Several Chinese media reported that Beijing is about to launch its third aircraft carrier into the water. This carrier will be the world’s largest conventional (non-nuclear powered) aircraft carrier. The last U.S. conventional carrier was the Kitty Hawk that was decommissioned in 2009. A Chinese submarine had once “humiliated” the Kitty Hawk. In 2006, a Chinese submarine approached the Kitty Hawk battle group but the U.S. navy wasn’t aware of it at all.
A report said the new aircraft carrier is likely to use three electromagnetic catapults to launch planes, replacing the sliding takeoff mode of the first two carriers. This is “the most advanced aircraft catapult system in the world.”
Also, Guangming Daily reported that China launched the world’s first intelligent unmanned mother ship, the “Zhuhai Cloud” in Guangzhou on May 18.
The ship has a spacious deck and can carry dozens of air, sea, and submarine unmanned equipment, which can be deployed in bulk in the targeted sea area and self-form task-oriented networking groups to achieve dynamic 3D observation of specific targets.
Sources:
1. SINA, June 3, 2022
https://news.sina.com.cn/c/2022-06-03/doc-imizmscu4848118.shtml
2. Guangming Daily, May 19, 2022
https://news.gmw.cn/2022-05/19/content_35746121.htm