China has started 3rd aircraft carrier construction (semi officially leaked)

China started building its third aircraft carrier, with a hi-tech launch system, at a Shanghai shipyard last year, according to sources close to the People’s Liberation Army.

One of the sources said Shanghai Jiangnan Shipyard Group was given the go-ahead to begin work on the vessel after military leaders met in Beijing following the annual sessions of China’s legislature and top political advisory body in March.

“But the shipyard is still working on the carrier’s hull, which is expected to take about two years,” the source said. “Building the new carrier will be more complicated and challenging than the other two ships.”

www.scmp.com...

There are some reported differences from the Shandong and Liaoning. Amongst them are the claim that it will have a Queen Elizabeth style dual island and will have an EMALS. I would expect a greater displacement and larger airwing compliment.

Hull construction might take two years, but it will probably take at least that much more. This class, whatever its name ends up, is definitely more sophisticated than the Liaoning and Shandong. It might have some teething problems like the Ford has, but the Chinese have been pretty forward thinking with their carrier program: hull sections in the Shandong had what appears to be cutouts for the EMALS even though it was not included in the Shandong.

a reply to: anzha

No doubt China will build aircraft carriers fast, but like everything else coming out of China that is built fast, it will face quality issues.

a reply to: Vector99

Oh, IDK. Most of the electronics you use are made in China. They make good. They make bad. It all depends on who is paying and how much. Assuming we will always be top dog and going full MURRICA is a guarantee we will lose our place.

After all, an admiral just stated we needed to consider ourselves one of several contenders now in war rather than the top dog.

25 years of bad policy has placed us in a very bad position in some ways.

a reply to: anzha

Most Chinese manufactured electronics last a year or 2 tops before having to replace it. It's just so cheap to replace it you don't notice it. It's because they use sub-par materials in manufacturing.

Iwasn't going full 'murica either, I was simply stating how Chinese quality (or rather lack of) and hastiness will result them with carriers facing constant issues.

I think that this is something new that is coming out. China for the past few years has been working on upgrading its military, and military equipment. And these new developments should make us stop and pause for a moment. It is as if the nation of China is in an arms race.

First were the new missiles it has developed, the carrier killers. It has spent money, bought old out of service carriers and then it aquired the first one and then the second one it improved on the specs of the first one. Now it is working on building its own, instead of revamping an old ship or updating another one.

This is a trend that really is no laughing matter, and if the new carrier is large enough to carry twice the air craft compliment, along with the weapons. This combined with each having its own battle group, changes the dynamic and balance of power in the Pacific.

Now a carrier is only as dangerous as the planes it is able to launch and get into the air, once all flights are launched, the ship is really without much defenses, save for a few antiaircraft weapons. Now if the rumors are true about it having twice the compliment of aircraft, makes it a far more dangerous ship, as it can now have not only some aircraft out attacking and doing damage, but enough held back to protect the ship from any attacks coming from the air, along with those on the water, and having a greater range and visibility.

originally posted by: Vector99
Most Chinese manufactured electronics last a year or 2 tops before having to replace it. It's just so cheap to replace it you don't notice it. It's because they use sub-par materials in manufacturing.

Iwasn't going full 'murica either, I was simply stating how Chinese quality (or rather lack of) and hastiness will result them with carriers facing constant issues.

False comparison.

China makes what the client pays for, no more, no less.

a reply to: Vector99

There's a huge difference between what anyone makes for selling to the public, and what they make for military use. When you're selling to the public, you can get away with making things that die in a few years. People expect it, and the tech changes so fast they don't bitch much.

Build something for the military that's crap quality and doesn't last long, and you're risking potentially billions in sales by getting frozen out of future contracts. And that's if the government of somewhere like China doesn't throw you in jail and seize your company, or worse.

a reply to: Zaphod58

I acknowledge the difference, but lets be realistic, China is rushing their carrier production. Knowing Chinese standards and expectations and lack of regulation, there WILL be a mishap somewhere when you rush such a sensitive project.

a reply to: Vector99

Of course there's a chance of it happening. There's that chance no matter who builds it, but honestly, their first carrier was a fairly simple design. One of the most complex parts of this one is the catapult and arresting gear system. The hull itself isn't that hard to build when you're talking a conventional hull of this size.

originally posted by: anzha
a reply to: Vector99

After all, an admiral just stated we needed to consider ourselves one of several contenders now in war rather than the top dog.

25 years of bad policy has placed us in a very bad position in some ways.

The high ops tempo of the last few decades has for sure taken its toll, but we were maintaining the force pretty well even at that frantic pace until the budget cuts happened. That's why it's vitally important to restore our spending levels. The common defense is one of the few things the federal government is actually responsible for, we shouldn't be shorting the money we need to do so.

originally posted by: sdcigarpig

Now a carrier is only as dangerous as the planes it is able to launch and get into the air, once all flights are launched, the ship is really without much defenses, save for a few antiaircraft weapons. Now if the rumors are true about it having twice the compliment of aircraft, makes it a far more dangerous ship, as it can now have not only some aircraft out attacking and doing damage, but enough held back to protect the ship from any attacks coming from the air, along with those on the water, and having a greater range and visibility.

Don't forget about the support vessels. There's a reason why carriers travel in battle groups.

a reply to: anzha

So , what I take from this is that China is Looking for an Ass Whoopin' from a Revitalized United States Under a Determined President who wants to Make His Great Nation Great Again ? Good Luck with that COMMIES . Did You Not Learn Anything from the Collapse of the Soviet Union , and the Reasons Behind it ? The Political " Ant Mentality " and your Lame Attempt at Capitalists Warfare is Doomed to Failure ...........

originally posted by: Zanti Misfit
a reply to: anzha

So , what I take from this is that China is Looking for an Ass Whoopin' from a Revitalized United States Under a Determined President who wants to Make His Great Nation Great Again ? Good Luck with that COMMIES . Did You Not Learn Anything from the Collapse of the Soviet Union , and the Reasons Behind it ? The Political " Ant Mentality " is Doomed to Failure ...........

I don't think China wants a war. They're building up as an insurance policy, but why would you want a war with your top trading partner? This is one reason why I think we can go ahead and pull the trigger on North Korea. China will go very far to avoid war with the US. They wouldn't do it over North Korea.

a reply to: Vector99
No they aren't rushing at all. China has been buying up old carriers from different sources for nearly 30 years and carefully studying and pulling them apart (ex HMAS Melbourne comes to mind). They are moving at the speed they are because they have the money and industrial capacity now to do it at this pace. This is no different an analogy than the speed the US was able to apply to carrier design and production during the 1940's. Yes they will make mistakes along the way, everybody does and China's leadership knows it. But the end goals will outweigh the risks.

originally posted by: face23785

originally posted by: Zanti Misfit
a reply to: anzha

So , what I take from this is that China is Looking for an Ass Whoopin' from a Revitalized United States Under a Determined President who wants to Make His Great Nation Great Again ? Good Luck with that COMMIES . Did You Not Learn Anything from the Collapse of the Soviet Union , and the Reasons Behind it ? The Political " Ant Mentality " is Doomed to Failure ...........

I don't think China wants a war. They're building up as an insurance policy, but why would you want a war with your top trading partner? This is one reason why I think we can go ahead and pull the trigger on North Korea. China will go very far to avoid war with the US. They wouldn't do it over North Korea.

Communism MUST Die a Slow Death it Seems on Good Old Planet Earth . The Chinese Government and Political System are Dinosaurs , and We All Know what Happened to them .........

a reply to: face23785

They're not talking about the status of just our forces. Russia and China have completely rewritten how they fight based on what they've learned from watching our operations over Syria and Iraq the last few years. And that's discounting the electronic data they've gotten from SIGINT/ELINT operations.

Add in the AF doing nothing about the loss of a dedicated EW platform over 25 years ago, and you see a paradigm shift of huge proportions. We're no longer leading the way in terms of military capabilities, and not just because we've worn out our equipment.

As for escorts, China already has some seriously capable air defense ships and escorts available, already built.

a reply to: Zanti Misfit

China is looking to be the big kid on the block in Asia, and to transition to a true world power. Right now, they're a regional power at best. Having a carrier force will let them project power for a change.

originally posted by: Zanti Misfit
a reply to: anzha

So , what I take from this is that China is Looking for an Ass Whoopin' from a Revitalized United States Under a Determined President who wants to Make His Great Nation Great Again ? Good Luck with that COMMIES . Did You Not Learn Anything from the Collapse of the Soviet Union , and the Reasons Behind it ? The Political " Ant Mentality " and your Lame Attempt at Capitalists Warfare is Doomed to Failure ...........

Hell yeah, lets roll.

a reply to: Zaphod58

I wonder if the smaller asiatic nations would band together, ala US, EU, S.Union. That would create states and a powerful force to reckon. South Korea, Tiawan and Japan could be that center.

Just wishful thinking is all.

a reply to: Arnie123

They had a NATO style alliance for awhile, but getting most of those nations to work together, with their history is worse than trying to herd ferrets on a sugar high.

a reply to: thebozeian

".....But the end goals will outweigh the risks."


Their " End Goals " Being ? " Tech " Rules this Planet for the Moment , with the U.S. on the Cutting Edge and seemingly Unlimited Potential , the Chinese are Well Aware of this . Reasoning a Possible Head to Head Military Confrontation with the United States is a No Win Situation if they Decide to try that Route Even with Allies , so what Other Option does a Communist Nation have in Order to Put Forth their Self Survival Plans for a Undetermined Future ?