Okay, as we continue to wait, here are six photos of the latest, in pretty good resolution:
Late Aug 2016, CV001A Flight deck wi/Ski-Jump, and forward port sponson:
Early Sept 2016, CV001A Flight deck wi/Ski-Jump, and forward port sponson:
Early Sep 2016, CV001A Flight deck w/Ski-Jump, forward port sponson, & forward half island on pier
Early Sep 2016, CV001A Close up of forward half of island on pier
Early Sep 2016, CV001A Covering for hole in Flight deck being lifted into place (1)
Early Sep 2016, CV001A Covering for hole in Flight deck being lifted into place (1)
This is all exciting progress on the 1st indigenous Chinese carrier. Soon they will lift the covering for the other big hole in the flight deck. After that, the will lift both halves oif the island onto the flight deck and the carrier will be getting close to structurally complete, although there will still be lots of internal work to go, as well as more sponsons and the elevators on the exterior.
Depending on how far they want to take her before launch (how much wiring and internal structure they want to complete, what if any external systems (sensors, armament, etc) they want to place, I expect the carrier to be launched in the 1st or 2nd quarter of next year.
Since they laid the initial blacks for the support of her keel in February 2015, launching her sometime between April and July of 2017 (in other words in about 2 1/2 years) is a very impressive build of their first carrier.
Yes, it is in essence a rebuild of the Liaoning which they had years of rebuild and study to prepare for, but it is nonetheless their own first build of a carrier, and they have no doubt made some improvements. so, as I say, it is still a very impressive accomplishment and I am sure ears are pricked throughout the region.
...particularly if sometime in 2017 we also see definitive evidence that the CV002 design is already building.
Tme will tell.
