Next Chinese aircraft carrier - Type 002 'Shandong' and Type 003 'Fujian'

Latest update on the PLANS-18 Fujian“ from today and in comparison to the images posted previously today, the mock-ups have been rearranged on deck as well as the huge LNG-tanker/carrier is no longer there.
What also impresses me
1f62f.png
1f62e.png
are the production halls that have been built there in the last few years!
In principle, the modules for any next aircraft carrier - be that either a 003.2 or 004 - could be almost finished and we simply wouldn't notice anything!

PLN CV-18 Fujian - 20240424.jpg
 
What also impresses me
1f62f.png

1f62e.png

are the production halls that have been built there in the last few years!
In principle, the modules for any next aircraft carrier - be that either a 003.2 or 004 - could be almost finished and we simply wouldn't notice anything!
Click to expand...

Between those airplane photo shots, NRO spysats plus Maxar -like commercial imagery: I would say this is hardly surprising...

By the way @Deino I'd like to ask: does anybody knows how many carriers the chinese intend to build ? do they want parity of numbers with USN, so 10-11 ?
 
Archibald said:
Between those airplane photo shots, NRO spysats plus Maxar -like commercial imagery: I would say this is hardly surprising...

By the way @Deino I'd like to ask: does anybody knows how many carriers the chinese intend to build ? do they want parity of numbers with USN, so 10-11 ?
Click to expand...
That's certainly my assumption, though I'm also assuming that they want them all nuclear. So the conventional carriers currently building to develop the core competencies will be on top of the ~10 nuclear carriers.
 
The Politburo knows the US intelligence apparatus is breathing down their necks 24/7. Wouldn't surprise me in the least if they resorted to manufacturing military hardware away from prying eyes.
 
NMaude said:
I wonder how progress is going on the Type-004 CVN which I understand is basically a nuclear-powered Type-003?
Click to expand...
We will have some warning on that, in the shape of a new set of nuclear reactors getting built somewhere and all the techs marching to work...

Plus I suspect the Chinese want some time with the 003 operating aircraft before they commit to the nuclear version.
 
I do not think that the Type 004 will be nuclear powered, I think that for now the PLAN will stick to conventional carriers and then start work on the next air craft carrier the Type 005 which will be nuclear powered. But that may not see the light of day until the end of the current decade and maybe even into the first half of the 2030s.
 

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