Author: Cai Yi (Taiwanese International Relations Scholar, Executive Director of the East Asia Comprehensive Research Center)
China’s Type 003 aircraft carrier is undergoing outfitting and testing at the Hudong-Zhonghua Shipyard in Shanghai. The news of China’s first indigenous aircraft carrier with a catapult launch system, the “Fujian Ship,” is set to undergo sea trials, has recently been circulating widely on domestic networks. Models of J-35 stealth fighters, captured by commercial satellites from the United States, have been placed on the deck for various deck operation tests. If all goes smoothly, the Fujian Ship is expected to be delivered to the Chinese Navy in 2025.
Now, let’s discuss the potential arrangements for the future deployment of the Fujian Ship by examining the configuration of the U.S. Nimitz-class aircraft carrier air wing and carrier battle group. Typically, the air wing of a U.S. aircraft carrier consists of three squadrons: 48 F-18E/Fs, 4 to 6 EA-18G Growlers electronic warfare aircraft, 4 E-2D Hawkeye airborne early warning aircraft, and various types of support aircraft, totaling approximately 80 aircraft. The U.S. military is gradually replacing some F-18E/F fighters with F-35C stealth fighters to address the challenge posed by China’s future aircraft carrier-based J-35 stealth fighters.
By referencing the composition of the aircraft onboard a U.S. Nimitz-class carrier, it is estimated that the Type 003 carrier will be equipped with two squadrons of 32 J-35 stealth fighters, 16 J-15T Flying Shark fighters, and 4 to 6 J-15D Growler electronic warfare aircraft, 6 KJ-600 early warning aircraft, and various types of support aircraft, totaling about 80 aircraft. On June 18, 2022, Shanghai, the Fujian Ship after launching.
As for the mention of the potential deployment of the Gongji-11 unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) in the future, based on the U.S. military’s previous experience with the X-47B UAV or MQ-25 Stingray aerial refueling aircraft, configuring various types of aircraft in the limited space of an aircraft carrier would significantly increase logistical burdens. Therefore, whether the Gongji-11 UAV will be deployed onboard remains to be evaluated.
Now, let’s discuss the possible arrangements for the future deployment of the Fujian Ship’s carrier battle group by examining the composition of the U.S. Navy’s Nimitz-class carrier battle group. During the peak of the U.S. Navy’s strength, a Nimitz-class carrier battle group typically consisted of one to two Ticonderoga-class cruisers, two Arleigh Burke-class destroyers, two Perry-class frigates, and one to two attack nuclear submarines. If we reference the composition of the U.S. Navy’s carrier battle group, the Fujian Ship’s carrier battle group is likely to be equipped with two Type 055 destroyers, two Type 052D destroyers, two Type 054B frigates, and two Type 095 attack nuclear submarines, providing a more comprehensive protective network for the Fujian Ship. 076 far exceeds expectations
The Type 076 is an amphibious assault ship being planned by the Chinese Navy. From the images circulating on the internet (see below), the Type 076 is estimated to be equipped with at least two sets of electromagnetic catapults and arresting gear systems, primarily used for launching and recovering fixed-wing aircraft, including the J-35, as well as manned or unmanned aerial vehicles. It is reported that the Type 076’s displacement will exceed 60,000 tons, meeting the specifications of a medium-sized aircraft carrier.
Due to its ability to launch fixed-wing carrier-based aircraft or large fixed-wing UAVs, the Type 076 amphibious assault ship far exceeds previous expectations. Once the amphibious assault ship adopts this layout, it is estimated to be able to carry 16 J-35 stealth fighters, 32 Gongji-11 UAVs, and several long-endurance, heavy-load, multi-role UAVs capable of conducting air surveillance, anti-submarine detection, and reconnaissance-strike missions to strengthen the amphibious assault ship’s weaknesses in air and sea control, early warning, and anti-submarine warfare, serving as a hybrid carrier capable of independently conducting fleet air defense and ground attacks; it can also be integrated into large carrier strike groups in the future. In terms of overall combat capabilities, it is significantly superior to the U.S. “lightning carrier” equipped with F-35B vertical takeoff and landing stealth fighters. Frankly, from the AV-8 Harrier fighter to the former Soviet Union’s Yak-38, Yak-141, and then to the F-35B, no vertical takeoff and landing fighter has ever met the operational requirements of the battlefield, so the true combat capabilities of the U.S. lightning carrier remain to be observed.
The Gongji-11 (Sword) is known as the only UAV in the world with strong stealth capabilities, high flight speed, long combat radius, and powerful situational awareness on the battlefield. The Gongji-11 adopts a flying-wing aerodynamic layout and dorsal air intake design, with a radar cross-section (RCS) far smaller than that of B-2 and F-22 stealth fighters. The Gongji-11 has two internal bomb bays, capable of carrying two tons of weapons, equipped with satellite-guided bombs or standoff ammunition dispensers with glide kits for beyond-line-of-sight strikes against ground targets; it can also carry long-range anti-ship missiles (LRASM) to strike maritime targets; at the same time, it can serve as a “loyal wingman” for carrier-based aircraft in aerial combat.
As the use of underwater unmanned combat vehicles becomes increasingly common, the future Type 076 amphibious assault ship can use its well deck as a maintenance support center for underwater unmanned vehicles (UUVs), providing sufficient logistical support for protecting special task force’s underwater unmanned vehicles, making the Type 076 amphibious assault ship a true “air/underwater UAV carrier.” The semi-submersible ship in the picture carries two types of unmanned warships, which will serve as the vanguard for carrier perimeter defense, highlighting the Chinese Navy’s active expansion of the application of unmanned carrier in surface and underwater operations, which is worthy of attention.
Currently, the Fujian Ship, J-35, and KJ-600 carrier-based fixed-wing early warning aircraft are still undergoing testing. Once the J-35 is in service, it will join the KJ-600, J-15T, J-15D, Gongji-11, and others to jointly build the core combat capability of the future Chinese Navy’s carrier battle group, becoming a major force in maintaining peace in the Western Pacific. In particular, the combination of China’s Type 003 aircraft carrier and Type 076 amphibious assault ship forms a composite carrier battle group, whose combat power should not be underestimated.