CV-18 Fujian/003 CATOBAR carrier thread

[sangye]

The most recent pictures we had were from late March, which is fairly recent and not exactly "a long time".

https://www.sinodefenceforum.com/type-002-cv-18-carrier-news-discussions.t8048/page-265#post-547534


Going two or three months without updated pictures of that location would actually be fairly normal tbh. If we go six months without an update then that would be different

What if we go five months?

 

[Deino]

Some news from the dredging activities ...

via Icloo/PDF:
A dredging ship had been working hard from April to May, deepening the river bed next to exit point of the new harbour basin for aircraft carrier 003.

check out post #1038.

Track of dredger from 2019 April 4th to May 01st.

 

[Blitzo]

An update

 

[Deino]

An update

View attachment 52183

Is it me or is it indeed the first time we see something that looks like a bow of a carrier?

 

[Anlsvrthng]

It is a bit small for a carrier.

The beam of it is about 32 meters, the Liaoning is 35 meter, Nimitz 41 meters.

Based on the known size of the water dam from the google earth.

The size can be like a Wasp class .

 

[Orthan]

It is a bit small for a carrier.

The beam of it is about 32 meters, the Liaoning is 35 meter, Nimitz 41 meters.

Based on the known size of the water dam from the google earth.

The size can be like a Wasp class .

Perhabs this is not a carrier but rather a LHD ? By this picture, it does seem to be small for a carrier

 

[Deino]

Perhabs this is not a carrier but rather a LHD ? By this picture, it does seem to be small for a carrier

This is via the PDF

Yes, I believe that is the bow section on the left. The WIP at this stage is quite close to that of 002 around June 2015, which is 1 year and 10 months from 002's launch date in April 2017.

We may see 003 launch in early 2021, and entering service in 2023. However, if the new building method can save substantial time, the ship might be able for launch in end of 2020.

Aircraft carrier 002's progress in 2015.

 

[Intrepid]

Because it is not a copy of an existing design, but a new project, the savings from better construction techniques and additional time for something new may cancel each other out.

 

[Blitzo]

It is a bit small for a carrier.

The beam of it is about 32 meters, the Liaoning is 35 meter, Nimitz 41 meters.

Based on the known size of the water dam from the google earth.

The size can be like a Wasp class .

View attachment 52185
View attachment 52186

It's not for an LHD, it's for a carrier.

We already have had years of continuous rumours that the next carrier will.be built at JN.

The purpose of imagery analysis is to confirm what we already know.
Based on the image, it is not particularly sufficient to try and get an accurate estimate of its beam. Considering the previous rumoured size of this carrier we are most likely expecting a beam of around 35m or a little more.

Given the resolution of the picture and given the pictures we've had of the modules in the past, I think it more than fulfills the criteria for being big enough to meet that range. For example when I use your method to measure the beam at the widest point I get something more like 37 meters.

 

[gelgoog]

It is hard to measure dimensions on something shot at perspective like that. I have to agree with @Bltizo that a carrier is the most likely fit given what we know of the Chinese naval construction program. The LHDs are supposed to be built at the same shipyards as the LPDs not JN.