Chinese aircraft carrier Shandong

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Shandong (17)
Aircraft carriers of People's Liberation Army Navy.jpg
Shandong docked at Dalian in 2019 prior to commissioning
History
China
Name
  • Shandong
  • (Chinese: 山东舰)
NamesakeShandong province
BuilderDalian Shipbuilding Industry
Laid downMarch 2015; 6 years ago (2015-03)
Launched26 April 2017; 4 years ago (2017-04-26)
Completed25 April 2018; 3 years ago (2018-04-25)
Commissioned17 December 2019; 20 months ago (2019-12-17)
StatusIn active service
BadgeThe Badge of PLANS Shandong 17.jpg
General characteristics (as designed)
Class and typeType 002 (variant of Kuznetsov-class aircraft carrier)
DisplacementStandard Load 55,000 tons, Full Load 66,000 to 70,000 tons [1][2][3]
Length315 m (1,033 ft)[4]
Beam75 metres (246 ft)[4]
PropulsionConventional steam turbines, 4 shafts
Speed31 knots (36 mph; 57 km/h)[4]
Sensors and
processing systems
Armament
Aircraft carried

Shandong (17; Chinese: 山东舰; pinyin: Shāndōng Jiàn) is a first-generation Chinese aircraft carrier that was launched on 26 April 2017 for the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) of the People's Republic of China (PRC).[6] It is the country's second aircraft carrier after the completion of Liaoning, and the first built domestically. Shandong was initially designated as a Type 001A air carrier during development but was finalized as Type 002 at commissioning.[7]

History[]

Construction[]

Shandong was constructed by the Dalian Shipbuilding Industry, part of the China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation, in Dalian, Liaoning province, China.[8] According to the state Xinhua News Agency, manufacture began in November 2013 and laid down the keel for its hull in a dry dock beginning in March 2015.[8]

The Chinese government did not publicly confirm the ship's existence until construction was well underway. Satellite imagery for the defense analysis industry showed the aircraft carrier in the early stages of hull assembly by March 2015. Public photos of a hull with military characteristics at the Dalian shipyard surfaced on the internet the next month.[9][10] In October 2015, the first definitive signs of the vessel's role appeared when construction of a hangar deck began on the hull.[10] In December 2015, a Chinese defense ministry spokesman confirmed that the ship was an aircraft carrier, stating that the design and construction work was under way.[11]

In May 2016, the ski-jump takeoff ramp was noted to be close to installation.[12] The ship's island superstructure was fabricated in two parts: the nine-deck forward half, containing the bridge and main mast, was installed by September of that year; the aft half, with the funnel and air intakes, was installed in the weeks that followed.[13][14] By the end of 2016, the ship was substantially structurally complete.[15]

Outfitting[]

Following the launch, the carrier was fitted-out and underwent early tests of the propulsion system.[16] The dockside system trials began after the out-fitting was completed in November 2017.[17]

At the time of its launch, the ship was not expected to be delivered to PLAN until 2020; however, successful early tests put the project ahead of schedule and media reports indicated that it could enter the navy fleet in 2019.[16] While its predecessor Liaoning has been used largely as a training ship since it entered active service in 2012, the Type 002 is expected to be used in regular military operational service.[18]

Sea trials[]

The first sea trial of the carrier took place in May 2018 in the Bohai Sea.[19] This was followed by eight more trials through November 2019 for a total of about 19 months before the carrier was commissioned. The ninth and final sea trial, which commenced from 14 November 2019, was conducted simultaneously with a training exercise in South China Sea. The dates and durations of the sea trials are as follow:[2]

Shandong in 2019
  • First sea trial: 13–18 May 2018
  • Second sea trial: 26 August – 4 September 2018
  • Third sea trial: 28 October – 6 November 2018
  • Fourth sea trial: 27 December 2018 – 8 January 2019
  • Fifth sea trial: 27 February – 4 March 2019
  • Sixth sea trial: 25–31 May 2019
  • Seventh sea trial: 1–4 August 2019 and 6–22 August 2019
  • Eighth sea trial: 15–20 October 2019
  • Ninth sea trial: from 14 November 2019 (end date unknown)

The arresting gear was installed on 11 September 2018 after the second sea trial. This was immediately followed by flight tests of the J-15, Z-18 and Z-9 on 14 September 2018. J-15D, the electronic warfare (EW) version of the aircraft, was also spotted on deck on 9 October 2018.[2]

Commissioning[]

The carrier was commissioned on 17 December 2019 at Sanya, Hainan by Central Military Commission chairman Xi Jinping and was officially named Shandong.[20] After commissioning, according to Chinese media Shandong reached in October 2020 initial operating capability (IOC) or basic standards for deployment, which its predecessor Liaoning only attained six years after commissioning, in 2018.[21][22] Lai Yijun, a senior captain who previously commanded PLAN frigate Lianyungang, was the captain of Shandong at commissioning.[20]

Design[]

The aircraft carrier's design is largely based on China's first carrier Liaoning, which was itself built from the partially-complete hull of the Soviet Kuznetsov-class aircraft carrier Varyag.[13] It retains the ski-jump takeoff, which limits its air wing to helicopters and Shenyang J-15 fighter jets of the People's Liberation Army Navy Air Force,[12][15] and the ship is powered by conventional oil-fired boilers driving eight steam turbines derived from the Soviet-designed examples installed on Liaoning.[13][23] It measures about 315 metres (1,033 ft) long, with a displacement of about 55,000 tonnes (66,000–70,000 loaded).[6][18]

The Shandong is a significant improvement over the Soviet-built Liaoning. For example, the Shandong carrier's ski-jump has an angle of 12.0° instead of the 14.0° on the Liaoning. This is an angle ideal for launching the Shenyang J-15 fighter. Together with the enlarged hangar, the island which has been made smaller by 10%, and extended on sponsons in the aft-starboard quarter, space has been freed up allowing for up to eight more aircraft and helicopters to be carried. The island includes a second glazed deck which permits the bridge and flight control areas to be separate creating greater operational efficiency. It also features a faceted upper area of four active electronically scanned arrays (AESAs) for the improved Type 346A S-band radar (Type 346 radar).[24]

Shandong, like its predecessor, uses the simpler "short take-off but arrested recovery" (STOBAR) launch and recovery system. Future Chinese carriers, such as the Type 003 aircraft carrier, are planned to use an Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS) that allows the launch of heavier and more advanced aircraft such as the Shenyang J-31 or the Chengdu J-20.[25][26]

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ "Liaoning - Specifications". GlobalSecurity.org. Retrieved 23 December 2019.
  2. ^ Jump up to: a b c "What Do We Know (so far) about China's Second Aircraft Carrier?". ChinaPower. Center for Strategic and International Studies. 22 April 2017. Retrieved 24 December 2019.
  3. ^ "CNS Shandong (17) (Type 001A)". Military Factory. 22 January 2020. Retrieved 12 August 2021.
  4. ^ Jump up to: a b c Chan, Minnie (12 April 2017). "10 things you should know about China's first home-built aircraft carrier". South China Morning Post. Archived from the original on 27 February 2018. Retrieved 29 April 2017.
  5. ^ Roblin, Sébastien (22 December 2019). "China's New Aircraft Carrier Shandong: 5 Things You Need to Know". The National Interest. Retrieved 12 August 2021.
  6. ^ Jump up to: a b Buckley, Chris (25 April 2017). "China, Sending a Signal, Launches a Home-Built Aircraft Carrier". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 8 March 2018. Retrieved 26 April 2017.
  7. ^ Westcott, Ben (18 December 2019). "China's first domestically-built aircraft carrier officially enters service". CNN. Retrieved 24 December 2019.
  8. ^ Jump up to: a b "China launches second aircraft carrier". Xinhua News Agency. 26 April 2017. Archived from the original on 26 April 2017. Retrieved 26 April 2017.
  9. ^ O'Connor, Sean (27 September 2015). "China may be building first indigenous carrier". Jane's Defence Weekly. Archived from the original on 30 September 2015. Retrieved 26 April 2017.
  10. ^ Jump up to: a b Lin, Jeffrey; Singer, P. W. (27 October 2015). "China's First Homemade Carrier Moves Forward". Popular Science. Archived from the original on 2 May 2017. Retrieved 26 April 2017.
  11. ^ Wong, Chun Han (31 December 2015). "China Begins Building Second Aircraft Carrier". The Wall Street Journal. Archived from the original on 27 April 2017. Retrieved 26 April 2017.
  12. ^ Jump up to: a b Lin, Jeffrey; Singer, P. W. (20 May 2016). "China's New Carrier Gets A Ski Ramp". Popular Science. Archived from the original on 2 May 2017. Retrieved 26 April 2017.
  13. ^ Jump up to: a b c Tate, Andrew (26 September 2016). "Further progress made on China's Type 001A carrier". Jane's Defence Weekly. Archived from the original on 1 November 2016. Retrieved 26 April 2017.
  14. ^ Lin, Jeffrey; Singer, P. W. (13 July 2021). "China Adds An Island Tower To Its Aircraft Carrier". Popular Science. Archived from the original on 4 May 2017. Retrieved 26 April 2017.
  15. ^ Jump up to: a b Yeo, Mike (31 January 2017). "Analysis: Chinese aircraft carrier program progressing substantially into the new year". Defense News. Retrieved 26 April 2017.
  16. ^ Jump up to: a b Chan, Minnie (4 August 2017). "China's first home-grown aircraft carrier could join the navy ahead of schedule". South China Morning Post. Archived from the original on 30 April 2018. Retrieved 29 April 2018.
  17. ^ "China's first domestically built aircraft carrier completes outfitting". China Daily. 23 November 2017. Archived from the original on 23 April 2018. Retrieved 29 April 2018.
  18. ^ Jump up to: a b Page, Jeremy; Kesling, Ben (26 April 2017). "China Launches First Home-Built Aircraft Carrier, Boosting Naval Power". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 26 April 2017.
  19. ^ LaGrone, Sam (22 May 2018). "First Chinese-built Carrier Returns from Successful Sea Trials". USNI News. Retrieved 18 June 2019.
  20. ^ Jump up to: a b Chan, Minnie (17 December 2019). "First made-in-China aircraft carrier, the Shandong, officially enters service". South China Morning Post. Retrieved 24 December 2019.
  21. ^ Chan, Minnie (20 December 2019). "China military's new Shandong aircraft carrier set to have smaller fighter jet force than expected". South China Morning Post. Retrieved 23 December 2019.
  22. ^ "Chinese Navy Ready for Dual Aircraft Carrier Missions". DefenseWorld.net. 28 October 2020. Retrieved 12 August 2021.
  23. ^ Wong, Catherine; Chan, Minnie (23 April 2018). "China's first home-grown Type 001A aircraft carrier begins maiden sea trial". South China Morning Post. Archived from the original on 29 April 2018. Retrieved 30 December 2018.
  24. ^ "A look at China's new Type 002 'Shandong' aircraft carrier". UK Defence Journal. 10 January 2020. Retrieved 2 August 2020.
  25. ^ Lin, Jeffrey; Singer, P. W. (16 August 2017). "China's making major progress with its aircraft carrier tech". Popular Science. Archived from the original on 25 April 2018. Retrieved 12 August 2021.
  26. ^ Dominguez, Gabriel (7 December 2017). "Future Chinese carriers to deploy J-20, J-31 stealth fighters, says report". Jane's Defence Weekly. Archived from the original on 8 December 2017.
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