Shanghai Daily, July 12, 2012
China's aircraft carrier has set out from Dalian in the northeastern province of Liaoning on sea trials that will last
25 days, the longest yet, and experts say domestic J-15 fighters may be involved in landing and takeoff exercises.
An area on the north Bohai Sea region is out of bounds to civilian boats until the end of the month. Military experts
believe the carrier will be commissioned next month on China's Army Day, August 1, but say there still seems much
to be done.
<a href="http://s1267.photobucket.com/albums/jj559/365Wildfire/?action=view&current=00016c8b5de011686f130a.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1267.photobucket.com/albums/jj559/365Wildfire/00016c8b5de011686f130a.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
It will take a long time for Chinese fighter pilots to train to land on the aircraft carrier, which is the most difficult step
during training, said Hu Siyuan, a professor with the National Defense University PLA China.
"The pilots have to use the best direction, height and speed to land on the 60-meter-wide aircraft carrier and also
need to prepare to abort the landing and ascend again for any emergency, which are great challenges mentally and
physically," Hu said.
Fixed-wing aircraft on the carrier will use a ski-jump to take off while three lines of cables will help to slow down aircraft
when they land.
Landing training has to be done while the carrier is at sea and the lengthy sea trials this time might provide the first
training opportunity for fighter pilots, according to Hu.
The carrier is capable of carrying around 30 fixed wing fighters and helicopters and a crew of around 2,000.
Hu said that China's J-15 fighters would probably be the major aircraft used on the carrier.
Some photographs taken by Dalian residents living near the port showed several J-15s with wings folded on the carrier's
deck.
<a href="http://s1267.photobucket.com/albums/jj559/365Wildfire/?action=view&current=00016c8b5de011686f3313.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1267.photobucket.com/albums/jj559/365Wildfire/00016c8b5de011686f3313.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
The J-15, also known as the Flying Shark, is the country's first-generation, aircraft carrier-borne fighter. It was
developed based on Russia's Su-33 fighter, a second candidate for China's first aircraft carrier.
The twin-engined Chinese fighter made its maiden flight in 2009 in Shenyang, capital of Liaoning.
The current weak point of the J-15 is its Russia-made Al-31 engines which are less powerful than that of the American
F-35 fighter, said Hu.
"However, the J-15 will be more competitive to the F-35 in future when the Chinese jet is equipped with made-in-China
engines because the US jet has only a single engine," he said.
China's aircraft carrier has set out from Dalian in the northeastern province of Liaoning on sea trials that will last
25 days, the longest yet, and experts say domestic J-15 fighters may be involved in landing and takeoff exercises.
An area on the north Bohai Sea region is out of bounds to civilian boats until the end of the month. Military experts
believe the carrier will be commissioned next month on China's Army Day, August 1, but say there still seems much
to be done.
<a href="http://s1267.photobucket.com/albums/jj559/365Wildfire/?action=view&current=00016c8b5de011686f130a.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1267.photobucket.com/albums/jj559/365Wildfire/00016c8b5de011686f130a.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
It will take a long time for Chinese fighter pilots to train to land on the aircraft carrier, which is the most difficult step
during training, said Hu Siyuan, a professor with the National Defense University PLA China.
"The pilots have to use the best direction, height and speed to land on the 60-meter-wide aircraft carrier and also
need to prepare to abort the landing and ascend again for any emergency, which are great challenges mentally and
physically," Hu said.
Fixed-wing aircraft on the carrier will use a ski-jump to take off while three lines of cables will help to slow down aircraft
when they land.
Landing training has to be done while the carrier is at sea and the lengthy sea trials this time might provide the first
training opportunity for fighter pilots, according to Hu.
The carrier is capable of carrying around 30 fixed wing fighters and helicopters and a crew of around 2,000.
Hu said that China's J-15 fighters would probably be the major aircraft used on the carrier.
Some photographs taken by Dalian residents living near the port showed several J-15s with wings folded on the carrier's
deck.
<a href="http://s1267.photobucket.com/albums/jj559/365Wildfire/?action=view&current=00016c8b5de011686f3313.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1267.photobucket.com/albums/jj559/365Wildfire/00016c8b5de011686f3313.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
The J-15, also known as the Flying Shark, is the country's first-generation, aircraft carrier-borne fighter. It was
developed based on Russia's Su-33 fighter, a second candidate for China's first aircraft carrier.
The twin-engined Chinese fighter made its maiden flight in 2009 in Shenyang, capital of Liaoning.
The current weak point of the J-15 is its Russia-made Al-31 engines which are less powerful than that of the American
F-35 fighter, said Hu.
"However, the J-15 will be more competitive to the F-35 in future when the Chinese jet is equipped with made-in-China
engines because the US jet has only a single engine," he said.
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