Comments on: Is China Building Aircraft Carriers?

By: stephen

stephen — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 17:16:21 +0000

One thing is for sure,China really should have carriers on the go ( several i would say).I’m sure they are building them already and i would keep an eye on Shanghai as the final assembly location.( they have the space there ).Even their current humanitarian and security operations are showing a need for them.What must be realised is this changes the ball game somewhat as China’s strategy will start to look less defensive in nature.Though i don’t think the US will be too worried unless they build several. ( the US has 10–12 approx. ).Also they will need to build entire carrier groups ‚not just single ships but a destroyer,frigate or two,supply ships ‚weapons systems.Aircraft carriers are vulnerable far from home without a nearby base to supply and protect them, but it is evident that China has already started acquiring overseas bases.I would bet my life on the appearance of at least two carrier groups initially in the near future.

By: Chris

Chris — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 15:12:02 +0000

While it is clear that the Chinese have a great deal of intererest in aquiring a large scale, blue water navy capability that includes the acquisition of aircraft carriers, please bear in mind that the effective and safe operations of such ships will take a reasonable amount of time. Air operations at sea are no simple matter, as the Russians continue to find out. The inhererent corporate knowledge to truly understand air operations will come only after an investment of time, and until the Chinese acquire that practical knowledege, their navy will remain a somewhat brown water fleet with aspirations of something larger and more sustained. Round the clock air operations and all the support mechanisms that are involved(refueling in the air, vertical replenishment, command and control,land attack targeting data) will only become better after quite a few years of trial and error and represent no near term threat to the U S Navy, at least on a global scale. Of course, having a viable carrier threat may become a regional security issue that may force Japan, and other, to significantly increase their own air assets at sea.

By: Genghis

Genghis — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 04:34:40 +0000

USA has been the preeminent power for only 50 years and its economic meltdown also melted its Roman dream of devastating the world with weapons of mass destrution. But wait, who was the preeminent power for 80% of the last 5,000 years? Here’s the answer:
http://forum.atimes.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=6364

By: Shannon

Shannon — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 23:44:13 +0000

There are weapons that would make Carriers of no real threat, High Energy Lasers, which the Chinese have invested lots of money into, and one US Official said that they believe China may be more advanced in their laser technology than even the US.Lasers would surely sink carriers and overthrough their threat capabilities.I notice China has been building modern warships with advanced capabilities, and Submarines that will increase their Nuclear Strategic Offensive,plus they recently claimed they were going to increase their Nuclear arsenal,and update thier missle systems,and they are working on their own stealth fighters(they look very capable).Look around a lot of nations are building up the Military, and Military Capabilities, US,Britian,Russia,China,India,Iran,and Syria.Jesus said their would be Wars and Rumours of Wars

By: WR

WR — Wed, 28 May 2008 19:48:08 +0000

“You recieve an F for not doing your homework.“
You receive a 0% for not correcting him adequately.

By: Ed

Ed — Tue, 27 May 2008 13:13:41 +0000

To Jay,
If they a shipyard capable of building their own SSBNs, then I would presume they are well on their way to doing so.
To the responder talking about long range air craft with a fleet of aerial refuelers. Those tankers are the major crutch in that plan. A good Aegis screen would make short work of them, especially with the missiles we have that are capable of knocking out Satelites and Ballistic Missiles. Best way to take out that threat? Wait until they are a good distance over the pacific, use F-22s to take out their tankers and wait for the inevitable panic of no more fuel and that even longer journey home. Then we let the Aegis take out any of them bold enough to press home the attack.
A Pearl Harbor Strategy would be faulty since we know how to use Radar now, remember in 1941, they detected the Japanese planes but they failed to heed the warning of the radar.
As for the fully manned moonbase, what moonbase? They just recently launched their first manned space mission and it was similar to the mercury missions we launched in the 50s-60s.
Control of Taiwan, you do not need longer range aircraft to do it, its a relatively short hop across the strait to hit that island and the Chinese do have bases close enough already.
They wouldn’t go for Taiwan unless one of 2 things happen. The big one is a Taiwan that declares its independence. The other is a chinese leadership that feels they can take Taiwan and not worry about the economic and military reprecussions after. The second is the most dangerous course of action.
On a side note, I think China will be reeling from the earthquake. Sad as it may be, it will cause major effects to the Chinese military expansion plans for probably the next 5–10 years.

By: Jay

Jay — Sun, 25 May 2008 01:07:29 +0000

This is in response to Ed’s post at May 23, 2008 01:42 PM.….China may not have much of a blue water navy but neither did the Soviet Union until after the Cuban missile crisis..and then they went on a crash building spree to try and catch up with the US Navy. One question on my part, does China even have ship yards capable of building any carriers 70K tons or better?? I honestly don’t know

By: pedestrian

pedestrian — Sat, 24 May 2008 17:05:38 +0000

>Yes, *after* they actually finally start building them, finish building them, make them
>operational with an airwing, learn how to use them, etc., etc.
The threat is not just the aircraft carrier alone, but the desires of expanding its force through building an aircraft carrier. After? That kind of thinking will allow another attack on Pearl Harbor.

By: Dennis

Dennis — Sat, 24 May 2008 00:52:21 +0000

Is it just me, or does China just need longer range aircraft and a fleet of air-refulers to cover just about all of the territory they are looking to “protect”.
Including Tiawan.…

By: displacedjim

displacedjim — Sat, 24 May 2008 00:04:35 +0000

“It is clear that China has plans to build aircraft carriers and the threat of the offensive capacity of these carriers are a real concern for America, a challenge in the Pacific and a threat of sea lanes with tankers heading to America.“
Yes, *after* they actually finally start building them, finish building them, make them operational with an airwing, learn how to use them, etc., etc.