On June 1, one of the American military magazines listed four significant shortcomings of the Chinese aircraft carrier Shi Lang, which is a completed version of the Soviet aircraft carrier Varyag purchased from Ukraine.
Firstly, this aircraft carrier will operate in the Pacific Ocean, where more than 10 aircraft carriers and aircraft carriers of the United States and its allies are already concentrated. Secondly, the Chinese carrier-based fighter, which is a copy of the Russian Su-33 aircraft, in terms of its combat characteristics is significantly inferior to the American F / A-18E / F fighters, in addition, the aircraft carrier does not have AWACS, EW and transport vehicles, and this gap with time will only increase. Thirdly, the Chinese ship has an extremely low-power self-defense system, does not have sufficiently effective escort forces in the form of modern surface ships and submarines. Fourth, China was unable to solve the problem of creating a reliable power plant for the ship, which is the "biggest weakness" of its first aircraft carrier. The commander of the US Pacific Command, Admiral Robert Willard, at a Senate hearing in April this year, said he was "not worried about the military capabilities of the Chinese aircraft carrier."
This aircraft carrier can only be a training platform for training personnel, and it can last for years or even decades before the first truly combat-effective national aircraft carriers appear. Even if Shi Lang is used in combat, its combat capabilities will be minimal. However, it can patrol the disputed sea areas, and in this regard, the aircraft carrier will significantly increase the range of the PLA Navy.
American media report that a "multinational" aircraft carrier group of the United States and its close allies will be formed in the Pacific Ocean in the future, which will include 22 aircraft carriers and aircraft carrier ships, including the navies of Japan, South Korea, Thailand and India. The American nuclear aircraft carrier carries 70 aircraft and helicopters on board, including F / A-18 fighters, EA-6B or E / A-18G electronic warfare aircraft, E-2 AWACS aircraft, C-2 and H- transport aircraft and helicopters, respectively. 60. The Chinese aircraft carrier is not even close in comparison with such a diverse potential.
There have been rumors that China is developing a carrier-based AWACS aircraft of the American E-2 class, but Shi Lang does not have a steam catapult, which is necessary for such aircraft to take off. China is also developing a Z-8 AWACS helicopter, but its capabilities cannot be compared with the characteristics of the E-2. In the next decade, the gap will only widen, as the US Navy begins to deploy deck UAVs for various purposes.
Currently, only two Type 052C destroyers equipped with some semblance of the AEGIS system can be used to escort a Chinese aircraft carrier. These ships carry half the number of missiles, and their radar capabilities do not allow tracking dozens of targets, which can be done by American ships equipped with the AEGIS system.
The situation with the submarines of combat escort is even worse. The PLA Navy has two Type 093 nuclear submarines, but does not have a modern underwater communications system. The radio communication systems created in China do not have a sufficient level of perfection. Thus, the Chinese aircraft carrier cannot rely on effective submarine cover.
The American media report that the creation of modern jet engines for combat aircraft and gas turbine power plants for ships are the most technically and technologically difficult tasks. The Pentagon faces similar challenges when developing the engine for the F-35B short takeoff and vertical landing stealth fighter and the San Antonio-class amphibious assault power plant.
Engine problems delayed the development of the WZ-10 combat helicopter for almost 10 years; the promising new generation J-20 fighter is equipped with two types of turbofan engines - the Russian AL-31F and the Chinese WS-10A.
It is reported that China has acquired a propulsion system for its Varyag in Ukraine. This power plant cannot be reliable, as evidenced by the fact that the Russian aircraft carrier "Admiral Kuznetsov", equipped with Ukrainian turbines, is mostly idle at its base due to frequent breakdowns. If a ship goes to sea, a tug follows it relentlessly, so that in case of another breakdown, it can be towed back to the port. With the Chinese "Varyag", such a situation is also very likely.
Arthur S. Ding, a researcher at National Zhengzhi University in Taiwan, says "China, with its growing interests at sea, will have to wait for more powerful and reliable aircraft carriers."
