China says aircraft carrier possible by 2010: paper

Reuters ^ | 03/07/07

[TigerLikesRooster]

China says aircraft carrier possible by 2010: paper

Wed Mar 7, 1:00 AM ET

China could build its first aircraft carrier by 2010 if current research and development proceeds smoothly, a Hong Kong newspaper quoted a Chinese general as saying on Wednesday.

The Beijing-funded Wen Wei Po newspaper identified the source as a "zhong jiang," meaning lieutenant general or vice admiral, depending on the service, and a member of the military delegation at a parliament session in Beijing. It did not give further details.

Experts say China's military has been researching carriers for years as a way to protect its interests offshore, but there has been no formal admission of a program to build one.

Earlier this week, China announced a 17.8 percent rise in its official defense budget for 2007, to 350.92 billion yuan ($45.32 billion), continuing a trend of double-digit growth. Foreign experts say the real amount may be three or more times that.

China has been modernizing its military with an emphasis on naval and air power to strengthen its hand with regard to Taiwan and too also better protect its economic interests such as shipping lanes in the South China Sea.

Beijing says its military is only for defense, but the rapid upgrade of its capabilities in recent years has worried some in the region.

Ties between China and Taiwan have become increasingly strained recently as Taiwan President Chen Shui-bian raised Beijing's ire with pro-independence comments.

On Monday, Taiwan's defense ministry said Beijing's increasing defense spending threatened regional peace and upset the military balance in favor of China.

Last month, a Japanese legislator warned that Japan could become a Chinese province "if something goes wrong in Taiwan in the next 15 years."

The military buildup has been a source of friction with the United States, which is obliged under the Taiwan Relations Act to help Taiwan defend itself.

China's President Hu Jintao in December urged the building of a powerful Chinese navy that was prepared "at any time" for military struggle.

($1=7.743 yuan)

[Oztrich Boy]

This appears to be a recycling ot an old report/rumour

Strategy Page February 13, 2004 Project 9935

Slightly more detail from more reliable source PLAN Project 9935 [Aircraft Carrier]File Format: PDF

It even discussed of FR back then China Reportedly Building 3 Aircraft Carriers (Don't bother - just tough guy talk from the usual jingoistic racist Freepers)

[Jeff Head]

Except in the original report, in 1999, the PLAN had not acquired the Varyag and now spent the last three years refitting her, including months in a very expensive dry dock where she emerged painted in official PLAN colors...and which more recently saw a zinc chromate primer applied to the entire deck (which is a primer for a non-skid surface to keep airplanes on board at sea) follwed by what appears to be the application of that non-skid surface to her main deck.

In addition, late last year both the PRC and Russia announced a plan in principle for the PLAN to acquire up to 50 SU-33 fighters, the same fighters the Russians use on the Kuznetsov, which is the sister ship to the Varyag of which I speak.

So, when you add all of that together, it is very likely that by 2010 the Varyag will indeed by operational and training with the PLAN to develop carrier operational tactics.

See:

Transforming the Varyag into an Operational PLAN Aircraft Carrier

[Oztrich Boy]

So, when you add all of that together, it is very likely that by 2010 the Varyag will indeed by operational and training with the PLAN to develop carrier operational tactics.

True, but it's clear that the original article was not taliking about the Varyag , but a locally built modification of the Gorschkov design.

[Jeff Head]

Exactly...and the Russians have been shopping that type of thing around. The Indians are actually having the Russians refit the Admrial Gorschkov itself to a ski-jump carrier for them to be completed in the 2010 time frame as well.

But I believe it is clear at this point, short of the Chinese hiding a massive carrier construction project someplace (very doubrtful), that the 1st Chinese carrier will be the Varyag.

My guess is that it will be 2014 or later before the 1st indigenous Chinese carrier comes out...and then we may see two built at once. The PLAN has been doing a lot of that in the last few years, building two at a time for a new class.

[Rockpile]

Jeff, it seems to me that the Chinese Navy could speed up the learning curve for Varyag deployment by working a deal with Moscow. They could send Chinese swabbies and air wingers to help man the Kuznetsov and learn operational techniques by doing the real thing instead of simulating them. After all, since they are using a Russian ship and since they are using Russian aircraft then why not train with the Russians?

It's not like they can't afford it-----$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

[Jeff Head]

I would not be surprised to find out that that either is happening, or has already been happening. The Chinese will aslo probably cut some kind of deal for SU-33 training when the time comes.

The Russians will be careful not to give away anything of their own too sensitive...but the chinese will have the sister ship and the same aircraft, and they are already license building SU-27s, so I expect some significant training deal will be in the works.