A couple of months ago, China confirmed that the country's navy has successfully completed the building of two carriers. The country added that a third one is also on its way. These developments are described by many observers as part of the country's ongoing military development and enhancement programs.
In a recently released report from the Pentagon, it was revealed that the Chinese carrier ship Liaoning made two important voyages in 2017. One was destined to Hong Kong, and the other one to the island of Hainan in southern China. With that information, it would appear that despite the fact that the ship is in operation for more than three years, it has a year to left the boundaries of China or visit any foreign country.
At about the same time, the country's second carrier, known only as the still unnamed Type 002 ship, was spotted in the Chinese city of Dalian making shore-based systems tests. The report also reveals that the Type 002 ship is somewhat identical to the Liaoning, both dimensionally and based on its façade. The two ships have the same conventional propulsion system and the iconic ski-jump design which is meant for takeoff assistance.
On the other hand, China's third carrier, the still unnamed Type 003, is still undergoing major construction at the Jiangnan Shipyard in Shanghai. The shipyard is building the Type 003 in modules, which will then be assembled in a dry dock. This is the same technique employed by the United States Navy in constructing their supercarriers.
Aside from the technique used to build it, the Type 003 shares a lot in common with its American counterparts. The Type 003 will be China's first surface ship to rely on nuclear power for propulsion. Rumors claim that the ship will use either electromagnetic or steam catapults in launching an aircraft.
Aside from its full-sized carriers, China has been aggressively developing some of its naval vessels. China has already unveiled its highly anticipated Type 075 class amphibious helicopter dock ships which are closely similar to that of the United States Navy's Wasp-class ships. The Chinese Navy said that it should be able to field at least three Type 075 ships by 2025.
Military tensions between China and the United States have been especially high in recent years. The two countries have been to too many close calls, especially on the highly contested South China Sea region.
