http://www.hani.co.kr/arti/english_edition/e_international/199284.html
China to build 93,000-ton atomic-powered aircraft carrier: source
Vessel to be on par with latest U.S. carrier, according to data
China has been pushing ahead with construction of a mega-sized nuclear-powered aircraft carrier to be completed in 2020, according to a Chinese Communist Party’s dossier.
A source close to Chinese military affairs said on March 27 that China has been promoting the construction of a 93,000-ton atomic-powered carrier under a plan titled the “085 Project.” The nation also has a plan to build a 48,000-ton non-nuclear-powered carrier under the so-called “089 Project,” added the source.
The source made such remarks based on government a dossier that reveals that China’s Central Military Commision recently approved the two projects. The dossier also contained specifications of the aircraft carriers.
China had so far been known to be pushing ahead with construction of a non-nuclear-powered carrier, but not an atomic-powered one.
Once the proposed Chinese carriers are deployed, the radius of the Chinese Navy’s range is expected to reach Guam, where a U.S. base is located. Thus, military experts are worried about China’s moves prompting an arms race in Northeast Asia.
The dossier said the construction of the nuclear-powered carrier will be completed in 2020. China State Shipbuiling Corp’s Jiangnan shipyard located on Changxing Island near Shanghai, will be responsible for its design and construction. The size is similar to former Soviet’s unfinished atomic-powered carrier Ulyanovsk, the dossier states. China reportedly secretly purchased the design of Ulyanovsk from Russia. When the nuclear-powered carrier is finished, China will own an aircraft carrier which is on par with the U.S.’s newest of such vessels, the 97,000-ton atomic-powered USS Ronald Reagan, which recently docked at Busan Port to participate in a joint exercise between the South Korean and U.S. militaries.
According to the dossier, China plans to construct a non-atomic-powered carrier as a transition stage to building the larger nuclear-powered one. The non-atomic-powered carrier, due to be completed in 2010, will be a mid-sized carrier with a standard displacement of 48,000 tons and a full-load displacement of 64,000 tons and will be able to carry 30-40 Chinese-built J-10 fighters, which China fielded in December last year. The Chinese authorities are reportedly overhauling J-10 fighters to be loaded onto the new aircraft carriers. Until the work is complete, the new carriers are going to handle 10-20 Russian-made Su-33 fighters.
The non-nuclear-powered carrier is reported to be a revised version of Ukraine’s Varyag, which China purchased in 1998. A shipyard in Dalian is in charge of its design and construction. After the new carrier is completed, Varyag will be used for military training only.
Remarks made by Zhang Yunchuan, Minister of the Commission on Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense, to reporters after the National People’s Congress (NPC) on March 16 – “The construction of an aircraft carrier with China-developed technology will be completed by 2010” – support the dossier’s information as reported by the source.
A general-ranked official at South Korea’s Ministry of National Defense said, “China’s plan to push ahead with construction of atomic-powered aircraft carrier has not been widely known. However, it is sufficiently to predict that the nation will ultimately pursue the ownership of such a vessel.”
By: Arabella-Cox - 8th May 2007 at 07:16
It would take decades for China to design and build such large and complex ships…………………That said, I have no doubt it will happen………..in 20 years. Maybe longer………….:eek:
By: Hyperwarp - 11th April 2007 at 08:22
Wasn’t this article officially rebuked??
By: crobato - 11th April 2007 at 07:57
I personally think it would be a silly thing to do, the regional players would go nuts.
They blew a sat in space and the regional players did go nuts too. But they did it anyway.
I do agree that the report is a major pile of BS. The only thing that is likely is that the Varyag may get up and running, but it may only function as a both a training carrier, and as an exploration into the field. Experience gathering is the most likely motivator for this rather than power projection. If you want power projection, just wave your swads of dollars.
By: stingray1003 - 11th April 2007 at 04:56
I don’t think it will happen that quickly.
I could belive china building a diesel carrier by 2020 tho of around 40,000 tons.
I personally think it would be a silly thing to do, the regional players would go nuts.
Japan and possibly south Korea would instantly take measures against it and given the general arming of the region Australia as well. Korea could make several carriers as could Japan. Australia already looking at fixed wing capable LHD’s, if it can find the money look at buying a CVF as a third carrier operating its Superhornets, F-35’s etc.
Both Australia and Japan have submarine programs that should result with hulls in water by 2020.
The chinese would want to start building a large number of escorts for it, because if it was ever used agressively, there would be two dozen submarines out looking for it, and maybe 50 destroyers, countless aircraft etc.
By: Kaduna2003 - 5th April 2007 at 18:46
The report is BS.
BS or not, its only a matter of time till china gets the carriers out in the oceans. The chinese are pretty smart in the way they do things and the likelyhood of a mid-sized carrier is higher then that of a bull blown ship in the near term.
They dont need a heavy weight right now if they are not going to project power a long way from home. Especially when there are a lot better and cheaper options available to apply pressure when ever needed. The chinese big ships will come, one way or the other, and 2020 sounds like the right time for it.
By: Phelgan - 5th April 2007 at 15:35
Would be funny if it sparked Japan to buy a few CVN-21s from us or say, the design for the Nimitaz class since it’s almost complete anyway. Or maybe Japan and SK purchases a few CVs from Britain/France. Either way it will be decades away at best.
Funny – no. Ironic might be a better word, just think how uptight the rest of SE Asia would get if Japan built/purchased an CV of any type:eek:
By: Blueshark - 4th April 2007 at 16:40
The report is BS.
By: sferrin - 4th April 2007 at 03:32
Its a newspaper report in a South Korean paper. I’ll believe it when I see it. This report has been around on other boards for about week now and the amount of scepticism is only outweighed by the fanboys prostrating themselves in worship.
Daniel
Would be funny if it sparked Japan to buy a few CVN-21s from us or say, the design for the Nimitaz class since it’s almost complete anyway. Or maybe Japan and SK purchases a few CVs from Britain/France. Either way it will be decades away at best.
By: danrh - 4th April 2007 at 03:23
Its a newspaper report in a South Korean paper. I’ll believe it when I see it. This report has been around on other boards for about week now and the amount of scepticism is only outweighed by the fanboys prostrating themselves in worship.
Daniel
By: Ja Worsley - 4th April 2007 at 02:55
And everyone said I was crazy, hmmmmm
By: Arabella-Cox - 1st April 2007 at 00:37
If, China indeed decided to build a large CTOL Carrier. Will Japan and South Korea follow…………..:rolleyes:
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March 29, 2007 at 12:24 pm