- an entirely new class of Chinese vessel with a large open flight deck has emerged
- ship has features of aircraft carrier or a big-deck amphibious assault ship
- satellite image of Guangzhou Shipyard International taken on October 23, 2024, showing, among other things, new class of Chinese ship with a large flight deck. PLANET LABS
- 200m long, beam 40m, two islands on one side of the deck.
- around 656 feet (200 meters) long and 131 feet (40 meters) at its widest
- ship’s size in line with existing aircraft carriers and amphibious assault ships
new ship built very quickly - no sign of it in May 2024
- but visible in August 2024
- launched between September 10 and October 9
My Comments : In the pictures above do you see that pointy, spiky white colored vessel floating on the water (to the left of the flat-top). It is a trimaran or three hulled vessel belonging to the Chinese Navy.
After launching THREE aircraft carriers (the Liaoning, the Shandong and the Fujian) the Chinese are working on the fourth carrier.
The third carrier the Fujian is believed to be close to 110,000 tons and about 1,100 feet long (to be confirmed). Older estimates said 1,036 feet long and 85,000 tons. But navy nerds pointed out that the propeller of the Fujian has a diameter that fits a heavier ship (110,000 tons).
Then this news above has popped up. Out of nowhere the Chinese have launched yet another flat-top which has been photographed above. It is 656 feet long and resembles a light carrier or maybe a super huge helicopter carrier / amphibious assault ship.
Since China is working on Vertical Take Off stealth fighters and also has tilt rotor aircraft this type of vessel can double up or triple up as an amphibious assault ship cum helicopter carrier cum aircraft carrier. All in one.
The speed of the construction has to be noted. The ship was not visible in May 2024 but come October it was already launched. That is about six months.
"The Shandong which was China's first domestically built aircraft carrier, was launched in 2017 after construction began in 2013. That is less than four years. Some of China's Type 054A, Type 056, and Type 052D were built in one to three years"
I believe the Chinese have mastered mass production of their flat-tops and they are going to be churning out these carriers like cookie cutter factories.
Here is a map of China's major shipyards. The Dalian and Jiangnan shipyards are super gigantic with each of them having more shipbuilding capacity (by tonnage) than the rest of the world combined.
China's shipbuilding industry has over 230 times the capacity of the US, according to recent estimates from the Office of Naval Intelligence, representing about 50% of the total global shipbuilding capacity, 21 Sept 2024.
Another feature of Chinese shipbuilding is that both commercial and naval vessels are built side by side in the same shipyard. This creates economies of scale and efficiencies.
No one has any idea what it will feel like to be hit by a train. Until you get hit by a train. By then it will be too late.
