Fact Check

Chinese Aircraft Carrier

Do photographs show a new Chinese aircraft carrier?

Published Aug. 10, 2011

Claim:
Photographs show a new Chinese aircraft carrier.

In August 2011, China's first aircraft carrier began sea trials. Given that this ship is a refurbished former Soviet aircraft carrier, not the catamaran-style design shown here, and China reportedly plans to build "up to three additional clones of the carrier" in the long term, it's unlikely the pictures displayed below are conceptual images of "a new ultra modern Chinese design concept aircraft carrier" currently under construction. We could find no documentation that China is currently engaged in building a craft like the one shown here, or has any plans to do so. The origin of these images is unknown to us and may have no connection with the Chinese military:

Example:   [Collected via e-mail, August 2011]

China's new aircraft carrier! Wow!These aircraft carriers look formidable and of ultra modern design. There are reports the 1st Chinese aircraft carrier is under construction and could enter service around 2015 or earlier. It won't be long before we see the real thing. Defense analysts are waiting; watching anxiously.

THIS IS QUANTUM LEAP ABOVE ANYTHING WE HAVE ON THE DRAWING BOARD. THEY HAVE THOUGHT "OUTSIDE THE BOX" ON THIS ONE. BETTER SPEED, LARGER CAPACITY, MUCH MORE STABLE, ETC. DEFINITELY A "BLUE-WATER" LONG REACH VESSEL.

PLUS THEY CAN SERVICE THEIR NUKE SUB FLEET IN-BETWEEN THE TWIN HULLS (SIGHT UNSEEN) OR EVEN LAUNCH AMPHIBIOUS OPPS FROM SAME. IT WILL BE LAUNCHED IN HALF THE TIME IT TAKES THE USA AT JUST ONE-THIRD THE COST. ADD THE NEW CHINESE STEALTH FIGHTER BOMBER (NAVAL VERSION ALREADY FLIGHT TESTING) IN THE MIX AND YOU HAVE THE MAKINGS OF A FORMIDABLE WEAPONS SYSTEM INDEED..

ALSO LOOK AT THAT EXTRA ''PARKING AND READINESS'' STATION BETWEEN BOTH HULL STRUCTURES.. AND OF COURSE THE LAUNCHING AND LANDING CAPABILITIES FROM THE UTILIZATION OF TWIN FLIGHT DECKS AT ONCE

P.S. SOME THOUGHT SHOULD BE GIVEN TO ADVISING YOUR GRANDCHILDREN TO LEARN TO SPEAK MANDARIN (FORGET SPANISH) MY "VERY, VERY BRIGHT" 15-YEAR OLD 3rd COUSIN HAS ALREADY BEEN ADVISED TO DO SO BY PEOPLE WHO KNOW ABOUT SUCH THINGS.

P.P.S SIX OF THESE VESSELS (TWO PACIFIC, TWO ATLANTIC, ONE INDIAN OCEAN AND ONE MED SEA) WOULD BE A PRETTY GOOD DIPLOMATIC "BIG STICK". NOTE: THE CHINESE ARE ALREADY DRILLING FOR OIL OFF CUBA, BRAZIL AND VENEZUELA.
CAN THEY BUILD A FLEET OF THESE THINGS???

A FEW FACTS: THE CHINESE HAVE COMPLETED THE WORLD'S BIGGEST DAM (THREE GORGES), THE WORLD'S LONGEST OVER-WATER BRIDGE (65 TIMES AS MUCH STEEL AS IN THE EIFFEL TOWER). CONSTRUCTED A 15,000' HIGH RAILROAD INTO TIBET (ALL CONSIDERED MAJOR ENGINEERING FEATS).

THEY ARE THE ONLY NATION OTHER THAN RUSSIA THAT CAN LAUNCH MEN INTO OUTER SPACE (OUR CAPABILITY ENDS WITH THE LAST SPACE SHUTTLE LAUNCH THIS MONTH). THEY HAVE ALSO SHOT DOWN A SURVEILLANCE SATELLITE (ONE OF THEIR OWN) FROM THE GROUND. PLUS THEY "OWN OUR ASS" IN THE INTERNATIONAL DEBT GAME.

CHINA'S NEW A/C CARRIER COULD BE TWICE AS FAST AS ANYTHING WE HAVE, PLUS THE STABILITY OF A CATAMARAN TYPE HULL WILL GREATLY REDUCE THE PITCHING, YAWING AND SWAYING COMMON TO OUR PRESENT DESIGNS.

David Mikkelson founded the site now known as snopes.com back in 1994.

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