maintenance is also very troublesome.

The fourth Kitty Hawk-class ship, the USS Kennedy (cv67), was started after the USS Enterprise entered service. The original plan was to change it to nuclear power during the construction process.

As a result, the men on Capitol Hill were frightened by the cost of construction and maintenance of the Enterprise, and ultimately continued to be built as a conventionally powered aircraft carrier.

When it came to the design of the Nimitz class, they firmly disagreed with the plan of four medium-sized reactors with higher redundancy and lower design difficulty.

It requires the use of two large reactors, which is the most difficult to design and has low redundancy.

A counter-example is the French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle, which is only equipped with two reactors for submarines and can only run up to 27 knots.

Among the fleet aircraft carriers in World War II, they were at the bottom.

Ming Dynasty's current first-generation submarine reactor has a power of [-] horsepower, but it is still not enough for an aircraft carrier.

At least six reactors are needed to push the speed of a [-]-ton aircraft carrier above the passing mark of [-] knots.

The construction and maintenance costs will still be ugly.

In addition, the need for nuclear-powered warships is not urgent, and there is no need to immediately make do with reactors for submarines.

So I opened a special project to develop it independently.

However, the current Ming Dynasty has not yet actually tossed the eight-reactor Enterprise. The key is that it is more financially comfortable than the United States at that time.

Therefore, Zhu Jingyuan did not pursue the limit of using two large reactors, but gave a relatively loose standard of less than four.

A quantity that is appropriate in terms of redundancy, technical difficulty, and cost of use.

On this basis, the design and construction difficulty of Ming Dynasty's nuclear-powered aircraft carrier will obviously be easier than that of Nimitz.

Although "nuclear power" and "nuclear weapons" are not the same type of thing at all.

Nuclear-powered ships will not undergo nuclear explosions, nor will they function as nuclear weapons, nor will they have unlimited energy.

Simply comparing the energy output of turbines, nuclear-powered aircraft carriers are actually no higher than conventional aircraft carriers.

The biggest advantage of nuclear-powered aircraft carriers over conventional-powered aircraft carriers is actually endurance.

A nuclear-powered aircraft carrier can always maintain the highest possible speed and can travel around the world at a speed of more than 25 knots.

Conventionally powered aircraft carriers can only maintain a speed of twenty knots at ordinary times to save fuel, and basically only increase the speed to thirty knots in combat conditions.

The main reason is that when ordinary people see the core in the name, most of them will naturally associate it with each other.

As nuclear weapons are directly used in war, the deterrent and inspirational effects of the words "nuclear power" will also rise sharply.

In addition, as the size of battleships becomes larger and larger, the shortcomings of conventional power also become larger and larger.

The space and weight required to store fuel are also increasing.

Therefore, even though the maintenance of nuclear-powered ships is much more troublesome than conventional aircraft carriers, the lifetime cost of use is much higher than that of conventional aircraft carriers, and the actual deployment time is much shorter than that of conventional aircraft carriers.

However, nuclear-powered aircraft carriers with nearly unlimited endurance and deterrence beyond actual capabilities are still an inevitable choice for the future navy.

Zhu Jingyuan basically did not hesitate on this matter and quickly made his decision:

"Okay, the Ordnance Department will organize manpower to start the detailed design of the nuclear-powered surface ship. The drawings will be submitted to me for review after they are completed."

Li Rui and related personnel immediately stood up and agreed:

"The minister waits for the order."

Zhu Jingyuan raised his hand slightly, motioning for them all to sit down, and then began to discuss the details of the plan.

Zhu Jingyuan wanted to recall and explain his previous life experiences and put forward some clear or unclear detailed requirements.

Also listen to the whims and whims of the craftsmen. If you can make a judgment based on your own experience, just make a decision directly.

If you can't judge directly, you can decide to allocate funds for them to conduct experiments to verify.

(End of this chapter)