China has launched its first home built aircraft carrier, state media said Wednesday.

The PLA Navy plans to establish three aircraft carrier battle groups by 2020. The Liaoning and China’s first two domestically built carriers, currently under construction, will be part of the battle groups. One of the battle groups is to be deployed in the East China Sea, while the other two are to be deployed to the South China Sea.

The Type 001A aircraft carrier is the first aircraft carrier class independently built for the People’s Liberation Army Navy. The vessel is being constructed by Dalian Shipbuilding Industry Company and started in 2015.

The Type 001A is an improved design based on the Kuznetsov-class aircraft carrier (known as Type 001), and also uses a ski-jump bow flight deck.

In December 2013, theย Central Military Commission told Duowei News it planned to commission two Liaoning-pattern aircraft carriers by 2020, designated as Type 001A.

Contracts were awarded to China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation to build the two carriers. The cost is projected to be US$9 billion according to several sources.

The 001A is a conventionally powered with a displacement of around 50,000 tonnes. It is likely to be powered by oil-fired boilers and steam turbines, though previously there has been speculation that it could be gas-turbine propelled.

According to satellite images of September 2015, the layout suggested a hull to have a length of about 240 m and a beam of about 35 m. The incomplete bow suggests a length of at least 270 m for the completed hull.

Commissioning is planned for 2020.

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George has a degree in Cyber Security from Glasgow Caledonian University and has a keen interest in naval and cyber security matters and has appeared on national radio and television to discuss current events. George is on Twitter at @geoallison
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David Stone
David Stone
6 years ago

Smart looking tub. I thought they had gone for the twin island design too, or was that a Russian design I’d seen?

Hugh Mitchell
Hugh Mitchell
6 years ago
Reply to  David Stone

Might have been the Russion Shturm design I think.

Hugh Mitchell
Hugh Mitchell
6 years ago
Reply to  Hugh Mitchell

Russian even…….

Hugh Mitchell
Hugh Mitchell
6 years ago
Reply to  Hugh Mitchell

Shtorm………. I’m going to give up now….

David Stone
David Stone
6 years ago
Reply to  Hugh Mitchell

Thanks for that, and for persevering! ๐Ÿ™‚

dadsarmy
dadsarmy
6 years ago

For some odd reason I’ve never looked at the PLA Navy before.

Impressive.

Mr Bell
Mr Bell
6 years ago

What is impressive is the speed of construction. They have built this vessel in 28 months. The PLA are building a 2nd cats and trap type 002 hull which is essentially a slightly larger version of this hull. Also building large numbers of Chinese Aegis equipped type 52 and type 55 hulls. The PLA have just authorised an increase in their marine corps to over 100,000 frontline troops and are building 2-3 new 32,000 ton lphd hulls so they will have ARG capability in 3-4 years time. All in all they will soon be able to outgun the entirety of… Read more ยป

dadsarmy
dadsarmy
6 years ago
Reply to  Mr Bell

Ah, glad I kept this thread bookmarked. Yes, they will indeed be able to provide that area superiority if they can’t already.

Considering North Korea as a present distraction, it perhaps shows the need for the US to talk to China rather than shout at them.

It could be argued by some that China held a bit of a balance of power during the (first) Cold War which helped to stop it becoming a hot one, and perhaps they do now as well.

Ian
Ian
6 years ago

They are building impressive capability at a rapid rate. Unlike us. Big, medium and small shiny toys, at scale.