Not long ago, China's new aircraft carrier "Fujian Ship" equipped with an electromagnetic catapult device was launched, which became a hot topic among Chinese people. Military experts said that the use of electromagnetic ejection devices not only improves the dispatch efficiency of carrier-based fighter , but also makes it possible for some models that were previously unable to board ships, such as large carrier-based transport aircraft. Military experts said that due to the heavy take-off weight of large carrier-based transport aircraft, it is impossible to take off from the aircraft carrier without the help of external forces. Therefore, China's first two aircraft carriers did not carry large carrier-based transport aircraft.
On an aircraft carrier that takes off by ski jump, the transportation task is mainly undertaken by the ship-based transport helicopter. However, the shortcomings of the ship-based transport helicopter are also obvious. The biggest shortcoming is insufficient load. For example, the Chinese Navy's current carrier-based transport helicopters cannot lift the engine of the J-15 carrier-based aircraft . In other words, if some carrier-based fighter aircraft have engine failures, there will be no way to solve them in a short time. Wait until the aircraft carrier docks. This doesn't matter in peacetime, but in wartime it would be a big problem.
Military experts said that logistics support is very important for the aircraft carrier battle group that needs ocean operations, and large carrier-based transport aircraft play an extremely important role in aircraft carrier logistics support. One of the reasons why the U.S. Navy's aircraft carrier battle group is so powerful is that its logistics support is very complete, thanks to its large carrier-based transport aircraft. The U.S. Navy previously had C-2 "Greyhound" carrier-based transport aircraft, but now it has upgraded to the MV-22 "Osprey" transport aircraft.
For a long time in the past, the Chinese Navy was actually a little envious of the U.S. Navy's complete logistics support system, but at that time, it was limited by technology and could only take a look. Now with the birth of aircraft carriers equipped with electromagnetic catapult devices, the Chinese Navy is expected to solve the problem of large carrier-based transport aircraft being unable to board aircraft carriers. According to foreign media reports, the Chinese Navy recently conducted a simulation test of a large carrier-based transport aircraft on board a ship, and the Y-7 transport aircraft was used as a test mission.
According to photos exposed by the media, trainees from the Naval Aviation University simulated the entire process of taking off and landing a Y-7 transport aircraft on land. Military experts said that compared with ship-based transport helicopters, the flight speed and load capacity of the Y-7 transport aircraft have been significantly improved. If the Y-7 transport aircraft can successfully board the aircraft carrier, the logistics support capabilities of the Chinese Navy's aircraft carrier battle group will be qualitatively improved.
More importantly, if the Y-7 transport aircraft can successfully board the aircraft carrier, then similar models such as the "Kongjing-600" carrier-based early warning aircraft can also board the ship. After the transport aircraft and the early warning aircraft are put on board, the Chinese Navy's aircraft carrier will become a "complete body" and will narrow the gap with the US Navy's aircraft carriers.
