The development of aircraft carriers in the Chinese Navy has advanced by leaps and bounds in just over a decade, not only realizing the leap from scratch, but also showing a grand blueprint for moving towards the era of three aircraft carriers. Officials have even stated that the next three aircraft carriers may still not meet the demand, showing the ambition to increase the number of aircraft carriers. China is already preparing an impressive new program for a 100,000-ton nuclear-powered aircraft carrier.
The forerunner of this project, the aircraft carrier No. 20, has gradually surfaced under the construction of the Dalian shipyard, along with the powerful combination of J-35 carrier-based aircraft and nuclear power. The construction of the Dalian shipyard has not only attracted the attention of many military fans, but its treatment of the details of the model – such as the reduction of the ship island and the elimination of the chimney – is considered direct evidence of the use of nuclear power.
The leaked images on the network have further ignited public speculation about the shipside 20 aircraft carrier. Although the details of the Dalian shipyard's previous announcement on the tender for the nuclear power system were kept strictly confidential, the information revealed was enough to convince people that the idea of China's nuclear-powered aircraft carrier was not groundless. The analysis of the ship number shows that after the Shandong ship, China may continue to invest in the 004 and 005 aircraft carriers, which shows that China's aircraft carrier construction experience is very rich, and there has been a qualitative leap from the design and selection of materials to the coordination of the upstream and downstream supply chains.
Based on the technical foundation of the Shandong ship and the further upgrading of the Fujian ship, China's conventionally powered aircraft carrier construction level has reached a certain height. Now, the 004 aircraft carrier with the board number 19 may be an advanced version of the Fujian, while the much-discussed nuclear-powered aircraft carrier - the board number 20 - is undoubtedly the 005 aircraft carrier.
The rapid progress of the Chinese Navy and the expansion of its fleet have attracted the attention of the world. The rapid mass production of aircraft carriers, the "ceiling" of naval equipment, demonstrates a huge leap in China's shipbuilding capabilities, which is even hailed as 200 times faster than the United States.
The lead ship of the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier will be equipped with the latest fifth-generation stealth fighter J-35, as well as a number of the latest weapons, forming a preliminary combat lineup. In terms of design, the aircraft carrier will adopt a three-tier island layout, and more refined radar configuration and enhanced friend or foe identification capabilities will improve the detection and tracking capabilities of the aircraft carrier.
China's aircraft carrier design focuses on practicality and innovation while maintaining domestic characteristics. It is expected that the new aircraft carrier will have a significant improvement in stealth capability and combat strength. The addition of the J-35 carrier-based aircraft, as well as the equipment of at least four electromagnetic catapult tracks, will provide a guarantee for the rapid response capability of the aircraft carrier.
Compared to the electromagnetic ejection system of the American Ford-class aircraft carrier, the Chinese system seems to be more optimized and reliable. The use of nuclear power will greatly increase the endurance of aircraft carriers without being restricted by bad weather and supply ports, while providing greater freedom for the Chinese Navy at the tactical and strategic levels.
Today, with the rapid progress of aircraft carrier technology, the rapid development and expansion of China's navy have brought new changes to the maritime security pattern in the region and even the world. While there are still many challenges to overcome, such as the training and maintenance of carrier-based aircraft, personnel training, and cross-border fleet command and coordination, China seems ready to take on the challenge.