China's FOUR Aircraft Carriers

I have commented on this before - earlier in the year. At that time the West was uncertain on exactly how many aircraft carriers the Chinese were going to build and put into service and the time frames. This article from The National Interest sheds more light.

China Could Have 4 Aircraft Carriers by 2022

To what end is Beijing building this force? 

How many carriers will China ultimately build? 

Is carrier force to protect its interests or expand them? 

Chinese Navy modernizing at breakneck pace

Chinese built > 100 warships in past decade

outstripping U.S. Navy

China has 2 aircraft carriers—Liaoning and 2nd ship 

3rd and possibly 4th ship under construction

a massive force - where does China naval aviation go from here?

China has 2 carriers: ex-Soviet Liaoning

2nd unnamed ship, Type 002

2nd ship, Type 002 resembles Liaoning with improvements

active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar 

larger flight deck

Type 002 will carry slightly more fighters than Liaoning up to 30 J-15 jets 

3rd ship of another class under construction at Jiangnan Shipyard at Shanghai

credible reports of 4th carrier of same class under construction at Dalian

new class designated Type 003

1st Chinese carrier constructed using modular construction 

modules each weigh hundreds of tons

assembled on land, then hoisted on ship in drydock

US and British warships assembled using the method

Type 003 uses CATOBAR, or Catapult-Assisted Take-Off But Arrested Recovery

catapults allow carrier to launch heavier aircraft with great fuel and weapon loads

making carrier more effective at power projection 

China tested new electromagnetic aircraft launch system (EMALS)

EMALs enable launch of heavier combat jets

Chinese hard at work on 4th carrier Type 004

between 90,000 and 100,000 tons 

electromagnetically assisted launch system (EMALS) catapults 

carry J-15 fighters, J-31 stealth fighters, KJ-600 AWACS, helicopters, drones

equal of U.S. carriers

China could have 4 aircraft carriers by 2022

remarkable feat of military construction

My comments :  What the article is not stating clearly is that China's first carrier the Liaoning was commissioned in 2012.  In just SIX years after Liaoning the Chinese have built / are completing TWO more carriers -  with a FOURTH on the drawing board.  They expect to have FOUR carriers sailing the seas by 2022. Four carriers in 10 years or a carrier every 2 1/2 years.

I believe the Chinese may have started work on carriers FIVE and SIX by then. SIX being their target number of aircraft carrier battle groups. 

Here is some trivia. The "getting to be the best airshow in the world" ie the Zhuhai Airshow kicks off in Zhuhai, China on November 6th.  Here is some info :

Drones anyone?