BEIJING (Reuters) - China is developing technologies to build a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, state media reported on Wednesday, as Beijing pushes forward with an ambitious military modernization program.
Chinese President Xi Jinping pledged in October last year to turn China’s military into a world-class fighting force by 2050, and has made new technology development a key policy plank, investing in stealth fighters, aircraft carriers and missiles.
State-owned China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation (CSIC), the country’s largest naval vessel manufacturer, revealed on Tuesday the ambition in a list of technical developments the company hopes to achieve as part of weaponry upgrades for the Chinese navy by 2025, according to the state-backed Global Times.
The announcement by CSIC appears to have been subsequently edited on the company’s website to remove the mention of nuclear-powered vessels, but it remains widely available on the Chinese internet.
“We must...speed up key breakthroughs such as the realization of nuclear-powered aircraft carriers, new-style nuclear submarines, quiet submarines, and unmanned intelligent underwater defense systems,” the original document said, according to the Global Times.
CSIC declined to immediately comment on the Global Times report.
CSIC built China’s first home-built aircraft carrier, which was launched in April last year and is expected to enter service in 2020, once it has been fitted out and armed.
The vessel was designed based on China’s first carrier, the Liaoning, which was bought second-hand from Ukraine in 1998 and refitted for China.
CSIC has also said that it is working on a third carrier that will be designed, constructed and equipped entirely using the company’s own technology.
Little is known about China’s aircraft carrier program, which is a state secret.
Chinese state media has quoted experts as saying that the country needs at least six carriers, an endeavor expected to take decades. The United States operates 10 and plans to build two more.
China’s navy has been taking an increasingly prominent role over the last year, with its first aircraft carrier sailing around self-ruled Taiwan and new Chinese warships popping up in far-flung places.
Reporting by Christian Shepherd; Editing by Jacqueline Wong
Original post: reuters.com
CVAN 003 aircraft carrier
US media reported that China has developed the 003 nuclear powered aircraft carrier. China's new aircraft carrier hinted at the future of the country's navy, according to a report published on the website of the Popular Science magazine published in the United States on 12 January 2017. China will develop fourth aircraft carriers, that is, the type of nuclear powered aircraft carrier, by the year of 2030. The 003 aircraft carrier displacement would be about 100 thousand tons, with a fleet of 70 to 100 helicopters and fixed wing aircraft. It would have a number of aircraft elevators and a large ship island.
With a nuclear reactor, the 003 aircraft carrier can reach speeds of more than 30 knots. Taking into account China's interest in unmanned vehicles, 003 aircraft carriers may be equipped with unmanned aerial vehicles, used to carry out surveillance and reconnaissance missions. The 003 aircraft carrier fleet will be equipped for anti submarine warfare and search and rescue helicopter.
The ship will use the US nuclear-powered aircraft carrier as the standard, installing nuclear power and electric propulsion system, equipped with electromagnetic catapult and the fourth generation of advanced aircraft. The overall combat effectiveness would reach the world's most advanced level. In January 25, 2017, broadcast on CCTV CCTV10 channel "2016 annual science and Technology Festival" program, the naval power engineering expert Ma Weiming, said the latest research progress we are most concerned about the situation of the electromagnetic launch technology, said the electromagnetic launch technology, will replace the traditional chemical technology in ten years. The exciting news that is being developed in the design of 003 aircraft carrier type electromagnetic launch is a foregone conclusion.
The aircraft carrier battle group escort ships may include 055 destroyers and a future Chinese frigate. The improved type 055 destroyer will have an integrated electric propulsion system to enhance the ability of the ship to generate power for sensors and directed energy weapons. In addition to carrying helicopters, the ship may also be equipped with more than 100 long-range air defense and ground attack missiles. Considering the Chinese of unmanned vehicles in the Navy, these ships may carry unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) and unmanned underwater vehicles (UUV) and unmanned surface vehicle (USV), to deal with mine. As for underwater escort, escort submarines may be type 095 attack submarines. Compared with the current Chinese attack vessels, the submarine stealth performance is better and more sophisticated equipment.
From type 001 to type 003, China would have 4 aircraft carriers in 2025 In 2025, it is estimated that China's fourth aircraft carrier type 003 will be launched into service. By then, China will have at least 4 aircraft carriers.
China planned to have by 2049 - the Centenary of the founding of the PRC - completed construction of 10 aircraft carriers. Source: globalsecurity.org
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