The People's Liberation Army Navy, simply Chinese Navy, made its major first and second
moves on the table of chest board of high seas. The aircraft carriers Liaoning and Shandong
are symbolizing the winds of the change for the naval superiority of western world. Now,
they are just symbols, but tell us so much for the future. As the Weapon Detective, we
are investigating these two carriers, what they mean.
After Second World War, U.S. Navy was the biggest naval power of the world, in terms
of technological and overwhelming numeric advantage. American sailors, had Anglo Saxon
naval tradition and had sharpened their experience and skills.
Plus, more than one nation like United Kingdom and France which had big fleet and experienced
sailors was ally of the U.S.A.
So, The Red Navy could not match these advantages in few decades. During the First Cold War,
the oceans had secondary importance for the U.S.S.R. The surface fleet of the Red Navy
had been organized to protect some defined areas called bastion. In case of Third World
War, enormous amount of Soviet submarine and bomber would raid on Western sea lines and
combatants on the oceans. The control of the high sea had never been considered as the
main goal. This was the most suitable choice.
But Moscow also increased naval power step by step. In a long term programme the U.S.S.R
could catch the western world on the high sea. Some serious moves were made. The first
move was Moscow class helicopters cruisers.
The second step was there Kiev and one Semi-Kiev or Baku class aircraft carrying cruisers.
And just before the sundown of the First Cold War, the aircraft carrying cruiser Admiral
Kuznetsov was launched as Leonid Brezhnev. These seven sisters could not match the NATO’s
fleet, but they were good steps to achieve this goal someday.
While the Red Star was fading in 1980s, the Red Dragon started to shine. China has become
more capitalist country and started to need more raw material from overseas sources. Rising
Chinese economy has increased the importance of sea lines.
By 1990s, Chinese Navy has transformed from brown water fleet to blue water fleet.
Actually, since 1970s, China has interested on aircraft carriers. Ex Australian aircraft
carrier HMAS Melbourne bought to scrap
and ex-Soviet aircraft carrying cruisers Minsk and Kiev were acquired and converted into
tourist attractions. These so-called peaceful civilian purchases provided know how about
aircraft carrier technologies and designs to China. Like the Moscow in First Cold War,
Beijing planned to proceed by little steps.
An important event accelerated this transformation, Kosovo Crises. In 1999, Chinese naval planners
were forced to acknowledge the fact that country needs considerable force projection capability
to maintain its economical and political expansion. It was not an option, but the necessity to
have carrier task group for Chinese Navy.
When a U.S. combat aircraft accidently bomb the Chinese Embassy in Belgrade, during Kosovo
war,
China had already bought the Varyag from Ukraine. As the second Kuznetsov class aircraft carrier
she was launched in 1988. The construction work was completed 68 percent, when the U.S.S.R
collapsed. After a little crisis ended, based on 1936 Montreux Convention which does not
allow aircraft carriers to pass Turkish Straits, the ship started her journey from the Black
Sea to China, in 2001.
At that time Varyag did not have engine, so it was not accepted as real ship. And China
guaranteed that she would use for touristic purposes. Beijing also gave promise more tourism
and trading privileges to Turkey as a little bribe.
As the whole world expected China did not keep its word and completed construction of
the Varyag. The ship entered service in 2011 as Liaoning.
Different from Russian sister Admiral Flota Sovetskogo Soyuza Kuznetsov, Liaoning does
not have 12 tube P-700 surface to surface missile launcher. So, ship has more space
for hangar or storage. China equipped the aircraft carrier; with domestically developed
sub systems such as
Type 381 3D active electronically scanned array radar.
The point defence also provided by Chinese H/PJ-14 gun and FL-3000N missile systems.
The main strike force of the carrier is J-15 combat aircrafts. This system was developed
based on J-11 which is Chinese reverse engineering version of Su-27.
Liaoning also carries Z-18F anti-submarine warfare,
Z-18J airborne early warning
and Z-9C rescue helicopters.
The ship has 67,500 tons full load displacement, 304.5 metres length, 75 metres beam, and 8.97
metres drafts. The maximum speed of the Liaoning is 32 knots and with this speed she can reach
the 7,130 kilometres range without refuelling. In general mission the ship carrier 24 J-15
fighters in addition with six Z-18F, four Z-18J, and two Z-9C rescue helicopters.
The second Chinese aircraft carrier Shandong entered service in 2019. The ship has improved
design in comparison with its predecessor, like bigger hangar and storage facility for
ammunition and jet fuel.
Shandong’s smaller island also provide more space for aircrafts on deck. The fleet command
and flight control tower are on separate floors which provides more efficiency. So Chinese
naval ship designers have learned their lessons comes from Liaoning experience.
The real technical details of Shandong have not published yet. But it is believed that
the ship 70,000 tons full loaded displacement, 315 metres length, and 75 metres beam. It
is estimated that her maximum speed is around 31 knots.
So, you can find many of these historical and technical information from many internet
sources. O.K.. What do these pieces of knowledge tell us. First of all, we have to check on
Chinese overseas interest.
Today, China biggest factory of the world. This factory needs raw materials, energy,
and markets. The main sources of raw material and energy are the Middle east and Africa.
These two parts of world is linked with China by sea lines. In case of war, these lines
could be disrupted.
Could two Chinese aircraft carriers secure these routes? This is the first important
question, and answer depends on which sea power would block the routes. Let analyse
the countries where near these sea lines.
In case of war, only Indian Navy could stop the Chinese Navy which has two aircraft carrier.
If you look at the history and current political situation Sino-Indian War is possible but
it is not expected. We mention this imaginary scenario, because may be the only possible
war, the world would not join it. At least in a short term.
If China would declare the war to other countries throughout these important sea lines, there
would have high risk that western powers would involve the crisis. So, Liaoning and Shandong
would not be enough to secure Chinese sea trade.
If we mention about the China, we have to consider the fact that no global power wants
to open first shoot against it. In that point, two aircraft carriers improve China’s deterrence.
So, they have less effect on a possible war, but they are highly effective to prevent a
war.
There are also several other threats on these sea lines, like piracy and terrorist groups.
Two carriers do not provide real tactical advantage on them.
The second important subject on Chinese naval interest is close waters like the Yellow Sea,
the Japan Sea, the East China Sea, and the South China Sea. The meaning of a possible
war on these seas would be a global scale war. This scenario is very similar the scenario
about a possible war on Chinese sea lines to the Middle east and Africa. Liaoning and
Shandong have less effect on a possible war, but they are highly effective to prevent a
war.
The disputes over Paracel and Spratly islands are the third important topic. The navy with
two aircraft carriers provides important leverage to China.
But don’t forget. China has a different political culture the western world. It is
passive aggressive. Beijing can wait for a long long time. During this time, China will
become more powerful in terms of diplomatic and economic area. At the end It could solve
these problems in its own benefits without single shot. Time does not matter for ten
thousand years empire.
OK. Lets consider Liaoning and Shandong in terms of real combat value. These ships are
Short Take-Off Barrier-Arrested Recovery system. It means relatively heavy J-15 fighters cannot
be operated with their maximum take off capacity. Chinese Naval staffs are already accepting
this fact. The second handicap of this system, it is not suitable for heavier cargo planes.
Russian naval reports on the operation Syria show that Admiral Flota Sovetskogo Soyuza
Kuznetsov needs American C-2 Greyhound type cargo aircraft to maintain operation effectively.
However, this type of aircraft can land but cannot take from the carrier which has also
Short Take-Off Barrier-Arrested Recovery system.
So, Liaoning and Shandong have some technical difficulties for real blue water carrier task
group operations.
Because of this reason China declared that third and fourth aircraft carriers will have
Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System or Catapult Assisted Take-Off But Arrested Recovery
systems.
If you have money and technical capability, you can build aircraft carriers. But real
problems are to have good crew and doctrines. These problems can solve by only getting experience,
in other words by time. In this respect Liaoning and Shandong are very good training ships.
Chinese naval staff knows that catching western, especially Anglo-Saxon, naval tradition is
long and hard process. Chinese Navy cannot close this distance with building new naval
vessels. But new ships provide opportunity to start achieving this goal by time. If China
continues dedicatedly its work, probably after 40 50 years, the world would say that everything
started with Liaoning and Shandong. And the sun has raised from East again.
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