CV-18 Fujian - Type 003 Aircraft Carrier News & Discussions

[Deino]

Seems as if at least in LEGO or MegaBloks the launch ceremony for the Type 003 aircraft carrier is prepared!

(Image via @捣蛋就捣蛋 from Weibo)

 

[JSCh]

Shanghai-based shipyard in full swing as Omicron abates, 'ready for launch of 3rd aircraft carrier'
By Liu Xuanzun
Published: May 31, 2022 09:29 PM

The picture shows aircraft carrier Shandong berths at a naval port in Sanya. China's first domestically-made aircraft carrier Shandong (Hull 17) was officially commissioned to the PLA Navy at a military port in Sanya, South China's Hainan Province, on the afternoon of December 17, 2019, making China one of the few countries in the world that have multiple carriers. Photo:China Military

In a significant achievement of work resumption after the latest COVID-19 resurgence in Shanghai, the Jiangnan Shipyard on Monday launched three new ships and readied two ships for next stage of construction, with the shipbuilder vowing to make up for lost time and complete all production missions on time.

At this rate, China's third aircraft carrier, reportedly also being built at the shipyard, could be launched soon, observers said on Tuesday.

Three ships exited their docks and two were floated from the third and fourth dockyards of the Jiangnan Shipyard on Monday, the shipbuilder said in a press release posted on its WeChat account.

The ships involved were a very large container ship, two very large ethane carriers and two very large gas carriers, according to the press release. This is the first time the Jiangnan Shipyard has achieved such a multi-ship launch involving two dockyards since this year's epidemic, it said.

"With the full work resumption approaching, we will ride the wave, and continue to use innovative methods to boost efficiency so we can make up for lost time as much as possible and finish all scheduled production missions of the year," the press release quoted the head of production as saying.

In late April, the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy released a promotional video on China's aircraft carrier program, in which it implied that the country's third aircraft carrier will be officially revealed soon.

Overseas media previously reported that the carrier was originally planned to be launched on April 23 to celebrate the PLA Navy's 73rd founding anniversary, but it had to be postponed due to the current COVID-19 resurgence in Shanghai.

With the work resumption at the Jiangnan Shipyard, as demonstrated by its latest ship launches, the third aircraft carrier could be launched soon, a Chinese military expert told the Global Times on Tuesday, requesting anonymity.

Based on the general pattern of shipbuilding, some outfitting work of a ship can be done either before launch or after launch. This means the Jiangnan Shipyard and the PLA Navy can choose when to launch the carrier once its construction has reached a certain level, the expert said.

Reports of some media outlets including the South China Morning Post on Tuesday speculated that the launch could take place on Friday, coinciding with the Dragon Boat Festival.

The construction of the third aircraft carrier was first confirmed by an official report in November 2018. The Xinhua News Agency reported at the time that a new type of aircraft carrier was in construction in an orderly manner on berth.

It is widely believed that China's third carrier will be larger than the previous two carriers, and it will likely use electromagnetic catapults to replace the previous two carriers' ski-jump ramps to launch aircraft.

 

[johncliu88]

Seems as if at least in LEGO or MegaBloks the launch ceremony for the Type 003 aircraft carrier is prepared!

(Image via @捣蛋就捣蛋 from Weibo)


View attachment 849188

Let's keep our fingers crossed and see if she will be in water soon.

 

[Deino]

Let's keep our fingers crossed and see if she will be in water soon.

So what do you think? Will it happen on 3rd June??

 

[johncliu88]

So what do you think? Will it happen on 3rd June??

Hard to say. Some people said that the launch schedule may be postponed to August 1. And of course, I really want to see her in water on June 3.

 

[Deino]

Allegedly this seems to be the most recent image available showing the Jiangnan shipyard and indeed several ships built around the carrier have been moved And relocated.

However will the carrier indeed be ready for launch on 3rd June?

(Image via @CHINAPLA1 on Twitter)

 

[Akasa]

 

[Deino]

View attachment 849936

But again, this is NOT real!!

 

[Deino]

But again, this is NOT real!!

https://twitter.com/x/status/1531954665901916160

 

[Deino]

Well, finally a really fine recent image of the Type 003 carrier taken on 31 May ...

But IMO that does not look like a launch on 3 June! :-(

(Image by @Maxar via @CSIS)

 

[tonyget]

The shack on top of catapult still not removed，I don't think the ship is ready to launch until the surface is cleared

 

[MajesticPug]

Well, finally a really fine recent image of the Type 003 carrier taken on 31 May ...

But IMO that does not look like a launch on 3 June! :-(

(Image by @Maxar via @CSIS)


View attachment 850397

I agree. It's not going to be launched 6/3rd. The date is an arbitrary date some fans speculate to coincide with a Chinese Dragon Boat Day. Correct me if I'm wrong: there wasn't an official announcement on when the launch will be.

 

[Deino]

I agree. It's not going to be launched 6/3rd. The date is an arbitrary date some fans speculate to coincide with a Chinese Dragon Boat Day. Correct me if I'm wrong: there wasn't an official announcement on when the launch will be.

Yes, but there wasn‘t also an official announcement before the Shandong was launched AFAIR

 

[sheik]

I agree. It's not going to be launched 6/3rd. The date is an arbitrary date some fans speculate to coincide with a Chinese Dragon Boat Day. Correct me if I'm wrong: there wasn't an official announcement on when the launch will be.

The date 6/3 is not just the Dragon Boat Festival, it is also the 157th anniversary of the Jiangnan Shipyard. It's not just arbitrary.
However, I am not sure if the big boat will launch on that day.

 

[Deino]

Latest image of the Type 003 carrier and so it seems, no launch today!

(Image via @kj_pr9 / Twitter)