|
In 2006 or 2007 China’s Central Military Commision approved both Project 085 (Type 085) and Project 089 (Type 089 Shi Lang-class).[citation needed] In mid-2007, Chinese domestic sources revealed that China had purchased a total of four sets of aircraft carrier landing systems from Russia[11] and this was confirmed by Russian manufacturers. However, experts disagreed on the usage of these systems: while some have claimed that it is a clear evidence of the construction of an aircraft carrier, others claim these systems are used to train pilots for a future ship. It is likely that 3 landing systems will go to the 3 Type 089 Shi Lang carriers (Varyag and the two new carriers) and the 4th system will be used for ground training, possibly at Yanliang, near Xi'an.[citation needed] Yanliang already has a ski-jump built to simulate carrier take-offs.[citation needed] In August, 2008, Mr. Huang Qiang (黄强), the speaker of the Commission of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense announced to the public at news conference that China had mastered all of the technologies for an aircraft carrier, and would build aircraft carriers in the future when time was deemed right. The strongest proof of a Chinese aircraft carrier also appeared in 2008, from an official Chinese governmental source when the training program of jet fighter pilots for warship captains were resumed: PLA Daily (解放军报 [1]) published the news of Dalian Warship Academy (大连舰艇学院) accepting a total of 50 jet fighter pilots for warship captain training in 2008, and in comparison to the first class that was held more than one and half a decades ago at Guangzhou Warship Academy (广州舰艇学院), the training has been lengthened to four years. Resumption of this plan is viewed by foreign observers and military analysts as another step in preparation for an aircraft carrier entering service.
In late 2008, and through early 2009, there have been foreign reports that China will start building two 50,000-60,000 ton aircraft carriers due to be finished by 2015.[1][5] Whether the two ships will be similar to the Varyag (ski jump) or American carriers (catapult) is not yet known. Since sea trials of the Shi Lang (Varyag) will probably start in 2011, it seems likely that they are similar.[citation needed]
There are also some reports of a possibility of China building two nuclear powered Type 089 aircraft carriers,[12] though how reliable these are can be questioned. According to the Nippon News Network (NNN), research and development on the planned carriers is being carried out at a military research facility in Wuhan. NNN states that the actual carriers will be constructed at a shipyard in Shanghai.[13] Kanwa Intelligence Review reports that the second carrier to be constructed will likely be assigned to Qingdao.[14]
It was also reported in 2009 that the Brazilian Navy will train PLA naval officers in carrier operations in exchange for assistance on nuclear submarine technology and additional funding.[15]
According to a February 2011 report in the The Daily Telegraph, the Chinese military has constructed a concrete aircraft carrier flight deck to use for training carrier pilots and carrier operations personnel. The deck was constructed on top of a government building near Wuhan.[16] China has also started constructing its own Naval Aviation Testing and Training Complex (NITKA) near Xingcheng with information acquired from Ukraine's NITKA.[citation needed]
|
|