Next Chinese aircraft carrier - Type 002 'Shandong' and Type 003 'Fujian'

Latest update ...

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Deino said:
Well, finally a really fine recent image of the Type 003 carrier taken on 31 May ...

But IMO that does not look like a launch on 3 June! :-(

(Image by @Maxar via @CSIS)


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Without a hull shot I wouldn't say she's necessarially very far from getting wet, plenty of topside work you can do while floating if the hull's water tight. But the drydock itself looks too full of crap to be close.
 
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is the aircraft set to embark on the new carrier confirmed yet?
so far I've only heard of a J-15T variant.
 
helmutkohl said:
is the aircraft set to embark on the new carrier confirmed yet?
so far I've only heard of a J-15T variant.
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The J-15B - most likely the service designation of the J-15T prototypes - will surely be the main type for several years to come

J-15B - first clear 20211214.jpg

... and then it will be the J-35 (or whatever it is called)

J-35 grey mod.jpg J-35 grey - 20220522 - 4+ better colours rotate+.jpg
 
According to some reports, this image is the most recent one showing the Type 003 carrier at Jiangnan Changxing shipyard in Shanghai.
Interesting, the scaffolding around the island is gone.

PS: And even more an observation noted by @lcloo / SDF:
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"Interesting, walkway connecting dockside to the bow of 003 has been removed. Also the water barrier that separete the dry dock into two has been removed as well. Launch in the middle of June?"

(Image via @蓑蓑雨任平生sjs from Weibo)

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Impressive ship, really. Imagine telling the Soviets 40 years ago "ah sure, you'll end with one old cranky Kuznetsov and it will be the chinese that will crank one Kuz' derivative after another, one, two, three, four of them... creating the carrier fleet you always wanted, but never built."
Admiral Gorkshov would have kittens !
 
Make sense. If you grow a Kuznetsov from 65 000 to 85 000 tons and adds catapults... it still lacks nuclear propulsion however. Considering the Chinese pace, this won't last long. Next one, nuclear ?
 
Archibald said:
Make sense. If you grow a Kuznetsov from 65 000 to 85 000 tons and adds catapults... it still lacks nuclear propulsion however. Considering the Chinese pace, this won't last long. Next one, nuclear ?
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Eh, maybe. From what I've read the Chinese are both still figuring out reactors capable of powering a supercarrier, and are competing with the civilian electrical industry for limited reactor production. As well, based on what they did with the 052C destroyers I think they'll want to debug the Type 003 before they move on to a new design to limit design risk.

There's a good chance they lay down a second 003 before moving onto a nuclear-powered 004.
 
And while the tense is raising on when - eventually on Friday as it seems - the Type 003 carrier is being launched … here another new image. Looks like some sort of small red flags all along on top of these shelters covering the catapults.

8DAB5574-6FED-4A38-834C-C530B6892608.jpeg
 
Deino said:
And while the tense is raising on when - eventually on Friday as it seems - the Type 003 carrier is being launched … here another new image. Looks like some sort of small red flags all along on top of these shelters covering the catapults.

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An interesting image Deino, looks like the type 003 is only equipped with three catapults due to the fact that only three jet blast deflectors being visible.
 
FighterJock said:
Deino said:
And while the tense is raising on when - eventually on Friday as it seems - the Type 003 carrier is being launched … here another new image. Looks like some sort of small red flags all along on top of these shelters covering the catapults.

View attachment 679650
Click to expand...

An interesting image Deino, looks like the type 003 is only equipped with three catapults due to the fact that only three jet blast deflectors being visible.
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But that is known since a very long time
 
that's a very clean looking island (will they add more antennas or is that it?)
i also dont think the hull looks like past Soviet designs.. although need to see more of the rear

unfortunate they are still hiding the cats
 
Well, and now after launch, the funny part begins!
Collecting images and information and as it seems - even if I'm a bit surprised , since the Shandong got its name only much later - it will be the PLANS "Fujian" 福建舰!

By the way, here the video:


PLN Type 003 carrier - 20220617 - launch 2 Fujian.JPG
 
Is it just me or does 003 have 4 ciws guns installed? One on each corner of the carrier? I see no shapes reminiscent of hhq10 yet. Which may mean those will be added later.

But if true, it would mean 003 has a bigger set of self defense weapons than 002.
 
I guess we know now - "electromagnetic catapult-assisted launch system" per CNN.

Have we seen a keel laid down for #4 yet?
 
Josh_TN said:
In_A_Dream said:
I guess we know now - "electromagnetic catapult-assisted launch system" per CNN.
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I’d wait for a more technically minded source to comment. They probably just looked up the wiki article.
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Since they had no prior experience with either steam or EM catapults it would probably make more sense for them to just go for the latter.
 
sferrin said:
Josh_TN said:
In_A_Dream said:
I guess we know now - "electromagnetic catapult-assisted launch system" per CNN.
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I’d wait for a more technically minded source to comment. They probably just looked up the wiki article.
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Since they had no prior experience with either steam or EM catapults it would probably make more sense for them to just go for the latter.
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They had test rigs for both, with steam presumably being the backup if EM hit development problems. Couldn’t speak to the likelihood of it being one or the other; clearly EM would be desirable. I don’t think the Chinese have indicated either way. Do we even have any idea what the propulsion type is?
 
Josh_TN said:
I’d wait for a more technically minded source to comment. They probably just looked up the wiki article.
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Here's another:

The Type 003 employs a catapult launch, which experts had said appears to be an electromagnetic-type system like one originally developed by the U.S. Navy. China’s official Xinhua News Agency confirmed the Fujian employed the electromagnetic system in a report on Friday’s launch.
apnews.com

China launches high-tech aircraft carrier in naval milestone

China has launched its third aircraft carrier, the first such ship to be designed and built entirely within the country.
apnews.com apnews.com
 

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