Great warships

Chapter 246

In the past, the navy did not have a special weapon test ship. When needed, it would temporarily find a ship to use, sometimes it was a warship, sometimes it was a civilian ship, and various weapons were directly tested on it.

When Qin Tao met Zhao Ling for the first time, it was next to a specially modified ship equipped with a Hongqi 61 missile system.

However, these improvised experimental ships have many disadvantages. The navy could improvise and carry them before, but it will not be easy to do so in the future.

The test of any modern weapon has strict requirements, especially the air defense missile and other systems urgently needed by the navy, which have to go through countless test launches and require a perfect carrying platform.

Weapon test ships are here to do this. Specifically, they should be called comprehensive test ships, which can be regarded as "the birth certificate of naval weapons and equipment". Navy weapons are first tested on this test ship, and only after passing the test can they be installed on warships.

In the past, it was enough to make do with it, but how will we make do with it in the future?Hongqi Nine is so big, even 051 can't fit in it!Therefore, since 94, a special comprehensive test ship has been brewing in China. In fact, it was prepared for the test of the Aegis ship.

Now, the navy should also put this kind of warship on the agenda.

"First of all, for a standard weapon test ship, it needs to have a relatively high displacement. The Type 3000 with more than 051 tons will not work at all, at least six to seven thousand tons. At the same time, the hull should be large so that it can A large number of weapon systems."

Qin Tao has already begun to plan eloquently: "For example, enough space must be left at the bow of the ship to fit in a special vertical launch system, which cannot be lower than the S-300's rotary launch mechanism. In this way Only in this way can we facilitate the testing of similar types of weapon systems in the future. There must be a wide helicopter take-off and landing platform at the tail to facilitate coordination.”

"Secondly, there must be enough power system on the ship, and the speed can be slower, but the power generation capacity must be sufficient. After all, the shipborne weapon system will consume a lot of power in the future. If it cannot provide sufficient power, it will not be able to meet testing needs."

Even if only one side of the phased array radar is used, it must be output at full power, so that the ultimate performance can be tested, and the power supply must not be disconnected.

"Yes, when our Sea Star radar is assembled and tested, there must be enough power supply!" Elder Ben echoed.

(It was directly called Aegis, which is easy to say. Some readers explained that Aegis was given by outsiders. We use the code name of Haizhixing, and the digital model is 346 radar. So we use Haizhixing Bar.)
When the radar is developed, it will be tested on land first, but it must be tested on the ship, otherwise what if the water and soil are not acclimatized?
Wu Shengli nodded, and then continued to look at Qin Tao: "Taozi, the requirements are very high, can you get a scrap iron cruiser, let's modify it and use it?"

Apparently, Wu Shengli was a bit pained. After all, the navy was short of funds. To build a warship specially for testing weapons, no matter how it sounded, it sounded like a burnt bag. Therefore, Wu Shengli used his brain and thought of a countermeasure. Great, just get a decommissioned cruiser from Lao Maozi and remodel it, wouldn't it be enough?

This saves money!
Qin Tao looked at the old man helplessly: "Are you sure? If it is refitted, it will be more expensive than our new one. Don't blame me for not telling me in advance."

"How is that possible?" Wu Shengli was almost taken aback. Remodeled one is more expensive than a new one?
"Of course." Qin Tao said: "It is better to transform an old warship, even if it is a cruiser, than a professional one. This kind of old ship has its own original weapon configuration. The weapon systems are all dismantled. This is not directly disassembled to sell scrap iron, so the man-hours are very high. We need to dismantle them all, leaving only an empty shell.”

"Why take it all apart?"

According to Wu Shengli's idea, get an old-fashioned cruiser, and just dismantle a space to make do with it.

"Because we need to avoid interference." Qin Tao said: "The original equipment may cause electromagnetic interference. A professional weapon test ship must be a blank sheet of paper, so that the real weapon performance can be detected. Moreover, due to the test The frequency of testing weapons on the ship will be very high, even at the limit. Therefore, there are high requirements for the strength of the hull. Second-hand warships, even cruisers, may not be able to withstand this torture. If it is not used, it may have to be reinforced and waste more.”

After Qin Tao's rhetoric, Wu Shengli finally gave up: "It seems that it is really necessary to build a special weapon test ship. I will report this requirement to my superiors, and the navy will hold a special meeting to discuss it."

"Oh, by the way, our shipyard has too many orders, so we won't participate in the bidding for the weapon test ship." Qin Tao is very generous.

Lest others think that Qin Tao is seeking benefits for himself, and even deliberately exaggerated, this kind of weapon test ship is not easy to build, and the effort is not thankful. Qin Tao would rather build two more bulk carriers and natural gas ships, and would not accept This order.

Wu Shengli nodded.

The development of a specific project will definitely take time. Qin Tao just made a suggestion, and it has nothing to do with Qin Tao when the construction will start.

The domestically produced roof radar is definitely behind. However, this thing is not a new technology. It is just a surveying and mapping imitation of Lao Maozi's products.

Even if the observation of the 382-type radar is over here, Mr. Ben led everyone through the laboratory here and continued to walk in. Then, he changed into a dust-free suit and after the dust-free treatment, Into a more sophisticated laboratory.

"What you see now is our process laboratory, where we explore the production process of the most important T/R component of phased array radar."

Hearing Ben Lao's words, Qin Tao was a little flattered: "It seems that I have entered the core of your 14th institute!"

For phased array radar, there are many difficulties to overcome, but there is no doubt that the production of core components is the most critical. Without this T/R component, no matter how advanced the design is, it is useless.

"You can think so. After all, all countries in the world are also researching the production technology of this kind of components. In this regard, we are on the same starting line as the West."

Old Ben said while picking up a brick-shaped thing: "This is the T/R module we developed."

If it is another radar antenna, it only undertakes the task of radiating electromagnetic waves, which is a simple antenna.

However, the active phased array radar is not. The basic component of this antenna, that is, the T/R component, belongs to a circuit. Stage amplification to realize functions such as front amplitude and phase correction and beam scanning.

Specifically, the functions of the T/R component include generating and amplifying the transmitting radio frequency signal, amplifying the receiving signal, realizing antenna beam control, etc.; the specific components include a phase shifter, a radio frequency T/R switch, a power amplifier, a limiter, a low Noise amplifiers, circulators, and control circuits, etc.

In this era, it is still impossible to build so many circuits on a single chip, so its brick-like appearance is still the structure of a circuit board, even if it is a tile structure commonly used in later generations, it is after 2000. Only now, the tiles are inserted directly into the base, while the metal on the base is responsible for transferring heat.

Now, the famous T/R component looks like this. (Bricks are just a description of the style, in terms of size, they should be much smaller than bricks.)
"This kind is made of silicon bipolar transistor material. The current yield rate is about 5.00%, which is relatively optimistic. The yield rate of the other gallium arsenide component is less than [-]%." Mr. Ben said: "Currently we are trying to improve the process, hoping to increase the yield. The most difficult thing is the single microwave integrated circuit (MMIC) inside."

Among other things, the yield rate alone is staggering. After all, it is a high-tech product with high technical difficulties and a relatively low yield rate. If thousands of T/R components are used on a phased array radar, then Hundreds of thousands of products have to be produced to select enough for use.The cost to pay for this can be imagined.

It is still only produced in the laboratory. If it is produced in the factory, the yield will be further reduced. After all, the factory does not have the precise environment of the laboratory.

"How much does such a component cost?" Wu Shengli asked.

"On average, it's about 1.25." Old Ben said. (In the information I found, it is said that the price of one is 25 US dollars, which is [-] times that of Americans, so it cannot be mass-produced.)
"What, [-]?" Wu Shengli thought of the thousands of T/R components needed for a phased array radar. If multiplied, wouldn't it cost hundreds of millions?Where can the navy afford it!

"Everything is difficult at the beginning. In the future, our technology will continue to mature, and the yield rate will increase. In the future, we will overcome the gallium arsenide technology, and maybe we can make phased array radar the price of cabbage." Qin Tao said.

Qin Tao is not worried, because he knows that the domestically produced Aegis battleships of later generations keep making dumplings because the technology is constantly maturing, the yield is getting higher and higher, and the cost of phased array radar is constantly decreasing.

Later, it was not only used on destroyers, but even on frigates, the 382 radar imitating the roof was replaced with a phased array radar, which didn't cost much anyway.

Old Ben nodded: "We just love to listen to what President Qin has to say!"

Wu Shengli smiled: "You mean, our navy's words are not nice enough?"

"This is..."

Before Mr. Ben could answer, the intercom phone in the laboratory rang. After he picked up the phone, he heard the urgent voice inside, and his expression became ugly.

Qin Tao was at the side and heard an angry voice inside.

"This is clearly making things difficult for us on purpose!..."

What's the matter?

"Leader Wu, you happen to be here, so please go to our meeting room, we are going to have a meeting, Mr. Qin, since you are here, let's go and listen together, maybe you can give me some ideas!"

Since Mr. Ben invited him, Qin Tao was obliged to follow him to the conference room.

After everyone was seated, a technician opened the document that he had just obtained, and then introduced it to everyone.

"The Second Academy of Aerospace Sciences informed that some changes have taken place in the development data of the missile. In addition to the basic type currently under development, they are planning to develop a more advanced B-type missile. Correspondingly, our radar performance is required to be higher. Specifically, , the RCS of the missile is reduced by half, but the tracking distance has to be twice the existing data."

Hearing these contents, Qin Tao couldn't help but frowned. Although the big guys still kept secret the model of the missile, Qin Tao knew that what was mentioned in this project was Hongqi 9B.

Now, the original Hongqi 9 missile has not been officially installed in the troops, but the new missile project is already in the pre-research stage. The performance of this Hongqi 9B will be more advanced, because the Second Academy of Aerospace Science and Technology referenced the S-300V what!
The S-300PMU originally obtained is only capable of intercepting aircraft and cruise missiles, but the S-300V can intercept ballistic missiles, which means that its performance is stronger. The Second Aerospace Academy has studied the S-300V After that, of course, I hope that the Hongqi 9 missile also has this capability.

what is it now?
The body of the missile has to be changed to increase the range of the missile. After all, the range is not enough, and everything is useless. Although the body of the missile is larger, the radar reflection area is smaller after launch. target ability.At the same time, because the missile flew farther, the distance for their radar to track this small target had to be increased.

For the Second Academy of Aerospace Sciences, they wanted to develop more advanced missiles, and then greeted the 14th Institute in advance, but this matter was completely different in the eyes of everyone in the 14th Institute.

Nima, isn't this deliberately making things difficult?
"The Second Aerospace Academy failed to compete with us on the radar of naval warships, so they deliberately came up with a moth!"

"That's right, I heard that the C-band radar of the 23rd Institute is going to be used in vehicles and used by the army and air force. Their radar has this ability, so they are trying to require us to have this ability, If not, our technology is not good enough."

"Hmph, their C-band radar originally had a shorter wavelength and higher precision than our S-band radar. The ability to detect targets with an RCS value twice as small is of course better than ours! This is clearly digging a hole for us! "

Everyone was filled with righteous indignation for a while. Taking advantage of the leadership of the Navy, they had to speak clearly, the Second Court is stumbling us!
Wu Shengli sat silently, just listening to the discussion of the crowd.

Elder Ben was also thinking. For a while, the two main leaders did not speak, and everyone discussed for a while, and their voices gradually dropped.

"Old Xing, let me tell you." Old Ben began to roll the roll.

In Institute 14, Mr. Ben is the general manager, but because there are too many scientific research projects in Institute 14, it is necessary to designate a specific person in charge for each project.

Xing Gong is the deputy chief designer of 346 Sea Star Radar, and his speech is very important.

"At present, we have been researching and developing according to the data of the original missile. So far, our pre-research has ended, and the next step is the research and development of engineering projects." Xing Gong said: "Now, the Second Academy has given us the data and asked us to re-develop the missile. Setting standards means that all our previous work has been wasted and we have to start from scratch.”

This is why it is not the same organization as missile development.

The missile was developed by the Second Academy. The vehicle-mounted missile system needed by the Army and Air Force was contracted by the Second Academy. However, the radar and fire control system needed by the Navy were developed by the 14th Institute. If they were separated, problems would arise.

Of course, the navy has no choice. After all, if the army and air force feel that the radar is not working well, it doesn't matter, just change to a radar vehicle, but what about the navy?If the navy wants to change the radar, it needs to drive the warship into the shipyard, hoist the four-sided phased array, disassemble the circuit inside, and go through a lot of trouble.

Therefore, the navy must be cautious, and finally chose the S-band radar solution of the 14th Institute, because it believed that this radar could meet the requirements.

Now that we have the specific data, we started working on it for a long time, and the result?Suddenly asking us to start over?
People below can complain, but Xing Gong can't, he just puts these things out, and people with a discerning eye can naturally see what to do.

"As for the B-type missile plan proposed by the Second Academy of Aerospace Science and Technology, it is only a plan at present. After all, their prototype missile system has not yet been developed, let alone test-fired. Therefore, the prototype missile may still take several years. The time for this B-type missile, conservatively estimated, is ten years later, or even longer." Xing Gong said: "After their missiles come out, the warships equipped with our original 346 Sea Star radar, say Maybe it’s retired, or it’s time for a mid-term overhaul.”

Red Flag Nine B is just a PPT plan, and it’s too early to come up with it. Can we modify our design for such a distant plan?
In domestic equipment research and development, there are too many projects stuck in the PPT stage!There is no point in proposing those ambitious targets!
Mr. Xing had finished speaking.

"Yes, this project is only approved for the time being, and there is still a long way to go before it can be successfully developed. However, the indicators it proposes are still useful to us. For the goal of half of the RCS area, the distance is found to be more than one year. times, if we can provide radars with this performance to the navy, it means that the radar performance of naval warships will reach a new level, and they will be more confident when facing more terrifying threats."

When Mr. Ben said these words, he had already expressed his attitude, and everyone was stunned.

Even Qin Tao was extremely surprised.

Even if Qin Tao knew that the Second Academy’s request was not to make things difficult, but was stimulated by the S-300V missile, but after all, this meant that all the hard work of the 14 radar developers at the 346th Institute was in vain, and they had to start from scratch.

Therefore, from the perspective of the 14th Institute, there is no need to accept the request of the Second Academy. After all, this kind of missile is still missing.They have many reasons to say no.

But Ben didn't.

Ben Lao saw the air pressure facing the navy. Improving the radar performance of one's own side can make the navy more comfortable in the face of high-threat targets.Even if it's overthrowing and starting over, it's worth it!
Ben Lao's image has also grown taller in front of Qin Tao's eyes. Like his father and other people of the older generation, his body exudes a noble light.

She Xiaojia, for the country!Even if we reinvent the wheel, we must give the Navy the best radar system. At worst, we will have to work a few more days!
"On behalf of the Navy, I would like to express my opinion. The Navy has finalized the 14 Sea Star radar of the 346th Institute as the main radar of future warships. It will not be changed. The Navy will fully support the development of the 14th Institute, even if the progress is delayed. The cost is high, and the navy doesn't care." Wu Shengli's words sparked hope in the eyes of those present.

As long as the navy supports it and gives it back, what are you afraid of!
"President Qin, what are your thoughts?" Elder Ben looked at Qin Tao again.

"Old Ben, you are so great, I want to learn from you." Qin Tao said.

"That's not what I'm talking about, and you don't want to praise me. I mean, do you have any specific suggestions for improving the performance of the radar?"

specific suggestion?Where do I have it!Qin Tao's head was full of confusion: "I remember, when I visited Europe last time, the relevant materials I got were already sent to you."

"Yes, those data are very useful to us." Old Ben said, "Now, we want to further improve the performance of the radar. Do you have any suggestions?"

I'm a layman, what advice can I have?Of course, Qin Tao couldn't play tricks, so he quickly changed the subject.

"I'm curious, how do you name this radar after Sea Star?"

Speaking of this, that is Xing Gong's specialty, he immediately explained: "Mr. Qin, have you heard of Ocean Star?"

"I've heard that this is the largest natural dark blue colored diamond in existence in the world."

"That's right, Mr. Qin is really knowledgeable. We named our radar after Sea Star, just to illustrate our radar's international leading technology and outstanding quality. We use diamond-cut precise mirrors and unique crystal lattices to describe this world. This radar has several fronts and thousands of units, which shows that our radar has strong detection and tracking capabilities."

"So that's the case, then I wish you all can achieve your design goals."

Qin Tao played haha, thought it was over at first, but unexpectedly, Mr. Ben continued to ask: "Mr. Qin, what suggestions do you have for our radar?"

Still come to ask!
Qin Tao had to say something useful, otherwise, he would not be let go.

"Our radar doesn't have the ability to detect stealth aircraft, does it?" Since he wants to say it, then Qin Tao should just say it!He doesn't understand the specific technical details, but he is still very familiar with the technical route.

　PS: The content comes from Baidu.

　　A monolithic microwave integrated circuit T/R assembly often includes multiple MMIC chips, which are integrated on the substrate through MCM technology and discrete devices, and finally packaged to form a T/R assembly.The multi-function chip integrates the functions realized by multiple single-function MMICs into one chip, which helps to reduce the size and cost of T/R components.

　　According to the introduction of "Radar Technology Development Review and Multifunctional Phased Array Radar Future Trends", in 2007, T/R components developed to 4-side leadless flat package, the volume was reduced to 1/5 of the "tile" type, and the weight was reduced It is 1/20 of the original "tile" type, and the cost is reduced to 1/5 of the "tile" type; in 2008, from two-dimensional panel to three-dimensional panel/integrated circuit, the volume is reduced to 1/3 of the flat package, The weight is reduced to 1/2 of the flat package, and the cost is reduced to 1/2 of the flat package.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)