Fujian and INS Vikrant: On May 1, China created yet another stir when the Fujian, its newest, biggest, and most sophisticated aircraft carrier, departed Shanghai’s Jiangnan shipyard for its first-ever sea trials.
According to Shanghai’s Maritime Safety Administration, its evaluation is scheduled to occur in the East China Sea, roughly 130 kilometres from the Jiangnan Shipyard, where the carrier has been under construction for more than six years.
The aircraft carrier’s propulsion and electrical systems will be the main focus of the sea testing, according to a statement released on Wednesday by the state-run Xinhua news agency.
The trials would take at least another year, according to a South China Morning Post story citing military specialists. The first phase would concentrate on the power, navigation, and communication systems that enable the integrated power system and catapult.
What effect would Fujian’s arrival in the world’s seas have on the balance of naval power? How does it stack up against the aircraft carrier of India?
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Fujian
The Fujian province, which faces Taiwan and is located on China’s southeast coast, is the source of the region’s name. The provinces of Shandong and Liaoning are the names of this third carrier, in keeping with the ancient Chinese custom.
Experts point out that the strategic decision to name the third aircraft carrier after Fujian is a show of China’s blue-water naval prowess as well as a direct message to Taiwan, the independent island.
The first to be produced to a native design, the Fujian was initially launched in June 2022 and followed the Liaoning and Shandong. By 2035, the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) intends to have six carriers in total, making it the second-largest blue-water navy in the world behind the US.
#News China’s biggest aircraft carrier starts sea trials: China’s largest and most advanced aircraft carrier has begun sea trials, enabling Beijing to enhance its naval power in the Indo-Pacific region.#China #Fujian #AircraftCarrier #ship https://t.co/GgTPEGjgrx pic.twitter.com/56vx2ANWPt
— Graphic News (@GNgraphicnews) May 1, 2024
The China State Shipbuilding Corporation Limited constructed the Fujian, which is the country’s most sophisticated aircraft carrier. According to reports, the Fujian is China’s “supercarrier,” more sophisticated than the country’s other two, which are smaller and rely on less effective ski-jump ramps to assist in takeoff.
When completely loaded, it moves around 80,000 tonnes and is about 1,035 feet long. It is therefore marginally bigger than its predecessors. One of Fujian’s improvements is a command island that takes up less room on the flight deck than its predecessors because it is sleeker and more sophisticated.
According to Indian Defense News, it is the first aircraft carrier in the country to deploy Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch Systems (EMALs) in place of the ski ramp that Liaoning and Shandong carriers used to launch aircraft from the deck. Moreover, Fujian features a flat-top flight deck for effortless landings and takeoffs. The catapult-assisted take-off but arrested recovery (CATOBAR) system, which is employed on US aircraft carriers, has taken the place of the short take-off but arrested recovery (STOBAR) system on the Fujian.
The most recent full carrier-based launch system, known as EMALS, increases the speed at which aircraft take off. Additionally, it makes it possible for a carrier to deploy a wider range of aircraft, particularly larger ones.
According to analysts speaking to CNN, Fujian will have a longer combat range than previous carriers in the Chinese navy thanks to its capacity to deploy larger jets with heavier ammunition loads farther away. This will offer the PLAN what are known as “blue-water” capabilities.
It’s crucial to remember that even if the Fujian will be more sophisticated than its Chinese forebears, conventional power will still be used instead of nuclear power. However, a story in the Telegraph claims that this one function won’t be very important.
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Along with all of this, the Fujian will also be able to accommodate more aircraft because to its larger airwing. It is anticipated to have 60 aircraft in its airwing, which will include drones stationed on carriers, Z-20F helicopters, KJ-600 airborne early-warning aircraft, and J-35 stealth fighters.
The China State Shipbuilding Corporation Limited constructed the Fujian, which is the country’s most sophisticated aircraft carrier. According to reports, the Fujian is China’s “supercarrier,” more sophisticated than the country’s other two, which are smaller and rely on less effective ski-jump ramps to assist in takeoff. AP
Fujian and INS Vikrant
| INS VIKRANT | FUJIAN | |
|---|---|---|
| 860 Feet | Length | 1035 Feet |
| 45,000 Metric Tons | Displacement | 80,000 Metric Tons |
| 28 Knots | Max Speed | 31 Knots |
| 1,700 Sailors | Crew | 2,000 Sailors |
| 30 Aircraft | Air Wing | 60 Aircraft |
Given the historical rivalry between China and India, New Delhi will be closely monitoring the Fujian.
It will be interesting to see, nevertheless, how India’s recently inducted indigenously built INS Vikrant compares to China’s carrier.
With the induction of INS Vikrant, the country’s first homegrown aircraft carrier, into the Navy in 2022, India became one of the select few countries capable of producing such warships.
The INS Vikrant has dimensions of 62 meters by 262 meters. Although it is now the largest in India, it is not as large as the 316-meter-long Fujian. Furthermore, INS Vikrant has a total displacement of almost 45,000 metric tons. In contrast, the province of Fujian claims to have moved about 80,000 metric tons in total.
Four gas turbines that can generate 88 megawatts of power and reach a top speed of 28 knots propel the INS Vikrant, which has a crew of more than 1,400 sailors and 160 officers. It is similar to INS Vikramaditya in that it uses a STOBAR system with a ski-jump ramp and can accommodate roughly thirty jets and helicopters. A report from Business Insider states that MiG-29Ks, the carrier variant of the Russian-built MiG-29, are anticipated to comprise Vikrant’s first air wing.
However, the air wing of the Fujian will be made up of J-35s and other aircraft.
Despite its stunning design, the INS Vikrant still lags behind China’s Fujian in terms of design, according to an Al Jazeera article.
According to Brian Hart, a fellow at the CSIS who works on the China supremacy Project, “the Fujian will be the most visible symbol of China’s growing naval power,” according to CNN.
The Telegraph also mentioned that the US maintained its advantage over other countries in terms of aircraft carriers, with the USS Gerald R Ford being the closest competitor. The US Navy and everyone else are the two tiers of carrier operators at present, according to the statement.
