kwaigonegin
Colonel
I don't think the hangar has similar exact dimensions however it is generally agreed that 003's hull (especially below the waterline) is a close derivative of the kuznetsov class.
CV-18 Fujian/003 CATOBAR carrier thread
- Thread starter Jeff Head
- Start date
And you based that assumption on what evidence?
kwaigonegin
Colonel
There is no smoking gun or concrete 'evidence' but rather just overall culling and observations from various articles and posts over the last year etc.
Thus me saying 'generally agreed' as opposed to 100% sure or confirmed!
Speculation and educated guesses in forums like this and a couple of other more reputable ones including Chinese sites or posters are usually very close to actuals.
That's part of the fun though isn't it?
All I see are pure speculations from nobodies.
After tryst with Shandong at Sanya now time with Liaoning in Qingdao?
Familiaring the Fujian with the crews of both current carriers?
Or maybe Fujian is going up north to accept its home air wing?
lcloo
Major
My thought too. It would be nice to known if they start taking in more J15T, J35 and KJ600 and train the pilots landing and take-off on Fujian's deck in dadui size level. And also training ship crew in Winter condition after leaving tropical zone in Hainan.
Possibly, but if that were the lone reason it would be faster and easier for the aircraft to travel to where the carrier is based rather than have the whole carrier travel to where the aircraft are manufactured.
So it's probably a less "exciting" reason.
Wouldn't it be the other way around? Yes, the Fujian took 3-4 days to travel up to Qingdao, versus simply flying the carrier-based aircraft to be embarked down there in a few hours on the same day, but it would still be a long flight + the possible use of multiple tankers to extend range to get down to there, assuming they weren't using drop tanks.
They'd also likely land at the airbase they're going to once they got down there first, rather than straight to the carrier, just to take off again later to embark onto the Fujian. In contrast, assuming it is up there in Qingdao to embark more aircraft for training if that's where the bulk of the aircraft currently are, then it seems to me it would be a lot easier and logical to just have carrier-based aircraft from the nearest airbase embark on the Fujian in the Yellow/Bohai Sea, which in terms of distance from whatever PLANAF airbase near Qingdao to the carrier, would probably just be a 20-40 minute flight? That's just my two cents.