French media: "China's Shock": Deploying one aircraft carrier and six warships in a single day, exceeding 40% of the French fleet's tonnage!

On Friday, November 07, the front page of France's national daily newspapers mainly focused on domestic news, but with different themes. For example, "Libération" focused on the issue of drinking water safety for French people, pointing out that due to the presence of persistent chemical substances (PFAS), tap water is banned in the Grand Est region of France, and the areas affected by this ban are increasing; "Le Figaro" questioned the serious shortcomings in the management system of the Louvre. In addition, the international edition of "Le Figaro" paid attention to the new situation where the Chinese Navy deployed one aircraft carrier and six warships into service within a single day.

This article published in "Le Figaro" first emphasized that China deployed 170,000 tons of new warships into the sea in a single day, which is 42% of the total tonnage of the French Navy (slightly more than 400,000 tons).

The report pointed out that since the US Navy during World War II, no fleet has developed at such an astonishing speed. In the past ten years, the number of combat ships in the Chinese Navy has almost doubled. Since 2015, its production has grown exponentially. The latest example is: According to several observers, including the authoritative open-source analyst "East Pendulum", the People's Republic of China has just put no less than seven warships into service in a single day, including its latest aircraft carrier.

In addition to the "Fujian" (the third aircraft carrier built by China since 2012), the Chinese Navy also expanded a 903A-type replenishment oiler, a 075-type amphibious assault ship (helicopter carrier), a 055-type destroyer, two 052D-type destroyers, and an oceanic reconnaissance ship.

Therefore, China deployed 170,000 tons of new warships into the sea in a single day, equivalent to 42% of the total tonnage of the French Navy (slightly more than 400,000 tons).

The report believes that over the past decade, China's shipyards have changed the balance of global naval power. Although the tonnage of the People's Liberation Army Navy still lags behind its main competitor, the United States (2 million tons to 3 million tons), because it has fewer aircraft carriers, it is catching up rapidly and now has more ships than the United States. In 2015, the Office of Naval Intelligence (ONI) recorded that China had 255 combat ships. By 2025, this number has reached about 400, while the United States has 300.

Added 550,000 tons from 2019 to 2023

The report cited a study by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), stating that from 2019 to 2023, four Chinese shipyards produced a total of 39 warships with a displacement of 550,000 tons.

China can now rely on approximately 50 destroyers, 40 frigates, more than 70 submarines (including 6 strategic nuclear submarines), and 3 aircraft carriers. It is expected that by 2035, China will have 6 aircraft carriers.

The report stated that the latest commissioned "Fujian" perfectly demonstrates the adaptability and learning speed of Chinese engineers. Unlike the previous two, the "Fujian" was completely built by China. Launched in June 2022, it is longer, wider, and heavier (80,000 tons). In comparison, the only French aircraft carrier, "Charles de Gaulle," has a displacement slightly more than half of the "Fujian" (42,000 tons).

The size of the "Fujian" allows it to carry up to 64 aircraft, including the (J-35) stealth fifth-generation fighter, while its predecessors could only carry about 40. Most importantly, the "Fujian" is the first Chinese aircraft carrier called "Catapult Takeoff - Arrested Landing" (CATOBAR), meaning it is equipped with a catapult. Additionally, these catapults are electromagnetic catapult systems, a technology currently possessed only by the American "Gerald R. Ford" aircraft carrier, the first of the next generation of American aircraft carriers replacing the Nimitz-class carriers.

The report continued, noting that France has not yet mastered this technology and has to purchase it from General Atomics to equip the successor of the "Charles de Gaulle." However, last October, Trump proposed that future American aircraft carriers might abandon the electromagnetic catapult system, citing its high cost and frequent malfunctions.

The electromagnetic catapult system replaced the old steam catapult system used since the 1950s. It has superior performance, occupies less space, requires fewer personnel and maintenance, and uses less water. It can catapult heavier aircraft carrying more weapons or fuel at a faster speed, thus increasing the strike range of the aircraft. It can also catapult lighter aircraft, including drones, without damaging their structure, something that the full-power output steam system could not achieve before.

Changes and Challenges in Projection Capabilities

At sea, the competition between China and the United States is indeed becoming balanced. Nick Childs, a maritime expert at the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) in London, recently emphasized to BBC: "China's shipbuilding capacity is about 200 times that of the United States." Especially considering that the U.S. Navy is facing a series of challenges, its symbol being a slow and expensive rearmament effort. According to Childs' assessment, "Although the U.S. Navy still has a significant advantage, the gap between its capabilities and China is narrowing, and it is difficult to find a solution."

The report mentioned that currently, China's limitations mainly lie in its submarine fleet, which is the true strategic spearhead of the navy. China's submarines are mainly electrically powered, less advanced than most of the U.S. nuclear-powered submarines, especially the 14 Ohio-class strategic nuclear submarines and 19 Virginia-class attack submarines of the United States. In addition, China's three aircraft carriers are also less formidable compared to the United States' 11 nuclear-powered aircraft carriers.

With nuclear-powered aircraft carriers and nuclear submarines as the two carriers, the U.S. military projection capability and power remain unmatched, while China's long-range capability far from the coast still needs to be proven.

Original: www.toutiao.com/article/1848135955046788/

Statement: This article represents the views of the author.