As China seeks to further its presence in
the waters of the Pacific, it has commissioned a new super carrier to add to its fleet that
they are hoping will compete with the U.S. Navy’s new Gerald Ford Supercarrier. But how does the Fujian compare to the Navy’s
newest addition to its carrier fleet? Does it have the technological capabilities
to compete with modern blue water carrier fleets? What is the likely military doctrine that
will outline its use in battle? In this video, we will seek to answer these
questions and more. Let’s delve right in. Much of what we know about the new Fujian
is based on reconnaissance imagery and intelligence analysis. The Chinese Type 003 Fujian supercarrier has
a 316 meter flight deck and has a beam of 76 meters at the flight deck. It is conventionally powered by 8 boiler steam
turbines producing approximately 220,000 hp at its 4 shafts. The Fujian is expected to utilize electromagnetic
catapults, a step up from the “ski jump” configuration of its predecessors. Its displacement will be about 80,000 tons
with a full combat load, though, recent intelligence suggests that it may actually displace closer
to 100,000 tons. The ship will be crewed by approximately 2,000
sailors and 60 flag staff officers. The endurance of the Fujian is not yet known,
however, the Type 002 carrier Shandong has a top speed of 31 knots and has a range of
25,928 kilometers (16,111 miles) at 14 knots. Similar performance is expected from the Fujian,
though top speed is slightly slower at 29 knots. Construction on the Fujian began sometime
in the 2010s, though the exact date is currently unknown. Construction was paused briefly as the electromagnetic
catapult system was developed, but resumed again in the late 2010s. The ship’s modules went into dry dock in
mid 2020 and reports were that a launch of the vessel was possible by mid 2022. These reports turned out to be accurate as
the Fujian was launched on 17 June 2022 sporting the hull number 18. The Electromagnetic Catapult Aircraft Launch
System, or EMALS as the US refers to it, utilizes a linear induction motor as opposed to the
steam piston catapults of other carriers. This represents a significant technological
jump for the Chinese as they have skipped developing conventional steam driven catapults
all together. The new system has several advantages over
steam piston systems, chief of which are reduced stress on the airframe due to a more uniform
acceleration as well as being lightweight, easier to maintain, and faster to reset. The development of the EMALS system was spearheaded
by China’s top naval engineer, Rear Admiral Ma Weiming. The new catapult system will allow the launch
of larger and heavier aircraft. The aircraft carrier is expected to utilize
a modified J-15 fighter variant for its main fighter wing until a dedicated 5th generation
fighter can be developed for carrier based operations. In 2021 intelligence analysts concluded that
the People’s Liberation Army had developed the J-15B which includes CATOBAR or Catapult
Assisted Take-Off But Arrested Recovery. The new variant also included an upgraded
avionics suite, newer engines and the ability to launch upgraded missiles. The fighter air wing is expected to consist
of 55 modified J-15 fighters. The J-15 carries a crew of 1-2 depending on
variant and mission. It has a length of 22.8 meters (73 feet and
1 Inch) and a wingspan of 15 meters (49 feet and 3 inches). It has a gross weight of 27,000 kilograms
(59,525 pounds) and a max takeoff weight of 32,500 kilograms (71,650 pounds). Max speed is reportedly 2.4 Mach with a ferry
range of 3500 kilometers (2,200 Miles). The aircraft reportedly uses 2 WS-10B turbofan
engines. The engines are equipped with afterburners
and each produce 30,000 lbs of thrust with afterburners lit. The J-15 is capable of carrying the following
ordnance: 1 GSh-30-1 30mm cannon with 150 rounds, PL-15 long range air to air missiles,
PL-12 medium range air to air missiles, PL-10 short range air to air missiles, YJ-83K anti-ship
missiles, KD-88 standoff land attack missiles, YJ-91 anti-radiation Missiles, plus assorted
bombs and rockets. The aircraft is also capable of utilizing
the UPAZ-1A buddy refueling pod similar to F-18s in the US carrier fleet. The airwing is also expected to employ prop
powered transport aircraft and KJ-600 AEW&C (airborne early warning and control). The KJ-600 was specifically developed to take
advantage of the Fujian’s upgraded catapult system and will lessen the carrier’s reliance
on Helicopters for AEW&C operations as well as anti-submarine operations. The aircraft is the direct counterpart to
the American E-2 Hawkeye and fills a similar role. The new aircraft made its maiden flight on
29 August 2020 with flight testing continuing into 2021. The KJ-600 is a high wing turboprop aircraft
fitted with a large overhead radome. It is suspected that the radome houses an
AESA type radar system in a 3 way configuration. It has a crew of 3-5 airmen. It is 18.14 meters long (59 feet and 6 inches)
and has a wingspan of 25 meters (82 feet). The tail plane is a quad fin configuration
for increased stability. The aircraft is powered by two Zhuzhou WoJiang-6C
turboprop engines, each producing 5,103 horsepower. The engines spin 6 blade constant speed feathering
props which are capable of pitching to reverse thrust. The aircraft has a max gross weight of 30,481
kilograms (67,200 pounds) and an empty weight of 25,401 kilograms (56,000 pounds). It has a stated range of 1250 kilometers (780
miles) and a ferry range of 2,800 kilometers (1,700 miles). The KJ-600 has a max speed of 693 kilometers
per hour (431 miles per hour) and a service ceiling of 15,000 meters (50,000 feet). It is also possible that the airwing will
consist of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV’s) and helicopters. It is anticipated that the airwing will consist
of approximately 1,000 airmen. Defensive capabilities are expected to include
3 30mm Close In Weapon Systems (CIWS). These weapon platforms are to be outfitted
with AESA radar and are able to intercept anti-ship missiles traveling at Mach 4+ with
96% accuracy. It is also believed that the carrier will
also employ short range air defense missiles and anti-submarine rocket capabilities. While the Fujian has already been launched,
it is not expected to be ready for combat operations until 2024 or 2025. Even still, the Fujian is expected to be the
most capable non-U.S. aircraft carrier deployed to date. It represents a giant leap forward for China’s
navy, but is it enough to stand toe to toe with the United States? Well, one important factor to consider is
how the carrier will be utilized. China does not have much experience in carrier
operations. While the United States has the benefit of
100 years of experience, China is in a rush to play catch up. Launching and recovering aircraft in all weather
and lighting conditions is something that takes practice, solid operating procedures,
and delicate orchestration. Reports indicate that as of now, Chinese aircraft
still utilize land based airfields precisely because of these shortcomings. They also lack experience in anti-submarine
warfare, and anti-ship missile detection and engagement. Though the KJ-600 aircraft is being developed
to deploy with the Fujian, it is not yet fully operational. Due to the fact that the carrier has conventional
propulsion systems, it must cruise with a fuel tanker for sustained operation, exposing
yet another vulnerability. Because of these factors, the carrier is likely
to be utilized in regional waters in “show of force” operations, but lacks the experience,
technology and capability for effective and sustained combat operations in distant waters
away from mainland resources. This effectively limits its use as a blue
water navy flagship in the modern arena. Gerald R. Ford class supercarriers are the
United States latest carrier class, set to replace the current fleet on a one for one
basis. It is expected that 10 carriers will be built
and launched over the course of the upgrade process. It is expected that all 10 carriers will have
combat capability by 2040. The first ship, the USS Gerald R Ford (CVN-78)
began construction in 2005, was launched in 2013, and was commissioned in 2017. CVN-78 is replacing the USS Enterprise (CVN-65). CVN-78 has a 337 meter flight deck with a
78 meter beam, just slightly larger than the Fujian. It utilizes 2 nuclear reactors for power and
can reach speeds in excess of 30 knots. The nuclear power plants provide the Gerald
Ford with an unlimited range. The ship utilizes 4 electromagnetic catapults,
as well as an advanced arresting gear system. Displacement with a full combat load is at
100,000 tons and has a complement of 508 officers and 3789 enlisted men. The airwing employed on CVN-78 (CVW-8 or Carrier
Air Wing 8) consists of 4 Super Hornet Squadrons, an E-2 Hawkeye Squadron, an EA-18 Growler
Squadron, C-2A Greyhound Squadron, and 2 MH-60 helicopter squadrons. At the time of this video, there are currently
no 5th generation F-35 Lightning II fighters attached to the Air Wing, however, this capability
would not be difficult to add in the future as the F-18 begins to be replaced by the multi-role
fighter. The F-18 Super Hornet is a super sonic twin
engine multirole fighter. It is considered a 4th generation fighter,
which puts it in the same class as the J-15B. The Super Hornet has a crew of 1-2 depending
on variant and mission. It has a length of 18.31 meters (60 feet and
1.25 inches) and a wingspan of 13.62 meters (44 feet and 8.5 inches). Max take off weight is 29,937 kilograms (66,000
pounds) and has an empty weight of 14,552 kilograms (32,081 pounds). The aircraft is capable of reaching 1.6 Mach
and is powered by 2 General Electric F414-400 Afterburning turbofans. Each engine is capable of producing 22,000
pounds of thrust with afterburners lit. It has a range of 2,346 kilometers (1,458
miles) and a combat range of 822 kilometers (511 miles). The fighter is armed with 1 20mm M61A2 Vulcan
cannon and 412 rounds of ammunition. It carries 4 AIM-7 Sparrow missiles, 4 AIM-9
Sidewinder missiles, 12 AIM-120 AMRAAM missiles, and 12 AIM-260 JATM missiles. It can also carry 6 AGM-65E/F Maverick air
to ground missiles, 4 AGM-84H/KI SLAM-ER missiles, 6 AGM-88 HARM missiles, 4 AGM-158 JASSM missiles,
4 AGM-154 Joint Standoff Weapon (JSOW) glide bombs, 4 AGM-84 Harpoon anti-ship missiles,
4 AGM-158C LRASM missiles, JDAM Bombs, Laser-guided bombs, Mk 80 series bombs, CBU-78 Gator Mine
systems. As far as avionics, the Super Hornet utilizes
either the Hughes APG-73 or the Raytheon APG-79 radar systems. It also carries either the Northrop Grumman/ITT
ALQ-165 self protection jamming system or the L3Harris AN/ALQ-214 integrated defensive
electronic countermeasure system. The Raytheon AN/ALE-50, BAE AN/ALE-55 towed
decoy, Raytheon AN/ALR-67 radar warning receiver, and the MIDS LVT JTRS datalink transceiver
are also carried. The E-2 Hawkeye is the US Navy’s aircraft
for AEW&C operations as well as anti-submarine operations. The Hawkeye is a high wing, quad tail, turboprop
powered aircraft. In looking at its physical appearance you
can see where the inspiration for the KJ-600 came from. It also has a large radome affixed above the
wing. The aircraft first saw service on 21 October
1960 and has undergone many modifications and refinements since that time in order to
meet the needs of the current battlefield. The current model, the E2-D, has aerial refueling
capability. It is 17.6 meters (57 feet and 8.75 inches)
long and has a wingspan of 24.6 meters (80 feet and 7 inches). It has a Max takeoff weight of 26,082 kilograms
(57,500 pounds) and is powered by 2 Allison/Rolls-Royce T59-A-427 Turboprop engines. It has a 6 hour operational endurance time
at sea allowing sustained command and control operations. The C-2 Greyhound is a transport variant of
the same aircraft. It is responsible for Carrier OnBoard Delivery
(COD) operations. CVN-78 hosts a robust defensive weapons suite
designed to protect the carrier from multiple avenues of attack. These include 2 Mk29 guided missile systems,
2 Mk49 guided missile systems, 3 Phalanx CIWS gun platforms, 4 Mk38 25mm Machine Gun Systems
and 4 M2 .50 Cal machine guns. The defensive systems are tied together by
upgraded AN/SPY-3 X Band multifunction radar and AN/SPY-4 S Band Volume search radar. These systems are all tied to the SSDS or
Ship Self-Defense System. This system has the ability to automate the
fire control loop which shortens the response time from detection of a threat to engagement
of the threat. The supercarrier also has stealth features
which are designed to reduce its radar cross section. An additional feature of the carrier is the
placement of the “island”, the superstructure which houses the bridge, air traffic control,
and command center. The island has been placed aft on the carrier,
opening up more space on the flight deck for aircraft to taxi. This change is expected to increase aircraft
launch and recovery by nearly 30%. This increased efficiency allows for more
sorties to be safely launched than the previous Nimitz class supercarrier. The U.S. Navy has been operating carriers
since 1922 with the launch of CV-1, the USS Langley. With over 100 years experience, the United
States Navy has perfected the intricate ballet that is carrier operations. The current U.S. Navy is capable of carrying
out combat operations for extended periods of time before resupply, day or or night,
in all manner of weather. China lacks this experience, however, they
have the distinct advantage of trying to emulate the U.S. Navy’s operations procedures, technical
capabilities and proficiency. While they are aggressively playing a game
of catch up, at this stage, it does not appear that they are at the same level as the United
States. First, this is evident in the technological
capabilities of the equipment they have developed. The carrier, while large and technologically
advanced as compared to the Type 001 and 002 carriers, has some serious shortcomings. It only has 3 catapults as compared to the
Ford’s 4. It does not have as robust a defensive electronics
and weapons suite as the Ford. Perhaps its biggest shortcoming, however,
is its propulsion system. Being conventionally powered, it must either
cruise with a tanker for blue water operations, or remain in regional waters. So the carrier would have to protect both
itself and its fuel supply. This is a major blow to its combat capability. So the Fujian is likely to patrol regional
waters well within the range of shore based assets that can offer resupply and tactical
assistance. This combined with the strike group that carriers
sail with would offer enough protection to overcome those shortcomings, but at the expense
of global reach. This may be good enough for the Chinese as
they may not necessarily be interested in global reach at this point. As president Nixon once stated, the Chinese
tend to be firmly focused on China first. Even at the expense of political doctrine. This is evident when viewing the alliances
they hold, as they don’t necessarily fall along the lines of political or economic dogma. So, if they are primarily concerned with showcasing
military might regionally, then the Type 003 may in fact fit the bill. Having said that, there are other areas that
continue to hamper the effective use of the Fujian beyond the capabilities of the carrier
itself. The airwing seems to lag behind the United
States in terms of capability and effectiveness. In comparing the J-15 to the F-18E for example,
the United States clearly has an edge. This advantage extends to not only the aircraft’s
capability, but in terms of ordnance carried, mission capabilities, and defensive capabilities. The Super Hornet has had the luxury of time
to grow and mature, standing on the shoulders of the original F-18 and the experience gained
from the F-14 program. The upgrades are purposeful and well thought
out to suit the needs of the Navy and the U.S. department of defense as a whole. It would seem that the upgraded J-15 had a
less focused development and seems to be more haphazard without a clearly defined role. Sometimes more isn’t always better, it’s
just more. The KJ-600, while very similar in aesthetic
to the E-2 Hawkeye, doesn’t have the same loitering time and avionics suite. It is true that the Chinese government has
kept a tight lid on its capabilities, on the surface it comes off as a less capable clone. Military technology will only get you so far
however. Tactics and training are often what wins the
day. It is in this area where the largest difference
between the two carriers and the sailors on board is evident. As previously stated, the U.S. Navy has been
operating combat capable aircraft carriers for 100 years. They have seen combat operations in WWII,
Korea, Vietnam, the Middle East, the Balkans. The sailors on board train relentlessly to
maintain a state of combat readiness that is based on experience and lessons learned
in the high stakes world of warfare. The Chinese do not share this experience or
advantage. No Chinese carrier fleet has actively participated
in combat operations. They have simulated strikes on islands, however,
they don’t have the real world experience to adequately simulate the pressures of sustained
operations where lives are at stake. The PLAN affords the average pilot 100-150
hours of flight time annually. U.S. pilots, by contrast, typically fly 200
hours per year. U.S. Pilots and sailors are able to conduct
combat operations anywhere, at any time, and in all manner of weather. Chinese pilots, to date, lack this capability. The United States also spends much time and
resources training the carrier strike force to operate as a cohesive unit. Through years of experience, procedures, information
flow, and command structure have all been carefully crafted to operate globally with
extreme effectiveness. It is unknown how much China invests in cohesive
combined arms training, but it would have to be overt and extreme to compete with the
level of training the U.S. Fleet employs. Taking all these considerations into account,
it is clear that if we were dealing with a carrier to carrier engagement, absent additional
naval and mainland support, things would most likely end badly for the Fujian. However, when adding the support that the
Chinese have available regionally, it is interesting to consider what could happen in a regional
engagement between the two Navies. If one were to conduct a thought experiment
into what would happen if China were to take hostile action against Taiwan, we would first
have to make some assumptions to get an idea of the playing field. First let us assume that the Fujian would
commence the engagement in the Taiwan strait. Let’s also assume that the Gerald Ford strike
group was operating independently without support of additional carrier groups. Also, let us make the assumption that additional
aircraft would not be provided by the Chinese mainland air force.Finally, let’s assume
a conventional non-nuclear conflict where hostilities are already occurring and the
rules of engagement allow for the full use of force. It would seem logical that the first order
of business would be to establish air superiority and to limit the Fujians mobility. This would mean removing its tanker from the
fight through either sub surface, surface or aerial means. The Ford can has approximately 48 strike fighters
available and can launch between 160-270 sorties a day. The Fujian has 40 strike fighters available
and based on existing figures from the Type001 and 002 carriers can launch 20 sorties per
day based on numbers gleaned from training exercises. This vast disparity of flight operations indicates
that the Fujian airwing would likely be overwhelmed in actual combat conditions. This simple math does not take into account
the early warning detection and electronic warfare capabilities the Ford enjoys. To further exploit the Fujian’s weaknesses,
the Ford would likely commit to night operations or foul weather operations that would further
wreak havoc on the Chinese air wing. With its airwing decimated and an inability
to maneuver, the Fujian’s contribution to the fight would be marginal at best. From this standpoint, the Fujian seems like
a paper tiger. But the reality is that the constraints that
we put in our analysis are unlikely to exist in reality. The Chinese mainland forces would be unlikely
to allow their fleet to be encircled and besieged. Likewise, the United States is unlikely to
enter the fray without the support of allied nations or an additional carrier strike group. It is conceivable that in addition to Taiwan,
Japan, the Philippines, South Korea, Thailand and even Vietnam would offer aid if not joining
the fight outright. The risk of the incident turning into a global
conflict is very real and not to be taken lightly. However, even in this scenario, it seems unlikely
that the Fujian would come out on top, especially if the conflict extended out into what is
considered the second island chain. Current analysis seems to indicate that the
Fujian serves a political role and a way of flexing regional muscle as a means of intimidating
East and Southeast Asian countries as China continues its efforts to expand what it considers
its territorial waters. A regional show of force that would augment
the man made islands and the airfields that they have placed as foot holds in disputed
waters. In November of 2023 the type 002 carrier Shandong
and its strike group operated in the Taiwan strait for 2 weeks and flew 420 J-15 sorties. This show of force, however, does not likely
indicate an imminent threat to Taiwan, but can be used to assess how the Fujian is likely
to be utilized. Analysts also have concluded that unlike the
United States’ use of the Ford as an offensive asset, the Chinese have adopted the Fujian
as a defensive asset, specifically as it comes to the first island chain off the coast. China has placed most of its development and
deployment on the ability to launch ship borne cruise missiles. It is likely that the carrier air wing is
intended to protect these ships from attack, rather than offensively engaging targets like
the United States’ doctrine. The Department of Defense has indicated that
while they do not believe China currently has the capability of successfully invading
Taiwan, they may by 2027. This is per testimony presented to Capitol
Hill by Admiral Phil Davidson. One thing that is evident is that, while that
may be the case now, it is not something to be taken for granted. China is aggressively working toward creating
a truly capable blue water Navy. Ship to ship, China does have the largest
navy in the world. They also possess superior industrial capabilities
and can build and launch ships twice as fast as the United States. The next carrier in Chinese development is
purportedly slated to be nuclear powered, larger, with a more capable air wing. China is already looking at upgrading the
J-15 air wing to a 5th generation airwing and has successfully test flown the J-35. The J-35 is the Chinese counterpart to the
American F-35. We can only hope that the two superpowers
never have to engage fleet to fleet. In addition to the catastrophic loss in life
that a conflict of this magnitude would create, the economic impact on both countries would
be catastrophic. Both countries have economies that are heavily
dependent on each other. China owns majority shares in several U.S.
Based businesses. These facts make employing the calculus of
war tricky as the United States has never been in an adversarial position quite like
this before. Only time will tell how this story will unfold. But what do you think? What would happen if China and the US found
themselves in a fleet-to-fleet confrontation? Who would win? Let us know in the comments and don’t forget
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