Second Chinese aircraft carrier to be completed in 6 years

China is capable of completing construction on its first Type 001A aircraft carrier within just six years according to Kanwa Defense Review, a military magazine operated by Andrei Chang, a military analyst in Canada who is also known as Pinkov.

To celebrate the Liaoning's second year of service with the People's Liberation Army Navy, the Sina Military Network based in Beijing displayed photos of the ship.


A defense expert told the London-based News of the World that China's Type 001A aircraft carrier will look very similar to the Liaoning, however, it will likely be larger.

The Kanwa Defense Review said that the Dalian Shipyard has already begun construction on the Type 001A carrier. The shipyard has been working on the project for ten years. For security reason, a 400-meter long indoor building berth was built. The article said that the aircraft carrier will likely be equipped with a steam turbine designed in Harbin in northeastern China and the steel plates for the ships will be mostly sourced from Shanghai.

Like the Liaoning, the Type 001A has a ski-jump ramp.

The magazine said that the Jiangnan Shipyard in Shanghai is designing a second domestic aircraft carrier as well. This new ship is likely to be fitted with a catapult similar to US carriers.

The Washington-based Strategy reported that the ship will have four catapults and three escalators on board.

New-generation nuclear-powered missile destroyer under development in Russia

MOSCOW, October 21. /TASS/. Russia’s Defense Ministry has approved the technical design specification for the Leader class destroyers, a high-ranking source in the ministry told TASS on Tuesday.

The destroyer’s nuclear-powered and gas turbine versions are planned. He said there was no clarity yet concerning the weapons, but the new ship will be most likely equipped with the Caliber high-precision cruise missile system and the S-500 antiaircraft defense system.

“The Leader technical design specification prepared by the Navy command has been signed by the Defense Ministry leadership that approved the engineering design for two versions of the destroyer — nuclear-powered and gas turbine,” the source said.

The Severnoye (Northern) Design Bureau has been given the engineering design preparation assignment; it plans to launch the work in 2015, he added.

According to the source, the Russian Navy is going to place orders for 12 Leader class destroyers — 6 for the Northern Fleet and 6 for the Pacific Fleet.

“In any case, given the complexity, novelty of the project and huge work amount, the first Leader — either its nuclear-powered or conventional version — is expected to be competed no earlier than 2023-2025,” he said. According to him, the Leader building project is not included in the state armaments program for the period until 2020, so "the construction will be carried out under the shipbuilding program until 2050."