PLAN Aircraft Carrier programme...(Closed)
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vesicles
Colonel
What? I thought the CV-16 is still out at sea somewhere. If it already came back, then it just came back from a long trip at the sea (at least 2 months?). How can you say that they "hardly uses their existing carrier"?
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Intrepid
Major
What kind and number of aircraft are using the carrier? More than the three J-15?
vesicles
Colonel
How do you know it's still three J-15's on the CV-16? We have not seen any photos/videos of the CV-16 during the latest outing. And even if they still have only three J-15's on the deck, they are still practicing and utilizing the carrier, just not as efficiently as we would want. But the simple fact that they have been sending the carrier out to the sea and exercising indicates that they are "using the carrier"... Your initial comment was that, and I quote, "the Chinese hardly uses their existing carrier". That implies the CV-16 is simply sitting at the dock and doing nothing. We all know that is not what is happening. So my rebuttal is that they are using it. Definitely not as efficient as USN, but "using it" is "using it".
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SinoSoldier
Colonel
There is a rumor that twenty J-15 aircraft have been built, with a new variant slated for the coming year. So even if they aren't deployed on the carrier, assuming the rumor is sound, it would still mean the Navy is getting the training.
The Liaoning has been out to sea, . They have trained extensively with other PLAN vessels in operational deployment, task force, manuevering, and replenishment exercises.
They have also used the prototype aircraft on numerous occassions to qualify quite a few personnel with at-sea carrier operations who then are training others..
In addition, they have used their rather extensive land-based carrier training facilityhttp://www.sinodefenceforum.com/navy/plan-naval-aviation-training-facility-2-6436.htmlhttp://www.sinodefenceforum.com/navy/plan-naval-aviation-training-facility-2-6436.html to graduate even more to that level.
In addition, they have built an entire facility/base for the Liaoning at Shandong, as well as a research/logistical training facility at Wuhan...and have upgraded the facilities significantly at Hainan to receive her as well. Huge capitol outlays.
Make no mistake, the PRC has gone all in on the carrier program.
We shall see with the coming year what occurs in terms of the number of J-15s they put to sea. I bet we are going to see six to eight on the carrier soon. We know they have been building production J-15s and we have seen the numbering of at least 15 of those I believe...in addition to the five or six flying prototypes they have been using.
The Chinese are simply doing it according to their time table...and we may get a little frustrated and impatient over it...but it does not mean at all that they are not moving forward. They have made it clear by their investment that they are in this for the long term.
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While many people would like to see China launch and catch extremely large number of aircraft in all condition all the time, the fact still remains that China is new to using aircraft carrier and carrier's operation. As much as we would all like to see the Chinese being extremely good at these operations, it is not possible currently.
The US, UK, France, Russia and even the Indians have decades of experience with the carrier... with the US more like evolution in the carrier operation, coming right from WW2, to cold war, to modern era, etc. Carrier operation is like a second nature of the US...
China is just beginning. They send their carrier out, launch a couple of aircraft, then come back and review what was done correctly and what is not, and how to improve. Then they improvise their operation procedure, etc, and send their ship out again. This process go on and on, until they more or less perfect the SOP. At present, I think, the aircraft launching and the such was already tested, the J-15 performed well and to the satisfaction of the PLA, but although launching aircraft and capturing them back safely is among the most important thing of aircraft carrier operation, there are other things that needed to be addressed too. The Chinese might be refining all those operation now.
Also, I have this feeling that we will not be seeing another aircraft carrier until the PLA perfected their SOP or near to perfecting their SOP.
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