Five years after commissioning its first aircraft carrier, the Liaoning, China launched its second carrier – the Type 001A – on April 26, 2017. Unlike its Soviet-built predecessor, the Type 001A is China’s first domestically built carrier.
Both carriers are similar in size and use a STOBAR (Short Take-Off But Arrested Recovery) system for the launch and recovery of aircraft. Although similar to the Liaoning, the Type 001A features some notable enhancements and represents an important step in China’s developing aircraft carrier program.
Key Facts
The control tower island of the Type 001A is approximately 10 percent smaller than that of the Liaoning.
It displaces roughly 66,000 – 70,000 tons, a few thousand more tons than the Liaoning.
It features the advanced Type 346 S-band AESA radar system.
Its airwing is expected to be slightly larger than that of the Liaoning, featuring around 8 additional aircraft.
The Type 001A may have an internal arrangement that is better optimized than the Liaoning’s.
It is expected to be commissioned around 2020.
Comparing the Type 001A and the Liaoning
Outlines derived from satellite photos demonstrate the similarities between the carriers.
Key Characteristics of the Type 001A
Source: ChinaPower website
