The most controversial naval issue of the post-Cold War era has been whether or not China is planning to procure aircraft carriers. In late December the senior national defense spokesman, Huang Xueping, declared that China is “seriously” considering adding an aircraft carrier to its navy.
While this may be the most definitive statement to date by a Chinese official, more significant was the Chinese Navy’s decision this past fall when 50 naval officers began a pilot training program at the Dalian Naval Academy to provide a cadre of carrier-based aviators.
Thus, speculation about a future Chinese carrier force continues albeit still without any public indications of whether such ships would be constructed in China or possibly purchased from a foreign source, in particular Ukraine, which contains the Black Sea Shipyard in Nikolayev. That yard produced all Soviet-era aircraft carriers. Also, no definitive time table has been put forward by any Chinese officials.
And, much more significant from a viewpoint of the future of China’s Navy, on 26 December a three-ship task force departed Sanya in Hainan Province for operations off the coast of Somalia and in the Gulf of Aden to help deter pirate attacks on international merchant shipping. Although Chinese warships have carried out long-range visits to other countries, those could not be considered operational missions.
(The last time that China sent a naval expedition to East Africa was during the Ming Dynasty when the emperor’s envoy Zheng He led a large armada in the early 15th Century to the region for goodwill port calls.)
The modern Chinese task force consists of two missile destroyers and a replenishment oiler. The destroyers are the Haikou and Wuhan. These are two of China’s newest warships. The Haikou, completed in 2005, is an advanced air-defense ship, the Chinese equivalent of a Western Aegis-type warship. With a full load displacement of about 6,500 tons, the Haikouhas a heavy anti-air and anti-ship missile armament as well as anti-submarine weapons. Two helicopters are embarked.
The Wuhan, completed in 2004, is the same size, also with a multi-mission capability, although without the advanced 30N6E multi-function radar (Western code name Tombstone). One helicopter is carried.
The replenishment oiler Weishanhu, a 22,000-ton ship, completes the anti-pirate force.
About 800 officers and sailors man the three ships, commanded by Rear Admiral Du Jingchen. Upon sailing, Admiral Du stated that, “China definitely has neither the intention of threatening interests of any sovereign parties nor the interest in breaking up power equilibrium in the region.”
A Defense Ministry spokesman said in an earlier statement that Chinese naval forces would observe United Nations Security Council resolutions and relative international laws in fulfilling its obligations. Almost 1,300 Chinese merchant ships have passed through the Gulf of Aden in 2008, with seven being attacked. One fishing ship and her 18 crew members are still being held by pirates. Negotiations for their rescue are underway.
China’s increasing world-wide political and economic interests have rarely been supported by military forces. Thus, the anti-pirate operation will provide excellent training for Chinese naval forces in such operations while at the same time giving their officers experience in tactical operations with other navies. And, for Western navies operating in the area, it will provide an excellent opportunity for intelligence collection against modern Chinese warships their procedures.
{ 8 comments… read them below or add one }
I’m still waiting for “China’s National Defense in 2008″ white paper to come out. They release one every two years around the end of December, so there should be a new one any day now.
Good. They’ll only be concentrating their assets. Makes it easier for us actually.
Pearl Harbor 2?
Only NO recovery?
OR harrass US ships on missions?
Scary & this is Cold War 2.
Only China NOT USSR is Big Baddy this time.
If Chinese get carriers, we need to match IE Blue Water Navy again.
Super armor carriers that shoot jets from enclosed decks & have rear decks open for landing ops.
Have whole upper deck in armor shealth to deter Laser hits?
Redone Nimitz class for project?
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I figure China like us will seek to expand their navy as they seek to look out for their global national interests. They seem to be on the fence about going the symbolic route of Carriers as a traditional and symbolic method of naval force projection. Still it could be significant bell weather of whether the Chinese are looking to expand force projection beyond their immediate vicinity.
I doubt they will do it when they realize you need many ships to support and defend a carrier properly in a modern combat environment. It’s just too much to take on from scratch. Maybe they will build one training/experimental carrier though and take a few years to come to that conclusion. It wont be much of a threat but will be played up by the US Navy for funding purposes.
If China got carriers, they’d only be a liability in any conflict with the US, because our attack submarines would destroy them if they dared to enter the open sea, and if they hid in port, our aircraft would destroy them.
Chinese carriers would only be useful to project power against smaller countries in the absence of US intervention. Seeing as the lion’s share of Chinese military development is focused on the US and Taiwan, I don’t see how a carrier does anything for them except to serve as an empty symbol of national pride, and for that reason alone, the status-obsessed Chinese might at least attempt to get a carrier, even though it would be a worthless target in any war.