First Chinese Aircraft Carrier Makes Waves

The Start Of Another Long March?

The People's Republic of China's new carrier was bought in 1998 for $20m in an auction. She started life as a Soviet 'aircraft carrying heavy cruiser', with building starting in the mid 1980s. As the USSR collapsed, and by the time she was sold to a 'front' Chinese company, she had been stripped almost bare, and carried the name 'Varyag'. Over the subsequent ten or so years, China refitted her in in northern China.

August 2011 saw her first open-sea trials, carrying the name 'Shi Lang' (East Wind).

A few commentators doubted that China would finish the project, but those who know the Chinese national spirit know that they seek to overtake the US politically and militarily - they are already forging ahead economically, and have actively been building their strengths in all these aspects.

The stance of the People's Liberation Army Navy has altered from that of a low-key coastal defence force to that of a superpower with worldwide capability. Projection of power with a worldwide reach requires air-power platforms. Carriers are very visible, and offer a powerful picture of naval strength.

Carriers for modern high performance fighter bombers need a much higher level of sophistication and systems integration than do Harrier carriers. Hence the doubts over China's plans.

The country's long march to joining the fast-jet carrier nations demands massive investment - the UK and US have been building carriers for nearly a century, and the industry to build large platforms takes a generation and more to establish. The Chinese are leap-frogging - with a basic carrier shell they can learn the fitting-out stage and improve it, just as they have done with so many consumer items. Ships hulls are not difficult to build (if not nuclear powered), and they do have a set of plans ready for the next one.

Military China-watchers have known for some time that China was serious about this investment. There have been plenty of jokes about the Concrete Carrier they constructed in the Oriental Park in Shanghai, but the fact is that building a carrier is one thing, operating one efficiently 24 x 7 in all weathers when under attack is quite another. The pilots, maintenance and flight operations controllers have to be trained. That requires schools and teachers. But first you have to train the teachers. A whole logistics capability is needed. It really is a huge task, and China is taking it seriously.

China is clearly in the game, though it will be several years before an effective carrier group can be operational and a credible threat. China plays a long game, with strategic planning which may look a century into the future.

Shi Lang - The Taiwan Link

The Ming-Qing dynasty admiral, Shi Lang, invaded Tungking (now known as Taiwan) 300 years ago. Will the new carrier's identity prove to be prophetic?

Certainly, naval tensions in the Far East are intensifying, and with the continuing dispute with Japan and Taiwan over island chains in the South China Sea such as the Spratley Islands, further announcements are expected.