China's first aircraft carrier to serve in South China Sea

[aimarraul]

China's first aircraft carrier to serve in South China Sea(Nanfang Daily)

13:49, August 16, 2011 Edited and translated by People's Daily Online

China's new aircraft carrier is planning to serve in the South China Sea by the next Army Day, a military source said.

The vessel will be under direct command of the country's Central Military Commission.

"An aircraft carrier is the mark of major powers," said General Qiao Liang, a military expert.

The vessel will largely expand the combat radius, raising the country's offshore comprehensive combat capabilities beyond the first island chain. Qiao said that air domination is the prerequisite of naval warfare, especially for the remote areas away from the heartland. As a result, there is no alternative for the vessel's leadership.

Rather than an armament used in actual combat, the aircraft carrier is now more a strategic weapon. Its combat function ended as the Second World War was over.

"If an aircraft carrier sets sail from Japan's Yokosuka port, it takes a week for the vessel to arrive at the Malacca Strait and another a week's journey to the Red Sea. But that trip can be made within an hour — even half an hour — by a missile," Qiao said. "Air and space power is the key to future wars as it is faster, clearer and more accurate. The aircraft carrier's dynasty has already passed because economic activities do not solely rely on land and marine transport. Nowadays, capital flow can be easily finished by clicking the keyboard."

The vessel has a symbolic meaning for the country's naval power image. The participation of the vessel will strengthen the navy’s combat ability and deterrent force, Qiao said.

"The aircraft carrier will guarantee the smooth inflow of energy and resources into China from international waters. It can also ensure security and interests of Chinese workers overseas," Qiao said.

China's new carrier aircraft has reached the world's best level, Qiao said. Technically, the lifetime should be at least half a century.

"The Chinese people should not overstate or understate in terms of its meaning. It is merely a necessary step for the Chinese navy," he said.

 

[aimarraul]

China's first aircraft carrier reflects arms buildup

By Fu Xiaowei (Changjiang Daily)09:45, August 16, 2011 Edited and Translated by People's Daily Online

The Varyag, China's first aircraft carrier platform, started its first sea trial on Aug. 10. According to the plan, the first sea trial will not last long and related refitting and testing work will resume after it returns to the shipyard.

Earlier, a spokesperson for China's Ministry of National Defense announced for the first time that China was refitting an obsolete aircraft carrier for scientific research and training purposes, which instantly attracted close attention at home and abroad.

The Varyag is just a training ship. The establishment of China's future aircraft carrier fleet and its operational system as well as the formation of actual combat capability will take a long time. Even so, the first sea trial of the aircraft carrier is still a landmark event.

In retrospect, the 100-year history of aircraft carriers has clearly shown that owning aircraft carriers is usually one of the symbols of a major country's march toward a great power. China has not had its own aircraft carriers for a long time largely because of China's peaceful military modernization concept.

China has always been a peace-loving country, and its ownership of an aircraft carrier and its plan to strive to build aircraft carriers do not mean that it has not turned back on peaceful military modernization. Rather, it is a result of its deeper understanding of its peaceful military modernization. China's ultimate objective in its development of aircraft carriers is to safeguard its national security.

Along with rapid economic growth, constant technological progress and rising comprehensive national strength, China's national interests are expanding, making the effective protection of national sovereignty and territorial integrity more urgent. China started developing its own aircraft carriers for the purposes of building a strong navy, which can effectively protect its national interests, and seeking appropriate means of safeguarding national security.

As a continental country, China has long focused more on the defense of its land territory and failed to realize the importance of territorial waters and airspace. In fact, the country has more than 18,000 kilometers of coastline and 3 million square kilometers of territorial waters, which require effective protection from a strong navy. According to the experience of world powers, China can increase its ability to protect territorial waters and national interests by developing its own aircraft carriers.

China's aircraft carrier plan, especially the Varyag's sea trials, has received nationwide recognition and praise. It should be noted that aircraft carriers are not used for showing off, and China has no intention or need to show off its strength. The launch of the country's first aircraft carrier showed the growth of its military power and improvements in the ocean awareness of the central government and the people.

The aircraft carrier is called the “floating land.” As China's aircraft carrier is sounding its horn and heading toward the deep-blue ocean, the national security vision of China's people is also being extended. Ancient people once used the phrase “viewing the vast ocean with despair” to describe the ocean. But now, the ocean has not been as far, strange and scary as it used to be. The ocean has become a part of our land like the land we stand on.

Without doubt, building the aircraft carrier has strengthened the most important link of China's defense-orientated national defense policies, and the success of the first trial voyage is a good start. Once upon a time, the people of China successfully developed the nuclear bomb, ballistic missile and man-made satellite with their fighting spirit and ceaseless efforts. Now, China has become much more prosperous and stronger, and we believe the people of China will ultimately have their own aircraft carrier fleets

 

[wmdisinfo]

Congradulations To Chinese brothers on achieving this milestone.China is now a force to be reckoned with.

 

[a_chinese]

not quite yet...too early and too little

 

[siegecrossbow]

Aircraft Carrier Tianjin, aka Varyag, researching marine life in the South China Sea since 2012...

 

[Pakistanisage]

WILL THEY ALLOW MW TO LAND MY CESSNA 172 ON IT ??????

 

[lmjiao]

WILL THEY ALLOW MW TO LAND MY CESSNA 172 ON IT ??????

Maybe when they are visiting Pakistan harbors.

 

[ChineseTiger1986]

Here is the new pics.

 

[oct605032048]

i still think it is too early to say so.

 

[Akasa]

So the Chinese are deploying it on the only precious body of water around it. Great work on that logic, Nanfang Daily.

 

[ChineseTiger1986]

And Varyag with J-15 aboard.

 

[no_name]

^^^ That's Admiral Kuznetsov

 

[ChineseTiger1986]

^^^ That's Admiral Kuznetsov

You are right, the shape of the radar is completely different.

 

[Nav]

Aircraft Carrier Tianjin, aka Varyag, researching marine life in the South China Sea since 2012...

so Tianjin is its confirmed name or its just speculation like Shi Lang??

 

[ChineseTiger1986]

so Tianjin is its confirmed name or its just speculation like Shi Lang??

China will only name the carriers after its large cities.