A Hainan aircraft carrier base says hello to Google Maps

[xhw1986]

A satellite image provided by Google Maps may have unintentionally revealed the PLA Navy’s second carrier base in Yulin, Hainan province, according to the Party-run Global Times.

The satellite image has captured what appears to be a trestle and breakwater structure, indicating that Hainan is potentially set to become China’s second carrier base after Qingdao in east China’s Shandong province, said military experts. Military figures have neither admitted nor denied inferences to the construction of the base during press conferences.

China has the right to maintain and modify its naval facility in Hainan, Geng Yangsheng, spokesperson of Chinese defense ministry, said in September in a report from Guangzhou’s Southern Metropolis Daily. Yang Yujun, another military spokesperson, confirmed that the development of China’s aircraft carriers will continue depending on military needs and the available resources provided by the economy and society.

Located in southern China, Hainan serves as a doorway for the PLA Navy into the South China Sea. Yulin can be used as a forward base against any of the countries competing for disputed territories in the South China Sea. As one of China’s most important naval bases, the mouth of Yulin harbor is still considered a restricted area.

A Hainan aircraft carrier base says hello to Google Maps | idrw.org

 

[Kompromat]

How many carriers China has planned?

 

[ChineseTiger1986]

How many carriers China has planned?

Three more aircraft carriers by 2025, and one of them will be nuclear powered.

 

[Fsjal]

Is this the Yulin Naval Base?

The one with underground tunnels?

 

[cirr]

How many carriers China has planned?

Possible roadmap：

（1）an upgraded “LiaoNing” with AESA-equipped J-15Bs
（2）one or two conventional flattops with steam-driven catapult（successfully developed and tested，ready to go）、fixed-wing AWACS、5th gen fighter jets、UCAV etc
（3）nuclear-powered flattops with EMALS、5th gen fighter jets、UCAV etc

 

[applesauce]

China has the right to maintain and modify its naval facility in Hainan, Geng Yangsheng, spokesperson of Chinese defense ministry, said in September in a report from Guangzhou’s Southern Metropolis Daily. Yang Yujun,

why the heck does this even need to be said?

 

[Luftwaffe]

Possible roadmap：

（1）an upgraded “LiaoNing” with AESA-equipped J-15Bs
（2）one or two conventional flattops with steam-driven catapult（successfully developed and tested，ready to go）、fixed-wing AWACS、5th gen fighter jets、UCAV etc
（3）nuclear-powered flattops with EMALS、5th gen fighter jets、UCAV etc

It would not make sense to have 10-12 A/Cs like US which is complete waste of resources Next Gen Nuclear based larger tonnage A/Cs should atleast be 3 in numbers and conventional ones should be 2-4 in number sufficient to establish Naval power in region and in international waters.

 

[Oldman1]

Three more aircraft carriers by 2025, and one of them will be nuclear powered.

Why the rest not nuclear?

 

[Luftwaffe]

Why the rest not nuclear?

Speculations at best no timeframe and no credible information how many conventional and how many Nuclear A/Cs to going to be in Chinese Navy by their ambitions atleast couple of them should be Nuclear based A/Cs.

 

[Beast]

Possible roadmap：

（1）an upgraded “LiaoNing” with AESA-equipped J-15Bs
（2）one or two conventional flattops with steam-driven catapult（successfully developed and tested，ready to go）、fixed-wing AWACS、5th gen fighter jets、UCAV etc
（3）nuclear-powered flattops with EMALS、5th gen fighter jets、UCAV etc

What do you mean by AESA J-15B? Current J-15 is already equipped with AESA.

 

[ChineseTiger1986]

Why the rest not nuclear?

Because we won't fully master it until 2025.

 

[illusion8]

an idrw report? seriously? nice photoshop btw.

 

[cirr]

What do you mean by AESA J-15B? Current J-15 is already equipped with AESA.

No，J-15 hasn't got AESA。

J-10B and J-16 are the only soon-to-be-operational fighters with AESA。

 

[Roybot]

an idrw report? seriously? nice photoshop btw.

IDRW is actually quoting a report in Global Times. The alleged "aircraft carrier base" as seen on Google Earth.

 

[kaykay]

No matter what people say about Aircraft Carriers but their era have certainly not gone. See almost all major powers are building Aircraft Carriers including China(speculated and operate one), Russia(working on design and already operate one), USA(many planned), UK(atleast building one while another planned), France(planned), India(operate two, while making one and another planned).