US Think Tank: "China Likely to Launch Third Aircraft Carrier in February Next Year... Comparable to US Carriers"

"Installation of Electronic Injection Machines Greatly Enhances Operational Capability"
Military Tensions Expected to Rise in Taiwan Strait and South China Sea

On the 23rd of last month, the US satellite company Maxar Technologies captured an image of the Chinese aircraft carrier 'Type 003' under construction at the Jiangnan Shipyard in Shanghai, China. [Image source: Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS)]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] The U.S. think tank Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) has released satellite images suggesting that China's latest aircraft carrier, known as the "Type 003," is expected to be launched around February next year. This aircraft carrier is anticipated to be the first among China's carriers to be equipped with advanced systems such as an electromagnetic catapult, potentially matching the capabilities of U.S. aircraft carriers. Consequently, concerns are rising over increased military tensions between the U.S. and China in the South China Sea.

On the 9th (local time), CSIS stated in a commentary, "Based on satellite images of the Shanghai Jiangnan Shipyard where China's latest Type 003 carrier is under construction, it is likely that the Type 003 will be launched within the next 3 to 6 months, around February next year." They added, "This aircraft carrier will be China's third and the first new model to incorporate advanced technologies such as electromagnetic catapults."

Previously, China's carriers Liaoning and Shandong, which were launched earlier, only had ski-jump ramps without electromagnetic catapults, limiting their operational capabilities. However, with the expected launch of the Type 003 equipped with an electromagnetic catapult, China is likely to be able to deploy various combat air wings, including airborne early warning and control aircraft.

The size of the aircraft carrier is also expected to be at least 80,000 tons displacement, making it the largest among all Chinese carriers to date. Last month, the U.S. Congressional Research Service noted that the Type 003's displacement could be around 100,000 tons, comparable to the U.S. Nimitz-class carriers.

Matthew Funaiole, senior fellow for the China project at CSIS, explained, "The Type 003 will mark China's first step into modern aircraft carriers. However, unlike the U.S. nuclear-powered carriers, the Type 003 is expected to be powered by diesel engines, which may result in inferior endurance and range compared to U.S. carriers."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.