ANALYSIS – As the movie “Top Gun: Maverick” takes the cinematic world by storm, Communist China continues its breakneck speed effort to develop a blue ocean navy to challenge America’s mastery of the seas. (RELATED: ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ – Movie Irks China by Bringing Back Taiwan and Japan Flags on Flight Jacket)
Based on recent satellite imagery and news reports, a shipyard in Shanghai appears ready to launch China’s third aircraft carrier, the Type 003, with the launch coinciding with the Dragon Boat Festival.
This would be China’s first carrier semi-comparable to similar U.S. warships.
I wrote about this ship in November.
The newest Chinese carrier was supposed to be launched on April 23 to commemorate the 73rd anniversary of the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN), but it was postponed due to the COVID-19 lockdown in Shanghai. (RELATED: China’s Draconian Policies Show What Many Democrats Want for US)
The new carrier is expected to be named Jiangsu, following the PLAN’s tradition of naming these warships after coastal provinces from north to south.
This photo is from July 2021.
Unlike the communist country’s first two aircraft carriers, the Liaoning and the Shandong, which were older Soviet-designed vessels with ski ramps, the Type 003 has a flat-top flight deck with three electromagnetic catapults, similar to those employed only on the American Ford-class supercarrier currently undergoing sea trials.
But unlike America’s carriers, the Type 003 will be conventionally powered, not nuclear. This will limit its ocean-going capabilities but will give it increased lethality in places such as the Taiwan Straits.
The South China Morning Post reports that: “The Maritime Safety Administration last Friday issued a notice calling for berths to be cleared for an operation at the No 3 and No 4 docks at the Jiangnan shipyard on Changxing Island, where the warship is under construction.”
It said the operation would be underway from 5:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Monday and would involve five platforms, three tugboats and two salvage ships.
This photo is current.
One Chinese military insider reportedly told the Post that: “The aircraft carrier needs to go into sea trials as soon as possible – it may take several years to achieve initial operational capability.”
Eurasia Times reported that:
Beijing-based naval expert Li Jie predicted that this Friday would be a “good day for the birth of the ‘third child,’” referring to the warship’s nickname. “It implies the vessel is the country’s dragon boat – a good blessing,” he said.
Li further said that “time is precious” for the aircraft carrier. “The installation of all of the weapon systems and the activation of its propulsion system will only start after the hull is proven to have no leaks once it goes into the water.”
Meanwhile, the South China Morning Post reports that a fourth PLAN carrier, likely nuclear powered may be on the way:
Recent images of a stealth fighter jet at a naval airbase suggest China has begun pilot training preparations for a fourth aircraft carrier, defence experts say.
China is known to be developing its third and largest carrier, the Type 003, with sea trials expected soon. Whether work has started on a Type 004 is not yet clear.
Satellites in March spotted two FC-31 Gyrfalcon stealth fighters lined up alongside several J-15 carrier-based fighter jets at the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) flight training facility in Liaoning province, offering a comparative view of the two models for the first time.
The Drive also noted in late 2021 that:
Unconfirmed reports last year suggest that work on PLAN’s next carrier — the Type 004 — was due to start soon, possibly at Dalian Shipyard in Liaoning. There are persistent rumors that this vessel will be both larger than its predecessors and will be nuclear powered, but other assessments suggest it will utilize the Type 003 design. Ultimately, however, it seems likely that nuclear power will be the PLAN’s goal.
And 19fortyfive reports that:
Plans for a fourth carrier have been closely guarded, but according to Popular Science, the shipbuilder accidentally spilled some details. Leaked documents claim the carrier “will displace between ninety thousand and one hundred thousand tons and have electromagnetically assisted launch system (EMALS) catapults for getting aircrafts off the deck. It’ll likely carry a large air wing of J-15 fighters, J-31 stealth fighters, KJ-600 airborne early warning and control aircraft, anti-submarine warfare helicopters, and stealth attack drones.”
While many Western naval observers argue that these ships won’t be combat-ready for many years, the fact that China is making great strides in its carrier force development should worry U.S. and allied defense planners. Recall that only 10 years ago, China had no carriers and its fleet was vastly inferior to the West. That is no longer the case.
As Brent M. Eastwood notes regarding China’s plans for its fourth carrier:
Beijing’s goal is to introduce a nuclear-powered carrier – one with true blue-water capability that can project power and dominate the Indo-Pacific region.
And they are steadily working their way to that end. ALD
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The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the positions of American Liberty News.
Paul Crespo is the Managing Editor of American Liberty Defense News. As a Marine Corps officer, he led Marines, served aboard ships in the Pacific and jumped from helicopters and airplanes. He was also a military attaché with the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) at U.S. embassies worldwide. He later ran for state and federal office, taught political science, wrote for the editorial board of a major newspaper and had his own radio show. A graduate of Georgetown, London and Cambridge universities, he brings decades of experience and insight to the issues that most threaten our American liberty – at home and from abroad. To read more go to: paulcrespo.com.
The CCP does not have a Navy. They have floating targets.
Hopefully we can leverage the PLAN’s success with the e-cats and improve ours.
What is the majic number of carriers the CCP needs to make the U.S. and its allies fold on Taiwan? Answer, these carriers are hardly about securing Taiwan, their about applying asymmetric pressure to the U.S. and its allies when the Taiwan invasion begins.