To create its first blue-water navy, China plans to construct a total of 10
domestic aircraft carriers according to the Kanwa Defense Review, a
Chinese-language military magazine operated by Andrei Chang also known as
Pinkov, a military analyst from Canada.
After Admiral Jonathan Greenert, the US chief of naval operations, visited
China's first aircraft carrier, the Liaoning, a refitted Soviet-era carrier
purchased from Ukraine, the blueprint of the nation's first domestic carrier is
nearly complete, according to Kanwa. Greenert said China is speeding up the
construction of its second aircraft carrier and even predicted the vessel will
enter service in the near future.
Richard Fisher, a military expert from US thinktank the International
Assessment and Strategy Center, said China may have between four and five
aircraft carriers in active service by 2030. This number may eventually increase
to 10 in the next few decades. Greenert said, however, that the gap between US
and Chinese aircraft carriers is still large. While a US carrier is capable of
launching and retrieving 100 aircraft simultaneously, a Chinese aircraft carrier
can only operate 10.
Before the PLA Navy is able to put its aircraft carriers into action, a great
deal of work has to be done, Greenert said, adding however that China has
achieved much in a very short period of time. Kanwa reported that China has
acquired blueprints for a Soviet-era nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, also from
Ukraine.
Quoting from the Singapore-based Straits Times, the article said that China's
first domestically built aircraft carrier will be able to carry 50 J-15B
carrier-based fighters and other aircraft such as the K-8 or the Z-8 early
warning helicopters. In the future, between 25 and 27 stealth fighters such as
the J-20 or the J-31 may serve aboard the Chinese aircraft carriers to replace
the J-15, the PLA's current carrier-based fighter.
The article said China has great ambitions to build a navy which is stronger
than the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force.
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