The story so far: On June 17, China unveiled its first indigenous aircraft carrier , the new-generation Fujian. Touted to be the most-advanced aircraft carrier so far, it marks a milestone for a nation that is looking to extend its military power, especially in the strategic Indo-Pacific region.
The Fujian has been named after China’s eastern coastal province which lies across from Taiwan. It was launched near Shanghai amid heightened tensions between China and the United States over Taiwan. With the launch of the Fujian, China now has the most number of aircraft carriers after the U.S. The Fujian joins two other carriers currently operated by China — Shandong (Type 001), commissioned in 2019, and the Liaoning (Type 002), bought second-hand from Ukraine in 1998.
The Fujian and its capabilities
Fujian was completely designed and built domestically, as per Chinese state broadcaster CCTV. Under construction since 2018, it was scheduled to be launched on April 23 around the 73rd anniversary of the People’s Liberation Army Navy or PLAN, but was delayed due to the COVID-19 lockdown in Shanghai. The Fujian finally left its drydock after a festive ceremony attended by senior military officials on June 17. It has been built by the China State Shipbuilding Corporation Limited.
The Fujian’s displacement is 80,000 tonnes, much more than the existing Chinese carriers, and comparable to U.S. Navy aircraft carriers.
The Type 003 carrier is also significantly more technologically advanced...
Read Full Story: https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/china-aircraft-carrier-advanced-catapult-system-emals/article65556194.ece
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