Satellite images may show China's first indigenous carrier: Jane's

[Sherman A1]

BEIJING (REUTERS)- New satellite images show China may be building its first indigenous aircraft carrier in the northeastern port of Dalian, according to IHS Jane's Defense Weekly, which has released the pictures.

Little is known about China's aircraft carrier programme, which is a state secret, though Chinese state media have hinted new vessels are being built. The Pentagon, in a report earlier this year, said Beijing could build multiple aircraft carriers over the next 15 years.

Taiwan's Defence Ministry, in a report obtained by Reuters last month, said China was building two aircraft carriers that will be the same size as its sole carrier, a 60,000-tonne refurbished Soviet-era ship.

IHS Jane's said the unidentified hull was in an advanced state of construction at a shipyard in Dalian. "While a conclusive identification of the hull as an aircraft carrier cannot be made until work is observed on the upper decks and potential flight deck, the slow pace of assembly and outline suggests a military hull under construction," it said in an emailed sent on Thursday (Oct 1).

http://www.straitstimes.com/asia/east-asia/satellite-images-may-show-chinas-first-indigenous-carrier-janes#xtor=CS1-10

[Octafish]

1. Curly top holds lots of STOL mebbe...

...not much for the heavy stuff catapults can get airborne. So the second one will be a flat-top.

Chinese Admirals Spill the Beans on New Aircraft Carrier

...As for new technology, Rear Admiral Ma said China has tested a new launch system “many times” and that all tests so far have gone quite smoothly. Ma spoke of “breakthroughs” in an electromagnetic catapult launch system for the new carrier. The new technology will set it apart from the Liaoning, which uses a more-outdated “ski jump” launch system. Breakthroughs in developing a catapult system would result in an “enormous increase” in the flight radius and payload of carrier-based aircraft, Ma said. With this technology, Ma claimed, China will be on par with or even more advanced than the United States....

...Liu was also coy on the total number of carriers China will produce, acknowledging that various number (six or less) have been reported in the past. In his own opinion, Liu said, China needed at least three – so that at any given time, China could have one carrier on patrol, one undergoing repairs, and one being used for training. But “the more [carriers] the better,” Liu said, provided the funding is there.

http://thediplomat.com/2015/03/chinese-admirals-spill-the-beans-on-new-aircraft-carrier/

Which, of course, made Carlyle Group's day.