On June 17, 2022, with the approval of the Central Military Commission, China's third completely independently designed and built aircraft carrier, the "Fujian Ship", was officially launched at the Jiangnan Shipyard. The hull number is "18", so , China has also become the first country in Asia to have three aircraft carriers. When it comes to aircraft carriers, many people's first impression is that they represent a country's naval strength, so many countries dream of owning an aircraft carrier.
Although nowadays We have entered the modern era of the 21st century. Many countries also have enough technology to develop aircraft carriers. However, technology is not the main reason. It is because aircraft carriers are too expensive. Therefore, aircraft carriers are also called "gold-swallowing behemoths". "The most expensive part of an aircraft carrier is not its manufacturing and purchasing, but its maintenance. As the saying goes, it is easier to buy a car than to maintain it, so it is not that many countries cannot manufacture or buy them. But it’s because they can’t afford to maintain them. So how expensive are aircraft carriers? Next, let’s take the U.S. Nimitz-class nuclear-powered aircraft carrier as an example to fully explain to everyone how expensive aircraft carriers are.
So far, the United States has a total of 11 nuclear-powered aircraft carriers . Take the last one as an example. The cost of the last nuclear-powered aircraft carrier in the United States is about 6.2 billion U.S. dollars. This number is not suitable for the rich old Americans. Words are nothing, but if we want to maintain it during its 50th anniversary of service, then the funds required during this period are beyond our ability to calculate. It is just 80 carrier-based aircraft on the aircraft carrier. The procurement and maintenance costs are as high as 20 billion US dollars, followed by the labor costs on the aircraft carrier, such as various benefits, wages and daily food costs.
According to incomplete statistics, the number of people on this aircraft carrier There are about 5,000 people in total. They need to consume nearly 20,000 pieces of food every day just for eating and drinking. They need to supplement food of 1.8 million U.S. dollars every week, which is 7.2 million U.S. dollars a month, and 86.4 million U.S. dollars a year. This is just the old age. The cost of the last few U.S. aircraft carriers is much higher than the cost of other nuclear-powered aircraft carriers that have been in service for longer. For example, the old U.S. Welfare not only has benefits such as seagoing subsidies and stationing subsidies when it goes to sea, but it can even Enjoying free medical and entertainment facilities, it can be said that this treatment is already very good. Therefore, in total, each nuclear-powered aircraft carrier during its 50-year service period will cost approximately US$15 billion.
Next, let’s talk about the overall maintenance and operation of the aircraft carrier. First, let’s talk about the maintenance and upkeep of the electronic equipment on the ship. For example, the nuclear power system needs to be refueled and repaired every 25 years on average. The fuel costs required for carrier-based aircraft, the cost of replacing various parts and components, etc. are all a large expense. In addition, each aircraft carrier will be equipped with corresponding destroyers , frigates and supply ships , etc. Wait, an aircraft carrier has at least 7 to 11 ships around it, and the expenses of these ships also need to be taken into account. It can be seen from this that the capital costs required are huge, so for ordinary countries He said that although they have the technology to build aircraft carriers, if they do not have enough follow-up funds to maintain and maintain them, they will become a pile of scrap metal over time. Even the wealthy old United States has only built 11 aircraft carriers so far. nuclear powered aircraft carrier.
So you should know why there are not many countries in the world with aircraft carriers. As an independent maritime battlefield, aircraft carriers can achieve true all-weather, large-scale, high-intensity, and long-term continuous combat. They can also achieve COSCO SHIPPING. The integrated joint operations have improved the mobility and combat effectiveness of the troops. Carrier-based aircraft on the aircraft carrier can also seize the most important air and sea supremacy on the battlefield in the fastest time. Under the overall control of the aircraft carrier, they can To search, pursue, lock on hostile targets within hundreds of miles, and finally carry out fatal strikes, it can be said that aircraft carriers, especially nuclear-powered aircraft carriers, can undertake a variety of maritime missions, including various non- War military operations missions.
Therefore, aircraft carriers are a symbol of a country’s comprehensive strength. With its own aircraft carrier, the entire country’s maritime power will be qualitatively improved, thereby enhancing the three-dimensional and comprehensive nature of its naval power. Therefore, aircraft carriers are very important to a country. Important, but because of its high manufacturing costs and subsequent repair and maintenance costs, many countries are prohibitive.
