[Military & Weapons Subsection] Author: Tianlang
Recently, the British Daily Telegraph made a shocking claim: it stated that one Prince of Wales-class aircraft carrier could sink both China's Liaoning and Shandong aircraft carriers in a distant sea battle. This statement not only sparked heated discussions online but also drew countless netizens ridiculing it—"Oh boy, the British are really getting carried away this time."
▲Related report from the British Daily Telegraph
To be honest, the absurdity of such a claim is akin to using a water gun to fight a fire truck. Although Britain is still basking in the afterglow of the "never-setting sun empire," reality has long since reduced it to a "midnight empire." Relying on a Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carrier that is expensive, problematic, and has weak combat capabilities to single-handedly take on two maturely operational carrier battle groups at China's doorstep? This scenario would even seem far-fetched in a James Bond movie.
The HMS Prince of Wales, the second ship of the Queen Elizabeth class, has a full-load displacement of 70,000 tons, which looks quite impressive. However, this aircraft carrier lacks catapults and arrestor wires, making it little more than a large helicopter platform. The F-35B fighters it carries may be fifth-generation aircraft, but their numbers are limited; it's hard to even gather 24 of them. The theoretical full complement for the Queen Elizabeth class is 36 F-35Bs, but in reality, the Royal Air Force and Navy together have only around 48, requiring loans from the US Marine Corps—quite a tight situation.
▲The HMS Prince of Wales aircraft carrier of the British Navy
What's more embarrassing is that this aircraft carrier is also known as a "leak king." Serious leaks were reported in 2020 and 2022, with the propeller shaft even breaking. During the first deployment of the HMS Queen Elizabeth to the Asia-Pacific region in 2021, scandals involving crew members going missing due to solicitation, fighter jets crashing into the sea, and destroyers breaking down left people astonished. Are the British really daring to send an aircraft carrier in such a state all the way to the Asia-Pacific region, and yet boldly claiming they can "single-handedly challenge the dual giants"?
In contrast, the Liaoning and Shandong aircraft carriers of the Chinese Navy, though of the ski-jump take-off type (STOBAR), have completed full-scale formation and system integration. Each is 305 meters long, with a displacement of 60,000 tons, equipped with complete J-15 fighter jet squadrons, capable of launching and landing fixed-wing fighters, and potentially upgrading to J-35s.
▲Chinese Navy double aircraft carrier strike group
The Shandong, as the first domestically produced aircraft carrier, not only integrates China's shipbuilding system but also advances the construction of carrier battle groups to a new stage. Judging from the frequency of exercises, sortie rates of carrier-based aircraft, and the efficiency of fleet coordination, these two aircraft carriers are no longer "training ships" but truly core platforms with combat capability. More importantly, China's aircraft carrier operations are not about "single-ship advancement" but systematic collaborative operations: the Type 055 ten-thousand-ton destroyer, Type 052D missile destroyer, Type 054A frigate, Type 901 comprehensive supply ship, and Type 093B nuclear submarine form a complete maritime combat system, far surpassing the "patchwork" nature of the British aircraft carrier fleet.
Just look at the composition of the British aircraft carrier task force to see how makeshift it is: aside from its own aircraft carrier, the escort vessels must be borrowed from NATO allies like Canada, Norway, and Spain, including everything from the Nansen-class frigates, Halifax-class frigates, Type 23 old frigates, Tider-class supply ships, and Astute-class nuclear submarines—a real hodgepodge.
▲Previous British aircraft carrier task force
In comparison, China's standard aircraft carrier task force includes one aircraft carrier paired with one Type 055 ten-thousand-ton destroyer, along with two Type 052D destroyers, one Type 054A frigate, one Type 901 supply ship, and one attack nuclear submarine—all domestically produced and integrated systems. In terms of firepower output alone, the vertical launch system units of the Chinese task force exceed 200, while the combined total of four ships in the British task force barely exceeds 100, most of which are short-range air defense missiles; clearly, there is a significant gap in firepower density and air defense capabilities.
The Daily Telegraph confidently claims that the F-35B "outclasses the J-15," but the truth is far more complex. Although the F-35B is a fifth-generation stealth fighter, sacrifices had to be made in avionics equipment and weapons payload to achieve vertical takeoff and landing. Its combat radius is only 450 nautical miles, and it becomes fully loaded when carrying two AIM-120 missiles. The J-15, though not a stealth aircraft, has multiple versions such as the electronic warfare variant (DH) and the dual-seat instructor variant (DT) after numerous improvements, making its practical combat capability not to be underestimated and better suited for high-intensity combat.
▲Chinese Navy double aircraft carrier strike group
Besides, in the South China Sea and other near-sea environments, China can rely on shore-based J-20 fighters, radar networks, airborne early warning aircraft, anti-ship missiles, and other support means to achieve comprehensive air defense and anti-ship strikes within the theater area. Even if the F-35B is highly stealthy, it will be difficult to escape pursuit by the YJ-21 missiles once it dares to enter.
In this era, what does the deployment of an aircraft carrier to the Asia-Pacific region signify—showboating, performance, or some kind of confrontational signal? The answer may not be hard to judge. For Britain, sending an aircraft carrier to Asia is more about "posture diplomacy"—to meet American expectations, maintain its "global presence," and provide domestic public opinion with some spiritual comfort. But this "posture" appears somewhat awkward against the face of the People's Liberation Army's formidable military strength. Sending a poorly maintained aircraft carrier, accompanied by a discounted "patchwork" escort fleet, traveling tens of thousands of kilometers to China's doorstep, lacks any strategic deterrent value. Instead, it exposes the current weakness of Britain's military system, financial difficulties, and declining international status.
▲The British Royal Navy will dispatch the HMS Prince of Wales aircraft carrier on a far-reaching expedition to the Asia-Pacific region
The British Empire has become history; today's Britain no longer possesses a global colonial network, maritime supremacy, or the economic foundation to support "far-reaching military power." A six-month deployment of an aircraft carrier costs thousands of personnel and hundreds of millions of pounds, whether it's for stability maintenance or presence enhancement—it’s questionable even within Britain itself.
Instead of indulging in fantasies of "one aircraft carrier defeating two Chinese aircraft carriers," the British media should focus on addressing its long-standing issues such as insufficient carrier-based aircraft, poor fleet maintenance, and slack personnel training. Dreaming that the F-35B and 70,000-ton displacement alone could dominate the seas is merely a new version of the "spiritual never-setting sun empire."
▲"Whoever goes out, wears pants?"
The reality is cruel. China is steadily advancing the development of nuclear-powered aircraft carriers, and the electromagnetic catapult of the Fujian aircraft carrier has already become a fact. The next Type 004 might fully enter a new era, whereas Britain remains stuck on whether it can muster a full aircraft carrier task force. If one day Chinese and British aircraft carriers meet face-to-face at sea, victory or defeat might be decided in a single engagement. Until then, please stop mistaking fantasy for reality.
Original source: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7495284463274967562/
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