On the last regular press conference of China’s Ministry of Defense this year, its spokesman Yang Yujun confirmed for the first time that China is building its second aircraft carrier, after Liaoning Aircraft Carrier.
Yang Yujun introduced that being built in Dalian, this aircraft carrier is completely independently designed and is about 50,000-ton, using conventional power. It will carry J-15 fighter jet and other types of carrier-based aircrafts, and ski-jump take-off is adopted.
Yang said the second aircraft carrier of China gains experiences from scientific tests and trainings of Liaoning Aircraft Carrier, but also improves many aspects. He said Ministry of Defense will release more information on progress of the aircraft carrier.
This means China will have its first self-built aircraft carrier, more than four years after it announced that it had the first aircraft carrier in July 2011.
Chinese military expert Li Jie said China will have at least three aircraft carriers to establish primary combat ability, which means one for combat, one for training and one being maintained, therefore at least one aircraft carrier will be able to be on duty when something happens.
Leaders of Liaoning province unveiled in 2014 that Dalian Shipyard began to build a homemade aircraft carrier, and the construction period is expected to be six years. Besides, Changzhou City’s information office released in January a piece of news that a cable company of the city had won the bid of the second aircraft carrier again.
The code name of China’s first homemade aircraft carrier has been spread as 001A aircraft carrier.
It is speculated by Chinese military observer that part below the red line has been completed, and hangar of the new 001A aircraft carrier is 10% larger than Liaoning Aircraft Carrier while the total sizes are similar.