Is China building a carrier?

Jane's Defence ^ | 12 August 2005 | Andrew Koch

[Jeff Head]

Is China building a carrier?

By Yihong Chang JDW Correspondent &
Andrew Koch JDW Bureau Chief
Hong Kong & Washington, DC

Chinese shipyard workers have been repairing a badly damaged ex-Russian aircraft carrier and have repainted it with the country's military markings, raising the question once again of whether China is pursuing longer-term plans to field its first carrier.

In the latest developments, images show that workers at the Chinese Dalian Shipyard have repainted the ex-Russian Kuznetsov-class aircraft carrier Varyag with the markings and colour scheme of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy (PLAN). Additional new photographs show that other work, the specifics of which could not be determined, appears to be continuing and that the condition of the vessel is being improved.

JDW believes that PLAN technicians have also conducted thorough studies of the basic structure of the Varyag during the past few years to obtain a comprehensive understanding of the carrier's structural design. Former PLAN commander General Liu Huaqing stated in his memoirs that China had purchased blueprints for the carrier - a fact that Russian sources confirmed to JDW. Moreover, Gen Huaqing added: "The competent departments of the defence industry employed Russian aircraft carrier designers to come to China and give lectures."

Still, China's ultimate intentions for the Varyag remain unclear. One possibility is that Beijing intends to eventually have it enter into some level of service. A military strategist from a Chinese military university has commented publicly that the Varyag "would be China's first aircraft carrier".

Yaryag undergoing work through 2004 in the Dalian Shipyards


Varyag after movement to another shipyard in 2005

[Xenophon450]

http://www.cnn.com/WORLD/asiapcf/9905/28/china.military/ i dont think china will be a threat any time soon. But nukes do even the odds rather quickly i must say.

[Jeff Head]

Look at this site...especially the PLAN GROWTH page.

They are embarked on a massive militayr buildup, including naval. The defense department analysis of them sobered up heavily this year.

[opinionator]

I missed something here... How did it get damaged?

They placed it in the water.

[tanknetter]

Im still waiting for the USS Reagan to hit my hobby store. Hear its gonna cost $250. Worth it.

Let me take a guess, it's the Trumpeter kit in 1/350 scale, correct? It might interest you to know that Trumpeter is a Chinese "company".

One thing to generally keep in mind about the ChiComs' carrier ambitions is that while they can probably reverse-engineer technology and build a respectable clone of Varyag (possibly with steam catapult designs either lifted from the hulk of the HMAS Melbourne or bought from the French) within the next 10 years or so, it's going to take them decades to figure out how to conduct carrier ops effectively. The Russians have pretty much proven themselves to be utterly clueless with Kuznetsov (at least if that "power-projection" Med cruise she did a few years ago is any indication).

Finally, I want a shot at the "Golden Citizen" award as well ... here's the complete list of US CVNs, in chronological order with their hull numbers:

Kitty Hawk (CV-63, Kitty Hawk Class)
Enterprise (CVN-65, Enterprise Class)
John F. Kennedy (CV-67, JFK Class/Improved Kitty Hawk)
Nimitz (CVN-68, Nimitz Class)
Eisenhower (CVN-69, Nimitz Class, just back from RCOH)
Vinson (CVN-70, Nimitz Class, going into RCOH)
Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71, Roosevelt/Improved Nimitz Class)
Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72, Roosevelt/Improved Nimitz Class)
George Washington (CVN-73, Roosevelt/Improved Nimitz Class)
John Stennis (CVN-74, Stennis/Improved Nimitz Class)
Truman (CVN-75, Stennis/Improved Nimitz Class)
Reagan (CVN-76, Reagan/Improved Nimitz Class)


George HW Bush (to be CVN-77, Bush/Improved Nimitz Class)

(the Nimitz class is technically five different sub-classes, given the substantial design modifications made over the classes 30+ year production run. The later ships gross out at over 100,000 tonnes displacement, some 10,000 tonnes greater than the initial members of the "class". This is similar to how America was, and Kennedy is, "cousins" of the Kitty Hawk class).

[Jeff Head]

Advanced construction and steel cutting on CVN-78 started this last week...here's the link.

HERE

Pretty exciting stuff. It would make a good thread of its own.

[MississippiMan]

An aircraft carrier is old war thinking. With modern ASW capabilities widely available, the submarine isn't very much more advanced.

I'm no naval warfare expert by a long stretch, but I'll still have disagree rather vehemently with both statements. A carrier still projects power unlike anything else on the planet, and quiet subs are still lethal machines that can slip up on our coastlines and do a nasty batch of damage.

MM

[Xenophon450]

intresting site, and i have heard that the chinese might try to invade taiwan before the 2008 olympic games in Beijing, about around 2006 so they have time to revamp their image. Although i doubt they can do it. I think their buildup might take a couple decades though.

[tanknetter]

Advanced construction and steel cutting on CVN-78 started this last week...here's the link.

Thanks, I thought they were still working out some fundamental design issues and weren't anywhere near cutting steel yet.

Question is, will the Navy designate her CVN-78, or make the same designation mistake-of-convienience they did with the Seawolf class?

[mercy]

NS!? I did not know that.

Maybe we should sell them a couple. Help with the trade imbalence.

[Jeff Head]

I would not think it would happen before 2008-2009. But you never know.

[Stonewall Jackson]

In a worst-case scenario, which would place several million hostile troops on our southern border, I would have to agree that the nuclear option will be a hot topic of debate.

[Jeff Head]

I was surprised as well...thinking it would be later. But there it is...and it's a monumnetal move. Lots of electric power going to be available on that ship. Electromagnetic cats, potential for new energy weapons even. Lots of modernization, new deck layout. Here's a current conceptual drawing:

[OnRightOnLeftCoast]

I acquired this photo at great risk.

No wonder, since you got it from the DNC's Office of the Naval Attache. I posted pic in the runup to the Prez elections.

If Kerry would have won the election he had this on the drawing boards in an effort to cut back our fleet.

The proto-type is the USS sKerry, a poodle-class carrier.

Looks like he sold the plans to China to pay off is election run debt.

[samadams2000]

Golden Citizen #3 Award.

You all have proven that you could ..if given the nod .become .....

The next Joseph Reed......The most coveted position a patriot can hold.

[tanknetter]

Here's a current conceptual drawing:

Gawd, I hope that picture is only a partial/preliminary concept. Looks like the carrier goes from four elevators to three, and with the future airwing having a good number of UCAVs I bet guys will be pretty nervous manning an island that far aft during flightops ...

[Meldrim]

Yes Mr. Head, but will the Chinese follow our lead on the crew with mixed sex, and plenty of it. Will they surpass our lead in illegitimate births per sailorette and the associated costs?

[Meldrim]

I suppose all of these are "gender integrated" now. Any figures on which has produced the highest number of conceptions?

[Alamo-Girl]

Thanks for the ping!

[connectthedots]

there is an old expression. When you ow the bank a little bit of money, the bank owns you. owe the bank a huge anount of money, and you own the bank.

China does something stupid, and they will die a very fast economic death. Their supply of oil would dry up overnight and maybe in advance of any expected hostilities. You think for a second that oil shippers would dare refuse a United States embargo under threat of force? No way.

[Atchafalaya]

LOL, the launch has gotta be a breathtaker...then your eyes catch up.