I don't think China's ACs are meant for countering US or Taiwan scenario.
The AC is really meant as an intimidation tool for some of islands dispute such as senkaku island or spratley island.

I read in the newspaper Japan is sending maritime patrol ships the size of destroyer. Why Japan need such big sized patrol ship? I believe Japan's tactics is to use patrol's superior size to potentially ram into other foreign ships if they are entreing near Senkaku island. It happened many times, Japanese patrol rammed into taiwanese fishing boats and chinese vessels preventing them getting near the island.

Chinese military ship went near the island then the Japanese patrol would tone down, but the problem the military ship can't stay there too long.

now, Imagine if the chinese AC park near Senkaku, and conduct military drill. which is perfectly OK.
Imgine if the naval jets flying low level near the ocean, creating sonic shockwave that would probably enough break the glass of the Japanese patrol boats. It would be intolerable for most shipmen inside the patrol boat.

The AC can station there for a month or two. If there are couple AC alternating and sit them near senkaku, Japanese patrol boats will not able to handle the stress being created.

That's beauty of such monster ship is its intimidation factor, the stress it created 24/7 without firing a single shot.

Likewise in spratley island, If AC park near those island which is interntional waters,and jets flying just over the head back and forth....

Very true. The PLAN's CVNs would not be worth putting at risk given inadequate CVBG (battle group) defense against things like HF-3, torpedoes, etc.

Any time there is a unresolved dispute between two parties with regards to territory, it usually signals that one or the other, or both, believe that they could afford to wait for better negotiating circumstances. Military ability certainly plays into the strategy of gaining the upper hand on the negotiation table.

Japan has sent huge sized patrol ships to harases Chinese ships and now China would counter that by send the AC to harasse them back.

so, what would be the encore for Japanese?

Aircraft carriers is very useless for pure defensive purposes. Since China does not have airbases on any overseas territory, the aircraft carrier will be used to bring necessary firepower which submarines, frigates or destroyers cannot provide if the situation it is needed arise

True - but it also represents thousands of sailors' lives at stake - does China have sufficient Type 052 Luyangs, etc. to defend against American SSNs, Japanese SSKs, etc.? Would you trust PLAN SSKs or Type 093s against Oyashios or -688s?

SSKs and SSNs are a huge concern but little is known of China's anti-submarine capabilities as the Luyangs was recently sucessful in detecting and chasing a Kilo class SSK from the Indian navy. Kilos are some of the most silent submarines. The main concern would be something like a seawolf class SSN which emits less noise while moving than most subs emit in port

China wouldn't think entering conflict with US and Japan unless it feel confident of as its assassin mace weapon ASBM.

Its sub fleet backed by assassin mace weapons would be real fighting force.

AC is purely a scare tactic during peace time at least for now.



Right now the discussion is AC role in disland dispute not taiwan invasion therefore USN wouldn't enter the picture.

Exactly, I would like to wait for the day China's AC park next to Senkaku, and jets flying above the head.

then a whole swarm of Chinese fishingships come and start to fishing near it.
and hiring some civilian fishermen to land on the island and put some flag on top of that. Civilians doing their things backed by Chinese Navy next to them.

likewise in South China sea, The AC flanked by fleet of Chinese fishing ships. which I think might be bette escort.


The fun doesn't get better than that.

The ASBM does absolutely no good against submarines - Japanese, American, or otherwise.

I don't like aircraft carriers. Can't they come up with something like nuclear-fueled planes that don't need carriers?

Well, what about nuclear powered carrier / submarine that carry a few planes that are vertically-launched? Nowadays, you only need surgical strikes that don't require many planes operational at once.

How about this: automated refueling / rearming landing retractable platforms for remote-controlled long-range unmanned combat planes? The tops of such platforms rise onto the surface of the ocean when incoming planes come in to refuel / rearm, and then returns to the ocean surface. Think of such retractable platforms as a flower: a flat landing pad held up by a retractable stalk / pole. How's this idea?

ASBM will keep the USN carrier battle group or surface combatant group far away.
Then PLAN can field combination of subs , surface combatants, airborn sub hunters against USN subs.

Aircraft carriers are already obsolete, and they carry too many crew. It's easier to have remote-controlled / automated retractable refueling / rearming platforms planted at specific sites on the ocean floor. The platform is held afloat by a stalk that can extend to bring the platform to the ocean surface, and then retract to bring the platform back down to the ocean floor. Sure the construction cost may be high ( but hey that would create employment ) but maintenance costs would be low.

Given that we are moving towards remote-controlled UCAVs, such "flower" ocean-floor-based retractable refueling platforms ( just big enough for one or a few planes at any one time ) should be the future.

AC still has its use. Let say Some militants group attacked Chinese settlement in Africa and it needs reinforcement, at this case AC would provide logistics, man power and airstrike capability against the militants, It could station there till the situation stabilized.

or another case like the indonesian riot against chinese, then China would send a AC group there and it will have impact.

More than anything AC can be used for territory dispute and protection of oversea investment and settlement.

so many folks wrongly think the AC group is counter the USN. false.

The "flower" concept wouldn't be useful in those scenario

Btw, some tidbits info why China made up its mind to build the AC.

CHina was wavering whether to build the AC, but the event of Somali pirates attacking Chinese ships in GUlf of Aden changed all that. It was the final wake up call for them. It was Chinese version of 9-11 or triopoli.

CHina realize alot of oversea investment will need protection. That and the concern for island dispute finally sealed the deal. They wouldn't fully up to the task till the AC group was formed.

Now, they made their mind...

Carrier are obsolete and too vulnerable. Let's build Terminators!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_921-3

China, along with many other countries, is said to be working on hypersonic space planes that can travel to any part of the earth within an hour. These would work well with protecting carriers...

I like this ship: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RK5WOXZknk0

True maritime powers need aircraft carriers.

Heck, even the Thais and Brazilians have aircraft carriers.

Besides, China needs it just in case Taiwan declares independence. Carriers will help China with a four-pronged attack on all sides of the island.

Other than that, it's good to promote Chinese interests abroad. No one has to fear about China's rise. It is very peaceful.

Unless China's CVBG defenses (i.e., Type 052C) improve significantly, the Chinese aircraft carrier(s) would be highly vulnerable to Taiwanese HF-3s.

China can build whatever they want. No one cares. Carriers are useless against Taiwan, Since the two countries are only 90 miles apart. If there is a acutal war, exchange of missles will do just fine by both countries.
China does not care about Taiwan at all. Hu Jin Tao don't even invite Ma to China for a visit. What are they waiting for? For the sky to fall over?! China don't even care about Taiwan. Period!
Taiwan is already independent. The previous president Chen and his group has already declared Taiwan independent. China has completely ignored Taiwan all together. The only group that is desperately using the word "unify " is the kmt. kmt is desperately trying to cling on to power, since the economic proprganda has failed miserably.
China's carriers will be used for supporting shipping routes , since China exports alot of products. Especially , in Africa, where there is alot of pirates.

like i said earlier, a carrier can bring the fire power of an average air force into very far off places fast. This type of firepower is something frigates, destroyers or submarines can bring to support amphibious soldiers in far off places

What is the use?? China shouldn't be the world's police,which is how america is being bankrupt by having to fund a wasteful empire. I can't believe how the government is increasing military funding even though we still have a huge amount of poor.

i'm not saying China should be a police but China has a lot of overseas investments that lie far beyond the reach of the PLAAF. In order to bring the necessary airpower to protect such assets Cina should build a carrier

Are we invading japan?? going to war with america??? Starting cold war 2??? China is already starting to have economic influence, america owes us money. If there was a attack on an aircraft carrier it takes only ONE bomb to destroy millions of dollars already going down the drain.

We should focus on large combat ships, not carriers.

no i meant China's economic interests in more volatile regions such as the middle-east, Africa and the Indian ocean where there are lots of of resources that the Chinese economy needs and Chinese workers there who could need protection. Those areas, the Chinese airforce cannot provide aircoverage and thus China needs to project airpower into that area using Aircraft carriers in support of amphibios troops should the occastion ever arise. Thats what carriers are used for. Note the incident a few years ago when Chinese workers were kidnapped in the Sudan and China had to rely on the local armed forces to rescue them because China did not have the navy airpower to send rescue teams over there. As a result some of the hostages died

Your statement actually supports SinRaptor. If China were invading Japan or going to war with the US, a carrier would not be of much use. It is precisely because China is not invading Japan or going to war with the US, but rather, defending far-flung regions in Africa etc., that it needs a carrier.