Rodion_Romanovic Fri Jan 01, 2021 11:37 pm
marcellogo wrote:Certainly the 23900 having a catamaran i.e.double hull would open IMHO a series of new possibilities into developing something that could bridge the gap btw CV and UDK.
"Wet" part of the twin hull could be designed to get higher speeds that the ones possible with a conventional one, loading space would instead sit over the waves.
Another advantage of such a configuration could possibly be the possibility of having a larger flying deck that the one on a single hull ship.
I would however try to keep them as simpl as possible i.e. no EMALS or CATOBAR.
STOVL or STOBAR would be more than enough.
I agree. The eventual use of VSTOL planes will be an added functionality of this class of ships..I see it as a sort of cherry on the top. A (very) useful addition (and it can also facilitate sales of the aircraft and the vessel to foreign countries) but it will not replace a full carrier (and it is probably not very wise to try and add to the ship too many new functionalities and untested technologies.
And yeah the upgraded and enlarged 11711M will solve some of the needs for amphibious ships especially if they produce several of them.
By the way, it is also possible that if they cannot build them in a good number some smaller ships would be useful too, as an example some cheaper landing transport docks with a full displacement around 4000 tons, like the old project 775 (Ropucha class) and the 1171 (Alligator class).
The ones existing are quite long in the teeth and have been used extensively. I see the enlarged Ivan Gren more as a replacement for the old Ivan Rogov class (even if with different functionalities) as a replacement for ropucha and Alligator.
I would also be curious to hear more news about the VSTOL combat planes, whether they are actually working on them and at what stage of development are they.
Concerning the proper aircraft wing and the catapult, eventually Russia will build a full carrier with both an angled ramp and a catapult.
The most promising project that I have seen was a sort of modernised Ulyanovsk, called Lamantin, but that is totally another story.
https://www.ruaviation.com/docs/4/2020/2/10/273/