China has officially announced its first domestically built
aircraft carrier on Tuesday and commissioned it to the People Liberation Army
Navy’s (PLAN). Named the ‘Shandong’ – the 55,000 ton is China’s second aircraft
carrier after Liaoning. The former vessel was originally built in the USSR
during the 1980s before it was reconditioned in Dalian and commissioned into
the Plan as a training ship in 2012.
Interestingly, only a handful of countries are boasting navies
that operate two or more aircraft carriers. This includes the United States, The United Kingdom, and Italy. The commissioning of ‘Shandong’ marks a milestone
for China, who has already started working on its third carrier at shipyards
near Shanghai.
However, when it comes to aircraft carriers, the U.S. Navy
surpasses all the other countries with 11 vessels in its operations. In fact,
the newest vessel by the U.S. Navy is a top-class USS Gerald R. Ford that was commissioned
into their range of fleet in July 2017. The carriers by the U.S. are also
noteworthy for their nuclear power and the use of advanced technology.
The U.S. Navy also boasts eight Wasp-class and one America
class amphibious assault ship. They are also planning to add another similar
ship by summer 2020. Reports suggest that the new addition will be similar to
France’s Charles de Gaulle with the ability to operate a significant number of
fast jets.
