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CHINA
CHINA IS building an aircraft carrier
force, and it’s not that farfetched
to assume that in a few years the
People’s Liberation Army Navy will
maintain the world’s second largest
fleet of carriers.Maiden cruise
China’s first domestically built
aircraft carrier started its long-
awaited sea trials on May 13 as a
historic step towards the country’s
ambitions – an aim, proclaimed
by President Xi Jinping himself
on April 12 – to build a “world-
class” navy. This aim is still many
years away from presenting a
global challenge to the US Navy,
but as a regional power its carrier
programme is progressing steadily.
After six days at sea, the new ship,
most likely designated Type 002
or at least Project 002, arrived
back home at its homeport Dalian
Shipyard on May 18.
According to military experts,
this early trial would have mainly
tested the ship’s propulsion and
communication systems, while
all other systems, such as its
electronics and weapons systems,
including carrier landings, will
be tested in subsequent trials
over the coming months.
Consequently, expectation is that
the new ship will be tested for
about 12 months under different
sea conditions before beingChina’s
carrier
ambitions
By Andreas Rupprecht
handed over to the navy. Perhaps
not unexpected – and similar to
the Liaoning’s maiden cruise –
the Type 002 ship subsequently
reappeared in the dry dock for
further checks. Interestingly –
and as such a novelty in Chinese
naval history – on May 27, the
new carrier’s sister ship also
arrived at Dalian, so for the first
time two Chinese aircraft carriers
could be seen together.Type 002 carrier
Chinese media confirmed for the
first time on June 7, 2011, via the
People’s Liberation Army Chief
of the General Staff, General
Chen Bingde, that China was
constructing its own aircraft
carrier. The first indigenously
constructed aircraft carrier was
under construction at the Dalian
shipyard until April 2017. Cutting
first steel for the ship, a heavily
modified Kuznetsov class design,
again featuring a ski-jump,
actually took place in August
2013 with lay-down in March- Official launch took place
on April 26, 2017, and since then
outfitting has been completed
prior to the maiden cruise. If
everything continues according
to plan, commissioning could be
expected at best in late 2019 or
more likely 2020. Interestingly,
it might be designated CV-17
and some sources are already
suggesting the ship will probably
be named Shandong...
... and future ambitions
China’s carrier programme has
experienced some changes to its
schedule and capabilities, and,
according to the latest reports, the
People’s Liberation Army Navy is
now following a revised plan.
China’s Type 003 will be a true
catapult-equipped super carrier,
which was originally planned to
be built slightly later than and in
parallel with the Type 002 vessel at
the shipyard in Jiangnan. However,
a construction start was postponed
due to an ongoing decision process
on which type of catapult to use.
The navy seems to have decided on
an electromagnetic launch system,
with the delay viewed as the price
to pay for a more capable carrier.The Type 003 will have an
increased displacement of about
80,000 tonnes, and will most likely
be equipped with three catapults.
Some Chinese reports claim
the first steel for the Type 003
was cut at JNCX shipyard in June
2017, and several reliable sources
report the new carrier is already in
subassembly production.
In parallel with the Type 003
carrier, yet another carrier-type is
under construction, namely the
Type 075 large-deck amphibious
assault ship. Here, too, the situation
is far from confirmed. While some
sources report the ship has been
under construction at the Hudong-
Zhonghua shipyard in Shanghai
since March 2016, others say theSeen here during its return to the Dalian shipyard on May 18, the Type 002 carrier is
tugged back to its position. The ship’s revised island is clearly visible.