As another year passes, additional developments in the Chinese People’s Liberation Army
Navy (PLAN) carrier program continue to be sighted and confirmed, in spite of the effects
of the COVID-19 pandemic. Meanwhile, geopolitical tensions between the United States and China
show no sign of easing. Media interest in Chinese military and naval developments shows
no sign of easing either, particularly with regard to speculation about the future path
of Chinese carrier development. Today we will discuss some of the developments
and rumors with the Chinese carrier, Type 003.
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One of the significant developments in Chinese carrier progress is the pace of work on carrier
003 at Jiangnan shipyard in Shanghai. As now established, 003 will be the Chinese Navy’s
first CATOBAR carrier. This China’s third aircraft carrier will be considerably larger
than its predecessors, the Liaoning and Shandong, which each measure 304.5 meters in length.
Earlier assessments of Type 003 is estimated its waterline dimensions at roughly 300 meters
in length and 40 meters in width. As the flight deck has taken shape, the vessel’s overall
length has increased to approximately 315 meters, and its width at the widest point
has expanded to 74 meters. Type 003 will continue to grow as work progresses. Perhaps the best
size comparison is the Kitty Hawk-class of carriers, which the U.S. Navy operated from
the 1960s through the 2000s, and which had a waterline length of about 300 meters and
overall length of nearly 324 meters. In addition to being larger than its predecessors,
the Type 003 is widely expected to feature a flat-top flight deck with a “catapult
assisted takeoff but arrested recovery” (CATOBAR) system. This would mark a major
upgrade from the less advanced ski jump-style system used on the Liaoning and Shandong.
The use of catapults will enable the Type 003 to launch fixed-wing aircraft with heavier
payloads and more fuel, as well as larger aircraft that have a lower thrust-to-weight
ratio. Most CATOBAR systems are steam-driven, but this is starting to change. The U.S. Navy’s
new Gerald R. Ford-class of carriers employs an Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System
(EMALS) that enables faster takeoffs, reduced maintenance, and increased energy efficiency.
Rumors suggest that China intends to leapfrog past steam catapults by outfitting the Type
003 with an EMALS style system. The decision on what type of catapult the Type 003 would
employ was likely made years ago; and while the use of an EMALS-type system remains unconfirmed,
altering course would bring significant challenges and delays.
The Type 003 is also expected to benefit from an upgraded island, the tower structure housing
the command center for flight deck operations, along with radar and communication equipment.
Compared to the Shandong, the Type 003 will likely have a smaller island, which would
free up crucial real estate on the flight deck. In the satellite imagery from May 30,
2021, a portion of the island can be seen located near the vessel, tucked between two
movable environmental shelters. Low-altitude aerial imagery of Jiangnan Shipyard from June
confirms the presence of the island at Jiangnan. Questions remain about the number and size
of aircraft elevators on the Type 003. These elevators, which move aircraft between the
internal hangar bay and flight deck, are crucial to flight operations. Satellite imagery and
low-altitude imagery circulating on social media suggest that Type 003 will be configured
with two starboard-side aircraft elevators, similar to the Shandong. However, the elevators
on the Type 003 are estimated to be larger, which could allow them to lift two aircraft
simultaneously. France’s Charles de Gaulle has two elevators and U.S. Gerald R. Ford-class
carriers have three elevators, all of which are capable of lifting two aircraft at the
same time. At this point in time, work will proceed for
the super-blocks to be fully mated together including installation of the bow module,
at which point additional modules forming the upper decks, hangar decks and flight deck
will gradually be added, until the island is finally installed. Afterwards, the ship
will be launched. Current projections set that for early to mid 2022 at the earliest.
After launch, the ship will be fitted out with its relevant mission systems, including
its much awaited EM catapults. Only then will it proceed to sea trials and enter service,
under the expected pennant number CV-18. Like China’s other carriers, the Type 003
also will be conventionally powered, but many observers expect the PLAN to develop nuclear-powered
carriers eventually. Such a move would put China on elite footing with the United States
and France, the only two countries that currently possess nuclear-powered carriers. Many details
of the Type 003 cannot be confirmed until additional progress is made. Large openings
remain in the center of the vessel, allowing workers to move components inside the vessel’s
hull and into the forward and aft engine rooms. Several elements of the deck’s sponsons,
which project outward over the ship’s sides, are also not yet finished. Toward the bow,
the top layer of the flight deck has yet to be laid down. Satellite imagery shows numerous
components of the flight deck and support structure for the island have been positioned
near the vessel and will soon be put into place.
Once the deck is further assembled, the dry dock’s two large gantry cranes will likely
be used to hoist components of the island onto the deck. Work will continue for several
months, and possibly longer, before the dry dock is flooded and the ship is launched.
If work on the third carrier progresses at roughly the same pace as the construction
of the Shandong, the Type 003 may not be launched until 2022. After launching, it will be several
years before the vessel is fully fitted out, completes sea trials, and is then commissioned
into the PLAN. Furthermore, the new photo of the concrete
Type 003 reveals a recent addition to the unflyable planes arrayed on the mock deck.
In addition to a pair of mock J-15s and a KJ-600, there’s an FC-31. The Shenyang Aircraft
Corporation has been developing the twin-engine FC-31 as a smaller, lighter and potentially
cheaper complement to the Chengdu J-20, the Chinese air force’s first and so far only
stealth fighter. There have been rumors that the PLAN has been eying the FC-31 as a possible
carrier fighter. The type’s appearance in Wuhan is the strongest signal so far that
those rumors are true. Type 003 could be commissioned as early as 2025, at which point the PLAN
will have three carriers. Liaoning and Shandong probably still will be hauling around their
tired J-15s, but the Type 003 could sail with a mix of J-15s, FC-31s and KJ-600s in addition
to the usual helicopters. When Type 003 eventually enters service, it
will be a formidable addition to China’s navy and allow it to more effectively project
power into the Indian and Pacific Oceans. Thanks for watching and see you in the next
videos.