Recently, a WeChat official account of CCTV broke the news, which caused a big stir in the military fan circle. Our Fujian aircraft carrier may be building a sister ship!

Once this news came out, many people were scratching their heads: everyone knows that nuclear-powered carriers are the future trend, and we have already put nuclear power on the agenda. Why not go for more advanced technology and instead build another "twin" for the Fujian? Is it because the nuclear power technology is stuck?

First, take a calming pill: this is not a case of technological lag, but rather a stable and smart step in the development of our aircraft carriers. Today, I will explain in plain language what's going on here.

Let me clarify: In the past decade, where has China's aircraft carrier gone? The term "003 aircraft carrier" you mentioned might be an incorrect name.

To understand why we are building a sister ship, we need to first outline the "growth history" of our aircraft carriers. We have never been reckless; every step has been steady and solid.

The first step was the "001 era," which includes the Liaoning and Shandong aircraft carriers. These two served as our "mentors," with the core mission of solving the problem of "from nothing to something." We mastered the technology of ski-jump takeoff, and accumulated basic experience in how to build, maintain, and conduct combat operations with an aircraft carrier.

The second step is the "002 era," when the Fujian aircraft carrier made its debut, marking a real "transformation." Many people call it the "003 aircraft carrier," but note that this is a number, not a model. From ski-jump to catapult, and from copying Soviet designs to complete independent development, the 80,000-ton displacement directly places it among the world's top-tier aircraft carriers.

To be honest, the Fujian is our first true "battle-ready" aircraft carrier. Now, building a sister ship essentially means one thing: we want to mass-produce this mature and battle-ready platform.

Core reason: What is most needed now is "immediate combat capability."

Building weapons is not for display; it must meet actual needs. What is our most urgent need now? To establish a reliable defense network in the Western Pacific.

The Fujian's 80,000-ton displacement, equipped with electromagnetic catapults, has sufficient efficiency and aircraft capacity. One ship can support a powerful airborne air defense ring, and two ships operating together can maximize the range of air and sea control, achieving constant deterrence in key areas.

Some say that nuclear-powered vessels have stronger endurance! However, in the Western Pacific, conventional power is completely sufficient. We have overseas supply points, and conventional power has two advantages that nuclear-powered vessels cannot match:

First, it can launch quickly! The start-up and response speed of conventional power is much faster than that of nuclear power. In the event of a sudden conflict, it can enter combat mode faster, sending all the aircraft into action. In a fast-changing battlefield, a few minutes difference could change the outcome.

Second, it is cost-effective and easy to maintain! The money to build one nuclear-powered aircraft carrier could build two conventional ones, and the maintenance is a "money-eater." The maintenance and refueling of the nuclear reactor is expensive and time-consuming. By building sister ships of the Fujian, we can form combat capability within budget and achieve higher readiness rates, which is the most cost-effective choice.

Hidden benefits: The secret to doubling combat power with "one type, two ships"

Our navy has a tradition called "developing one generation, researching one generation, and pre-researching one generation." Building a sister ship is the perfect embodiment of this tradition, with countless benefits:

First, the generation of combat power is extremely fast! All the experience accumulated from the Fujian's trial navigation and training, from design defects to aircraft landing procedures, and even combat tactics manuals, can be directly applied to the sister ship. The path that the Fujian spent years exploring, the sister ship can take a shortcut, so after commissioning, there is no need for a long period of adaptation, and it can quickly generate combat power.

Second, logistics support saves a lot of trouble! Both ships have the same power system, catapults, radar, and aircraft, so there is no need to stock two sets of parts, and maintenance personnel do not need to learn two different technologies. The total life cycle cost is directly reduced, and the operational efficiency of the fleet is actually higher. It's like buying two identical cars at home, and maintenance and repair are convenient, just the same principle.

Answering questions: Why not fix the "small problems" at the same time?

Certainly, some military fans will ask: Since we are building a new one, why not fix the small issues on the Fujian? For example, the catapult and elevator interfere a bit, and adding a third elevator would be better?

We are not unwilling to fix them, but we can't. This involves trade-offs in the fundamental design, which affects everything.

Take the interference between the catapult and the elevator, for instance. It was specially designed to accommodate a 100-meter-long electromagnetic catapult, aiming for the maximum takeoff weight of the aircraft, allowing it to carry more weapons and fuel. To solve this issue, the deck would need to be extended to over 100,000 tons, which is no longer the Fujian class, effectively rebuilding a new aircraft carrier.

Adding a third elevator is the same. The Fujian is only 320 meters long, so there is little space. Adding an elevator on the port side would be cramped, and it would require changing the entire hangar structure. After modification, it is uncertain whether it would affect stability, making it a pure loss.

In the end, let me say honestly: This is not stagnation, but the beginning of "dual-track supercharging."

Don't think that building a sister ship means we have slowed down our nuclear power progress. On the contrary, this could be a signal of our "north-south parallel advancement and dual-track iteration."

Jiangnan Shipyard continues to build improved versions of the Fujian, refining the mass production process of conventional power aircraft carriers. Meanwhile, Dalian Shipyard may already be building the 003-class nuclear-powered aircraft carrier.

This "conventional mass production + nuclear power research" parallel model fully utilizes our strong shipbuilding industrial capabilities.

Moreover, the construction of the Fujian's sister ship is actually laying the groundwork for the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier: by mass-producing conventional power aircraft carriers, we can stabilize the supply chain, train technical workers, and accumulate experience in large-scale construction. At the same time, nuclear power technology can be gradually refined without rushing to put it on the ship.

When the 003-class nuclear power technology matures, the 004-class can truly achieve a comprehensive leap, becoming our "target ship."

Therefore, building a sister ship for the Fujian is by no means "settling for second best," but rather the optimal solution based on our own needs, technological routes, and strategic planning.

This move not only provides a reliable "blue ocean shield" for the current Chinese Navy, but also lays the most solid foundation for future blue ocean dreams. Our aircraft carrier era has just begun!

Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7570979314309579270/

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