asif iqbal
Lieutenant General
A nice screen capture.
this was unimaginable just a few years ago and today this is the reality
a Chinese Carrie Strike Group sailing somewhere
CV-16, CV-17 STOBAR carrier thread (001/Liaoning, 002/Shandong)
- Thread starter Blitzo
- Start date
this was unimaginable just a few years ago and today this is the reality
a Chinese Carrie Strike Group sailing somewhere
asif iqbal
Lieutenant General
just beautiful
Su33/J15 was considered very bad choice for carriers
yet China has made a success out of it
A couple more...
I've never seen aircrafts with nose pointed towards the island when parked on a carrier before, under what circumstances do they do this?
Intrepid
Major
During the recovery phase, the aircraft carrier is vulnerable. So the planes have to be brought on deck in the shortest possible time. They are parked nose-in alternately on the foredeck and along the island. When the landing phase is over, the planes along the island are turned around by the plane tugs.
If the planes are nose to the island, the photo was taken immediately after the recovery phase.
PLA aircraft carrier Shandong holds confrontational drills in South China Sea amid US carrier strike group's entry of region
By and Guo Yuandan Published: Jan 15, 2023 09:35 PM
The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy's aircraft carrier Shandong conducts realistic combat-oriented exercises in the South China Sea in the early autumn of 2022. Photo: Screenshot from the WeChat account of the PLA South Sea Fleet
The Shandong aircraft carrier group of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy recently held a series of confrontational drills in the South China Sea at a time when a US carrier strike group had entered the region, with analysts saying on Sunday that the Chinese carrier has practically enhanced its combat readiness, while the US carrier only stirred up tensions and had limited military significance.
Consisting of several different types of warships and dozens of warplanes, the Shandong aircraft carrier group conducted realistic combat-oriented confrontational exercises in the South China Sea, the PLA Navy said in a statement on Saturday.
The drills simulated hostile aircraft attacks, and J-15 fighter jets took off from the Shandong and carried out interception training, the statement said.
During the exercises, the carrier group also practiced cross-service multidimensional attack and defense on the surface, in the air and underwater, with new J-15 pilots becoming certified for nighttime operational capabilities, marking another big step toward forming a systematic combat capability, the PLA Navy said.
Photos attached to the statement showed that J-15 fighter jets crowded on the flight deck of the Shandong, an indication that the Shandong is equipped with sufficient aircraft, a Chinese military expert who requested anonymity told the Global Times on Sunday.
The Shandong carrier group carried out challenging nighttime warplane sorties and combat drills under realistic tactical settings, showing that the domestically built vessel has reached a high level of operational capability following its commissioning in December 2019, the expert said.
Thanks to experience gathered from the PLA Navy's first aircraft carrier, the Liaoning, the Shandong achieved operational capability fast with a full standard procedure, Song Zhongping, a Chinese military expert and TV commentator, told the Global Times on Sunday.
By training in the South China Sea, a location where the maritime environment is more complicated, the Shandong demonstrated its capabilities despite challenging situations, Song said.
The training in a flotilla also showed the Shandong has integrated with other vessels, Song said. "The Liaoning recently conducted drills in the West Pacific, and now the Shandong is practicing in the South China Sea. In the future, the two carriers might form a dual carrier group and train together," he said.
On Thursday, the US Navy announced that its Nimitz carrier strike group began operating in the South China Sea, with two Chinese ships tailing, CNN reported on the day.
Attempting to threaten China, the US aircraft carrier's activities in the South China Sea actually have limited military significance and will only stir up tension in the region, experts said.
A recent run by the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies indicated that the US would lose its aircraft carriers should they interfere in a possible conflict in the Taiwan Straits.
It is normal that the PLA monitors potentially provocative foreign military moves on China's doorstep, and the foreign forces would serve as practice partners that contribute to the PLA's combat readiness, analysts said.
In December, a US RC-135 spy plane engaged in dangerous maneuvers against a PLA Navy J-11 fighter jet that was monitoring the US aircraft during the latter's close-in reconnaissance of China over the South China Sea.
The Chinese pilot took professional and standard action , fully reflecting the Chinese military's responsible attitude toward regional safety and the safety of frontline personnel, said Senior Colonel Tian Junli, a spokesperson of the PLA Southern Theater Command.
I particularly like the above discussion regarding the photo posted by Strangelove. Based on Intrepid's explanation, the pic shows:
{a moment on a Chinese aircraft carrier shortly after the recovery phase of a nighttime launch-and-recovery cycle of at least 9 fast jets}
Not too long ago, that phrase could not have existed outside of fiction. The PLAN continues to march steadily along the long road to carrier proficiency. I remember way back when, someone insisted on these forums that the Chinese would never get good at carrier flight ops because the Chinese lacked the "coolness" factor of the Americans.
You know, I just thought of something.
China will keep her Liaoning. As long as there isn't 4, 5 or 6 Chinese-built carriers roaming in the Pacific, China has no extra capacity to give up Liaoning. Besides, Russia is still primarily a land power - They don't need carriers.
Meanwhile, considering how China is already capable of building 7 052Ds at the same time, China certainly can fit in a couple more slots to build more 052Ds in order to replace these older destroyers in the PLAN.
This is especially true for the Sovremennys, which have a complement of 350 per ship, compared to the newer Chinese destroyers with only a complement of 280 per ship.
Take out those 350 crews and officers from the 4x Sovremennys = 1400 officers and crew in total.
Each 052D has a complement of 280 per ship.
That means by dividing 1400 with 280, the PLAN could have 5x brand-new 052Ds instead of the 4x Sovremennys from the 1990s.
Boom, viola! China can instantly add 5 more AEGIS-capable destroyers into its surface fleet, and thus another greater firepower boost for the PLAN.
Those 4 Sovremennys, meanwhile:
Just give them back to Russia. Russia needs a morale booster for their navy after losing their Black Sea flagship. In fact, China "returning their destroyers after a 20-plus-year-lease" would even help further cement China-Russia friendship.
(I know, this is just my own daydreaming, but it doesn't sound bad lol)
Last edited: