China’s third aircraft carrier, christened Fujian after the name of the Mainland Chinese province that sits opposite Taiwan, represents a marked technological leap forward compared to the first two carriers of the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN). Much larger in size, and fitted with several catapults rather than the ski jump ramp found on the in-service 60,000-tonne-class Liaoning and Shandong carriers - which were commissioned in 2012 and 2019 respectively - this newest Type 003 carrier will be able to operate a larger and more capable fleet of shipborne aircraft. With this third flattop on the way, China’s aircraft carrier fleet will be the second largest in the world, trailing only the USA with its eleven active carriers. The pending arrival of a third carrier also raises the question of just how many of these prestigious vessels China needs or plans to field. Collin Koh, Senior Fellow at the Institute of Defence and Strategic Studies at Singapore’s S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, told ANI: “Past reports, not all substantiated, put Chinese intentions to build at least six carriers, and perhaps up to eight.” The Singaporean academic added, “Until the PLAN reaches a level of maturity with carrier operations, which are complex, and obviously it’s still a newbie compared to the more seasoned US Navy, it’s likely going to aim for six carriers.” Such a number would permit two carriers to be at sea at any one time, with the four others in various stages of maintenance or work-up periods. Fujian was constructed by the government-owned Jiangnan Shipyard, a subsidiary of the China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC), on Changxing Island in the mouth of the Yangtze River near the city of Shanghai. Her construction reportedly began in March 2017, and assembled blocks were moved to a dry dock in May 2020. (ANI)
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