China's aircraft carrier on fast track to full combat readiness

Aircraft carrier on fast track to full combat readiness

China's Liaoning aircraft carrier led a fleet of battleships in the Western Pacific Ocean for its first training exercises off Chinese waters, which observers say showcases the carrier's battle readiness and defense capabilities.

People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy spokesperson Liang Yang on Saturday said the country's first aircraft carrier headed for the Western Pacific to conduct military drills.

According to a Joint Staff press release of the Japanese defense ministry on Sunday, Japan said they spotted seven Chinese naval ships accompanying the Liaoning and that the fleet had passed the Miyako Strait. It said there are three destroyers, three frigates and one supply ship.

In general, the composition of this battle group is similar to other countries', except China doesn't have a guided missile cruiser, Zhang Junshe, a senior researcher at the PLA Naval Military Studies Research Institute, told the Global Times on Sunday.

"In this battle group, the destroyers are responsible for early warning air-defense and anti-aircraft missions, and the frigates defend against anti-surface vessels and anti-submarine missions," Zhang said.

In the past four years, China's first aircraft carrier conducted exercises in the Yellow Sea, the South China Sea and the East China Sea before the Western Pacific, and these prove that the Liaoning and the battle group have achieved combat capability, Zhang said.

Deployment in open seas shows the Liaoning is combat-ready, just four years after its inauguration. "Compared with other countries, China has progressed ahead of expectations. Other countries' aircraft carriers normally spent 5-6 years or even 10 years to gain combat capability," Zhang said.

According to navy.81.cn, a PLA Daily website, "China's first aircraft carrier Liaoning, together with a fleet of destroyers and J-15 carrier-borne fighter jets, conducted the drills under the direction of Wu Shengli, commander of the PLA navy and a member of the Central Military Commission." Experts said Wu's participation shows that China treats the first blue water exercises of its aircraft-carrier battle group very seriously.

In a separate navy.81.cn report, the Liaoning held drills in the East China Sea on Saturday morning. J-15 fighters took off from it and conducted aerial refueling and air combat exercises on Thursday.

Zhang said the Liaoning exercises are mainly for personnel training and research rather than to prepare it for battle, so there is no comparing the Liaoning to US aircraft carriers.

"In addition, the U.S. Navy requires global deployment and presence, but our navy's defense duty mainly focuses on near sea and offshore defense," Zhang added. "So far, we don't have any overseas naval port, so the aircraft carrier and the battle group only rely on supply ships. Therefore, it limits our offshore training period."

Resolve and ability

Li Jie, a Beijing-based navy expert, told the Global Times that "as the world's second-largest economy with tremendous overseas interests," China needs aircraft carrier battle groups with long-distance capability to protect its national interests. This is a show of strength and showcases China's resolve and ability to safeguard its sovereignty over South China Sea islands and maritime interests, Li said. China has the aircraft carrier and the islands, which form a comprehensive system to protect the South China Sea, he said.

A research fellow surnamed Zhao from the Center on China-U.S. Defense Relations of the PLA Academy of Military Science told the Global Times that China has no intention of alarming other countries with Liaoning's mission to the Western Pacific. "As a real aircraft carrier, it should at least go beyond the Second Island Chain (consisting of Guam, Iwo Jima, and the Mariana Islands) or reach the Indian Ocean before it officially acquires global capability."

The Chinese navy can only easily go through the First Island Chain (South Korea, Japan, Taiwan island and the Philippines). "I believe that the aircraft carrier battle group is trying to reach the Second Island Chain to test whether it can make a long distance cruise," Zhao said.

Liaoning's training in the Western Pacific is not a military deterrent to the U.S., Japan or Taiwan island, but this deployment will make them nervous because an aircraft carrier is a strategic weapon, Zhao said. "A battle group consists of eight warships with the ability to attack aircraft, surface vessels and submarines, and will definitely draw attention no matter where they are heading."

Zhang said the aircraft carrier's offshore training can also show its ability to conduct overseas humanitarian missions such as disaster relief, and search and rescue missions involving air and marine accidents.

Therefore, the Chinese aircraft carrier's combat capability will reinforce peace and stability in the world, Zhang stressed.