Chinese Aircraft Carrier "Fujian" Prepares for Sea Trial This Year, Challenges US Ocean Domination

Chinese Aircraft Carrier "Fujian" Prepares for Sea Trial This Year, Challenges US Ocean Domination.

Thursday, January 05, 2023.

After being officially launched on June 17 2022, China's third aircraft carrier, Type 003 Fujian, is reportedly now in the preparation stage to start sea trials this year. Fujian is China's largest and most advanced warship to date. Fujian's presence is part of an important step in President Xi Jinping's grand plan to upgrade the military and close the military technology gap with the United States.

Since launch, currently Fujian is being prepared at Jiangnan Shipyard near Shanghai, simultaneous mooring trials started in September 2022 to shorten the delivery period to the Chinese Navy. The fit-out phase, which occurs after launch and before sea trials, sees the carrier preparing for delivery and marks the end of construction.

Quoted from the South China Moring Post, the systems on board, ranging from mechanical equipment to propulsion power, are tested during mooring tests to see how effectively they function independently and collectively.

President Xi Jinping mentioned on December 31, 2022, that Fujian is expected to have a significant presence in the Taiwan Strait. China's third aircraft carrier is claimed to be comparable to the USS Gerald R. Ford, the only other warship with a state-of-the-art electromagnetic catapult.

In contrast to the ski-jump designs of the first and second Chinese carriers – Liaoning and Shandong, Fujian has advanced EMALS (Advanced Electromagnetic Launch System) electromagnetic catapults. Therefore, the Chinese Navy had to learn new procedures for launching and recovering aircraft.

Fujian looks equipped with a tower (island) that adopts a semi-stealth design. As for weapons, Fujian can be seen that one of them is equipped with a seven-barrel CIWS (Close In Weapon System) quick reaction canon of 30 mm caliber - Type 730.

Fujian is a conventionally powered aircraft carrier with displacements in the range of 85000 – 100000 tonnes. Although China is known to be developing a stealth fighter jet that will operate on aircraft carriers (Shenyang J-35), it is believed that the ultimate weapon that Fujian can release is still the Shenyang J-15 Flying Shark fighter jet.

Xi Jinping further added that he sincerely hopes that citizens on both sides of the Taiwan Strait will work together and have the same goal of contributing to the long-term prosperity of the Chinese nation. (Sapto Wahono)

Source: www.indomilitary.com

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