"Never Stop: The Road to China's New Nuclear Submarine" on
[Eagle Eye Pictures Military Editor's Note] When it comes to Chinese nuclear submarines, Western media generally believe that their comprehensive performance and technical level are far behind the United States. More professional Western military publications It is even believed that the gap is about 30 years. Why is the gap between China's nuclear submarines so big? What problems did they encounter in the early development history of nuclear submarines? In the next few days, we will talk about China's nuclear submarine development in three installments. Today we will start with the second-generation nuclear submarine that is almost out of stock.
In 2014, Huang Xuhua, known as the father of China's nuclear submarines, lamented in an interview with reporters, "After the development of my country's first-generation nuclear submarines was completed, a large number of military research projects were canceled, which caused my country's nuclear submarine research to be interrupted for some time. Because of this Without interruption, the technical level of China's nuclear submarines would not be so high." It stands to reason that nuclear submarines are the foundation of a big country's survival. You can do without anything, but you can't live without nuclear submarines. But it is precisely in our country that the nuclear submarine production line was almost shut down in the early 1990s.
In order to straighten out the development ideas of second-generation nuclear submarines, as early as the late 1970s, former Navy Commander Admiral Liu Huaqing hosted a development planning symposium. Regarding the development of second-generation nuclear submarines, relevant parties have three major disputes surrounding nuclear power development: whether to adopt a new reactor type? How to choose power? What method is used to arrange the stack cabin? In the development of submarine-based ballistic missiles, the problem of matching missiles, boats, and barrels has become a huge bottleneck in the coordination and unification process.
At that time, whether to continue to develop nuclear submarines became an embarrassing political issue. From 1988 to 1990, China's first-generation attack nuclear submarine was about to be finalized. On the issue of continuing to develop nuclear submarines, it was also affected by "the need to endure major disarmament and military development." In the early 1990s, when the central government emphasized that it should concentrate on economic construction and military construction must endure, whether the nuclear submarine production line should be retained was an issue that did not need to be considered at all. There was no doubt that it should be retained, but in our country it is not. A bit was dismounted. (Original text: "Modern Ships" March 2005 "Memoirs of Zheng Ming: Unforgettable Memories and Precious Enlightenments")
On April 7, 1990, Chairman Jiang Zemin, accompanied by Liu Huaqing, Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission, and Qin Jiwei, Minister of Defense, came to Go to a naval test base and nuclear submarine shipyard. At around 4 p.m., after reviewing the nuclear submarines, destroyers and frigates, the Navy and China Shipbuilding Corporation reported on the progress of the nuclear submarine project and put forward suggestions for the development and production of a new generation of nuclear submarines. The nuclear submarine manufacturing plant also truthfully reported the difficulties faced by the plant and hoped that the Navy would continue to place orders to avoid falling into the crisis of being without submarines and production lines being cut off.
After listening to the three-party report, Liu Huaqing felt heavy in his heart. As early as the end of March 1987, he suggested that the Central Military Commission headquarters should pay attention to the maintenance of the nuclear submarine scientific research and production team. “I recently visited the nuclear submarine manufacturing plant and felt that the problem was very serious.” He said bluntly to He Pengfei, director of the Equipment Department of the General Staff, who made a special trip to the Navy to listen to opinions on equipment development planning. “In the 1960s, the country spent a lot of effort to develop nuclear submarines. We have built two types of nuclear submarines, as well as conventional submarines and other ships. In order to maintain the scientific research and production teams and develop technology, we must have a policy. It will be difficult to build it again in the future! At least for a few key equipment factories, such as evaporator, exchanger, condenser, high-horsepower clutch and other production plants, foreign countries have adopted special measures to maintain factories like this. measures to protect and maintain."
In "Memoirs of Liu Huaqing", we clearly see General Liu's inner peace at that time. However, fate is unpredictable. What Liu Huaqing did not expect was that the historical responsibility of keeping the scientific research and production of nuclear submarines on line would fall on his shoulders again. "The nuclear submarine has been disconnected since the completion of this project." Faced with the reality, Liu Huaqing said with concern, "In fact, the current supporting factories have been disconnected.What to do about this problem? I never thought of a good solution. If the country can give the navy several hundred million in procurement fees a year, then it is okay to develop two or three more, and the line will not be disconnected in seven or eight years. Otherwise, it would be a shame if production was discontinued. The suspension of production of "
" will involve more than 2,000 factories that were the first to support it. Now it is mainly focused on the more than 200 factories that are key. "Liu Huaqing looked serious, "Imagine if the workers of the Nuclear Submarine Manufacturing Factory do not build nuclear submarines but do other things, the supporting equipment factories do not produce accessories but do other things, and the professional scientific research institutes do not study nuclear submarines. Power station, tinkering with some large oil tanks, then all the technical personnel are let go, what will happen if they are needed in the future? "" nuclear submarine cannot be disconnected! "As soon as Liu Huaqing finished speaking, Jiang Zemin made the decision on the spot.
"It is not possible for nuclear submarines to be suspended. We must step up efforts and publicize this matter well. Jiang Zemin turned sideways to face Liu Huaqing, and said with a humorous smile, "I understand, it makes sense. If you click a little bit, I will know what it means. Don't interrupt!" That evening, Jiang Zemin happily wrote an inscription for the nuclear submarine force: "Strengthening the construction of the nuclear submarine force will enhance the prestige of our country and our military." "
In mid-June 1991, the Navy held its third nuclear submarine leadership group meeting and decided that the nuclear submarine force would officially assume combat readiness duties from October 1. The Navy's request report was submitted to Liu Huaqing's desk via the General Staff Headquarters. This is a A historic event with great symbolic significance. Liu Huaqing was filled with excitement and uncontrollable passion. 30 years, from the director of the Naval Academy to the vice chairman of the Central Military Commission, from the first design drawing to the first steel keel. The first underwater track to the first maritime force with the second strategic nuclear strike capability, his legendary relationship with nuclear submarines is so intense and shocking that in 1994, the Central Military Commission and the Central Special Committee A major decision was made: new torpedo attack nuclear submarines and strategic missile nuclear submarines were included in the "national special projects". Under the auspices of Liu Huaqing, the development project of the second-generation nuclear submarine was fully launched. However, it was precisely because of the delay that it was supposed to be launched in the 1990s. The first second-generation nuclear submarine, which was completed and launched in the mid-1990s, was delayed until December 1998. We lost eight precious years. The performance of the second-generation nuclear submarine 093 was not satisfactory. Its nuclear reactor was The improved model of my country's first-generation nuclear submarine has not alleviated the problem of insufficient power. Where should China's nuclear submarines go? Please look forward to the next issue of "Never Stop: The Road to China's Nuclear Submarines"
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