China is increasingly intensifying its efforts to build naval\nmilitary strength. This policy is beginning to make the United States\n(US) anxious.<\/p>\n
One of the most anticipated assets in China\u2019s fleet by the world is\nthe Type 004. This aircraft carrier is believed to have already made the\nUS, the king of the seas, fearful even before its launch.<\/p>\n
The Type 004 does not yet have an official operational schedule or\nsea trials announced to the public. To date, the ship is still in the\nearly construction phase at the Dalian shipyard since 2024.<\/p>\n
The Type 004 aircraft carrier will be China\u2019s nuclear-powered\nsupercarrier. This represents a major leap that will place Beijing in an\nexclusive club currently occupied only by the US Navy and France.<\/p>\n
Once the Type 004 begins operating, China will join the small group\nof nations operating nuclear-powered aircraft carriers with nearly\nunlimited range, limited only by the crew\u2019s sustenance needs.<\/p>\n
The Chinese Navy, or People\u2019s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN), has more\nships than any other navy in the world.<\/p>\n
The construction of its aircraft carriers is also accelerating. Over\nthe past few decades, China\u2019s aircraft carrier development has aimed to\ngive Beijing strong power projection capabilities in its surrounding\nregions.<\/p>\n
China currently has three main aircraft carriers: Liaoning, which is\nthe first converted from an ex-Soviet carrier and initially used for\ntraining; Shandong, as the first fully domestically built carrier; and\nFujian, the most modern carrier with electromagnetic catapult technology\nfor aircraft launches.<\/p>\n
The PLAN began operating aircraft carriers in the 1990s after\npurchasing Varyag, an unfinished ex-Soviet carrier sold after the end of\nthe Cold War and defence spending cuts.<\/p>\n
After major renovations, the ship began operating in 2012 under the\nname Liaoning. This was the PLAN\u2019s first modern carrier, but its role\nwas mainly to study carrier design and operations, not as a primary\ncombat vessel.<\/p>\n
After Liaoning entered service, the PLAN built its first fully\ndomestically produced carrier, Shandong, which began operating in 2019.\nAlthough it appears similar to Liaoning, Shandong features several\ndesign improvements.<\/p>\n
Now, China\u2019s third carrier, Fujian, is undergoing sea trials after\nbeginning operations in 2022. Fujian is more advanced than its\npredecessors and is equipped with an electromagnetic catapult launch\nsystem, similar to the upcoming US Navy Ford-class carriers.<\/p>\n
This system allows the launch of heavier aircraft at a higher rate\nand improves carrier operational efficiency.<\/p>\n
Despite being more advanced, the PLAN\u2019s carrier ambitions do not stop\nthere. China\u2019s latest carrier, temporarily known as Type 004, will be an\nentirely new type.<\/p>\n
Even in Submarines, the US is Starting to Worry<\/p>\n
The sea is the last domain where America still holds a clear military\nadvantage over China.<\/p>\n
In the increasingly transparent modern warfare world due to\nsensors.<\/p>\n
\u201cBeing underwater is important because it\u2019s one of the last places to\nhide,\u201d said Thomas Shugart, a former submariner. However, America\u2019s\nunderwater dominance is also beginning to be threatened, quoted from The\nEconomist.<\/p>\n
US submarine crews once dismissed Chinese submarines as too noisy.\nNow, that mockery has turned into concern.<\/p>\n
Chinese President Xi Jinping is building the world\u2019s largest navy and\nthe fastest-growing nuclear arsenal while strengthening his submarine\nfleet.<\/p>\n
Currently, China\u2019s fleet mostly uses conventionally powered\nsubmarines, which are limited in speed and range.<\/p>\n
However, over the next decade, US intelligence estimates that\nnew-generation nuclear submarines will dominate, challenging US\nsupremacy in the Pacific, Indian Ocean, and possibly the Atlantic.<\/p>\n
US military sources say China is developing much quieter submarines\nwith Russian technology assistance. Vice Admiral Richard Seif described\nthe new Chinese ships as very formidable and challenging US underwater\ndominance.<\/p>\n
The head of US naval intelligence, Rear Admiral Michael Brookes,\nestimates that China will have 70 submarines next year and 80 by 2035,\nincluding around 40 nuclear ones, more than previous estimates. In\ncomparison, the US has 67 nuclear submarines.<\/p>\n
The AUKUS Race and Allies<\/p>\n
To maintain superiority, the US formed AUKUS with Australia and the\nUK for nuclear submarine technology transfer. However, the new ships\nwill not be ready until the 2040s. Meanwhile, the US plans to sell 3-5\nVirginia-class submarines to Australia in the 2030s.<\/p>\n
The US is also collaborating with South Korea to build hunter\nsubmarines, while Japan has shown interest.<\/p>\n
However, a major problem arises: the US industrial capacity cannot\nmeet production targets. The US can only produce about 1.1-1.2 Virginia\nsubmarines per year, far below the needed 2.33 units per year.<\/p>\n
The US submarine fleet has also shrunk from around 70 to 67, and\ncould decline further before increasing again in the mid-century. Even a\nthird of the submarines are inactive due to long maintenance times. Some\nare even decommissioned.<\/p>\n
The United Kingdom faces similar issues in its submarine industry,\nwhich could threaten the AUKUS project.<\/p>\n
China\u2019s Challenges<\/p>\n
On the other hand, China is estimated to be able to produce two\nattack submarines and one ballistic nuclear submarine per year since\n2024 thanks to new facilities. Nuclear submarines are expensive due to\nspecial steel requirements, precision welding, and complex stability\nsystems.<\/p>\n
Nuclear submarines are revolutionary. They can operate for decades\nwithout refuelling. USS Nautilus pad<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/sea-kings-battle-the-us-once-mocked-china-now-its-breaking-out-in-a-cold-sweat-1778309568", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }