Source: Global Times

[Global Times reporter Guo Yuandan] On the afternoon of the 17th, many media outlets concentrated on releasing the typical achievements of the takeoff and landing support team of China's first domestically built aircraft carrier, Shandong, for the first time disclosing that over the past five years since its commissioning, the Shandong has ensured the safe takeoff and landing of various types of carrier-based aircraft, with nearly ten thousand sorties, achieving a continuous increase in the aircraft deployment rate. Military experts who were interviewed by the Global Times on the 17th stated that from the achievements of the Shandong's takeoff and landing support team, one can feel that the overall combat capability of the Shandong is continuously enhancing, and it is fully capable of undertaking long-range maritime defense operations.

In August 2024, the takeoff assistant of the Shandong aircraft carrier's takeoff and landing support team guided the J-15DH carrier-based fighter jet to the takeoff position. (Photo by Hu Xiushuai)

The media articles mainly introduced the officers and soldiers of the Shandong aircraft carrier's takeoff and landing support team who have been deeply engaged in the front line of support, and have made collective efforts to innovate and tackle challenges, constantly touching and breaking through the upper limit of the carrier's combat power.

The Shandong was officially commissioned into the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy on December 17, 2019. From November 23, 2012, when the J-15 "Flying Shark" carrier-based fighter jet made its first landing and takeoff on the Liaoning aircraft carrier, to the Shandong continuously setting new records for the maximum number of consecutive takeoffs and landings of carrier-based aircraft, the personnel of the takeoff and landing support team are witnesses to history, as well as creators of history.

If the carrier-based aircraft are the "sharp blade" of the carrier's combat power, then the aircraft deployment rate determines the hardness and strength of the blade. As a key link connecting the carrier-based aircraft and the carrier, this team is an essential part of the full ship's combat energy release. This team has explored patterns from more than ten thousand training data, optimized the support process in thousands of takeoffs, and they can ensure the safe takeoff and landing of various types of carrier-based aircraft within a short period of time. "China Military Voice" said in the article that the "Flying Shark" is taking off faster, with larger scale and higher frequency, and the deployment rate has doubled.

On the 17th, military expert Zhang Junshe told the Global Times reporter that the increasing speed of carrier-based aircraft takeoffs indicates that the carrier-based aircraft forces of the Shandong have achieved a high level of integration between the ship, the aircraft, and the crew. "In wartime, if the carrier-based aircraft takeoff speed increases, the time it takes for the carrier-based aircraft to go into combat is shorter, which无形中 improves the combat capability of the carrier group."

The article published by the WeChat official account "People's Navy" described a detail: recently, during a long-range sea training mission with a dual-carrier formation, one foreign military aircraft attempted to approach and interfere with the formation. The team quickly ensured the takeoff of the aircraft to respond, and the foreign aircraft retreated due to the difficulty.

"CCTV Military" also mentioned during that training period, the foreign warships and aircraft frequently conducted close reconnaissance and surveillance. Once at night, the team completed the takeoff support task of the carrier-based fighter jets and handled the situation professionally and steadily. A person on board said, "We have the ability to deal with any time, no matter what state I was in, if he dares to come, we have the ability to send out the plane to respond."

Regarding this, Zhang Junshe analyzed that the ability of the Shandong carrier-based fighter jets to quickly take off and respond to unknown aircraft in the air and quickly handle the situation indicates the strong combat and emergency response capabilities of the carrier group. It also shows that the carrier group command personnel, pilots, and aircraft have passed the test, and the degree of integration between the ship, the aircraft, and the personnel is higher. They can fully adapt to the needs of maritime operations and dealing with emergencies and emergency combat. Notably, these takeoff and landing missions are all-day takeoff and landing support, including night flight support and takeoff and landing under adverse weather conditions. "This indicates that the carrier group's reconnaissance warning, command and control, as well as the aircraft's emergency combat capabilities have greatly improved. The carrier-based aircraft have realized all-day combat, and the overall combat capability of the carrier is continuously improving, and it is fully capable of carrying out long-range maritime defense operations," Zhang Junshe said.

Additionally, the report also mentioned that in recent years, the takeoff and landing support team of the Shandong aircraft carrier has ensured the safe takeoff and landing of various types of carrier-based aircraft, with nearly ten thousand sorties, achieving a continuous increase in the aircraft deployment rate and constantly breaking the record of China's carrier combat capability indicators.

What information do the terms "various types" and "nearly ten thousand sorties of carrier-based aircraft safe takeoffs and landings" convey? According to Zhang Junshe's analysis, these aircraft include the J-15 fighter jet and the newly exposed J-15T catapult-type fighter jet, as well as search and rescue helicopters, early warning helicopters, and transport helicopters.

Regarding the "nearly ten thousand sorties" of safe takeoffs and landings of carrier-based aircraft, Zhang Junshe believes that this number is expected and also indicates the combat power of the Shandong.

Zhang Junshe gave an example, saying that last July, during a training session in the Western Pacific, the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force closely tracked the Shandong. According to data released by Japan, the Shandong completed 380 sorties of carrier-based aircraft takeoffs and landings in seven days, averaging 54.3 sorties per day. Among them, the J-15 carrier-based fighter jets took off and landed 240 times, and the carrier-based helicopters took off and landed 140 times, with a very high efficiency of takeoff and landing. This is sufficient to meet the needs of a medium-to-high intensity local war at sea.

Original text: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7528183827227755034/

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