Structural construction has almost been completed on China’s first domestic aircraft carrier and it is expected to be launched this year. In the future, China’s aircraft carrier manufacturing plan will not stop here. In an interview with CCTV, military experts said that China will need at least six aircraft carriers to meet operational requirements and that the aircraft carrier should develop in the direction of being large-scale.
Military expert Cao Weidong said that China’s maritime boundary is very long and China faces serious threats from the sea. China desperately needs a large-scale combat platform such as the aircraft carriers. Therefore, China should not stop at one or two aircraft carriers. Nuclear-powered aircraft carriers represent the future direction of development, with bigger tonnage and stronger combat capability. (China) should build ejection take-off aircraft carriers and have fixed-wing early warning planes on the aircraft carriers.
Military expert Yin Zhuo said that Chinese army must have aircraft carrier battle formations in the direction of both the East China Sea and the South China Sea. Each aircraft carrier battle team should be at least a double aircraft carrier battle group. In general, three aircraft carriers are needed in order to maintain a double aircraft carrier battle group. Thus, the Chinese Navy will need at least six aircraft carriers to meet operational requirements.
Source: People’s Daily, March 22, 2017
http://military.people.com.cn/n1/2017/0322/c1011-29160065.html