by Agence France-Presse  June 17, 2022 in Navy News

法新社2022年6月17日海军新闻

 

China on Friday launched its biggest and most modern aircraft carrier, marking a major military advance for the Asian superpower.

周五，中国下水了其最大、最现代化的航空母舰，标志着这个亚洲超级大国取得了重大军事进展。

 

The new carrier, named Fujian, is the “first catapult aircraft carrier wholly designed and built by China”, said state broadcaster CCTV.

中央电视台表示，这艘名为“福建号”的新航母是“中国第一艘完全自主设计建造的弹射型航母”。

 

Columns of sailors in white uniforms applauded under colorful clouds of smoke as jets of water arced over the gigantic vessel to mark its launch.

在五颜六色的浓烟中，身着白色制服的水兵列队鼓掌，一股股水柱划过这艘巨大的船只，标志着它的下水。

 

Colorful streamers hung from its flight deck, on which large banners read: “Strive for the comprehensive construction of a… first-class navy.”

飞行甲板上悬挂着五颜六色的横幅，上面写着：“努力全面建设……一流的海军。”

 

The launch of the carrier marks a major milestone for the Chinese military.

该航母的下水标志着中国军方的一个重要里程碑。

 

It has significantly more advanced technology than China’s two other carriers, including electromagnetic catapults to launch aircraft off its deck, the official Xinhua news agency reported.

据官方新华社报道，它拥有比中国其他两艘航母更先进的技术，包括用于将飞机从甲板上发射出去的电磁弹射器。

 

The other carriers — the Liaoning and the Shandong — use a ski-jump-style ramp for takeoffs.

其他航母——辽宁号和山东号——使用滑跃式坡道起飞。

 

And with a displacement of more than 80,000 tones, according to Xinhua, it is comparable in size to the supercarriers of the United States Navy, analysts said.

分析人士称，据新华社报道，排水量超过 80,000 吨，其大小与美国海军的超级航母相当。

 

‘Game changer’

“游戏规则改变者”

 

Collin Koh, a research fellow at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore, said it could be a “game changer” for the Chinese navy.

新加坡南洋理工大学研究员柯林·高表示，这可能是中国海军的“游戏规则改变者”。

 

“The conventional flight deck with (electromagnetic catapults) will at least in theory allow the carrier to launch aircraft faster and with heavier payloads — which constitute key deciding factors during battle,” he told AFP.

他告诉法新社：“带有（电磁弹射器）的传统飞行甲板至少在理论上允许航母以更快的速度和更重的有效载荷发射飞机，这是战斗中的关键决定因素。”

 

“At a strategic level, the new carrier heralds the coming of age of a blue-water PLA Navy.”

“在战略层面，这艘新航母预示着中国人民解放军蓝水海军时代的到来。”

 

Blue-water navies are able to operate around the world at vast ranges.

蓝水海军能够在全球范围内进行大范围作战。

 

It will take years before the Fujian becomes operational, however. Authorities have not said when it will enter service.

然而，福建号将需要数年时间才能投入部署。有关部门尚未透露何时服役。

 

The Liaoning was commissioned in 2012, and the Shandong entered service in 2019.

辽宁号于2012年服役，山东号于2019年服役。

 

The Shandong was the first aircraft carrier entirely built by China.

山东号是第一艘完全由中国建造的航空母舰。

 

The United States has by far the most aircraft carriers in service at 11 ships, followed by China and Britain at two each, according to defence magazine Janes.

据防务杂志《简氏》报道，美国目前服役的航空母舰数量最多，有11艘，其次是中国和英国，各有2艘。

 

Unlike the US Navy’s nuclear-powered supercarriers, the Fujian uses conventional propulsion. Nuclear vessels have significant advantages over conventional ships as they can operate for long periods without the need to dock and refuel.

与美国海军的核动力超级航母不同，福建号使用常规推进。核动力船舶与传统船舶相比具有显着优势，因为它们可以长时间运行而无需停靠和加油。