PS006 PLA. NAVY SHANGDONG

Shandong is a modern Chinese aircraft carrier, the keel of which was laid in March 2015, launched in April 2017, and commissioned in the Navy of the People's Liberation Army in December 2019. The total length of the ship at the time of launching was 305 m, the overall width was 75 m, and her full displacement reached approx. 70,000 tons. The maximum speed, in turn, does not exceed 31 knots. The ship's deck armament consists of 3 Type 1130 CIWS kits and 3 HQ-10 kits. The aviation team probably consists of a maximum of 44-46 aircraft, including mainly Shenyang J-15 multi-role fighters. Shandong was built by Dalian Shipbuilding Industry in a shipyard in Dalian city. It is assumed that the construction of the ship proceeded without major delays, and the sea trials carried out in 2018-2019 also turned out to be successful for the carrier. The Shandong project was largely based on the experience gained from the construction and operation of the first aircraft carrier in the history of the PRC fleet, i.e. the Liaoning vessel, which in turn was based on the hull of the Admiral Kuznetsov type unit. Despite the considerable size (over 300 m long!), The ship has a ski-jump and is able to take only 44-46 aircraft on board, compared to nearly 90 aircraft and helicopters taken by Nimitz or Gerald Ford class units. Its autonomy is also limited by the use of non-nuclear propulsion. On the other hand, its entry into service undoubtedly strengthened the Navy of the People's Liberation Army, and at the same time it is a great platform for gaining experience in carrying out naval air operations. Therefore, one can risk a statement that Shandong is, after Liaoning, another link in the development of Chinese naval aviation.