China to build second, larger aircraft carrier, says report

Reuters ^ | April 24, 2013

[sukhoi-30mki]

China to build second, larger aircraft carrier, says report

China will build a second, larger aircraft carrier capable of carrying more fighter jets, the official Xinhua news service reported late Tuesday, quoting a senior officer with the People's Liberation Army (PLA ) Navy.

The report comes after Chinese officials denied foreign media reports in September 2012 that China was building a second carrier in Shanghai.

"China will have more than one aircraft carrier ... The next aircraft carrier we need will be larger and carry more fighters," Xinhua quoted Song Xue, deputy chief of staff of the PLA Navy, as saying at a ceremony with foreign military attaches.

Song said foreign media reports saying the carrier was being built in Shanghai were still inaccurate but did not elaborate, according to the report.

China currently has one aircraft carrier, the Liaoning, which was refitted from a Russian-made model. Considered by military experts to be decades behind U.S. carrier technology, it was originally intended to serve as a floating casino, but was turned to military use in the runup to a once-in-a-decade power transition in late 2012.

China is also building up other forms of military hardware, including a stealth fighter jet believed to be capable of landing on a carrier, drone aircraft and nuclear submarines.

China is alone among the original nuclear weapons states to be expanding its nuclear forces, according to a report by the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission.

[sukhoi-30mki]

[ex91B10]

Thank you for shopping at Walmart!

When the band plays "Hail to the Cheif", they're pointing the cannon at you.

[Little Pig]

A bigger one, huh? That should make it even easier for a BrahMos to hit it >:).

[Joe Brower]

Perhaps of interest.

[Kegger]

Thank you for shopping at Walmart!

I understand you sentiment, but I would more concerned about Chinese owned treasuries.

Just 2.7% of personal consumption expenditures go to Chinese-made goods and services. 88.5% of U.S. consumer spending is on American-made goods and services. Link

[mohresearcher]

I saw video last night on network news. This is another “jump carrier,” and I wonder how their jets can get airborne from such an arrangement. (British Harrier jets had vertical takeoff/land capability.)

[Smartisan]

Makes sense that the Chinese Navy (PLAN) would want to operate another carrier. This Varyag will be used as little more than a training vessel, and showing the flag in the South China Sea. Of course, I personally don’t expect them to stop at a second carrier either...

Very nice graphic too, always liked the look of the Varyag. Any ideas what the new Russian carriers will look like?