Page 21 - ADT JULY - AUGUST 2022 Online Magazine

Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy. [ MARITIME ]
The Fujian, also known as Type 003 is being
built at Shanghai by the Jiangnan Shipyard
and differs from the CNS Liaoning and CNS
Shandong, in that it will not have a ski-jump but
use catapult launchers instead allowing heavier
aircraft to be deployed from it.

Media reports have indicated that Fujian will
introduce a new introduce a new Chinese built
carrier-based fighter in the FC-31. A fifth gener-
ation fighter aircraft, the FC-31 made its public
debut at Airshow China in 2014. The FC-31 is
a single-seat, twin-engine multi-role fighter jet
that is 17.3 meters long and has a wingspan
of 11.5 meters, according to an information by
Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC)
in 2018. The PLA Navy’s existing aircraft car-
riers CNS Liaoning and CNS Shandong can India Approaches Major Milestone
carry 24 and 36 fighter aircraft respectively. The Indian Navy, which is the first and oldest operator of aircraft
The PLA Navy also operates Su-30MKK and carriers in Asia, commenced the second set of sea trials of the
photos taken in 2019 showed the aircraft fitted Indigenous Aircraft Carrier (IAC) ‘Vikrant’ in January. The new war-
with Chinese PL-12 air-to-air missiles. These ship commenced its sea trials in August, last year during which
Su-30MKK fighter jets can also carry upto basic flying operations also took place. The Indian Navy commis-
three YJ-12 missiles sioned its first aircraft carrier, INS Vikrant in 1961, second aircraft
carrier, INS Viraat in 1987.

The 50,000 tonne CNS Shandong is China’s The 40,000 tonne Vikrant is the largest warship ever to be built
second aircraft carrier, and its construction in India. INS Ajay, India’s first indigenous warship was constructed
began at the Dalian Shipbuilding Industry (a in 1960, followed by the first indigenous Indian Frigate INS Nilgiri
subsidiary of China State Shipbuilding Corp), in which was launched by then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in 1968.
November 2013. It was launched in April 2017 The Vikrant has a mammoth steel structure of 21,500 tonnes made
and entered service in December 2019. CNS up of special grade steel developed indigenously and approximately
Liaoning, China’s first aircraft carrier is the 2000 km of cabling, 120 km of piping and 2300 compartments
refurbished ex-Soviet Navy carrier (Varyag) and available onboard. India’s Ministry of Defence (MoD) states that
after receiving an extensive refit at the Dalian indigenous content on the aircraft carrier is as high as 76 per cent.
shipyard in China’s Liaoning province, it was
commissioned into service in September 2012. Vikrant will have a top speed of around 28 knots, cruising speed
The CNS Liaoning (Hull 16) is based in Qingdao, of 18 knots and an endurance of about 7,500 nautical miles.
East China’s Shandong Province near the East Vikrant is expected to have an airborne complement of 30 aircraft
China Sea, Yellow Sea and Bohai Sea, while including the MiG-29K, Kamov-31 and Dhruv helicopters. Vikrant’s
the CNS Shandong (Hull 17), is based in Sanya Aviation Facilities Complex (AFC) which houses aviation arma-
near the South China Sea. The Liaoning aircraft ment, stationary and mobile systems, devices, and aggregates for
carrier group consists of at least eight warships ship borne aircraft technical support and maintenance has been
including escorts like a Type 055 destroyer. developed with Russian assistance. The warship is 262 m long

ASIAN DEFENCE TECHNOLOGY July/August 2022 | 21