Taipei tests Narwhal, the first submarine of national production, Beijing does the same with Fujian, the third new generation aircraft carrier. Two vessels that change the Pacific scenario
The third latest generation Chinese aircraft carrier, Fujian, recently crossed the Taiwan Strait. Certainly politics interprets this decision of the Pla (the Chinese Navy) as a sign of the growing naval power of the country exhibited at the expense of the “rebel province” and the potential great enemy, the United States. But it is also true that to leave the shipyards and its armament base and take the route of the South Pacific, especially in times of hurricanes and storms there is no other way if not passing in front of the coasts of the former formosa. Once in 2022, Fujian is the third new generation Chinese aircraft carrier after Liaoning and Shandong and has a fulfillment full load of over 84,000 tons, catapulte with electromagnetic technology and the ability to transport 55 varying aircraft. In short, a ship 316 meters long and 76 wide, with nuclear propulsion. Therefore what was declared by the Chinese state press agency Xinhua on Friday 12 September, namely that Fujian had gone through the Taiwan Strait to carry out scientific research and training missions in the southern Chinese Sea, it could also be true. Citing the captain of vessel Leng Guowei, spokesman for the navy of the popular army of liberation, the Xinhua said that the tests and training “were not aimed at a specific goal” but an integral part of the process of building the aircraft carrier. However, the tests at sea in the southern Chinese Sea demonstrate the growing military strength of China, which with three aircraft carriers could be used as a showcase for the United States in view of a potential next meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and that of the United States Donald Trump. Fujian had already been tested in the most calm Eastern Chinese Sea and Yellow Sea, and now it will probably be used to evaluate the performance in deeper and more demanding waters, thus being able to interact with submarines of its fleet, as well as be valid as a command and control center. All this while the Taiwan army, carefully checked the passage of the aircraft carrier through the Taiwan Strait, will take advantage of it to follow it and steal all the possible information, obviously together with the forces, even spatial, American. China will probably also organize an official ceremony for the commissioning of Fujian on October 1st, but later the ship will still have to be used to carry out the training activity for its crew. This, from what we know, is already composed of a part of instructors who have trained on the other two ships of the same type, which managed in a short time to reach the operational capacity of making a aircraft take off per minute. What is the Beijing of three new aircraft carriers is soon said: with three complete attack groups, when one aircraft carrier will be under maintenance, another will be able to drive the fleet in training in the southern Chinese Sea while the last patrol the western peaceful Pacific in Taiwan. This possibility could have significant implications for Taiwan’s military defense operations, since the armed forces of the island will no longer be able to intercept the attack groups of Chinese aircraft carriers in the strategic waterways before they enter the western Pacific.
Narwhal, Made’s first submarine of Taiwan
If the Taiwan channel is a weak point for the island in an invasion key, it has always been a strong point regarding the control of Chinese forces. In addition, the units of the Navy and the aviation of Taiwan stationed in the eastern areas of the country will be directly exposed to the long -haul attacking capabilities from Chinese aircraft carriers. If China undertakes a military action against Taiwan, its aircraft carriers could be used to impose a long -range naval block with interdiction operations in the Pacific between the island of Guam, where the most important US military base arises in the region and Taiwan herself that has no choice but strengthens the stocks of anti -voucher missiles and accelerate the construction of national production submarines. Just last June, the Taiwanese navy made the sea take the sea to its first national submarine, a fundamental piece to reach which she had to draw on the skills and technology of different countries, including the United States and Great Britain. The Taiwanese industrial group CSBC Corp (2208.tw), which is guiding the construction of those that in the end will be eight submarines, on June 18 he declared that the first vessel, the Narwhal, had completed his first test in navigation on propulsion, ventilation and radar systems. From what we know, underwater tests are now underway at gradual depth and that the unit should have been delivered to the Navy last year, joining two existing submarines purchased by the Netherlands in the 80s, but the program has undergone delays, even if Taiwan says he wants to deploy at least two of these national submarines by 2027. Heavy Mark 48 and the Lockheed Martin fighting system, therefore American.
