Though the Chinese Defense Ministry has stayed mum on the maiden voyage of the nation’s first domestically built aircraft carrier, photos and video clips have flooded the Internet since Monday, when the vessel was seen being towed out of its berth at the Dalian Shipyard.
The ship is now believed to be en route to designated zones for sea trials in the Yellow Sea and Bohai Sea off northeastern China.
China has apparently expedited the construction of the new warship now that it has come to grips with carrier design and technology inherited from the Soviet Navy, with the purchase and restoration of a rusty, stripped hulk as the People’s Liberation Army Navy’s first carrier, which was christened Liaoning.
The current excitement and nationalist pride on the part of many Chinese netizens notwithstanding, the fact that the sea trial of the PLA’s second carrier failed to pique too much interest in overseas media is perhaps an indication of how it actually measures up against its counterparts in foreign fleets.
Known specifications of the home-built carrier include a displacement of around 65,000 tons and conventional diesel and steam propulsion – similar to the Liaoning, of the Soviet-era Kuznetsov-class – plus a steam-powered catapult aircraft-launching system.
“It’s a brand-new carrier, but also the very epitome of the outdated technologies reminiscent of the 1980s era,” said Macau-based military analyst Antony Wong.
The US now maintains an unrivaled fleet of 11 carriers, all nuclear-powered and each capable of carrying and servicing 70 to 90 aircraft.
China is also facing a talent crunch as construction of its second home-made carrier is rumored to start soon in Shanghai.
On Monday, Chinese news portal Netease carried a commentary that had an objective reflection of the new carrier’s genuine strength.
It argued that both of the aircraft carriers that China has in hand are of the mid-weight range, roughly in the same league as the French Navy’s nuclear-powered, 42,500-ton Charles de Gaulle and the Royal Navy’s gas-and-diesel-propelled, 65,000-ton HMS Queen Elizabeth.
Still, China’s J-15 fighters are a big drag on the Chinese carrier group’s strike capabilities, given the fact that the Queen Elizabeth‘s air wing typically consists of F-35B Lightning fighters.
The indigenous Chinese carrier also looks like a minnow compared with the USS Gerald R Ford, commissioned last July as the epitome of US naval might. The Ford boasts a whopping displacement of 100,000 tons, in the supercarrier category, with two A1B reactors on board with a total output of 280,000 horsepower, 40% more than the steam boilers that propel the new Chinese carrier.
State-of-the-art electromagnetic launch pads are also up and running on the US carrier but the Chinese version of the advanced linear induction motors that catapult aircraft won’t be put into use unless the second home-made carrier is built, which still needs years to take shape.
And I guess not everything they say are true… some are ploy of deception to preserve the element of surprise!
Dale… I guess everything new started as unproven, and i guess again that its normal and its ok. They will try to use it then adjust correspondingly.
Every newly born thing has its birthpains and a learning curves to track.
What the heck about bigger or smaller target? Precision targeting using smart munitions is the new game now. On the other hand, the whole country as big as it is may not be hit because of smart missile defense system such as AEGIS which is a thousand times better than patriot.
"Pacific is not anymore US lake"? Oh you have to sink all the US 11 carrier fleet first with your first, 2nd and third fleet. They will not share their lake, i’m afraid.
Ok… but that’s only their 11th and it may be their first to receive all kinds of advanced technology we have never seen before. What’s the point of comparing it to the first and only (indigenous) of PLAN?
Ford: "The problem is that many of these systems are immature and have not been able to perform up to expected levels. The San Diego Union-Tribune described the construction of the Ford as “a monument to the Navy’s and defense industry’s ability to justify spending billions on unproven technologies that often deliver worse performance at a higher cost.” Despite the lip service presented by Navy and industry officials, the construction of the Ford has been something of a disaster." https://foxtrotalpha.jalopnik.com/americas-new-13-billion-aircraft-carrier-is-still-far-1797119016
Made in china is all fake! Be careful with the dolphin your aircraft carrier can be destroyed by fish only!! Its made on plastic. Remember that the noodles,rice,and eggs? Chinese people make it plastic. That is the result of people of china was eating featous!!????????????
Stolen and copied technology is no match for origional technology which is constantly improved.
I have a feeling, owners of original technologies allow their competitors to steal fake copies to keep them at the bottom of the technology race
Richard Tan because they are giving hints to be bullied.if they behave well…i think americans will not.
Are you sure????
Whats new…..made in china….
Giant carrier with be a white elephant for Chinese killer missiles
The USA Ford is a bigger target too.
Richard Tan, you should ask Philippinos, Vietnamese, Japanese, Malaysians and Indians for their opinion on who is the regional bully.
Do war, its time for war 111
China doesn’t have to build supercarriers like that of the US. All they have to do is build so many of these carriers and swarm its enemies. They may not last as compared with that of the US but numbers can do wanders. You can sink two of these for 1 carrier but it is still cheaper!
China is not the bully here, US is the greatest bully here
These carriers are just sitting ducks, remember what the now old exocet has done in a war scenario.
Kier Valdez you are full of shit.
RUSSIA IS NOT BEHAND US .
RUSSIA IS NUMBER 1 PAWER IN THE WORLD. PLEASE DON’T BE
RETARDED.
hahaha You’re funny!