China's new aircraft carrier begins sea trials near Dalian

中國的新航母在大連附近開始試航

The aircraft carrier reportedly left port in northeastern China around 6:45 a.m., Sunday, May 13


TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – Reports from Chinese state-run media announced that China’s newest aircraft carrier left Dalian port in northeastern China for sea trials at around 6:45 a.m. Sunday, May 13.

Xinhua news agency released a photograph of the ship a short distance from port, and stated that the sea trials will test the “stability and reliability” of the carrier’s power system and equipment.

Construction of the unnamed carrier was completed in April last year. Since then, various weapons and navigation systems have been installed.

Now the carrier, currently identified as “Type 001A” will undergo a series of tests at sea, before being officially commissioned into service by the Chinese Navy (PLAN) in 2020.

The new carrier will be capable of transporting about 40 aircraft, and is reportedly modeled on the first, and currently only Chinese aircraft carrier in active service, the Liaoning, a re-purposed Soviet ship, put into service in 2012. Both ships include a similar “ski-jump” style runway ramp.

The news of the carrier’s first trip away from port comes on the heels of another significant accomplishment of China’s military modernization program; the successful flight tests of China’s J-20 stealth fighter jets, reported on Thursday May, 10.

The following day, on May 11, the Chinese Air Force (PLAAF) also dispatched two groups of military aircraft to circle Taiwan from north to south, and south to north. The Taiwan Air Force tracked and tailed the intrusive aircraft at a very close distance.

China has been steadily increasing investment to modernize its military forces, with plans to spend approximately US$175 billion in 2018, an 8.1 percent increase over 2017.

AFP reports that a third air-craft carrier is widely speculated to be in the early phase of construction, but that Beijing has yet to confirm such reports.