CV-18 Fujian - Type 003 Aircraft Carrier News & Discussions

[LKJ86]

 

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Via @舰船知识 from Weibo

 

[LKJ86]

China launches third aircraft carrier

China launches third aircraft carrier-

english.news.cn

China launches third aircraft carrier​

Source: Xinhua
Editor: huaxia
2022-06-17 13:25:45

SHANGHAI, June 17 (Xinhua) -- China launched its third aircraft carrier, the Fujian, in Shanghai on Friday. The carrier, named after Fujian Province, was completely designed and built by China.

The new carrier was put into the water at a launch ceremony that started at about 11 a.m.

Xu Qiliang, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and vice chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC), presented a naming certificate to the navy unit receiving the carrier.

Approved by the CMC, the Fujian was given the hull number 18.

It is China's first domestically-made carrier that uses catapults. With a full-load displacement of more than 80,000 tonnes, the carrier is equipped with electromagnetic catapults and arresting devices.

The new carrier will conduct mooring tests and sea trials as scheduled.

 

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[Deino]

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Great shot!

 

[Dungeness]

June 17 of 55 years ago:

 

[LKJ86]

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Great shot!

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[JSCh]

China launches EM catapults-equipped 3rd aircraft carrier in Shanghai​

By Global Times
Published: Jun 17, 2022 12:01 PM Updated: Jun 17, 2022 12:30 PM

Photo: Xinhua

In a short but festive ceremony, China on Friday launched the country's third aircraft carrier in the Jiangnan Shipyard, a Shanghai-based subsidiary of China State Shipbuilding Corporation Limited.

Having a displacement of more than 80,000 tons, the carrier, named Fujian, is equipped with electromagnetic catapults and arresting devices.

A launch and naming ceremony was held at about 11 am, when the naming certificate of the vessel was given to the top officer to receive delivery of the aircraft carrier.

Officials then cut the ribbon marking the launch of the third aircraft carrier, after which the vessel left the dock, concluding the ceremony.

According to the approval of the Central Military Commission, China's third aircraft carrier is named the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy Ship Fujian and given the hull number 18.

Graphic: GT

The Fujian is China's first fully domestically developed and constructed aircraft carrier with catapults. It has a flat, straight flight deck equipped with electromagnetic catapults and arresting devices, and has a full displacement of more than 80,000 tons.

Fujian is also the name of the eastern coastal province facing the island of Taiwan.

After the launch, the carrier will start mooring trials and sea trials.

Xu Qiliang, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission, attended the ceremony.

 

[LKJ86]

 

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Via @高山CG from Weibo

 

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[Dungeness]

Congratulation: In Shanghai, the Type 003 aircraft carrier was launched!

More hopefully soon.

(Image via @航空物语 from Weibo)

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The official Xinhua news only mentioned the subsequent "mooring trials" and "sea trials" following the launch, but omitted the usual "fitting out" phase. What's your take on this? Has the fitting-out already completed?

 

[LKJ86]

Via @开心包子铺分铺 from Weibo

Via @浩汉防务-菜兵 from Weibo

 

[FuturePAF]

Now that Type 003 Has been launched, let the speculation on Type 004 begin (per my post 2 pages back, construction of Type 004 will probably fully start in 4 years and be completed by 2030)

My guess is another Type 003 to be built starting in 2 years, based on what the analyst in the following video states is his assessment of the PLAN’s mission issuing the carriers. A more optimized Type 003 (similar to how type 002 was an optimized type 001) may even be re-designated the Type 004.

P.S. It is possible China may not build an equal number of carriers to the US but limit itself to 6-7 Type 003 class full carriers and build a similar number of Type 076 Medium carriers to limit the costs and impact the loss of a carrier would cause to PLAN operations.

Type 076 could also presumably be built in larger numbers and by multiple shipyards then the sole shipyard that has built the Type 003. It could be a strategy similar to the US with the Escort carriers of WW2; built for warfighting and to guard convoys. This would be a similar mission to supporting PLAN marines in a landing on Taiwan.

Escort carrier - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

If China builds or upgrades a second yard to make carriers, they could presumably be able to build these carriers in 4-6 years a piece with overlapping schedules, reaching the numbers above in only 15-20 years.

Also with enough carriers to cover the first island chain, China could afford to send its two older carriers (equipped with a mix of J-15 and J-35) to the Indian Ocean to protect their SLOCs; home ported out of Djibouti (which could be a boost for BRI, CPEC, and Pakistan as well as other Chinese friendly nations)