Chinas third aircraft carrier could launch this year but still needs the right jets
The CSIS estimated that the ship was 318 metres long, a few metres shorter than the United States’ retired Kitty Hawk-class aircraft carrier – comparable because, like the Type 003, it was conventionally powered, rather than nuclear-powered like the newer US carriers. The Type 003 had three catapult-assisted launch channels on its flight deck, compared with the Kitty Hawk-class ships’ four, the CSIS added.
Beijing-based naval expert Li Jie said the Type 003 would be equipped with the world’s most advanced electromagnetic catapults to launch the J-15 jets, which has flown on the country’s existing carriers, the Liaoning and the Shandong.
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“The J-15 will be used for several years, because Chinese aircraft engineers so far failed to deliver a next-generation carrier-based fighter jet,” Li said.
“China has upgraded and developed several variants of the J-15, including versions for steam catapults and electromagnetic catapults and others, because it’s predicted that the J-15 will fly on the platforms for quite a while.”
A military insider told the South China Morning Post that China was developing a new carrier-based fighter jet, the J-18, while denying rumours that the J-18 would be chosen from either the FC-31 Gyrfalcon stealth fighter jet developed by the Shenyang Aircraft Corporation or the J-20 stealth fighter from the Chengdu Aircraft Industrial Corporation.
“The People’s Liberation Army is not happy with the FC-31 and the J-20, because both are failing to meet technological and technical requirements to be the next-generation carrier-based catapult-launching aircraft,” said the insider, who requested anonymity.The Type 003’s size is close to that of the US Kitty Hawk class, but the Chinese carrier platform is able to carry about 60 aircraft, 20 fewer than the American ship, the insider said.
“This is China’s first real indigenous aircraft carrier, equipped with the world’s most advanced electromagnetic catapults from this century, but also last century’s older and heavier J-15 ship-borne fighter jet,” the insider said.
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First made-in-China aircraft carrier, the Shandong, enters service
First made-in-China aircraft carrier, the Shandong, enters service
“That is why the shipbuilder put only three catapult channels on the deck, because of the technology gaps between China and the US.”
The Kitty Hawk-class carriers were designed in the 1960s and all decommissioned in 2019.
The CSIS report said the island of the Type 003 – which is also the command centre for flight deck operations along with having radar and communication equipment – would be smaller than those of the Liaoning and the Shandong, which are Russian-designed with a ski-jump ramp. However, the Type 003’s aircraft lifts appeared bigger than those of the two operational carriers.
Li said the smaller island could save room on the deck to load more aircraft.
“It will take several years for sea trials when the Type 003 is launched later this year, and personnel training,” Li added.
China began building the third aircraft carrier in 2016, but – like its existing two – it will not be nuclear-powered. Development of a fourth carrier, designed to be nuclear-powered, is under way.
This article appeared in the South China Morning Post print edition as: Aircraft carrier takes shape
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