Chinese Aircraft Carrirers Rev1
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Liaoning v Type 001A With the launch of China’s new aircraft carrier Type 001A, China has become the seventh country with the capability to build its own aircraft carriers after the US, Russia, Britain, France, Italy and Spain. Reports have said it would be named “Shandong” after the eastern Chinese province where it would be based. LIAONING TYPE 001A China launched the Liaoning in 2011, after buying About The carrier would undergo more testing and tting of and equipping its rusting Soviet-era hull from the vessel equipment before trials in the water. It is expected to join Ukraine in 1998. the navy’s South Sea Fleet when fully operational by 2020. 304m long, 70m wide Size 315m long, 75m wide 50,000 tonnes Displacement 70,000 tonnes 29 knots Speed 31 knots 24 Shenyang Carrier-based 32 to 36 J-15 ghter jets J-15 ghter jets aircraft and a number of other planes HOW CHINA’S AIRCRAFT CARRIERS STACK UP AGAINST CARRIERS FROM OTHER MILITARY POWERS CHINA UNITED STATES BRITAIN INDIA • Aircraft carriers: One in • Aircraft carriers: 10 in service, • Aircraft carriers: Two under • Aircraft carriers: One in service. A second aircraft carrier two under construction. construction operation, two under launched yesterday is expected • Not only does the US have the • Britain currently has no construction. to be fully operational by 2020. largest military in the world, but operational aircraft carriers, but is • India formally launched the • The Liaoning has been its navy also has over 75 years’ constructing two 67,000-tonne refurbished 44,570-tonne carrier conducting take-off and landing worth of carrier aviation Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft INS Vikramaditya in 2013, a drills in the South China Sea this experience. The US has more carriers, the largest the nation Russian-built vessel. year. The formation comprised than 200,000 marines. has ever built. • India is also building the three guided missile destroyers, • A US “carrier strike group” – the • The rst, 280m-long HMS Queen 40,000-tonne carrier INS Vikrant, three frigates, one supply ship, largest operational unit in the US Elizabeth, was launched in 2014. which is expected to be plus J-15 ghter jets and several Navy – is usually made up of an It is expected to be ready for completed in 2023 and is the rst ship-borne helicopters, according aircraft carrier, 7,500 personnel, a operational use in 2021. The carrier to be completely built in to Japan’s Kyodo news agency, guided-missile cruiser for second carrier, HMS Prince of India. It will have the capacity to citing the nation’s defence long-range strike capability, a Wales, is about two years behind carry 30 aircraft, including ministry. otilla of six to eight destroyers it in construction. helicopters, The Times of India • Military experts say China plans or frigates used for protecting • The carriers are designed to has reported. to have a total of six aircraft against air attack, an attack carry up to 36 F35B stealth • India is also constructing the carriers in 20 years’ time. Work on submarine for destroying enemy ghters, four Merlin helicopters 65,000-tonne carrier INS Vishal, its third carrier, which reportedly submarines and ships, an and can also hold Chinooks and which will be powered by a has a displacement of 85,000 ammunition and supply ship, plus Apache gunships. Each carrier’s nuclear reactor, according to the tonnes, has begun in Shanghai. 65 to 70 aircraft. strike group will also comprise current affairs magazine The • The Chinese navy has • The US Navy’s current stealth ghters, an air wing, Diploma. It will be able to carry 55 announced plans to increase the Nimitz-class aircraft carriers destroyers, frigates and probably aircraft, including 35 xed-wing size of its marine corps from weigh 100,000 tons and use a submarine. combat aircraft and 20 about 20,000 to 100,000. nuclear power, which allows them rotary-wing aircraft. to stay at sea longer without maintenance. Sources: GLOBAL TIMES, SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST, NEW YORK TIMES PHOTOS: XINHUA, REUTERS STRAITS TIMES GRAPHICS.