China's announced 2 days ago that the second carrier will have a ski-jump carrier like Chinas first carrier (Liaoning) and weigh in the 50,000 ton class (like Liaoning).
COMMENT
COMMENT
While China is quickly constructing at least 3 stationary aircraft/naval bases in the South China Sea (mainly on Fiery Cross, Subi and Mischief Reefs) China is constructing mobile aircraft carriers more gradually. China's carrier program is partly in response to a low level carrier arms race in the Asia-Pacific region.
While Liaoning is classed as a training and testing ship the second carrier will have a greater operational function.
While Liaoning is classed as a training and testing ship the second carrier will have a greater operational function.
The low level regional carrier arms race involves several countries. US Navy has superior, developed, 100,000 ton carriers that China cannot match for the short-medium term. But as the US Navy has world-wide responsibilities it can only spare 2 or 3 carriers for any crisis in China's northeast Asian region. It may be two decades before China has built up carrier forces to challenge the US's in the region,
China's involvement in the carrier arms race is more immediately to equal or match carrier forces of regional powers. These powers include:
- India with two carriers (INS Vikramaditya and under construction the first of the new Vikrant class)
- Japan, which has 2 carrier like Izumo class helicopter -"destroyers". With ski-jump modifications the Izumos or a future class may be able to accommodate short takeoff and vertical landing F-35Bs.
- Australia - significantly its 2 Canberra class landing helicopter docks have ski-jump bows that may facilitate F-35B operations. Clearly the ski-jumps were incorporated into the Canberra designs to give the option (with modifications) to handle any future Australian F-35B's or US F-35Bs or AV-8B Harriers.
China's involvement in the carrier arms race is more immediately to equal or match carrier forces of regional powers. These powers include:
- India with two carriers (INS Vikramaditya and under construction the first of the new Vikrant class)
- Japan, which has 2 carrier like Izumo class helicopter -"destroyers". With ski-jump modifications the Izumos or a future class may be able to accommodate short takeoff and vertical landing F-35Bs.
- Australia - significantly its 2 Canberra class landing helicopter docks have ski-jump bows that may facilitate F-35B operations. Clearly the ski-jumps were incorporated into the Canberra designs to give the option (with modifications) to handle any future Australian F-35B's or US F-35Bs or AV-8B Harriers.
ARTICLES
IHS Janes, September 26, 2015 acquired this photo of Dalian shipyard work above - with the comment:
"Until it becomes clear whether an angled flight deck is to be installed, it remains possible that the vessel could be either a carrier (CV) or an assault ship (LHA), as a large hangar and flight deck would be a feature of both."
Airbus Defence and Space acquired some imagery (see yellow rectangle satellite image at top) around September 22, 2015.
Based on the yellow rectangle image and other material IHS Janes, September 28, 2015 analysed/predicted:
"An unidentified hull in an advanced state of construction…China's first indigenous aircraft carrier.
While a conclusive identification of the hull as an aircraft carrier cannot be made until work is observed on the upper decks and potential flight deck, the slow pace of assembly and outline suggests a military hull under construction...
COMMENT
35m and 270m coincides closely with China's first aircraft carrier Liaoning's beam and length at the waterline (w/l). This suggest the second carrier may be the same class as Liaoning. Under the Rule of Thirds (third of the carrier force ready for operations) a third Chinese ski-jump carrier may be constructed around 2020.
It seems that Chinese Government could not or chose not to hide the second carrier under construction. As with the 3 stationary aircraft carriers in the South China Sea the West will just have to become accustomed to China's gradually rising naval strength.
More on China's second carrier in Part 2 (of 3) tomorrow...
Pete
COMMENT
35m and 270m coincides closely with China's first aircraft carrier Liaoning's beam and length at the waterline (w/l). This suggest the second carrier may be the same class as Liaoning. Under the Rule of Thirds (third of the carrier force ready for operations) a third Chinese ski-jump carrier may be constructed around 2020.
It seems that Chinese Government could not or chose not to hide the second carrier under construction. As with the 3 stationary aircraft carriers in the South China Sea the West will just have to become accustomed to China's gradually rising naval strength.
More on China's second carrier in Part 2 (of 3) tomorrow...
Pete