China to deploy second aircraft carrier on military jobs

“This aircraft carrier will have different missions than those for the Liaoning (the country’s first aircraft carrier),”said Senior Captain Zhang Junshe with the People’s Liberation Army Naval Military Studies Research Institute. 

“We use the (the first carrier) Liaoning to test the reliability and compatibility of systems on carriers, and to train personnel. The second carrier will mainly be running combat patrols and delivering humanitarian aid. 

Officials say China is in urgent need of a second carrier. It is being constructed at Dalian, Liaoning province, China. It will have a displacement of 50,000 metric tons, a conventional power system, and will carry domestically developed J-15 fighter jets and other ship-borne aircraft. 

The ship will use a ski jump mode for launching fixedwing aircraft, the same as the Liaoning. Zhang said the new carrier’s three major systems-power and propulsion, electronic systems and weapons-will all be developed by China and will have better capabilities than those on the Liaoning. 

He said China will consider developing a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier after it gains enough experience in operating such large vessels.