An Update on the PLAN's CV17 Shandong

There is a bit of an update on China's 2nd carrier, the CV17 Shandong. The ship is coming together nicely and apparently will start sea trials soon. The China Defense Blog posted some beautiful pictures of the latest progress. It does look like the Chinese shipyard is installing the radar systems on the carrier's island.

Much to my amusement, the sole comment on the blog is by a Russian claiming the pictures are of the nuclear powered "Ulyanovsk"...a ship never completed and broken up decades ago. And the commenter is rather wrong. The Shandong is a modified Varyag rather than Ulyanovsk and definitely NOT nuclear powered.

china-defense.blogspot.com...

For that matter, I do not believe the carrier with EMALS cats (the third carrier) will be nuclear powered either.

However, the Chinese are interested in thorium based reactors for its warships:

www.scmp.com...

Chillingly, they are considering nuclear powered drones. It was a bad idea when we considered nuclear powered aircraft in the 50s. its a bad idea now. IMO.

a reply to: anzha

www.ecns.cn...

Sea trials are slated to start next month.

It was a bad idea when we considered nuclear powered aircraft in the 50s. its a bad idea now. IMO.

In the 50,s everything was Atomic..