According to a report from the South China Morning Post, the advanced warship could be home ported at the Yulin Naval Base near Sanya, on Hainan Island.
Last week, the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) Type 003 Fujian departed from the Changxing Island dock at the Jiangnan Shipyard in Shanghai. The warship had spent much of the first half of this year completing no fewer than eight different sea trials, carrying out tests of its propulsion, electronic systems, deck operations, and its electromagnetic catapults and aircraft recovery systems. It was followed by nearly three months of post-trial maintenance.
The Fujian Will Be Commissioned Soon—but We Don’t Know When
The warship, China’s third and most advanced aircraft carrier, and the second to be domestically built, was tracked operating in the South China Sea after transiting the Taiwan Strait last Friday. The transit came just days after US Navy and British Royal Navy warships sailed through the same waters, which China has said undermines “peace and stability” in the region. Beijing, which views Taiwan as a breakaway province, also maintains that the strategic waterway is part of its territorial waters. Taipei rejects both of the claims. The Chinese Communist Party government has never governed Taiwan.
The PLAN announced that its third carrier will be carrying out “scientific research experiments and training missions” in the South China Sea as part of the culmination of its construction. At least two destroyers were reportedly escorting the flattop.
There has been much speculation that the Type 003 Fujian could soon enter service—possibly as early as October 1, a national holiday commemorating the founding of the People’s Republic of China in 1949. Whether that occurs has yet to be seen, but there is also ongoing speculation about where the warship could be based when it is officially commissioned.
Where Will the New Aircraft Carrier Be Based?
According to a report from the South China Morning Post, the advanced warship could be home ported at the Yulin Naval Base near Sanya, on Hainan Island. The facility is the homeport for the Type 002 Shandong, China’s second aircraft carrier, and is with the People’s Liberation Army’s Southern Theater Command, which oversees the South China Sea. The Type 003 Fujian was operating 60 miles east of the base earlier this week.
Satellite images from earlier this year showed a massive build-up, yet the base does not have any additional piers for aircraft carriers. However, noted naval analyst HI Sutton has tracked the expansion of the base in recent years, observing that it has nearly doubled in size. Beijing has invested more than $50 billion in expanding its military presence around Hainan Island. Stationing the Fujian at Sanya would align with Beijing’s goals to project strength and deter potential adversaries in the contested waters. It would also enable integration testing with the base and naval aviation units from Lingshui Air Base.
The other base that could likely support the carrier after it is commissioned would be at Yuchi, on the Yellow Sea in Shandong Province. The Yuchi Naval Base was founded in September 1950 and is now the homeport for the Type 001 Fujian.
Ultimately, where the carrier is based may not matter. As The Diplomat explained, “PLA aircraft carriers are not assigned to any particular theater command; instead, they report directly to the Navy Headquarters.” This mirrors the approach of the US Navy, which reassigns carriers “depending on mission requirements and force distribution.”
About the Author: Peter Suciu
Peter Suciu has contributed over 3,200 published pieces to more than four dozen magazines and websites over a 30-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a contributing writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. He is based in Michigan. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: [email protected].
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