Chapter 722 Construction of Type 001 Light Aircraft Carrier Begins

After such a long period of careful preparation, the first domestically-produced aircraft carrier, the 20,000-ton conventional-powered 'Type 001' light aircraft carrier, is finally going to start construction at the Yangcheng Shipyard.

Since Panshan Group took over the Yangcheng Shipyard, the Yangcheng Shipyard has been rebuilt and expanded, and its shipbuilding capacity has been continuously improved every year.

Now, it is the largest shipyard in the country and the shipyard with the strongest shipbuilding capacity. It can build various advanced warships and various types of civilian ships.

It can be said that the shipbuilding capacity is being improved every year, and the technical level is constantly improving.

And this is just a microcosm. In recent years, the Chinese shipbuilding industry has also been quietly changing, and it has made a qualitative leap compared to a few years ago.

You must know that the Chinese shipbuilding industry was already very powerful in ancient times.

Even now, the Jiangnan Machinery Manufacturing Bureau, which was established more than a hundred years ago, is a large shipyard in the world, and it was able to build large warships at that time.

After the founding of the Republic, the shipbuilding industry started to take off again. At first, it could not even build a 10,000-ton ship. In the 60th year, it finally built the first 10,000-ton ship.

At present, Japan is still the world's largest shipbuilding country. Japan's new ship orders account for 45% of the global share, followed by China with 30%, and South Korea ranked third with 22%.

In recent years, the proportion of new ship orders received by Japan has been declining, while China and South Korea have been rising. China and South Korea are actively accepting the market share lost by Japan, among which China's market share has increased the fastest.

After the reconstruction and new construction of other shipyards in China are completed, the market share will inevitably increase again. It is estimated that in a few years, it will replace Japan as the world's largest shipbuilding country.

As for South Korea, in terms of volume, it can't be more competitive than China.

Because China has lower labor costs, a more complete industrial chain, and it is easier for large-scale industries to take advantage, the improvement in technical level and production efficiency will exceed South Korea, and it is difficult for South Korea's shipbuilding industry to compete with China.

By then, South Korea will lose a lot of its current market share, not to mention expanding its shipbuilding market share.

Liu Tao's policy in the shipbuilding industry from the beginning was to improve his own technical level and production efficiency. As long as he improved himself, he would have a huge competitive advantage. Other countries could not compete with China in shipbuilding.

Take South Korea for example. South Korea has relatively high labor costs and high component costs. How can it compete with China in price competition?

As for Japan's large market share, it is actually more of inertia, the inertia of brand benefits.

Since the stock market and real estate bubble burst, the yen continues to appreciate. The labor costs and component costs of domestic shipyards in Japan are high, and most of them are at a disadvantage in price competition.

This is still the case. China has a part of its shipbuilding capacity, which is used to build warships. Otherwise, it would occupy a larger market share.

Just like Yangcheng Shipyard, it has an important mission, which is to build various advanced warships for the Chinese Navy, from Type 022 missile boats, Type 022A torpedo boats, Type 83 minesweepers, Type 84 minesweepers, Type 816 electronic reconnaissance ships, Type 817 electronic reconnaissance ships, Type 818 electronic reconnaissance ships, Type 054 frigates, Type 052 destroyers, and Type 039 conventional submarines.

Yangcheng Shipyard has very good planning, uses advanced shipbuilding technology, and is willing to spend money, so its technical workers and shipbuilding capabilities are rapidly improving.

Not only is the ability to build warships improving, but also the ability to build civilian ships is also improving.

In the future, in addition to building aircraft carriers, nuclear submarines will be built here, as well as ships such as large luxury cruise ships and LNG ships, which are the jewels in the crown of the shipbuilding industry.

Liu Tao is still very proud of the start of the construction of the 'Type 001' light aircraft carrier this time, because he has not only changed the Chinese military industry, but also the Chinese shipbuilding industry.

It is just around the corner for China to become the world's largest shipbuilding country.

As long as it develops for 20 to 30 years, I am afraid that China alone can account for 80% or even 90% of the market share of orders!

Even if it really follows the market competition mechanism, China's shipbuilding capacity can reach more than 99% of the world.

The shipbuilding industry will make a huge contribution to economic development and bring a large number of employment opportunities.

Early in the morning, the entire Guangzhou shipbuilding industry was full of colorful flags and gongs and drums.

The groundbreaking ceremony was held in a huge dock.

There were many people attending the groundbreaking ceremony.

At 9 o'clock, the groundbreaking ceremony started on time.

The technical workers used a CNC cutting machine to cut off several steel plates, welded them together, and completed the small group, which marked the beginning of the construction of the aircraft carrier.

This is just a small module on the aircraft carrier, but the aircraft carrier is composed of countless such small modules.

The shipbuilding technology in Guangzhou is very advanced, which can greatly improve the efficiency of construction, so it does not take too long for the aircraft carrier to be launched.

One of the important reasons why the first '001-type' light aircraft carrier took a long time to manufacture is that it was the first time to build an aircraft carrier.

Once the workers are familiar with it, the process is mature, and the efficiency is further improved, the entire cycle can be shortened by at least one year or even two years.

Take photos and take pictures as souvenirs.

After the groundbreaking ceremony, the leader and Liu Tao took a walk in the Yangcheng Shipyard.

When Liu Tao heard the leader propose again that the Navy wanted to build its own aircraft carrier, he showed helplessness.

This time, the Navy will use the money from the sale of frigates, destroyers, and conventional submarines to build aircraft carriers.

Just to have an aircraft carrier, even if it is just a light aircraft carrier like the '001'.

Liu Tao is not very fond of the '001' light aircraft carrier, but the Navy is different. It is salivating and jealous.

A light aircraft carrier is still an aircraft carrier!

An aircraft carrier is the mainstay of a great power's navy!

The Persian Gulf escort fleet constantly reports the situation in the Persian Gulf and the Arabian Sea back to China. The Navy pays close attention to this and is jealous of the powerful US Navy.

With the continuous expansion of China's overseas interests, in the future, the aircraft carrier fleet will definitely be able to reach the waters of the world to protect overseas interests.

The Navy and other departments have held many seminars on this point and have reached a consensus.

Liu Tao did not expect that the Navy was so obsessed with aircraft carriers, and dared to think about aircraft carriers when military expenditure was limited.

You know, the money from the Navy's sale of frigates, destroyers and conventional submarines is far from enough to build a light aircraft carrier.

Even with the Thai order, Panshan Group built a light aircraft carrier supply chain, and the second ship could significantly reduce the production cost, but even so, such a light aircraft carrier, including weapons and equipment, would cost almost 2 billion yuan.

Liu Tao felt that the Navy's obsession was too heavy!

According to his opinion, the Navy can use the current new ships to cultivate a new generation of the Navy, and then build aircraft carriers when there is enough military expenditure. At that time, there will be no problem in directly launching medium-sized aircraft carriers or even large aircraft carriers.